• 

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Thursday, presented a report to Parliament over the government’s plan to trigger section 30 (6) of the Bank of Ghana Act.

This is to help the government obtain GHS10 billion in domestic financing from the Central Bank to deal with the economic challenges occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing the House after tabling the report in Parliament, Ken Ofori-Atta indicated that the Central Bank has already advanced GHS5.5 billion to the government this month to meet its financial obligations.

“Given the exceptional circumstances and the challenges, the Minister of Finance, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and the Controller and Accountant General, as required under Section 30 of the Bank of Ghana (Act 612) as amended, have agreed to trigger the emergency financing provision under the law which permits increasing the limit on the purchase of Government securities by Bank of Ghana in the event of any emergency to help finance the residual expenditures,” the Minister said.

The GHS5.5 billion first instalment of the bond was released on May 15, 2020.

By this, the Bank of Ghana has set aside a Memorandum of Understanding with the IMF which bars it from financing the government’s budget which had been the case in previous years.

An additional GHS4.5 billion will be provided through the purchase of government assets, but that will be dependent on developments going forward.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has had dire consequences on the economy. As a result, the government has been implementing various fiscal and monetary measures to fill the outstanding financing gap and mitigate the adverse effect and provide relief for businesses and households.

These include the IMF Rapid Credit Facility of US$1 billion, World Bank Development Policy Operation (DPO) of US$350 million and the Stabilization Fund of US$219 million.

The outbreak has brought three years of economic growth of 6% or more to a sudden halt, with the Minister of Finance anticipating that growth could slow to 1.5%, the least in 37 years.

He has already indicated that the cumulative effect of the novel coronavirus pandemic will cost Ghana GHS9.505 billion.

Meanwhile, the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Cassiel Ato Forson, says the Minority will resist what he calls government’s ploy to obtain state funds for election 2020 campaign.

Source: citinewsroom.com

• 

The National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah says he will honour an invitation by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The CID has invited Mr. Mornah for questioning over some pronouncements he made against the Electoral Commission (EC) which deemed to be threats.

According to him, the statement attributed to him was only a piece of advice.

Speaking on the Point Blank segment on Eyewitness News, Bernard Mornah expressed shock that his statement would be deemed a threat when he was only giving counsel to the Commission over its recent posture.

According to the letter inviting Bernard Mornah to the CID headquarters in Accra, he vowed to resist every attempt by the EC to compile the new register and that amounts to a threat.

“People who are already Ghanaians and already registered are going to be taken out of the voters’ register. Don’t think confusion will come at the registration station but if confusion comes there, you think the EC staff will be safe? We will beat each other there and will kill each other there if that is what the EC wants to lead this nation to,” the letter quoted Mr. Mornah as saying.

Mr. Mornah is expected to be at the CID headquarters at 10 am on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.

He said he has no problem honouring the invitation and will do so since he still stands by his words.

“I have said that if the Electoral Commission is intending to lead us through this dangerous path, they should know that there will be confusion…It is a caution. If caution becomes threats, I will not run away from it,” he stated.

“A caution cannot represent a threat but if they take it as a threat, then I may have to bring my English teacher to tell them that cautions are not threats,” he added.

He further emphasized his view that the Electoral Commission’s posturing concerning the compilation of the new voters’ register must not be condoned.

He said the EC’s decision must be “resisted”.

“The EC is slitting our democracy and we must do everything to resist it and we will resist it.”

“There is nothing that will allow you to sit down and allow this EC to slit our democracy away from the peace and stability that we have enjoyed so when we are telling them and alerting them that their actions can lead us unto a perilous path and you say we are threatening, I don’t know. I will visit the CID,” he noted.

The PNC, like the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is also kicking against modalities announced by the EC to commence processes for the compilation of a new voters’ register ahead of election 2020.

New voters’ register brouhaha

The Electoral Commission’s decision to compile a new voters’ register has been met with mixed reactions from the political front.

Whereas the NDC and some opposition parties including the PNC are against the decision, the NPP and 12 other political parties have backed the move.Regardless of the resistance, the EC has decided to proceed with the exercise but subsequently, put it on hold following the outbreak of the Coronavirus.

The EC says it will observe the necessary safety protocols if the time comes for the registration exercise to commence and it intends to do this late in June.

Source: citinewsroom.com

Big Band Management signs two new talented hip hop artists (Black Ish and Grozzy Swish)on the record label.

• 

Yesterday at windy queens hotel, this two talented artists inked a juicy deal with Big Band Management.

• 

Big Band Management is a takoradi based record label led by George Ferguson(ceo), Bra acid studios(head of creative department), Akan bastos(publicist), Burna brown(head of event) proof (road mañager )

To feature or to book any of this new artists( Black ish and Grozzy Swish), contact: 0570022446 or 0574492496.

By: Kofi Annan Gh—preznewsgh

• 

Ghanaian musician Ethel Eshun , popularly known for hit songs such as “Akyia” , I want has finally opened for the first time after her supposed Management fracas.

In an emotional interview with Zionefelix , monitored by GhanaWeb , eShun revealed that her Former manager , Known as Stephen that her former manager known as Stephen Mensah , who happened to be her fiance and lover for over two years , ill-treated , tortured , and emotionally abused her.

She reterated that the constant blackmails from Stephen and a contracted prophet , made falling in love a bit uneasy for her as she lived in fear almost every day in the relationship.

“It was so bad to the point I want to leave but I was stuck . Because he will blackmail you, he will have people call you ….. even with that, I found later on…He will manipulate you , verbally abuse you. He could look into my face and tell me “you are nothing” you are a school dropout, he body-shamed me…,” in the Twi dialect.

The “Fakye” Hitmaker added that due to continued emotional abuse from her fiance who was also her manager ,she was forced to seek solace and comfort elsewhere , an act she doesn’t regret doing.

” He used to blackmail me anytime I opted out of the relationship. I needed someone to take me out of the “bad” relationship I found myself in, so I cheated twice on him.

Stephen thinks I can’t come out and say it because it will be a disgrace for me. I wear that ornament now because it’s my past and I don’t regret it” she revealed.

Source: ghanaweb.com

• 

Premier League Shareholders vote unanimously to resume contact training, marking another step towards restarting the season.

Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to resume contact training, marking another step towards restarting the Premier League season, when safe to do so. 

Squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising any unnecessary close contact. 

The Premier League’s priority is the health and wellbeing of all participants.

Strict medical protocols are in place to ensure the training ground is the safest environment possible and players and staff will continue to be tested for COVID-19 twice a week. 

Stage Two of the Return to Training protocol has been agreed following consultation with clubs, players, managers, the PFA, LMA and the Government.

Discussions are ongoing as work continues towards resuming the season, when conditions allow.

Source: Allfootball

• 

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, 26th May, 2020, swore into office Justice Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi as Justices of the Supreme Court.

Outlining the credentials of Justice Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, whom he swore first, President Akufo-Addo described her as having stellar career in the worlds of academia and scholarship, female activism, international relations, public service and religious engagement.

“I am happy to be the President who swore her into office as a Justice of the Supreme Court. The appointment, I have no doubt, will help strengthen the development of the Court’s jurisprudence and case law,” the President.

With Justice Professor Mensa-Bonsu, being the 5th female member of the Court, the President stated that “you have met the stringent requirements of Article 128 clause (4) of the Constitution, and have exhibited the independence of spirit, proven integrity, high moral character, and impartiality of mind to hold this high office.”

At the swearing in of Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, he stated that the independence is buttressed by the constitutional jurisdiction it exercises in the interpretation and enforcement of the Constitution.

Citing the illuminating dicta of Sowah JSC, in the locus classicus of constitutional interpretation, Tuffuor vs the Attorney General, who “the Constitution has its spirit… Its language, therefore, must be considered as if it were a living organism capable of growth and development. A broad and liberal spirit is required for its interpretation,” President Akufo-Addo stated that “ “the broad and liberal spirit” that has become hallowed by Tuffuor vs the Attorney General should inform the different perspectives that appointments to the Court should reflect.

That is why, as Attorney General, from 2001 to 2003, in the Government of the 2nd President of the 4th Republic, His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, President Akufo-Addo proposed for nomination for appointment onto the Court, distinguished academic jurists of varying viewpoints, such as Professor Samuel Kofi Date-Bah, the late Professor Tawia Modibo Ocran, and the late Professor A.K.P Kludze, three persons who were not in the mainstream, but whose works turned out to have such significant impact on the growth of the Court’s constitutional jurisprudence.

“As President, I have continued in this tradition, by appointing, inter alios, the immediate past President of the Ghana Bar Association, Justice Nene Amegatcher, and the former Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Justice Professor Emmanuel Nii Ashie Kotey, again persons who were not in the mainstream, as members of the Supreme Court,” the President Akufo-Addo

He continued, “Indeed, earlier today, I have appointed another distinguished, academic lawyer, with an outstanding reputation in criminal law, Justice Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, onto the Court. A blend of such persons with others on the Court will enrich the evolution of our country’s jurisprudence.”

This, he said, is one of the strongest reasons for the appointment of Mr Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, a highly-regarded, accomplished barrister, who forms part of the small group of persons appointed onto the Court directly from the Bar, including Justice Nene Amegatcher and the late Edward Akufo-Addo.

Congratulating Justice Kulendi on his appointment to the Supreme Court, the President said the appointment is a particularly poignant experience for him.

“I was your pupil master in your early days at the Bar, and you cut your teeth in legal practice in my Chambers, Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co., before branching out to establish your own successful practice, Kulendi@Law, which has become a respected voice in the legal fraternity of our country. Your elevation, understandably, fills me with considerable pride,” he added.

Source: Daily Mail

• 

The Leader & Founder of Anointed Palace Chapel, Rev. Obofour, has thrown caution to the wind, warning he will physically and spiritually deal with a “certain rich man” in Ghana and his TV station.

Although he specifically didn’t cite anybody’s name, many people believe his statement was directed at the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.

Mr. Agyapong, who has sworn to expose fake Ghanaian men of God, has not relented on his efforts for some months now. He uses The Seat on his Net2 TV station as a platform to pursue that agenda.

Last week, he caused the arrest of the Bishop Daniel Obinim, head pastor of the International God’s Way Church,

He was arrested on Tuesday, May 19 over the offence of publication of false news and forging of documents contrary to Sections 208 and 159 of the Criminal and other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) respectively.

In some episodes of The Seat, two men who appeared on the show to confess how they previously feigned to be men of God in order to make money at the expense of their congregants revealed that Obofour is part of the list of the fake men of God in Ghana.

But in Obofour’s response in a video in circulation on social media, he indicated how ready he is for a fight.

“Let them dare… See I told you people that those people who have presenters and claim they are rich men and are fooling on TV stations. I’ll make them useless physically and spiritually. If you think I’m bluffing, let him dare me and I’ll expose their secrets. In Ghana, I fear nobody but I respect Ghana. That nonsense must stop,” he stated.

He further warned that he is going to expose Ken Agyapong, saying, “I will show who drinks blood and what time they do their killings. We’ll expose them professionally.”

Source: Daily Guide Network

• 

Musician Noble Nketsiah has unequivocally said colleague Joe Mettle is indeed the only Ghanaian gospel artiste who can represent the country internationally.

The gospel space has for some days now been heated following some comments passed by radio presenter OB Nartey and UK-based event promoter DJ Alordia. Both had argued on Onua FM that Joe Mettle has a huge audience appeal abroad due to the quality of his productions. 

For Alordia, language has always been a factor hence, any time he organized an event with Ghanaian gospel musicians as performers, he struggled to break even. According to him, he did so on three occasions and the narrative was same. 

He mentioned that patrons were mainly Ghanaians who understood the language, stressing that he did not get other nationals like Nigerians and South Africans attending. Citing Nigerian gospel musicians who use the pidgin language in most of their songs, Alordia said the diversity attracts lots of people from other countries in UK. 

He, however singled out Joe mettle, who uses the English language in some of his works. 

His submission triggered a response from Patience Nyarko who was in the studio. She could not fathom why Joe Mettlewould be rated above others who write their songs.

“Joe Mettle is not where people want us to believe he is. The way people want to lift him above all of us, they will give him problem. He is not yet there. People want us to believe he is better than all of us gospel musicians in Ghana,” Patience Nyarko retorted. 

“Apart from Joe Mettle singing Pentecost and Methodist songs, how many English songs has he composed and you want to disrespect some of us that write our own songs.”

Speaking on 3FM’s Showbiz927 monitored by GhanaWeb, Noble Nketsiahsaid it is true Joe Mettle has chalked that success. 

“It’s a fact. Yes, it’s true. In terms of streams and all that, currently, he is the artiste with most streams across the world so that’s a fact. Not per song; when you talk about collective tracks, Joe Mettle is [ahead]” he corroborated.

On whether Patience Nyarko’s ‘hymn’ argument is relevant, Noble Nketsiah said he sees nothing wrong with his colleague excelling with songs he did not compose. 

He said: “Do you candidly think that if people do not appreciate what he does, he will do what he is doing? There is a song he did, it’s one of the hymns; I never appreciated that hymn until he did that song. What it means is that, he’s renewed the song for me and as an individual, it’s blessing me. If what he’s doing is good, if it’s a good content, it doesn’t matter if it’s a hymn or not. If what he’s doing is getting him the recognition, who am I to say what he’s doing is wrong?” 

Noble Nketsiah however called for calm in the wake of the insults some persons have hurled at Patience Nyarko. 

“It’s wrong to chastise her for whatever she says,” he said but was quick to add that “I also think that the radio or the public is not the place for her to spill her issues.”

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

• 

Artiste Manager, Bulldog has disclosed that his verbal attacks on late Fennec Okyere on radio and vice versa were planned just to gain notoriety as artiste managers.

Bulldog after the death of Fennec Okyere was the prime suspect because he was one of the guys who threatened him on national television and on radio leading to his arrest.

But speaking on UTV last Saturday monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Bulldog said the missiles they threw at each other were just a move to remain relevant as artistes managers in order also promote their artistes.

He said anytime they went on radio, they took a stance and agreed on the tangent each one should take in order for it to look like they disagree with each other.

Bulldog further revealed that there were times that if he does not appear on the same show, Fennec will call him and brief him on the attacks thrown at him so he could also prepare and do the same on any show he also appears on.

The Chief Executive Officer of Bullhaus noted that because people were not aware of all these arrangements that’s why they blamed him for killing Fennec Okyere.

“I had a friend Fennec Okyere who was also an artiste manager. They said I was the prime suspect when he was killed. We had a planned “beef” to remain relevant as artistes managers but we were friends. What we used to do was if we are going on radio, we discuss the tangent both sides will go so that we can attack each other and create a perception in the minds of the people. Sometimes even when I’m not on the show he will attack me and later call me to tell me what transpired so that if i also appear on another show I can fire him too.”

Source: My News GH

• 

The Circuit Court in Accra, presided over by His Honour Mr Emmanuel Marvin Essandoh, has sentenced a 24-year-old Francis Aggrey, to three years in jail for circulating nude videos of his girlfriend.

Aggrey, a student of the Assin Fosu College of Education, was charged with two counts charges of conspiracy and extortion.

He pleaded guilty to both charges and was convicted on his own plea.

The prosecutor in the case, Detective Frederick Sarpong, told the court that Aggrey cited jealousy as reasons for extorting GHc3000 from her girlfriend.

The 24-year-old convict, according to the prosecution, suspected the girlfriend, a policewoman, was cheating on him, hence the plot with his accomplice to extort GHc3,000 from her.

The accused person was sentenced to three years in hard labour by the court on the charge of extortion.

His sentence on the conspiracy charge was deferred, upon a prayer from prosecution to the court to enable Aggrey to assist them to arrest Christian Donkor, his accomplice, who is being hunted by the police.

Brief facts

The brief facts of the case as presented to the court by Detective Frederick Sarpong were that the complainant in this case is a policewoman while the 1st Accused (A1) person is a student of Assin Fosu Collage of Education.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant and A1 have been in an amorous affairs for some time and on May 15, 2020, A1, who suspected the complainant of cheating on him, created an online chatting account on Telegram with the name ‘Nana N’ and portrayed himself as another person and started chatting with the complainant.

“In the course of the chatting, A1 posted the complainant’s nude pictures and videos to her and demanded an amount of GHc3000 else he would circulate the pictures and videos on social media,” Detective Sarpong told the court.

He added that, A1 then forwarded the nude pictures and videos to A2 (Donkor) to press on the complainant to pay the money he demanded.

According to him, “A2, on receipt of the nude pictures and videos, forwaded same to the complainant to hasten with the payment of the money he demanded else he would circulate the videos.

“The complainant”, the prosecutor said, “then reported to her boss who disguised himself and chatted with the accused persons.”

He said “during A2’s chat with the disguised boss, A2 gave the mobile money number 0595063915 to him to pay GHc1,500 on Friday, May 15, 2020, else he will circulate the nude videos of the complainant.

“On the same day, the complainant’s boss made payment of GHc1500 to A2 through the said mobile money account. The complainant’s boss, upon interrogation, suspected that complainant’s boyfriend to be behind A2 and caused the complainant to confront him.

“On May 18, complainant confronted A1 and he admitted and cited jealousy as his reason for doing that.

The prosecutor told the court that A1 was arrested on May 19 and handed over to the Bureau of National Investigation and the National Security.

“During interrogation A1 mentioned A2’s name as his accomplice, having admitted to conspiring with A2 to extort money from the complainant.

The prosecutor said efforts were being made to arrest A2, who is at large.

Source: Kasapa FM