President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has descended heavily on the 2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, for his recent attack on the judiciary. President Akufo-Addo says the attack is “extremely dangerous” to the independence of the judiciary. He, therefore, called on Ghanaians to reject the former President’s bid to return to power in 2024. “Not only are these concepts of ‘NPP’ and ‘NDC’ judges new in our public discourse, but are also extremely dangerous,” he said at the 23rd Ghana Bar Association Annual Conference in Cape Coast on Monday, September 11. This comes after former President Mahama last weekend urged lawyers aligned to the NDC to get prepared to be appointed to the bench in order to “balance out what the current situation is”. Addressing the 3rd Annual Lawyers Conference of the NDC on Saturday, September 2, the three-time Presidential Candidate accused President Akufo-Addo of appointing the highest number of judges. “You can see what the current president has done,” he noted. “He has appointed the biggest number of judges onto the bench, it is more than 80 towards 100 and counting. “He has packed the court and we know they have packed the court because they want to avoid accountability after they have left office.” He, therefore, charged the NDC lawyers to ready themselves for similar appointments when he ascends the presidency again. “We must be prepared as NDC legal persons to also go onto the bench so that we can balance out the judiciary. “Currently, the judiciary is packed with NPP-inclined judges because this government has carried out a deliberate policy of putting their people on to the bench. “So, I encourage some of you to look at careers on the bench so that we can balance out what the current situation is.” Credit: 3news.com

Luis Rubiales has resigned as president of the Spanish Football Federation following criticism for kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso at the Women’s World Cup final presentation ceremony. Hermoso, 33, said the kiss after Spain beat England was not consensual and she filed a legal complaint last Tuesday. Rubiales said he had submitted his resignation to federation acting president Pedro Rocha in a statement. “I cannot continue my work,” he told Piers Morgan on his television show. The 46-year-old has also resigned from his position as vice-president of Uefa’s executive committee. The fallout from the kiss has engulfed Spanish football in recent weeks and overshadowed Spain’s World Cup win, with Rubiales ignoring repeated calls to resign. On Friday, a prosecutor filed a complaint with Spain’s high court – following Hermoso’s testimony on Tuesday – against Rubiales for sexual assault and coercion. Rubiales claimed the kiss was “mutual and “consensual” but had been provisionally suspended by football’s world governing body Fifa. “After the quick suspension carried out by Fifa, plus the rest of open proceedings against me, it is evident that I will not be able to return to my position,” Rubiales’ statement read. “Insisting on waiting and holding on is not going to contribute to anything positive, neither to the federation nor to Spanish football.” Rubiales said he hoped his departure would boost Spain’s joint bid with Morocco and Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup. He added: “I have faith in the truth and I will do everything in my power to prevail. “My daughters, my family and the people who love me have suffered the effects of excessive persecution, as well as many falsehoods, but it is also true that on the street, more and more every day, the truth is prevailing.” Some 81 Spain players, including all 23 World Cup winners, said they would not play for the national team again while Rubiales was in his position. World Cup-winning manager Jorge Vilda – considered a close ally of Rubiales – was sacked on 5 September amid the scandal, with Montse Tome named as his successor. Politicians, footballers and celebrities have spoken out against Rubiales, while protesters gathered at the federation’s headquarters last month to demand his resignation. Spain’s acting Labour minister, Yolanda Diaz, posted on X (formerly Twitter): “The feminist country is advancing faster and faster. “The transformation and improvement of our lives is inevitable. We are with you, Jenni, and with all women.” Irene Montero, Spain’s equality minister, added: “It’s over.” Asked by Morgan whether something in particular finally led him to resign, Rubiales said he spoke to his family and listened to the advice of friends. “My father, my daughters, I spoke with them – they know it’s not a question about me – and some friends very close to me said to me ‘Luis, you need to focus on your dignity and to continue your life because if not, you are going to damage people you love and the sport you love’,” Rubiales said. “This was a question of not only me. An attitude towards me can affect third parties [that are] very important. It was the intelligent thing that I had to do.” On Sunday, Hermoso received a warm welcome from supporters and team-mates of her domestic club, Pachuca, before their 2-1 win against Pumas in the Liga MX women’s league in Mexico. The 33-year-old unveiled a mural on the walls of the Hidalgo Stadium celebrating her achievements with Spain in the Women’s World Cup, and was also given a framed jersey with her number 10 on it. Source: BBC

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Pestana CR7 in Marrakech, Morocco has become a refuge site for victims of Friday’s earthquake, reports Spanish newspaper, Marca. The 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the mountainous High Atlas region of the North African nation leaving at least 1,305 people dead and several wounded according to multiple reports. Amidst the tragedy, a number of Marrakech-based organisations and businesses have offered assistance to those affected by the quake. One of them is, a hotel owned by Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo. Reports suggest that the luxury hotel is providing shelter to those who have lost their homes. Graded at four stars, just below luxury, the hotel includes an outdoor pool, fitness centre, restaurant, and terrace. “The hotels are the same. We had to come to the new area of Marrakech, where there are more luxury hotels, so to speak, “Now we have managed to get Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel, which is on the outskirts, to give us a room. “We are waiting. We have slept all night on the street and at seven in the morning they told us that yes, we could approach. “We are in a lobby a lot of people of different nationalities, waiting to see if we can get a room, but we have all slept on the street,” Marca quoted a Spanish national, Irene Seixas. Credit: punchng.com

Nollywood actress, Moyo Lawal has denied claims that she leaked her now viral sex tape for popularity status. The curvaceous actress who has been a subject of conversations and news headlines on both traditional and social media since yesterday following her leaked intimate video tape says she feels violated and vulnerable at the unfortunate incident. In a video posted on her Instagram page, Moyo Lawal said the incident is an invasion of her privacy and has taken an emotional toll on her. The said video which has been trending on Twitter since yesterday has sparked both criticisms and support among fans and her colleagues. Some critics are very certain Moyo deliberately leaked the video. However, the actress, who is renowned for her vibrant presence on social media, asserted that she was caught entirely off guard by the release of the said video. "A private video of mine from a while ago has been inappropriately shared without my consent, violating my privacy and trust.l want to emphasise that this video done with my ex I was to marry as at that time was never intended for public consumption, and its unauthorised distribution is a breach of my personal boundaries. However this criminal breach of privacy will definitely be treated with legal action. It really hits me funny because I have always maintained a strict approach to my sexuality, even going as far as being celibate for a few years, refusing to date often and choosing to be alone most times. " She also urged her fans and the public to respect her privacy during this difficult time and called for a more responsible and empathetic use of social media. She emphasized that the incident has had a profound impact on her mental and emotional well-being. "I am determined not to let this unfortunate incident break my spirit . I appreciate the support and understanding of those who have reached out to me during this challenging time. Please know that your kindness and goodwill means the world to me." Credit: Graphiconline

The Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare will on Tuesday (Sept 12) appear before the Parliamentary committee probing the Bugri Naabu leaked tape that captures a conversation about why he should be removed from office. The chairman of the committee, Samuel Atta Akyea, who made this known said it was to grant the IGP an opportunity for his side of the story to be heard. Mr Atta Akyea made this known in a radio interview with Accra-based Joy FM on Sunday. “On Tuesday, all the individuals - Chief Daniel Bugri Naabu, Superintendent Mr George L. Asare, COP Mr George Alex Mensah and Superintendent Mr Emmanuel Eric Gyebi - will come back with their lawyers. Also, the most prominent person whose name has been bandied about, the IGP himself should also come with his lawyers, he said. Mr Atta Akyea however said the hearing would be done in-camera. He explained that there were issues in the hearing that needed to be prevented from coming out in the public to protect national security. “Some serious allegations have been made in public, but the substance of the allegations have not been made in public. That is to say, the evidential support for those allegations is what we are going to unearth, so which piece of evidence that we’ll give to the public that will not hurt national security, we’ll exercise that discretion,” he added. He further stated that the Committee will not allow for “the IGP to be disgraced and insulted without giving him a hearing.” He added that allowing the IGP an opportunity to clear his name is the democratic way to address the issue at hand. Credit: Graphiconline

The Minerals Commission has said the quarry, which exploded at Kobenandohkrom in the Shama District of the Western on Sunday was operating illegally. The commission said mine inspectors noticed that the company was working at night ostensibly to prevent them from being noticed by the inspectors of the Commission and the local task force comprising the police and members of the sand winners and quarry association. A routine monitoring visit by the inspectors from the Takoradi Office of the commission to the site revealed that the enterprise was engaged in site cleaning and preparatory works and had conducted run of the machines and equipment on site without the approval of the Commission. In a statement, the commission said its preliminary investigations confirm that the site of the explosion is a subject of an application by a company with the name STA Addsams Enterprise. An explosion at the STA Addsam quarry mine, formerly Omini Quarry, in the Shama District in the Western Region, has killed four persons and left many injured. Many night workers, believed to be Chinese and Ghanaians, were burnt beyond recognition, while others, including the managing director (MD) of the company, are still missing. Those who survived were rushed to the various hospitals in the district and Sekondi. A fuel station and the only health post in the area were not spared, as the blast caused extensive damage to countless structures and compromised the structural integrity of many buildings. Sunday’s incident is the second to hit the Western Region in less than two years after an explosion wiped out Appeatse in January last year. The explosion is said to have occurred at about half past midnight yesterday from an unapproved storage for explosives. Checks by the Daily Graphic from multiple sources revealed that the explosives were being kept in an adjoining facility to the residence of the workers of the company without permit from regulators, contrary to the law governing the acquisition, storage and use of explosives. Suspicion The sources suspected the MD to be one of the four Chinese who could not be accounted for. The sources alleged that when the driver of the MD arrived at the site last Saturday, the MD asked him to sleep in the car but he decided to walk home to sleep and return to work the  following morning. They said the driver returned to the site yesterday morning only to hear that the MD’s vehicle was part of the vehicles destroyed by the explosion. “The only way you can tell if the MD is around is when you see his car, and his car is among the properties destroyed in the blast,” a source said. It explained that the Chinese nationals were sleeping in an apartment outside the quarry until they built a residential facility at the mines where they all sleep. Asked if the mine had the right to store explosives, the source said, “when it comes to explosives, officials of the Minerals Commission come and make sure that we use what we can and if we are not able to use all they take it away.” The source said the quarry might have procured the explosives from the open market on the blind side of the regulator because the quarry does not have the permit to store such explosives. Minerals Commission When contacted, the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi, said that the commission’s mine inspectors were carrying out investigation at the site. He described the incident as unfortunate and added that his team was working around the clock to establish what went wrong. When asked whether the storage was permitted, he said that could be ascertained only after the inspectors had completed their investigation. The District Chief Executive for Shama, Ebenezer Dadzie, also told the Daily Graphic that efforts were underway to recover those missing and ascertain the extent of damage. Describing the situation as unfortunate, he said the District Security Council, which he chairs, could not readily disclose the number of injured persons and deaths. He said the assembly and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in the district were in the community to take a closer look at the affected property and advise the victims accordingly. Information gathered by the Daily Graphic also indicated that the company was storing the explosives illegally. A source close to the company said the explosion did not occur in the process of blasting, rather the explosives were being kept in a room which was not a structured storage explosive magazine. The source said owing to the poor handling of the explosives, it became charged and detonated, razing the quarry to the ground and causing havoc to the nearby communities. Rescue team The Senior Fire Service Officer, Emmanuel Bonney,  who led the rescue team, said nine people sustained serious injuries and were receiving treatment at the hospital. He said information made available to them indicated that four other Chinese workers who resided on the premises were missing. Mr Bonney said preliminary findings indicated that there was storage of explosive materials — ammonium nitrate and fuel — which were not handled well, leading to the explosion. The Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), George Diawuoh, also said his outfit and other sister agencies were still studying Credit: Graphiconline

In politics and geopolitics, political scientists often research political ideas, analyze them and present their findings. Indeed, the record of the study of politics has been very good, with long-term impacts of political science in areas such as the study of elections, the reform of electoral systems, party funding, decentralisation, devolution, constitutional reform, public management reform, and so forth and so on. It is also an established fact that, dozens of political scientists are limited by their reliance on existing data sets, which is why I find the rantings of Prof Ransford Gyampo and Kobby Mensah relating to Alan Kyeremanten's decision to step down from the NPP race as very disingenuous. These two political science lecturers along with a lack of clarity on basic questions and lack of commitment to scientific method have been at it for a while now, churning out misleading propaganda and dishing out half-baked political and dystopian views that Alan Kyeremanten is breaking away from the NPP. Why are they making the claim that Alan Kyeremanten's decision to step down from the presidential race has anything to do with him going independent? In my view these two ideologues epitomises the terrible errors that political scientists commonly make about politics. Gyampo and Kobby Mensah demonstrate on a boringly repetitive and regular basis that they are generally ignorant of and have no interest in politcal science in its true sense, except insofar as it is a useful tool with which to bamboozle and frighten their audience. And while their misdiagnosis of the Alan Kyeremanten's decision remains a matter of concern, they keep ignoring the fact that political scientists need to examine their failings too. Shouldn’t there be more to political science than running regression analysis on other people’s datasets? Consider the case of Dr Kwabena Duffuor when he stepped out of the NDC nomination race, did we hear the same ugly noises from these two talking heads who pretend they're experts in political science? Why didn't they engage in this same public discorse hooliganism that they are engaging in when Duffuor quit the NDC race? The selective amnesia, blindness, prejudice and shallow thinking that infects some of these so-called experts is a terrible problem and should be getting treatment like a physiological illness. These so-called academics need a second enlightenment. Is there, for example, a more deluded and scientifically illiterate political science lecturers than Ransford Gyampo and Kobby Mensah? I mean, what makes them experts in political science to begin with? Let's be clear here that being a university lecturer in political science doesn't make the Ransford Gyampos and Kobby Mensahs of this world an expert in politics. In the world of Ransford Gyampo and Kobby Mensah, propaganda always take precedence over the facts. It may have always been thus, but it is still intolerably disgraceful and deceitful. Their tendency to create controversy, the only purpose of which is to mislead in order to sell their influence, would be regarded as criminal in any other sphere of commerce. It's perfectly legitimate to condemn their ramblings as partial, partisan and ignorant. They give the impression that one can just make up data, as if it were a religion or another superstition. Over the years, the likes of Ransford Gyampo has failed to develop precision of thought and economy of expression, which means they mostly meander around with jaundiced and disjointed reasoning. These guys are no political scientists but a self opinionated dogmatists with dystopian views. Their half-baked political views and ideological stances are everything that is wrong with politics. They are mercenaries by any politcal metric, and the worst form of socio-political commentators. As a matter of fact, Gyampo and Kobby Mensah takes their faith in political science into the realms of totalitarian paranoia. The facts and evidence are not so just because an authority says so, and even less because some self-important, woolly minded lecturer with a humanities and political science degree says so. I find it really hard to take seriously any commentator who bandies around mere words and conspiratorial whispers. It wasn't for nothing that Aristotle is called the father of political science. He loves to elaborates on the topics and thinking of the political economy. Wouldn't it be nice to think these so-called academics gave a moment's thought to the conventional wisdom? As a political scientist, you’re oftentimes expected to be the expert and to speak with authority. And your responsibility is to tell the truth backed by data and analytics, and that means providing the public with all the facts you discover. Can we say the same of Ransford Gyampo and Kobby Mensah? When we were young, we used to listen to the wisdom of Prof Bafour Agyemang Duah, Prof Gyimah-Boadi, Prof Mike Oquaye and the likes, These are real political scientists. And now, looking at the likes of Ransford Gyampo and Kobby Mensah in the gutters, I wonder if there's ever going to be a saving grace. It's even a dismal state of affairs when you consider the fact that these two individuals with staggeringly overt flaws are lecturers in an institution of higher learning. Well, the truth is Alan Kyeremanten's decision has nothing to do with him breaking away from the NPP. Alan is a bona-fide party member whose loyalty to the NPP remains infliching. As for the Gyampos and Kobby Mensahs of our world, it would serve them better to disengage from sheepishly throwing their professional credibility and intelligence away for the proverbial swines to trample upon, than to continue threading on that slippery road. Credit: Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu, Deputy Director of Communications, NPP

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has called on the general public to report Immigration Officers who extort monies from them at the various borders across the country. The service made this known via a press statement released on September 10. In a communique signed by its Head of Public Affairs, C/Supt. Michael Amoako-Atta, he said "Any member of the public who is extorted by an Immigration Officer at any of the inland checkpoints is to take note of his or her name tag and the duty post where it occurred and report to the nearest Immigration Service Office or the Immigration Professional Standards and Ethics Section at the Regional or National Headquarters. The call comes following the attention of the Management of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) which was drawn to some Officers stationed at the Immigration Inland Checkpoints alleged to be extorting monies from members of the public, especially at the Northern frontiers of the country. "Management of the Service will like to reiterate the objective of these inland checkpoints which are there to serve as a second layer of passenger profiling to be able to counter any entry of extremist groups into the country, to safeguard national security and also for the safety of the traveling public" The communique stressed that the inland checkpoints are technically a part of the border lines and consequently have security protocols that members of the traveling public are to follow. "Any member of the public who is extorted by an Immigration Officer at any of the inland checkpoints is to take note of his or her name tag and the duty post where it occurred and report to the nearest Immigration Service Office or the Immigration Professional Standards and Ethics Section at the Regional or National Headquarters" The statement noted that Management has cautioned Commanders at the various Regions and Sectors to ensure that Officers posted to these checkpoints conduct themselves professionally. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Information reaching Thinknewsonline.com indicates that Ghanaian Musician, Wendy Shay has been involved in an accident. According to to sources, a tipper truck hit the vehicle of the Artiste on the Kwabenya highway resulting in the accident. Although Wendy Shay survived, it is emerging that the Artiste hit her head against the dashboard following the impact. Eye witnesses say, Wendy Shay veered off the road after her wrangler was hit by the truck leaving her vehicle close to a nearby gutter. Both front tires of the Artiste's wrangler have been damaged. Wendy Shay has however been driven away from the scene by her crew in another car. Driver of the truck is said to have survived the accident despite his truck also falling off after crashing into Wendy Shay's wrangler with registration number Shay 23 - 19. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA) has engaged and educated some street hawkers under its jurisdiction on traffic litter control. According to KoKMA, the engagement was not only to educate street hawkers but collect their data as well as provide them with unique codes which will allow them ply their trade in the jurisdiction of the Municipal Assembly. Addressing the street hawkers, Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA), Victor Acquaye said "This is to you on the need to be presentable, have a unique selling code and also permit you to ply your business in our jurisdiction without any disturbances" "We will ensure that street hawkers without unique codes from the Municipality will not be allowed to sell in our jurisdiction" He also charged the street hawkers to observe good personal hygiene. Mr. Acquaye stressed that good hygiene prevents diseases and its spread. On his part, Senior Revenue Superintendent, Finance Department, Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, Cennyd Martey appealed to the street hawkers to corporate with the revenue officers from the Municipal Assembly. The street hawkers assured KoKMA of their corporation. They also promised to exhibit good behaviours in their line of duty. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has charged its newly sworn-in National Excutives to be up to task and help the party secure power in January 2025. The party made these remarks during a swearing-in ceremony held at its headquarters in Accra on Wednesday for some staunch members. Speaking at the event, National Chairman of the NDC party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said "As new executives,. You have to be up to the task and any plan to resist the will of citizens for a change in government will not be tolerated" “Comrades, you are rising up today as patrons and the work you are going to do is daunting, but we trust that you will be able to live up to the challenge" "There is no way you can constitute a governing team that will represent everybody, and we know there are shortcomings in this composition, but we are appealing to our party’s rank and file that this is a call to duty and not an honour" "Wherever you are, you can find a way to help achieve the same purpose whether you are sworn in today or not.” Key among the eleven were; Professor Joshua Alabi (Vice Chairman), Dr. Edward Omane Boamah (Director of Elections for the Party), and Edudzi Tamakloe (Director of Legal Affairs). The NDC party says it is confidence that its newly sworn-in National Excutives will work together and help send the elephant (NPP) back to the bush. The newly sworn-in National Excutives assured the party that they will deliver as expected and ensure the NDC emerges as winners in the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza has called on government to secure and clear all collapsed toll-booths sitting on the Accra-Tema motorway. According to him, the toll-booths have become death traps hence the need to clear them. Addressing Journalists in Accra on Wednesday, Mr. Agbodza said "We are saying that the government should secure these places. Some of the buildings are collapsed and fallen onto the road and drivers in the night don't know what is happening there" The Minority Chief Whip charged government to instruct the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD), an agency under the Ghana Police Service responsible for road safety in Ghana to deploy some of its men to the motorway to help control the traffic situations, reckless driving and also prevent road accidents. The Minority Chip Whip who doubles as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Adaklu Constituency in the Volta Region defended road users saying no driver was against the paying of tolls in the country. "They only complained that when they pay, they don't see corresponding improvements on their roads" "We need to make sure that when we take the tolls, it applies to the improvement of the roads of this country" "We need to have a more advanced way of collecting road tolls instead of having the booths on the roads" "But to just cancel it and they thought E-Ley was going to solve the issue" The MP firther described the controversial E-Levy as a wrong decision adding that all efforts by the Minority in Parliament to stop government from passing it yielded no results. "I am sure the NPP by now have seen that they made a big mistake and we have proven to be right. There was no need to cancel the road toll" "They deceived the toll booth staff that they were going to give them another job somewhere but all those were lies" Reacting to the introduction of a new driving licence, the Minority Chief Whip said "The introduction of the new driving licence will not work, we are now expecting them to call on the committee of Parliament and engage all stakeholders and do proper public education on it. How much is it going to cost?" "DVLA can only charge fees that are in the Charges Act. They are rushing and that behaviour should not be coming from them" He stressed that the NDC and Ghanaians are are very disappointed in the current government. "When you want to change the entire Driving Licence of this country, what is wrong with the old one and what is the new thing about this one. They only want to take people's money" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith