Ghana is one of the countries with the cheapest cost of electricity for household use in the world, according to data from Globalpetrolprices.com. The ECG is proposing a 148% tariff increase for 2022 and with 7.6% average adjustments between the periods of 2023 to 2026. The data from the website indicates that Ghana is number one in West Africa, 9th in Africa, and 27th in the world when it comes to countries with the cheapest cost of electricity for household use. The website, Globalpetrolprices.com tracks the retail prices of motor fuel, electricity, and natural gas in over 150 countries. According to the data, the cost of electricity per kilowatt/hour for household users in Ghana is US$0.046 cents. Meanwhile, the world average price of electricity is pegged at US$0.133 per kilowatt/hour for household users and US$0.124 per kWh for business users. This development comes at a time when the Electricity Company of Ghana has made a case for an upward review in tariffs to enable it to cover the full cost of distributing power. ECG last month proposed that its tariffs be increased by 148% for 2022 and with 7.6% average adjustments between the periods of 2023 to 2026. The proposed sharp increment, according to ECG, is due to the gap between the actual cost recovery tariff and PURC-approved tariffs as well as the cost of completed projects. Similarly, the Ghana Water Company also proposed an increment in its tariffs by over 300% to be able to, at least, recover its operational cost. The proposals have generated huge public discussions, with a majority of the public kicking against the request. Credit: Pulse GH

The Minister for Justice and Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, has said it is the duty of every Ghanaian citizen to contribute to the success of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. He observed media reports without factual and contextual bases do not argue well for the office and as such must be discouraged. “We all owe a duty to contribute to the success of this institution. At this stage, may I say that malicious, ill-motivated and often ill-researched comments in the media about the office and resources at its disposal hardly serve the public interest”, he said Tuesday, June 21 after swearing-in eight of nine members of the governing board of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. The constitution of the board comes nearly a year after the tenure of the first board ended in June 2021. The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Adjabeng has had cause to complain that the delay in swearing in a board stalled his work, especially with respect to staff recruitment. He was however relieved that a board has finally been sworn-in. He expressed gratitude to the AG who he said played a pivotal role in getting the board constituted. He assured the AG that together with the board they will work to make the OSP the best in Africa. The AG impressed on the board to take seriously the duties and obligations imposed on them under Section 7 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s Act, 2017 (Act 959) and also to declare their Assets as required under Article 286 of the 1992 constitution. He warned failure to comply with the law has serious ramifications including the cessation of membership. Source: 3news.com

A thief who broke into the auditorium of the Church of Pentecost-English Assembly in the Bogoso District of the Western Region left a touching note after successfully completing his mission. The unknown thief made away with two amplifiers, a drive, and other valuables after members had closed from evening service. Report available to 3news.com indicates that members of the church returned the following day only to realise that the auditorium has been ransacked. A note written with a red ink had been left by the thief. He is asking for the blessings of God. According to the note, it is only Jesus who assisted a thief on the cross. The action of the thief has since left many members of the church in a state of shock. Presiding Elder of the church, Samuel Kumi, who confirmed the news, added that the Bogoso Police Command has officially launched investigations that could lead to the arrest of the thief. The church has also made arrangements to employ the services of a security guard to avoid future occurrences. Story by: Eric Nana Gyetuah

Former Minister for Energy, Mr. Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko has admitted that he was so blinded by his belief in President Akufo-Addo that he never saw his sacking from the Ministry coming. Speaking to Asempa FM on the ‘Ekosii sen’ programme on Monday, June 20, 2022, the former Minister who served in the first term of President Akufo-Addo disclosed that he is no longer on talking terms with the President. "My belief in President Akufo-Addo blindfolded me before being sacked. I didn't see it coming". "I have not spoken to President Akufo-Addo face-to-face since my sacking. We're not on talking terms,” Mr. Boakye Agyarko shared. The former Minister was relieved of his position in August 2018 following the controversy surrounding the review of the Ameri power deal. According to the former Energy Minister, the allegations in relation to the review of the Ameri deal which got him fired were all false. He insists that his sacking was orchestrated by some people in Akufo-Addo's government because of his dream to become president one day. Ahead of the 2024 general elections, Mr. Agyarko says he still wants to be president and wouldn’t accept an appointment from President Akufo-Addo if one was offered. Story by: Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo

Former Minister for Energy, Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko says he would never accept an appointment from President Akufo-Addo even if offered one. The former Minister was relieved of his position in August 2018 following the controversy surrounding the review of the Ameri power deal. A press statement signed and issued by Mr. Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency on August 6, 2018, announced the sacking of Mr. Agyarko. “President Akufo-Addo has asked Mr. Boakye Agyarko to hand over his office to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. John Peter Amewu, who will act temporarily as Minister of Energy, until a substantive appointment is made. "The President wishes Mr. Boakye Agyarko well in his future endeavours," the statement confirming the sack said at the time. Opening up on his fall out with the Akufo-Addo government in an interview with Asempa FM on the ‘Ekosii sen’ programme on Monday, Mr. Boakye Agyarko has disclosed that it was the work of people who wanted him out because of his ambition to become president. “My sacking as a Minister was an orchestration. All claims against me were hoaxes. Those who orchestrated my sacking just wanted me out. I didn't do anything wrong. “I was hounded out because of my presidential ambition,” the former Energy Minister stressed. According to Mr. Agyarko, he still has the dream to become Ghana’s President one day and as a result, has no desire to accept an appointment from President Akufo-Addo. “I don't talk to President Akufo-Addo. I've decided to move on. I don't begrudge President Akufo-Addo for sacking me as minister. “My focus is to be president. I wouldn't take any appointment from President Akufo-Addo if he calls,” the former Energy Minister stressed. Story by: Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo

The Inspector-General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, has ordered the interdiction of four more police officers over the disturbances recorded at the Kumasi Islamic Senior High School last week. The said officers were caught on tape making Islamophobic comments while reviewing CCTV footage of the chaos that occurred when police officers stormed the school to disperse a student protest last Monday. In a video that has gone viral on social media, one of the officers running commentary while reviewing the CCTV footage is heard saying, “have you seen their attitude [referring to students of the Islamic SHS]? Do you think if it was an Akan school, they would behave that way?” Another said: “They are dirty. They are dirty! Wherever these Muslims are, there is problem….” Following this development, the Operations Commander of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Mohammed Suraji, on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, has led a delegation to visit the Zongo Chief of Kumasi, Alhaji Umar Sulta Farouk. According to a report by Asaaseradion.com, DCOP Suraji confirmed the interdiction of the officers during the visit. “Such [a comment] doesn’t represent the Ghana police. So, we are here to apologise. As I speak, the officers, including a chief inspector, have been interdicted. They are under service inquiry for exhibiting such unprofessional conduct, and we support this decision. We should treat this with the contempt it deserves,” DCOP Suraji said. DCOP Suraji emphasised the assurance of the police to respect every Ghanaian irrespective of their political, religious or tribal background. The latest interdiction by the police administration brings to seven the total number of officers interdicted for the disturbances recorded at the Kumasi Islamic Senior High School. Students of Kumasi Islamic Senior High School on Monday, June 13, 2022, caused heavy traffic on the Abrepo road that runs in front of their campus to register their displeasure over frequent accidents in the area. The aggrieved students said they and their teachers had become victims of constant pedestrian knockdowns and sought to bring attention to their plight through the protest. However, a police contingent called in to calm the students decided to fire gunshots and teargas to manage the situation. This resulted in a more chaotic situation in which some 30 students fell unconscious and had to be rushed to the hospital. Source: Ghanaweb

Inter Milan chief executive Giuseppe Marotta has said they are in talks to sign Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku and Juventus forward Paolo Dybala. BBC Sport has reported Lukaku, would take a pay cut to rejoin Inter on loan, after his £97.5m move last summer. “Lukaku and Dybala are our targets,” Marotta told Radio Rai. He added that the club have deals in place to sign Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana from Ajax. Of the bids for Lukaku and Dybala, Marotta added: “We need to consider financial issues. We are in talks with these two players and we’ll be happy if we sign them. If not, we’ll consider different targets.” Belgium international Lukaku, 29, scored 15 goals in all competitions for the Blues last season, with eight in 26 Premier League appearances. He apologised for an interview during the season where he said he was not happy with his role under manager Thomas Tuchel and wanted to return to Inter in the near future. Lukaku, who left Chelsea to join Everton for £28m in 2014, returned to the Stamford Bridge side for a club-record fee in August 2021, agreeing to a five-year deal. Argentina international Dybala, 28, is set to be a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the month. Armenian midfielder Mkhitaryan, 33, helped Jose Mourinho’s Roma win their first-ever European trophy last season, the Europa Conference League. Onana, 26, has won three Dutch titles with Ajax but received a Uefa ban for a doping rules violation last year. He is also a free agent. “Mkhitaryan will be official in the next few days, the same goes for Onana,” added Marotta. “We are evaluating a bit of everything, also players from the youth team who became Italy champions. We know that we must wait for young players and build a strong team.” Inter finished second in Serie A last season, two points behind city rivals AC Milan. Source: BBC

But for the swift strategic intervention of the Tepa District Police Command, angry youth would have broken into the police cells to lynch a suspect who allegedly killed a pregnant woman and a 17-year-old girl at Atobra, a suburb of Tepa, in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region. Identified as Godfred Aladago, the 25-year-old farmer allegedly killed a pregnant woman, cut her belly open and removed the unborn baby and also killed a 17-year-old in-law of the pregnant woman. Eyewitnesses say the bizarre scene stemmed from a misunderstanding which sprung when the suspect reported that the deceased’s goat has trespassed to his house and eaten his farm produce. Tepa District Police Commander Superintendent Martin Asenso, explaining the barbaric incident on Akoma FM‘s current affairs and political show Monday, June 20, explained that when the suspect was kept in custody Sunday afternoon, the angry youth nearly broke into the cells to lynch him for the heinous act. Supt. Asenso told host of the show Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin that “the suspect earlier came to lodge a complaint that some farmer’s goats are stray and they have been eating his farm products and when he confronted them they have slashed his hand with machete”. The Tepa District Police Commander added that “few minutes later, some angry youth came to the police station and explained that the suspect has actually killed two women claiming their goat have chewed his maize”. According to Ankobiahene of Tepa Nana Amoateng Tuffuor, residents of Atobra community saw the shock of their lives Sunday afternoon. Recounting the tragic scene, Ankobiahene Nana Amoateng Tuffuor explained that “we were at the palace yesterday and a young man believed to be in his late 30’s barged into the palace and complained that some people are chasing him because he complained that their goats have eaten his maize so I told him to proceed to the police station not knowing that he was actually the one who has committed murder”. Nana Ankobiahene after recounting the ordeal explained the complainant apparently is the murderer. “As a chief of this town, I have never seen or heard such news before. This is a taboo and we are considering to consult the gods and decide how to cleanse the land of such bloody heinous act that has befallen our land to avoid any catastrophe.” The suspect has been transferred to the regional police command to avoid any reprisal attack from the youth. The two deceased women have been identified as Rose Asibi, 30, and her in-law Rachel Alale, 17. Story by: Nana Asenso Mensah

The Akufo-Addo government’s support for farmers in the country is unmatched since the inception of the Fourth Republican Constitution, the Minister of Food and Agriculture has underscored. According to Dr. Afriyie Owusu Akoto, this was evident in the many agricultural-friendly policies including the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) and fertliser subsidy introduced by the Akufo-Addo administration to assist farmers to boost production. The Minister made the statement while addressing farmers at Kwame Doudoo in the Eastern Region while embarking on a working tour. “The government was doing everything possible to make farmers feel comfortable,” he said. He also seized the chance to deny flatly the statement in certain quarters that there was food shortage in the country. “There is no food shortage in the country following my visit to 5 regions. Rather prices of food have gone up and with even poultry feeds for farmers high in the market,” he clarified. He reiterated that his Ministry was not a financial institution but a principal which guides farmers to ensure that they produce enough to feed the nation. He was full of praise for Mohammed Ibrahim, a farmer at Kwame Doudoo who owns the largest palm farm in the region which also includes fish pond and a maize farm. Earlier, the Minister visited Legacy Square, a company that produces chemicals for seedlings to grow well. Welcoming the Minister, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Legacy Square, Mr. Amos Azinu, said his outfit has been in operation for about 7 years. He indicated that hunger was deadlier than a pandemic, thus called on farmers to collaborate with the MoFA to ensure a better Ghana. Other places Dr. Akoto and his team visited were Pinora, a suburb of Asamankesse, where farmers here produce all kinds of juices, and Sahmen Farms, also in Asamankesse He rounded up his tour in the region with a visit to Kodua close to Asamankesse. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Information reaching Thinknewsonline.com indicates that some scores of Hajj Pilgrims have hit the streets protesting over high fees charged by the Hajj board in the wake of their Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca. According to the would-be pilgrims, they are disappointed in the board and are calling for the sack of its Chairman, Sheikh I. C. Quaye. The would-be pilgrims were unable to make their holy trip in 2020 following the covid-19 outbreak. In other developments, some 433 Hajj Pilgrims are ready to leave Ghana for Saudi Arabia from Tamale. The 433 pilgrims will be the first batch to make the Holy trip since 2020. Thinknewsonline.com will update readers on new developments. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Democratic Forum has petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to, as a matter of urgency, replace Adwoa Safo who is the Gender Minister for her continual absence from duty for months now. The sector Minister has been on on leave for more than a year. Care taker Minister Madam Cecilia Abean Dapaah was appointed by the President. But in a petition signed by Dr. Frank Amoakohene, the Executive Director of Democratic Forum, the group wants the President to make new nominations or confirm the deputy as a substantive minister to enable her to lead the ministry to attain the set-out vision of the ministry. It would be recalled that Hon. Adwoa Safo’s absence from parliamentary duties and ministerial assignments has been of public concern for months now. It is unclear why the Minister has been out of the public space and away from both her ministerial and law making duties for that long. The privileges committee was petitioned and is currently probing her for appropriate actions to be taken to get the MP back to her MP duties. The Democratic forum however believes that leadership at the Gender Ministry must not be in a vacuum on account of her absence from work. Adwoa Safo has been out of the country since December 2021. She has missed her Parliamentary duties since the beginning of 2022 as well as abandoning her duty as the Gender Minister. Source: 3news.com

The Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), Madam Emma Adwoa Appiaa Osei-Duah, has urged businesses along drains to take responsibility of its cleanliness. This, she stressed, would ensure that no filth streams into the sea and other water bodies. Madam Appiaa Osei-Duah made the call while speaking to the media on the sidelines of a Zoomlion-Media Walk for a clean environment in Aburi in the Eastern Region at the weekend. The ‘Media Walk for a Clean Environment’, which was organised by management of Zoomlion, was aimed at creating awareness on the need to safeguard and preserve the environment. Led by Ghana’s Fitness Ambassador, BeadeBully, and well patronised by media personnel, the walk started from Ayi Mensah Toll Booth and ended at the Aburi Presbyterian Park. According to Madam Appiaa Osei-Duah, inasmuch as walking was beneficial to the body, regular cleaning of drains was equally important to keep the environment clean. "If you create waste then you should be able to manage it from entering the sea since that can be injurious to the health of living organisms in the sea and other water bodies," she advised. She said creating waste without managing it spelt doom for the sustenance of lives in water bodies, hence charged Ghanaians to desist from throwing waste into the drains and gutters. The Zoomlion Corporate Affairs Director indicated that the introduction of dustbins in houses and at vantage points across the country were crucial measures targeted at mitigating indiscriminate littering and throwing of refuse anywhere. She expressed her outfit's appreciation to Ghanaian communities for gradually embracing the wind of charge by owning bins. The Zoomlion Ghana Limited walk is an annual activity which helps clients, staff members, subsidiary companies, partners and company leadership to meet and interact, get to know each other for an improved working relationship. It further enables the staff of Zoomlion to keep healthy and continue to give off their best. Below are some pictures: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith