Day: April 30, 2023

The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Yohane Amarh Ashitey, has commended Ghanaian workers for their continued sacrifices for the country’s developmental progress, saying workers remain the engine of development.

In a May Day message, he urged all workers not to relent on the sacrificial role that they are playing for the development of the country, saying such resourcefulness is what the country needs the most in the current economic challenges that it is facing.

“It is no secret that things have been tough in the last few years due to the global factors that have plagued every country in the world, however, these challenges are the reasons why we must continue to be resolute about serving the progress agenda of our country,” the Tema Mayor wrote.

He added, “Ghanaian workers continue to remain the engine of development and their efforts are what will in the end propel all of us out of the current economic quagmire that we find ourselves in.”

The message was released on 1st May, 2023 to commemorate this year’s edition of the May Day calendar event.May Day is a May 1 celebration with a long and varied history, dating back millennia. Throughout the years, there have been many different events and festivities worldwide, most with the express purpose of welcoming in a change of season (spring in the Northern Hemisphere).

In the 19th century, May Day took on a new meaning, as an International Workers’ Day grew out of the 19th-century labour movement for worker’s rights and an eight-hour workday in the United States. May Day 2023 is Monday, May 1, 2023.Generally, the 2023 edition of May Day is coming in the wake of economic challenges that are plaguing most countries in the world in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the toll from the Russia/Ukraine war.

In Ghana, workers have been at the receiving end of the brunt of the challenges, with inflation eating away the value of real income and plunging many into sudden, unplanned economic confusion.

However, Hon. Yohane Amarh Ashitey, in the last couple of months has been urging Ghanaians in general to keep supporting and trusting the government as it navigates the country out of the current conundrum.

He reiterated that call in his May Day message.

“Already, things are poised to begin looking up as government and the IMF enter the last lap of negotiations for a bailout. I urge all Ghanaians to keep on keeping faith with the government. And as for us workers, let us hold on and complete the race of sacrifice that we have run so far so that we push our country out of the current doldrums,” Hon. Yohane Amarh Ashitey added.

Source: Ghana Web

The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced that it is ready to issue out newly printed Ghana Cards to the public.

This announcement was contained in a video clip posted by the Twitter handle of the authority.

This follows the halting of the printing process and issuance of cards due to debts it owed some partners.

As a result, the printing of some 542, 529 cards were stalled

However, earlier this week, the authority indicated that it is ready to print and issue out the backlog of Ghana cards.

The authority also provided some steps to follow for citizens to retrieve their Ghana Cards.

They are as follows:

Steps to follow to get your card:

Step 1

Visit the Regional or District Office where you registered for the Ghana Card.

Step 2

NIA official will verify your identity.

Step 3

Your Ghana Card will be issued to you after confirming your identity.

Background:

The National Identification Authority, held on to the printing and issuance of cards due to debts it owed its partners.

However, emerged reports from the authority indicates that it is ready to print and issue out the Ghana card.

It revealed that there’s been printed backlog of about 542, 529 cards sent to the various regional and district offices for collection.

Meanwhile the Electoral Commission (EC), put before Parliament, a Constitutional Instrument (C.I), seeking to make the Ghana Card the sole proof of identification for voter registration for the 2024 general election and subsequent elections.

Source: Ghana Web

An Accra High Court on March 20, 1980 found Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo guilty in a civil suit and imposed a fine of ¢45,000 [old Ghanaian cedi].

This was after a case of reckless driving involving the politician and the plaintiff, one Mr Woledzi travelled through the magistrate courts to the High Court over a period of 13 years.

Mr Woledzi sued Mr Akufo-Addo for damages for personal injuries and loss sustained by him as a result of an accident involving his car and that of the plaintiff.

The plaintiff was seriously injured in the accident. He demanded to be awarded ¢100,000 for personal injuries and loss sustained by him as a result of the defendant’s negligence and breach of statutory duties.

In both his pleadings and evidence during the trial, the plaintiff maintained that his car was stationary and parked on a flower bed in the middle of a dual-carriage road when he was hit by the first defendant.

The first defendant however, denied that the plaintiff’s vehicle was stationary at the time of the accident and contended that the collision was due to the Woledzi suddenly and without due care and attention driving across his path.

Mr Woledzi was represented by Michael Atadika while Nana Akufo-Addo’s lawyer was Amoako-Glover.

The case was presided by Justice Cecilia Koranteng-Addow one of the three High Court judges who were abducted and murdered on June 30, 1982.

At the time of delivering her judgement, Justice Koranteng-Addow observed the state of the plaintiff who was 41 years at the time of the accident as “different.”

“His appearance is terrible; his mouth is twisted to one side and it droops. This was caused by the loss of sensitivity on the right [p.440] side of the face. His eyes are so pronounced with the squint and he walks gingerly without co-ordinating his limbs. He moves as if he is going to trip at any moment. He still continues to take treatment for the after effects of his injury. He was in a coma for three weeks after the accident, but he remained in hospital for six months for his treatment. The broken arm was set in P.O.P,” the judge wrote.

“He had a fracture which would not unite with P.O.P. so a plate was inserted in the left-upper arm; and this would cause pain,” she further observed

The judge also noted that the plaintiff “still carries the plate in his arm. He still complains of pain in the right blind eye.”

Among other effects, Mr Woledzi was also assessed to have suffered brain damage, total blindness in his right eye and a loss of hearing in his right eye.

In a total summation of GH¢45,000.00, the judge awarded the plaintiff damages made of up of pain and suffering, loss of amenities, disfigurement and disability as well as cost.

“The plaintiff is deformed; the squint and the twisted mouth have deformed him. He is a man who has lost his self-confidence due to his present appearance. In his present condition there is little he can enjoy; a man who is so affected and afflicted with pain can hardly be said to enjoy full amenities of life. He has also lost his pension rights.

“Lastly, his inability to make a living to support himself and family – he is 54 years old; he was only 41 at the time of the accident. Considering the heights he would have attained in his job if he had not been disabled by this accident, he should be compensated for that loss. His damages should take seriously into account his pension rights which he lost and his total incapacity. I assess his damages at ¢45,000,” the judge ruled.

Source: Ghana Web

Ghana great, Michael Essien has made it clear that after hanging his boots he has no plans of working in an office.

This is why he has taken up coaching and is working to secure his badges.

Speaking to DW in an interview, the former Chelsea midfield maestro said he enjoys coaching players and helping them develop.

As a result, he says he prefers to be a coach than get an office job.

“I’m doing my badges because I love being around the players on the pitch,” he stressed.

Michael Essien continued, “And I stay very close to them, talking to them, giving them advice and stuff like that. It makes me happy, rather than sitting in the office or on the phone talking to people.”

Since retiring, Michael Essien has managed to complete a number of coaching courses.

He already has his Uefa A license and is currently working with FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark.

Source: Ghana Web

The people of Agric Junction, a suburb of Takoradi woke up in shock to hear the death of a security man known as Musa in the early hours of Saturday, April 29, 2023.

51-year-old Musa had reportedly hanged himself in an uncompleted building he guards every day.

According to the deceased’s brother, Haruna Seidu, Musa has been drinking recently and that has changed his lifestyle.

He said, “Musa came to me yesterday, came to tell me that he (Musa) died but he didn’t see my father and brother who had died already, but since he drinks alcohol, I didn’t take him seriously only to hear of his death this morning”.

“I received a call early this morning from his master (the owner of the building he guards) that Musa has committed suicide, I quickly rushed to the scene to realize it was true,” he added.

An eye witness, who gave his name as Osofo Emma in an interview said “I came early this morning and no one knows what caused him to commit suicide. We only saw his lifeless body hanging up”.

Musa has two children with his divorced wife.

Residents in the area were shocked to hear of his death because they see him to be a quiet person.

“I always see him around anytime he comes to work. He greets me all the time and never looked like anyone who had a problem that could lead to suicide,” a resident told GhanaWeb.

Source: Ghana Web

Member of Parliament (MP) of Tema West constituency, Carlos Ahenkorah says it is a cheat for members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to think of any other name than Alan Kyerematen to lead the party into the 2024 elections.

He indicates the party is aware that it is the former Trade and Industry Minister’s time to lead the party; therefore, there should not be any individual challenging that.

Carlos Ahenkorah believes that if Alan Kyerematen is not made the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party going into the election 2024, there will be division in the political party which will worry their dreams of breaking the eight.

“It’s a cheat to even suggest that there is another person to lead the NPP in 2024. Why is it that when it got to Alan’s time, you people are doing this? If Alan is not made flagbearer there will be divisions in the party that will affect our fortunes and moves to break the eight. I know that NPP delegates believe it’s Alan’s time,” he said.

“When President Kufour was in power and was supporting Alan, we did not agree because it wasn’t his time. We worked tirelessly to ensure that President Akufo-Addo was given the nod. All government appointees were whipped to back Alan Kyerematen and the same with the Members of Parliament. However, the grassroots says if Akufo-Addo has finished his tenure, it is Alan Kyerematen’s time and we the kingmakers will ensure that happens,” Mr Ahenkorah stated.

He continued “If we want to win the elections in 2024, we should know that Alan Kyerematen is the only choice. When Alan becomes President, we will all get our shares. Government appointees are where they are because they want to protect their positions. We also deserve appointments like they are enjoying now. The same way we took President Kufour out and defended Akufo-Addo, that’s the same way we will defend Alan Kyerematen”.

Source: Ghana Web

Interracial marriage was illegal prior to 1967. However, one bold couple turned things around and paved the way for its repeal in Virginia and other states in the United States. Though Mildred was black and Richard was white, the two decided their affection for each other was too strong to be impeded by Virginia state laws.

When the couple left their home to get married, many cautioned them of the repercussions – consequently, Mildred was arrested when they returned. However, when she was granted bail, the couple decided to take their case to the American Civil Liberties Union with the help of Robert Kennedy.

That was the beginning of the loving journey that compelled the courts to lift the ban on interracial marriage. The love story began when Richard was 17 and Mildred was 11; they were family friends until they started dating years later, and got married when Mildred became pregnant. The couple went to Washington D.C., where it was legal for them to tie the knot at the time. However, their fate witnessed a twist on July 11, 1958, when a Sheriff, R. Garnett, questioned why they were in bed together, following a tip-off.

When they were arrested for breaching Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act, Richard’s sister bailed him out on a $1000 bond after having been kept in a cell overnight. However, Mildred was kept there for three nights. When they were taken to court following their arrest, the presiding judge, Leon M. Bazile, gave them the option to leave Virginia for 25 years or end up in prison.

They however spent nine years in exile, according to history, but the difficulty in adapting to city life compelled them to make periodic trips to Virginia. In 1964, Mildred drew the attention of Attorney General Robert Kennedy to their plight, who referred her to the American Civil Liberties Union. The Union took up the case and filed a suit to have it reversed by the original judge. However, for almost a year, they never got any response, which compelled them to file a class action suit to the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia.

This time around they got the attention of Judge Bazile, who argued that there was a reason why God placed all races on separate continents – if such a marriage should be encouraged, it would contravene God’s original plan. This motivated the union to appeal the case at the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeal, but, the court maintained the initial ruling. During this time the Lovings were living together in Virginia upon the urgings of their lawyers.

LIFE photographer Grey Villet had a personal encounter with Lovings in 1965 and appealed to give the world a sneak peek into their life. This is what helped the world understand the plight of the family and changed the phase off interracial marriages in the US. Their case finally made it to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967. On June 12, 1967, the court unanimously ruled that laws banning interracial marriages were unconstitutional and overturned them in 16 states.

Source: Ghana Web

Ghana international, Joseph Paintsil says he is ready to give his all to ensure his KRC Genk outfit finishes the 2022/23 Belgian Pro League campaign as champions.

The side is the favourite to win the league heading into the Championship playoffs of the division.

Ahead of the first playoff match against Club Brugge on Sunday, April 30, Joseph Paintsil has been speaking to the media.

According to him, the main aim is to win the league at the end of it all. He argues that it will be very disappointing if Genk does not win the league.

“We feel like we already have something but what we have now is not what we are looking for. Because being on top of the league for so many months and giving it out these few weeks is going to be really disappointing for us,” the Black Stars attacker said.

Source: Ghana Web