THE former Minister for Youth and Sports, Mallam Ali Yusif Isa, who was jailed for wilfully causing financial loss to the state, has declared his support for the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“I am going to vote for Prof Atta Mills in the forthcoming December election and urge all Ghanaians to do the same,” he said.
At a press conference in Accra yesterday to explain the rationale for his decision to support the NDC, he said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration had failed to fight against corruption contrary to their zero-tolerance-for-corruption claim.
He said he had learnt his lessons and believed that the only way to reposition Ghana on the path of true reconciliation, prosperity and growth was for Ghanaians to vote for a better man for a better Ghana.
He challenged the legality of the law on wilfully causing financial loss to the state and questioned the government’s commitment to the slogan of ‘zero tolerance for corruption’.
The former minister also reacted to a statement made by the President, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, in an interview on BBC, in which he tried to defend his promise of zero tolerance for corruption, as well as one by the New Patriotic Party Presidential aspirant, Nana Akufo Addo, at the recent Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Presidential Debate held in Tamale.
Both President Kufour and Nana Akufo-Addo cited Mallam Isa’s case to support the NPP government’s commitment to zero tolerance for corruption during on those separate occasions.
The former Sport Minister therefore challenged Nana Akufo-Addo to tell the whole world the basis for ordering his prosecution and how he managed to manipulate the judiciary to secure his sentence in 72 days, which he described the fastest trial in the history of Ghana.
“Ghana cannot continue on this path of selective application of the law. The NPP did not imprison me only but also other hard-working citizens such as Messrs Kwame Peprah, Ibrahim Adams, Dr George Sipa Yankey and Tsatsu Tsikata, who obviously are not members of the NPP,” he stated.
He recalled that President Kufuor, in a deceitful gesture to portray to the whole world that he was a unifier, appointed Professor George Hagan and Dr Paa Kwesi Ndoum from the Convention People’s Party (CPP), himself from the People’s National Convention (PNC) party and a few others to be part of his administration, but little did he know that the “ All-inclusive Government” being propagated by the President was going to be one of his many failed promises.
Mallam Isa claimed that President Kufour had over-looked several cases of corruption and maladministration under his watch and expressed the belief that though the press conference would not stop Nana Akufo-Addo and President Kufour from citing his case as the flagship of their fight against corruption, “one would surely agree that they have never been committed to the fight against corruption”.
According to him, he never embezzled the said US$46,000, for which he was prosecuted and imprisoned, stressing that “Nana Akufo-Addo did not prove beyond reasonable doubt that I stole and wilfully caused financial loss to the state and I never resigned from President Kufour’s government as he will have the whole world believe”.
“The list of corruption charges which the NPP government has left unattended to or, at best, swept under the carpet is endless,” he stated , and noted that he had now learnt his lessons and hoped that none of his peers would go through his experience.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Gov’t/Yale University support students
THE government, in partnership with the Yale University in the United States (US), has sponsored four Ghanaian students from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) to study in Global Infectious Diseases Research at the university, as part of their educational agenda to reverse “brain drain”.
The partnership, which is a bi-directional exchange of students with four students of Yale studying at the NMIMR, is expected to create a model for improving health care in Ghana.
The Vice-President of the University of Wales, Ms Linda Koch Lorimer, who is attending the university’s conference in Ghana, told the Daily Graphic that by strengthening academic infrastructure and creating viable career opportunities for African and American scientists, progress could be made in reversing the brain drain in Ghana and in Africa as a whole.
She said the partnership, which was part of Yale University’s efforts at globalising its institutional structures, was an innovative programme that would harness the unparalleled expertise of the research faculty at the University of Ghana and Yale University by supporting collaborative initiatives in basic science, translational and clinical research.
The rationale behind the collaborative programme, she said, was also to inspire young scientists in Africa and in the US to pursue research careers by offering them valuable mentoring under established senior investigators at those world renowned institutions.
“The programme affords students at Yale the opportunity to work closely with the research faculty of the Noguchi Institute to conduct laboratory and field-based studies of major global infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and intestinal parasites,” she stated, and noted that at the moment, graduate level students and research trainees from the University of Ghana were spending eight weeks in New Haven, working in a research faculty at Yale on laboratory-based projects designed to understand some global infectious diseases.
Additionally, she said the exchange of trainees and faculties would provide opportunities for US researchers to bring their expertise to bear on globally important problems that Ghana faced, and subsequently provide Ghanaians with the training that would enhance their capacity to develop independent research careers.
Mr Michael Capello, a Professor of Paediatrics & Microbial Pathogenesis at the Yale University School of Medicine, said the Yale had sponsored experienced executives in Ghana and across Africa in the Yale World Fellows Programme, where they had equal scholarship schemes with their counterparts in the US.
He said the programme, which was in its 7th year, was a four-month programme, with a specific curriculum on global issues aimed at building a global network of emerging leaders and to broaden their international understanding at Yale.
“Each year, the programme brings to Yale highly accomplished men and women from diverse sets of countries around the world,” he stated, and noted that the fellows were selected from a range of fields and disciplines, including government, business, religion, military, the media and the arts.
That, he noted, was to prepare the fellows for greater roles of leadership, expand their professional and personal horizons, and contribute to a deepening of international awareness and dialogue within the Yale community.
The partnership, which is a bi-directional exchange of students with four students of Yale studying at the NMIMR, is expected to create a model for improving health care in Ghana.
The Vice-President of the University of Wales, Ms Linda Koch Lorimer, who is attending the university’s conference in Ghana, told the Daily Graphic that by strengthening academic infrastructure and creating viable career opportunities for African and American scientists, progress could be made in reversing the brain drain in Ghana and in Africa as a whole.
She said the partnership, which was part of Yale University’s efforts at globalising its institutional structures, was an innovative programme that would harness the unparalleled expertise of the research faculty at the University of Ghana and Yale University by supporting collaborative initiatives in basic science, translational and clinical research.
The rationale behind the collaborative programme, she said, was also to inspire young scientists in Africa and in the US to pursue research careers by offering them valuable mentoring under established senior investigators at those world renowned institutions.
“The programme affords students at Yale the opportunity to work closely with the research faculty of the Noguchi Institute to conduct laboratory and field-based studies of major global infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and intestinal parasites,” she stated, and noted that at the moment, graduate level students and research trainees from the University of Ghana were spending eight weeks in New Haven, working in a research faculty at Yale on laboratory-based projects designed to understand some global infectious diseases.
Additionally, she said the exchange of trainees and faculties would provide opportunities for US researchers to bring their expertise to bear on globally important problems that Ghana faced, and subsequently provide Ghanaians with the training that would enhance their capacity to develop independent research careers.
Mr Michael Capello, a Professor of Paediatrics & Microbial Pathogenesis at the Yale University School of Medicine, said the Yale had sponsored experienced executives in Ghana and across Africa in the Yale World Fellows Programme, where they had equal scholarship schemes with their counterparts in the US.
He said the programme, which was in its 7th year, was a four-month programme, with a specific curriculum on global issues aimed at building a global network of emerging leaders and to broaden their international understanding at Yale.
“Each year, the programme brings to Yale highly accomplished men and women from diverse sets of countries around the world,” he stated, and noted that the fellows were selected from a range of fields and disciplines, including government, business, religion, military, the media and the arts.
That, he noted, was to prepare the fellows for greater roles of leadership, expand their professional and personal horizons, and contribute to a deepening of international awareness and dialogue within the Yale community.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Two remanded for defilement
TWO persons have been remanded by the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defiling and impregnating a 15-year-old girl.
According to the prosecution, the first accused person, Richard Ofori Nunoo, aged 28, is a pastor with the "Wings of Success Ministry” at Laterbiokoshie but lives at Kaneshie, whilst the second accused person, Ernest Andrews, aged 39, is a cook, who resides at Sukula and Emefs Estate in Afienya, Accra.
According to the prosecution, the complainant, Samuel Tornyi, who is the father of the victim and lives at Russia, a suburb in Accra, disclosed that on January 30, 2008, the victim left home unceremoniously and all efforts to trace her proved futile.
It said while loitering, the victim came into contact with one Patience Tackie, a member of church of the first accused.
Patience, the prosecution noted, took the victim home to stay with her, at her residence at Laterbiokoshie and with time the first accused, Nunoo, got to know the victim.
It continued that the victim used to go to the first accused person's house to do house chores for him on request, but after sometime the victim moved in to stay with the first accused.
The first accused then took advantage of her and defiled her during the month of October, 2008.
The prosecution further explained that the second accused person, Ernest Andrews, got to know the victim through his sister, one Naa Adjeley, who also lives with Patience.
He said whilst the relationship between the first accused person was pending, the second accused person was also in contact with the victim till November 1, 2008 when he too defiled the victim in his room at Afienya after inviting her there.
The complainant, the prosecution went on, later got a hint that the victim was staying with the first accused and had him and the second accused arrested by the Dansoman Police on November 3, 2008, and later brought to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Accra.
The case, he said, was initially reported as an abduction but in the course of the investigation, the victim testified that both the first and second accused persons had had series of sexual intercourse with her.
The victim was sent to the hospital for examination and treatment and a report on the victim indicated that she was pregnant, he added, saying that all efforts to get Patience Tackie to testify in the case had proved futile.
He said after investigations, the first and second accused persons were arrested, charged with the offence and brought before the court.
The case was adjourned to November 11, 2008.
According to the prosecution, the first accused person, Richard Ofori Nunoo, aged 28, is a pastor with the "Wings of Success Ministry” at Laterbiokoshie but lives at Kaneshie, whilst the second accused person, Ernest Andrews, aged 39, is a cook, who resides at Sukula and Emefs Estate in Afienya, Accra.
According to the prosecution, the complainant, Samuel Tornyi, who is the father of the victim and lives at Russia, a suburb in Accra, disclosed that on January 30, 2008, the victim left home unceremoniously and all efforts to trace her proved futile.
It said while loitering, the victim came into contact with one Patience Tackie, a member of church of the first accused.
Patience, the prosecution noted, took the victim home to stay with her, at her residence at Laterbiokoshie and with time the first accused, Nunoo, got to know the victim.
It continued that the victim used to go to the first accused person's house to do house chores for him on request, but after sometime the victim moved in to stay with the first accused.
The first accused then took advantage of her and defiled her during the month of October, 2008.
The prosecution further explained that the second accused person, Ernest Andrews, got to know the victim through his sister, one Naa Adjeley, who also lives with Patience.
He said whilst the relationship between the first accused person was pending, the second accused person was also in contact with the victim till November 1, 2008 when he too defiled the victim in his room at Afienya after inviting her there.
The complainant, the prosecution went on, later got a hint that the victim was staying with the first accused and had him and the second accused arrested by the Dansoman Police on November 3, 2008, and later brought to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Accra.
The case, he said, was initially reported as an abduction but in the course of the investigation, the victim testified that both the first and second accused persons had had series of sexual intercourse with her.
The victim was sent to the hospital for examination and treatment and a report on the victim indicated that she was pregnant, he added, saying that all efforts to get Patience Tackie to testify in the case had proved futile.
He said after investigations, the first and second accused persons were arrested, charged with the offence and brought before the court.
The case was adjourned to November 11, 2008.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
NPP campaign activists to renergise supporters
THE second batch of campaign activists from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Women & Youth Wing in Accra have left for various parts of the country to rejuvenate and re-energise supporters in the regions to turn out massively to clinch a ‘one touch’ victory for the party in the December elections.
In the regions, the activists would consult widely with local stakeholders such as the regional and constituency women organisers, identify recurrent challenges, resolve party conflicts and educate voters on why the NPP government should be re-elected.
The activists, made up of 100 women in groups of ten, would visit parts of the country including, the Eastern, Western, Northern and Volta regions, with an avowed aim to add at least a minimum of one per cent to the party’s overall percentage in the presidential election.
Dubbed, the “Good Women’s Tour”, the Co-ordinator of the Secretariat, Mrs Leonora Kyeremanteng, said the secretariat which had groups in all the ten regions in Ghana had targeted difficult constituencies, and hoped to “turn them green.”
She noted that the first teams, made up of 36 women, were dispatched to the Upper West, Upper East and the Northern regions.
She said their intention was to penetrate the grassroots and through strategic advocacy win floating voters.
Mrs Kyeremanteng indicated that it had been their long term objective to institutionalise the secretariat to actively promote and implement policies on women and children.
She said the team was also determined to promote gender governance in politics and development to enable them to contribute to national development at the grass root level.
She advised the women to show respect to the regional and constituency organisers of the party to make their campaigns successful.
In the regions, the activists would consult widely with local stakeholders such as the regional and constituency women organisers, identify recurrent challenges, resolve party conflicts and educate voters on why the NPP government should be re-elected.
The activists, made up of 100 women in groups of ten, would visit parts of the country including, the Eastern, Western, Northern and Volta regions, with an avowed aim to add at least a minimum of one per cent to the party’s overall percentage in the presidential election.
Dubbed, the “Good Women’s Tour”, the Co-ordinator of the Secretariat, Mrs Leonora Kyeremanteng, said the secretariat which had groups in all the ten regions in Ghana had targeted difficult constituencies, and hoped to “turn them green.”
She noted that the first teams, made up of 36 women, were dispatched to the Upper West, Upper East and the Northern regions.
She said their intention was to penetrate the grassroots and through strategic advocacy win floating voters.
Mrs Kyeremanteng indicated that it had been their long term objective to institutionalise the secretariat to actively promote and implement policies on women and children.
She said the team was also determined to promote gender governance in politics and development to enable them to contribute to national development at the grass root level.
She advised the women to show respect to the regional and constituency organisers of the party to make their campaigns successful.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Zain connects through music
ZAIN, a mobile telecommunication network in the middle East will launch its introduction to the Ghanaian telecom industry with a spectacular music extravaganza at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra, on November 22, 2008.
In an interview with the three of the local artistes who are billed to perform along side International Grammy award winning stars like Wycleff Jean, Eve and Mario, they said it was an opportunity to share a stage with these stars.
Tinny said he started following the works of Wyclef during his days with Refugees and described him as a dynamic musician.
Obrafuor also stated that Wyclef has been his mentor since childhood and has been yearning to follow his footsteps but Kwaw On his part, “Abodam” Kesse said it is an opportunity to tell the rest of the world that Ghanaian music had reached far.
The concert dubbed, “The Zain 026 Experience” would also feature 2008 Mobo Award winner 2Face Idibia from Nigeria.
The Marketing Director of Zain Ghana, Mr Charles Maye, at the launch said the 026 experience was about connecting people through music, which he said knew no boundaries and an excellent way of bringing people together.
“We will create a wonderful world for our customers by giving them opportunities to succeed and celebrate life through our superior network and excellent customer care”, he added.
Zain is a major player in the telecom industry in Africa, providing a comprehensive range of mobile voice and data services in 22 countries to over 56 million customers of which 33 million were in Africa.
The company begun operations in Ghana in 2007 through the acquisition of a major stake in Westle Ghana Limited.
It also created the “One Network”, the world’s first borderless mobile network connecting customers in the Eastern, Central and West Africa.
The concept allows customers to make call at local rates, use voice mail and the local services anywhere, or top-up pre-paid phones in their home country, or any of the countries they were located in.
In an interview with the three of the local artistes who are billed to perform along side International Grammy award winning stars like Wycleff Jean, Eve and Mario, they said it was an opportunity to share a stage with these stars.
Tinny said he started following the works of Wyclef during his days with Refugees and described him as a dynamic musician.
Obrafuor also stated that Wyclef has been his mentor since childhood and has been yearning to follow his footsteps but Kwaw On his part, “Abodam” Kesse said it is an opportunity to tell the rest of the world that Ghanaian music had reached far.
The concert dubbed, “The Zain 026 Experience” would also feature 2008 Mobo Award winner 2Face Idibia from Nigeria.
The Marketing Director of Zain Ghana, Mr Charles Maye, at the launch said the 026 experience was about connecting people through music, which he said knew no boundaries and an excellent way of bringing people together.
“We will create a wonderful world for our customers by giving them opportunities to succeed and celebrate life through our superior network and excellent customer care”, he added.
Zain is a major player in the telecom industry in Africa, providing a comprehensive range of mobile voice and data services in 22 countries to over 56 million customers of which 33 million were in Africa.
The company begun operations in Ghana in 2007 through the acquisition of a major stake in Westle Ghana Limited.
It also created the “One Network”, the world’s first borderless mobile network connecting customers in the Eastern, Central and West Africa.
The concept allows customers to make call at local rates, use voice mail and the local services anywhere, or top-up pre-paid phones in their home country, or any of the countries they were located in.
Samini to give to charity
In view of the global food crises, Samini, one of Ghana’s finest music icons has decided to offer half the produce of his four acre maize field to charity as part of his campaign for “Food For All” to address the problem of food shortage in the country.
He said his maize field would be ready for harvest by the end of the year and believes that as his social responsibility, he should give back to the public, particularly the needy in society.
He told The Mirror in an interview at his Dansoman based studio, Asasease in Accra yesterday, that the impact of the current global food crises could undermine the country’s development agenda if not well addressed.
In his view all Ghanaians who had the resources should not hesitate to go into farming as a means of safe guarding the country’s food security.
"The current food crisis is a heavy burden and poses many new challenges,", he stated, noting that the reason he had gone into farming aside being a musician was to ensure that his family had enough to eat and some to share with others.
Samini said, as a musician he felt that his contribution to the country’s development agenda should not be relegated only to music, but also to set good examples for others including his fellow musicians to follow.
In line with that he has also composed a song to promote Ghana’s cocoa, to redeem the country’s image as the largest cocoa producing country in the world, on his new album due to be launched in November this year at the plush La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.
The Album, titled “Dagaati” has 21 tracks on it, and features both local and international artistes.
Some of the tracks on the album are, Movement, Still in Love, My Kind of Girl featuring Nigerian artistes, Face and Agoro featuring UK born Ghanaian artiste, Sway.
Other tracks on the album are Africa Unite — featuring Jamaican female artiste, Etana, Fire featuring Becca and Ghana Cocoa, a track dedicated to his campaign for the cultivation and production of cocoa.
Samini, arguably one of Ghana’s most celebrated music superstar has been nominated for two international awards.
The awards are the MTV Africa Music Awards to be held in November this year and the KORA Awards in April next year.
He said his maize field would be ready for harvest by the end of the year and believes that as his social responsibility, he should give back to the public, particularly the needy in society.
He told The Mirror in an interview at his Dansoman based studio, Asasease in Accra yesterday, that the impact of the current global food crises could undermine the country’s development agenda if not well addressed.
In his view all Ghanaians who had the resources should not hesitate to go into farming as a means of safe guarding the country’s food security.
"The current food crisis is a heavy burden and poses many new challenges,", he stated, noting that the reason he had gone into farming aside being a musician was to ensure that his family had enough to eat and some to share with others.
Samini said, as a musician he felt that his contribution to the country’s development agenda should not be relegated only to music, but also to set good examples for others including his fellow musicians to follow.
In line with that he has also composed a song to promote Ghana’s cocoa, to redeem the country’s image as the largest cocoa producing country in the world, on his new album due to be launched in November this year at the plush La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.
The Album, titled “Dagaati” has 21 tracks on it, and features both local and international artistes.
Some of the tracks on the album are, Movement, Still in Love, My Kind of Girl featuring Nigerian artistes, Face and Agoro featuring UK born Ghanaian artiste, Sway.
Other tracks on the album are Africa Unite — featuring Jamaican female artiste, Etana, Fire featuring Becca and Ghana Cocoa, a track dedicated to his campaign for the cultivation and production of cocoa.
Samini, arguably one of Ghana’s most celebrated music superstar has been nominated for two international awards.
The awards are the MTV Africa Music Awards to be held in November this year and the KORA Awards in April next year.
Samini launches new album
SAMINI, one of Ghana’s best-known musicians, last Friday launched his third album, a collection of 21 tracks called Dagaati: Know Your Roots at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.
The multiple award-winning musician spent over two years to complete the album and said at the launch that it was dedicated to his fans as well as to a peaceful election in this country next month.
Featuring artistes from places such as Nigeria, Kenya, United Kingdom and Jamaica, Samini said his new album contains something for every sector in society, adding that he chose to call the album Dagaati to reflect his roots. Samini hails from the Upper West Region.
Several hiplife artistes, fans as well as his parents and siblings were at the La Palm hotel to witness the grand launch. After appearances by Kwabena Kwabena and Tinny, Samini took over and energertically performed several tracks from the Dagaati album with the support of a live band.
Formerly known as Batman, Samini’s debut album, Dankwansere, contained the hit track Linda. The follow-up album, Samini featured well-loved songs like African Lady and Odo. He won the Best African Act honour at the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards in the United Kingdom in 2006 and is in reckoning for honours in the upcoming MTV Africa Music and KORA Awards.
The Chief Marketing Officer of MTN-Ghana, Mr George Andah said at the Dagaati launch that the theme for the occasion, ‘Peace and Love in an Election Year’ was relevant because the general elections are almost here and every Ghanaian needs to work towards a peaceful election.
Mr Andah recalled that MTN’s search for a music icon when it entered the telecommunication market here a little over a year ago did not take long because they found the requisite values in Samini.
He said MTN was proud to be associated with Samini and expressed believe that his new album would further bolster the image he has in the world of music.
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