A concerned Citizen of the Chiana-Paga Constituency (Kassena-Nankana West District Assembly), Mr. Francis Atayure Abirigo has commended the President Akufo-Addo for tempering justice with mercy by asking the disciplinary committee (DC) to revoke the total sack conditions meted out to the 8 female students of Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region. He said "Nana Addo has acted like a father just as he did in the Meek Mill Jubilee House video issue" "A father should only gag but not bite his own" he said. Mr. Abirigo further appeal to the school's disciplinary committee to to act in the manner that the president has espoused and give them less punishment or not at all bearing in mind that they are first timers and have shown remorse in a video we have all seen. Student's attitude of ridicule will emerge among the student body of the school against these female students including the forever tag for indiscipline which is enough punishment to the 8 students" "You cannot ignore the fact that you have pardoned your own children at home many times, so therefore what the committee can do is to pardon these students to allow them to concentrate on their studies and the Ghana Education Service (GES) intensifying measures to encourage general discipline" "I say this because the GES and the school authorities including the presidency cannot exonerate themselves from the indiscipline that is engulfing our education system". "When we were in secondary school, one could not even insult a senior let alone the president, these are possibly the nemesis of the Free Senior High Secondary School system (FSHS)". The concerned citizen who doubles as a journalist and a development Communications Expert urged the media and all developmental stakeholders to take special interest in what is going to be the outcome of the committee's action on the matter going forward. "You are all agents of development and cannot sit unconcerned at a time that girl child education is the talk of the day when 8 girls are being sacked or punished for expressing themselves in a democracy" Mr. Abirigo stated. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Ghana GRID Company (GRIDCo) says it is notifyinghe general public of a system disturbance which occurred at 11:57am on Saturday 14th January, 2023. According to GRIDCo, the outage occurred after GRIDCo's 330kV Aboadze-Anwomaso line tripped followed by a number of liklnes in the Western Corridor. In a statement released by its Corporate Communications, it said "the outage occurred after GRIDCo's 330kV Aboadze-Anwomaso line tripped followed by a number of liklnes in the Western corridor of the grid triggering a system disturbance causing all thermal plants and Bui generators and customer loads to trip" It and added that a ragging bush fire under the GRIDCo high voltage lines near Tarkwa has been identified as the source of the power line trips. It is emerging that a fire tender from Tarkwa Goldfields is on site to bring the firs under control. GRIDCo says, it apologises for any inconvenience caused. Below is a copy of the release: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

In the past, it was often claimed that people living in Zongos did not take the education of their children serious, with many who grew up in these areas ending up living their lives in abject poverty. Zongo children grew up with little or no life opportunities, with many not being able to complete their second education. Today, the narrative has changed, as many parents vowed to sacrifice everything to see their wards’ live better lives, different from theirs. One of such parents was Auntie Salamatu, known popularly as Mma Amina, a peasant trader who operated a table-top business around the Kawokudi Public Toilet in Accra several years ago. She, like many other parents, vowed to see all her six children attain the highest level of education and become roles model not just to kids living in Zongo communities but Ghana at large. Auntie Salamatu, popularly known as Mma Amina sold fruits, gari and roasted groundnut but this was the business she was determined to do, to achieve her dream. She sacrificed day and night with support from her husband, now late, who just like her, earned little from his watchman job. Their meager finances did not deter Mma Amina from working extra to save for as much as she could to pay for her wards’ education until all six of them successfully climbed the education ladder. Today, all six of her children are either gainfully employed or at the highest level of their education. Three of them are security officers working for the Ghana Police Service and Ghana Prisons Service. She also has one working as a nurse with the Ghana Health Service and another as an Aluminum Fabricator. The last of them is a level 400 student of the Islamic University College. Mmaa Amina has stopped her business and is now enjoying the fuirts of her Labour, after several years of sacrifice. This week, beautiful pictures of her and her children dressed in the uniforms of their various professions have trended on social media with many celebrating her as an icon of Zongo. One of her children, Mariam Kombate Mohammed who posted the beautiful pictures of their photo shoot with her, wrote “The reality of the charcoal seller’s son will one day wear white attire🙏Here we are today because of your endless love and support mum. This picture would have been perfect with dad sitting by you. But then, we can not question Allah. May Allah forgive and grant my dad the highest rank in Jannah.Allah isn’t done with us yet”. Source: Mumuni Yunus

General Secretary of the Chamber of Automobile Dealership Ghana (CHADG), George Dumenu has rendered an apology to the Executive Director of Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah over threats made following the seizure of their cars months ago. According to Mr. Dumenu, his members spoke out of anger and thus cannot rub shoulders with EOCO. In an interview with Thinknewsonline.com on the back of the seizure of their cars, Mr. Dumenu said "We were unhappy about how our vehicles seized. No one will be happy if such a thing is done to him or her. That is why we reacted in that manner" "We spoke out of anger, we cannot rub shoulders with EOCO" It will be recalled the leadership of Chamber of Automobile Dealership Ghana held a press conference some months ago threatening to go hard on the Executive Director of Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah if their seized cars were not returned. On the other hand, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) carried out an intelligence-led operation for the retrieval of various specifications of luxury vehicles in the country. The retrieved cars, according to EOCO, were suspected to have been stolen from the United States of America (USA) and Canada. Head/Public Affairs, Faustina Lartey in a release said "On Friday December 9, 2022, thirty-seven (37) of such vehicles were retrieved from some garages in Accra during which ten (10) persons were arrested" The release added that the suspects had since been questioned and granted enquiry bill. EOCO has cautioned prospective vehicle buyers to conduct due diligence prior to the purchase of any vehicle. Watch the video below: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

News coming in indicates that an accident has claimed seven lives on the Gomoa and Accra stretch on the Gomoa stretch of the Central Region has claimed seven (7) lives. The accident is said to have occurred on Friday, January 13. Eyewitnesses say driver of the Sprinter bus, got into a competition with another driver Officials from the Ghana National Fire Service managed to rush to the scene to salvage the situation. Eight passengers are said to be in critical conditions and have been rushed to the hospital. The remains of the deceased have been deposited at the morgue. Drivers have been urged to slow down and avoid speeding. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

National Chairman of opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia says concerns of misunderstandings that are leading to division among party members are being resolved in a harmonious manner. Leadership of the party including national and regional executives, and also Council of Elders have been meeting in Kumasi to reconcile feuding factions in the party. This, according to Asiedu Nketia, is to build a united front to recapture power in 2024. "We take Ashanti Region to be a critical region going into the 2024 elections and we can’t afford to leave any situation of conflict here unresolved" "If part of the conflict is traceable to the contest that I was involved in, I don’t hold any grudge against anybody within the party because we practice multi-party democracy. So a member commits no offense if he throws his support behind a candidate. But the requirement of democracy is that, make your choices but when the supreme choice has been made by the whole group, you all fall in line and perform your various functions" Asiedu Nketia also cautioned elected members of the party not to be complacent but seek support and ideas from all to make running of the party effective in their respective areas. "To those who have won and occupied positions, the fact that you’ve been selected today does not make you the wisest person in the party. You have to serve well and unite all members." "There is work ahead of us. Let us unite and make sure we win convincingly in 2024" ”The National Chairman noted “everyone has decided to let go of the various divisions and have resolved to work together” The reconciliation team was led by himself, together with other senior party members including Kofi Totobi Kwakye and Colonel Rtd. Larry Gbevlo Lartey. The delegation also included other national executives such as the General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, Deputy General Secretary, Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, and Deputy National Organizer, Kobby Barlon. Also present at the meeting were chairmen from eight regions. All stakeholders resolved to put behind them any fallouts from the party’s recent internal elections and any other issues for that matter and to re-dedicate themselves to work collectively in the interest of the party. Credit: 3news.com

Information reaching Thinknewsonline.com indicates that Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson has been appointed as caretaker Food and Agriculture Minister. The caretaker appointment comes following the resignation of Dr. Afriyie Akoto as Food and Agriculture Minister few days ago. More soon...... Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has said concerns about the intended government initiative to purchase oil with gold from the country will be resolved as the country readies to receive the first consignment of oil under the policy in a week. According to the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, the teething-challenges emerging from this new approach by government are expected; maintaining that extensive engagements with all the stakeholders will continue. Meanwhile, he disclosed that the first shipment of oil in line with the new policy is expected in the country soon – likely in a week. Speaking at a meeting with the Ghana Chamber of Mines in Accra, Mr. Duker said the meeting at beginning of the year was to enable the ministry bring lasting solutions to concerns raised by the Chamber. Some of the issues raised concerned local content development, fiscal regime stability; and mine security in the era of galamsey, and taxes among others. On the back of these, he recognised that the Chamber is a key partner in the mining industry – with which government will continue to engage. Mr Jinapor, and officials of the ministry with officials from the Ghana Chamber of Mines Also, it emerged that Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have acquired some high-tech military aircraft that can help boost surveillance in the mining sector. The aircraft, currently being kept in Takoradi, are also expected to be deployed soon to the mining areas as part of efforts to promote responsible mining in the country. Furthermore, during the meeting Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor noted that the Chamber of Mines remains key to attaining the vision of making Ghana a mining hub of Africa. He emphasised the need for deliberate engagement between the ministry and the Chamber to make this vision realisable. The Chamber, he said, needs to take a leading role in regulation of the mining industry; assuring of the ministry’s readiness to consider proposals and assistance from the Chamber and all other stakeholders. “As partners, we have to find a proper platform for engagements; and I believe that is the spirit with which we’ve been working for the past two years. We must see ourselves as partners. For us to be able to derive the needed benefits from the sector, we must continue to see each other as partners. As partners, it is important that we have these kinds of constructive engagements,” the minister said. The President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Joshua Mortoti, after the meeting restated the Chamber’s commitment to support government in realising its vision for the sector. However, he observed that the ‘health of the industry’ remains paramount – and that it is key nothing is done to comprise it. The Chamber, he said, is willing to engage further on the gold for oil policy so as to have a deeper understanding. Source: thebftonline.com

The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Otchere Darko Mensah has embarked on a day's working visit of the Shama District in the Western Region. The working visit was also an avenue to inspect the ongoing construction of the District Assembly. The Regional Minister also visited the Chief of Yabiw to pay homage. He also visited the Marco Polo Tile Group Ghana Limited, manufactures of sanitary wares. The visit finally landed him at the KEDA Ceramics, the number one producers of quality tiles. He assured the various companies of his continuous collaboration and support. Below are some pictures: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

News coming in indicates that an SHS girl (Name withheld) who left home for school has been reported dead at Prampram, a community in the Greater Accra Region. A Facebook user, John Destino Charway took to his page to break the news. He posted "SHS student who left home for school passed through Prampram to visit the boyfriend and died yesterday" The cause of her death is yet to be known. Readers will be updated on new developments. Below is the Facebook post: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Child Rights International (CRI), a non-governmental organization has taken a strong exception to the dismissal of eight students of the Chiana Senior High School over disparaging comments made against the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.Although the organization outrightly condemns the conduct of the students, it said the dismissal by the Ghana Education Service (GES) is not only heavy-handed but one that is injurious to the education of these students. In a statement, Child Rights is also demanding that the GES makes public the probe that informed the decision. “CRI calls on GES to publish the findings of their investigations to the general public as stated in their earlier press release, highlighting the concerns of due processes followed in arriving at the conclusion of dismissal vis-à-vis the best interest of the child as enshrined in the Children’s Act (560) 1998.” The eight students –  all females were dismissed for making derogatory comments against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a viral video. Following their misconduct, the Management of the GES condemned the act and apologised to the President on behalf of the students, school and members of the public. After extensive investigations into the conduct of the students however, the Service directed the dismissal of all eight students from the school. The decision has sparked various discussions on social media with some describing the decision as harsh. But Child Rights International believes “the educational and moral principles are not subjects of dismissal that further deny children their right to education, on the contrary, such behaviours exhibited must be subjected to correctional and rehabilitation programs to ensure and uphold the best interest of the child in all matters involving children and their education. The conduct of the state has always expressed interest in protecting children rather than victimizing them”. Credit: Citinewsroom

Information reaching Thinknewsonline.com indicates that President Akufo-Addo has intervened in the dismissal of the eight (8) students of Chiana Senior High School. In a statement signed by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, it said" The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has intervened in the above subject after his attention was drawn to it" The statement further added that consequently, the Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has directed the Ghana Education to consider an alternative disciplinary action instead of dismissal. Below is a copy of the release: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith