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Airbus to assist investigations into missing EgyptAir flight

World

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May 19, 2016

Airbus has confirmed an A320 it manufactured and being operated by EgyptAir got missing Thursday dawn on its way from Paris, France to Cairo, Egypt.

The aircraft manufacturing company has therefore indicated its readiness to assist the investigation team to find the missing aircraft.

The company in a statement on May 19, 2016 said “Our concerns go to all those affected”.

There were 56 passengers – including three children – seven crew members and three security personnel on board Flight MS804, the airline said.

The airline said the passengers included 30 Egyptians, 15 French citizens, one Briton, two Iraqis, as well as people from Canada, Belgium, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Sudan, Chad and Portugal.

According to Airbus, the aircraft had accumulated approximately 48,000 flight hours and was powered by IAE engines.

Below is the full statement

EgyptAair flight MS 804 loss of aircraft

Airbus regrets to confirm that an A320 operated by Egyptair was lost at around 02:30 am (Egypt local time) today over the Mediterranean sea. The aircraft was operating a scheduled service, Flight MS 804 from Paris, France to Cairo, Egypt.

The aircraft involved, registered under SU-GCC was MSN (Manufacturer Serial Number) 2088 delivered to Egyptair from the production line in November 2003. The aircraft had accumulated approximately 48,000 flight hours. It was powered by IAE engines. At this time no further factual information is available.

In line with ICAO annex 13, Airbus stands-by ready to provide full technical assistance to French Investigation Agency – BEA – and to the Authorities in charge of the investigation.

The first A320 entered service in March 1988. At the end of April 2016 over6700 A320 Family aircraft were in operation worldwide. To date, the entire fleet has accumulated nearly 180 million flight hours in over 98 million flights.

Our concerns go to all those affected.

Airbus will make further factual information available as soon as the details have been confirmed and cleared by the authorities for release.

Story by Isaac Essel | 3news.com | Ghana

‘Cover-up’ row over McDonald’s fish

Business

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May 19, 2016

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A leaked New Zealand government memo casts serious doubts on the sustainability of fish that are widely used in McDonald’s restaurants.

The document shows that the government was aware of made-up data and illegal practices such as the dumping of vast quantities of unwanted fish.

There are also concerns that unlawful fishing in NZ waters is threatening the world’s rarest dolphin.

Campaigners have called on McDonald’s to drop New Zealand fish from menus.

A study published earlier this week highlighted the long term problems of illegal fishing in New Zealand waters, concluding that the amount of fish taken from the seas was 2.7 times greater than the numbers reported.

Operation Achilles

The study referred to data contained in internal memos, written by officials at the Ministry of Primary Industries.

One of these documents, which is termed Operation Achilles, has now been published in full online.

It paints a picture of a fishing industry that routinely discards full nets of fish back into the sea, even when government cameras are present.

In the document, an official writes that “we have never had such compelling evidence to prove what we have known for a long time”.

The inspectors are concerned that footage recorded on several trawlers would leak to the media. They speculate that revealing the true scale of the illegal practices could cause extensive damage not just for the New Zealand fishing industry but for the economy as a whole.

“A worst case scenario could see a large international company eg. McDonald’s, refusing to buy our non-green image fish,” the report says.

Hoki cokey?

Up to 15% of McDonald’s fish products in recent years were made from hoki, but the company told the BBC that they currently source 8% of their fish from New Zealand hoki.

Hoki fishing has been certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) several times over the past 15 years. Since 2011, McDonald’s has also carried the MSC sustainability label on its fish products in Europe.

But there have long been concerns about the sustainable nature of hoki fishing in New Zealand.

British retailer Waitrose once refused to stock the fish because of the bottom-trawling method used to catch the species.

In the recent report on illegal fishing in New Zealand, researchers point to hoki as one of the most dumped and under-reported species between 1990 and 2013.

“During the hoki season [crew] dumped every tow, two times a day. Even though the fish that had been caught were of good quality, we dumped them because the captain wanted to replace them with fresher fish,” according to one crew member interviewed by the scientists.

As well as the illegal practices, the government memo draws attention to the impact of fishing on Maui’s and Hector’s dolphins, widely regarded as the most endangered dolphin species.

About 50 of these small marine mammals are known to survive. In 2012, two of them were caught in a fishing net, although only one was reported to the authorities.

In the leaked document, New Zealand fishing officials are clearly worried about the repercussions of such activities: “The deliberate non-reporting of Hector’s dolphins… could have a similar if not more dramatic flow on negative effect.”

No cover-up

A New Zealand government spokesperson told BBC News it had announced a review of the contents of the leaked document and therefore could not comment further at the present time.

But reacting to the leaked documents, the New Zealand minister in charge of fishing, Nathan Guy, denied that the government was helping to cover up unsustainable practices.

“There’s been no cover-up here,” he told reporters in New Zealand. “These are internal, draft investigations, part of which has been unfortunately leaked.”

A spokesman for McDonald’s told BBC News that they placed their faith in the Marine Stewardship Council, who had asserted the New Zealand fish was sustainable.

“We understand the importance of protecting marine wildlife, especially endangered species that share the ocean with the fish we use on our menu,” the company said in a statement to the BBC.

“That’s why we’re proud of our global commitment to only source fish from a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable fishery, including in New Zealand.

“The New Zealand hoki fishery is considered one of the most well maintained and controlled fisheries in the world and was one of the first fisheries in the world to be awarded MSC certification for sustainable fishing.”

But campaigners are not happy and are now calling on McDonald’s to drop New Zealand fish from the menu and are asking people not to eat McDonald’s fillet-of-fish.

“People can vote with their wallets and send a strong message to the New Zealand government and fishing industry,” said Dr Barbara Maas, from Nabu International, which campaigns on behalf of the Maui’s and Hector’s dolphins.

“We are not attacking McDonald’s, they have a huge opportunity here to do the right thing and bring about some real change in the New Zealand fishing industry – they could say they saved the Maui’s dolphins, and how good would that be for their brand?”

Source: BBC

Fallout of Ghana@59: ISD directorship declared vacant

News

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May 19, 2016

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Fallout of Ghana@59: ISD directorship declared vacant

Mr Kwarteng Arthur who was acting, was dismissed on March 10 following the backlash from the public

The directorship of the Information Services Department (ISD) has been declared vacant following the dismissal of the acting director over the error-ridden Ghana’s 59th Independence Day anniversary brochure.

President John Mahama sacked the acting director Mr. Francis Kwarteng Arthur on March 10, 2016 just days after he apologised, and took responsibility for the errors that characterised the anniversary brochure that came to be known as brochure-gate.

But the Civil Service Council on Monday declared the position vacant and began steps to find a permanent replacement Mr Kwarteng who was criticised for the errors which many considered unpardonable.

Currently, the Council is seeking applications from qualified individuals with a minimum of 15 years experience, strong report and proposal writing skills and fluent in both written and spoken English.

The applicant must have the “ability to demonstrate excellent leadership in performance management.”

Per the notice advertising the position, the new ISD director will be required to advise the Ministry of Communication on the development of a restructuring plan for the Department.

The person will also “lead the review of press releases and publications by the government institution,”

Background

At the back of public criticism of the brochure that was fraught with errors, misrepresentation and inaccuracies, Mr Arthur on March 7 issued a statement to apologise to the president and the people of Ghana on behalf of the ISD, which he claimed, authored the brochure. The brochure among other errors, addressed Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyata as the President of Ghana.

“The Department, which authored the content of the brochure, accepts responsibility and wishes to unreservedly apologise for the development,” the statement said

But that did not go down well with the staff of the Department who discounted Mr Arthur’s claim, forcing him to retract and apologise to the staff at a durbar on March 8, 2016.

He, however, insisted that he was responsible for the content of the error-ridden independence anniversary brochure, which has since sparked controversy and grabbed international headlines.

“After meeting with my colleagues, and [after] deliberations, I have acknowledged that I should have issued it [the apology] in my capacity as the chair of the Communications subcommittee of the National Planning Committee. I’m assuming full responsibility. I have listened to their suggestions and I’m prepared to move along with my team collectively,” Mr Arthur told journalists after the meeting.

Again, at said durbar, Mr Arthur claimed that the Flagstaff House approved the error-filled Independence Day brochure for publication, stating that the final work did not come from the ISD but the Flagstaff House which designed and printed the brochure whose content he personally produced.

He also revealed that he deliberately forged the ISD letterhead that he used for the March 7, 2016 misleading apology statement to the President and the people of Ghana

“Yesterday Monday, I did not have a copy of the ISD letter heads in my file… When push came to shove, I didn’t have access to [the official letter head] so on my laptop, I had the coat of arms there so I just lifted the coat of arms and with my computer skills that I have, I typed under it.”

“So what you see there is what I generated and this is to explain the reason why it is not on an official and a notable letterhead that all of you are familiar with,” he added.

By Nii Okai Tetteh|Onua 95.1FM|3news.com|Ghana

Agric is key in poverty reduction – Greeenstreet

Politics

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May 19, 2016

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Greenstreet tour

The presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, has stated that a massive investment in the agricultural sector is the key to reducing poverty.

He was addressing the Chief and elders of Sandema traditional area in the Builsa North District, as part of the new covenant (Apam Foforↄ) National Campaign tour in Upper East.

He said the country’s fertile lands, climate, access to water resources as well as a hard-working people meant that if Ghana organised herself well she could entirely feed herself as well as the sub-region of Africa.

“This is an area where we have a clear comparative advantage as a nation and must re-allocate scarce state resources into boosting it.”

The visit which was led by the Third National Vice Chairman of the CPP, Alhaji Tijani Rahman, backed by the Upper East Regional executives was met amidst music and cheers.

Meanwhile, hundreds of party supporters drawn from various electoral areas as well as market women, drivers and passers-by within the main lorry station of the town gathered to listen to the CPP’s “Siuk-paluk” (Apam Foforↄ in Builsa).

The mood of the audience was indicative that the message was well received and that the fortune of CPP in the region was sure to improve considering the sustained applause.

From there, the entourage entered Northern Region and held separate mini rallies in Kubori and Kunkwa both within the Yagaba Kubori constituency.

Source: tv3network.com

Akufo-Addo begins 4-day tour of V/R

Politics

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May 19, 2016

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Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will begin a four-day tour of the Volta Region from Thursday, May 19.

This follows a similar exercise in the Greater Accra Region which ended at Ashaiman on Wednesday, May 18.

There Nana Akufo-Addo reiterated his commitment to ensure that Ghanaians all over get a fair share of the national cake.

“There are all kinds of people in Ghana – Ewes, Ashanti, Gas, Dagartis, Mamprusis, Grunshis, Dagombas, amongst others. We are all one people. I am coming to do a job for every Ghanaian, not for Ashantis, Gas, Ewes, Dagombas or Akyems,” he stressed.

“I am asking you to trust me, and to have confidence in me. I am not coming to cheat anybody. I am coming to put all my energies to work for Ghana and not to steal people’s monies into my pocket.”

He observed that some political parties are playing the tribal cards to score political points.

“I don’t buy this propaganda. We are all one people in Ghana. Some people need to make this propaganda for their politics. We are one people in Ghana and we will stay as one people in Ghana.”

The former Member of Parliament and minister of state promised to give a boost to industry and agriculture when voted for in the 2016 elections.

According to him, Ghana is losing out on agriculture exports as compared to its western neighbours Cote d’Ivoire, which makes $12 billion from the export of five major cash crops against Ghana’s $2 billion from all exports in the sector.

“If we want to better these statistics, we need to focus on diversifying our agriculture to include cash crops like cotton, coffee, cashew, oil palm and maize in our exports. We will ensure marketing boards and a guaranteed price for all these cash crops so we boost agricultural production. The Volta Region will benefit from what I am saying.”

By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana

Twitter: @kwame_amoh

Japan to construct advanced medical centre in Ghana

Health

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May 18, 2016

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President Mahama and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

The Japanese Government has agreed to construct an advanced medical centre for infectious diseases at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Accra.

It has also agreed to construct a bridge over the Volta Lake in the southern sector as part of the Eastern corridor road network, and extend its scholarships to Ghana to improve the human resource potential of the people.

Agreements to that effect were Wednesday signed between Ghana and Japan as part of President John Dramani Mahama’s State visit to the Asian.

President Mahama said the agreements will go a very long way to advance the bilateral relations between the two countries, which said has been very strong over the years.

The new advanced medical centre is expected to help Ghana to further play a pivotal role in health research across the West African sub region.

Ghana has over the years played a key role in the area of health research with the establishment of Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical research, which was instrumental in conducting several tests during the Ebola outbreak within the West African sub region.

President Mahama who finalised the deal with the Japanese Government underscored the sacrifices of Dr Noguchi while he was in Ghana conducting a research into yellow fever.

“The relationship between Ghana and Japan are based on very strong historical foundation, especially in relation to the sacrifice Dr Nugochi did in sacrificing his life during research into yellow fever in Ghana. I believe that this visit I have paid would move the relations between our two countries to even a higher level,” President Mahama said.

“We have agreed to continue our collaboration in the areas of improvement in healthcare, infrastructural development and economic cooperation. Ghana will remain an active participant in the TICAD process,” he assured.

He thanked the Prime Minister and the people of Japan for the announcement of the resumption of the YEN Loan which he said will begin with the construction of a bridge over the southern Volta River.

“This bridge is a part of our eastern corridor road network and we’ve been very critical in improving transpiration between the northern part of Ghana and the southern part,” he said.

Touching on the international front, President Mahama said “we both agreed that Ghana and Japan will collaborate in pushing for UN security Council reforms. In this regard Ghana at the next African Union summit will do everything possible to get the AU to get on board to push the UN reform”

Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe commended Ghana’s democratic role and contribution in ensuring peace in the sub region.
Earlier President Mahama and his wife, Lordina, paid a courtesy call on Japanese emperor, and his wife at their official residence in Tokyo. Emporer Akihito is the head of the Japanese imperial family and also the ceremonial head of the country.

By Edward Kwabi|3news.com|Japan

GFA must invest FIFA’s money in poor communities – Jon Benjamin

Sports

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May 18, 2016

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Jon Benjamin

British High Commissioner to Ghana Jon Benjamin says the Ghana Football Association (GFA) must invest FIFA’s annual contribution in poor football communities.

The Association is set to benefit from a $ 5 million financial package from FIFA for a four-year cycle.

This was after the world’s football governing body significantly increased financial support for each association from $ 1.6 million.

The Ghana FA will have access to $ 750,000 per year for football projects such as pitches, competitions and women’s football

Speaking exclusively to Winston Amoah on 3FM’s Sunrise as part of ‘Corruption Week’ on the Accra-based radio station, Jon Benjamin stated that the money given to the GFA could make a huge impact on the sport if invested in the right areas.

“I think we heard just this week at the FIFA congress money. That’s its annual contribution to organizations such as the GFA is about to increase I think the figures I heard was from $400,000 to $1.2 million. So, that’s a very large increase.

“That sort of money in Ghana can make a huge amount of difference if it’s invested in grassroots football building, football pitches or training facilities just football equipments for poor communities and that money could go a very long way.

“I wait to see the results of it and I don’t think it’s for me as an outsider or a foreigner to say what it should be used for, but I think the intention originally of that sort of FIFA sponsorship of FA’s was to support grassroots football and a vast majority of countries around the world including of course Ghana and my own country have football as by far their favourite and number one sport.

“There is a big thirst for investment in grassroots football at every level and all around the country so that’s what we hope will come out of this larger investment by FIFA”.

Asked if he was offended by the response by the GFA president in reaction to his call for accountability within the Football Association, Mr. Benjamin said he thinks the FA reacted to his comments negatively because they had no answers to the points he made.

“I thought it was not a response that adequately addressed the issues I had raised and I think I don’t want to go over this all over again.

“I have since had private meetings with the GFA which were extremely frank which I’m happy to repeat in future but generally speaking I think it’s a truism that people resort to insults when they don’t have a substantive answer to the point that’s being made to them and that’s not my style and I’m not going to reciprocate”.

By Nana Afrane Asante|3news.com|Ghana

How the fashion industry could be Africa’s defining story

Showbiz

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May 18, 2016

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Fashion

The story behind Africa’s fashion goes beyond the continent’s culture, traditions and intricate patterns of its garments. The next big thing is the potential of fashion to drive Africa’s future and provide solution to the rising youth unemployment and slow economic growth as a result of falling prices of commodities.

The global fashion industry is estimated to be worth about $1.5 trillion. Not only is the value in Africa unknown, the African continent sees very little value in the fashion industry.

But the fashion industry offers incredible potential for job creation and economic growth. The textile and clothing sector represent the second largest sector in developing countries after agriculture. But it is one of the most neglected and underdeveloped sectors in Africa. The industry is not just about the garments and clothing. It is about the money it generates too.

With its complex value chain, this industry attracts billions of dollars for countries like Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, India and Turkey. These countries benefit from the complex fashion and clothing value chain: from cotton production to the yarn spinning and weaving to the production of garment. But the reverse is true for Africa. Between 2005 and 2011, exports of apparels have experienced negative in African countries, including Cote d’Ivoire, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, among others.

How do we harness the fashion industry to create opportunities for young and talented designers to compete on the runways of New York, Paris, Milan, and London? What conditions do we create to attract the passion of the youth into fashion and the creative industry at large?

This is what the Africa Fashion Show Geneva (AFSG) is all about. We are telling a different and unique story that prioritises the creative industry.

In its 4th year, AFSG is bringing together diverse fashion talents and designs from Rwanda, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali and Senegal this month. Fashion in Africa is not just a commercial enterprise but it is a lifestyle that builds on the value of societies. AFSG believes fashion is not just about the colours and the culturally-rich designs on display, but it is also about change it can bring to the fortunes of African economies.

But this is only a means and not an end in itself. More business partnerships are needed to change the current status of fashion.

The buck stops with African governments. They need to be more conscious of the transformative role that fashion plays. They must invest in education and training of the rising youth population to enhance competitiveness of Africa’s fashion industry. Transportation, communication infrastructure needs to be upgraded to attract private investors. Finance and credit schemes should be created to support promising and talented designers to compete in the international arena.

African governments need to sharpen their focus on fashion in their overall industrial policies and aspirations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). New technologies are evolving, which is changing how fashion designers and retailers run their businesses. E-commerce and social media are fast becoming a powerful platform for fashion. The fashion industry, particularly in the Africa region, must therefore adapt to these changes.

By: Temitayo Ayinla- Omotola, Founder, Africa Fashion Show Geneva

Ghana Blogging & Social Media Awards event Friday

Showbiz

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May 18, 2016

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Ghana Blogging & Social Media Awards event Friday

Winners of the this year’s Ghana Blogging and Social Media Awards are to be announced on Friday at a special ceremony in Accra.

A total of 17 individuals and organisations from the blogging community and mainstream media are expected to be awarded for their contribution and impact of their presence on the world wide web.

This year’s event, the fourth of its kind since 2012, would focus on telling stories that matter.

It would be co-hosted by spoken word artiste, Poetra Asantewa and 2015 Ehlakasa Slam King 100%. The event will feature performances from soul singer Cina, afro-jazz artiste Faith Bekoe, and DJ & Funky Professor Kobby Graham.

Below are details of the event

Ghana Blogging & Social Media Awards 2016 Winners To Be Announced May 20

2015 was a year of national, regional and global events, much of which was captured in the Ghanaian digital space. Be it a blog post, tweet, meme, video, photo or podcast, each played a role in weaving together our collective history and memory of a very eventful year. Equally important are the people behind the screens – the bloggers, influencers and netizens who create the digital threads that keep us informed and connected.

We proudly invite the general public to join us on May 20, 2016 from 5:30pm at the Chartered Institute of Bankers’ Hallin East Legon, Accra(Directions)for the Ghana Blogging & Social Media Awards 2016 event as we celebrate the nominees and announce this year’s winners under 17 blogging and social media categories and celebrate both content and content producer. The categories are:

Best Blog

Best Blogger

Best Post of 2015

Best Emerging Niche Blog

Best New Blog

Best Organizational Blog

Best Facebook Profile (Individual)

Best Facebook Page (Entity)

Best Twitter Profile (Individual)

Best Twitter Profile (Organization)

Best YouTube Channel (Individual)

Best YouTube Channel (Artiste)

Best Instagram Account

Artiste with Best Social Media Presence

Organisation with Best Social Media Presence

Media House with Best Social Media Presence

Public Official with Best Social Media Account

This year’s event will be the fourth of its kind since 2012 and will focus on telling stories that matter. Drawing inspiration from our predecessors, we converge “by the fireside” to explore the concept of Ghana 3.0 and key issues of our time – what it means to be Ghanaian, the 2016 presidential election, our common struggle for development, the Ghana we want. Co-hosted by spoken word artiste Poetra Asantewa and 2015 Ehlakasa Slam King 100%, the event will feature performances by soul singer Cina, afro-jazz artiste Faith Bekoe, and DJ & Funky Professor Kobby Graham.

With improvements in Internet connectivity, costs and infrastructure, we approach an exciting era of possibility for connecting, sharing, and influencing Ghana and Africa’s narrative. Our narrative. Indeed, many across the continent are already leading the way in exploring the fringes of that possibility through innovative storytelling, including our six judges: Nana Kofi Acquah (Ghana), Kathleen Bomani (Tanzania), Edith Brou (Ivory Coast), Kennedy Kachwanya (Kenya), Ndambaw Kama (Senegal) and EmekaOkoye. We hope to inspire others to follow suit and push boundaries on how we tell our stories.
Equally important are the companies and organizations that support digital content creators and initiatives. We are proud to be organizing this event in collaboration with our partners, sponsors and supporters namely: PlanITGhana, US Embassy Ghana, Circumspecte, TV3, Now Available Africa, Nescafé, Google, Auntie Oboshie, Magic Unltd, KawaMoka, Wanjo Foods, 3FM, AccraWeDey,threesixtyGh, Black Bamboo Photography, Ghanyobi, Team Black Image, Neem Grill, Ashesi University and the Chartered Institute of Bankers.

Tickets can be purchased onlinefor 50 GHS and cover admission, hors d’oeuvres and beverages. We encourage interested persons to visit ourTwitter and Facebook pages for event updates. The official eventhashtag is #BloGHAwards16.Dress code: Formal and/or AfroChic.

We look forward to hosting you at the Chartered Institute of Bankers’ Hall mon May 20 as we recognize some of Ghana’s best blogs, bloggers and social media accounts that are making meaningful contributions to our quest for relevant, ethical and homegrown content.

source: 3news.com

JB Danquah’s ‘killer’ steals GHC20 from Police counter

News

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May 18, 2016

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JB Danquah’s ‘killer’ steals GHC20 from Police counter

Vincent Bosso suspect usp

One of the two persons accused of complicity in the murder of the late Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North has allegedly stolen GHC20 from the Police Station where he is being held.

Vincent Bosso is said to have stolen the money from the Police counter when he was being prepared for court Wednesday morning, TV3’s Godfred Tanam reported.

The sources say Bosso denied taking the money but when they arrived in the courtroom, a search on him revealed the money which was hidden in his pocket. He later claimed it was given to him by someone but could not say exactly who.

He later confessed in court to the investigator handling the murder case that he indeed took the money from the Police counter. This when they were waiting for the presideing judge to resume his seat for sitting to begin, the sources told our correspondent in court.

It is unclear whether he would be charged with stealing, as the officers are yet to investigate that case.

Vincent Bosso, a mobile phone housing dealer, is standing trial for assisting Daniel Asiedu, the first accused person in the case, in the alleged murder of the Joseph Boakye Dankwa Adu.

Bosso has subsequently been charged with conspiracy to commit crime.

Today is his second appearance in court after his arrest.

It is the prosecution’s case that Bosso and Asiedu agreed to go to the MP’s house together and assisted Asiedu to pass through the iron bars on top of the deceased house.

According to the prosecution, he jumped into the house with Asiedu and stood watch in front of the house for Asiedu as he allegedly committed the offence

“While keeping watch, he saw some people coming towards the house. He, therefore, fled to avoid being noticed,’’ the prosecution has told the court.

By Stephen Kwabena Effah|tv3network.com|Ghana

Twitter @steviekgh

Mahama’s bad governance to blame for hardships and suffering – Akufo-Addo

Politics

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May 18, 2016

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Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has laid the blame of Ghana’s worsening economic conditions on the doorstep of the Mahama government.

According to him, Ghana, which was once referred to as Gold Coast, has become a pale shadow of itself under the leadership of President John Mahama, resulting in widespread despondency amongst the populace.

“There is hardship and suffering everywhere in Ghana today. Once referred to as Gold Coast, Ghana, a nation blessed with an abundance of human and natural resources, is now drenched in poverty – levels never witnessed before in our history. Bad leadership is the reason for the suffering Ghanaians are currently going through,” he said during his tour of the Greater Accra Region.

Day 3 of Nana Akufo-Addo’s tour of the Region took him to the Trobu Constituency, where he visited Pokuase, Ofankor, ‘Mile 7’, Tabora and Omanjor.

At the main Pokuase/Ayawaso GPRTU station, the NPP flagbearer urged taxi and trotro drivers, as well as petty traders to take a look at their circumstances, which continue to deteriorate under President Mahama, and vote in an Akufo-Addo-led NPP government in this year’s elections.

“This year, I want all of you to decide that this government, which has proven to be incompetent and incapable of doing the job, has to be changed and replaced with a good government, headed by Nana Akufo-Addo. My job, when you give me the mandate, will be the creation of the hundreds of thousands jobs needed for the teeming masses of unemployed youth. That will be my number one focus, when you vote for me,” he noted.

He assured the electorate of the creation of a new District for Trobu, “so we can hasten the process of providing potable water, good roads and development for the people of Trobu.”

At Ofankor, addressing a gathering of small business owners, taxi drivers and petty traders, Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that Ghana’s deteriorating monetary system, which has led to a weak currency, rising levels of inflation and high interest rates, is destroying businesses and resulting in job losses.

“It is only when we fix our monetary system that we can create a conducive environment where businesses will thrive. When businesses succeed, jobs will be created. So please support and vote for me. The NPP has the men and women to give this country a first class government. All we need is your support and I assure you that we will not disappoint you,” he added.

He also urged the electorate to retain the NPP’s candidate and incumbent MP for the constituency, Moses Anim, in the parliamentary election, so the party can achieve total victory in this year’s polls.

Nana Akufo-Addo’s next port of call was Omanjor, where residents emerged out of their homes, traders abandoned their wares, and taxi and trotro drivers jumped out their vehicles just to catch a glimpse of the NPP flagbearer.

Witnessing at first hand the deplorable nature of the road network leading to area, Nana Akufo-Addo assured the residents that his government will ensure the construction of the road to aid in enhancing economic activity and also bring relief to residents and users of the road.

Drivers, traders lament

Drivers and traders at the various areas visited by Nana Akufo-Addo lamented about the difficulties they face with each passing day, brought about by the deteriorating nature of Ghana’s economy.

Gawusu Banda, the Chairman of the Pokuase/Ayawaso GPRTU station stated that “we all know what is going on in Ghana. Insurance premiums have increased, prices of petroleum products continue to increase by the day. When petrol prices are increased, the price of kenkey also goes up. There are complaints everyday from drivers who use this station about their inability to make sales. I can say for a fact that there used to be a time when we used to make money in this station, and that was under the NPP.”

He therefore urged his colleague drivers to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo and Hon. Moses Anim in the elections, so the change they desire will come to fruition.

“Let us change this year and hope for the best from God. If you are a driver, you are a trader or you sell pure water in this station. From this day, make up your mind that you are going to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP in this year’s elections,” he concluded.

Source: 3news.com

One injured in two-storey building collapse

News

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May 18, 2016

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One injured in two-storey building collapse

A two-storey building collapsed Wednesday afternoon injuring one person at Berekusu in the Eastern Region.

The building has been under construction for about seven years, 3news.com has learnt; it was being put up for a shopping mall.

Stunned owner of the property, Justina Donkor told TV3’s Daniel Lartey structural engineers have assessed it more than once and approved that it was strong.

She therefore appeared befuddled how part of the building will suddenly fall without any external force.

According to her, she herself and workers have been “climbing up and down” the structure almost everyday without an inkling of any defect.

Madam Donkor was grateful to God that the unfortunate event occurred at a time when there was only one worker on site.

The injured worker has been treated and discharged from hospital for someone wounds on his legs, she stated.

Story by Isaac Essel | 3news.com | Ghana

Nigeria unions to press ahead with strike despite court ruling

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May 18, 2016

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Shortages have caused long queues at petrol stations Photo: AFP

Nigeria’s main trade union federation says it will press ahead with a general strike on Wednesday, despite a court injunction against the action.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) announced that the strike would go ahead after walking out of talks with the government.

The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) called the strike after the government raised fuel prices by 67%.

The TUC, however, has said that it is suspending strike action.

It was also unclear how many NLC members would join the strike.

The BBC’s Chris Ewokor in Abuja said one NLC faction, which includes workers in the oil and gas sector, opposed the strike and was not planning to take part.

Earlier, the National Industrial Court had ruled the strike should not go ahead because of the risk of civil disorder.

“The decision… is that strike continues tomorrow. We have reached a dead end,” NLC President Ayuba Wabba said after the union’s delegation walked out of a meeting with government officials.

The government called the decision by the NLC, which represents millions of workers, “regrettable”.

“Government, therefore, calls upon and advises all workers to respect the laws of the land and to desist from participating in an illegal strike action,” said spokesman David Babachir Lawal.

The court order followed an application by Justice Minister Abubakar Malami.

“It is the order of this court that [the] status quo be maintained,” Judge Babatunde Adejumo said in his ruling.

“The defendants are hereby restrained from carrying out the [strike] threat.”

‘Criminal’

The government announced last week that petrol prices would be increased in an attempt to ease fuel shortages.

Petroleum Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said the move should stabilise the market.

The NLC branded the price rise “criminal” and called for it to be reversed.

In 2012, the government was forced to back down from a similar price rise after nationwide protests.

Despite being one of Africa’s largest oil producers, Nigeria has to import fuel to meet demand as its refineries are dilapidated and work at a fraction of their capacity.

Source: BBC

Encroachers take over Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital lands

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May 18, 2016

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Encroachers take over Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital lands

Authorities at the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital in the Central Region are appealing to government to step in to halt the increasing rate of encroachment on the hospital’s lands.

According to them, the once congenial atmosphere needed to support the rehabilitation process of their patients has been threatened by the springing up of residential apartments on their lands.

The Deputy Director in charge of Administration, Godwin Pongo, told TV3 that the rate of encroachment is likely to affect future plans of expanding the hospital’s infrastructure to meet the increasing number of patients.

“The land is being encroached upon,” he told TV3, adding, “As I’m talking to you now, residential accommodation are springing up around the mortuary, very close to the mortuary. If these people are not stopped they will build close to the wall.

He said efforts by the hospital authorities to stop the encroachment have not yielded results. According to him, they have written to the Regional Director in charge of lands but nothing has been done about it.

“The land owners are saying that the government has not paid the necessary compensation… very soon they will sell the whole hospital so we need to do something about it” he said

Poor roads

Mr Pongo also complained of the poor road networks leading to the hospital, which he said is posing a serious challenge to them and patients. Large portions of the asphalted road have been removed, thus creating big potholes on the road.

Road

He said drivers are gradually ceasing to ply that road thus compelling some patients and staff to walk long distance to the main road to pick car. This, he noted, has exposed the staff and the patients to criminals who usually attack them, especially at night.

He said vehicles that dared to use the road frequently break down, something he explained, has discouraged people from plying the road.

“People have to walk from the hospital to the main road before they could get car and the situation is even dangerous at night. Very soon patients will not be able to come here if the situation is not changed,” he said.

Mr Pongo has therefore appealed to the District Assembly and the government to intervene to stop the encroachment on their lands and also fix the bad roads leading to the facility.

By Kwame Kakraba|3news.com|Ghana

Ivorian refugees in Ghana voice out their concerns

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May 18, 2016

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Ivorian refuges living in Ghana have expressed concern over harassment, arrest and subsequent imprisonment of a number of them who have returned to their motherland.

The refugees made their concerns known in Accra during a visit by the Ivoirian Government Delegation led by Madame Mariatou Kone, the Ivorian Minister for Solidarity, Social Cohesion and Victim Compensation.

Members of the delegation include staff from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Abidjan; staff from Ivorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ivorian Refugee Agency (SAARA – Service d’Aide et d’Assistance aux Réfugiés et Apatrides en Côte d’Ivoire) as well as representatives of several Ivorian ministries – Interior/Security, Education, Youth and Employment and Defence.

Other members of the delegation were Mon Seigneur Touabli, Catholic Bishop of Agboville, as well as two former Ivorian refugees in Togo who voluntarily returned to Cote d’Ivoire.

The refugees asked the ivorian Government to grant amnesty to them, free all political prisoners and embrace media freedom.

Other concerns were the state of former refugees from Ghana who are alleged to be imprisoned upon their return to Cote d’Ivoire, frozen financial assets of Gbagbo’s sympathisers and the full report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The refugees asked to be acknowledged as refugees who have forcibly fled their country and not as persons who were on a self-imposed exile.

As part of efforts to register their displeasure at the way the Ivorian Government was handling the situation the refugees carried placards with inscription such as “We (refugees) cannot go back home, while our parents are still in prison in Ivory Coast. Tell Ouatarra to free them” and “There is no freedom in Ivory Coast.”

It took the timely invention of Ghana’s security agencies to calm the refugees amidst shouts of “Gbabo! Gbabo! Gbabo! Long Live Gbabo! Long Live Gbabo! Long Live Gbabo!”

Although the visits of the Cote d’Ivoire delegation to the two refugees camps at Egyeikrom in the Central Region and Ampain in the Western Region could not take place, the Accra meeting afforded a number of Ivorian refugees the opportunity to voice out their concerns and grievances towards their authorities, and more importantly, to initiate a first step toward dialogue and reconciliation efforts.

Despite the heckling and booing, Madame Kone managed to bring total serenity into the meeting by singing the Ivoirian National Anthem, which inspired most of the refugees to rise up and join her in singing in unisome.

After getting their attention, Madame Kone, explained that the purpose of their visit was to afford the Ivorian Authorities the opportunity to update their compatriots about the new developments, which had occurred in their country since their exile, so that they would be in a better position to make informed decisions about their future.

She apologised to the refugees for the unpleasant situation they find themselves in and urged them to return home and contribute to the socio-economic development of their motherland.

She said President Alassane Dramane Ouattara has being re-elected and sworn in for a second term of office, and that the President is appealing to all Ivorian refugees to return home.

Madame Kone said, she was once a refugee in Ghana during the Ivorian crisis; adding that the security situation in the Ivory Coast had normalised now, and that the economy is doing very well.

Dr Kofi Anani, the Executive Secretary, Ghana Refugee Board, said the visit by the Ivorian delegation would further cement the fruitful relation between the two countries.

In Ghana, the total number of Persons of Concern (PoC) to UNHCR at the end of 2015 was 19,265 comprised of 17,406 refugees and 1,859 asylum-seekers from over 25 different countries of origin.

Most refugees have been in Ghana for at least five years, with the most recent major influx being that of Ivorian refugees in mid-2011; the remaining refugees arrived either in the 90s or early 2000s.

Source: GNA