Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, one of the flagbearer hopefuls of the governing New Patriotic Party, has withdrawn from the race. He made the announcement in a statement dated September 5, 2023. “In light of the foregoing, I wish to confirm that I am honourably withdrawing from the process that will lead to the Presidential Primaries to be held on the 4th of November 2023. In the next upcoming weeks, I will provide an indication of the role that I will play in politics in Ghana, after consultations with my family and other well-wishers, various stakeholders and interest groups,” he added. Mr. Kyerematen who placed third in the party’s August 26 special delegates conference said he opted out of the race following the intimidation of agents. He also said the race seems to be deliberately skewed to favour one of the candidates. “The level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly, unleashed on a significant number of Delegates at various Voting Centers across the sixteen regions, is unprecedented in the history of our Party.” “In addition, the fact that my Polling Agent in the North East region has suffered severe damage to his eyesight, arising from his bold and courageous effort to ensure compliance with the very rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections as approved by the Presidential Elections Committee, will forever remain a dark spot in the history of internal elections within the Party. This incident and various acts of violence and collusion, reported in other Voting Centers, are appalling, unconscionable, and despicable. I am committed to, and value the safety of those who work with me and for me, and I will always fight for their interest.” This implies that four persons are left in the race, which is set for November 4. They include: Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, former Agric Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh. The balloting is expected to take place on September 6. Boakye Agyarko on August 31, refrained from the run-off election being organised to break the tie between himself and another flagbearer hopeful, Francis Addai-Nimoh which was scheduled on Saturday, September 2, 2023. The National Council during its meeting agreed that members of the Council should vote in the party’s September 2 run-off between Boakye Agyarko and Francis Addai-Nimoh to decide the fate of the two flagbearer hopefuls. But Mr. Agyarko disagreed with the new process and insisted that it breached the party’s constitution. “I refuse to be a part of such an act that seeks to unjustly truncate a previously agreed upon process, and cannot be part of what is about to be done on Saturday, 2nd September 2023. I cannot, with a clear conscience make such an impermissible concession to such an errant decision. I, therefore, respectfully, serve this notice to refrain from such a contest. As always, I wish the party well,” he said in a letter addressed to Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, Chairman of the NPP’s Presidential Elections Committee, dated August 31, 2023″. Credit: Citinewsroom

