Day: June 14, 2023

It appears gradually more celebrities are experiencing individuals parading themselves as their ‘clones’, as the trend of lookalikes has transcended from the showbiz field to other areas.

It is in this stead that Ghanaian actor, Kojo Nkansah, popularly known as ‘LilWin’, has issued a stern warning coupled with a threat of a lawsuit against Prophet Adom Kyei Duah’s look-alike.

Not too long ago, social media witnessed some two men parading themselves as lookalikes of two popular men of God.

One appeared like Believers Worship Center’s founder Prophet Adom Kyei Duah and the other, represented Anointed Palace Church general overseer, Rev. Isaac Obofour.

Earlier in a viral video, these two lookalikes were captured speaking about how lucrative the lookalike business has been, prior to their earlier lifestyle where they could barely make ends meet.

“This job is very good. For the masonry, it was hand to mouth. When you get some job within the month, you’d have to survive throughout the month with your little earnings, but this one is able to sustain me,” Prophet Adom Duah’s lookalike stated.

In the case of Obofour’s lookalike, he was endorsed and even gifted some money by his ‘original’.

However, it appears Adom Kyei Duah’s camp is unhappy about the development as LilWin, an avid follower and worshipper at the former’s church, has issued a stern warning to the lookalike.

In a video making rounds on the internet, the Kumawood actor, who has a close relationship with the Prophet said they will soon dish out a drastic punishment to the said young man.

“To Adom Kyei Duah’s lookalike, today is your last warning. There are laws in Ghana, wait till we arrest you. When this lands you in court, then you will know. If you feel you know people, who have connections in Ghana, we shall see. We know 100 times more people than you do. Time will tell,” he fumed.

Source: Ghana Web

The former Ambassador of Ghana to India, Sam Pee Yalley, has advocated for the establishment of a ministry, which, according to him, will improve the ability of leaders to take logical decisions for the country.

He said this while speaking on TV3’s New Day, which was monitored by GhanaWeb.

According to him, Ghana needs the ‘ministry of common’ sense to prevent the government from making illogical decisions and taking actions that have negative consequences for the country, such as taking loans to plant trees

“Today, what hurts me as the former Deputy Minister of Environment is the fact that we are taking loans to plant trees at the same time we are allowing people to destroy our forest. I have said that in this country, we need a ministry of common sense,” he said.

The former Ambassador went on to contrast the governance of former President John Dramani Mahama with that of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, citing examples of what he says is the former’s competence.

“Mahama will not break down a whole hospital at Teshie without any knowledge of when he was going to rebuild the hospital. Go to Trade Fair, I once came to a trade fair from Takoradi when I was a young boy and got lost because of the many exhibitions and activities during the international trade fair exhibition then. Today, go there; even the Awudome cemetery is better than the Trade Fair; Mahama did not do that,” he stated.

Source: Ghana Web

The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), has hinted of moves to establish a Fisheries Development Bank to empower stakeholders in the sector. Mr Moses Anim, the Deputy Sector Minister, said having a strategic bank for the sector would be an important instrument to promote economic growth by providing flexible credit and a wide range of advisory services. ‘The proposal to establish the Fisheries Development Bank is laudable. Hopefully, the bank will better understand fishers who were not sufficiently served by private commercial banks or local capital markets. ‘Though there are banks offering credit to fishers, we will engage the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana on its feasibility as part of the government’s multifaceted approach to sustain the sector,’ Mr Anim stated. The Deputy Fisheries Minister gave the tip-off in response to an appeal by Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, the Omanhen of Elmina Traditional Area when he called on the Omanhen at his palace. The visit was to officially inform the chiefs and the people that Elmina had been chosen to host the official ‘Close Season’ ceremony slated for Saturday, July 1, and to rake in their support. While canoe and inshore fishers would observe the closed season between July 1 and 31, he said industrial trawlers would observe it from July 1 to August 31. The objectives for the implementation of the closed season were to allow the recovery of over-exploited fish stocks and allow the rebuilding of depleted fish stocks. It was also to reduce the high pressure on the stocks and allow the fish to maximize their potential during the annual peak spawning period before fishermen could harvest them. Mr Anim said the Ministry was not leaving any stone unturned in its efforts to comply with internationally accepted sustainable fishing practices and cautioned fishers against blatant disregard for fisheries regulations. The new fisheries management measures introduced by the Ministry to prevent Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in Ghanaian waters, he said, forbid any vessel with unauthorized fishing gear (fishing nets) to fish in Ghanaian waters. He, therefore, gave a strong assurance that the MoFAD would not sit aloof for some selfish individuals to plunge the country’s fisheries sector into chaos through IUU fishing. ‘Fishery resources have been the economic backbone of many fishing communities in the country for centuries. ‘As a result, Ghana would continue to comply with internationally accepted sustainable fishing measures and also work with its trade partners such as the European Union, to ensure that the country was free from IUU fishing,’ he stated. Nana Kodwo Conduah who proposed the establishment of the bank said many fisher folks had been swindled by unscrupulous microfinance institutions, therefore the advent of a new bank had become necessary. Besides that, many of the existing development banks have suffered mission creep and had over the years metamorphosed into deposit-taking commercial and retail banks, derailing them from their support for the core areas of operation. For that matter, the proposed Fisheries Development Bank must be projected to address systematic failures in the credit market including lack of medium-and long-term credit, and lack of adequate funding for the fisheries sectors. Nana Kodwo Conduah commended the government for building the Elmina Fishing Habour but lamented about the irregular supply of premix fuel, which was negatively affecting their livelihoods.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Foster Atumobe, known by his stage name Tumtum, has stated his determination to pursue a career in music despite facing criticisms about his awkward style. The music sensation has progressively been making strides in the music industry with his exceptional musical talent. According to Tumtum, his passion for music grew after he ditched a chance to enter the Army and decided to fully focus on his God-given talent. ‘I’m actually working for myself, and I believe I’m in a race with no one. I always need to update and challenge myself so that I can do more. I don’t really care much; we all have different dreams.’ He revealed that he was not just into music but also doubles as the operating manager for Hotspot Media and was also into the fashion business. The rising star is presently promoting his new single, ‘Style’, which is currently distributed across all music platforms. Tumtum, who was born on June 24, 1999, began his music career in 2018 and released his first song in 2020, dubbed ‘Adam,’ which narrates the daily struggles of life related to human disobedience according to the creation story. Some of his past hit songs include ‘Ready’, ‘Last Chance’, ‘Mini Van, and ‘Baseline,’ among others.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) is set to host the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Ghanaian Academic and Research Network (GARNET). The AGM. which would be the fourth, comes off at the Cedi Auditorium, located at UHAS Main Campus in Sokode-Lokoe on Friday, June 23, 2023. A press release from the University shared with the Ghana News Agency disclosed that the Network was happy about the collaboration with UHAS in hosting the event since it had demonstrated its commitment to advancing research and education. It said the meeting would be on the theme: ‘Overcoming the challenges of building digital scholarly infrastructure for the research and education community in Ghana.’ The release noted that this year’s AGM promised to be an exceptional gathering of renowned experts, decision-makers, and seasoned professionals. It said participants would engage in insightful conversations and idea sharing and explore ways to advance the National Research and Education Network (NREN) agenda in Ghana. The release noted that the event would be enriched by a technical workshop for selected network engineers from GARNET member institutions. It said there would also be a panel discussion on ‘the future of tertiary education in Ghana with Open Artificial Intelligence.’ The release said the Meeting was expected to attract other participants from the research and education community in Ghana, as well as peers from the West Africa sub-region and would offer a unique platform for learning, networking, and entertainment, ensuring a rewarding experience for all attendees. ‘Additional information about the event’s schedule and activities can be found at https://garnet.edu.gh/.’ The release extended invitation to all accredited tertiary institutions, including research and educational institutions, libraries, museums, and teaching hospitals to become part of its network. GARNET is a collaborative initiative aimed at fostering academic and research excellence in Ghana. It was established in 2010 and the national research and education network that connects universities, research institutions, and other academic entities across the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

UK-based Ghanaian Italian-born football gem, Morris Halm Jr. has become one of the red-hot talents in the world and is poised to represent Ghana in the near future. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder, who currently plays for Eurocassola, has attracted interest from some top European clubs, including Tottenham, where he recently had trials. Morris Halm Jr. has also played for Balham FC (U17-18), Sutton United (U18-19), and Mass Elite FC, having also had trials with Norwich and Wimbledon. His superb dribbling abilities and the fact that he has a very lethal left foot makes him a mesmerising talent who can play on both wings. According to Morris Halm Jr., Messi was one of his favourite footballers, and he believes he shares the same attributes as he aims to become a global football superstar soon. He stated that his desire was to one day represent Ghana and was poised to work hard to achieve this dream while eyeing a big move to any top European club. ‘I believe in my abilities as a naturally gifted footballer, and I am always ready to feature at the highest playing level at both national and club level. ‘My football journey has been tough, but it has made me a better person, and hopefully in the future things will turn out as I have always dreamed about since I was a kid,’ he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Persons with albinism still face discrimination, stigmatization, denials, and rejection from society, Mr. Newton Kwamla Katseku, Executive Director for the Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism (GAPA), has disclosed. ‘People with albinism are confronted with unemployment challenges based on their health condition and not their qualifications, denial of marriage, and other health disadvantages in society,’ Mr. Kasteku told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Tema as the association marks the 2023 International Albinism Awareness Day. International Albinism Awareness Day is celebrated annually on June 13th to celebrate the human rights of people with albinism worldwide. Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited difference present at birth. Mr. Kasteku called on the government to include sun care products, dermatological, and optical services on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), mainstream albinism at all levels of the education system, and help the association obtain a reliable and accurate database of all persons with albinism in the country. He also called on employers and the larger society to focus on the strengths and achievements of persons with albinism rather than the myths surrounding the condition. Mr. Katseku explained that this year the international community is focusing on ‘Inclusion is Strength’ as the global theme to create awareness and advocate for a change of attitude towards people with albinism. He explained that albinism is a genetic condition caused by genes that affect the amount of melanin the body produces. Adding to that, the word ‘albino’ involves both animals, plants, and humans’ races that lack melanin, and hence, the condition that brought about the lack of pigmentation (melanin) in humans is called ‘albinism’. ‘When it comes to the human race, one is first identified as a person before albinism is detected. So in a good context, it is preferable to say ‘a person with albinism and not albino,’ he said. He explained that the condition affected the hair, eyes, and entire skin, and depending on the level of pigmentation, it could include blood disorders, bruising issues, lung and kidney diseases. ‘Before a child with albinism can be born, either of the two parents must be carriers. In effect, there must be a recessive and dominant gene,’ he said. Mr. Kasteku noted that people with albinism can be categorized under the disability community because of how the condition affects their full function in relation to vision impairment and skin diseases that cause body irritation and result in skin cancer. He revealed that GAPA was visible in all 16 regions with a few districts visibility and has recorded 2,744 registered persons with albinism in Ghana this year. He also described how the awareness rate of albinism had grown since February 2003 and commended the media for its advocacy role in demystifying the myths associated with the condition. According to him, people with albinism usually wore protective wide hats to cover the head, sunglasses to protect the eyes, protective cloths to cover the body, and apply maximum skincare products to prevent the skin from drying and sun rays.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Residents of Dambai, the Oti Regional capital, have expressed worry over the poor communication network service in the catchment area, which is affecting trading and businesses. The residents have appealed to the National Communication Authority to notify service providers to come to their aid. For about three days now, the town has been experiencing frequent drop calls, slow internet speeds and bad signals, making it difficult to conduct activities smoothly. The situation has resulted in a slowdown in businesses activities, wasting valuable data, airtime and precious time to connect to families and relatives within and outside the region. Mr PadmorE Kwabena Essel, General Manager of Kano FM and Mr Israel Tosu of the Oti Radio, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the slow internet speeds and network down time were affecting and reducing their listenership.

Source: Ghana News Agency