Kennedy Agyapong says in Ghana farming does not bring money and it is only those who pray to be poor that venture into it.
“When you wake up in the morning and you pray that God let me be poor, then you go into farming,” he told Joy News.
He explained that whenever he hears people who are supposed to do something better for their lives say they are going into farming, he just laughs.
The Assin Central legislator said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration is always paying lip service to farming while telling the youth to go into farming. He vowed to not attempt farming again.
“I challenge the government; what are the inputs for you to go into farming? They are just talking. I’ve been there and I’m telling you, if I go to university, I will not go into farming. Hell no!” Ken Agyapong said.
He continued: “If you make money in Accra and you tell me you are going to farm…I failed at farming not because of my management but because of litigation”.
The MP further cautioned businessmen and women not to establish businesses in the villages because folks in the village are clever in terms of thievery.
“The moment you establish the business in that village, they think you are stupid. The villagers…you think you are going to create jobs for them [but they think] you are stupid,” he said.
“They will mess you up,” he stressed.
Ken Agyapong spoke about how his fish pond was haphazardly operated, including other businesses, all of which discouraged him about setting up businesses in the villages.
He believes that “any person who wants to be serious in life” should leave the village for a bigger town or city “and start hustling”.
The MP challenged his host: “If you are serious, I will invite you [to] my village to come and work there”.
An Education think tank, the Africa Education Watch has asked the government to consider the track system if it plans to reopen schools.
Ghana on Monday, March 16, 2020, closed all schools, universities, and suspended public events to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.
President Nana Akufo-Addo announced in an address to the nation that the authorities were shutting schools and universities “until further notice”
According to the think tank, its proposal will reduce the number of students in schools at a particular time and also deal largely with a potential spread of COVID-19 if schools are reopened.
The Executive Secretary of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare in a Citi News interview said three different batches can be adopted depending on the size of a school.
“It may depend on the class size in a particular locality –that’s the average class size –because some have larger class sizes.”
“In countries like, Switzerland and Netherlands they have about three batches going to school so batch 1 goes to school for two days, batch 2 does and batch 3 goes to school on Friday but they will not do 4 hours a day but instead 8 hours. So depending on the municipality’s standard class sizes we may have to do batch not only morning and afternoon but also one could go on an odd day so that we can reasonably distance the students in line with the WHO and the UNESCO protocols,” he said.
The Ghana Education Service recently wrote to the stakeholders in the education sector to make an input into the reopening of the schools in country since the President Nana Akufo-Addo ordered the closure of same.
Annul current academic year, start afresh in September – Neogenics Education Group
Neogenics Education Group, an educational consultancy, had earlier urged the government to nullify the current academic year and start afresh in September following the Coronavirus outbreak in the country.
According to the group, students should be made to repeat their current year or classes.
In a press release signed by Grant Bulmuo, Lead Consultant of the group, their call is backed by research that “a child’s absence from school experience has a significant impact on their future successes and life chances.”
“Research shows that 8 days of absence from school reduces a child’s best chance of success by 4%, 19 days by 10%, 29 days by 15%, 38 days by 20%, and 48 days by 25%. Children in Ghana by the end of May 2020 would have been absent from active learning for almost 50 school days. Your judgement is a good as ours! The majority of our children may hardly remember any of the learning they experienced in school from September 2019.”
To reopen schools or not to
The Ghana National Council of Private Schools GNACOPS says the schools should be opened if government believes it’s safe regardless of the rise in COVID-19 cases in the country.
The position of private schools has been challenged by four teacher unions who are kicking against plans to reopen schools any time soon.
The four are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Tertiary Education Workers Union (TEWU), and Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT).
In a joint statement, they indicated that items for the observation of the prescribed protocols which includes face masks and alcohol-based sanitizers are not available in the various schools hence their apprehension.
According to the Teacher Unions, the Ghana Education Service in a circular dated 13th May 2020 had requested for “proposals for the reopening of schools” hence their statement urging government not to consider such decision now.
The largest opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC) has served notice of boycotting the crucial Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
The Electoral Commission expects to brief the political parties on preparation for the voters’ registration exercise.
The political parties will be divided into two groups to allow for social distancing during the meeting.
But the NDC says the meeting has been improperly and illegitimately called hence its decision not to attend.
Peter Boamah Otokunor, the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC in a Citi News interview called on the Electoral Commission to put proper mechanisms in place and organise a legitimate IPAC meeting which decision can be accepted by all the stakeholders involved.
“The last IPAC meeting which was held on 25th March 2020, we raised various concerns which led to political parties boycotting and we (NDC) walked out. That meeting does not constitute a proper IPAC meeting because they had divided one committee into groups– you may want to call it double tracking– to decide on the same issue. And we think that with any such approach, you are not going to properly appreciate and understand the issue and contributions from various political parties and we believe that, decision making will be problematic. So we decide not to participate in that meeting because we raised a question earlier and we are waiting for a response which did not come so we decided to boycott the meeting because it was not going to serve the purpose for which it was called.”null
“Again, we thought the Electoral Commission would have learnt its lessons and now we have been called to another IPAC meeting on Wednesday with the same arrangement that we are going to have the meeting in two halves with some coming in the morning and some coming in the afternoon and we think this is an improper way or organising an IPAC meeting and it gives one the opportunity to perpetrate any mischief in the meeting and we think the National Democratic Congress cannot be part of that meeting. If the Electoral Commission is refusing to put in place the proper mechanism to hold a proper legitimate IPAC meeting which decision can be accepted by all stakeholders, then NDC [officials] are not going to participate in the Wednesday meeting and we have since relayed our concerns to the EC again,” he said.
New voters register and it related 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 are against the decision, the NPP and twelve 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.
Although the exercise is currently on hold following the COVID-19 pandemic, the EC says it will observe the necessary safety protocols if the time comes for the registration exercise to commence.
Gospel musician Noble Nketsiah is of the view that the barrage of criticism and backlash hurled at Patience Nyarko for airing her frustration is wrong.
Making a submission of 3FM’s Showbiz927, Saturday , Noble Nketsiah said people could have shares thier views on the comment of Patience Nyarko made about colleague Joe Mettle without rebuking her.
“It’s wrong to chastise her for whatever she says” he told host MzGee but was quick to add that “I aslo think that the radio or the public is not the place for her to spill her issues.
Patience Nyarko lost her cool during a discussion on Onua FM , as she felt insulted by a claim by UK -based Ghanaian event organizer that Ghanaian gospel does not cross borders.
DJ Alordia of Alordia promotions has argued that language has always been a factor hence , any time he organized an event with Ghanaian Gospel musicians as performers, he struggled break even. According to him , he did so three occasions and the narrative was same.
He mentioned that patrons we’re mainly Ghanaians who understood the language ,he mentioned that patrons were mainly Ghanaians who understood the language , stressing that he did not get other nationals like Nigerian and South Africans attending. Citing Nigerian gospel musicians who use the pidgin language in most of their songs , Alordia siad diversity attracts lot of people from other countries in UK.
Alordia, however singled out Joe Mettle, who uses the English language in some of his works. 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 , how many English songs has he composed and you want to disrespect some of us that write our own songs.
He has since been scolded for the comment and her posture in the midst of the brouhaha.
Azonto revolutionist, Elorm Adabla known in showbiz as E.L has quashed suggestions that spiritual attacks on him by his friends are to blame for his ‘ailing’ music career.
A Prophet revealed to E.L during a prophetic church service that his setbacks in the music scene after he won the VGMA Artiste of Year in 2016 are due to spiritual attacks by his close friends.
Consequently, E.L was asked by Amansan Krakye in an exclusive interview on GBC Radio Central monitored by MyNewsGh.com if he truly believes in what ‘the man of God’ revealed.
He narrated “My mum’s prayer is the most powerful thing that I know. People always have reasons to justify your absence.
I took a step back from music because I wanted to travel in order to see more things. Honestly I was bored, it got to a point I didn’t feel anything different after winning all those big awards.
People think that the things that they don’t have if they should have them, they will feel any different. But it’s not like that, sometimes you think that when you get one million dollars you will feel different.
Though you will feel happy but it will not make you feel any different later on. I came to realize that so I thought of taking a step back for some two or three years because seriously I became depressed.
Music had a bad taste in my mouth so that was the time people started saying I have slowed down in the game but it was deeper than that.
But it’s not as if somebody is pulling me down spiritually because where I come from in the Volta Region nobody can do me”
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of Musicians Union of Ghana [MUSIGA], Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi has sued the former President of the Union, Bice Osei Kuffour and four other executives for maladministration and misappropriation of funds.
The four executives are Acting MUSIGA President, Mr. Henry Bessa Simons; Acting 1st Vice President, Rev. Dr. Thomas Harry Yawson; National Treasurer and Acting Administrator, Mr. Samuel Kofi Agyeman and Ahuma Bosco Ocansey, Director of Communications and Special Projects.
The MUSIGA Presidential aspirant in a statement released said he had instituted the legal proceedings against Bice Osei Kuffour popularly known as Obour and his executives.
He also indicated that there were many allegations and counter-allegations from the majority of members and stakeholders of how the organization had been mismanaged during Obour’s tenure.
Some of the many allegations are that the administration did not release any information on how the Union’s funds were spent; Obour never presented any handing over notes nor did he render accounts when leaving office.
The statement said the hearing had been fixed for Wednesday, 10th June 2020 at 9:00 am.
Read the full statement below:
23 May, 2020
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
RE: FORMER MUSIGA PRESIDENT OBOUR AND FOUR OTHERS SUED OVER MUSIGA CASH
I, MUSIGA Presidential aspirant Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, and also the Regional Branch Chairman for MUSIGA Greater-Accra has institute legal proceedings against the former MUSIGA President Mr. Bice Obour Osei Kuffour and four others at the High Court of Justice for maladministration and misappropriation of funds of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).
The four others include Acting MUSIGA President, Mr. Henry Bessa Simons, Acting 1st Vice President Rev. Dr. Thomas Harry Yawson, National Treasurer and Acting Administrator, Mr. Samuel Kofi Agyeman and Ahuma Bosco Ocansey, Director of Communications and Special Projects.
There are lots of allegations and counter allegations from majority of musicians and stakeholders of how MUSIGA has been mismanaged by the former President’s administration.
We cannot rule away some of these allegations especially when members think they are not treated well by the very people they elected to steer the affairs of the Union they all belong to; and the structures thereof.
No information is being released or communicated to the entire membership as to how the Union’s FUNDS were spent.
To this end, I Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, found it prudent to request for a forensic audit, and leadership of service and accountability of the administration of the former MUSIGA president Mr. Bice Obour Osei Kuffour.
In leaving office as required, Mr. Bice Osei Kuffour didn’t present any handing over notes and render accounts or submit any internal audit report on the state of the Union that includes a comprehensive financial audited report of the affairs of the Union..
This, and other reasons why I as a member, an elected executive, and a presidential aspirant of the Union, am calling on Mr. Bice Obour Osei Kuffour and his cronies in administration to account for his leadership of service at MUSIGA from 2011 to date.
Based on the aforementioned reasons, a suit has been filed at the High Court of Justice, and a hearing date has been fixed for Wednesday, 10th June 2020 at 9:00 am.
will officially release a comprehensive Press Statement in due course.
Please find attached brief copies of WRIT OF SUMMONS and MOTION OF NOTICE for your perusal.
Founder and leader of the International God’s Way Church (IGWC), Daniel Obinim has released photos of himself flaunting US$100 notes barely a day after he was released from police grips.
The photographs, available on the Bishop Obinim Ministries Facebook page capture the embattled pastor in a jubilant mood.
Clad in an all-white apparel with an agal to match, Bishop Obinim looked stunning. In one of the photographs, the popular preacher appeared to be dancing to songs being dished out by his bandsmen who were all clad in white.
Obinim was arrested on Tuesday, May 19. He was charged for offence of publication of false news and forging of documents contrary to Sections 208 and 159 of the criminal and other Offences Act, 1060 (Act 29) respectively.
He was granted bail by a Magistrate Court in Accra in the sum of GH¢100,000 with three sureties, one to be justified. He, however, stayed in custody for failing to meet his bail conditions.
Obinim was released from police custody on Friday, May 22 after meeting the bail requirements.
Confirming the news to GhanaWeb, Ralph Poku-Adusei, lawyer of the popular pastor said private doctors were attending to his client.
“The hospital conditions were not good so he is currently with his private doctors trying to check his conditions so that he can be back to normal life. He has a peculiar heart condition that has been going on for some time so he has private doctors who have been making sure that he was well catered for, he was not receiving that treatment at the police hospital,” the lawyer said.
Before his release, family members who spoke to the media on Thursday, accused police personnel of trying to frustrate efforts to grant him bail.
According to them, though they had been at the police headquarters since morning and had provided the required documents as sureties, they were unsuccessful in executing the bail.
NABCO Trainees Association of Ghana (NABTAG) has petitioned President Akufo-Addo proposing the consideration of its members for permanent employment.
According to a press statement on May 19, 2020, President of the Association explained that “0having matched on with our engagement through to this juncture of the three – year journey on contract terms, the expiration date is not distant from now.”
President Akufo-Addo in May 2018, launched the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) to employ young men and women to assist in the public sector service delivery needs of Ghana.
During the launch, the President stated that the initiative was geared towards enhancing “the dignity and self-esteem of our graduates, and will also present them with the added benefit of efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of some essential public services.”
With the programme by some beneficiaries nearing completion, NABTAG invited the president to intervene to ensure that employment is secured for the over 100,000 personnel to be roped into the work force.
Read full statement
STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IN PETITIONING THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA FOR PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT ON BEHALF OF NABCO TRAINEES
NABCO Trainees Association of Ghana (NABTAG) seeks to employ your respective media channels (i.e. Radio, TV, and virtual platforms) to assist in registering its petition to the president of the Republic of Ghana for permanent employment on behalf of NABCO trainees.
The Nation Builders Corps (NABCO), which was launched in 2018 by the current government to help reduce the growing rate of unemployment amongst the youth in Ghana is undoubtedly a brilliant step in the right direction. The depth of significance cannot be overemphasized.
Having matched on with our engagement through to this juncture of the three – year journey on contract terms, the expiration date is not distant from now. It is impressive to report that over 10,000 trainees have found their exit pathways and transitioned into their respective sustainable livelihoods. These products of NABCO can attest to the marvelous medium to their exit pathways being found through NABCO.
However, we still have a chunk of the total (100,000) yet to find their exit pathways. It would be disheartening for these huge numbers to go back home after the period extinguishes. It is in this light that NABTAG is forming this alliance with your respective media channels to help the association petition the president for permanent employment.
If this petition could be materialized, trainees will be more than happy to render their applauds in honor of His Excellency the president of the Republic of Ghana.
We look forward to seeing this alliance yield the expected result.
Signed:
Dennis Opoku Katakyie, National President (NABTAG)
Simon Kwabena, a 42-year-old farmer who allegedly butchered his eight-month-old pregnant wife to death has been arrested by the police.
The incident happened at Kankyekura, a farming community in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti region.
The suspect, who tried to commit suicide after the act was also found lying in a pool of blood under a tree in a bush, with multiple wounds on his abdomen and his intestines gushing out.
Mr Daniel Kunyowu, former Assemblyman of the electoral area told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the community members found the suspect lying in the bush and rushed him to the St. Joseph Hospital after making a report to the police.
The former Assemblyman said the suspect was later referred to the Kpando Hospital for treatment due to the severity of his condition.
He said on May 20, 2020, about 1700 hours, he had a call from the community that a pregnant woman butchered by her husband was found in a pool of blood. Mr Kunyowu said the pregnant woman was also rushed to St. Joseph Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
He said it was later found out that the pregnant woman was butchered by Simon Kwabena, who after the act tried to commit suicide.
Mr. Lawson Lartey, Nkwanta South Municipal Police Commander confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency and said investigations were on-going.
Government would from next week announce steps to ease restrictions imposed on citizens due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the President, Nana Akufo-Addo has revealed.
Currently, stakeholders are concluding discussions on the way forward towards the easing of restrictions, the president announced when he addressed Muslims during a virtual celebration of this year’s Eid ul-Fitr on Sunday.
President Akufo-Addo was upbeat about social and economic lives returning to normal soon.
“I expect these consultations to conclude this week, so that I can announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap for easing the restrictions. We have to find a way back, but in safety, for we cannot be under these restrictions forever,” he declared.
According to the president he has been “fortified” in this view by three considerations.
“Firstly, sad though any premature death is, the hard fact is that the rate of deaths in Ghana amongst confirmed cases is very low – one per one million, i.e. 0.0001%, one of the lowest in Africa, and, indeed, in the world, this, despite the very high number of tests we are carrying out. This has been so since the very beginning of the outbreak over two (2) months ago. The number of positive cases stands at six thousand, six hundred and eighty-three (6,683), out of one hundred and ninety-four thousand, seven hundred and sixty-three (194,763) tests conducted, with one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-eight (1,998) recoveries. This means that our positivity rate, that is the ratio of confirmed cases to the total number of tests conducted, is 3.43%, which, again, is one of the lowest in Africa, and in the world. Furthermore, virtually all the thirty-two (32) corona-related deaths, that have so far been recorded, were of persons with, what the doctors call, comorbidity, i.e. with other underlying causes and diseases. Most of them died within twenty-four (24) hours of admission to hospital. May their souls rest in peace. It appears that, by the grace of God, Ghanaians are not dying of this virus in the numbers that were originally anticipated and feared”.
“Secondly, the numbers of severe virus cases that have been hospitalised have been persistently low since the outbreak. The fear that our hospitals would be overburdened, and, indeed, overwhelmed has, so far, again by the grace of God, not materialised. As we speak, there are sixteen (16) severe cases in six (6) hospitals across the country, none of them on a ventilator. We pray for their speedy recovery”.
“Thirdly, we now have a more robust mechanism for enforcing our central strategy of defeating the virus – the application of the 3Ts, tracing, testing and treating. The tracing teams are more experienced and more efficient; testing capabilities are no longer concentrated in Accra and Kumasi, but spread more evenly across the country in Ho, Tamale, Navrongo, Takoradi and Cape Coast; treating capacity has been considerably enhanced with isolation facilities better distributed across the nation”.
President Akufo-Addo further urged Ghanaians to eat “our own foods” to strengthen the immune systems as well as adhere strongly to all protocols like wearing masks and social distancing to “enable us to face the future with greater confidence, as we battle to defeat the virus”.
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