Speak up if you paid bribe for any VGMA - George Quaye

The credibility and integrity of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) has always been questioned since its inception seventeen years ago.

Accusations including bribery have been levelled against the scheme and its board and this year’s is no different.

The public relations officer of Charter House, organisers of the awards, George Quaye in an interview with Jay Foley on LBC on Live 91.9 FM has dared any artiste who has ever paid bribe and has evidence to back that claim to come out and speak.“I am daring any musician who has ever paid anything to come out and speak and we will take it from there. Whoever shows face should have evidence to back it, we do not want speculations or accusations, just come with an evidence be it a chat or recording and let’s start rolling.

“But woe unto anyone who shows up with these allegations and has nothing to show for it,” he said.

The official launch of this year’s VGMA came off at the Kempinski Hotel, Accra last Friday after it kicked off with a press launch.

A nominees jam will take place on the 6th of April at the Jubilee Park, Ho with the main awards night coming on at the Conference Center on the 7th of May.

Charterhouse, organisers of Ghana Music Awards made certain changes in this year’s awards

There would be no industry awards night so all awards will be presented at main event. There would be no Gospel Album of the year award because according to the board there were not enough Gospel albums with at least 3 hit songs as per the category definition.

Lifetime achievement award and MUSIGA merit award will be merged this year. No Music for Development award this year.

Source: livefmghana.com

104-Yr-Old Granny Raped By 28-Yr-Old Man

Ghana Police Logo

A 28-year-old man identified only as Moses is in the grips of the Sogakope police for allegedly raping a 104-year-old grandmother at Dedenu near Yorkitikpo in the South Tongu district in the Volta region on Saturday.

The sexual assault took place while the old woman slept.

The suspect was arrested by villagers in the area upon a complaint lodged by the victim, and handed over to the police. He was on the run when he was accosted by the villages.The old lady told Class News’ regional correspondent Emmanuel Atukpa that the suspect, upon entering her room, claimed he was there to deliver GHc100 sent by her son. As the frail grandmother, who had been widowed for 40 years, pressed for further details, the suspect, overpowered her, covered her face with a cloth and had sex with her.

The old woman later reported the case to the police and was taken to the hospital. She complained of severe waist pains.

The suspect, on the other hand, according to Atukpa, pretended he was dead while in police custody, and, so, was taken to the hospital. But upon hearing the doctor recommend he be put into the morgue, he suddenly started breathing.

Source: Classonline

PHOTO: Beautiful Actress Genevieve Nnaji Shows Off Boobies

Beautiful Actress Genevieve Nnaji Shows Boobies

Beautiful Actress Genevieve Nnaji Shows Boobies

PHOTO: Yvonne Nelson & Delay Friends Again

PHOTO: Yvonne Nelson & Delay Friends Again

It looks like actress - Yvonne Nelson is on a move to amend all broken bridges—and those who really know Yvonne Nelson would know she has no long-standing friends.

A few hours after sharing a video of John Dumelo and herself having sort of settled their friendship break-up issue, Yvonne Nelson seems to be back in talking terms with Delay (Deloris Frimpong Manso) too.

Delay posted the above photo of herself and Yvonne Nelson on IG, saying,”We were not talking. We sorted things out yesterday. We going to church @yvonnenelsongh,”

Yvonne Nelson also posted on her IG page a photo of Delay with the message; “hmmm I’m looking for a boyfriend for this girl …she’s tooo uptight @cocoabrowngh”—confirming that they are indeed back to the same space again.

It looks like in less than a week, Yvonne Nelson has gained back two friends.

Kim Kardashian stands by her man

Kim Kardashian stands by her man

Kim Kardashian fully supports her outspoken husband Kanye West following a series of controversial Twitter rants.

The Power rapper has been hitting headlines for his frequent Twitter tears of late, during which he reignited his feud with Taylor Swift, attacked rock producer Bob Ezrin, and demanded a meeting with Grammys boss Neil Portnoy.Reports suggested Kim had started to tire of her man's online outbursts, which had allegedly caused problems in their marriage, but on Friday (26Feb16), the reality TV star made it clear she is firmly in Kanye's corner.

In a new update on her website, she filled out a 'Currently' form, one of her periodic posts, which detail her present interests.

She revealed she is currently loving "my husband", and currently hating "that people don't get that Kanye will stand up against the whole world for his creativity and art".

Kim also admitted she is listening to the rapper's egotistical I Love Kanye track, from his new album The Life of Pablo, while she is currently waiting for "everyone to be as honest as Kanye".

She went on to add she is watching "Kanye shoot his new video" and reading "Kanye's tweets".

The Kanye-themed blog post appears to be Kim's way of firing back at unfounded gossip, which went as far as to suggest the couple is heading for divorce.

The stars wed in a lavish ceremony in Europe in 2014 and are parents to daughter North, two, and baby boy Saint, who was born in December (15). They were friends for several years before tying the knot.

Source: music-news.com

Lydia Forson is the most beautiful woman in Ghana

Lydia Forson is the most beautiful woman in Ghana

Joseph Agbeko, the reserved and soft spoken professional boxer took us by surprise by showing his preferences in most beautiful Ghanaian celebrities with Lydia Forson topping the list.

According to the former IBF champion, the award winning actress Lydia Forson is the most beautiful woman in Ghana apparently.
He made this known on GHONE’S celebrity show ‘E-Talk’ .

‘She is very unique and beautiful African Woman and will therefore remain the most beautiful to me always,‘ Agbeko remarked.

According to the boxer, other female celebrities that have caught his eye include Becca, Eazzy, Caroline and Deborah Vanessa.

After listing his top 5 most beautiful celebrities, he made it clear that he will never go out with any celebrity in Ghana.

Source: Barimah Amoaning

Pope's pregnant secretary found dead, Vatican calls for probe

Pope Francis

The seven-months pregnant secretary of Roman Catholic Church leader Pope Francis was reportedly found dead at her apartment in Rome, with the Vatican calling on police to investigate the matter.

"Pope Francis had been informed of the death. We are all pained by this news," said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi.The Mirror noted that 34-year-old Miriam Wuolou, who is of Eritrean origin, had worked for years at the Santa Marta guesthouse, where the pontiff lives. Francis had opted to live at the more humble guesthouse instead of the lavish papal apartments when he was chosen as Pope back in 2013.

Italian press noted that Wuolou suffered from a serious kind of diabetes, which doctors had warned could put her pregnancy at risk, but it is not yet known if that is related to her death. The secretary is believed to have missed several weeks of work due to her condition.

She was found dead at her apartment last Friday by her brother who came to see her.

The ANSA news agency reported that prosecutors have ordered an autopsy to be carried out on Wuolou's body, as there were no signs of physical violence discovered at her Rome apartment.

"A DNA test will also be carried out on the fetus. Wuolou's body was found by Carabinieri police at her flat in the Pisana area south of Rome after her brother raised the alarm. It allegedly presented no signs of violence," the report stated.

The Vatican will reportedly be following the case closely, but officials are not expected to be directly involved in the investigations. The Vatican News website is also yet to report on Wuolou's death.

Italian newspaper il Messaggero reported that police suspect it could have been a case of neglect, and have interviewed family members, her ex-husband from whom she was separated, and most recent boyfriend, who is believed to be a policeman who works at the Vatican.

Catholic Culture suggested that questions have been raised about her ex-husband, who did not live with her, and whether "their union was arranged simply to enable her to become a citizen."

DNA tests are also set to be carried out on the fetus, with investigators seeking to confirm the paternity of her unborn child.

Source: christianpost.com

Watch Drake and Rihanna whine and grind at Brit Awards

Watch Drake and Rihanna whine and grind at Brit Awards

The superstars showed off their delectable chemistry when they performed their single 'Work' at the Brit Awards on Wednesday. The two videos for the song have been receiving major airplay since the raunchy visuals hit the net a few days ago. Video uploaded to Youtube by RihannaVevo. Watch the video below.

Zimbabwean President Mugabe donates 300 cows to African Union




Zimbabwean President Mugabe

Harare - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has donated 300 cattle to the African Union to help it become less dependent on outside donors, a legislator says.

The cattle were handed over to AU deputy chairperson Erastus Mwencha at a ceremony in Mugabe's office, though the herd is being kept near a small town northwest of Harare.
"The president has donated 300 cattle to the AU Foundation following a pledge he made last year when he was the AU chair," said Kindness Paradza, who heads the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs.

"We are looking after the cattle at a farm in Karoi and the AU can decide what they want to do with them."

He said the donation was Mugabe's contribution towards the AU Foundation, which promotes financial independence.

Mugabe, who held the rotating AU presidency until last month, said he wanted the cattle "to play some part in... making the foundation keep going.

"It just struck me that no one had ever thought of a gift by way of cattle to the AU and since we are cattle people, why shouldn't we also make a gift to the AU in cattle form?" he told the state-run Herald newspaper.

The AU thanked Mugabe in a tweet that hailed "his exemplary leadership in demonstrating the ability of Africans to fund Africa's development."

MTN drops lawsuit against Nigeria, pays $250m

MTN drops lawsuit against Nigeria, pays $250m

South African telecommunications firm, MTN has withdrawn its lawsuit against Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over a $3.9 billion fine and paid $250 million towards a possible settlement.

A judge in Lagos last month gave both parties until March 18 to reach a settlement, after MTN had asked the court to arbitrate over the dispute, saying the NCC had no legal grounds to order the fine, Reuters reported.

MTN, which makes 37 percent of its sales in Nigeria, said it would withdraw its court challenge in an effort to reach an amicable settlement and make a “good faith payment” of $250 million towards a possible settlement.

“This is a sign that the fine could be reduced much further. There is some sort of negotiation taking place and the parties are migrating towards a common ground,” Reuters quoted Dobek Pater, managing director of Africa Analysis, as saying on the matter.

The original penalty was based on fining the company $1,000 for every unregistered SIM card in use.

PHOTO: Some Ashesi Universitystudents expecting to Graduate in 2016

Ashesi University Graduation 2016 is coming

Ashesi University Graduation 2016 is coming

Ashanti Region Most Dangerous Place To Drive

The Ashanti Region is the most dangerous place to drive in Ghana, according to crash statistics revealed by the Eastern regional director of the Ghana Road Safety Commission.

Mr Kwasi Yirenkyi told Class News’ Eastern regional correspondent McAnthony Dagyenga in an interview that the Ashanti Region tops the league table of accidents with 20.7%.

It is followed by the Greater Accra, 17.4%; and Eastern, 16.1 per cent.Mr Yirenkyi has, therefore, urged road users in his area, to always be on the alert, since the Eastern region ranks among the top three most dangerous places to drive in the country.

According to him, even though the region was performing better in reducing fatalities on the roads, the number of crashes and deaths were still worrying.

“If you look at the data on how we performed from 2014 to 2015, we did a lot better than 2014, so the performance was good, but if you look at the number of people, who died in 2015 and compare it to the population of the Eastern region in 2015, then it is not good because if 229 people died on our roads and then 271 were knocked down, I wouldn’t call that a good situation….with 229 deaths we have a lot of work to do, we must bring down this figure drastically,” he said.

Mr Yirenkyi said his outfit would intensify education at East Akyem and Birim Central municipalities because the two areas have consistently been epicentres of road carnage. He put the situation down to lack of training on the part of drivers, who belong to unions.

“It is the responsibility of the unions to make sure that their members are trained in the basic principles of road safety.

“If you are formally trained and I am formally trained, we shall all, equally apply the common understanding that we have while driving and that is the only thing that can [help reduce carnage on our roads],” he said.

Source: citifmonline.com

PHOTO: Lancaster University of Ghana Organised a Career Week and Entrepreneurship Day!

Mr Ebenezer Saka from Saka Homes sharing with students his entrepreneurship journey

The aim of this event is to encourage our students to take up entrepreneurial roles in society to help solve the ever increasing problems of unemployment and alienate its effects on the country. See more pics below.

Lancaster University Ghana and Ashesi debate on " Environmental Destruction & Climate Change Issues  

Lancaster University Ghana and Ashesi debate on " Environmental Destruction & Climate Change Issues 

Interview Skills Presentation by Dr. Cynthia Forson was awesome! 

Plane goes missing in Nepal with 23 people on board

Plane goes missing in Nepal with 23 people on board

Pokhara is a resort town some 200 kilometres west of the capital Kathmandu. Jomsom, a short distance further north, is the starting point for many people trekking in the Himalayas.

A small plane carrying 23 people, including two foreigners, on Wednesday went missing in a mountainous area in Nepal amid poor visibility, with officials fearing that the aircraft might have crashed. 

The Twin-Otter aircraft belonging to Tara Air went missing minutes after it took off from Pokhara airport on way to Jomsom. Pokhara is a resort town some 200 kilometres west of the capital Kathmandu. Jomsom, a short distance further north, is the starting point for many people trekking in the Himalayas. 

There were 23 people, including three crew members, two children and two foreigners, on board, officials said. One passenger was later confirmed to be from China and another a Kuwaiti national. All the others were from Nepal and two were children. The aircraft might have crashed in Dana village which lies between Mustang and Myagdi district in northern Nepal, a police officer from Pokhara Zonal Police office quoted local residents as saying. 

Three helicopters have been dispatched from Kathmandu for search operations and Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel were mobilised for the same purpose. "We have dispatched three helicopters on a search and rescue mission," the airline said in a statement posted on its website. 

"The weather at both origin and destination airports was favourable and the airport cleared for departure by the control tower at Pokhara," said the statement. 

The cause of the incident could not be immediately known. However,Dana Village Development Committee and adjoining areas were enshrouded in cloud of dust yesterday following dry landslides in Mount Annapurna. Local residents said they have heard a huge sound of explosion and fire in the remote mountainous area. 

Since 1949 - the year the first aircraft landed in Nepal - there have been more than 70 different crashes involving planes and helicopters, in which more than 700 people have been killed. In 2013, the European Union banned all Nepalese airlines from flying there. In 2014, a Nepal Airlines plane crashed into the side of a snow-clad mountain in the country's west, killing 18 people.

Source: moneycontrol.com

Teachers declare war over arrears

Ghana Teachers declare war over arrears

Teachers across the country have refused to back down on their decision to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike despite government’s plea.

According to the teachers, government’s posture does not address their concerns and would therefore go ahead with their intended strike in March if their demands were not met.
The teachers have cited non-payment of transfer grants, the 24 months’ incremental credit arrears and the policy of paying only three months of salary arrears irrespective of the total number of accumulated months, as some of their concerns.

The rest are non-payment of vehicle maintenance allowances to deserving teachers, outstanding transfer grants and travel and transport allowances.

Government on Monday met with the three teacher unions namely, Ghana National Association of Teacher (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) over a road-map towards the payment of salary arrears but ended inconclusively.

According to the unions, they would not accept any roadmap, explaining that the proposal from government does not address their concerns tabled before the negotiation team.

Christian Addai-Opoku, President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), who was addressing the media yesterday on behalf of the three teacher unions, said the educational authorities were engaging in delusion and self-denial of the issues at stake.

“Instead of sitting down to plan how they can effectively deal with the issue at hand, our educational authorities are engaging in delusion and self-denial of the hard truth. We are, however, not surprised because they have had the mettle to disregard ruling of the National Labour Commission,” Christian Addai-Opoku averred.

Outstanding Salary Arrears
Mr Addai-Opoku said the claim by Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Jacob Kor that government does not owe teachers and that all outstanding arrears for those who qualified had been paid by January 1, 2016 was untrue.

He explained that the Director-General referred a list of 27,000 teachers to the Fair Wages and Salary Commission for action on January 12, 2016.

“So how can the Director General still claim that these teachers have been paid on January 1, 2016? The fact of the matter is that GES has just submitted the documents of 27,000 teachers to the Audit Service after two years of inaction,” Addai-Opoku noted.

He posited that the Controller and Accountant General’s Department did not pay salaries on January 1, 2016, stating, “January salaries were paid on January 24, 2016 and those of December 2015 were paid on December 18, 2015. There was no supplementary pay run on January 1, 2016.”

Outstanding Allowances
On the issue of payment of outstanding car maintenance allowances and transfer grants, Mr Addai-Opoku said government had failed to pay teachers their allowances since 2012.

He said government owes an estimated amount of GH¢16 million over four years and out of this, only GH¢1 million could be released for the payment of the first three months of 2015.

“Even the three months that were paid, we received reports that some district directors failed to pay the money to teachers, claiming that government had not paid them their subventions so they used that money to run the districts.

“It is therefore strange how the Director General could confidently look teachers and indeed all Ghanaians in the face and tell us that GH¢16 million minus GH¢1,000,000 is equal to zero,” the NAGRAT President fumed.

Fake Documents
Touching on government’s claim that some teachers had issued fake documents and certificates, he said, “We find the assertion a baseless criminalization and defamation of the hard-won reputation of a lot of the affected teachers.

“If these teachers are fraud as he seeks to imply, then why are they still at post? Why have they not been dealt with or arrested?”

Mr Addai-Opoku underscored that “let it be noted that majority of the teachers affected by this unpopular policy of ‘non-payment of arrears beyond three months’ have been placed on payroll, paid three months of their arrears, continue to receive pay every month and perform their duties as teachers. If they are fake as he claims, why continue to entrust the future of our children in their hands? Why are they not arrested?”

He said the association’s investigations revealed that a lot of the supporting documents to the teachers’ applications got detached due to poor handling by either officials at the GES headquarters or the Audit Service.

He re-emphasized that until all arrears were paid, their position remained unchanged and “we are resolute in our demands which must be met by the 29th of February, 2016.”

Source: Daily Guide

Mzbel looking good in kente and sneakers

Mzbel looking good in kente and sneakers

Hiplife artiste Mzbel real name Nana Akua Amoah is one of Ghana's diva's in the music industry.

Gradually, the 'I am 16years' singer has carved a niche which has placed her on level that takes hardworking people to achieve that. See more pics below.
In a photo shared on the photo sharing app, Instagram, she showed off her beautiful legs in kente dress paired with a white sneakers.

As usual, her fans praised her for such super dope outfit.

Mzbel looking good in kente and sneakers

10 Good questions to ask your boyfriend

10 Good questions to ask your boyfriend

When you are with a new guy, it’s only natural that you want to find out as much as you can about him. What you don’t want to do, though, is turn a date into nothing more than a series of questions. The way to get more out of a man is to ask him some questions that will really give you some clues as to his true personality. Don’t ask him questions that he can answer with one word, ask him questions that will need an explanation and a bit of thought. Here are ten questions to ask your boyfriend that will tell a lot about the kind of guy he really his.

1. Where do you like to hang out when you are not with me?You can tell a lot about a man by the company he keeps and where he hangs out, so this question could tell you a lot more than just what his favourite haunts are. If he hangs out in the roughest bar in town, playing pool, then that will tell you one thing, if he spends most of his free time in the local library, that will tell you something else about him.

2. Do you like kids?
This is another one of good questions to ask your boyfriend. If you are thinking that this might be a long term relationship, then checking out how he feels about children would be a good move. His answer will not only tell you if he might be interested in having children of his own, it will also give you an insight into the type of man he is. If he loves being around kids then he is most likely a kind and patient person, and someone who can let go and have some innocent fun.

3. Do you like cooking?
Well, if you are going to make this a permanent arrangement you need to know if you are going to get breakfast in bed! Apart from the obvious practical benefit of being a guy who can cook, it also tells you that he has no old fashioned hang-ups about whose job it is to do the cooking. If he cooks, then he’s probably also pretty good at taking in his share of the other household chores as well.

4. What’s your idea of a perfect date?
One of great questions to ask your boyfriend is: “What’s your idea of a perfect date?” Ask him this question and you’ll find out if he is romantic or not, and whether or not you have the same interests. If he thinks that he perfect romantic date is watching the big game in a sports bar, and you can’t stand sports at all, you might as well find out about it sooner rather than later.

5. What do you think makes the perfect girlfriend?

You’ll have to push him in this one because, if he’s got any charm at all, he’ll just say “You”. Once you’ve got past that little stock answer, though, you might find out more about what he is expecting from the relationship. Is he looking for love or just a bit of company when he’s at a loose end?

6. If you won the lottery, what would you spend the money on?
Would he blow it all on a Bugatti Veyron, or would he share it amongst his family and give some to charity? This question could really show what type of guy he is and give you a good insight into his true character. It will tell you if he has a generous nature and if he is the type who would keep his feet on the ground and plan for the future.

7. What is the worst habit you have?
If says he has none, then you know he certainly has one bad habit, and that’s not telling the truth. If he’s a heavy drinker and he smokes, and you can’t stand either you might as well find out now. On the other hand, if he says “falling for beautiful women like you”, you can either take that as a compliment, or a sign that he thinks he’s a bit of a ladies’ man.

8. Where do you think you will be in twenty years’ time?
This is another one of great questions to ask your boyfriend. Does this guy have plans, or is he content to carry on muddling through just as he is today? Whether he wants to save the world or make his millions, drive, ambition and passion are an important quality to have. This is a good question to ask so that you can find out if his ambitions for the future are compatible with yours.

9. What are your parents like?
One of good questions to ask your boyfriend is what are his parents like. No one can choose their parents, but what a man thinks about his mom and dad can be an indicator of whether or not he is a family kind of guy. It’ll also give you a chance to find out a bit more about his past and where he came from.

10. What does love mean to you?
This is a pretty deep question and it should provoke a bit of thought on his part. Hopefully, he will be a man who understands what love is and cherishes it. If he gives you a sensible and honest answer to this question it could tell you a lot about your boyfriend.

Stay happy!

–Source: Beauty and Tips

Pastor defends wife showing breasts in revealing dress

 Stunning Hollywood actress Megan Good is married to preacher, Devon Franklin,

Meagan Good was brought to tears when someone criticized her clothing choices at a church event, but the actress’ husband, DeVon Franklin, defended his wife’s honor.

On Valentine’s Day, the couple spoke at an event that took place at One Church Los Angeles to promote their new book The Wait: A Powerful Practice for Finding the Love of Your Life and the Life You Love.
During the event that was live streamed all over the world, one woman questioned the 34-year-old “Minority Report” actress about her clothing choices.

“This is not offensive, but I was at the grocery store and I looked at a news stand and saw you, and you had your breasts showing. I wasn’t going to come here, but the Lord brought me here to see you,” the woman told Good. “You are a beautiful young woman and your testimony is awesome. The Lord let me come and push past the judgement, because you have to make sure what you say and what you do match up, you understand?”

When the woman concluded her statement by asking Good if she would “cover up,” her husband and the president of Franklin Entertainment stepped in.

“Wait a minute. No! That is not what we’re here for,” Franklin firmly told the woman. “She’s not gonna cover up, she is gonna wear what she wants to wear in the name of Jesus, amen. Amen?”

The exchange left Good emotional, and she was seen wiping tears from her face. Franklin, the 37-year-old preacher who co-authored The Wait with his wife made sure to express love with the woman while defending his wife’s Christian faith.

“God bless you, we love you. I love you dearly, but she has been a Christian as she is right now. She wore whatever she wanted to wear. So no, we ain’t doing that,” he said. “Y’all about to see another Devon that y’all ain’t never seen! Remember, I’m from Oakland now!”

While the audience was amused at Franklin’s response, Good decided to address the issue firsthand.

“I’d like to say one thing. I could’ve addressed what she said and it would take me a while to address it because I have very specific feelings about that,” she said. “But I just want to say to that young lady, however you feel, if that’s how you really feel, then pray for me. And God bless you.”

Good has not shied away from choosing clothing options with a plunging neckline or exposed skin and admitted to being upset with her critics from within the Church after receiving their negative responses. Last year the couple appeared as speakers at the Essence Festival empowerment panel where they spoke about overcoming harsh criticism from the Church.

“It kind of made me upset with the Church for a while. People don’t know what they do, but you have to love them regardless,” she said at Essence Festival. “But you have to own your truth.”

Although her husband is a preacher, he supported his wife and shared his perspective on the matter.

“So many people try to live by a label, but that’s not the box God put us in,” he said while serving on the panel with his wife. “Who we are is not defined by a box. When I live by your expectations of what I should do, then I limit who I am and then I become depressed because I can’t be my true self.”

During an interview with The Christian Post last month, the couple, who married in the summer of 2012, spoke about their views on dating, love, and keeping God at the center of it all. For the actress, honoring God by waiting to have sex before her wedding night helped her find a newfound confidence in her marriage.

“I’ve seen so many marriages around me deteriorate. The short term thought was a great one but the long term one was very scary to me,” Good revealed to CP. “I think the difference is with implementing The Wait, the foundation that we have is so solid that it makes me feel so much safer and gives me so much more confidence — not just in our marriage but in what God is doing in us and through us. He honors our marriage because we took the time to honor Him with our foundation.”

–Source: The Christian Post

Mahama’s new ministers not diligent – Parliament

Mahama’s new ministers not diligent – Parliament

Members of Parliament have expressed concern about the portfolios given to President Mahama’s ministerial appointees.

According to Parliament’s Vetting Committee, most of the nominees who appeared before it “were not diligent enough, yet the offices that they have been nominated to serve require serious diligence.” 

They also complained that the nominees had issues with their Curriculum Vitae (CV).

“There were many gaps and sometimes overlaps and seeming conflict in the CVs submitted, and the nominees were requested to re-submit their CVs,” a document from the Vetting Committee added.

The Vetting Committee subsequently urged “the nominees to exercise greater diligence in their respective endeavours if approved by the House.” 

President John Dramani Mahama in January 2016 reshuffled his ministers and nominated new ones. 

Parliament’s Vetting Committee has so far vetted about seven of them and has recommended their approval.

They are:

1.Albert Abongo – Upper East Regional Minister designate.

2. John Alexander Ackon – Ashanti Regional Minister designate


3. Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye – Minister of Yough and Sports designate

4. Kweku Rickets Hagan – Central Regional Minister designate

5. Abdallah Abubakari – Northern Regional Minister designate

6. Prosper Douglas Bani – Minster of Interior designate

7. Mavis Ama Frimpong – Eastern Regional Minister designate

Meanwhile, Members of Parliament debated matter on Wednesday.

–By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Agogo youth ban political activities over Fulani menace

Agogo youth ban political activities over Fulani menace 

Teachers across the country have refused to back down on their decision to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike despite government’s plea.

According to the teachers, government’s posture does not address their concerns and would therefore go ahead with their intended strike in March if their demands were not met.The teachers have cited non-payment of transfer grants, the 24 months’ incremental credit arrears and the policy of paying only three months of salary arrears irrespective of the total number of accumulated months, as some of their concerns.

The rest are non-payment of vehicle maintenance allowances to deserving teachers, outstanding transfer grants and travel and transport allowances.

Government on Monday met with the three teacher unions namely, Ghana National Association of Teacher (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) over a road-map towards the payment of salary arrears but ended inconclusively.

According to the unions, they would not accept any roadmap, explaining that the proposal from government does not address their concerns tabled before the negotiation team.

Christian Addai-Opoku, President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), who was addressing the media yesterday on behalf of the three teacher unions, said the educational authorities were engaging in delusion and self-denial of the issues at stake.

“Instead of sitting down to plan how they can effectively deal with the issue at hand, our educational authorities are engaging in delusion and self-denial of the hard truth. We are, however, not surprised because they have had the mettle to disregard ruling of the National Labour Commission,” Christian Addai-Opoku averred.

Outstanding Salary Arrears

Mr Addai-Opoku said the claim by Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Jacob Kor that government does not owe teachers and that all outstanding arrears for those who qualified had been paid by January 1, 2016 was untrue.

He explained that the Director-General referred a list of 27,000 teachers to the Fair Wages and Salary Commission for action on January 12, 2016.

“So how can the Director General still claim that these teachers have been paid on January 1, 2016? The fact of the matter is that GES has just submitted the documents of 27,000 teachers to the Audit Service after two years of inaction,” Addai-Opoku noted.

He posited that the Controller and Accountant General’s Department did not pay salaries on January 1, 2016, stating, “January salaries were paid on January 24, 2016 and those of December 2015 were paid on December 18, 2015. There was no supplementary pay run on January 1, 2016.”

Outstanding Allowances

On the issue of payment of outstanding car maintenance allowances and transfer grants, Mr Addai-Opoku said government had failed to pay teachers their allowances since 2012.

He said government owes an estimated amount of GH¢16 million over four years and out of this, only GH¢1 million could be released for the payment of the first three months of 2015.

“Even the three months that were paid, we received reports that some district directors failed to pay the money to teachers, claiming that government had not paid them their subventions so they used that money to run the districts.

“It is therefore strange how the Director General could confidently look teachers and indeed all Ghanaians in the face and tell us that GH¢16 million minus GH¢1,000,000 is equal to zero,” the NAGRAT President fumed.

Fake Documents

Touching on government’s claim that some teachers had issued fake documents and certificates, he said, “We find the assertion a baseless criminalization and defamation of the hard-won reputation of a lot of the affected teachers.

“If these teachers are fraud as he seeks to imply, then why are they still at post? Why have they not been dealt with or arrested?”

Mr Addai-Opoku underscored that “let it be noted that majority of the teachers affected by this unpopular policy of ‘non-payment of arrears beyond three months’ have been placed on payroll, paid three months of their arrears, continue to receive pay every month and perform their duties as teachers. If they are fake as he claims, why continue to entrust the future of our children in their hands? Why are they not arrested?”

He said the association’s investigations revealed that a lot of the supporting documents to the teachers’ applications got detached due to poor handling by either officials at the GES headquarters or the Audit Service.

He re-emphasized that until all arrears were paid, their position remained unchanged and “we are resolute in our demands which must be met by the 29th of February, 2016.”

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Photo News: Kenya Technical University Shares Knowledge with Cape Coast Polytechnic

Kenya Technical University Shares Knowledge with Cape Coast Polytechnic

Agogo youth ban political activities over Fulani menace

Agogo youth

Teachers across the country have refused to back down on their decision to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike despite government’s plea.

According to the teachers, government’s posture does not address their concerns and would therefore go ahead with their intended strike in March if their demands were not met.The teachers have cited non-payment of transfer grants, the 24 months’ incremental credit arrears and the policy of paying only three months of salary arrears irrespective of the total number of accumulated months, as some of their concerns.

The rest are non-payment of vehicle maintenance allowances to deserving teachers, outstanding transfer grants and travel and transport allowances.

Government on Monday met with the three teacher unions namely, Ghana National Association of Teacher (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) over a road-map towards the payment of salary arrears but ended inconclusively.

According to the unions, they would not accept any roadmap, explaining that the proposal from government does not address their concerns tabled before the negotiation team.

Christian Addai-Opoku, President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), who was addressing the media yesterday on behalf of the three teacher unions, said the educational authorities were engaging in delusion and self-denial of the issues at stake.

“Instead of sitting down to plan how they can effectively deal with the issue at hand, our educational authorities are engaging in delusion and self-denial of the hard truth. We are, however, not surprised because they have had the mettle to disregard ruling of the National Labour Commission,” Christian Addai-Opoku averred.

Outstanding Salary Arrears
Mr Addai-Opoku said the claim by Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Jacob Kor that government does not owe teachers and that all outstanding arrears for those who qualified had been paid by January 1, 2016 was untrue.

He explained that the Director-General referred a list of 27,000 teachers to the Fair Wages and Salary Commission for action on January 12, 2016.

“So how can the Director General still claim that these teachers have been paid on January 1, 2016? The fact of the matter is that GES has just submitted the documents of 27,000 teachers to the Audit Service after two years of inaction,” Addai-Opoku noted.

He posited that the Controller and Accountant General’s Department did not pay salaries on January 1, 2016, stating, “January salaries were paid on January 24, 2016 and those of December 2015 were paid on December 18, 2015. There was no supplementary pay run on January 1, 2016.”

Outstanding Allowances
On the issue of payment of outstanding car maintenance allowances and transfer grants, Mr Addai-Opoku said government had failed to pay teachers their allowances since 2012.

He said government owes an estimated amount of GH¢16 million over four years and out of this, only GH¢1 million could be released for the payment of the first three months of 2015.

“Even the three months that were paid, we received reports that some district directors failed to pay the money to teachers, claiming that government had not paid them their subventions so they used that money to run the districts.

“It is therefore strange how the Director General could confidently look teachers and indeed all Ghanaians in the face and tell us that GH¢16 million minus GH¢1,000,000 is equal to zero,” the NAGRAT President fumed.

Fake Documents
Touching on government’s claim that some teachers had issued fake documents and certificates, he said, “We find the assertion a baseless criminalization and defamation of the hard-won reputation of a lot of the affected teachers.

“If these teachers are fraud as he seeks to imply, then why are they still at post? Why have they not been dealt with or arrested?”

Mr Addai-Opoku underscored that “let it be noted that majority of the teachers affected by this unpopular policy of ‘non-payment of arrears beyond three months’ have been placed on payroll, paid three months of their arrears, continue to receive pay every month and perform their duties as teachers. If they are fake as he claims, why continue to entrust the future of our children in their hands? Why are they not arrested?”

He said the association’s investigations revealed that a lot of the supporting documents to the teachers’ applications got detached due to poor handling by either officials at the GES headquarters or the Audit Service.

He re-emphasized that until all arrears were paid, their position remained unchanged and “we are resolute in our demands which must be met by the 29th of February, 2016.”

6 polytechnics to be converted to universities by Sept. – Gov’t

Cape Coast Polytechnic Gate

A Deputy Minister in charge of Tertiary Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said the first phase of the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities, will take place in September this year, with six polytechnics.

President John Mahama is expected to name the six polytechnics that have satisfied the requirements to be upgraded, at his state of the Nation Address to be delivered to Parliament on Thursday, February 25.
Government has reiterated its commitment to convert polytechnics to technical universities.

The Technical Committee set up to advice government on the conversion, advised government the exercise must be done progressively to satisfy the requirements of becoming a technical university.

Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Wednesday, the Deputy Minister of Education in charge of tertiary, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed to the committee that in September, the polytechnics will be fully converted into universities.

Mr. Ablakwa also defended the need for the gradual implementation of the phases.

According to him, Government could not just upgrade polytechnics without assessing the varying levels of infrastructure and capacity, hence the need for the implementation of the conversion in phases.

It will also be recalled that at a stakeholders’ forum on January 6, 2015, participants unanimously agreed that the conversion should not be done for all polytechnics at a go, but in phases, based on an assessment of each polytechnic.

“…So the experts advised us against a wholesale conversion, and they recommended that we should set up an independent expert panel that will go round and assess all the 10 polytechnics and recommend to the national council for tertiary education which of the polytechnics should qualify for the first phase and those who have to be assisted to also come up to an appreciable level to be converted in the next phase,” Mr Ablakwa explained.

He further assured that Government would be working to support the remaining four polytechnics to meet the conversion criteria to prevent them from being left behind.

“There is an inherent threat in this conversion that if you don’t do it well and support others to come up, the traffic will head in the direction of those who have been converted and if you are not careful, you run the risk of killing other polytechnics who don’t make it in the first phase of the conversion.”

–By Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Court sentences two robbers to 40 years imprisonment each

Court sentences two robbers to 40 years imprisonment each

Two people arrested over the robbery of a banker have been sentenced to 40 years imprisonment each in hard labour by a Kumasi Circuit Court.

Kwaku Owusu, 22, and Kwame Apraku Adabor, 24, had attacked and robbed the victim of his cash of GHȼ8,900.00 – stabbing him in the chest and hands with a knife.A senior state attorney, Ms. Gyamfuaah Sarpong, told the court presided over by Mrs. Afua Adu Amankwaah that the incident happened on December 16, 2014, at Atasomanso in Kumasi.

The pair, carrying a gun and knife, struck at about 0230 hours, when the banker, Mr. Larry Baffour Appiagyei,had just returned to the house from the hospital with the wife and three kids after one of the children had been taken suddenly ill.

Owusu pointed a gun at the victim and ordered him to remain silent or be shot dead and for fear for his life he did as he was told.

The prosecution said Adador, then drew a knife, stabbed him in the chest and hands as he dropped to the ground and bled profusely.

They then went ahead to seize the cash, mobile phone and a bag containing his clothes and fled.

Ms. Gyamfuaah said all this happened in the full glare of the wife and kids and he was rushed to the hospital after the police responded to a distress call by the family.

The two were identified by the victim’s spouse after they had been arrested by the police for their involvement in another robbery.

Source: GNA

GSMA Mobile Connect now available to two billion people globally

GSMA Mobile Connect now available to two billion people globally

The GSM Association (GSMA) has announced that its mobile-based authentication solution, Mobile Connect, is now available to two billion consumers globally.

Since its introduction at Mobile World Congress 2014, the universal log in solution Mobile Connect which employs phone numbers to allow users log in to multiple platforms without the need to remember passwords, has been launched in 21 countries by 34 mobile network operators, with plans for additional launches and trials globally.
The GSMA’s Mobile Connect solution enables users to create and manage a universal identity for log-ins, by which they can confirm their identity digitally and get mobile access to digital services such as e-commerce, banking, health and digital entertainment, and e-government, via their mobile phones.

Operators offering services based on Mobile Connect are said to now include AméricaMóvil, Axiata Group (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka), China Mobile, China Mobile Pakistan (Zong), China Telecom, China Unicom, DNA, Elisa, Globe Telecom, IndosatOoredoo, Mobilink, Mobitel, Orange (Egypt, France, Morocco, Spain), Sunrise, Swisscom (Switzerland), Telefónica Group (Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Spain), Telenor Group (Bangladesh, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand), TeliaSonera (Finland), Telkomsel, Telstra, TIM and Turkcell (Turkey).

According to a statement by the GSMA, it is working closely with operators globally, to further extend the adoption of Mobile Connect. Operators committed to deliver the service in 2016 include Aircel, AIS Thailand, Bharti Airtel (India), Etisalat (Pakistan, United Arab Emirates), Idea Cellular Ltd, MTN, Ooredoo (Algeria, Myanmar), Orange (Jordan, Poland), SMART Axiata – Cambodia, Smart Communications, Inc., Tata Teleservices, Telefónica Group (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay), Telenor (India), T-Mobile Poland and Vodafone (India, Spain).

The service has also been trialled in two EU Member States: Finland and Spain.

GSMA says Mobile Connect is evolving to add context and attributes about users and their transactions, to increase convenience, trust and security for users and service providers, while respecting users’ privacy, and this is currently being trialled in the UK by O2 and Vodafone.

By Emmanuel Odonkor

50yrs after his overthrow: Nkrumah’s track record against the others

Ghana’s founding President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah

Exactly 50 years ago today, Ghana’s founding President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown in a joint military and police led coup d’etat.


During his 9 year reign, his government chalked some major successes in the area of physical infrastructural development, education, transportation among others. In the infographic below, Citi News matches some of the key achievements of his government to that of the collective achievements of his successors over the past 50 years.

Corruption in sports: Ghana’s flight of cash to Brazil cited in TI report

The Black Stars of Ghana

A new Transparency International (TI) report on corruption in sports, has cited Ghana’s infamous airlifting of cash to footballers at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, as a reflection of corruption in the game.

The report, from a Transparency International/Forza Football poll says the national football team, the Black Stars, brought undue international attention on themselves when they demanded payment of their appearance fees during the 2014 World Cup, threatening to revolt and boycott the tournament.
Consequently the Ghana government mobilized and airlifted an amount in excess of $3 million to the players, drawing public criticism for both the government and the players.

There was similar action by the national team of Cameroon which threatened not to fly to the tournament in Brazil, just as there had been earlier ones by Nigeria (just before the 2013 Confederations Cup) and Togo, (at the 2006 World Cup).

TI’s Global Corruption Report: Sport says while players risk public ridicule and contempt for such behaviour, there is the risk of administrators pocketing their money if they do not resort to such measures because as is sometimes the case in Africa, “money meant for looking after the team – players’ allowances and bonuses – is pocketed by the administrators in the football associations.”

“Football in Africa suffers under these elected officials because they have an eye on other things – such as politics, or simply the amassing of wealth. As a result, there is a chronic lack of professionalism in the management of the game,” the report says.

On the African continent, the report cites the embezzlement of funds in Kenya and Zambia, internal match fixing within Nigeria and South Africa and in collusion with external betting syndicates, trafficking of young footballers to Europe by rogue agents, and doping in Kenya, which has recorded 19 positive tests and bans in the last two years.

The Global Corruption Report: Sport also highlights corruption in the selection processes across the continent and the discretion of federations to pick athletes through a “wild card system”, which makes it prone to abuse – victimisation or favouritism – in the selection of players for international tournaments.

On tournaments and big sporting events, the report says that “delegations of African teams to these big events are always bloated, with officials of federations, and even government functionaries, further abusing such occasions by taking mistresses, friends and relatives along for the ride, all at the expense of the taxpayer.”

Corruption in FIFA
As part of the report on corruption in sports, Transparency International conducted a poll of 25,000 fans in 28 countries by Transparency, from February 8 to 17, 2016, which found that only 19 per cent (4,828) showed confidence in FIFA, while 69 per cent (17,689) of fans have no confidence in FIFA following revelations of corruption in the world football body.

60 per cent would not choose any of the current candidates standing in the FIFA presidential election this week while 43 per cent also said the scandals are affecting how they enjoy football.

However, 50 per cent said FIFA has a chance to restore its reputation
“FIFA should take this message to heart. Unless it acts, more fans will turn away from football. The trust levels are low but the fans will give FIFA a chance if it acts now,” Gareth Sweeney, Editor of the corruption report in sports was quoted as saying.

Transparency International recommends increased independent oversight in international sports governance, stringent and transparent criteria for eligibility of athletes, increased financial transparency and citizen engagement in bids for sporting events.

In addition to that, sponsors, it says must promote integrity and hold sports organisations to the same standards that they apply to their supply chain.

By Emmanuel Odonkor

Ghana unveils fair trade label

 World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO)

The first international label that guarantees fair trade to organisations operating in any part of the supply chain – producers to retailers – has been unveiled to provide credibility, identity and expanded market access to business organisations.

With this unique fair trade label, consumers would be able to identify products in the international marketplace that meet high economic, social and environmental sustainability criteria.

The new label was originally launched by the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO), which embodies an experienced global network of organisations representing the Fair Trade supply chain for the past 60 years.
It was required that members unveiled them locally to create awareness and attract more businesses to realise the extensive benefits involved in its usage.

Mr Kobina Arkaah, the President of the Solid Rock Association, a non-governmental organisation, at a media launch in Accra, said apart from members benefiting from the credibility and identity by way of an international guarantee system, the WFTO offers a platform for learning where members connect with like-minded people across the globe.

The WFTO also provides tools and training to increase market access, as well as a common voice that speaks out for Fair Trade and trade justice.

The label, he said, was backed by a robust and credible Guarantee System that creates opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers, ensures transparency and accountability as well as payment of fair prices for products.

Mr Arkaah said the WFTO has currently become home to over 50 organisations in 70 different countries across five regions, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin and North America, and the Pacific Rim, with elected global and regional boarders.

He said practices used across the supply chain were checked against the WFTO Fair Trade Standard, which were a set of compliance criteria based on 10 principles and International Labour Organisation Conventions, which frowns on the use of child or forced labour and encourages long-term trading relations.

The principles also encourage gender equality, women’s empowerment and freedom of association, good working conditions, capacity building as well as respect for the environment.

The label, he said, could be put on packaging or tags of handicraft and food products as an assurance that the products were produced and traded by guaranteed Fair Trade Organisations whose practices were checked against the 10 Fair Trade principles.

Mr Arkaah said since there was no international public regulation for the certification of Fair Trade products, private entities could deliberately set up their own criteria and certify single products without considering the practices of the company that sells these products.

“This explains why it is of utmost importance for organisations to have a label that allows consumers to clearly identify the organisations who are hundred per cent committed to fair trade”, he said.

Nii Alue Kobbla Addico, President of Sucardif Association, a non-governmental organisation, who chaired the function, said the label represents an important step towards the recognition that an alternative economic model, more humane and sustainable at different levels was actually possible.

He said by buying products carrying the new WFTO label, traders and consumers could make concrete contributions to create a more just world, to help fight against poverty, social injustice and discrimination; support economically disadvantaged small scale producers, and promote the rights of people and respect for the environment.

Source: GNA

Afoko goes to High Court over murder charges

Afoko goes to High Court over murder charges

Gregory Afoko, the suspect who is being held over the death of Mr Adams Mahama, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Upper East Region Chairman, is to stand trial at the High Court in Accra.

The trial is expected to commence in a month’s time.

Afoko, a farmer, is being held on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit murder and murder.


It is alleged that he carried out the act with one Alandgi Asake who is on the run.

Afoko who pleaded not guilty to the charges told the Magistrate Court that he would rely on his statements he had offered to the Police.

“My Lord I will rely on my statements offered to the Police,” he said during the comital proceedings before the Magistrate Court.

His counsels have also stated their intent to file case of alibi in respect of the matter.

The state today under took the committal proceedings before an Accra Magistrate Court and tendered over 17 exhibits in respect of the trial.

The exhibits include Afoko’s caution, charge and investigation caution statements.

Also a post mortem of the deceased conducted on November 25, last year by Dr Lawrence Edusei, medical report on the deceased wife who also sustained injuries in her bid to assist the deceased when the incident occurred.

Other exhibits are a gallon containing the alleged residue of acid found at the scene, a cup believed to have been used by the assailants in pouring the acid on to the deceased, the deceased pair of shoes and attire and a piece of carpet in the deceased car.

The rest were various reports from the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA), a pair of blue black track suit belonging to Afoko and photographs of the crime scene.

The defence team led by Mr Ekow Ampah Korsah said apart from filing a statement of Alibi, they would be calling five witnesses to testify for them.

The witnesses include Mr John Afoko, Mr David Afoko, Madam Linda Adana and Musa Issah.

Mr Korsah told the Court that they intend to fight the case praying that the matter would not stand the time of scrutiny.

According to counsel, the facts presented by prosecution represented his world view which was tainted and a product of bad investigations.

Defence counsel repeated his application for bail so he could have conference with the person in preparation for his trial at the High Court.

The Magistrate Court urged defence to go to a superior court with his bail application as it had no jurisdiction to grant bail.

Prosecution led by Mr Matthew Amponsah, Chief State Attorney, said the deceased was a contractor who lived at Bolgatanga SSNIT Flats in the Upper East Region and the NPP Regional Chairman of the Region.

According to Mr Amponsah, Afoko also lived in Bolgatanga and he was the younger brother of Mr Paul Afoko, the National Chairman of the NPP.

The state said the accused is also a Party activist, was close to the deceased.

On May 20, last year, the deceased left his house to his construction site with his pick-up truck with registration number NR 761-14.

The Chief State Attorney said the deceased returned to the house in the night and at his entrance, two men signaled him to roll down his car window.

The deceased obliged and the two men however poured acid on the deceased and they fled on motorbike.

Mr Amponsah said Mr Mahama shouted for help and his wife, Hajia Zenabu Adams went to his aid.

He said Mrs Adams also sustained burns on her chest and breast in her bid to assist the victim.

According to Mr Amponsah, the deceased wife told him that it was Gregory and Asanke who are members of the NPP who poured the acid on him.

The deceased also mentioned the two accused persons in the presence of neighbours as the people who poured acid on him.

The Chief State Attorney said Mr Adams was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the Bolgatanga Hospital where he passed on.

Mr Amponsah said the Police proceeded to the crime scene and collected a gallon containing the residue of the alleged acid, a cup and clothes of the assailant.

He said the passenger and driver’s seats were soaked with the acid and a pair of truck suit used by the accused was also picked up.

The items retrieved were sent to the Ghana Standard Board.

Afoko was picked up at about 0200 hrs in his house and he led the Police to Asake’s house.

Asake was however nowhere to be found.

A Post mortem was conducted on the deceased by Dr Edusei and the report indicated that Mr Adams died of extensive acid burns.

Source: GNA