A group known as the Concerned Drivers Association has indicated that it will increase transport fares by 40 percent, effective Monday, May 10, 2021. According to them, their resolve to increase the fares holds, despite the government’s announcement of a reduction in the price of fuel by eight pesewas per litre. The National Petroleum Authority (NPA), after a meeting with stakeholders on Tuesday, reduced the 17-pesewa margin on the prices of petroleum products to nine pesewas. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/watch-sarkodie-sips-malta-with-swag-video But the Spokesperson for the Concerned Drivers Association, David Agboado, says fares will still go up. He indicated that they considered various factors, including the anticipation of a general increase in the cost of fuel in the coming weeks on the world market. “The OMCs have their own margin that they will bring out later because we know that the world market will be shooting up from today to the 15th. The first window will come out and when it does, it will be more than that 27 cedis so based on that, we’ll stick with the 40% we want to take. It will take effect on Monday,” he said. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/politics-i-will-turn-nafti-into-a-multimedia-university-mahama Meanwhile, the leadership of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) says it will take a final decision on the percentage increase for transport fares after a meeting with the sector ministry. The General Secretary of GPRTU, Godfred Abulbira Adogma, had earlier told Citi News that the fare increment will be between 15% and 20%. He indicated that the Union had already planned to increase its fares following the approval of the 2021 budget but had to hold on due to the coming into force of new fuel price tariffs on May 1, 2021, to enable them to factor it into their new transport fares. “Our arguments does not depend on only fuel prices alone before the budget was laid before parliament we were even agitating for lorry fare adjustments and we were waiting for the budget to be approved before we looked at the components inside the budget that affects the running costs of the vehicle,” he said. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/lifestyle-spotlight-on-lisa-joy-ale-jay-youtuber-beauty-content-creator Many passengers anticipated that transport fares in the country will increase immediately after the government’s new tariffs, including a 30-pesewa spike in petroleum products, kick in on Saturday, May 1, 2021. An increase in transport fares is most likely to also affect the general cost of goods and services in the country. Credit: Citinewsroom

Some 202 police officers have been commissioned in Ghana to fight illegal mining popularly known as galamsey. The officers went through a 10-day intensive training before their deployment on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. Among other things, the officers received training pure police ethical professional training, physical training, minerals laws, Community and human rights. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-donates-5000-facemasks-150-hand-sanitizers-to-gaam-pictures The officers were drawn from the various police units across the 16 regions of Ghana. They were trained at the Ghana Police Command and Staff College in Winneba, the Central Region of Ghana. Speaking at a short ceremony in Winneba on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, to officially deploy the officers, Deputy Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, urged the personnel to put on the armor of patriotism and resist the temptation of bribe-taking. He also encouraged them to promote peace in the communities in which they will operate. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws According to him, their training will contribute to sustainable mining. The mining industry remains a key part of the economic development for Ghana, he stated. Mining companies and their respective host communities face complex challenges, he said. “The fight against illegal mining and protecting our environment is a national priority,” he said. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh, in a statement read on his behalf, encouraged the officers to demonstrate commitment, honesty, and integrity to bring honor to the Ghana Police Service. According to him, it was within the framework of the police’s responsibility to ensure law and order that the officers have been deployed to protect the environment and river bodies. See pictures below: Credit: African Entertainment

The statue itself – referred to as “Fragment of Myron Samian Athena” – is thought to date to the early- to mid-Roman Empire, and depicts a person’s lower half. Kim Kardashian found herself caught up in an unlikely international art smuggling row Tuesday involving an ancient Roman sculpture that was imported to California under her name. US prosecutors last week called for the statue fragment — which was seized at a Los Angeles port in 2016 — to be forfeited and returned to Italy, citing an Italian archaeologist who found it saying the piece had been “looted, smuggled and illegally exported.” READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-donates-5000-facemasks-150-hand-sanitizers-to-gaam-pictures Court documents said the consignee and importer's name was listed as “‘Kim Kardashian dba Noel Roberts Trust’ in Woodland Hills, California” and referred to an invoice “for the sale of the defendant statue by Vervoordt to Noel Robert Trust, dated March 11, 2016.” The Noel Roberts Trust is an entity linked to real estate purchases and sales made by Kardashian and her estranged husband Kanye West in the United States. Axel Vervoordt is a Belgian art dealer who was responsible for the decoration of Kardashian’s mansion near Los Angeles, according to the Artnet News website. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws But a spokeswoman for Kardashian on Tuesday dismissed US media reports tying the reality star to the statue, telling AFP they did not contain “accurate information.” The statue itself — referred to as “Fragment of Myron Samian Athena” — is thought to date to the early- to mid-Roman Empire, and depicts a person’s lower half. The Italian archaeologist who studied the statue declared it “of classical Peplophoros style… which represents a copy of an original Greek sculpture.” READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures It was seized at the Los Angeles port in May 2016 as part of a larger 5.5-ton (5,000 kg) shipment worth $745,000, on suspicion, it could be “protected cultural property from Italy” in violation of a law requiring proper documentation for importing rare archaeological items. Deepening the mystery, prosecutors said the invoice provided to them by the customs broker for the fragment’s previous 2012 sale to Vervoordt by a gallery in Paris appeared to refer to a different statue entirely. Vervoordt did not immediately reply to AFP’s request for comment. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/eradicating-poverty-coastal-development-authority-unveils-kayayei-empowerment-policy-pictures Credit: AFP

A Malian woman has reportedly given birth to nine babies in Morocco. AFP first reported about the woman giving birth to nonuplets. Reports say she gave birth on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-donates-5000-facemasks-150-hand-sanitizers-to-gaam-pictures The Malian Government was reported as announcing through its Health Ministry that indeed she gave birth to the nine babies. The Government reportedly announced that the babies are “doing well.” Mali’s health ministry indicated in a statement that Cisse had given birth to five girls and four boys by Caesarean section. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws “The mother and babies are doing well so far,” Mali’s Health Minister Fanta Siby was quoted by AFP as saying. The Minister is cited as saying she had been kept informed by the Malian doctor who accompanied Cisse to Morocco. The woman is called Halima Cisse, aged 25 and from the North of Mali. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures Reports say the Malian Government flew her to Morocco for better health care on March 30, 2021. Initially, she was thought to be carrying septuplets. Siby congratulated “the medical teams of Mali and Morocco, whose professionalism is at the origin of the happy outcome of this pregnancy”. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/eradicating-poverty-coastal-development-authority-unveils-kayayei-empowerment-policy-pictures Credit: AFP

Lynx Entertainment signee, Kuami Eugene has revealed that he has the ambition to become a politician aside from his musical career. The “Angela’ hitmaker made this revelation in an interview on the “Y’Adwuma Nie” program hosted by DJ Ohemaa Woyeje on Accra-based radio station, Angel FM. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/covid-19-coda-donates-ppes-to-ga-traditional-council-ahead-of-homowo-celebrations According to Kuami Eugene, he has been preparing himself for the future to grab any political opportunity that may come his way. “I am not only concerned about music. I have more ambitions even to occupy other positions including government positions. It would not be bad to take up a political role in government, because I am the kind of guy who is concerned about our collective wellbeing”, he said in the interview monitored by African Entertainment. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-donates-5000-facemasks-150-hand-sanitizers-to-gaam-pictures He added, “So to reach that level, you need to attain certain qualifications. I am working towards it, putting together some online studies to be able to attain some certificates and more towards the future”. Credit: African Entertainment

The Government of Ghana has charged the National Media Commission (NMC) to be professional and independent on matters of assaults on Journalists that come before them. According to the government, it is committed to the culture of free media in Ghana. Speaking at the commissioning of the office for the Coordinated Mechanism on the safety of Journalists in Accra, the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said "It is the reason I cannot agree that there is a culture of silence in Ghana because the government is committed to the culture of free media in Ghana. I call on the National Media Commission to be professional and independent on matters that come before the office" READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/eradicating-poverty-coastal-development-authority-unveils-kayayei-empowerment-policy-pictures He further charged journalists to take advantage of the facility in addressing pressing issues on their safety. The Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase Ayirebi also mentioned that it is the big wish of the government for the facility and its operations will grow beyond what it is today and be replicated in other regions. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah lauded his former deputy minister for Information, Pious Enam Hadzide among others for walking the journey in making the office a reality. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures In an exclusive interview with Thinknewsonline.com, Vice-President of the Ghana Journalist Association, Linda Asante-Agyei said "I am happy that today we have our own office. We have indeed suffered enough. This office will help us gather enough reliable data in terms of attacks on us. Previously, it used to be phone calls and that made it difficult to keep records" She, however, appealed to journalists to desist from broadcasting attacks on media personnel on their various airwaves. "This is a new chapter, we are starting so it is always better to live to tell the story than you being the story to be told. As you step out to cover a program or gather information for your story, ensure that you are well protected" READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws On his part, the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission (NMC), Geroge Sarpong said "The key stakeholders have come together to set up this office to protect you. Henceforth, if anything happens to you, please let us know, let us work together to protect you but beyond what happens to journalists, we also want to help them to avoid these" He hinted that no case is dead on the part of the NMC adding that the new office will be looking into cases of media personnel who were man-handed and assaulted in their line of duty. "If you attack a journalist in response to his work, we will come at you" he warned. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-donates-5000-facemasks-150-hand-sanitizers-to-gaam-pictures UNESCO's representative to Ghana, Abdourahamane Diallo lauded the government for the office adding that he is confident all complaints reported will be dealt with accordingly. On her part, Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service Supt. Sheila Kessie Abayie -Buckman said "We are here this evening to plead the commitment of Police Administration and the Inspector General of Police to the safety of Journalists" She hinted that even within the police service's small space, they try to have police-media relations and safety of journalists in Ghana which shows their commitment. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/covid-19-coda-donates-ppes-to-ga-traditional-council-ahead-of-homowo-celebrations Thinknewsonline.com has gathered that the office will become the source for filing complaints of attacks on journalists, validating alleged attacks, following up on investigations and sanctions, and reporting on the safety of journalists. Cabinet approved the framework for safety in 2020 after the Ministry of Information submitted a memo to its effect. The National Media Commission has been tasked to be the independent operator of the office as part of its efforts to promote the industry. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/we-ve-instructed-persons-engaged-in-illegal-mining-to-suspend-activities-and-evacuate-s-jinapor Below are some pictures and videos: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) says it has reduced fuel margins from 17 pesewas To 9 pesewas per litre. According to the NPA, the reduction takes effect from Wednesday, May 5, 2021. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws In a communique sighted by Thinknewsonline.com, it said "The 17 pesewas per litre increase in fuel margins previously announced by the NPA has been reduced to 9 pesewas per litre effective tomorrow Wednesday 5 the May 2021" Present at the meeting held at the Ministry of Energy earlier today were; the Hon. Minister for Energy, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs), Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Co Ltd (BOST), the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) and the Institue for Energy Policies and Research (INSTEPR). Background It will be recalled that some scores of Ghanaians registered their displeasure over the increase in fuel prices. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/covid-19-coda-donates-ppes-to-ga-traditional-council-ahead-of-homowo-celebrations Ghanaians took to social media to protest against the increase in prices. Below is a copy of the communique: Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

It’s 2019 and a few hundred thousand dollars later, the BMW X6 Vantablack is born. Based on the production series X6, the Vantablack was touted at the time as the darkest color in the world. And the only one of its kind on a car. The X6 VBX6 was the result of a collaboration between BMW and Surrey NanoSystems, the inventors of the Vantablack technology. At the time, BMW said that the X6 is the first and only vehicle in the world to feature a Vantablack VBx2 paint finish. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/eradicating-poverty-coastal-development-authority-unveils-kayayei-empowerment-policy-pictures The engineers at the two companies explained to us that the human eye perceives Vantablack as two-dimensional. A surface coated in Vantablack loses its defining features to the human eye, with objects appearing two-dimensional. Vantablack is also named the “blackest black” and was developed for aerospace applications. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures The name Vantablack has already become synonymous with an entire range of extremely black coatings and paints such as VBx2. It contains an acronym of the technology enabling this superior black in its first two syllables, which stand for Vertically Aligned Nano Tube Array, a matrix made out of carbon. Each of these carbon nanotubes has a length of 14 to 50 micrometers, with a diameter of 20 nanometers, making it around 5,000 times thinner than a human hair. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws As a result, around a billion of these vertically aligned carbon nanotubes fit into one square centimeter. Any light striking this surface is almost completely absorbed rather than reflected, and effectively converted into heat. But today, the Vantablack X6 is heading to an underground garage at BMW with its fate still to be decided. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-donates-5000-facemasks-150-hand-sanitizers-to-gaam-pictures The car was scheduled to attend several events in 2020, but the global pandemic put a stop to those exciting plans. After storing the car for many months, the paint starts losing its magic due to dust particles. So as a send-off, BMW decided to give us one final look at the special SUV. Let’s take a look at this video along with another video we put together at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2019 showing the car on the street. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/covid-19-coda-donates-ppes-to-ga-traditional-council-ahead-of-homowo-celebrations Watch the video below: Credit: Horatiu Boeriu

Popular Nigerian singer, Flavour has been spotted in a unique manner as he was performing his fatherly duties with his children. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws In a video shared on his Instagram page, he was surrounded by his two daughters and adopted son. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-donates-5000-facemasks-150-hand-sanitizers-to-gaam-pictures Flavour read out some Igbo words from a screen and made his children repeat them after him. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/covid-19-coda-donates-ppes-to-ga-traditional-council-ahead-of-homowo-celebrations See the adorable video below: Credit: Promise Nmesoma

Bill and Melinda Gates announce divorce after 27 years, saying “we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple”. “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” the pair wrote on Twitter. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/eradicating-poverty-coastal-development-authority-unveils-kayayei-empowerment-policy-pictures The two met in the late 1980s when Melinda joined Bill’s Microsoft firm. They have three children. They jointly run the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures The organization has spent billions fighting causes such as infectious diseases and encouraging vaccinations in children. The Gates’ – along with investor Warren Buffett – are behind the Giving Pledge, which calls on billionaires to commit to giving away the majority of their wealth to good causes. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws Bill Gates is the fourth wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes. Below is an embedded tweet: Credit: BBC

The National Security has busted a-13-member gang involved in the printing and distribution of fake currency notes to unsuspecting victims, mostly foreign nationals. A statement issued by the National Security Secretariat, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the gang, led by one Yassei Alia, a 45-year-old Syrian resident in East Legon, and owner of Hardford Auto Service in Accra, together with Danjuma Zakaria alias Alhaji Mohammed, 49 and resident of Tema West, were rounded up in a warehouse within the premises of NacCharter Cargo and Freight Company, near KLM offices within the Kotoka International Airport, on Monday, April, 27 at around 5:30 pm. Freshly printed $10,000 bundles of fake $100 notes concealed in two large metal trunks and a suitcase were retrieved from the warehouse. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/we-ve-instructed-persons-engaged-in-illegal-mining-to-suspend-activities-and-evacuate-s-jinapor The statement said the amount was estimated to be over $5 million. Other suspected accomplices arrested during the operation include Esther Omozeea, Emad Aldalhi, Kamal Mohammed, Abdulai Yakubu Osman, and Samuel Ababio. The remaining are John Denyo, Desmond Delali Dumenu, Alike Happiness, Prosper Chukwu, Victor Israel, Padi Christian Holdbrook. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/covid-19-coda-donates-ppes-to-ga-traditional-council-ahead-of-homowo-celebrations It said in their caution statements, Yassei and Mohammed, who drove to the warehouse in the former’s car, denied knowledge of the deal. It noted that, however, when questioned separately, Yassei, who held a Syrian passport, a Guinea-Bissau diplomatic passport, and a Nigerian national driver’s license issued in Ogun State, indicated that he had gone to the warehouse to have a discussion with one Kojo, an alleged cargo dealer and operator of the premises, regarding a V8 engine the latter was to import on his behalf, while Alhaji Mohammed stated that he had gone to solicit for financial help from Kojo to enable him to procure a vehicle from Holland. The statement said further, while Yassei claimed Kojo sat in a meeting with them on the said day, Alhaji Mohammed indicated that Kojo was not at the premises at the time of their visit and that while waiting for him, they were arrested. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-donates-5000-facemasks-150-hand-sanitizers-to-gaam-pictures It said incidentally, two of the suspects interrogated separately corroborated Mohammed’s claim that Kojo was not seen at the premises on the said day. “The group’s modus operandi, according to intelligence, suggests that they lure unsuspecting victims with claims that they have access to millions of US dollars in Libya,” the statement said. “Victims are given genuine sums of US dollars to spend for free, as a proof of the genuineness of the deal.” READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws It noted that once convinced, victims were requested to deposit huge sums of USD dollars as freight charges to aid the shipment of the said dollars to the victims. It said upon receipt of the amount, the suspects' package fake dollars stashed in between a few hundreds of genuine notes, for onward delivery to their victims. It said shortly after the arrest, one Bandoh, Alhaji-Ahmed, alias Alhaji Bamed, owner of Bamed Travel and Tours, who claims to be a Presidential Staffer at the Castle, and a client of Yassie, drove to the National Security headquarters, verbally assaulted the leader of the operation, and vowed to free the suspects. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures It said the aggressive conduct of Alhaji Bamed, suggested that he might be involved in the deal, particularly when investigations are ongoing. It said officials of National Security had assured Ghanaians that the government was determined to rid the country of fake currency syndicates and warned that persons involved in the illegality would be arrested and dealt with accordingly. The National Security has therefore urged the public to report suspicious activities of persons to security agencies to aid their arrest and prosecution. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/eradicating-poverty-coastal-development-authority-unveils-kayayei-empowerment-policy-pictures Meanwhile, investigations continue. Below are pictures: Source: GNA

President Akufo-Addo has reiterated that the former Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelevo was not hounded out of office. According to him, Mr Domelevo’s resignation was due to his attainment of the national retirement age of 60. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/eradicating-poverty-coastal-development-authority-unveils-kayayei-empowerment-policy-pictures “There’s a time for retiring which is prescribed by statue not my making. If you are 60 years old you’re suppose no longer to be able to work in the public service,” he said. On the night of March 3, the President retired the anti-graft campaigner who had just returned from a 167-day forced leave. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-outdoors-credit-union-to-support-informal-sector-pictures In a letter signed by Nana Asante Bediatuo Wednesday, the Secretary to the President said “The attention of the President of the Republic has been drawn to records and documents made available to this Office by the Audit Service, that indicate that your date of birth is June 1, 1960, and that in accordance with article 199 (1) of the Constitution, your date of retirement as Auditor-General was June 1, 2020,” the letter said. This move was heavily criticized by a section of the public. READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/facemask-coda-boss-urges-police-to-enforce-laws These include civil society organisations who have highlighted the have highlighted its propensity to stifle the anti-corruption fight. But in an interview with CNN on Monday, the President said “the Auditor-General, like me… should be some of the first [persons] to recognize the laws in our country.” READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/local-news-coda-donates-5000-facemasks-150-hand-sanitizers-to-gaam-pictures Credit: Myjoyonline.com