Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor says Ghana can not win the fight against illegal mining popularly known as galamsey if it begins to pick and choose offenders who are supposed to be punished. The Minister made these remarks while addressing Journalists in Accra on Tuesday. Mr. Abu Jinapor said "We cannot win this fight if we begin to pick and choose. Whether this person is a Minister, the person can be involved in illegalities should not be allowed to go scot-free, that will not work. The Minister stressed that the laws of Ghana must be blind to those kinds of considerations and it should be so for all other crimes. "If we have evidence that anybody is involved in illegal mining not just high-profiled officials of government, whether it is chiefs, police, forestry commission officials, media people or ordinary citizens or Minister Jinapor, the full force of the law must be brought to bear on the people" "So the most important thing is evidence and I believe that the security agencies are very wild-awake and picking intelligence" He revealed that some persons have already been sanctioned because of their conducts. "If we have the evidence and the basis, let us proceed against the people" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, John Allotey has revealed that six (6) of his men were shot last year by some unknown armed men while protecting the country's forest. Mr. Allotey made these known while responding to a question during a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday. He said "Six people were shot last year. In December alone, two people were shot. Another in the Ashanti Region and two also in the Greater Accra Region, so six people" The CEO also revealed that the Human Resources Department of the Forestry Commission have plans put in place to deal with stuffs who have been shot while on duty. He further said "All bills have been taken over by the commission and we have to deal with those people who will be engaged in these situations especially the people who work under the wildlife division who work in the night" Owing Seedlings providers Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Benito Owusu-Bio said "Yes, we have admitted it . The Forestry Commission gave the contract to them and as such that they have compiled a list of how much they owe. This comes from all the various districts across the country. "This has been put in a document form and we have vetted it and it has been submitted to the Ministry of Finance for assistance and payments" "So we have been seriously working on it and we are giving it all the necessary attention it deserves" Bamboo Planting Mr. Owusu-Bio revealed that bamboo is in the Ministry's strategy. "In the year 2021, about a 100,000 bamboos were planted as part of the Green Ghana initiative" "In 2022, we did about a 150,000 bamboo seedlings. This year we want to ramp it up to 300,000" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor says it will be undignified on his part to pass judgement on the works of his predecessor, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng. The Minister made these remarks while responding to a question on his take of Prof. Frimpong-Boateng's galamsey report. Addressing Journalists in Accra on Tuesday, Mr. Jinapor said "It will be undignified to pass judgement on the works of Prof. Frimpong-Boateng" He also explained that from 2017 to 2021, Prof. Frimpong Boateng was the man who was given the authority, mandate, remit to deal with issues of illegal small scale mining in Ghana. The Lands Minister stressed that the assignment of Prof. Frimpong-Boateng was specific. "The Professor took a lot of steps and did a lot of works of which we are preview to" "The jury is out there, the Ghanaian people will have to make the judgement of the works of Professor Frimpong-Boateng and IMCIM did between 2017 and 2021" "I am not the one to pass judgement" "I think it will be most unfair to Professor Frimpong-Boateng who somehow is my predecessor" It will be recalled that Prof. Frimpong-Boateng made some revelations in a report citing some government officials engaged in galamsey. The report has generated lots of reactions. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has agreed to provide the Asian African Consortium (AAC) with scientific research to boost AAC's rice project in Ghana. At the MoU signing ceremony in Accra on Thursday April 27, 2023, the Chief Executive Officer of the AAC, Mrs. Adelaide Siaw-Agyepong expressed optimism of the collaboration of the two institutions stating that CSIR has an immense value to contribute in fulfilling the ACC's objectives. "AAC is excited with CSIR's partnership which will help to boost the whole value chain in Ghana's commercial rice production," she emphasised. "We are also aware of CSIR's reputation for its unrivalled dedication to expanding global research and development reach," she noted. She stated that the Jospong Group of Companies is also dedicated to generating solutions and bridging gaps with the world's most prestigious companies and organisations and that explains the decision to partner CSIR. The signing of the MoU and exchange agreement marks the beginning of a partnership that will lead to numerous new cooperative research projects that create new synergies and enhance the economic and research value of both AAC and CSIR as well as value to the nation. Per the agreement, CSIR will be responsible for facilitating AAC's collaboration with various CSIR institutes across the country to depend research and development to societal challenges for economic growth and development. It will also provide training, technical assistance and advisory services in research and development to AAC through science, technology and innovation and related issues. This will be done by qualified and experience scientist of CSIR to provide research and project support for the various AACs funded projects. The Director General of CSIR, Prof. Paul P. Bosu touching on the agreement, noted that, they will identify common areas of collaboration to address the overal mandate of the two parties. And also develop a plan for collaborative operations between the two parties. Again, the agreement will detail the scope and