EC postpones upcoming voter registration exercise

The Electoral Commission (EC) has postponed its compilation of a new voter register as a result of the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, Director of Electoral Services told journalists after an Inter-Party Advisory Committee meeting, Wednesday, that the outfit is collaborating with health experts to decide on a more favourable date.

“We had planned to do the registration on the 18th but because of the pandemic, we can't do it on the 18th, so, we are observing what is happening around Ghana and the global issue...so, when it gets to a time that we think the situation is fertile for us to commence with the registration then we can do it," Dr. Quaicoe explained.

The IPAC meeting was organised in two sets. This was in compliance with the social distancing directive from the President as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The compilation of a new voter register for the 2020 elections was scheduled to begin on April 18, this year. The commission had also expressed hope it will complete the exercise by May 30, 2020.

The exercise which has been assigned a budget of GHS390 million faced opposition from some political parties and civil society organisations.

The Inter-Party Resistance Against the New Voters Register, a coalition of six political parties, kicked against the plan, citing cost, time and credibility as the basis for its opposition.

Regardless, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe justified the plan.

He said: “We have made it very clear that the current biometric system is not good enough for future activities. We are having a lot of challenges with it. In addition to that, a lot of people have found it difficult to have their fingerprints picked up by the machine so we intend to introduce the facial recognition [option] in addition so that if your fingerprint fails, your image will be used for verification.”

Ghana has recorded 68 cases with 3 deaths.

In his 3rd address to the nation, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 21 announced measures his government has put in place to fight the pandemic.

Among others, he mentioned that "all our borders, that is by land, sea and air, will be closed to human traffic for the next two weeks, beginning midnight on Sunday. Anybody who comes into the country, before midnight on Sunday, will be mandatorily quarantined and tested for the virus. This closure will not apply to goods, supplies and cargo."

"Secondly, the Ministry of Health will not only step up its contact tracing efforts, but will also see to it that all persons who have been identified as having come into contact with infected persons are tested for the virus. More personal protection equipment are being procured to beef up supplies for our frontline health workers. Fifty thousand additional test kits have been ordered, and are expected in the country very shortly."

Meanwhile, health minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu has announced that the country is expecting about 30,000 protective equipment to aid in the fight against coronavirus.

Rawlings questions shallow media discourse on religion, politics, social issues

Former president Jerry John Rawlings has expressed concern about the “lightheaded” manner religious, social and political matters are portrayed by sections of the media.

He said the practice has contributed to dehumanize and make Ghanaians superficial. “We are doing too much politics with the truth,” he stated.

“Some of us have very little understanding into human nature or into the power of God and yet we want to propagate issues to do with God and godliness and we are reducing the substance and spiritual essence in our humanity,” the former president said at a meeting with the leadership of the Afrikania Mission in Accra on Tuesday.

The former president described as a perpetuation of decay, the situation where the media highlight shallow discourse on religion, politics and social issues, especially on radio and television.

“For the average mind once the TV or radio station carries it then it’s okay. The lightheadedness of what we see or what we hear is degrading us.”

The former president also took a swipe at the NDC for re-invigorating the class structure.

“We the liberators [NDC] have ended up perpetuating a class rule in this country. The PNDC/NDC came to liberate us but the same NDC from Mills’ time to now have ended up restoring and perpetuating the class structure.”

The PNDC, the former President said, was an expression of the will of the people.

“As the Head of State and leader I was not unaware of the aspirations and sensibilities of our people. When somebody wants to replace our culture with another then it better be good and better than what we have but in the name of freedom of worship and expression all manner of foolish things are allowed.”

Mr Rawlings recalled that in 1979 having read an article by Bishop Sarpong recognizing the value of libation, he invited him to join the AFRC. He said he was impressed that an orthodox Catholic priest could recognize the value of libation but the Catholic hierarchy at the time declined the request.

“We should show a little more sense, a little more responsibility when it comes to our relationship with God. What is important is that religion must show a sense of compassion, love and respect for one another. But to take a position that disrespects issues to do with our ancestors is not good enough,” the former President said.

Earlier the Afrikania Mission, led by its Head of Mission, Osofo Komfo Atsu Kove had expressed disquiet about the relegation of African traditional religion at the national level. They bemoaned the refusal of government to allow the pouring of libation at national events and said it was a clear manifestation of the authorities’ lack of reverence for our ancestors.

The Mission said despite several entreaties to resume the pouring of libation at national events because it is our culture, government has for the past eight years turned a deaf ear. Government’s action is provocative and tacitly endorses the attack on traditional shrines and icons by adherents of imported religion, the Mission stated.

The Afrikania Mission said it was unfortunate that at a time when questions are being raised about the lack of recognition of certain religious practices in schools, African traditional religion is described as pagan, idol worship and backward in textbooks.

The group said it was imperative that we sowed seeds of religious tolerance while respecting the right of adherents of African traditional religion to practice their culture.

Andre Ayew confirms Fenerbahce departure; set to return to Swansea City

On-loan Andre Ayew announced his departure from Fenerbahce after Turkish Super Lig ended last Sunday.

The Ghana international sat out the 3-1 home win over Antalyaspor due to injury.

Ayew spoke to Fener's official TV station after the game: ''First of all I want to thank the fans, the club, and the staff. I am leaving this great club with lots of experience. It was a very tough year for us but at least we have managed to finish the season strongly.

''Let’s hope Fenerbahce have a great season in the next campaign. Speaking personally, I have to say that I should have done better. This is a huge club and the memories will remain with me forever.''

Ayew-owned by Championship side Swansea- didn’t impress enough to earn himself a permanent move.

The 29-year-old played 38 games for Fenerbahce in all competitions, scoring just five goals.

Ayew will return to Swansea City but it is likely he will leave the Welsh club in this transfer window.

His contract at the Liberty Stadium runs until June 2021.

Confusion erupts between EOCO, GRA over trucks carrying rosewood

Three trucks carrying rosewood from Dambai to Tema were intercepted at the Afienya axle weighing point in the Ningo Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region sparking confusion between the personnel from the Ghana Revenue Authority and Economic and Organised Crime Office.

The Counter Intelligence Unit of the GRA first intercepted five 20-footer containers carrying rosewood from Dambai to Tema Port on the Akosombo highway.

The interception comes on the back of a ban on the exportation of rosewoods.

The goods were intercepted at the Afienya Axle weighing point.

Following the arrest, the GRA personnel, who were accompanied by some armed soldiers, requested for the permit covering the consignment which led to some confusion between them and the personnel from EOCO, who emerged to claim jurisprudence over the consignment.

This led to some exchanges between the two units.

According to the GRA officer, who gave his name as Obiri Yeboah, the EOCO officials asked him to release the truck keys to them but he refused to do so with the excuse that, the GRA had to perform due diligence on the trucks at the customs collection point at the airport before it could be handed over to any other agency.

The release of the keys resulted in a confusion between the two parties which nearly became confrontational at a point.

While at it, the axle weighing officials were also demanding payment for the penalty for overloading the trucks carrying the rosewood which amounted to five thousand five hundred Ghana cedis.

This was however not adhered to as the soldiers that accompanied the GRA officials to the scene ordered the truck to move upon the orders from an officer from above whose name was not given to the media.

A security personnel at the Axle Load station, W.O, Musa Tibila expressed his disappointment at the manner in which the trucks were asked to be released without the payment.

He was however quick to add that despite the release, there was an assurance from the GRA that the amount in question would be collected from the owner of the goods and later sent to the head office of the axle loading.

Gov't has blown GHC500m on shady firm - NPP

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the John Dramani Mahama administration of paying GHS500million to a company with no contractual agreement with the state.

According to the party, cabinet has given the go-ahead for the use of the 10 per cent of the District Assembly’s Common Fund allocated to the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) for the illegal payment.

This was revealed by the Policy Advisor of the NPP, Mr Boakye Agyarko, at a news conference at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Wednesday 16 November.

Mr Agyarko said: “This amount is meant to pay for 45,000 workers who are actually on the payroll of the various district assemblies. So, the assemblies are responsible for paying the wages of the 45,000 and not the service provider. This act of corruption is a matter for which Ghanaians must demand and deserve answers.

“We also need to note the fact that the board of the Youth Employment Agency is being asked to take all necessary steps to ratify the sanitation contract for 2013 to 2015. Since this contract has expired and not in operation, why will they ratify it by back dating? They try to justify the necessity by claiming that sanitation activity could not be brought to an abrupt end countrywide. Yet this is not the case for nurses, teachers and other essential service workers who have active ongoing contracts yet have not been paid their salaries, which are many months in arrears,” he added.

Mr Agyarko further disclosed: “This illegal payment for non-existent contract is related to a previous scheme dating back to 2012, the same year that some $2billion of unbudgeted funds were spent in a reckless and corrupt way to fund John Mahama’s election bid,” adding: “The Auditor General’s report on the infamous Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) highlighted the misappropriation of public funds, fraudulent transfers and illegal payments to various entities linked to friends and families of President John Mahama.”

Aston Villa Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Jordan Ayew.

The 23-year-old forward has signed a five-year deal with the Club and joins from French side Lorient for an undisclosed fee.

The Ghana international arrives at Villa Park following the acquisitions of fellow Ligue 1 players Jordan Amavi and Idrissa Gueye.

Manager Tim Sherwood said: "I'm really pleased to bring Jordan to the football club.

"He is a fantastic young player who is perfectly suited to the Premier League."

Ayew completed his medical at Bodymoor Heath this morning before meeting his new team-mates for the first time.

Akuffo Addo and J. Mahama

Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Haruna Iddrisu says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is a weak opposition party that cannot contest the Mahama administration in any electoral battle.

Speaking on Radio Gold’s “Alhaji and Alhaji” programme, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu said the NPP is not strong to keep the government in check and ensure that the government does not abuse the mandate that Ghanaians have given her.

“The NPP is a very weak political opposition. And I think that naturally it’s to our advantage. I have always said that President Mahama will always humble Nana Akufo-Addo in any electoral fight…We need a very strong virile opposition to keep the democracy running and to keep government in check, and to control excesses and abuses of government if there are any,” he said.

He further stated that the NPP flagbearer- Nana Akufo-Addo- is no match for President John Mahama so far as elections in the country are concerned.

According to him, President Mahama is not worried about Nana Addo contesting him and will not be threatened by him.

“He is not the President’s worry…The President’s worry is to fix the energy crisis and get the economy back on track but never threatened by the personality or the race of Nana Akufo-Addo,” he stressed.