WIDOWS CRY DUE TO SEXUAL STAVATION

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January 30, 2021

Some widows in the Ashanti Region have opened up about the impact a lack of sexual intercourse is having on their lives.

According to the women, sexual intercourse sits on top of their priorities as they need men to satisfy their desires and help continue the conjugal roles that their husbands left unfinished.

The widows poured out their frustration when the Abofrem Area Foundation, led by Nana Akosua Nkrumah Adasah, made a donation to the widows at Abofrem in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.

”When I turn on my bed, the other side where my husband used to occupy, it’s always cold. When it happens like that I cry,” a widow said.

The same widow explained when a widow cries, it’s not because she has missed her husband but the sexual intercourse she has been deprived of for years.

COVID-19: MPs INFECTED WITH COVID

By

The Genius Bright

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January 30, 2021

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You may not know who the person is because of protocol issue of confidentiality, we have not disclosed those who are now positive, but we have some of us in that category.”
Speaker of parliament Alban Bagbin has confirmed that some MPs have contracted COVID-19 following mandatory testing in the House.

He has, however, decided to withhold the names of the MPs who have contracted the viral disease to respect their confidentiality.

The parliamentary chamber is currently closed to visitors with about half of MPs directed to follow proceedings online.

Addressing the House on Friday, Bagbin also expressed his displeasure at members of parliament who have failed to undergo the mandatory medical screening and coronavirus test.

He said so far about 60 legislators are yet to comply with his directive to conduct a mandatory COVID-19 test.

“My directive that all members subject themselves to COVID-19 test has not been complied with by about 60 members of parliament. It is true as the majority leader has stated that we are all not safe, even in the House some members are afflicted by COVID-19,” Bagbin said.

He added: “You may not know who the person is because of protocol issue of confidentiality, we have not disclosed those who are now positive, but we have some of us in that category.”

He further urged lawmakers to ensure they strictly adhere to COVID-19 protocols.

Meanwhile, the business committee of parliament has recommended that the House should take steps to reduce the number of staff who report to work and also curtail visits to the House.

Presenting the business statement before the House for the following week, chairman of the business committee Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also requested the clerk of parliament to liaise with the dean of parliamentary press corps to reduce the number of media personnel covering proceedings in the House.

Case Update

At least 13 more persons have died of COVID-19 increasing Ghana’s death toll to 390, official figures on Thursday reveal. According to the Ghana Health Service (GHS), 625 new cases have also been confirmed taking the active case count to 3,940.

This brings Ghana’s official caseload to 63, 883 out of which 59, 553 have recovered and been discharged.

AKUFO-ADDO APPOINTS NEW CHIEF OF DEFENSE STAFF

By

The Genius Bright

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January 29, 2021

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The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has appointed the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Seth Amoama, to act as Chief of Defence Staff, effective Friday, 5th February 2021, pending consultation with the yet-to-be-constituted Council of State.

This appointment has been made following the completion of the tour of duty and subsequent retirement from the Ghana Armed Forces, on 5th February 2021, of the current Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. O.B Akwa. The President has expressed his gratitude to him for his dedicated and meritorious service to the Ghana Armed Forces and to the nation.

President Akufo-Addo has appointed, with effect from Friday, 5th February 2021, Rear Admiral Issah Adams Yakubu to act as Chief of Naval Staff, also pending consultation with the yet-to-be-constituted Council of State. Rear Admiral Yakubu, until his new appointment, was the Chief of Staff at General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The President will, in due course, in accordance with applicable regulation, appoint a new Chief of Staff at General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces.

COVID-19: GHANA RECORDS 13 NEW DEATHS

By

The Genius Bright

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January 29, 2021

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There have been 13 new recorded COVID-19 deaths taking Ghana’s total number of deaths associated with the virus to 399.

This is contained in a recent update by the Ghana Health Service which also shows a continuously recorded average of 600 daily infections in Ghana.

According to the Ghana Health Service, 625 new infections have been recorded, bringing the cumulative number to 63,883.

The number of active cases continues its climb as it has currently risen to 3,940. The number of recoveries also stands at 59,553.

Of the current active cases, 98 cases are severe whilst 35 are reported as critical.

See below the regional breakdown of the cumulative case count:

(Case Count from Highest to Lowest)

Greater Accra Region – 37,117

Ashanti Region – 11,895

Western Region – 3,392

Eastern Region – 2,779

Central Region – 2,245

Volta Region – 896

Bono East Region – 806

Western North Region – 695

Northern Region – 672

Bono Region – 654

Upper East Region – 577

Ahafo Region – 539

Oti Region – 246

Upper West Region – 186

Savannah Region – 63

North East Region – 25

NATIONAL LOTTERY AUTHORITY IN FINANCIAL CRISIS

By

The Genius Bright

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January 29, 2021

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It has emerged that the National Lottery Authority (NLA) has failed to pay big ticket wins since April, last year, leaving winners in total misery and financial difficulties.

The situation has made many customers to move away from the NLA’s 5/90 games and rather patronising the banker-to-banker lottery, which is affecting the revenue of not only NLA but incomes of NLA lotto marketers.

Jacob Odame, Public Relations Officer of Lotto Marketers Association in the Northern Region, who stated this at a press conference in Tamale on Tuesday, lamented that “Registered tickets for big wins have been pending for payment since April 2020. The winners are waiting to be paid but the NLA has failed to pay them.”

Mr Odame added that “There is also the issue of non-payment of wins at various banks, which is becoming a problem for our customers discouraging them from staking national lottery 5/90 games and rather staking banker-to-banker.”

He said “Another problem, which is killing the business is we have what we call *959#590 mobile game. This game, we don’t know who is behind it. All the 590 games are on the mobile phone for people to patronise.

“This has rendered we those accredited members of the NLA jobless because we sit in the kiosks from morning to evening and no one comes to stake lotto.”

He spoke about payment of commissions to lotto marketers, saying for the past three months, payment of commissions, which was usually done within a week into the new month, was now delaying for more than three weeks.

He said there was also an issue of shortage of paper roll for almost a year saying “Without paper roll, we can’t operate. We have complained but Management of NLA failed to address it and it’s affecting our business.”

Mr Odame appealed to the Minister of Finance to do something about the situation calling for a forensic investigation into the mobile lotto business and to stop it to safeguard their livelihoods.

COVID-19: WORLD BANK PREPARES EMERGENCY VACCINE FOR GHANA

By

The Genius Bright

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January 29, 2021

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The World Bank is preparing emergency vaccine financing projects in 21 countries in Africa, including Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Niger, Mozambique, Tunisia, Eswatini and Cabo Verde.

This follows authorization of up to $12 billion to support countries in their vaccination efforts, which has paved way for individual vaccination programmes through the Board.

The funds are available now, and for most African countries, the financing would be on grant or highly concessional terms, adding, IFC is working to mobilize financing for vaccine production and therapeutics focused on developing countries.

“In implementing our vaccines programmes, we’re working directly with governments, including to finance their purchases from vaccine manufacturers and via COVAX. For deployment efforts, we’re working with partners such as the WHO and UNICEF”, World Bank Group President David Malpass disclosed at the Virtual Meeting on the Africa COVID-19 Vaccine Financing and Deployment Strategy.

“I urge you to focus and prioritize efforts toward these funding programs, and not slow the momentum through complex contracts and intermediaries. Our financing is available today and vaccine manufacturers are eager to work with countries on delivery dates and direct contracts”, he further said.

He mentioned that “our Country Directors and Country Managers have been in contact with all of you. We would encourage those countries that have not yet requested World Bank support to send a letter to their World Bank Country Director asking for support for vaccine procurement and deployment from the $12 billion facility. We look forward to receiving these letters so that our teams can expeditiously support you”.

“To conclude, we urge leaders of African countries to move quickly to secure vaccinations for their populations, and to avail themselves of the financing available from us and other partners to help with this. The World Bank Group stands ready to work swiftly with our clients and partners to respond to this pandemic”.

PARLIAMENT VOTES AGAINST AYARIGA’S MOTION FOR GOV’T TO ABSORB TERTIARY FEES

By

The Genius Bright

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January 29, 2021

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Parliament has voted against a motion filed by the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga asking government to absorb fees of students in public tertiary institutions and to extend support to private universities for the 2021 academic year.

He premised his request on the adverse impact of COVID-19 on incomes of individuals and businesses.

The matter was determined through a voice vote on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, January 28, 2021.

While the Minority group were in support of the motion, the Majority side held the view that such a move would be unnecessary because the government has already provided enough support and interventions in the area of education due to the pandemic.

Mahama Ayariga had earlier urged his colleague MPs to accept the motion because it will greatly relieve families that have been adversely impacted by COVID-19, particularly the incomes of households.

SC NOT FAIR TO JOHN MAHAMA

By

The Genius Bright

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January 29, 2021

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The former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, has described as unfair, the rulings by the Supreme Court panel hearing the Election petition.

Addressing journalists after Thursday’s hearing, Appiah-Oppong who is also a member of the NDC legal team challenging the legitimacy of the 2020 elections said the arbitrary dismissals of their application despite their superior arguments are unfair to the petitioner.

“The rulings coming out are short unlike 2013 when there were detailed rulings…we have to say that the petitioner is not being treated fairly,” Appiah-Oppong said, adding “it is not unfortunate but we have to say it as it is, the petitioner is not being treated fairly…so we disagree with the ruling of the Supreme Court, its unfortunate but that is their decision so there isn’t much we can do.”

Her comments come after the nine member review panel of the Supreme Court dismissed a motion moved by lawyers of former president John Mahama seeking leave to file “an additional ground of review” to the review application on the interrogatories.

Mr Mahama and his lawyers per the motion are also seeking leave to “replace paragraph 28 of their original statement of case.

Tsatsu Tsikata who moved the motion made reference to copious authorities and urged the court to oblige and file their request since it will assist the court to make proper determination of the review pending.

Lawyers of the Respondents all opposed to the motion. While the EC lawyer Justin Amenuvor opposed on point of law, lawyers of the 2nd Respondent Akoto Ampaw argued their case out.

The enhanced review panel chaired by Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, in its short ruling said, the application was premised to invoke inherent jurisdiction of a lead court.

The court said the jurisdiction of the court cannot be invoked in the manner that the applicant was asking the court to do.

The application was subsequently dismissed. The application for a review for the interrogatories were also dismissed.

The panel also include Justice Yaw Appau, Justice Samuel Marful-Sau, Justice Nene Amegartcher, Justice Prof Nii Ashie Kotey, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, Justice Mariama Owusu.

Justice Amadu Tanko and Justce Harrieta Mensah-Bonsu are the new judges added to the enhanced panel.

SC DISMISSES MAHAMA’S REVIEW CASE ON INTERROGATORIES

By

The Genius Bright

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January 28, 2021

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The Supreme Court has dismissed an application filed by the legal team of the petitioner in the ongoing Election Petition case, John Mahama, seeking to strengthen their argument asking for a review of the court’s ruling on some questions they had wanted to ask the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Adukwei Mensa.

The Justices of the Supreme Court in throwing out the supplementary application explained that: “we find that our inherent jurisdiction cannot be invoked under the circumstances of the case when the rules of the court have made clear provisions in the exercise of our jurisdiction in this matter. We accordingly dismiss the application”.

About the supplementary application
Mr. Mahama’s legal team, led by Tsatsu Tsikata had asked the court to review its earlier ruling dismissing questions [interrogatories] the petitioner wanted to ask Jean Mensa.

The team subsequently filed another application to replace portions of the original statement of case, as well as file a supplement to their statement of case requesting for the review.

Mr. Mahama’s legal team insisted that the court will be provided with further information if the application was granted.

The application sought to replace paragraph 28 of the original statement of case and file a supplement to the statement of case.

Paragraph 28 of the petitioners’ initial review document states among others that “there is no reference in rule 69(c) 4 of CI 99 to amendments. It is rather 69 A (6) which provides as follows.”

In the proposed new paragraph “it rather” quotes 68(7) instead of the 69A(6) as earlier quoted.

The lead counsel for the petitioner, Tsatsu Tsikata earlier in court outlined series of cases where the court allowed for supplementary statement of cases in both review and appeal applications.

But counsels for the first and second respondents opposed the request on the basis that the review jurisdiction of the court does not allow for a supplement of case to a review application as the case is in its appellate state.

Mr. Tsikata, however, insisted that his readings on the rules of the review jurisdiction and past rulings of the court give the court the power to grant the application.

The nine-panel of judges threw out the supplementary application and proceeded to hear the review application.

Below are excerpts of the ruling:
“We have considered the submissions canvassed for and in opposition for this application. We notice that this application before this court is brought under the inherent jurisdiction of the court to file additional grounds of review and replace paragraph 28 of the original statement of the case and to file a supplement to the statement of the case. The application which was argued before us is not sanctioned by any provisions in C.I. 16, specifically from rules 54 to 60 of the Supreme Court rule C.I. 16 of 1996.”

“In law and by the settled practise of this court, it should be noted that, review and appeals are conceptually different and the rules governing the application in either of them are very distinct and this court has in several cases exhibited remarkable consistency. All the other cases referred by the counsel for the applicant are based on original jurisdictions and civil appeals.”

“The Tamakloe case does not in any way discuss the grant of an application for the reliefs sought before us. In civil appeals and original jurisdiction matters before this court, there are express provisions to grant the reliefs sought in this application and the court may in appropriate cases grant such applications in the interest of delivering justice under rule 15 of sub-rule 11 and 51 of C.I.16, 1996. To grant this application would be tantamount to expanding the scope of jurisdiction of review which jurisdiction is not provided under this court by the rules. We find that our inherent jurisdiction cannot be invoked under the circumstances of the case when the rules of the court have made clear provisions in the exercise of our jurisdiction in this matter. We accordingly dismiss the application.”

GOV’T TO BUILD NEW BANK WITH COVID CASH

By

The Genius Bright

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January 28, 2021

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As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the economy and put much pressure on the health system, with many calling for increased spending on health-related expenditure to curb the disease, government has indicated in the 2021 first quarter budget that it will use part of the cash allotted to fight the pandemic as seed capital for the yet to be established development bank.

A critical look at the 2021 first quarter budget presented by Finance Minister Designate Ken Ofori-Atta in October 2020 clearly shows as part of the GH¢4.7billion allotted for COVID-19 related expenditure, more than GH¢312million has been earmarked as seed funds to establish the development bank this year. Of this amount, GH¢78.2million will be released in the first quarter.

The finance minister-designate, who is currently a minister-designate for the same sector, indicated last week during a speech read on his behalf in the 72nd Annual New Year School that GH¢50million has been released for the project. He further stated the government will look to both domestic and foreign sources through the issuance of bonds, diasporan instruments, and direct borrowings from international financial institutions and capital markets to support the bank’s establishment.

The World Bank, in October last year, also approved US$250million to support the establishment of the development bank. Mr. Ofori-Atta said he expects about US$558million from international institutions to provide funding for the establishment of the bank that is expected to be capitalized with US$1billion.

The bank is to focus on supporting the transformation of industry, agriculture, agro-processing, and housing over the medium- to long-term.

Terkper questions its relevance

However, without doubting the role development banks play in the growth of economies, former Finance Minister Seth Terkper has raised questions about the relevance of using part of the money meant to fight the deadly pandemic to set up a development bank; especially at a time when the number of cases is rising and pressure has mounted on government to procure vaccines to fight the disease.

“One would ask at this point that if we are facing a spike in cases and countries are prioritizing health-related expenditure, why would the government be taking COVID resources to set up a bank at this material moment? Why would we be taking money from this source for a bank instead of prioritizing health infrastructure and equipment which are in short supply, or even procuring the vaccine?

“I have said time and again that the COVID loan was not on account of COVID, and this seems to confirm what I have been saying all this while. It vindicates our position that the request for a COVID loan is not exclusively for COVID. There was a budget gap that had nothing to do with COVID,” he said in an interview with the B&FT.

Mr. Terkper further added that with the already-existing National Investment Bank (NIB) and Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), setting up another development bank seems to be a duplication of efforts.

“The establishment of a development bank, as the name implies, helps in the development of infrastructure, industry and the private sector. So there is everything positive about going for a development bank, and many countries have development banks.

“But the National Investment Bank was established as a development bank, and the Agriculture Development Bank is also one but tilted more to supporting agriculture. So establishing another development bank looks like a parallel,” he said.

So far, with data available to the public, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has given the government a loan of US$1 billion; the World Bank has also provided US$100million support, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) provided a US$69million grant – not forgetting the Private Sector Fund established by the government, all to be used in meeting COVID-related expenditure.

Meanwhile, active cases of the deadly pandemic have crossed 2,400 as at the time this story was being filed, with the number of deaths hitting 361. Calls have been made by many for government to use the COVID cash to carry out free testing, as the GH¢350 currently charged at public health facilities for testing is considered exorbitant and an impediment to fighting against the pandemic.

Living Avenue

WIDOWS CRY DUE TO SEXUAL STAVATION

COVID-19: MPs INFECTED WITH COVID

AKUFO-ADDO APPOINTS NEW CHIEF OF DEFENSE STAFF

COVID-19: GHANA RECORDS 13 NEW DEATHS

NATIONAL LOTTERY AUTHORITY IN FINANCIAL CRISIS

COVID-19: WORLD BANK PREPARES EMERGENCY VACCINE FOR GHANA

PARLIAMENT VOTES AGAINST AYARIGA’S MOTION FOR GOV’T TO ABSORB TERTIARY FEES

SC NOT FAIR TO JOHN MAHAMA

SC DISMISSES MAHAMA’S REVIEW CASE ON INTERROGATORIES

GOV’T TO BUILD NEW BANK WITH COVID CASH

VIRTUALLY IMPAIRED MAN GRADUATES FROM UCC

ACTOR AND POLITICIAN JOHN DUMELO GRADUATES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

NATO CHIEF URGES US TO CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

THE UK GOVERNMENT LOOKS TO BAN DISPOSABLE VAPES DUE TO CHILDREN’S HEALTH

VIRTUALLY IMPAIRED MAN GRADUATES FROM UCC

ACTOR AND POLITICIAN JOHN DUMELO GRADUATES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

NATO CHIEF URGES US TO CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

THE UK GOVERNMENT LOOKS TO BAN DISPOSABLE VAPES DUE TO CHILDREN’S HEALTH