principles of engagement between the two parties. The DG emphasised that "As the nation's number one research institution, we welcome this vision and we are poised to to support with the knowledge, expertise and infrastructure that is available at CSIR" In a brief remark, the Executive Chairman Jospong Group Dr. Joseph Siaw-Agyepong called on Ghanaians to rise up to the occasion and be part of the solutions. He challenged the CSIR to support the initiative to help make Ghana self-sufficient in rice and ither crop production. "The habit of importing (rice) must come to an end. If we join hands to produce and over produce the importers will have no choice than to accept what we have" he challenged all. The CSIR is the foremost science and technology organization in the country. The mandate of the CSIR in broad terms is to pursue the implementation of government policies on scientific research and development. CSIR research programmes cover a wide range of activities in the following areas: Industry, Agriculture, Agro-processing, Fisheries, Forestry, Water Resources, Human Settlement Infrastructure, Environment, Health, Natural and Social Sciences. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has debunked claims that the country's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has collapsed. According to the Health Minister, such allegations levelled against him by Presidential Hopeful for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama are lies and ought to be rubbished. Addressing Journalists in Accra on Wednesday, the Health Minister said "John Mahama is a liar. I never said NHIS has collapsed. Enough of the tarnishing of my name and image" "All I said was, since I am in the position to pay for health services rendered to me, why should I ride over people who cannot afford for the service" "I wish to state unequivocally that the said headlines are misleading and a complete misrepresentation on what I said" "During the Ghana Health Service Management meeting on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 in the Ashanti Region, I raised about the rate at which some healthcare providers extort monies from members of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)" The Minister further explained that he used the opportunity to urge Managers of the Ghana Health Service, whi constitute about 70% of healthcare provider agencies under the Ministry to help combat the cancer that seeks to make the NHIS unattractive. "From the end-users' point of view, it looks like the Health Insurance is not working as a result of the extortions" The Minister again stressed that the statement did not mean the Health Insurance was not working rater, an admonition to the Mangers of the Ghana Health Service through its providers to end the criminality. "Even though I am a member of the NHIS, I have made a decision to pay for medical services whenever I visit the hospital because I can afford it" The Minister also disappointment at the host of Good Morning Ghana, a morning show on Metro Tv, Dr. Randy Abbey over his comments relating to the alleged collapse of the NHIS. Mr. Agyeman-Manu charged Candidate John Mahama to concentrate on his Presidential Political ambition and desist from making him a topic of interest or discussion. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor has called on CSOs, Traditional Leaders, Clergy, Imams, Politicians, Fellow Politicians and General Public to join hands and together green Ghana on June 9. The Minister made these remarks while launching the 2023 Green Ghana in Accra. Addressing Journalists on Wednesday, he said "Distinguished Guests Ladies, and Gentlemen, trees play a crucial role in our survival and the survival of planet earth. The statement that “when the last tree dies, the last man dies,” still holds true today. Let us, therefore, all join hands together, and Green Ghana on Friday, June 9, 2023, the Green Ghana Day" The Minister ceased the opportunity on behalf of the President Akufo-Addo, thanked Ghanaians, as well as all residents of Ghana, for their cooperation and continuous support since the Green Ghana Project was launched in 2021. "As part of Government’s aggressive afforestation and reforestation programme to restore our degraded landscapes" "On the maiden edition, we targeted five million (5,000,000) trees. With your support, over seven million (7,000,000) trees were planted. Last year, we raised our ambition and targeted at least, twenty million (20,000,000) trees. Again, you supported us, and over twenty-four million (24,000,000) trees were planted; bringing the total planted trees over the years to in excess of thirty-one million (31,000,000) trees." "So far, field Assessment Report shows that, on the average, we have seventy-two percent (72%) survival rate last year as compared to eighty-one (81%) in 2021. While adequate measures were put in place to ensure the survival of all trees planted, a number of external factors account for the survival rate, including rainfall patterns, wildfires and soil fertility" The Lands Minister further mentioned that the survival rate shows that Ghana still has some twenty-three million (23,000,000) trees to nurture. "It is for this reason that this year, we have revised our target downwards to ten million (10,000,000) trees. This will give us space to devote some resources and attention to the trees planted over the last two years, while not losing momentum on our quest to restore our degraded landscape. It is the expectation of the Government that, this year, we will receive the usual massive support to build upon the successes achieved in 2021 and 2022" Explaining further, he hinted that government has decided to organise this year’s Green Ghana Day, under the theme “Our Forests, Our Health,” to signify the importance of forests in lives, and to remind the public of the many health and related benefits derived from forests. "Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am, therefore, pleased to announce that the 2023 Edition of the Green Ghana Day will be held on Friday, June 9, 2023 under the theme ‘Our Forests, Our Health.’ The official launch of the Green Ghana Day will be done by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, in the next Month, May 2023. We are urging you, our friends from the media, to carry the message across, and mobilise our country in support of this noble project" "Let me use this opportunity to appeal to all Ghanaians and residents of Ghana, our revered chiefs and queen-mothers, religious and faith-based organisations, Ministers, Parliamentarians, Judges, public servants, civil servants, Doctors, Teachers, Lawyers, Nurses, private sector organisations, Civil Society Organisations, students, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Development Partners, and all persons living in Ghana, to support the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to make this year’s Green Ghana Day a success" "As we did last year, we have compartments for adoption by private institutions, and we will brand these compartments with their names and logos. And as always, seedlings will be made available here at the Ministry, the District Offices of the Forestry Commission, and at various designated locations, for collection on the Green Ghana Day" Mr. Jinapor revealed that detailed schedule of the seedling distribution and pick-up points will be published in due course. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has employed investors from Austria to take advantage of Ghana's economic and political stability to invest in the country. Speaking at B2B session with the Austrian delegation led by the Federal Chancellor, Karl Nehammer, in Accra under the auspices of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Vice President reiterated Ghana commitment to strategic partnership with the private sector and enhanced efforts for industrialisation and productive transformation to achieve sustainable economic growth. He said Ghana is open for business and is eager to forge mutual beneficial rewarding relationships with Austria. "As Ghana and Austria seem to forge stronger bonds we have to sustain such relationship through improved technical and science based education, technology and also address unfair trade relations among others", he stressed. He noted that the Austrian Federal Chancellor's participation at this business forum also demonstrates the commitment of the Austrian government to enhance collaboration between private and public sectors of the two countries for mutual benefits. He noted that Ghana has a stable political environment, strong democratic culture, safe and happy people underpinned by freedom of expression. "In the volatile West Africa, Ghana is ranked as the most peaceful country and the second most peaceful country in Africa, he emphasised. He also noted Ghana has educated and competitive and trainable labour force which should motivate the Austrian investors to consider investing in Ghana. He observed the timing for the meeting was auspicious as the devastated effects of COVID 19, climate change and ongoing energy and food crisis has dessmonstrated the need for increased global collaboration. "These global development has amplified protection and distortions of supply chains with ramifications for economies in the continent including Ghana," he stated. Dr. Bawumia however noted that Ghana has initiated steps to bounce back stronger. "Ghana had its fair share of these burdens and is making concrete efforts to bounce back stronger, " he stressed. As we pull together to revive the global economy, and secure our future against economic, environmental, health security treats the contribution of Africa to these efforts cannot be understated. Dr. Bawumia was pleased ro see the the union of Jospong Group and Komptec as the two signed a 30 million Euro agreement to support rice production in Ghana. With the agreement, Komptec will support the Jospong Group rice project with machineryand technology. "We see prospects of reassuring and making the case for some your companies to operate from Ghana and export' noted Dr. Bawumia as he witnessed the signing ceremony" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the Special Prosecutor and Parliament to to probe Professor Frimpong-Boateng's galamsey report and money laundering allegations levelled against President Akufo-Addo and some bigwigs in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). The call comes following Al Jazeera’s latest under investigation, dubbed 'Gold Mafia'. Addressing Journalists in Accra on Tuesday, National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi Esq. said "The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sighted an undercover investigative work that was recently broadcast by international news network, Al Jazeera. The said documentary forms part of a four-part investigation by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit (I-Unit), which uncovered an international Gold Smuggling mafia and Money Laundering racket operating in various parts of Africa" "Friends from the media, of particular concern to us and indeed, the people of Ghana, is the reference to a relationship between the deadly racket and the President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and other high-ranking officials of the ruling NPP government" "In the one-hour, thirteen-minute video documentary, one Alistair Mathias who has gained notoriety for designing money laundering schemes for corrupt African Leaders, could be seen boasting about his close relationship with President Akufo-Addo and other high-profile African leaders" "In the particular portion of this new investigative documentary that has got many tongues wagging, the said Alistair Mathias who is described as a Canadian citizen and a financial architect operating a gold smuggling syndicate in Ghana called Guldrest, confided in Al Jazeera undercover reporters who posed as Chinese Businessmen, about his constant dealings with President Akufo-Addo" Sammy Gyamfi added that some of the underhand dealings this shady character revealed include how the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government for instance can award his company, Mathias Holdings an inflated contract worth $100 million, which he in turn subcontracts to another company for a value of about $80 million, thereby making a staggering profit of $20 million on the contract. He added that the mastermind of these crimes further revealed how the padded amount on such deals is then shared among the parties – corrupt officials in the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government on the one hand, and Mathias Holdings on the other hand. "Under this criminal scheme, Mathias further undertakes to bank the share of his corrupt collaborators in the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government in offshore accounts until such a time that the money is needed by them" "This is how grand corruption is created by elements in the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, who inflate contracts and then deposit the stolen funds in the form of “commissions” with this devious individual whose operations span across other African countries. And by the way, commissions in this gold smuggling, money laundering and illicit business context simply means bribe" "As if the above dealings were not scandalous enough, we further gleaned from the documentary how supply and procurement contracts are awarded to this knavish partner of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia Presidency, who constantly returns kickbacks from these inflated contracts through their elaborate corrupt network at the expense of value for money and the good people of Ghana" The National Communications Officer stressed that the nefarious Alistair Mathias further confessed to how he manages to smuggle one ton of gold with a face value of $40 million from Ghana, every month, with the active collusion of high-ups in the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government and in collaboration with one Kamlesh Pattni, an Indian man domiciled in Kenya, who is described as the grandmaster of the Gold Mafia. This development, he noted that adds to a litany of similar acts of grand corruption and collusion involving President Akufo-Addo, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and other high-ranking NPP government officials. "Ghanaians have not forgotten about the Number #12 documentary by ace Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in which former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi was nabbed in similar fashion negotiating kickbacks from supposed investors for President Akufo-Addo and other government officials" "Again, and of very recent memory is the “Galamsey Economy” undercover investigation by the same Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in which a serving Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen was captured on video negotiating bribes and “Appearance Fees” to the tune of $250,000 from supposed investors for and on behalf of the Vice President, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia" The National Democratic Congress says it is deeply concerned about the damning revelations about President Akufo-Addo in the latest documentary by Al Jazeera. The NDC added that the continuous naming of the President and his Vice in all manner of bribe-taking syndicates, must be a cause for concern for every patriotic Ghanaian who cares about the image of the Presidency. "Ladies and gentlemen of the media, Al Jazeera's earth-shaking findings also give currency to the justifiable concerns raised about government's opaque Gold-for-Oil deal which many experts, civil society organizations and the NDC have had legitimate grounds to criticize and demand transparency and accountability" "Never in the history of our country has the Presidency been reduced to a criminal Mafia as we are witnessing today. As has become standard practice under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government, the Presidency has kept a deafening silence on this matter in the wake of the damning revelations contained in the Al Jazeera documentary" "Given the record and penchant of this government to coverup graft, Ghanaians cannot and must not accept silence or the usual flippant denials emanating from the Presidency or government corridors on this matter" "It is against this backdrop that the NDC hereby calls on the Special Prosecutor to take keen interest in this matter and launch a full-scale investigation into this matter with the aim of prosecuting anyone found culpable" "Given the considerable public interest in this matter and what it portends for Ghana’s image among the global comity of nations, we wish to call on Parliament to set up a publicly-televised and bi-partisan probe into this matter in order to ascertain the truth" "We hold the view that a Parliamentary probe is imperative to establish the number of companies owned by Alistair Mathias in Ghana, which government contracts have been awarded to companies owned by Alistair Mathias since their inception in the country" "The propriety or otherwise of the activities of companies owned by Alistair Mathias, among others" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD) today started training for 1000 girls from seven districts in the Savannah region. They will be trained in basic computing, e-safety and coding. The training is being organized in two batches from 25th April to 6th May, 2023 amidst district and regional competition to select the best 100 girls. Mentorship and Climax for the Savannah region will be held on the 8th and 9th of May, 2023. Awards for the Girls-In-ICT program include; all 1000 girls will be awarded with certificates of participation, thr best girl in each district gets ICT lab set up in the schools they attended, top 100 girls would be given llaptopswhile top three (3) girls would be awarded cash prizes and plaques. At a brief ceremony to open the session, the District Chief Executive for Central Gonja (Bupe), Hon. Iddrisu Salia, represented by the Regional Coordinating Director, Philip Akorle expressed appreciation to the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful (MP) for extending the initiative to the Savannah region. Mr Salia urged the girls to take the training seriously to develop necessary ICT skills for future development. “ Take instructions seriously so that you can acquire the basic ICT skills so that at the end of the training you can come out successfully “, he noted. He intimated that the training represented a good opportunity to grow their knowledge base and help improve their skills and gain maximum knowledge to guarantee them ICT careers in the future. He was hopeful that much enthusiasm will be generated amongst them to take their ICT education seriously. He said “ the Ministry has designed this specifically for you girls to ensure greater female participation in the ICT sector, adding, the whole world is moving away from manual systems to digital technology and the use of the internet to transact and access basic services” Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American International School (AIS), Adelaide A. Siaw-Agyepong has observed that Africa needs people who are sustainable development oriented to transform the continent. According to her, the changing world needs people who are analytical in view and poised in thoughts to make an impact on this world. Speaking on the topic “Rising to Africa’s education challenges and opportunities post COVID-19 pandemic” at the 2023 edition of the Africa Development Conference organized by the African Caucus of the Kennedy School of Law and Harvard African Law Association, Mrs. Siaw-Agyepong noted that the changing world does not need people who have mere knowledge and can regurgitate principles because the internet through multiple search engines can perform the same thing" “We need persons who are aligned with sustainable development, responsible business conduct, and laced with humanity because knowledge that does not consider the survival of humanity and the generations to come are as treacherous as no knowledge,” she stressed. She explained that, as such “a wholistic education is needed and one that uses knowledge to solve every day problems, recognizing the survival of humanity as dependent on the survival of one and all and works towards improving our individual and collective lives”. “The world needs people who are ready to learn unlearn and relearn” she stressed. Touching on how private schools in Ghana adapted and mobilized resources to aid teaching and learning in the educational sector during the COVID-19, Mrs. Siaw-Agyepong observed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the private schools had to quickly adapt and mobilize resources to aid teaching and learning. She added that most private schools transitioned to online learning platforms by creating online learning platforms to provide students with access to learning materials and resources from home. “These platforms often included features like video lectures, interactive quizzes, and virtual classroom discussions,” she added. She also noted that private schools and educational companies provided students with learning materials like textbooks, workbooks, and worksheets to enable them to continue learning at home. “Some also provided technology devices like laptops and tablets to students who did not have access to them,” she added. During the period also, some private schools and educational companies provided training for their teachers to enable them to adapt to the new online learning environment. This training often included how to use online teaching tools, how to conduct virtual classroom discussions, newsletters and how to provide feedback and assessments online to improve communication. “Private schools and educational companies invested in technology to ensure that students had access to the necessary devices and internet connectivity. This often-included purchasing laptops, tablets, and other devices for students and providing internet connectivity to those who did not have it”, the CEO of American International School pointed out. Answering a question on what changes American International School undertook to ensure that learning continued, she explained that, when it was becoming clearer that a lockdown was imminent, AIS put in place a Covid 19 taskforce which brainstormed and discussed strategies to continue teaching and learning in case that happened. “This reinforced what we believed already. We believe students should take ownership of their learning. Hence, we constantly offer professional development to our teachers to deliver inquiry-based/ researched-based models of education. The combination of this and hybrid learning means we were ready to transition to an online classroom when needed,” she stated. The Africa Development Conference is a student-led event that convenes academia, students, and practitioners to highlight and explore critical issues related to the African continent’s development. This year’s took place between the 15th - 16th of April, 2023, at the Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The theme for this edition is “Reimagining Africa’s Growth on Our Terms.” The Conference had panels, fireside chats, and keynote speeches on topics including how Africa can thrive in international trade, challenges and opportunities in transitioning to a green economy, the role of creative arts in development, the Africa we want, and other engaging topics. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The improper disposal of used condoms, sanitary pads, and other foreign materials have blocked the drains and swage path of the Law Court Complex in Accra, according to reports. In a statement issued by the court, it has been observed that users of the facility abandon the dust bins provided at the washrooms and drop the used items directly into 'flush pot'. Perpetrators have been warned to desist from the act or risk being punished when caught. “In recent times we have experienced blockages in our sewage lines as a result of the improper disposal of waste. Sachet water bags, used sanitary towels wrapped in polythene bags, used condoms, used paper hand towels were all found in the sewage lines" "Please take note that these items are to be disposed off by placing them in the dustbins provided in the washrooms. Let us all help to keep the Law Court Complex clean and safe.” Read the statement below: Source: ghanaweb

Information reaching Thinknewsonline.com indicates that six persons have been killed in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region. According to sources, the six were ambushed and killed. The unfortunate incident is said to have occurred during an Eid gathering. Lives of residents of Bawku are in dire danger. More to follow soon..... Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith