The National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Council (NC) of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) will meet today to discuss potential running mates for their flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. The meeting will primarily focus on individuals whom the party believes can partner effectively with Dr. Bawumia and contribute to victory in the 2024 election. According to Citi News sources, names such as Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Energy Minister), Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum (Education Minister), and Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (Majority Leader) are being strongly considered. The NEC is expected to deliberate on these candidates and formally present its recommendation to the National Council for approval. This process adheres to the NPP’s constitution, which requires the selection of a running mate 12 months before a major election if the President is not the candidate. In the absence of President Akufo-Addo, who is currently out of the country, Vice President Dr. Bawumia will chair today’s crucial meetings. Credit: Citinewsroom

But for the swift intervention of the police, a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Convention People's Party held in Kumasi would have turned bloody, on Tuesday, December 5. Executives of the party clashed with each other, following a petition presented for the removal of the Chairperson and Leader of the party, Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong Kumankumah by the Okere Constituency Chairman, Kwabena Boakye. The petition accused the Chairperson of misconduct, indiscipline, and autocratic leadership. “Comrade Frimpomaa Sarpong Kumankumah has failed woefully to unite the party and is further dividing the party with her actions and inactions" "She has created her own parallel structure embarking on the party's reorganization program sidelining the other national executives" "This action by the Chairperson and Leader will definitely not yield any gains for the party as her self-acclaimed reorganization project is not backed by the majority of officers within the Party”, excerpt of the petition reads. After arguing back and forth for several hours, the national executives of the party came to a conclusion to resign en bloc, but the Chairperson remained adamant. “My charge is that I am working too much. That I am going round to organise people to join the party without going with my executives" "This is not a breach of the constitution because our constitution even encourages every member to mobilise more people for the party. “I, Nana Frimpomaa Sarpong Kumankumah, has not volunteered to leave. I remain the chair and leader of the Convention People's Party. The NEC cannot make a decision to remove a national executive. The NEC answers to the congress and when we get there, they will speak”, she stated. But the NEC insists all the national executives, including the Chairperson have resigned. The Council has formed a 13-member Interim Organisation Committee (IOC) to steer the affairs of the party and continue with the reorganization until substantive national officers are elected. Credit: 3news

The General Secretary of Convention People's Party (CPP), Nana Yaa Jantuah, has resigned from her position. This was after a petition was presented before the National Executive Council meeting for her removal from office over accusations of misconduct and non performance. Nana Yaa, who appeared unperturbed with the petition, announced her resignation from the party as a national executive. “May be they think that some other people can do it better, so if that's what it is, then it's fine. In politics, you do not hold unto the hinges of the party. I have done what I have to do in the past three years, and I thank the party for allowing me to serve" "I am gone and there is no qualms about it. I put it on record today that I am no longer the General Secretary of the Convention People's Party. In due course, I am going to let everyone know where my political allegiance would be”. Nana Yaa Jantuah was elected the General Secretary of CPP in August 2020. She, together with seven national executives volunteered to resign during the NEC meeting held in Kumasi on December 5. This has come at the time the party is struggling to re-organize itself ahead of the 2024 general elections. Credit: 3news

Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has hinted that at a more micro-level, next year, government, in conjunction with its development partners, will commit over 400 million cedis to provide new tourist attractions in addition to renovating existing ones. He made these remarks while speaking at a Tourism Investment Summit in Accra on Tuesday. He said "These tourist attractions will include building museums and rehabilitating attractions such as the Shai Hills, Mole National Park, Cape Coast, and Elmina Castles" "As you are all aware, tourism is government-led but private-sector-driven" He also explained that the influx of AirBnB was a good example. Mr. Ofori-Atta added that by 2019, Ghana had recorded a 141% growth in the use of the platform to find accommodation. "In essence, the private sector stepped in to make moving around for a holiday easier" "Since then, domestic arrivals to tourist sites have experienced marked growth, with numbers rising from 588,946 in 2021 to 937,087 in 2022" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Minister of Finance, Kenneth Ofori-Atta has revealed that as of 2022, the Travel and tourism sector contributed 7.6% to global GDP, with 22 million new jobs created globally. According to him, these statistics illustrate Travel and tourism's huge value to the Economy, which validates policy objective of growing the sector's contribution to Ghana's GDP from circa 3% in 2016 to closer to 5% by 2022. Speaking at the Tourism Investment Summit held in Accra, he said "Furthermore, official statistics demonstrate that the number of tourists visiting Ghana rose consistently from 932,579 in 2016 to 1,130,307 in 2019. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant drop in tourist arrivals, our policy orientation toward bolstering the sector saw international arrival numbers grow 47% from 625,523 in 2021 to 914,892 in 2022" He noted that with this, Ghana's international tourist arrivals stand at roughly 81% of prepandemic levels, a figure that is significantly higher than the African average of 65%. "Similarly, average tourist expenditure rose strongly from US$1,805 in 2016 to US$2,931 in 2019, a 62% growth in three years. Post-pandemic, the figure grew from US$1,289 in 2021 to US$2,743 in 2022, standing at 94% of prepandemic levels" "These benefits to the Ghanaian Economy are hugely significant as the tourism, culture, and creative sectors provide two in every ten jobs. Given the multiplier effects on economic growth, job creation and development, tourism will continue to be a fundamental pillar of the Ghanaian Economy for the foreseeable future" Mr. Ofori-Atta hinted that the Akufo-Addo government are guided by a vision of placing Ghana among Africa's top three tourism destinations over the next five years, generating at least US$5 billion annually. "Moreover, with approximately US$4.7 billion received in Ghana through remittances and US$1.35 billion in FDI at the end of 2022, we aim to be the bridgehead for capital seeking rewarding investment opportunities on the African Continent" He cited countries such as Indonesia, where over the next ten years, tourism is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 10%, twice the rate of the overall Economy, and create 500,000 new jobs every year, are places that Ghana aspire its tourism sector will develop into. "We also remain acutely aware that the spirituality of Ghana is the foundation of our openness, adaptation and endurance. Thus, we initiated the construction of a National Cathedral to become the spiritual gateway to Africa, similar to how Israel and the Hajj have at least 3 million people visit annually, generating approximately US$6 billion and US$8 billion, respectively, each year" "In the end, we are mindful that as a Country, we led the economic emancipation of the Continent in 1957 when we declared independence. We also are the centre for the economic emancipation of the Continent, with the AfCFTA situated here. Now, the national cathedral has become our way of leading the spiritual emancipation of the Continent during a particularly challenging time in global history" The Finance Minister explained that there is also absolutely no doubt about the urgency of mobilising the African and Caribbean Diaspora in trade, investment, science, sport, culture, and entertainment. "McKinsey estimates the African American buying power alone will reach $1.7trn by 2030. We believe there is significant capacity to crowd in a considerable portion of this to the Continent, particularly to Ghana Furthermore, we want to be intentional about exploring opportunities with investors based on the Continent. Certainly, our development partners, such as the World Bank, will continue to be our trusted partners on our journey" He was confident that the conference will allow Ghana to explore how there can be a full interchange of ideas and capital so it can create areas of convergence across various tourism-related investment opportunities. "We know that indicative returns (IRR) on tourism infrastructure lie in the region of 20-25% on the Continent. Indeed, we all witnessed the corresponding increase in average monthly revenue of GH¢1 million (from GH¢3,000) from the refurbished Kwame Nkrumah National Park since its commissioning in July 2023" "So clearly, there is strong potential for significant returns in the tourism space. There is an urgent need for increased funding and investment to enable sustainable tourism practices and infrastructure, including investments in renewable energy, green transportation, eco-friendly accommodation, and waste management systems that reduce carbon emissions, minimise environmental impacts, and promote sustainable resource use" "Additionally, we want to work alongside potential investors to facilitate community-based tourism initiatives, provide training and capacity-building opportunities for local communities, and foster cultural preservation and heritage conservation" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has reiterated the importance of the National Cathedral to Ghana. He said the controversial project has enormous benefits that will rake in a lot of money for the country. Speaking at the Ghana Tourism Investment Summit 2023, Ofori-Atta highlighted the cathedral’s role as a robust infrastructure that could significantly boost the tourism sector. He envisioned the cathedral becoming a pilgrimage destination for millions of Christians across Africa, potentially attracting visitors with an average spending of $3,000 each, translating into substantial economic benefits for the country. “As we look at something like the Cathedral that has economic benefits beyond what we see…In Africa, we have some 600 million people who are Christians so imagine Ghana as the new Jerusalem and these 600 million people floating through with $3,000 to spend, it is a very different reality.” Despite the ongoing debates and controversies surrounding the cathedral project, Ofori-Atta urged a more constructive approach, suggesting that the government should carefully consider the cathedral’s potential to contribute to Ghana’s economic development. “Even as we contend with it and fight about it, let’s think of this triangle and find a reason why we should also add that as part of the infrastructure base as we build a society with a strong, resilient, and robust future,” he emphasized. The Finance Minister also reiterated the government’s commitment to transforming the tourism and arts industry, recognizing its immense economic potential to drive growth and generate employment opportunities. Credit: Pulse Ghana

In a compelling message delivered during the Jesus Christ Encounters concert in Accra, Nigeria’s renowned gospel minister Nathaniel Bassey envisioned a future where Ghanaian psalmists would extend their influence globally. Bassey prophesied that within the next 4 to 5 years, Ghanaian psalmists would not only perform in Nigeria but would also witness their songs resonating across nations. During his heartfelt plea, Bassey urged Ghanaian music ministers to contribute to this global journey by crafting more songs in English. He emphasized that writing in English would serve as a strategic move, enhancing the accessibility and international appeal of Ghanaian gospel music. As the call echoes through the music community, it sparks anticipation for a future where Ghanaian psalmists embrace this guidance and elevate their impact on a global scale through the universal language of music. Credit: Ameyaw Debrah

If you are a car owner in Ghana, then starting 2024, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), under the President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia government has imposed an Excise Duty (tax). Ghanaian vehicle owners are expected to pay an amount of GHc100 compulsory tax for owning a car, motor, or any other moving machine that uses petrol or diesel. However, failure to pay this newly imposed tax by the NPP government will attract a prison sentence for tax evasion. Akpeteshie, an alcoholic beverage made locally, will now cost more to consumers. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the minority leader, has criticized the administration for including a 20% “Akpeteshie” tax in the 2024 budget. Additionally, he took issue with the government’s proposed increases on gasoline and diesel taxes for Ghanaians. He objected to the GH¢100 annual tax that would be imposed on all gasoline and diesel cars, including aboboyaas, trotros, okadas, taxis, commercial buses, and ambulances. He claimed that the government had turned to indiscriminate taxation of the people due to its inability to come up with innovative economic policies. He asserted that taxes are the government’s insatiable appetite. The government of Akufo-Addo and Babumira is taxing “akpeteshie” (20%) because (they have run out of ideas). A new annual tax of GH¢100 per vehicle is also something that owners of gasoline and diesel vehicles (internal combustion engine vehicles) should be prepared to pay. All trotros, aboboyaas, okadas, taxis, commercial buses, trucks, ambulances, heavy-duty and construction vehicles, water tankers, private automobiles, etc., he said, would be subject to the tax. The government is taxing you once your car is running on gasoline or diesel. Credit: insightnewsgh

The Forestry Commission, under the auspices of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has signed Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA) with Emergent Forest Finance Accelerator Incorporated (Emergent), a US-based non-profit organisation that serves as the convenor and coordinator of the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition. The agreement will see Ghana receiving payment of up to Fifty Million US Dollars (US$50,000,000.00) for emission reductions of up to five million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, at a unit price of Ten Dollars (US$10.00) per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent. The Agreement, which was signed on Friday, 1st December, 2023, on the sidelines of the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), made Ghana the first country, globally, to sign ERPA under the LEAF Coalition for the supply of high-integrity jurisdictional REDD+ emission reductions and removals credit. Costa Rica, later, also, signed an agreement with Emergent, worth Fourteen Million US Dollars (US$14,000,000.00), making the two countries the only forest countries to achieve this feat. The LEAF Coalition was launched in April, 2021 by the Governments of the United Kingdom, the United States and Norway, together with some leading global companies, as a voluntary global coalition to bring together companies and governments, to provide finance for tropical and subtropical forest conservation commensurate with the scale of the climate change challenge. The Coalition aims to raise global climate ambition and contribute to halting tropical and subtropical deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, by ensuring that tropical and subtropical forest jurisdictions have access to large scale, predictable performance-based finance, to enable them invest in reduced deforestation and sustainable rural development. Following Call for Proposals, which thirty (30) countries participated, and after the initial technical screening by a panel of experts, Ghana, Nepal and Ecuador were selected as the first countries to sign a Letter of Intent with the Coalition as a part of initial steps towards signing a binding ERPA to access funds from the Coalition. At COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, signed a Letter of Intent on behalf of Government. Subsequently, the Minister inaugurated a Committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister responsible for Lands and Forestry, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio, MP, to work towards securing a binding ERPA. The Committee has been working with the Forestry Commission, as lead negotiators, leading to Ghana becoming the first country to secure a binding ERPA. Some twenty-five (25) countries and subnational governments, including forest countries like Republic of Congo, Bolivia, Columbia and Brazil, have signed Letters of Intent, and are, also, working towards a binding ERPA with Emergent. Speaking at a ceremony to mark the signing of the Agreement on Sunday 3rd December, 2023, at COP28 in Dubai, UAE, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor said the signing of the Agreement is further testament to Ghana’s focused efforts at revamping her forest landscape restoration fortunes with the right sustainability protocols. He said the importance of forest and nature-based solutions to climate change is critical at this crisis moment, and countries must scale up efforts to deliver on these solutions. According to Mr. Jinapor, this new agreement will complement other interventions being implemented to halt climate change, such as the flagship Green Ghana Project, the Ghana Forest Plantation Strategy, and the Ghana REDD+ Strategy. Ghana has already received result-based payments of more than US$4.8 million, under the Ghana Cocoa REDD+ Programme, and is implementing the Ghana Shea Landscape Restoration Programme with support from the Green Climate Fund. The Minister said the new ERPA will help Ghana extend climate action to areas beyond her Carbon Fund area. He called on the global community to come together to support actions towards forest restoration and protection. "The time to act with speed and effectiveness against climate change is now. The time for partnership and collaboration in ramping up forest and nature-based climate action is, indeed, now…. Let us, therefore, get on with this noble undertaking to save our planet,” Mr. Jinapor said. On his part, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Emergent, Mr. Eron Bloomgarden, congratulated Ghana for the feat chalked. He said the commitment and zeal of the team from Ghana ensured that an agreement was reached within a record time, making Ghana the first African country to sign such agreement. He expressed his optimism towards delivering forest solutions to climate change. The United Kingdom’s Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Hon, Graham Stuart, speaking on the transaction said halting tropical deforestation is critical to tackling climate change, and the commitment of forest countries like Ghana to protect natural ecosystems is commendable. On his part, the Minister for Climate and Environment of Norway, Hon. Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, said he was excited for Ghana and Costa Rica signing ERPA under the LEAF Coalition, and called on governments and the private sector to ramp up public and private finance for forest countries to partner with the LEAF Coalition to deliver high quality forest carbon. Forest and nature-based solutions to climate change have been at the centre of successive COPs since 2021, as it has the potential to deliver up to a third of global climate solutions. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has dismissed the Jasikan Circuit Court judge, Alfred Kwambena Asiedu, from the Judicial Service for his inappropriate conduct in a divorce case he adjudicated. One Singari Diana Sadia petitioned the Chief Justice on January 16, accusing the judge of abuse of power, sexual exploitation, malicious prosecution, and impropriety. The petition was then transferred to the disciplinary committee of the Judiciary Service, which investigated and recommended that the misbehaviour of the judge merited dismissal. A letter from the Chief Justice has, therefore, directed the judge to hand over all official properties in his possession, including his official vehicle, dockets, and record books, to the Judicial Secretary. Below is the letter the Chief Justice wrote to the judge in question: I write with reference to the petition of abuse of power, sexual exploitation, malicious prosecution, and impropriety against you, received from one Singari Diana Sadia, dated 16th January 2023. In line with the Disciplinary Procedures of the Service, you were invited to appear before the Disciplinary Committee of the Judicial Council, which had been mandated to investigate the allegations against you. The Disciplinary Committee, after investigating the above-mentioned matter, found that you misconducted yourself as a Judge as there was ample evidence that you were involved in an improper relationship with the Petitioner, who had a Divorce case pending before you. The Disciplinary Committee also established the allegation of abuse of power and malicious prosecution against you as you were found to have caused the arrest and prosecution of the Petitioner without justification. The Disciplinary Committee consequently recommended that you should be dismissed. The report of the Disciplinary Committee was subsequently submitted to the Judicial Council, and at its 279th meeting held on 25th October 2023, the Council adopted the report of the Disciplinary Committee and decided that your above-stated actions constituted Stated Misbehaviour. In accordance with article 151 (1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, all members of the Judicial Council present at the said meeting, resolved that you should be removed from office for Stated Misbehaviour. You are therefore removed from Office as a Circuit Court Judge, with immediate effect. You are directed to hand over all official properties in your possession, including your official vehicle, Dockets and Record Books to the Judicial Secretary forthwith. By a copy of this letter, the Director of Human Resources is requested to ensure that your name is deleted from the payroll of the Service with immediate effect. Credit: Citinewsroom

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it has noted with dismay, some misguided reactions to the decision by the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the party, to disqualify one Michael Nii Yarboi Annan, from contesting the party’s parliamentary primary in the Odododiodio Constituency. According to the pThese misguided reactions are being fueled by certain false narratives and misconceptions about the basis of the decision of the party to disqualify the said aspirant. General Secrearty of the NDC, Fiifi Kwetey said "The leadership of the NDC wishes to put on public record, that the decision to disqualify the said aspirant was taken by FEC, acting on the findings and recommendations of the Special Committee that was set up to investigate the matter. This followed consultations with the Political Committee of the party. In the spirit of transparency, probity and accountability, the party hereby publishes the full report of the Special Committee, chaired by Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho, which conducted investigations into the eligibility of Michael Nii Yarboi Annan and the violence that occurred during the vetting of Parliamentary Aspirants for the Odododiodio Constituency on October 13, 2023" The communique added that on the issue of the eligibility of Michael Nii Yarboi Annan, the committee discovered that Michael Nii Yarboi Annan was formerly a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who contested and lost the NPP parliamentary primary in the Odododiodio Constituency in September 2019. "During interactions with the constituency executives, a few of them expressed dissatisfaction with an ex-NPP member like Mr. Annan being allowed to contest in the NDC parliamentary primary, when he doesn’t meet the mandatory four-year membership requirement" "The Committee found that, Mr. Annan had financially supported the election campaign of most of the constituency executives during the 2022 constituency elections, including some of the executives who are now opposed to him" The Committee stressed that it found that Mr. Annan had financially supported a number of NDC party activities in the Odododiodio constituency with the endorsement of the Member of Parliament and members of the Constituency Executive Committee. "During Committee discussions, it was revealed that a secret oral agreement had been arrived at, between the Member of Parliament for Odododiodio, the Constituency Chairman and the Constituency Deputy Secretary to make Mr. Annan a member of the party in the Constituency. The three (the MP, the Chairman, and the then Deputy Secretary) claimed, that the secret oral agreement was a strategy. Interestingly the then Constituency Secretary, who is now an parliamentary aspirant by name Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, was excluded from this meeting. No evidence could be found to support the claim that the leadership of the party at the national level had been properly informed about this secret agreement" "The Committee found that, the "NDC Laryea House Branch" register, contains the name of Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan as having been registered as a member of the NDC in 2019. A careful examination of the register showed no signs of cancellation or substitution. Neither is there any evidence that shows that the register has been tampered with" "The Committee found that Mr. Annan has in his possession one of the old NDC membership cards (the foldable card with membership number H200630068) showing payment of dues starting from January 2017 to 2019, even though Mr. Annan is supposed to have been registered in the database of the NDC in 2019" "The foldable card has Mr. Annan’s EC voter ID number as 4449012952 but a careful scrutiny revealed that the said voter ID number, was acquired in July 2020. The Committee found this to be a mystery. The committee was at a lost as to how a 2019 NDC membership card could bear an EC Voter ID card number of 2020? When questioned about this, Mr. Annan said that, the ID anomalies were not due to his actions, as the NDC registration card was presented to him by the Constituency Chairman" "The Committee also found, that Mr. Annan has one of the new NDC membership cards, but that card has no slot for date of issuance. Effectively, there is nothing on the face of the card to indicate when it was issued. 10. Further findings revealed that Mr. Annan held the position of Branch Chairman in Laryea's House Branch effective 2022, even though he had not met the four-year requirement to be a branch executive in accordance with the Constitution and the branch reorganization guidelines of the party" "Despite Mr. Annan’s claim of joining the NDC in 2019, evidence was adduced to show that he was still publicly associating with the NPP after 2019. Examples are: a. a poster with the face of Mr. Annan, advertising a political discussion on a program known as "The Voice" (which is an NPP program) to take place on July 27, 2020, in which he was described as “a security analyst and member of the NPP”, and spoke on behalf of the NPP" He stressed that Mr. Annan did not dispute this when questioned adding that he actually went for the programme and spoke as a representative of the NPP. "A Facebook post dated February 12, 2021, in which Mr. Annan indicated that he had officially informed some opinion leaders and members of his campaign team of his decision to defect from the NPP to the NDC" In the light of the foregoing facts, the committee among other things, recommended considering the overwhelming evidence presented, the Special Committee was unable to endorse Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan's qualification to contest the parliamentary primaries in the Odododiodio constituency based on article 41(8)(b) of the NDC Constitution, which provides that, “a member must be an active member of the party at the constituency level for the four years immediately preceding the date of filing nominations" The Functional Executive Committee upheld and adopted the well-grounded recommendations of the Adjaho Committee, which clearly established that Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan is not qualified to contest in the NDC’s parliamentary primaries in the Odododiodio Constituency. "Indisputable evidence of the key findings made by the Adjaho committee are contained in the attached report. It is important to emphasize, that throughout the conduct of the party’s parliamentary primaries from last year till date, any aspirant who has been found to be in breach of the mandatory 4-year membership requirement, has been disqualified by the party. It cannot be different for Michael Nii Yarboi Annan" "The NDC is a party that is governed by established rules and principles of equity, fairness and justice. No member of the party is bigger than or above the party. The Constitution of the party has clearly provided internal procedures and mechanisms for addressing intra-party grievances. Any member of the party who is aggrieved by a decision of the party is hereby entreated to seek redress, in strict adherence to the dictates of the Constitution of the party" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

A Nigerian military attack that used drones to target rebels instead killed an unspecified number of civilians gathered for a religious celebration, authorities said Monday. The attack was the latest in recent errant bombings of local residents in Nigeria’s troubled regions. The attack on Sunday night in Tudun Biri village of Kaduna state’s Igabi council area took place as Muslims gathered there to observe the holiday celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, Mawlid al-Nabi. The local governor, Uba Sani said civilians were “mistakenly killed and many others were wounded” by a drone “targeting terrorists and bandits.” Officials didn’t provide the number of casualties but Amnesty International’s Nigeria office said 120 people were killed in the attack, citing reports of its workers and volunteers in the area. “Many of them were children (and) more dead bodies are being discovered,” Isa Sanusi, the group's director in Nigeria, told The Associated Press. At least 50 bodies were recovered, according to Igabi resident Mustapha Rufai. “They said they mistakenly threw a bomb on them,” he said. Extremist and rebel attacks have ravaged parts of Nigeria's northwest and central regions. The country's forces frequently target the hideouts of armed groups with aerial bombardment but have sometimes bombed villagers. The latest bombing caused outrage among citizens, reminding many of the rampant allegations of human rights abuses by Nigerian security forces that have raised concerns from Western allies, including the United States. The head of the Nigerian army division in charge of operations in Kaduna was quoted by the state government as saying during a security meeting on Monday that the drone operation was a routine one. “The Nigerian army was on a routine mission against terrorists but inadvertently (its actions) affected members of the community,” a statement issued by the Kaduna State Ministry of Internal Security quoted Maj. Gen. Valentine Okoro, head of the army division, as saying. “Search-and-rescue efforts are still ongoing, as dozens of wounded victims have been evacuated” to hospital for treatment, Kaduna Security Commissioner Samuel Aruwan said. The Nigerian air force issued a statement saying it did not carry out any operations in Kaduna on Sunday night but that it it is not the only one "operating combat armed drones” in the region. A Nigerian army spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Local media reported that villagers fled the area, fearing more drone attacks. Activists have said that similar incidents were not investigated in the past, leaving victims and survivors without adequate compensation or justice. Sani, the state governor, said officials were sent to the village to meet with the families of victims and that an investigation was underway. “We are determined to prevent a repeat of this tragedy and reassure our people that their protection would be prioritized in the sustained fight against terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements,” he said. Credit: CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press