The Government of Ghana under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana, and in collaboration with the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), the West Africa Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), and the West Africa Monetary Institute (WAMI) will host the 2023 Mid-Year Statutory meetings of the West African Monetary Zone from 5th - 15th September 2023 in Accra. The meetings will include comprehensive review of Macroeconomic Developments and Convergence reports for member states. This assessment aims to evaluate progress made toward meeting the primary and secondary criteria required for macroeconomic convergence within the zone. "The West African Monetary Institutions are committed to fostering economic cooperation and integration within the region, and these meetings play a pivotal role in advancing this mission" "The West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) is composed of six member states: The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone" "Its organizational structure includes the Authority of Heads of States and Government of the WAMZ, the Convergence Council, the Committee of Governors, and the Technical Committee. These meetings are hosted by Member States of the WAMA and WAMZ on a rotational basis" "The West African Monetary Agency (WAMA) is an autonomous and specialized agency of ECOWAS, tasked with monitoring, coordinating, and implementing the ECOWAS Monetary Cooperation Programme (EMCP), which aims to establish a single currency for ECOWAS member states. WAMA's membership comprises eight central banks of ECOWAS member states, including the BCEAO, the Bank of Cape Verde, the Central Bank of The Gambia, the Bank of Ghana, the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea, the Central Bank of Liberia, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Bank of Sierra Leone. The West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) is a sub-regional capacity-building organization. WAIFEM's primary goal is to strengthen capacity in areas such as macroeconomic management, debt management, and financial and economic analysis. It collaborates with various organizations and institutions to provide training and capacity development activities in West Africa. "The meetings are scheduled as follows; 7th Meeting of the Audit Committee of WAMA (5th  September 2023), 48th Technical Committee Meeting of WAIFEM (6th  September 2023), 43rd Joint Ordinary Meeting of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and the Operations and Administrative Committee, WAMA (7th-9th  September 2023)" "46th Meeting of the College of Supervisors of the WAMZ (CSWAMZ) (7th-11th  September 2023), 8th Meeting of College of Supervisors of Non-Bank Financial Institutions (CSNBFI) of the WAMZ (7th-11th  September 2023); 53rd Meeting of the Technical Committee of WAMZ (11th  – 12th September 2023). "47th Meeting of the Committee of Governors of Central Banks of WAMZ (14th  September 2023), 45th Meeting of the Board of Governors, WAIFEM (14th September 2023), 62nd Ordinary Meeting of the Committee of Governors of Central Banks of ECOWAS Member States, WAMA (14th September 2023); and the 50th Meeting of the Convergence Council of Ministers and Governors of Central Banks of the WAMZ (15th September 2023). Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Popular Ghanaian Actress, Nikki Samonas has shared some hot pictures on her Instagram account to mark her birthday today. The elegant Ghanaian actress, who was born on the 5th September 1985 turns 38-years old today. Following the numerous pictures being posted on social media by many people in celebration of the actress’s birthday, three hot photos was brought to Instagram by Nikki Samonas herself of which some scores of social media users cannot hold on their reactions. The photos chanced upon on social media sees the popular actress rocking in a white play suit, black slags with a lemon green purse. The other stunning picture has the Actress looking gorgeous in a yellow and black tie-and-dye dress. The Actress in her Instagram post wrote "On cloud Thirty's 🎂🎂" Quickly take sneak peak at the hot photos of actress Nikki Samonas which is causing so much havoc on social media. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Political Analyst, Yaw Asani Tano has called for a careful monitoring of the Director-General of the Ghana Police Service, COP Alex Mensah even in his retirement following his involvement in a leaked tape aimed at ousting the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare. According to Yaw Asani Tano, the demeanor and countenance of the Director-General of the Ghana Police Service depicts that of a right troop for a coup d'état in the country. Speaking on an Accra-based television station, he said "When you look at the demeanor and envisage the bitterness in COP Alex Mensah, I fear for this country. If I had the power, I would retire COP Alex Mensah even if he had only two seconds left in the police service" Mr. Tano added that per the demeanor of COP Alex Mensah, there are some undercurrents in the police service which are against the leadership of the current IGP. "Such people per their demeanor, are a threat. We should not think that it is only the military that loves coup, some police officers are also interested and this is a perfect example of undercurrent against the Dr. Dampare administration" "We have seen a dynamic and quick change in terms of the reforms of the Police administration under this current IGP" "We want to see a new IGP who can beat the current record of Dr. Dampare, but for people to gang against him and say he is not doing the work in their favour or in a way they like, and for that matter, he is not correct and must be removed, it beats my imagination" The Political Analyst further appealed to the former Northern Regional Minister, Bugari Naabu to come out and respond to the alleged doctored portions of the leaked tape. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The lifeless body of Nana Yenhyira Kwadwo Kumah, the Krontihene of the Goaso Traditional Area in the Bono Region, has been discovered in a bush near the town. The discovery has thrown the entire Goaso township into a state of mourning. The Ahafo Regional Police Command has begun investigations into the incident. The body has been deposited at the Goaso Government Hospital mortuary. Richard Kwabena Acheampong, son of the late chief in an interview indicated that “From the eyewitness, they found him under a certain tree. He was lying prostrate but he was lifeless" “His clothes were not torn, there was no blood anywhere, there was no evidence of struggle or anything. There was nothing like that. The body is at the Goaso Government Hospital and the police have been involved.” The police are investigating the cause of death. Credit: Citinewsroom

When Mahama stood at a forum organised by NDC sympathetic lawyers and called on his partisan falcons to balance the judiciary by taking up opportunities to join the bench, he was actually making a mockery of the bench and to a large extent allowing excessive partisanship to take better part of his politics. Oh yes, it was a call for blind unquestioning loyalty to the NDC over nationhood. Essentially, Mahama was unleashing a disproportionately NDC group of ideologues, many of whom are manifestly unqualified to practice as lifelong lawyers and to uphold the principle of equal justice under law on to the judiciary. Mahama who once served as President and want another shot at the job is now serving notice to all and sundry that given the opportunity, he will outsource the work of judges to extremist special interest groups like NDC Lawyers. Mahama want to sabotage the state by packing the judiciary with partisan ideologues. He’s simply telling us that if he wins the presidency, he will supervised yet another dose of NDC’s state-sanctioned violence against the Judiciary. All of this so Mahama can rush his cruel agenda through the courts by installing extreme and biased judges. When Mahama and others talk about balancing the judiciary with lawyers, know that this is what they’re really talking about: Mahama, and his enablers have not changed one bit. Given the chance, they’ll roll back decades of progress made on diversity in our judicial system — and it’s reflective of the kinds of limited perspectives and experiences they welcome on everyday public conversations. Let’s speak out against Mahama’s demonstrated danger to the judiciary and democracy. It is truly beyond comprehension that the NDC is so poorly led that Mahama is able to get away with such loose talks and disrespect for our institutions of democracy. We have to stop these group of ideologues who obviously have nothing to offer this country. Ghanaians must be weary of Mahama and his silly little idealistic weirdos who want to turn this country into 21st Century Communist State. Mahama may be oblivious of this but it might interest him to know that, we don’t have “Rawlings judges or Kufuor judges, Mills judges or Akufo-Addo judges" What we have is an extraordin­ary group of dedic­ated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appear­ing before them. Let Mahama get it that, if you are always carping incessantly about everything, you lose even more relevance than if you had focussed on the real key issues. We have fought far too long and far too hard for our civil and human rights. We have to make sure our courts reflect the people they are supposed to serve. Not Mahama, not NDC but justice for all of us. Signed: Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu, Deputy Director of Communications, NPP

The Minority Caucus has rescheduled its planned protest against the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison, and his deputies to September 12, 2023. “The change in date is the result of the outcome of proceedings in court today, 4th September 2023. The court was unable to give an instant ruling due to the weight of the preliminary legal objections raised by the lawyers for the Minority in Parliament and requested the indulgence of the Minority to give its ruling on Friday, 8th September 2023,” the Minority wrote in a statement. Demands for the resignation of the Central Bank’s governor and his deputies intensified after the Bank recorded a GH¢60.81 billion loss in the 2022 fiscal year. “The protest march is to call for the resignation of Governor Ernest Addison and his two deputies as a result of their gross mismanagement of the Central Bank which has occasioned an unprecedented loss of GHS60,8 billion and a negative equity of GHSS5.1 billion; illegal printing of over GHS80 billion and in the midst of this crisis, this reckless team is building a head office at the cost of over $250 million when the Public Procurement Authority initially recommended $81 million.” “We wish to call on Ghanaians to remain resolute in the fight to protect our constitutional right to demonstrate and hereby assure them that the march to the Bank of Ghana. He certainly take place on Tuesday 12th September 2023,” the statement further assured Ghanaians. Credit: Citinewsroom

There seems to be a new twist in the findings of the Parliamentary Committee investigating a leaked audio tape about a plot to oust the Inspector General of Police (IGP), as it has uncovered a new recording. This follows claims by witnesses COP George Mensah and Supt. George Asare that portions of the original tape in evidence have been doctored. Chairman of the Committee, Samuel Atta Akyea, revealed this to the media after Monday’s proceedings. He indicated that the committee will decide whether to hold an in-camera hearing or not, adding that they will be guided by the evidence. “We have the benefit of a tape, on the assumption that it’s authentic. Members of the committee will have to listen to the tape and read the transcript, which will give us ideas on what to do next. First of all, do we bring all the stakeholders together with their lawyers for cross-examination and cross-firing to take place, while listening attentively? And then, after they have finished, will we have our turn?” “And then, are there matters which should not come into the public domain because of national security implications? So we will hold a long in-house or in-camera hearing, and then we will make some sense of it. This is how we are going to proceed. We will be guided strongly by the fact that this is not a simple exercise and that not everything should be fed to the public.” Meanwhile, the sitting has been adjourned indefinitely. Credit: Citinewsroom

Ghana striker, Jordan Ayew has expressed his zeal to help Ghana make it to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be held in Ivory Coast next year as the Black Stars begin preparations to face the Central African Republic (CAR). The two sides will clash in the final round of the qualifiers on Thursday, September 7 at the Baba Yara Stadium as both countries aim to book their tickets for the tournament. Ghana lead Group E with nine points, one more than Angola in second place followed by CAR who have seven points with Madagascar being the only side without a chance to make it having only managed two points after five matches. Jordan Ayew is expected to be the leading figure in the dressing room this time due to the inactiveness of Andre Ayew, and the absence of Thomas Partey and Daniel Amartey who have both been ruled out due to injury. Ahead of the game, the Crystal Palace forward said he was focused on helping the team gain qualification ahead of any other targets. “The most important thing is that we should qualify and after we see, the most important thing is [the] qualification,” he told Radio Gold Sports. “We are not yet qualified, the most important thing is for us to qualify and when the time comes, we see.” Ayew is expected to transfer his impressive form at Crystal Palace to the national team as such a crucial moment. He has already provided three assists in five matches for the Eagles this season. Credit: 3news.com

The leader of Gabon’s military junta has vowed to return power to civilians after “free, transparent” elections. However, in a speech after being sworn in as interim president, he did not give a date for military rule to end. Gen Brice Nguema led last Wednesday’s coup against Ali Bongo, toppling the president shortly after he was named winner of a disputed election. Crowds of cheering civilians turned up at the inauguration – the coup was welcomed by many eager for change. However, some say Gen Nguema’s rule will be a continuation of the 55-year Bongo dynasty. Ali Bongo’s father, Omar, was in power for 41 years before he died in 2009 and was succeeded by his son. The general spent most his career in the Bongo’s inner circle and is even thought to be Ali Bongo’s cousin. At Monday’s inauguration, Gen Nguema gave a defiant speech, referencing the likes of South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, French statesman Charles Fe Gaulle and former Ghanaian leader Jerry Rawlings. “This patriotic action will be a lesson learnt that will be taught in the books of our schools,” said the new president, dressed in the red ceremonial costume of the Republican Guard. He added that a fresh government would be formed “in a few days” and recommended new electoral legislation, a new penal code and a referendum on a new constitution. Gen Nguema also said he had instructed the new government “to think without delay” about freeing all political prisoners. The ceremony was broadcast live on Gabonese TV and across online platforms Former ministers from the ousted government showed up, but were booed by a crowd of junta sympathisers. General Nguema’s inauguration is the latest in a series of military takeovers across West and Central Africa. Gabon is the sixth Francophone country to fall under military rule in the last three years as former colonial power France struggles to maintain its influence on the continent. Gabon been suspended from the African Union following the coup, which has been condemned by the UN and France. Source: BBC

The Port of Takoradi continues to devise and put in place well-tailored and targeted measures which aim towards establishing a cordial relationship with its stakeholders, especially for communities that nestle around its operational areas. Beyond the desire to foster a good relationship, these initiatives are also designed strategically to be in tandem with the unique economic characteristics of these communities that border the operations of Port of Takoradi. To demonstrate such commitments, the Port of Takoradi has inaugurated a new state-of-the-art workshop for the Ghana Inshore Fishermen Association (GIFA) at New Takoradi in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis of the Western Region. The new workshop, which will be used to repair boats and other fishing accessories, has a tools/changing room, machine and electrical shop, a wrench to help pull boats for repairs as well as offices for the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MOFAD) and Ghana Inshore Fisheries Association (GIFA) for easy administrative purposes. It is envisaged that the workshop will become the epicentre and heartbeat of all fishing activities, not only for fishers of New Takoradi but for all fishers along the coast of Ghana who will need a place, fitted with the necessary modern technologies, to repair and maintain their fishing equipment. Director of Port of Takoradi Peter Amo-Bediako said the desire to improve the livelihoods of residents around the Port drove them to build the workshop. “We want nothing but good things for New Takoradi and our other host communities. The major economic activity around is fishing and so we will continue to support you to flourish in this endeavour. All what we will ask for is cooperation and prayers for the Port to grow so that we will have the financial wherewithal to also continue elevating your financial status" “Already, you have demonstrated and proven to be a good neighbour. I remember when the Port had to construct a new jetty. We had a very productive engagements with you and the result is the beautiful and historic jetty that we see. And New Takoradi must be proud because you have been part of this lifetime feat.” Eric Kofi Otoo, a representative of GIFA, stated: “The workshop will enhance productivity and reduce the burden of fishermen, who trek long distances to the old workshop “Boatase” for operation at odd times…” Mrs. Hannah Agyei-Boakye, a Director from the Fisheries Commission, commended Port of Takoradi for the project. Western Region Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah noted the new workshop could not have come at any other time considering how dilapidated the old machine shop at Boatase had become. “So to help maintain this new one, we must begin to think about paying some commercial charges.” He entreated the management of Port of Takoradi to expedite works on Phase Two of the project. Chief of New Takoradi Nana Kwesi Abaka 1 applauded Port of Takoradi for the project and pleaded with beneficiary fishers to “watch how you conduct your business there and be particular about maintenance for this project to last longer as this will encourage the Port to do more”. Credit: 3news.com

The planned demonstration by the Minority in Parliament on Tuesday, September 5 has been called off. This follows a decision by an Accra High Court to determine an affidavit filed by the caucus in opposition to an injunction application filed last Wednesday, August 30, by the Accra Regional Police Command of the Ghana Police Service. According to the judge, Justice Edward Twum, he will announce a decision on the legal issues raised by the Minority on Friday, September 8. “So, he says that we should hold on so that on Friday he will give a ruling on the legal issues that we ourselves have raised in court regarding the competence of the police to come via the mechanism of the route they have come to court,” Bawku Central Member of Parliament (MP) Mahama Ayariga explained to journalists on Monday, September 4. “So, as law-abiding citizens, we don’t want to sidestep the courts because we will need them to protect us also one day.” He, however, insisted that the routes of the demonstration have not changed as per proceedings in court while no injunction has been slapped on it. Mr Ayariga had told the press that lead counsel Godwin Edudzi Tameklo really articulated an infraction that had been committed by the police regarding permits for such public activities in the past years. So, Justice Twum agreed to listen to him in-camera, he added. “He as a judge felt that he needs to take a more serious look at the arguments that were made in court today and given the fact that we just raised those legal issues, he needs a little time to give a reasoned written ruling on the matter, so he pleaded with us to give him time” The substantive application by the police is expected to be heard as well on Friday. Credit: 3news.com