Day: November 8, 2021

Member of the legal team of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Abraham Amaliba, has called on government to go to the aid of communities that are affected by the encroachment of the sea by way of tidal waves such as Keta and its environs, in the Volta Region of Ghana.

He said government should not create the situation where the indigenes would think because they belong to opposition stronghold in the country, they won’t receive any relief items to assuage the worsened conditions.

Mr Amaliba stressed that the affected residents in the Volta Region are taxpayers as any citizens in other parts of the country.

He pointed out that the last time the communities were visited by the tidal waves in that region, it reduced the Member of Parliament (MP) Dzifa Abla Gomashie for the area to “kneel down and beg” for some aid to be meted out to the affected persons in the area.

Mr Amaliba called on the government to act on its own volition by directing the right state institution like the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to send relief items to the affected communities in the Volta Region.

He said government sending relief items to the people affected in the region will be the most immediate thing to do in alleviating the plight of the people occasioned by the tidal wave in that region.

Mr Amaliba posited that the tidal waves are as result of the climate change, which is also occasioned as a result of adverse human behavior by not being able to preserve the environment as the race came to meet it.

He cited the instance where the country should be experiencing harmattan at the latter part of the year but rather the country is experiencing heavy rainfall, to which he said “the climate change will give you heavy rainfall or more sunshine, these are the effects. And most of them are as a result of our own conduct as human beings”.

“I must say that I am constrained to ask the question whether the Glasgow colloquium was not a talking shop. And so when you narrow it to what happened two days ago in Keta and you could see homes flooded, people had their properties damaged, you begin to ask questions whether leaders are even concerned about the plight of their own people,” Mr Amaliba stated.

Mr Amaliba said there is the need for the government to begin concentrating on how the country can preserve the environment and what will be the punishment for people who engage in acts that go to destroy the environment. Whether they are stiffer enough to deter people from such adverse acts on the environment.

He said this in an interview with Johnnie Hughes on the New Day on Monday, November 8, on the heels of the tidal waves that affected communities like Keta and its environs on Saturday, November 6, destroying properties and displacing about 700 people in that area.

“Immediately I think government should go to the aid of the people of Keta. I don’t want the situation where the people will begin to think that they belong to the opposition stronghold so relief items are not coming and there will be some delay, these are taxpayers,” Mr Amaliba implored.

Source: Modern Ghana

The UK will call for urgent action to support countries on the frontline of climate change at COP26 Adaptation Loss and Damage Day.

£290 million in new UK funding to be announced, including support for countries in the Asia Pacific to deal with the impact of global warming

Billions in additional international funding has already been committed under the UK’s COP6 presidency for adaption and resilience, as climate-linked disasters become more frequent

The UK will today (Monday 8 November) convene ministers from across the globe to urge action within the next decade to make our world resilient to the impacts of climate change, at COP26 Adaptation Loss and Damage Day.

UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency Anne-Marie Trevelyan will lead the meeting, as the world faces increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather and natural disasters.

In 2021 alone, climate change is believed to have contributed to devastating drought in southern Madagascar, flash flooding in Germany and China, and wildfires in Greece and the US, leading to loss of life and livelihoods. Developing countries and small island states are the most acutely at risk.

Even if we get on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, we will still need to deal with increasing impacts like these. More investment and faster action to help vulnerable countries adapt to climate change and minimise and address loss and damage is needed well before 2030 to prevent further catastrophe and suffering.

To support global efforts to tackle the impacts of climate change, today the UK will announce new funding totalling £290 million, including:

£274 million to help countries across Asia and the Pacific better plan and invest in climate action, improve conservation and deliver low carbon development;

£15 million for the Adaptation Fund which backs developing countries to lead action where they most need it;

£1 million to support delivery of faster and more effective global humanitarian action, including in response to climate-related disasters.

This comes in addition to almost £50 million in new UK support announced in the first week of COP26 to help small island states develop resilient infrastructure to withstand climate shocks and support capacity-building for their access to funding and technical solutions.

Speaking ahead of today’s event, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency, said:

We must act now to stop climate change from pushing more people into poverty. We know that climate impacts disproportionately affect those already most vulnerable.

We are aiming for significant change that will ultimately contribute to sustainable development and a climate resilient future for all, with no one left behind.

CDC, the UK’s development finance institution, will also announce plans today to join a group of donors in committing to substantially increase investments in climate adaptation and resilience to support vulnerable developing and emerging countries.

This builds on the launch last week of a new ‘Clean Green Initiative’ by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help developing countries take advantage of green technology and grow their economies sustainably. To support this, the UK will deliver over £3 billion in climate financing over the next five years, including £200 million for a new Climate Innovation Facility to scale-up technologies to help deal with the impacts of climate change, such as drought-resistant agriculture and sustainable forestry, in markets where private investors have been reluctant to take on the risk alone.

Today’s UK announcements build on new pledges amounting to billions of pounds in support for vulnerable countries from other developed nations, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the US. Further pledges are expected today.

Alongside new state commitments, today’s event will also see representatives from frontline communities given a platform to share their experiences of climate impacts and showcase solutions being implemented on the ground.

Emily Bohobo N’Dombaxe Dola, facilitator of the Adaptation Working Group of the official youth constituency to the UNFCCC, YOUNGO, will speak at today’s event. She said:

I was drawn to climate action after seeing first-hand the impacts of climate change on local coastal communities in Senegal, both impacts already there and those yet to come.

It is the socially marginalised and geographically vulnerable across both Northern and Southern societies that already suffer the most due to natural disasters and shifting weather patterns, from working-class and refugee communities, through to people with disabilities, the elderly, women and young girls.

Yet, I have encountered countless displays of resilience by these communities and local actors. Now it is time for governments and donors to level up on equitable finance and plans for loss and damage and for adaptation.

Building on existing collaboration as co-chairs of the Adaptation Action Coalition, the UK and Egypt are expected to confirm plans to work together to drive further action on adaptation ahead of the next UN climate change conference in 2022.

Background

Over twenty foreign, climate/environment, planning, or finance ministers are expected to join the Adaptation Loss and Damage Day ministerial session, including Bangladesh, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, Egypt, the EU Commission, Fiji, Germany, Ghana, Grenada, India, Italy, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nepal, the Maldives, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Slovenia, Sudan, St Lucia, UAE, Uganda, the US.

The UK has announced £290 million in new funding, comprised of:

£274 million for the Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme to help Indo-Pacific countries mobilise climate finance, strengthen water security, conserve ecosystems, and help vulnerable communities lead local adaptation efforts.

£15 million for the global Adaptation Fund which backs developing countries to lead action in line with their priorities.

£1 million for the Start Network Start Financing Facility to help deliver faster, more efficient and effective global humanitarian action, including in response to climate impacts.

These announcements come in addition to a suite of UK and international action on the impacts of climate change announced in the opening week of COP26, including new UK funding of £143.5 million to support African countries to adapt and a new UK guarantee to the African Development Bank, expected to unlock up to £1.45 billion worth of new financing, half of which will help countries adapt.

Source: Government of the United Kingdom

Tolon (N/R),- The Tolon District Directorate of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has held an inter-party dialogue committee meeting for political parties amongst other stakeholders in the area to ensure peaceful coexistence.

The day’s meeting was held at Tolon in the Northern Region aimed at creating platforms for dialogue among political parties and other stakeholders on effective ways to identify early warning signals of extremist violence community surveillance, and measures to counter radicalization of the youth.

It was attended by representatives of political parties, civil society organizations, security agencies, Electoral Commission, faith-based organizations, people living with disability, youth groups, and women groups.

Alhaji Abdul-Razak Saani, Northern Regional Director, NCCE said issues of violence extremism were becoming a global threat to peaceful coexistence and cohesion, hence, the need to ensure that the youth were sensitized on issues on violence extremist activities.

“The activities of violence extremist requires collaborative efforts of all stakeholders in the country that will help curb the menace of violence extremism to pave the way for sustainable development and stability”.

He called on the youth to be vigilant on security threats in their communities and report such signs to the security agencies to deal with them.

Mrs Abdul-Rahaman Hawawu, Tolon District Director, NCCE said there was the need to deepen sensitization and collaboration among stakeholders in the District, to remind them not to relent in their efforts in promoting peaceful coexistence in their communities.

She called on the various stakeholders to be law abiding and stressed on the need to use the necessary institutions to address their grievances without resorting to violent actions.

The meeting formed part of the Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security to the Northern Border Regions of Ghana project funded by the European Union to among others counter violent extremism in the country.

Alhaji Mahadeen Baba, Chairman of the inter-party dialogue committee expressed the need for the formation of watchdog groups in the communities in the district to help check crime in the area.

He emphasized that the presence of watchdog groups in the communities would be helpful in supporting the security services to respond to threats in the communities to protect the people.

Participants expressed commitment to sensitizing members of their communities on issues of violence extremism and the need to encourage coexistence to promote sustainable development in their communities.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Tema,- Assembly members for the various electoral areas for Tema Newtown under the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) have called on the TDC Development Company to up its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the town.

The Assembly Members made the request when they questioned three representatives of TDC who briefed the Assembly on the Company’s operations and mandates on what it had done for the people of Tema after their lands were acquired by government for TDC to manage.

According to Assembly members it was worrying that even though Tema lands formed 52 per cent of the total 63 square miles of lands TDC have mandate over, the communities had not benefitted much from the company.

The TDC representatives responding to the request, said the Company had been releasing lands to the Tema Traditional Council to embark on its own developmental projects.

The TDC Officials promised to furnish the Assembly with documentation on the CSR activities they had embarked on for the people.

According to the Assembly members, it was worrying that even though TDC could not point to any concrete things they had provided for the people, the companies they had sold the land to had laid gas pipelines, and built tankers surrounding the town posing some dangers to residents.

“What have you done for us in Newtown? Nothing! You are rather setting bombs for us to die as you have surrounded the town with gas and oil companies,” they said.

Mr Joseph Korto, Presiding Member of TMA, asked the TDC to furnish the house with specific projects the Company had given Tema Newtown, saying “you must improve upon your social services to Tema Manhean.”

The TDC, which was set up in 1952 by an Act of Parliament, have the sole responsibility to plan and develop about 63 square miles of public land for various land cases, and manage the township that had been created to provide accommodation to those that would be engaged in these economic operations.

The 63 square miles of land under TDC were acquired from three traditional councils namely Tema, Kpone and Nungua.

The TDC in 2017 was converted into a limited liability company with enhanced mandates to expand its operational and geographical scope beyond the Tema Acquisition Area.

The TDC officials said even though the Company had 60 more years to the expiration of the 125 years lease term given them to manage, they had renewed it leading to an extension by government to over 98 years.

They urged residents within the acquisition area to contact the TDC to renew their lease, saying they should not wait for expiration of their lease before contacting them.

They therefore asked Assembly Members to remind their residents to check their leases, saying if it was about ten years to expiration, this was the best time to start the renewal process.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra Hearts of Oak are on the verge of appointing Didi Dramani as the technical director of the club according to reports.

The Phobians have had a torrid start to the 2021/22 season sharing spoils in their first two matches in the Ghana Premier League.

The Ghana Premier League champions were held at their home grounds by Legon Cities in their season opener and picked up a point against WAFA in the matchday 2 games at the Red Bull Arena.

Hearts of Oak are keen on defending their title this season; however, the hierarchy of the club is believed to have agreed to appoint Didi Dramani to beef up the technical department of the club.

According to media reports, the Board of Directors of the club headed by Togbe Afede XIV has approved the decision with the conviction coach Samuel Boadu needs a helping hand.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Obeng Hamza and W.O Tandoh currently serve as the assistant coaches to Samuel Boadu.

Hearts of Oak will be hoping to pick up their first points of the season when they host Aduana Stars in the matchday 3 games at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Source: Modern Ghana

Accra,- Defense counsel for Dr Frederick Yao Mac Palm, one of the accused of an alleged treason, has told Staff Sergeant Sule Kwadwo Awarf, prosecution star witness, that the idea of the alleged coup d’etat plot has been his brain-child.

“The idea of coup d’etat has been your brain-child and you spared no effect to bring out various ideas and suggestions in furtherance of that,” the defense counsel said during a cross examination of the witness.

However, Staff Sergeant Awarf said that was not true, “if I was part, I would not charge him for him to pay us for our Service,” he added.

The Defense counsel insisted that Dr Mac Palm and Mr Bright Alan Debrah, alias “BB” were just actively involved in the Take Action Ghana (TAG- a non-governmental organization founded by Dr Mac Palm) activities.

Mac Palm’s lawyer said he (Sule) was the one who kept pushing BB that he should be serious and that his (Sule’s) men were ready but Sule answered that that pressure came from Dr Mac Palm.

Counsel retorted that all the videos played showed that his client had not featured in any of them.

Yes, my lord, Sule answered, saying that he (Mac Palm) being the big man cannot be attending meetings all the time, so they (Sule and BB) attended the meetings and later briefed him about the progress.

The lawyer disputed and said what Sule told the court that they did the discussions and later brief Mac Palm was not true. But Sule disagreed and said after their last meeting, he and BB proceeded to Mac Palm’s Hospital to brief him about the fee for the soldiers and where to get the weapons.

In another instance, the lawyer pointed out to Sule that in one of the videos, he even proposed contract killing of the executives but Sule said he was asking Mac Palm how he wanted it because he contracted them.

“What he wanted from us is what we will do for him. Dr Mac Palm was asking whether we would chase the captives (President and key members of government) to their house one by one, so I asked whether it was in the form of contract killing and he said no, we should rather capture them and separate them in different places.

Defense counsel: “What You told the court is not born by the video watched, nowhere did Mac Palm object to anything in like manner, the Court heard.

Sule: He didn’t speak louder because he was afraid someone might record him.

On the issue of securing some weapons to augment the locally made ones by Donyo Kafui, alias Ezor, the lawyer said Sule was heard in the video bargaining for the procuring of the G3 rifle and AK 47.

Sule said the bargaining was done by BB because Mac Palm asked the two (Sule and BB) to look for the assault rifles to buy, adding that he did not know where they sold them as well as guessed the prices at between GHC5,000.00 and GHC6,000.00 just to please Mac Palm.

“You didn’t only mention the price range (GHC5000-GHC6000) of weapons but also in previous video, you stated where it could be procured,” the lawyer quizzed and Sule answered in the affirmative, stating that because he (Mac Palm) told them to get the weapons, “so I intentionally told Dr Mac Palm that they cannot be gotten unless conflict areas like Bawku,”.

The Defense counsel challenged the date, time and duration of the video recordings and Sule insisted the device was not tampered with and it was used as it was handed to him by his superiors.

Dr Mac Palm, Chief Executive Officer of the Citadel Hospital, Donyo Kafui, black smith, BB, Freight Manager, Johannes Zikpi, Signaller with the Ghana Armed Forces, Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) Esther Saan, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewu, Lance Airforce Corporal (LAC) Ali Solomon, Colonel Kojo Gameli and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agordzo are being tried over varied alleged crimes including conspiracy to commit crime, high treason, possession of weapons and abetment of crime.

They have all denied the offence and are currently on bail.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Samsung’s latest home appliances, mobile phones, TVs, and sound devices are undoubtedly on the top of many Ghanaians wish-list as we enter the festive gift-giving season. This is why this year’s Black Friday specials from Africa’s Number One Electronics brand1 are destined to make many people very happy.

There are many reasons why you’ll want to be first in line to take full advantage of the Black Friday period from 15 November to 28 November.

The excitement will be amplified even more as Samsung customers discover the fantastic discounts on many popular smartphones, TVs, fridges, washing machines, and more.

Bargain hunters can also benefit by being up to date with what Samsung Ghana has on offer this Black Friday. See promotions deals below at low prices. With amazing deals from one of the Top Five brands in the world2, Samsung Ghana is turning Black Friday into a November to remember.

Brand Africa 100® list – Samsung was acknowledged as number one in the electronics/computer category and third Most Admired Brand in Africa, across all categories.

Globally, Samsung is ranked 5th Best Brand in the world’ – Global Brands 2020 list announced by Interbrand.

Source: Ghana Web

Kwahu Obomeng (E/R),- Ms Perpetual Asante, a Philanthropist and native of Kwahu Obomeng with support from Obomengmankuo headed by Mr Nana Siaw Ampadu, Chairman, has donated items worth GH¢150,000.

00 to institutions at Kwahu Obomeng to aid development.

The recipient institutions, which are Obomeng health centre, Obomeng M/A Basic School and master craftsmen, received wall dryers, hospital mattresses, blankets, refrigerators, educational materials, shoes, garments and sewing machines.

Others included streetlights, motorbikes, detergents, knitting machines, industrial knitting machines, hairdryers, bags of sugar and medical equipment.

Presenting the items to traditional authorities for onward distribution, Ms Asante said it had always been her passion to support inhabitants of Kwahu Obomeng in quality healthcare services and quality education delivery.

She said education was key to every country and urged the youth to take up education, adding that there was the need for every Ghanaian child of school-going age to be in school.

She called on natives of Obomeng to join hands to bring development to the area and said she was readily liaising with other Non-Governmental Organizations to support vulnerable youth to undergo apprenticeship.

Ms Asante urged parents to enrol their wards in technical and vocational traineeship like dressmaking, hairdressing and other entrepreneurship training.

Ms Asante condemned the practice of LGBTIQI , alcoholism, smoking and teenage pregnancy, and advised the youth to desist from such immoral activities but rather redirect their energies and resources to developing potentials and talents.

The Atibie Government Hospital and Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital were also supported with some medical equipment.

Nana Daawa Aseidua II, the Queen mother of Obomeng, who received the items on behalf of the community, commended Ms Asante for the gesture and encouraged her to promote girl-child education in the community.

Nana Effah Opinamang III, the Chief of Obomeng, also commended the philanthropist but pleaded with her to factor fencing Obomeng M/A Basic School in her project to ensure the security of pupils.

He assured that the traditional authorities would ensure fair distribution of the items.

He entreated beneficiaries to take proper care of the facility and warned the people against curses as it could scare investors.

Source: Ghana News Agency