Marriages are often hoped to last forever, however, three of Ghanaian boxer, Braimah Isaac Kamoko, popularly known as Bukom Banku’s wives, have exited their union. The popular boxer made the revelation while speaking in an interview on Ayekoo Ayekoo, with Akua Sonto, on Accra 100.5 FM. According to Bukom Banku three of his five wives have left the union, referring to their exit as a “gradual process.” Responding to a question about why the three women left, Bukom Banku said “it’s a long [story].” He added; “I’m a fine boy… women love me. If you love me, I’ll love you. Love the person who loves you, and forget your haters and enemies. Love the person who loves you, and forget your enemies. Don’t love your enemies.” While Bukom Banku had in previous interviews revealed he physically abuses his wives, the boxer explained that was not the reason they left as he had long stopped the habit, referring to it as “foolishness” that “is not good for me”. He however, shared that although the wives  “did nothing bad to me, they were not respectful. If you don’t respect me, I’ll write you off.” It was also revealed in the interview that Bukom Banku has extra marital affairs, and is now in a relationship with his cousin, Martha whom he calls “light soup,” Martha is Bukom Banku’s “grandmother’s younger sibling is her grandmother.” Bukom Banku asserted that his relationship with Martha has not being welcomed by the family, however, they’re in love and is not paying attention to the naysayers. “We knew we were cousins all along. We loved each other. Don’t mind anybody. The family opposed us but we didn’t listen to them. We will marry,” he said. Credit: Ameyaw Debrah

Popular Ghanaian boxer, Braimah Kamoko, widely known as Bukom Banku, has advised the general public against skin bleaching, emphasizing that the practice can lead to severe health issues such as cancer. According to the controversial boxer, he has long abandoned the harmful beauty trend due to its potential health hazards. Banku further explained that he wanted to be very handsome, hence the reason why he bleached his skin. However, after being advised by some ‘Big Men’ he’s decided to put a stop to it. The boxer made this known while speaking in an interview with Akua Sonto on Accra 100.5 FM’s Ayekoo Ayekoo. ”I was advised by the big men in the building to stop bleaching, So that bleaching you will not see again. I’ve stopped. Bleaching is not good,It can lead to all kinds of cancer,” he said. Bukom Banku to a greater extent disclosed he suffered no known side effects of the beauty trend but chose to listen to the “big men in Ghana” and stopped. According to him, it takes him just a month to bleach since he intimately knows how the creams work. He indicated it was creams he was using and not taking drugs as the pastor in his community thought. “Even one of my doctors from London called me to stop . After one month of use, I’ll be looking fair,” he added. Credit: Ameyaw Debrah

The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, responsible for Lands and Forestry, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio has on Monday, 20th November, 2023 officially opened a 3-day Experience Sharing Workshop on the Development and Operationalization of National Boundary Structures, with a call on Member States of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Ethiopia to embrace the power of mentorship as a means to create legacies. The Deputy Minister in his address explained that Mentoring is a strategic reciprocal relationship for passing on knowledge, wisdom, and guidance from the experienced to the aspirational and vice versa and therefore entreated participants to make the most of this great opportunity by actively sharing ideas for the betterment of each state present. He added that they must all ensure that the lessons learned by predecessors are not lost but rather shared and built upon. "It is by embracing the power of mentorship that we create an environment where wisdom and innovation which transcend the bounds of our individual experiences can flourish". He continued. Hon. Benito noted that the workshop is a crucial milestone in the continent's effort towards achieving the tenets of the African Union Border Programme which he said primarily aims at addressing the lack of demarcation and delimitation of African Boundaries, resulting in disputes along the international boundary lines. He was of the view that Africa is at a very crucial stage in its developmental drive where the existence of borders serving as barriers instead of bridges for sustained socio-economic growth and development threatens to render useless, all efforts made by the continent to change its developmental narrative. In view of the narrative, the Deputy Minister expressed his excitement over GIZ chosing Ghana Boundary Commission to host the maiden session of this mentoring and exchange visit on National Border Commissions and National Border Policies which will in on way or the other help in "Creating the Africa We want". On behalf of the Sector Minister, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Deputy Minister extended sincerest appreciation to AUBP/GIZ and the various partnering ministries, agencies, and institutions of the Ghana Boundary Commission for their immense contributions towards the success of the workshop, notably the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Attorney General's Department; the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, the Ghana Immigration Service, and a host of others he also acknowledged. On her part, the Deputy German Ambassador to Ghana Her Excellency Sivine Jansen, opined that the German Government puts premium importance on the projects of such calibre as their office exerts very strong emphasis on crisis prevention and thereby sponsoring this workshop. She hoped that after this experience sharing workshop, participants will be able to fashion out tailored mitigation solutions to boundary issues facing each member states and help stabilize their countries and communities with the information acquired. In his welcome address, Major General Emmanuel Kotia, the National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission stated the objectives of the workshop which he said is to contribute to the strengthening of the capacities of Boundary Commission of the targeted states for Decision- Making on border/boundary governance. Major General Kotia also outlined the expected results of the workshop to include among others; putting together experiences and operating a national boundary structure assessed from different dimensions. "Discuss lessons learnt from the workshop and make proposals for what should be changed/reinforced in the participants own National Boundary Structure to align to international best practices" "A consensus and an appeal to have across the continent well-resourced national boundary institutions in order to fulfil their mandates effectively and efficiently" The workshop, sponsored by the German Government, (GIZ) and hosted by the Ghana Boundary Commission drew Participants from five Member States of the Southern African Development Community and Ethiopia. These Member States include Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Story by: Nadia Aidoo

The Lands Commission has clarified that the official residence of Ghana' Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin has not been sold to any private developer as purported. In a communique issued by by the Acting ExecutiveSecretary of the Lands Commission, Benjamin Arthur said "The Lands Commission has become aware of reports in a section of the media suggesting that the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament’s official residence at Cantonments has been sold to a private developer" "The Commission wishes to state emphatically, that at no point in time was the said property sold to a private developer by the Lands Commission" Records available to the Commission indicates that: the land in question was acquired in 1920 by a Certificate of Title, dated 7th June, 1920 for Government services. It also added that since 2003, the land has always been used as the official residence of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament. "By an application dated 15th November, 2022, and numbered PS/LS/002/12/22, Parliamentary Service applied for a Certificate of Allocation to regularise their occupation of the land, which measures approximately 1.66 acres" "At its sixty-fourth (64th) Regular Meeting held on 22nd December, 2022, the Regional Lands Commission approved the application, after all statutory processes, including planning approval from the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly, had been duly concluded" Mr. Arthur further hinted that on 14th February, 2023, the Lands Commission made an offer of allocation to Parliamentary Service. He added that the Parliamentary Service accepted the offer, and after paying the requisite fees, a Certificate of Allocation, dated 28th April, 2023 was issued to Parliamentary Service. "The Lands Commission is, therefore, unaware of any purported sale of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament’s official residence to a private developer" "The Commission wishes to reiterate its commitment to the prudent and efficient management of public lands in the national interest, and promote effective land administration that is anchored on the highest standards of integrity, transparency and candour" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The popular broadcaster Captain Smart has announced his departure from Onua TV, where he has been hosting the Maakye Show since June 2021. He made the announcement during his live morning show presentation, thanking his audience and colleagues for their support and love. Captain Smart said he was leaving Onua TV to pursue new challenges and opportunities in the media industry, without revealing his next destination. He said he was grateful for the experience and exposure he gained at Onua TV, which is owned by Media General. He also said he was proud of his achievements and contributions to the Maakye Show, which is a flagship programme that covers current affairs, social issues, and entertainment. He said he was always committed to serving the interests and needs of the youth and the nation. “Let me thank those who I leave them behind. You’ve all done well. From security to drivers. And well and today I want to Bow respectfully and say bless all of you. But for you, we will not get here. It is because of you, we are where we are today. A lot of people do not understand my speed. You may not actually understand me, until you hear my very loud silence, then you would appreciate that how we wish he was here or he were here" "I leave when the Applause is loud. Let me thank you all for your Indulgence for your passion your compassion your empathy every thing put together that you wake up every other morning to come listen tome once again let me thank the management of media general for containing me my speed is always supersonic is always supersonicI am a fixer I fix I make sure the dead will rise. I always make sure, that what is spoiled, the station that is dead and nothing can be done about it, that is where I bring it up. So thank you all Ghanaians. We have done enough. Someone should come and continue,” he said. Captain Smart joined Onua TV in June 2021, after resigning from Angel TV and radio, where he had worked for four years. He also started his own television station, dubbed Smart TV, which has attracted a large following on social media. Captain Smart is known for his outspoken and fearless style of journalism, which often lands him in trouble with the authorities and some politicians. He has been suspended and arrested several times for his comments and criticisms on various national issues. He is also known for his philanthropic and humanitarian activities, such as donating to the needy, supporting the education of the underprivileged, and advocating for social justice and good governance. Captain Smart’s departure from Onua TV has sparked mixed reactions from his fans and followers, who have expressed their sadness, disappointment, admiration, and curiosity. Some have wished him well in his future endeavours, while others have urged him to reveal his next move. Source: The Independent Ghana

The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced that Hopeson Adorye, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Nana Ohene Ntow, and Boniface Abubakar Saddique are no longer members of the party after they publicly endorsed and campaigned for Independent presidential candidate, Alan Kyerematen. In a statement, the NPP said the four had forfeited their membership of the party for their flagrant breach of the Party’s Constitution, particularly Articles 3(5) (A)(4) and 3(9)(1). The statement signed by the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong noted that Article 3(5) (A) (4) of the NPP Constitution urges all members of the Party to “abide by and publicly uphold the decisions of the Party.” Additionally, Article 3(9) (I) of the Constitution provides that “A Member of the Party who stands as an independent candidate against the officially elected member of the Party or who joins or declares his or her support for another Political Party, or for an independent candidate when the Party has sponsored a candidate in a general or by-election automatically forfeits his or her membership of the Party.” The Party urged its members to remain steadfast in their support of the duly elected Presidential Candidate, Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, and to work together to achieve victory in the 2024 polls. Below is the full statement FORFEITURE OF MEMBERSHIP PURSUANT TO THE PROVISION OF ARTICLE 3(9)(1) OF THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY CONSTITUTION The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken notice of recent activities of Hopeson Adorye, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Nana Ohene Ntow and Boniface Abubakar Saddique which includes publicly endorsing the candidature of a person other than the duly elected Presidential Candidate of the Party: His Excellency Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawurnia. In spite of their flagrant breach of the Party’s Constitution particularly’ Articles 3(5) (A)(4) and 3(9)(1) the afore-named men still hold themselves out as members of the NPP. For the avoidance of doubt, Article 3(5) (A) (4) of the NPP Constitution enjoins all members of the Party to -abide by and publicly uphold the decisions of the Party” In addition, Article 3(9) (I) of the Constitution provides as follows: -A Member of the Party who stands as an independent candidate against the officially elected member of the Party or who joins or declares his or her support for another Political Party, or for an independent candidate when the Party has sponsored a candidate in a general or by-election automatically forfeits his or her membership of the Party”. In line with these constitutional provisions, it is the view of the NPP that Hopeson Adorye, Nana Ohene Ntow, Boniface Abubakar Saddique and Yaw Buaben Asamoa have AUTOMATICALLY FORFEITED their membership of the Party. They are, therefore, no longer members of the Party. The NPP entreats its members to remain true to their duties as per Article 3(5) of the party Constitution. We further call Upon our members to bear in mind that the Party’s focus is to unite its ranks and rally the support of Ghanaians to make history by winning the 2024 general elections. Credit: Citinewsroom

Ghanaian journalist, Komla Adom who recently won the human rights journalist of the year award at the West Africa Media Excellence awards (WAMECA 23), has landed a job with the BBC News pidgin service. Komla Adom announced his new appointment as senior journalist with the World Service’s pidgin network in a post on Monday. In his new role, Komla would be responsible for “reporting on happenings in Ghana to the service’s audiences. “ The multiple award-winning journalist wrote in a statement “it is a new journey I begin with excitement and I know there are already high expectations of me.” Komla, who previously worked with the multimedia group limited (JOYNEWS/Joy FM), said this is “a fresh challenge I embrace”. BBC News pidgin which has its headquarters in Lagos – Nigeria, tailors news and other content to its over 75 million audiences in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. It was established in 2017 as one of the forty two, now forty three language services of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), to add to BBC News Yuroba, BBC News Hausa and BBC News Igbo. BBC News pidgin tells stories in pidgin to its audiences across digital platforms, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (now X) and on its website. Before he joined TV3 and 3FM as a producer and anchor in 2020, he was a reporter and presenter at JOYNEWS and JOY FM for at least four years. He was the presenter of the morning news on JOYFM and also hosted a Sunday evening programme (Sunday Edition) which delves into the lives and behind-the-scenes stories of reporters and presenters who work around the clock to produce news content during the week. Since he joined media general in 2020, he played various roles on radio and TV. From reading the morning news on 3FM, to hosting the news at midday on TV3, Komla showed his versatility. While at it he also produced many documentaries and feature stories, two of which earned him a shortlist at the West Africa Media Excellence Awards (WAMECA) in 2022 and 2023. His documentary highlighting the REALITY and the GAPS in Ghana’s education system won him the human rights journalist of the year award at this years WAMECA. He has previously won the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) award for education reporting and earned recognition for his extensive coverage during the covid 19 pandemic by the national comminications awards. Komla Adom is the latest Ghanaian journalist to earn a role with the BBC’s pidgin service, after Favour Nunoo. Favour, until this year was the senior journalist with the service based in Ghana, a role he occupied for the last five years. Credit: Ameyaw Debrah

A team from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) led by their Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Amado De Andres paid a courtesy call on the Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah and her management team. The purpose of the meeting was to strengthen existing ties between the two institutions and to discuss program opportunities in the fight against money laundering, corruption and other organised crimes in Ghana. The Executive Director noted in her opening remarks that EOCO has benefited immensely from the UNODC. She added that the support had however dwindled post COVID until recently when EOCO benefited from a series of training in the area of Cyber Crime. This was followed by the donation of some cutting-edge digital forensic equipment to boost the digital forensic capabilities of EOCO and some other law enforcement agencies in Ghana. She was therefore elated to have UNODC on board again. Dr. Amado De Andre praised Ghana for being a champion for many reasons, which makes it easy for UNODC to want to continue to collaborate. He added that the UNODC would also want to strengthen law enforcement institutions in Ghana in the area of asset recovery and help position the country to be a formidable force in the fight against illicit financial flows. COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa informed the delegation of EOCO’s role as lead in the recovery and asset management charge for all law enforcement agencies in Ghana. She added that the UNODC could extend their support for EOCO, being a pioneering agency, in that area. Mr. Cheikh Toure - UNODC Regional Law Enforcement Advisor and member of the delegation emphasized the importance of strengthening the confiscation, forfeiture, seizure and asset recovery regimes because criminals have found very creative means of hiding their ill-gotten wealth. He also stressed the importance of introducing an integrated database of all law enforcement and partner institutions in Ghana to cover the gaps that the criminals take advantage of to ply their trade. COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah concurred with Mr. Cheikh Toure adding that the ability to keep data of all suspects in a unified national database by law enforcement agencies would be very beneficial since it would make it easy to identify criminals who have engaged in further criminal activities and to notice emerging trends. Credit: EOCO

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BPA, Samuel Kofi Ahiave Dzamesi has paid a courtesy call on the former President John Agyekum Kufuor to commiserate with him on the passing of his wife, the Former First Lady of Ghana, Theresa Kufuor. Mrs. Theresa Kufuor served as the First Lady of Ghana for eight years, from 2001 to 2009 and passed away on October 1st, 2023 at her residence at Peduase. In 2007, she advocated for policy adjustments in the Government's white paper on Educational Reforms, promoting the adoption of UNESCO's Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) program for kindergarten children. Additionally, Mrs. Kufuor established the Mother and Child Community Development Foundation (MCCDF), a non-governmental organization operating in both Ghana and Canada, dedicated to supporting initiatives in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission. Accompanied by Akua Sakyi, Manager, Corporate Affairs, Adriana Appiah-Nkansah, Officer Corporate Affairs, and Lydia Adu-Gyamfi, Assistant Officer Corporate Affairs, Hon. Dzamesi conveyed condolences on behalf of the Board, Management and staff of the Authority to His Excellency and the entire Agyekum-Kufuor family. He also assured the Former President of BPA’s support during this difficult time. During the visit, the Authority made a presentation of items and a cash donation towards the funeral rites of Mrs. Kufuor. The former First Lady will receive a state burial on Thursday, November 16, 2023, with funeral rites continuing in Kumasi on November 18, 2023, culminating in her final resting place. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Ghana, led by the Ministry of Health, proudly launched its National Tobacco Control Strategy (NTCS), marking a significant step towards creating a healthier, tobacco-free nation. The NTCS is a comprehensive strategy that would serve as a pivotal document, aligning the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), the Public Health Act 2012 (Act 851), the Tobacco Control Regulations 2016 (L.I 2247), and other relevant laws, showcasing Ghana's commitment to global tobacco control efforts. The Strategy outlines a systematic approach to accelerate tobacco control in Ghana, with a primary focus on protecting the present and future generations from the severe health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco use and exposure. By prioritizing youth and low-income communities, the strategy aims to enhance community engagement and policy implementation on tobacco control. At its core, the NTCS serves as a guide for effective collaboration among agencies involved in tobacco control. It sets clear goals and adopts strategic timelines, providing a structured framework for implementing impactful measures. The launch of the NTCS is an important occasion, symbolizing the nation's dedication to combating the detrimental effects of tobacco on both public health and the economy. This extensive collaboration and commitment from various institutions, experts, and civil society members is a testament to the collective efforts invested in its creation and ensures that the strategy is robust, well-informed, and capable of addressing the dynamic challenges posed by tobacco use. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has held a 2-day training on the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. The training serves as a proactive measure to regulate the illegal trade of tobacco products, especially considering Ghana's participation in the Illicit Trade Protocol. The Protocol does not only include strategies to counter illicit trade but also establishes a framework to enhance law enforcement and provides the legal foundation for international collaboration. Dr. Olivia Agyekumwaa Boateng, Director, Tobacco and Substances of Abuse Directorate, highlighted that “The tobacco menace continues to pose a significant challenge globally.” She was however quick to add that “the issue is further worsened by the illicit trade in tobacco products, which not only makes tobacco more accessible at cheaper prices but also undermines the progress we have made so far as a country through tobacco control policies.” Dr. Boateng further stated that the “training reflects Ghana’s commitment to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products, a commitment which is firmly in line with the WHO FCTC”. In a speech delivered on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. Baffour-Awuah, Ag. Director, Technical Coordination Directorate – MOH, pointed out that the training session, which was “dedicated to enhancing a collective understanding of the Protocol, was a testament to the collective dedication and determination to curb illicit trade in tobacco products”. “It also signifies the commitment to learning, collaboration, and the implementation of strategies that align with global standards”, Dr. Baffour-Awuah added. The training included participants from Ghana Police Service, Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, Academia, Civil Society, Economic and Organized Crime Office, National Intelligence Bureau and other stakeholder outfits who are relevant to the implementation of tobacco control from importation, through distribution, and its subsequent safe disposal. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Dr. Delese Mimi A. A. Darko has hinted that the availability of Substandard and Falsified (SF) medical products on the Ghanaian market endangers the health of the general public. The CEO made these known while speaking at a stakeholder engagement on draft pharmaceutical traceability guidelines in Accra on Wednesday. She said "FDA in the past years have expended a lot of resources in combating SF medical products in Ghana" Dr. Darko stressed that despite these efforts, the war on SF medical products is far from over since the production and trafficking of SF medical products is a multimillion-dollar business. She also mentioned that the lure of huge profits from this venture has enabled all manner of unscrupulous persons into this business. "No doubt the implementation of traceability of medical products will enable the FDA rid  the country off /  minimise incidence of SF medical products Ghanaian market" "I am very delighted at our collective efforts to ensure quality, safe and efficacious medical products are available to the Ghanaian public. Track and trace system for medical products enable one to identify any item’s current and past locations in the supply chain" She hinted that track and trace system for medical products will enable the FDA have visibility and data on medical products intended for the Ghanaian market by authorized manufacturers, easily track product suspected to be defective along the supply chain" "Facilitate effective recall of non-conforming products from the market, identify legitimate medical products in the supply chain and gather reliable data to inform policy formulation on medical products" Dr. Darko explained that the FDA Ghana is currently listed as a WHO "Maturity Level 3" Regulatory Agency, one of the few countries in the WHO African Region to attain this level in the four-tier WHO classification of National Medicines Regulatory Systems. "As part of the sub-indicators for Market Surveillance and Control function to attain maturity level 4, it is required for National Regulatory Authorities to have legal provisions and regulations that place a unique identification code on the outer packages of medical products" The implementation of the pharmaceutical traceability guidelines, she noted, will enable the FDA to meet these requirements through serialization of the product packaging. "These codes will serve as a unique identifier for each single package of the medical product" "The FDA Ghana is grateful for the support provided by the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) Ghana through the Promoting the Quality of Medicines Plus (PQM+) program in drafting this guideline" "We will also want to show our appreciation to the WHO for sponsoring this stakeholder engagement. To surmount the challenges posed by SF medical products, I wish to appeal to all stakeholders present to support the efforts towards the implementation of track and trace in Ghana to help us rid the market of SF Medical products" The CEO showed her appreciation to the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu for the leadership and support he has provided in FDA's journey to implement pharmaceutical track and trace  in Ghana. Present at the event were; The Directors of Ministry of Health, Members of the National Technical Working Group on Pharmaceutical Traceability, Representatives of the Pharmacy Council, Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, The Chamber of Pharmacy, Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG), Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association (PIWA), Representatives of the WHO and USP Ghana, Chemonics. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith