Former President John Dramani Mahama has said there is no legal or constitutional basis for salary payment to First and Second Ladies in Ghana. He said the spouses of the President and Vice President are not captured among Article 71 Office Holders. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/summit-will-enable-authority-deliberate-take-decisions-on-political-security-in-mali-s-botchwey Parliament has approved a recommendation by committee Ntiamoah-Baidoo which was set up in June 2019 by President Akufo-Addo, to him and to Parliament on the salaries and allowances First or Second Spouses. This has incurred the wrath of some members of the Ghanaian society who believe that this has come at a time the public purse is under severe pressure. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/amplified-will-focus-on-amplifying-mentoring-youth-dev-t-activities-in-various-quarters-gov-t For instance, Private legal practitioner Professor Kwaku Asare has said the five-member Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee that arrived at the decision which was approved by the House violated the 1992 Constitution, Mr. Mahama who was the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in last year’s elections said in a statement on Friday, July 9 that “The news, particularly at this time of austerity, has generated some level of outrage among the populace, and I can understand the anger of those opposing the recommendation of the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee and its subsequent approval by parliament. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/bui-power-ceo-is-wrong-the-energy-minister-has-not-been-misled-by-gridco “It should be made clear, also, that the recommendation in respect of spouses in the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee report, which covers the years January 7, 2017, to January 6, 2021, is solely in respect of the Spouses of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Bawumia. “The challenge, however, is that the spouses of the President and Vice President are not captured among Article 71 Office Holders and, therefore, there is no legal or constitutional basis for it,” he said. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures Below is his full statement… First Lady’s Salary- John Mahama disagrees The issue of handling spouses of Political officeholders is not a new one; it has engaged the attention of all governments since the advent of t 4th Republic. Under various administrations, considering their sensitive positions, there had to be a consideration of how to support the spouses of the President and the Vice President in fulfilling the roles that our modern democracies expect them to play, such as empowering women, girlchild education, reproductive health issues, teenage pregnancy, assistance to widows, fighting early marriage, preventing mother to child transmission of HIV, STEM for girls, and even as far as the welfare of grandmothers banished to witch camps. The practice thus far, has been that some expenses of the spouses of the President and Vice President in carrying out their expected roles are funded by the Office of the President. This includes fueling of vehicles, security, clerical staff, stationery, hosting of local and foreign guests, and all such expenditures. The distinction must be made, however, that this is separate from allowances payable to spouses of the President, Vice President, former Presidents, former Vice Presidents and former Heads of State. In the first Government of the 4th Republic (the Rawlings Administration), some recommendations were made to provide allowances to the spouses of the President and Vice President and additionally, as a gesture of reconciling with our past, the spouses of former Presidents and Heads of State. Since this convention was established by the Rawlings administration, issues in respect of allowances of the spouses of the President and Vice President and spouses of former Presidents and Heads of State have largely been handled administratively and provided for under the budget of the Office of the President. This week, a raging issue that has generated passionate debate among many Ghanaians, both on social media and in the traditional media space – TV and Radio – has been in respect of a report, confirmed by the Government that the spouses of President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia are to be placed on a monthly salary at the level of a Cabinet Minister. We are told that the 7th Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, which was dissolved at midnight of January 6, 2021, approved the recommendation in the Report of the Presidential Committee on Emoluments for Article 71 Office Holders (January 2017 to December 2020), chaired by Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu. The news, particularly at this time of austerity, has generated some level of outrage among the populace, and I can understand the anger of those opposing the recommendation of the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee and its subsequent approval by parliament. It should be made clear, also, that the recommendation in respect of spouses in the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee report, which covers the years January 7, 2017, to January 6, 2021, is solely in respect of the Spouses of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Bawumia. The challenge, however, is that the spouses of the President and Vice President are not captured among Article 71 Office Holders and, therefore, there is no legal or constitutional basis for it. It should be noted that the recommended salaries for the Spouses in the Ntiamoa-Baidu report are captured as part of the emoluments of the President and the Vice President. This seems like an attempt to sneak the First and Second Ladies into the article 71 office holders’ group. This is clearly problematic. Indeed, the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee rightly makes the case on page 51 of its report as follows: “The Committee notes that neither Article 71 nor any of the provisions in the Constitution bestow benefits on spouses of Presidents and Vice Presidents. Similarly, no legislation mentions what the State should provide for spouses of Presidents and Vice Presidents.” The question then is: if the Committee recognizes the above, and therefore appreciates that there can be no legal or constitutional basis for seeking to bestow any such benefits on the spouses of the President and Vice President (VP), why then did it proceed to provide for the payment of monthly salaries pegged at the level of a Cabinet Minister to both the First Lady and wife of the VP who served in the period 2017 to 2020, even if it was conveniently enveloped as part of the emoluments of the President and Vice President? And why did Parliament also approve, as has been reported, this recommendation without a review? Article 71 is an entrenched clause in the 1992 Constitution and nothing short of a referendum can be used to amend or vary that clause as per article 290 of the Constitution. The Committee, and indeed the Government, cannot use a shortcut to circumvent well laid-out constitutional rules. Furthermore, pegging their salaries at the level of a Cabinet Minister suggests that all conditions and benefits that come with the Committee’s recommendation for a Cabinet Minister will likely apply. This recommendation, therefore, is inappropriate and its approval, if true, is unfortunate. As earlier mentioned, it is a fact that over the years, successive governments have continued the convention of providing the offices of the First Lady and Second Lady with allowances. The practice has included the payment of quarterly allowances to the surviving spouses of former Presidents, former Vice Presidents, and former Heads of State, which practice has been appreciated by the beneficiaries as a token from the State. Anyhow, if Government wishes to formalize these allowances, it must bring some form of enabling legislation to back these payments, noting that best practices in other democracies do not support payment of salaries to spouses of officeholders. This debate also brings back to the fore my oft-repeated position that the recommendation for the establishment of an Independent Emoluments Commission must be carried through. I believe that instead of trying to unconstitutionally enlarge the scope of Article 71 office holders for the purposes of determining emoluments, the Government must as a matter of urgency set up the Independent Emoluments Commission. To provide some background, the establishment of an Independent Emoluments Commission (IEC) was a recommendation of the Constitution Review Commission in 2011. It was endorsed in the Government’s White Paper and both the Edu-Bandoh and Ntiamoa-Baidu Committees made a case for its urgent establishment. In fact, I am on record to have championed this position. If this proposed Independent Emoluments Committee is established, the Commission will not only stop the practice of setting up a new emoluments committee every four years and coming up with varying recommendations but will ensure that salary administration in Ghana is rationalized and equity is brought into the system. To emphasize this point, let me share a recommendation from the Edu-Bandoh Committee Report: ​​“The future of public sector salary regimes needs to be built on the guiding principles outlined in this report in determining and making recommendations on the emoluments of Article 71 Office Holders for 2013 – 2017. It is important that salary adjustments of all public sector workers take into account such principles as equity and fairness, productivity, cost of living, motivation, ability to pay, as well as accountability, among others. The future of fixing salaries of office holders in the Ghanaian public sector will be strengthened if the guiding principles are upheld in all sectors for the realization of equity and fairness in the public sector salary administration.” The times are dire, and the economy is under severe stress. Any attempt to broaden the scope and for that matter turn the spouses of the President and VP into permanent officeholders, in addition to the support provided to their offices, would appear unreasonable. I recall that I entered the 4th Republican Parliament in the same year as President Nana Akufo-Addo. As a young MP, I remember we debated an amendment to the Assets Declaration Law to expand its ambit. One of the groups targeted for an addition was spouses of public office holders including the President, Vice President, Ministers among others. Leading those who vehemently opposed the inclusion of spouses was President Akufo-Addo. I remember one of the main thrusts of his argument was that a spouse could not have known that their partner would end up in a high office at the time they got married. It would therefore be unfair to subject them to the hazards of an assets declaration regime (it would be in the Hansard somewhere). Have the chickens come home to roost? A spouse may not have known that their partner would end up in a high office at the time of marriage, so would it not be unfair to bestow upon them salaries as part of their husband’s emoluments in office? Finally, it has also been indicated that the First and Second Ladies have been receiving allowances from 2017 to date. Should the government choose to ignore the cries of the citizenry, as seems to be the pattern of the day, steps must then be taken to ensure that the Committee’s recommendations are not retroactively applied, leading to double payments. John Dramani Mahama Former President of Ghana Accra- Ghana Friday, July 9, 2021 Credit: 3news.com

President Akufo-Addo has fired shots at Former President Mahama over his ability to construct three (3) interchanges in the country as compared to only one which was built by the NDC government. According to President Akufo-Addo, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are good protectors of the public purse. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/empire-star-bryshere-gray-sentenced-to-jail-in-domestic-violence-case Speaking at the commission of the ultra-modern Pokuase Interchange, he said "Indeed, $289 million has been used by the Akufo-Addo government to construct three interchanges (Pokuase, Obetsebi Lamptey, and Tamale). President Akufo-Addo further lashed John Mahama saying the NDC government wasted $260 million to construct only the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/we-suspect-arson-targeted-at-destruction-and-concealment-of-material-evidence-at-tano-south-ndc In other developments, social media has shared mixed reactions over the commissioning of the Interchange. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

President Akufo-Addo, Friday, July 9, 2021, commissioned the four-tier Pokuase Interchange. The project’s construction commenced in April 2018 and was initially expected to be completed in October 2020. The completion date was later changed to March 2021. The government explained that the development was due to the outbreak of the Covid-19, which halted its progress. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu Speak at the commissioning of the interchange; he noted that “the completion of the project is an integral part of the comprehensive measures put in place by the government to address issues of congestion in urban centers and to help improve travel times on major arterial roads.” He said the Pokuase Interchange, together with two others, the Obetsebi and Tamale interchanges, was completed at the cost of $289 million. The government, in May 2021, assured that the project would be completed in the first week of July 2021. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video Estimated at the cost of $94.8 million, the project comprises the five-kilometer Awoshie-Pokuase road, a two-kilometer Accra-Nsawam road, two-kilometer Kwabenya road, and 10 kilometers of local roads to improve traffic flow in parts of Accra. The interchange at the ACP Junction in the Ga West Municipality was initially three-tier and upgraded to a four-tier facility. On November 5, 2020, President Akufo-Addo commissioned its first phase. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath The project was jointly financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government as part of a comprehensive, integrated urban transportation system to improve urban mobility. President Akufo-Addo stated that there are ongoing works to ensure that major road projects in the country are completed. It includes “phase two of the Obetsebi interchange; work on the North-South viaduct to link the Ring Road West to the Central mosque at Abossey-Okai is progressing steadily and is 15% complete. The works are expected to be completed in 2022. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws Others, he noted, include “the Tamale interchange which is 73% complete and will be completed by the end of this year, the PTC Roundabout in Takoradi which will commence next month in August.” Below are some pictures and video: Credit: Myjoyonline.com

When it comes to the misprioritization of public funds, the Government of Ghana is in a comfortable lead. For instance, when there were no hospital beds, and tools to help provide good healthcare for the ordinary Ghanaian, the government decided to build a Cathedral. Perhaps, as a largely dominated Christian nation, prayers are a better option. This article is not a direct attack on the government, but a concern of an ordinary citizen who can’t afford a two-square meal a day. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu A few hours ago, the minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah disclosed that the parliament has approved a petition to pay the first and second lady of the country 21,000 cedis as a monthly salary. To add more sore to injury, they have decided to backdate it to 2017. Now this statement didn’t only leave me in shock but completely knocked me off my seat! READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video Well, that wasn’t enough, the minister of Finance Ofori- Atta who had to fly to another country for “quality” healthcare for some reason has seen the need to take a loan of 28 million dollars to buy new cars for MPs! Shocking right? Sigh!! If this doesn’t break the camel’s back, nothing else will. What surprises me more is that Ken Ofori Atta couldn’t ask for a loan to improve the health sectors to stop them from flying abroad for medical care. Apparently, having new cars is more important than getting access to quality healthcare. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath The Government created a NABCO scheme to help curb the rate of unemployment in the country. Unfortunately, these employees who earn 699.00 a month haven’t been paid for three months and this has ended a lot of relationships. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws How can a man who earns 699.00 pay his rent, buy food, buy clothes, and still have some left to take care of his girlfriend? You can’t blame the girlfriend for dumping him for someone who can at least give her 100 cedis a week! The system is indeed hard! READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/empire-star-bryshere-gray-sentenced-to-jail-in-domestic-violence-case Anyway, this is just the tip of the iceberg, the next article tackles another serious concern in Ghana. Source: GHBase.com

The Regional Chief Manager of the Accra East Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Ing Emmanuel Johnson has hinted that his outfit will not accept any false accusations from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS)in an attempt to cover its shortcomings. According to him, the Accra East Region of GWCL is manned by competent staff who work day and night to provide water to citizens within its catchment area. Responding to allegations leveled against GWCL by the GNFS, he said "Ghana Water Company Limited has 11 functioning fire hydrants at vantage locations including the premises of the GNFS within the Central Business District" READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/empire-star-bryshere-gray-sentenced-to-jail-in-domestic-violence-case He added that the GWCL has a total of 70 fire hydrants in the whole of Accra Central District alone. He also hinted that there are no non-functioning fire-hydrant within the Central Business District adding that the GWCL does not see the need for GNFS to request for hydrants to be reopened. Ing. Johnson tagged the statement from the GNFS as untrue. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws "We do not have any records of GNFS ever engaging GWCL to rectify any challenges in the Central Business District in respect of Fire Hydrants. GWCL has no knowledge of any backup arrangements with private water providers or GWCL Water contractors for the GNFS" Ing. Emmanuel Johnson further mentioned that the GWCL was surprised to see Fire Tenders of the GNFS trooping into the Accra East Regional Office to fetch water to combat the fire while there was water flowing within the whole Central Business District. He explained that the Fire Hydrants were all in good working conditions. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath "On Monday, July 5, FS723 made 3 trips, FS519 made 3 trips, FS536 also made 2 trips while FS729 also made a trip while July 6 saw FS729 making 2 trips, FS727 making 1 trip likewise FS519 also making 1 trip" The Regional Chief Manager, Accra East further said "The GWCL has had several engagements with the GNFS and we have always cautioned them to refrain from fetching water from GWCL fire hydrants and selling to members of the general public" The Management of GWCL also accused some officials of the GNFS of selling water to the public adding that it has complained to their offices but it has yielded no results. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video The Management of the GWCL told Journalists that its outfit has discharged its duty by providing adequate hydrants in the Central Business District and all areas within the metropolis, ensuring that the hydrants are in good condition readily available for use by the GNFS. "Upon similar allegations against the GWCL in 2018, the GWCL requested for an audit of all the fire hydrants in the country, so together with the Ministry of Interior, we could have the faulty ones, claimed by the GNFS, repaired. The GWCL is still waiting for that response from the GNFS" THE Management of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) says it cannot be blamed in any way for the inability of the GNFS to douse the fire on Monday to the expectations of the general public. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu It charged the GNFS to adhere to their standard operating procedures and stop blaming others for their shortcomings. Watch the videos and pictures below: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma has handed himself in to police to begin serving a 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court. He was admitted to Estcourt Correctional Centre in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday. Police had warned that they were prepared to arrest him if he did not hand himself in by midnight. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu Zuma, 79, was handed the jail term last week after he failed to attend a corruption inquiry. The sentencing sparked an unprecedented legal drama in South Africa, which has never seen a former president jailed before. Zuma had initially refused to hand himself in, but in a short statement on Wednesday, the Jacob Zuma Foundation said he had “decided to comply”. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video His daughter, Dudu Zuma-Sambudla, later wrote on Twitter that her father was “en route [to the jail] and he is still in high spirits”. Zuma was sentenced on 29 June for defying an instruction to give evidence at an inquiry into corruption during his nine years in power. He has testified only once at the inquiry into what has become known as “state capture” – meaning the siphoning off of state assets. Businessmen have been accused of conspiring with politicians to influence the decision-making process while he was in office. But Zuma has repeatedly said that he is the victim of a political conspiracy. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath Though he was forced out of office by his own party in 2018, the African National Congress (ANC), he retains a loyal body of supporters, especially in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal. On Sunday, crowds formed what they called a human shield outside Zuma’s palatial home in an effort to prevent his arrest. Similar crowds gathered before he handed himself in on Wednesday. The BBC’s Nomsa Maseko, who was outside Zuma’s home on Wednesday, noted that there was a large police presence outside the property that included armed officers and a paramilitary unit. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws A delegation of senior officers is believed to have spent several hours inside the residence negotiating with the former president over his arrest. A convoy of cars, one of which was carrying Zuma, was then seen leaving the house at high-speed shortly before the midnight deadline for his detention. Zuma previously declared that he was prepared to go to prison. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/empire-star-bryshere-gray-sentenced-to-jail-in-domestic-violence-case However, he said that “sending me to jail during the height of a pandemic, at my age, is the same as sentencing me to death”. In a separate legal matter, Zuma pleaded not guilty last month in a corruption trial involving a $5bn (£3bn) arms deal from the 1990s. Source: BBC

Following Ghana's bid to stage one of the best-organized summits on the continent, cabinet has given approval for the Ministry of Youth and Sports to host about 2,000 youth in Africa for this year's African YouthConneckt Summit scheduled to take place from 11th - 13th October 2021 on the theme ”Positioning the Youth to take advantage of the African continental free trade market". To ensure a successful organization of the Summit, the Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon Mustapha Ussif has inaugurated a committee to oversee the feverish preparations towards the organization of the summit. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu Inaugurating the committee, the Hon. Minister charged members to endeavor to organize an exceptional summit by ensuring that footprints from the summit could be traced beyond the event to provide evidence of achievement. He noted that the era where such events were organized and follow-up actions were not taken is now a thing of the past. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video He indicated that the summit will serve as a platform for mindset change of the youth and open up their minds to the global opportunities available as far as the job market is concerned. According to the Minister, it is time to break the barriers between countries on the continent and re-orient the youth on the conversation of Pan Africanism for them to see themselves as one people ready to collaborate with ideas and expertise for the total development of the African youth. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath He gave an extensive background of the summit since its inception and noted that the idea is a laudable one that should be embraced by all Africans adding that the brain behind it was conceptualized by the President of Rwanda, H.E Paul Kagame who thought of using the summit to connect the youth to their leaders, peers, governance activities and more importantly job opportunities in Rwanda but decided to scale it up to cover the African Region. This is the first time the summit is being organized outside Kigali and Ghana is very much privileged to have the opportunity to host the teeming youth in the country to connect them to various ideas for development, he noted. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws He expressed his confidence in the members of the committee and advised them to give their total commitment to making the country proud by organizing a world-class event in October. The Chairman of the committee, the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon Evans Opoku Bobie expressed gratitude to the Minister and noted that all over the world the youth have become the center of focus because of the many challenges they face. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/empire-star-bryshere-gray-sentenced-to-jail-in-domestic-violence-case Members however have an opportunity to help mitigate the impact of their challenges and position them to take advantage of the summit to improve themselves. Members of the committee are as follows: Nelson Owusu Ansah, National Youth Authority, Akosua Asaa Manu, National Youth Authority, Fredrick Mugisha, UNDP, Sylvia Senu, UNDP, Amma Gyampo, scale-up Africa Limited, Mohammed Nurudeen Ismaila, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Nadel Majdoub, Ministry of National Security, Dina Boateng, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Kenneth Annang, Ministry of youth and sports Peter Kwasi Kodjie, All Africa Students Union, Theodora Williams Anti, Ghana Youth Federation, Samuel Korsah, Ministry of Youth and Sports Innocent Togoh, State Protocol, A representative from the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and a representative from the Ghana Tourism Authority. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/we-suspect-arson-targeted-at-destruction-and-concealment-of-material-evidence-at-tano-south-ndc Below are some pictures: Credit: Ministry of Youth and Sports

England's 55-year wait to reach a major men's final is over at last after victory against Denmark at Euro 2020, on a night of nerve-shredding tension then unconfined joy at Wembley. Gareth Southgate's side was on a mission to travel one step further than any England side had done since the 1966 World Cup final win against West Germany, and they finally achieved the long-cherished goal as they came from behind to triumph in extra time. In front of 66,000 fans and in a frenzied, thunderous atmosphere this newer Wembley has not experienced before, England battled their way out of adversity to secure a meeting with Italy in the final at the same venue on Sunday (20:00 BST kick-off). They had to fight for victory against steely opponents - who had an inspired keeper in Kasper Schmeichel - especially after conceding their first goal of the tournament to Mikkel Damsgaard's stunning free-kick after 30 minutes. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/bui-power-ceo-is-wrong-the-energy-minister-has-not-been-misled-by-gridco But they replied quickly as Denmark captain Simon Kjaer turned in Bukayo Saka's threatening cross six minutes before the break. Schmeichel was Denmark's hero as the hosts sought the winner, saving brilliantly from Harry Maguire and Harry Kane as the game went into extra time and the prospect of penalties loomed largely. The moment the nation has waited so long effectively arrived with Wembley's giant screens showing 103 minutes and captain Kane standing over a penalty after Raheem Sterling had been fouled by Joakim Maehle. Denmark was unhappy with the decision, which was checked by VAR. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/amplified-will-focus-on-amplifying-mentoring-youth-dev-t-activities-in-various-quarters-gov-t And in keeping with England's long and tortuous history, it was not straightforward as the normally ice-cool Kane saw an awful penalty saved by Schmeichel - but the rebound fell at his feet for him to score. Kane has now equaled Gary Lineker's long-standing record of 10 goals for England at major tournaments. Wembley went wild with deafening noise and wild celebrations and, after all the years of hurt, England has the golden opportunity to finally claim a major crown. Reaction from an ecstatic Wembley as England reach Euro 2020 final READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/summit-will-enable-authority-deliberate-take-decisions-on-political-security-in-mali-s-botchwey 'We had to dig deep' - Sterling 55 years, 302 games, and more than 140,000 miles - England's pursuit of final number two How England's win unfolded on social media England pass test of nerve On an unforgettable night, England answered two of the most crucial questions surrounding them. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/we-suspect-arson-targeted-at-destruction-and-concealment-of-material-evidence-at-tano-south-ndc For all the promise and progress since the bitter disappointment of defeat in the World Cup semi-finals in Moscow in 2018, the players and manager needed to prove they could overcome what has proved to be an insurmountable hurdle for both themselves and their predecessors after they also came up short in the last four at the Italia 90 World Cup and Euro 96. This was the acid test - at least before Sunday's final with formidable Italy - and they came up with the goods not only in the context of Euro 2020 but also in demonstrating their character and big-match mentality. England went into this semi-final on a wave of expectation and optimism after the last-16 victory against Germany at Wembley was followed up by the emphatic 4-0 demolition of Ukraine in the quarter-final in Rome. And they faced a test of their nerve when they fell behind to this excellent Danish side, Damsgaard's free-kick the first goal Jordan Pickford had conceded in 721 minutes for England. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/empire-star-bryshere-gray-sentenced-to-jail-in-domestic-violence-case England was ragged at this point but the response was full of conviction, equalizing swiftly then taking control before the tiring Danes and the magnificent Schmeichel were finally overcome with Kane's winner. Southgate's team has crossed a barrier no England team has made it beyond since Sir Alf Ramsey's World Cup winners - now we wait to see if it will give them the confidence and belief to clear the final hurdle. Southgate's big guns fire England to final As Southgate will have demanded of them, England's big players made their impact when it mattered most on a night when failure would have been hard to bear. Kane, who struggled to get into Euro 2020 during the group stage, rode his luck to score his fourth and most important goal of the tournament after his missed penalty, but his performance was full of energy and menace. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws He is back to his best and how England will need that against the two great Italian central-defensive warriors Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, who have a quality and street wisdom reflected in their combined total of 70 years. Sterling continued his superb tournament, reflected in the run that earned England's match-winning penalty, hitting at the heart of Denmark's outstanding defense until he finally drew the crucial mistake. And Manchester United captain Harry Maguire, an injury doubt who did not even make the start of the tournament, is now back in the role where Southgate wants him - defensive leader, powerhouse, and ever-present set-piece danger at one end and blockade at the other. Once the euphoria has died down and England's heroes clear their heads, they must go above and beyond the call of duty once more. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath Beaten Denmark can hold their heads high There were tears among Denmark's players as the final whistle sounded on their Euro 2020 campaign, one which began with the trauma of Christian Eriksen's cardiac arrest in their opening game against Finland then went on to be a huge credit to the coach, Kasper Hjulmand and his team. Denmark had the air of a squad on a mission as Eriksen thankfully continues his recovery but they were not simply fuelled by emotion, this was a team with quality and character who fully deserved to reach the last four. When they went to applaud their fans at the final whistle, their colorful followers gave Denmark the huge ovation they deserved. And, make no mistake, Denmark made this a very awkward night for England but might just curse the failure to protect their lead to half-time against opponents who were on the ropes when they went ahead. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video This was a cruel night for coach Hjulmand and his team - but they have graced Euro 2020 with their strength, unity, and their performances. Pickford's record - the best of the stats Jordan Pickford set a new record for an England goalkeeper for most minutes without conceding - 725 - overtaking Gordon Banks' 720 minutes set between May/July 1966. England won a European Championship knockout game after going behind for the first time, while it's the first time they have done so in a major tournament since a 3-2 win over Cameroon in the 1990 World Cup quarter-final. This was the seventh game at Euro 2020 to go to extra time, with the 1990 and 2014 World Cups the only major tournaments to see more matches go to the extended period (eight each). READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu Mikkel Damsgaard's opening goal for Denmark was the first direct free-kick goal of Euro 2020 with what was the 37th direct free-kick shot. Jack Grealish became the third England player to be both subbed on and subbed off in a match at a major tournament, after Jamie Redknapp (v Scotland in Euro 1996) and Aaron Lennon (v Portugal in the 2006 World Cup). At 19 years and 305 days, Bukayo Saka became the youngest Englishman to start a match at the semi-final stage or later of a major tournament. Below are some pictures: Credit: BBC

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) have agreed to lock down Achimota School for the next two weeks. As per a directive to the School’s authorities, no one will be allowed in or out of the school. This follows the recording of the fast-spreader Delta variant of Covid-19 among some infected students. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu About 135 students tested positive for the new variant through 89 later recovered. Authorities were alerted by the outbreak of the viral disease in the school after three students were taken ill between Monday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 16 for influenza-like symptoms. But this later turned out to be Covid-19. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video As of Saturday, July 3, 843 students and staff had been sampled. Among these, 348 are boarding students, 459 are day students, and 36 teaching and non-teaching staff. According to the GHS, results available for 550 samples indicated that the total positive was 135 with 293 pending as of Saturday, July 3, and the rest negative. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath That same day samples of more day students were taken. The latest directive means day students would have to remain home for the next two weeks as well. “We are not going to allow any visitation in the school for the next two weeks. The day students are going to be kept at home for the next two weeks, while those who are positive are going to be kept in isolation,” Director of Public Health at GHS Dr. Franklin Asiedu Bekoe said in an interview with Accra-based Joy FM. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws Credit: 3news.com

The Captain of Accra Great Olympics, Gladson Awako has spoken amid interest in him by Ghana Premier League giant Accra Hearts of Oak SC. The talisman for the DADE Boys is rumoured to be a top priority for the Rainbow club for the 2021-22 Ghana top-flight season. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/bui-power-ceo-is-wrong-the-energy-minister-has-not-been-misled-by-gridco According to one-time Ghana Premier League winner, he’s still a player of Olympic and wouldn’t want to talk about any other team until the end of the season. “At the moment, I have a contract with Great Olympics so I don’t want to talk about any other club. When I am done with my contract and if I am to talk to any club, I will do that,” he said in an interview with Silver FM. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures He also stated his preparedness to don the jersey of the Phobians or any big team in the country who will approach him for his signature at the end of the season. “Hearts is a big club, we have big clubs here in the country and if we finish the season and clubs like Hearts, Kotoko and all these big clubs say they want you, it means you’ve done a good job so if they should come and I feel it will help me, why not?” he quizzed. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath This season, the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup winner, Awako, has scored six goals, provided five assists with 5 Most Valuable Player awards. The Phobians are on course to win the League title for the first time in 12 years and the ex-TP Mazembe man’s experience in the African terrain could help the team in the CAF Champions League should they win the 2020-21 Ghana Premier League. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/man-beheaded-at-feyiase-in-ashanti-region-video Story by: News Desk Report

The Youth Wing of the largest opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it finds the attempts to institutionalize the payments of salaries to spouses of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President, Dr. Bawumia is an attack on the constitution of the country. According to the youth wing, the provision of Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution is elaborate and unambiguous by listing the public officials bound to draw their salaries from the Consolidated Fund. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu In a statement sighted by Thinknewsonline.com, it said "The Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress has become aware of a news item attributed to Information Minister. Hon Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, that Parliament has approved recommendations of the Prof. Yaa Ntiamoah-Baidu-led Committee on emoluments for Article 71 officeholders for which spouses of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will receive the same monthly salaries as Cabinet Ministers" The statement further added that it is surprising that at a time President Akufo-Addo has admonished all Ghanaians to make sacrifices and has imposed nuisance taxes coupled with draconian economic policies under the guise of the economic recovery of Covid-19. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video It also hinted that President Akufo-Addo gave clean bill of health for Parliament to approve a report of a committee he constituted to impose a further financial burden on the consolidated fund. "The terms of reference of the Prof. Yaa Ntiamoah-Baidu Committee gave out the President as Chief Architect of the decision to pay his wife, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo and wife of Vice President, Mrs. Samira Bawumia" READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath However, the Youth Wing noted that the decision to further drain the consolidated fund with needless expenditure is a pet project of President Akufo-Addo. The statement warned that the NDC Youth Wing in the coming days invokes the Supreme Court's jurisdiction to declare this cancerous and insensitive act unconstitutional. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws The NDC Youth Wing further announced the #NoSalaryUprising hashtag. Below is a copy of the release: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Tufuhene of Daboase in the Wassa East District of the Western Region, Nana Piabo IV, has accused riders of Pragya and Aboboyaa of being responsible for rising teenage pregnancies in the area. According to the angry chief, pregnancy among teenagers in recent times has been on the ascendancy. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/breaking-news-legon-cities-beef-up-technical-team-with-the-appointment-of-maxwell-konadu He indicated that checks reveal that riders of Pragya and Aboboyaa are the ones mostly responsible for the pregnancies. The chief noted that these riders are luring and sleeping with these young girls in exchange for Indomie and fast food for them. “What is happening right now is that these Pragya and Aboboya riders are using Indomie to entice these vulnerable young girls and impregnating them. We have issued several warnings to these riders but still, nothing is changing. We have deployed several struggles in an attempt to stop this trend but someway somehow the girls go to them. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/knust-suspends-src-elections-following-katanga-and-conti-clash-video “…it will interest you to know that these girls are aged between 13 to 16 years,” Nana Piabo IV told reporters at Daboase. Although the Tufuhene of Daboase notes that there have been attempts to use communal laws to deal with these men using Indomie to get girls pregnant, he laments that it has not been effective. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/ejura-gunshot-survivor-has-lost-one-leg-after-amputation-at-kath This he says is because parents are not helping but rather making things difficult. “We have many communal laws especially to guard against certain activities of children but we are not getting the corporation of parents. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws “The parents are making things difficult thereby rendering the laws ineffective. For example, we have said that children below 18 years should not attend a funeral and we were expecting parents to help us enforce this but we are not seeing any commitment from them,” Nana Piabo IV added. He emphasised, "Children mostly caught up in this mess and impregnated are girls whose parents are unable to provide for them. In a bid to fend for themselves, they are taken advantage of and lured with Indomie and fanciful things." READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/empire-star-bryshere-gray-sentenced-to-jail-in-domestic-violence-case Credit: Modern Ghana