Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Minerals Commission Martin Ayisi has clarified that neither the Lands Ministry nor Commission has received any official request to place Future Global Resource (FGR) Bogoso Mine under care of maintenance. He made these remarks in a statement issued on January 30 by the Minerals Commission. He said ” For the avoidance of doubt, neither the Ministry nor the Commission has received a formal application or request from FGR to put the Mine under Care and Maintenance.” “It has come to the attention of the Minerals Commission (the “Commission”) that FGR Bogoso Prestea Ltd the operators of the Prestea-Bogoso Mine made a verbal presentation to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (the “Ministry”) to put the Mine under Care and Maintenance.” Mr. Ayisi also added that the Prestea-Bogoso Mine is currently under the control of FGR Bogoso Prestea Ltd (FGR) and its principal shareholder Blue International Holdings Limited which is based in the United Kingdom. The statement disclose that the Mine was previously operated by Golden Star Resources Limited until the asset was transferred to FGR. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

According to a social media post by Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ghana Football Association budgeted $8.5 million for the Black Stars’ campaign at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. Ablakwa claims to have obtained “unimpeachable, irrefutable and indisputable” documentation that confirms the $8.5 million budget, which equates to GHS105 million at current exchange rates. This amount is separate from the GHS27.9 million spent on the qualifiers. An intercepted letter from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, dated January 2nd, 2024, addresses the Minister of Finance, requesting partial payment of $5,071,840.36 from the total Black Stars budget of $8,506,450.00. The letter is signed by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. William Kartey, on behalf of the Minister, Hon. Mustapha Ussif. Ablakwa pointed out a striking fact, stating, “It is worth noting that the prize money for the winner of the AFCON is US$ 7 million. What this means is that even if the Black Stars had won the trophy, the public officials who put this budget together were determined to ensure that Ghana made losses in excess of US$ 1.5 million.” He asserted that Parliament must and will probe this astonishing budget when they resume from the 6th of February, 2024. The Black Stars’ performance at the tournament was disappointing, exiting in the group stages with only two points from three matches. A defeat against Cape Verde and two draws led to their unexpected first-round exit. Consequently, Coach Chris Hughton has been relieved of his duties, and the search for a new coach has commenced. Credit: 3news

A former National Science and Math Quiz (NSMQ) contestant, Abande Prince Abugri, from Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, is on the verge of giving up on his education due to financial constraints. Prince was part of the team that represented the Navrongo Senior High School (NAVASCO) in the 2023 National Science and Maths Quiz where they progressed to one-eight stage of the competition. While in school, he was adjudged the overall best science student during NAVASCO’s speech and prize-giving day. He also won the best problem-based learning student, a novel initiative introduced by the Science Department of NAVASCO and Prof. Millar that requires students to use the concepts of science to solve environmental problems. The 19-year-old boy upon completion, obtained 6As and 2Bs in the West African Senior School Certificate Education (WASSCE). Despite his brilliance, he currently lacks the means to cover admission and miscellaneous fees after being offered admission into the Engineering Sciences programme of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana. In a remarkable journey from Navrongo Senior High School to the University of Ghana, Abande Prince Abugri, a standout student, is facing a financial hurdle in pursuing his dream. His admission to the University of Ghana is a significant achievement for many, but financial constraints threaten to derail all the hard work he put into coming this far. Per the information in the admission letter available to 3news, Prince is required to register promptly before Thursday, February 8, 2024 to be recognized as a student of the school. However, he is expected to pay an amount of GHC3,142 as Admission Fee before getting access to register. Credit: 3news

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has responded to the withdrawal of three member states – Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the Commission. A joint statement from the military rulers of these member states on Sunday, January 28 said, “after 49 years of existence, the valiant people of Burkina, Mali and Niger note with much regret, bitterness and great disappointment that their Organization has moved away from the ideals of founding fathers and Pan-Africanism.” “The organization notably failed to assist these states in their existential fight against terrorism and insecurity,” Colonel Amadou Abdramane, Niger junta spokesman, stated. ECOWAS in statement reacting to the news of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso denouncing their membership said it is yet to receive an official notification from the three member states. “The ECOWAS commission is yet to receive any direct formal notification from the three member states about their intention to withdraw from the community,” the regional bloc said in a statement hours after Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso had announced their withdrawal. ECOWAS noted that it has been working assiduously with these three countries to restore constitutional order in their states. The Commission said Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger remain important members of the Community and ECOWAS remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to their political impasse. The regional bloc has adopted several mechanisms to ensure the military rulers return the Sahel nations to democratic governance and ensure there’s elections yet to no avail. In spite of negotiations, sanctions, and threats of military action, the military authorities have not offered a specific timeline for restoring constitutional authority to the countries since the coups. Rather, they have become more antagonistic towards the bloc and have charged it with being influenced by outside forces. Along with severing military and cooperative links with their erstwhile colonial overlord France, the three nations have turned to Russia for security assistance. Moreover, due to insurgencies connected to the Islamic State and al Qaeda, the three military chiefs of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have stated that they would prefer to restore security before holding elections. How the decisions made by the juntas in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso will affect the 15-member regional bloc that allows people and goods to travel freely is yet unknown. As per the treaty of the bloc, states that intend to leave must provide a written notice of one year in advance. Currently, it’s unclear if all three states have taken this action. According to the treaty, they have to stick to its rules for the entire year. Credit: 3news

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has said that its attention has been drawn to a statement broadcast on the National Televisions of Mali and Niger announcing the decision of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from ECOWAS. The Commission said it has not been officially informed about this development. “The ECOWAS Commission is yet to receive any direct formal notification from the three Member States about their intention to withdraw from the Community,” part of a press release dated January 28 read. The ECOWAS noted that the aforementioned countries are considered important members of the community. “The ECOWAS Commission, as directed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government, has been working assiduously with these countries for the restoration of constitutional order. Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali remain important members of the Community and the Authority remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse,” the Commission said. The ECOWAS assured that it “shall make further pronouncements as the situation evolves.” Credit: 3news

The Opposition NDC is making a strong push for a public broadcast of presidential election vote collation during general elections. A document titled “NDC Position Paper on Electoral Reforms” lists a litany of changes the party believes could significantly improve the credibility of the polls. Key proposals include an all-year-round voter registration system under which persons who turn 18 can walk into an office of the EC to get registered. “This is an all-year round system under which citizens who turn 18 or who have not previously registered may visit any district office of the EC and register as voters”, the document states. The party believes the EC could cut down on possible cost this could present by conducting the registration at its district offices once a month on the last Friday of every month. This it explains will also enable party and candidates’ agents to be in attendance to monitor the continuous registration process. If accepted, the party envisages four major implications; That the Voters’ Register must be exhibited all year round. There should be a cut-off point for the continuous registration. Specific periods should be set aside for the limited registration of persons who have just attained the voting age or who may not previously have registered as voters after every census or after every 7 years. No completely new voters’ registers involving the queueing up of all persons of voting age to register must be compiled. Voting period The party also wants the EC to maintain the current 7am to 5pm voting time as against heeding to calls to have an earlier closing time. The NDC says a 10-hour allows a broad range of citizens including those with work or other commitments, to participate in the election. “It also provides flexibility for voters to choose a convenient time to cast their votes, accommodating different schedules. For example, a very large percentage of the voters are farmers and fishermen and would rather take advantage of the cool mornings to go to their farms and to sea and come and vote in the afternoons which is usually after 3p.m. Ending voting at 3p.m. is a sure way of disenfranchising them,” the party posited. Election Security The Opposition party is asking for the military not to be deployed at registration and voting centres except as stand-by forces at vantage points to be called in by the police when required. The Military has in recent years come under intense public criticisms for its handling of election protection. The party therefore believes having such an arrangement could reduce the potential for voter intimidation and undue influence, which can undermine the fairness and integrity of elections. Vote Collation and Dispute resolution The Party is asking that its agents and that of other parties should be enabled by regulations to oversee the transmission of collated results at all the various stages of the collation process and at both ends of the results transmission. Such transmitted collated results, it says, must be confirmed and validated by the party agents at the receiving end to be acceptable. The NDC is also of the opinion that a public broadcast of the Presidential vote collation process at the EC Head Office as and when the constituency Presidential results are received could improve transparency. Aside from pointing out the likelihood of minimizing vote tampering, it also thinks it could foster confidence in the accuracy of results. The Electoral Commission is further urged to set up an Election Adjudication Committee (EAC) to review disputed results before final declaration. The EAC should comprise officials of the EC, representatives of the political parties and agents of independent candidates that participated in the Presidential elections and stakeholder CSOs. It wants the EAC replicated at the constituency level as well. Credit: 3news

Visuals available to 3News from the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi indicate that the leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is at the Asantehene’s residence to render an apology on behalf of its Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, a.k.a. Wontumi. Those seen in the images include the National Chairman of the party, Stephen Ayesu Ntim, General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Member of Parliament for Suame and Majority Leader, as well and the Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei Mensah, among others. Last week, the Manhyia Palace asked the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to produce its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, a.k.a. Wontumi, in one week. He was dragged to the seat of the Asantehene for allegedly passing unsavoury comments against the stool. General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong on Monday, January 22, 2024 appeared before the Asanteman Council together with the National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, as well as some regional executives of the party to plead on behalf of Wontumi. Conspicously missing at the meeting was Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the embattled NPP Chairman who according to Mr Kodua was indisposed. “Nananom, we could not come with Chairman Wontumi because he has not been well,” he said. But, the excuse did not sit well with some of the chiefs. For instance, one of Otumfuo’s chief linguists, Nana Kwaku Owusu, demanded for a medical report of him “if you claim Wontumi is sick, where is his doctor’s report?” Nana Kofi Owusu also told leadership of the ruling party to make Wontumi available today, Monday, January 29. “Wontumi should be produced here by next week even if he is on sick bed,” he demanded. Prior to the meeting with the Council, General Secretary Kodua Frimpong had warned the party faithful at a press conference not to meddle in affairs of the traditional authority. He stressed the long standing relationship between the NPP and Manhyia Palace, emphasising the need not to get the affinity broken. “NPP holds undiluted absolute respect for Otumfuo and Nananom,” Mr Kodua told the press. He also urged party supporters to refrain from sensitive comments which will affect the party in the long run. “…New Patriotic Party, our history has been shaped, our history has been formed, our history has been supported by Asanteman and the good people of Ashanti Region, and as a party we hold extreme undiluted, absolute respect for Asanteman, particularly, his majesty our king and Nananon. So please, I will use this platform to caution the rank and file of our party to desist from making any commentary, whether through media or social media and whatever means of communication, to desist from making any sensitive comments regarding Nananom, particularly his majesty and the party,”  he said. Misunderstanding between the Ashanti regional Chairman of the ruling party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako and the Manhyia South constituency Organiser, Abouba, escalated on January 3, 2024, after the vetting of the Energy Minister who doubles as the lawmaker for Manhyia South, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh. Wontumi is alleged to have made some comments which did not go well with Manhyia. Credit: 3news.com

A 7-member jury has found twelve accused persons standing trial for the alleged murder of Major Maxwell Mahama guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and committing murder. Two others, Bismark Donkor and Bismark Abanga were found not guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. Among the convicts was the assemblyman of Denkyira-Obuasi, William Baah, who was also found guilty of abetment to commit crime namely murder. More soon… Credit: 3news.com

Member of Parliament (MP), Madina Constituency, Francis Sosu writes "Death Penalty Abolition in Ghana: Criminal Offenses (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1101) (Death Penalty Abolition for ordinary crimes) in force LIFE SENTENCES GIVEN to 12 out of 14 persons. A jury has delivered a unanimous guilty verdict for 12 out of the 14 persons standing trial for the death of military officer, Major Maxwell Mahama. They were convicted of murder and conspiracy to commit murder… but we’re all sentenced to Life Imprisonment. Before the July 2023 amendment championed by the MADINA MP and presidential assent of the law on 2nd August, 2023, their convictions would have attracted Death Penalty. Total number of persons on death row now is 181, plus the new convicts on High Treason making the number 187. By this the convicted prisoners won’t be sent to condemned cells. They will serve as lifers in the regular prison" Credit: Thinknewsonline

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor has hinted that Ghana cannot transfor its economies if it continues to dig and ship. The Minister made these remarks while speaking at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2024 held at the Peduase Presidential Lodge, Aburi Hills in the Eastern Region on Thursday. He said "Firstly, value addition. We cannot transform our economies if we continue to dig and ship!!! That is why since assuming office in 2017, Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo has been working to ensure that we add value to our mineral resources" "Today, for the first time in our country, Government has established, through a Public Private Partnership, a four hundred kilogramme (400kg) gold refinery to refine the gold we produce, and we are working to secure a London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) Certification" He disclosed that the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) and the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC), which was established in 2018 and 2019, respectively, have been working to promote and develop integrated aluminium and iron and steel industries, from exploration, through refining, to downstream production. "And work is far advanced for the commencement of the construction of a Four Hundred and Fifty Million US Dollars (US$450million) manganese refinery in Ghana" "Secondly, indigenous participation. To derive optimal benefit from our natural resources, African peoples must participate, fully, across the entire value chain of the industry. Our peoples must have equity in the companies involved in the exploration, production, and processing of our mineral resources" "It is for this reason that the Government of Ghana is working with the Ghana Chamber of Mines to ensure that large scale mining companies, operating in the country, list on the Ghana Stock Exchange, to enable Ghanaians acquire shares in these companies. We have, also, enacted the Minerals and Mining (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2431), to promote local content in the mining industry" "Pursuant to this law, we have increased the items on the Local Procurement List of goods and services reserved for Ghanaians from twenty-nine (29) to fifty (50), retaining, here in our country, some Three Billion US Dollars, (US$3,000,000,000.00), annually, which would have otherwise been exported" "Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, needless to point out that across the globe, wherever natural resources have benefitted a country and its citizens, whether in Canada, Australia or China, it has been hinged on these two fundamentals. We must, therefore, pursue value addition and indigenous participation in the exploitation of our natural resources with utmost vigour, resilience and resolution" "That is why President Akufo-Addo insisted that until we develop a policy for the exploitation and management of our green minerals, NO lease should be granted for their exploitation" "Consequently, we have developed a policy which provides for a minimum of thirty percent (30%) indigenous participation, a strict requirement to list on the Ghana Stock Exchange, enhanced local content, increased royalties, and mandatory establishment of a refinery to ensure that we do not export our green minerals in their raw state" "Excellencies, we cannot talk about Africa’s prosperity, without talking about her natural resources, which, for years, have been the fulcrum around which most of our economies revolve. After years of mining, Africa still holds some thirty percent (30%) of the world’s mineral reserves, with large deposits of green and emerging minerals, including: Ninety-one percent (91%) of the platinum group of metals, Seventy-nine percent (79%) of phosphate rock; Fifty-three percent (53%) of cobalt; Forty-six percent (46%) of manganese" "Thirty-five percent (35%) of chromite, Twenty-five percent (25%) of bauxite; Twenty-one percent (21%) of graphite; Six percent (6%) of copper; and Substantial deposits of lithium, iron ore, and rare earth elements" "Regrettably, over the years, the exploitation of these resources has not optimally benefitted the African peoples. According to the 2023 Multidimensional Poverty Index Report, nearly half of the world’s One point One Billion (1.1 billion) poor people live in sub-Saharan Africa. And using the International Monetary Funds’ GDP per capita income, twenty-five (25) out of the thirty (30) poorest countries in the world are in Africa, including countries with large deposits of natural resources" "Excellencies, the reason for this unfortunate situation is obvious. Over the years, our natural resources industry has been dominated by foreign interests, and the export of raw minerals, denying us of any value addition or linkages to other sectors of the African economy" He revealed that a 2018 United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) study, rightly concluded that Africa’s underdevelopment, despite the vast deposit of resources, is largely due to failure to attract sufficient investment in other diversified activities along the value chain of our resources, and overdependence on the export of raw materials. "In my country, Ghana, for instance, despite mining gold for over a century, and despite being the leading producer of gold on the continent, we still lack refineries to refine this precious mineral. And even though we boast of the second largest smelter in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), we have to export our bauxite resources in their raw state, and import alumina, which is refined bauxite, for VALCO to smelt into aluminium. This is, certainly, a sorry story" "But this story is not different from other parts of the continent. For example, Democratic Republic of Congo, which holds the largest reserves of cobalt, estimated at fifty-one percent (51%) of global cobalt reserves, exports the raw ore or its concentrate; and Zimbabwe, which holds Africa’s largest lithium reserves, and ranked sixth (6th), globally, exports raw lithium ore" "Yet, Bloomberg estimates that the global lithium industry, at the mining stage, is about Eleven Billion US Dollars (US$11,000,000,000.00), but the value of the industry at the highest end, that is, the production of batteries, is over Seven Trillion US Dollars (US$7,000,000,000,000.00)" "Unsurprisingly, therefore, African countries involved in the exploitation of lithium are said to be making a paltry ten to fifteen percent (10% - 15%) of this Trillion Dollar industry" "Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, there is no better time, than now, to interrogate this matter, particularly as the world transitions to green energy, with lithium and other green minerals becoming critical for this transition. The theme chosen for this Conference, “Delivering Prosperity in Africa: Produce, Add Value and Trade,” is, therefore, apt, and I have absolute confidence that the panellists for this discussion on “extracting greater value from our minerals” will proffer recommendations that will ensure that the exploitation of our natural resources delivers prosperity for the African peoples" "It is on this basis that, last year, we signed our first lithium mining lease, which, in addition to the above, also, provides for a one percent (1%) Growth and Sustainability Levy, and an additional one percent (1%) Community Development Fund" "We are aware of the challenges associated with building an end-to-end lithium – battery industry, with advanced mining countries like Australia, which accounts for over forty-three percent (43%) of global lithium production, exporting over ninety percent (90%) of their lithium spodumene to China, the only country with an end-to-end lithium battery industry. But we are poised to retain, as much as practicable, a significant amount of the value in our country to ensure that we construct linkages to other sectors of our national economy" He hinte that if Africa will benefit from its natural resources, particularly in the wake of the emerging critical minerals, Ghana must adopt a common position on the exploitation and management of these minerals. "It is self-defeating to have a situation where one country is insisting on value addition, indigenous participation and enhanced fiscal benefits, while another is opening its doors to companies to extract and export these minerals in their raw state" "Working together, under the auspices of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, we can have the bargaining power to insist on the twin-prerequisites of value addition and indigenous participation" "Africa can, and must benefit from her mineral resources. But it requires concerted efforts and the commitment of all. It requires policies and strategies that NOT only ensures that we mine sustainably, but, also, add value to what we mine" "It requires policies and strategies that will promote intra-African trade for our mineral resources, to retain the value of these minerals in-continent. We are enjoined by the African Mining Vision to use the exploitation of our mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and economic development" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Mr. Ben Aryee, Advisor on mines to the Minister of Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources gave a brief overview of his expectations on the gender inequalities, therefore women should be recognized in the majority in the mining sector and went ahead to educate the participants on the historical and cultural that in 1842 no woman and child should be allowed to practice underground mining purpose. The Chairman of the occasion and Advisor to the minister, added that the under-representation of women at any level of governance and decision-making results in a democratic deficit. It has been proven time and again that diverse groups make better decisions. This is particularly true when it comes to a task as challenging as representing the interests of citizens at the local level. He said this in his remarks “everyone of us can make a difference and become the light where we are” at the case study research on women participation in the extractive governance(WIM) Ghana on Thursday, 25th January, 2023 at the Tomriek Hotel, East Legon. In the opening statement of Dr. Georgette Barnes Sakyi-Addo, the president of Women in Mining Ghana added that as part of efforts to promote women participation in the mining sector, Women In Mining(WIM) Ghana with support from the Ford Foundation commissioned a Gender Mapping Research in the Eastern and Western Region to help identify gender imbalances within the mining sectors and to proffer solutions that would inform the advocacy agenda and the development of strategies to promote gender inclusion in the mining industry. She touted the integral objectives of women in the mining industry such as advocates for women in the extractives sector. Coordinate the activities of women in mining across the value chain in the country and beyond among others. Subsequently, Mr. Samuel Osei Bekoe at the Centre for Extractives and Development, Africa(CEDA) presented on the case study report on the barriers and limitations in governance in women participation. He added, globally and statistically Ghana has 9%, Brazil 12%, South Africa 13% which is quite low but some countries are advancing faster than others. The workshop programme is expected to have discussion on issues such as empowering Women in Mining, Importance of Standardization among others. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Ghanaians wishing to perform the 2024 Hajj Pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia are expected to pay a fee of GH¢75,000. Over 4,000 Ghanaians are expected to perform this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is consistent with last year’s fare. Speaking at a news conference at the Hajj Village in Accra, the chairman of the board, Ben Abdallah Banda, reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a seamless exercise for participants. Abdallah Banda added that the deadline for payment is mid-March. “When the package was announced last year, we did say that we would maintain the same cost irrespective of whether the Cedi loses its value against the dollar or not. Today, we are happy to announce that we are making good on our promise. The gaps that have obviously cropped up in costing the package will not be borne by the pilgrims.” “Given the timeline to Hajj and the activities such as the presentation of passports to the board, issuance of visas, and the preparation of flight schedules to and fro, the deadline for the payment of the Hajj fare is mid-March 2024.” Credit: Citinewsroom