Daily Heritage April 11

NO. 100680 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018 

PRICE: GH¢2.00 

DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH 

• Cassiel Ato 

Forson, Minority 

spokesperson on 

Finance 

•The arrival of Dr King 

Tackie Teiko Tsuru II 

and his elders was 

characterised by 

drumming and dancing 

• Dr Stephen 

Kwabena Opuni, 

former CEO, 

COCOBOD 

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02 

CONTENT 

DAILY HERITAGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018 

DAILY QUOTE 

The more one pleases everybody, 

the less one pleases 

profoundly — Stendhal 

ANNIVERSARIES 

Friday June 15 Eid ul-Fitr 

Monday July 02 Republic Day 

Wed. August 22 Eidul-Adha 

Published by: EIB 

Network / Heritage 

Communications Ltd. 

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www.dailyheritage.com.gh 

WORLD 

Liberian 

newspaper 

raided 

BUSINESS 

Star Beer extends 

gold bar promo 

VIEW 

PG.04 

Ghana’s sovereignty 

mortgaged: The radio 

spectrum control and 

warfare (Part I) 

PG.06 

SPORTS 

PG.10 

We will not allow 

Palmer to undermine 

Appiah’s work 

— Takyi Arhin 

PG.15 

Opuni back in 

court today 

BY MUNTALLA INUSAH 

muntalla.inusah@dailyheritage.com.gh 

THE FORMER Chief Executive 

Officer (CEO) of the Ghana 

Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr 

Stephen Kwabena Opuni, together 

with two others charged 

with causing financial loss to the State, will 

reappear in court today. 

Dr Opuni, charged along with one Seidu 

Agongo, and Agricult Ghana Limited are facing 

a total of 27 charges but pleaded not guilty 

to all charges levelled against them. 

Their 27 charges include abetment of 

crime and defrauding by false pretence, wilfully 

causing financial loss to the state, contravention 

of the Public Procurement Act, manufacturing 

fertiliser without registration, money 

laundering and corruption by public officer. 

Nine State legal team 

On March 26, when the matter was called 

for the first time, the Attorney General’s (AG) 

Department, led by Ms Gloria Afua Akuffo, 

assembled nine legal brains for the trial of the 

former CEO. 

Mr Godfred Yeboah-Dame, Deputy AG, 

Joseph Dindion Kpemba, Deputy AG, Mrs 

Evelyn Keelson, Chief State Attorney, Frances 

Mollen-Ansah, Principal State Attorney, Stella 

Ohene Appiah, Senior State Attorney, Sefakor 

Batse, Senior State Attorney, Richard Gyembiby, 

Senior State Attorney and Pinena Ansah, 

Senior State Attorney, all joined the AG. 

Seven for defence 

On the part of the defence, Dr Opuni is 

being represented by Lawyer Samuel Cudjoe 

and Johnson Normesinu with Agongo, MD 

for Agricult, having a five-member legal team. 

• Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, former 

CEO, COCOBOD 

They are Benson Nutsukpi, also the president 

of the Ghana Bar Association, Nutifafa 

Nutsukpi, Joel Annor Afari, Emmanuel Kumadey 

and Jemima Dei. 

Bail 

They were granted a GH¢ 300,000.00 selfrecognisance 

bail each by the court, presided 

over by Justice Jackson Clemence Honyenugah, 

a Court of Appeal judge sitting as an additional 

high court judge. 

Facts 

The facts of the case as presented by the 

AG were that Agricult Ghana Limited is a 

company incorporated under the law of 

Ghana and its object is general goods, dealers 

in agricultural equipment and the importation 

and exportation of farm produce. 

She said on May 15, 2014, COCOBOD 

forwarded a sample of Lithovit fertiliser submitted 

by Seidu Agongo on behalf of Agricult 

Ghana Limited to the Cocoa Research Institute 

of Ghana (CRIG) for testing and certification. 

According to her, the tests were in two 

phases - phytotoxicity test on seedlings, which 

takes a period of about six months and a field 

test on matured cocoa for at least two main 

cocoa seasons – and a certificate valid only for 

the year of issue, is then issued upon the successful 

completion of the test. 

Ms Akuffo stated that the certificate is renewable 

only upon evaluation and laboratory 

tests that confirm efficacy of the product by 

CRIG. 

She said in the instant case, the phytotoxicity 

test was conducted on the fertiliser, which 

was submitted by Agricult Ghana Limited after 

which a draft report on the effect of the 

Lithovit Foliar fertiliser on cocoa seedlings was 

submitted to the Head of Soil Science. 

Upon receipt of the draft report, the Head 

issued a final report recommending Lithovit 

Foliar fertiliser to be applied to the mature 

cocoa, though no field tests had been conducted 

on the matured cocoa nor had any 

residual test been performed on the effect of 

the Lithovit Foliar fertiliser on the cocoa fruits 

as required. 

She stated that investigations revealed that 

upon assumption of office, Dr Opuni as CEO, 

directed, contrary to established practices, that 

the period for testing fertilisers be shortened. 

The AG continued that upon the direction 

of Dr Opuni, no field or laboratory tests were 

conducted for the renewal of certificates for 

the use of Lithovit Foliar fertiliser during his 

tenure of office. 

Jubilation 

galore 

• As Ga Mantse 

visits Captain Kojo 

Mankattah family 

GA MANTSE, King 

Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, 

on Monday, April 9, 

2018, officially paid a 

visit to Captain Nii 

Kojo Nseni Mankattah 

Family house. 

With hundreds of 

youth from Ga communities 

gathering at 

the Captain Nii Kojo 

Nseni Mankattah 

Family house in Ga 

Mashie in Accra, the 

arrival of Dr King 

Tackie Teiko Tsuru 

and his elders was 

characterised by 

drumming and dancing 

amid wild jubilation. 

This historic visit 

recalls the long-standing 

relationship between 

the two royal 

houses and the pact of 

trust that existed between 

their fore-fathers, 

being Captain 

Nii Kojo Nseni 

Mankattah I and Ga 

Mantse King Tackie 

Tawiah I. 

History recalls that 

the third Anlo War 

fought between Ga 

Dangmes and Anlo 

people saw the former 

group of people winning. 

The Anlo War of 

1874 led by Captain 


Mankattah I, saw the 

Ga Dangmes seizing 

seven guns from the 

opponents. These historic 

relics have been 

kept at the house of 

the 1st Ga Mantse 

and Asafoatse since 

then. 

By custom and tradition, 

all GA Mantsemei 

who qualify to sit 

on the Ga throne pay 

their respect to the 

residence of Captain 


Mankattah and swear 

an oath of allegiance 

with the seven guns. 

The Supreme Paramount 

King on Monday 

officially stepped 

his foot into his own 

house in Abola, precisely 

Nii Mankattah 

family, to perform the 

rites expected of a Ga 

Mantse. 

King Tackie Teiko 

• CONTINUE ON 

PAGE 3

WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018 03 

Akufo-Addo 

harassing us 

BY BENJAMIN TANDOH 

THE MINORITY caucus 

in Parliament has described 

as state-sponsored 

harassment attempts by 

the Criminal Investigations 

Department (CID) of the Ghana 

Police Service to probe some members 

of the Minority over allegations of 

drawing double salaries under the erstwhile 

John Mahama administration, 

contrary to the law. 

According to the Minority, the allegation 

against the Article 71 appointees 

is “a desperate attempt by the Akufo- 

Addo government to criminalise and 

harass the Minority in what we believe 

to be a fruitless and cowardly effort to 

silence us.” 

Addressing the press yesterday in 

Accra, Mr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority 

spokesperson on Finance, narrated 

that sometime last week, “25 of us received 

strange letters and phone calls 

from the CID of the Ghana Police 

Service inviting us to confer with Mrs 

M. Y. T. Addo-Danquah, Deputy 

Commissioner of Police, and to assist 

in investigations of allegations of double 

salaries made against us by the government. 

“In a bizarre twist, as we were 

readying to appear before the CID this 

week, beginning from yesterday, considering 

that we had been grouped to 

• Minority fumes over 

double salary charge 

• Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority spokesperson on Finance 

appear on separate days, the CID called 

some of our colleagues to inform 

them that they were no longer required 

to appear as they had made mistakes 

with 18 of the 25 Minority MPs originally 

contacted. 

“Yes, you heard me right. As many 

as 18 of the 25 invitations have since 

been withdrawn on the basis of mistakes 

committed by the government.” 

Mr Forson claimed that the hitherto 

respected and highly professional CID 

is being forced by excessive political 

maneuvring and underhand tactics to 

make that noble organisation blunder 

and lose its credibility. 

Article 71 office holders 

The Minority explained that as a 

matter of practice and convention, Article 

71 office holders, including Members 

of Parliament, Ministers of State 

and Deputy Ministers, are always paid 

on account awaiting the establishment 

and finalisation of the work of the 

Presidential Emoluments Committee. 

“This is currently what pertains 

even in the life of this 7th Parliament 

and with all current Ministers of State. 

“In the case of the Mahama Administration, 

it should be recalled that 

the Presidential Emoluments Committee 

did not complete its work until November 

2016. This meant in effect that 

all payments made to all Article 71 office 

holders, including Members of 

Parliament, Ministers and Deputy Ministers 

of State, were only payments 

made in advance of the determination 

of the actual salaries payable and conditions 

of service due these office 

holders. 

“In consequence, upon the completion 

of the work of the Presidential 

Emoluments Committee in November 

2016, the then Minister of for Finance, 

Hon. Seth Terkper, issued a release to 

the Controller and Accountant General 

Department and to the Accounts Department 

of the Parliamentary Service, 

for the attention of the Accounts Unit. 

“It is important to note that the 

Minister for Finance instructed the Auditor-General 

to subject the releases to 

audit and reconciliation to determine 

the actual amounts due each individual 

Article 71 office holder since they had 

only been paid in advance. This was 

duly done and it emerged that Government 

owed the Article 71 office holders 

huge salary arrears.” 

The National Democratic Congress 

Members of Parliament further explained 

that at the point of the audit by 

the Auditor-General, it was also detected 

that the advance paid to a handful 

of Article 71 office holders were 

more than others had received. 

“Most of these were computational 

errors. This, notwithstanding, the 

amounts paid to this category of office 

holders were not in excess of their 

salary entitlements as determined by 

the Presidential Emoluments Committee. 

Therefore, there could not have 

been a situation of overpayment or 

double receipt of salaries by the said 

office holders,” Mr Forson stated. 

Background 

Yesterday, media reports indicated 

that some 22 ministers under the erstwhile 

Mahama administration took 

double salaries. 

According to the reports, the ministers, 

who were Members of Parliament 

(MPs), were drawing salaries as MPs 

and at the same time receiving their 

monthly salaries as ministers. 

Jubilation galore 

• As Ga Mantse visits Captain Kojo Mankattah family 

• READ FROM PAGE 2 

Tsuru prayed for peace and goodwill among 

all Ga people, believing that the peace that 

the Ga State is currently enjoying will be 

maintained even as Ga Dangmes prepare for 

their annual festivities. 

The Ga Mantse was accompanied by 

Elders of the Ga Paramount Stool Dsase, 

the Abola Mantse, who doubles as the 

Councillor to the Ga Mantse, the Ga Akwarshongtse, 

Nii Boi Kakadan II, and a host 

of Asafoatsemei and Asafoanyemei amid 

pomp and circumstance. 

He walked through the Accra High 

Street, veered off past the Abola Piam 

Street, Abola Mantse We to Captain Nii 

Kojo Nseni Mankattah We and was welcomed 

by Obonufoi and Asafobii led by 

Captain Nii Kojo Nseni Mankattah IV and 

other elders of the royal house. 

King Tackie Teiko Tsuru assured all the 

Asafo Command, led by Captain Nii Kojo 

Nseni Mankattah, that in his capacity as Ga 

Mantse, the Asafo Command would be restored 

to its rightful position to enable them 

to play their full role. 

In a hearty embrace with Captain Nii 

Kojo Nseni Mankattah, King Tackie Teiko 

Tsuru promised he would continue to keep 

the pact that existed between the two Royal 

houses. 

The Ga Mantse Asafoatse vowed to be 

the fore-walker of the King for as long as 

they both live.

Inside April 11, 2018 .qxp_Layout 1 4/10/18 8:17 PM Page 3 

• Medical and rescue organisations say most of the 

victims were children and women 

Syria 'chemical attack': Trump pledges 'forceful' US response 

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump 

has promised a "forceful" response 

to the alleged chemical attack 

in Syria, as Western leaders 

consider what action to take. 

"We have a lot of options militarily," 

he told reporters. He added 

that a response would be decided 

"shortly". 

Mr Trump said the US was 

getting some "good clarity" on 

who was responsible for the incident 

in Douma on Saturday. 

Medical sources say dozens 

were killed in the alleged attack 

but exact numbers are impossible 

to verify. 

Mr Trump also discussed the 

incident with French President 

Emmanuel Macron late on Monday, 

and both leaders expressed a 

desire for a "firm response", the 

Elysee Palace said. 

The AFP news agency quoted 

French government spokesman 

Benjamin Griveaux as saying on 

Tuesday that "if a red line had 

been crossed, there will be a response", 

adding that intelligence 

shared by the two leaders "in theory 

confirms the use of chemical 

weapons”. BBC 


WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH 

World news in 4 stories 

Guinea's pregnancy trickster jailed 

A WOMAN in Guinea who sold 

herbs and potions to sterile women, 

telling them they would become 

pregnant, has been jailed for five 

years. 

N'na Fanta Camara made concoctions 

that made their bellies swell. 

The traditional healer is said to 

have tricked more than 700 women, 

charging them large sums for the 

treatment. 

The BBC's Alhassan Sillah in the 

capital, Conakry, says her victims at 

the court were upset she did not get 

a harsher sentence. 

The use of traditional medicine is 

common in Guinea and other parts 

of Africa. 

Camara, who was found guilty of 

fraud and impersonating a doctor by 

giving the women harmful substances 

and endangering their lives, 

was also ordered to pay $165,000 

(£116,000) in compensation. 

Two other accomplices were convicted 

of similar charges, and were 

sentenced to three years and four 

years in prison. 

One victim told the BBC: "She 

gave us some medicines of leaves 

and herbs that made us vomit. She 

assured us that this was good for us. 

"On a second visit, she gave us 

some more herbs and leaves which 

we boiled and drank. As one continued 

to take the medicines, the stomach 

started to rise a bit. 

"After a while, we visited again, 

she examined us by just touching our 

bellies and she declared us pregnant. 

However she gives us strict instructions 

not to go to the hospital. 

"We experienced our normal 

menstrual cycle during this period. 

On the day she declared any woman 

pregnant, she had to give her fabric 

and a hen, after the initially payment.” 

BBC 

•Victims were given a mixture of leaves, herbs and other medicines that 

made their stomachs bloat 

Liberian 

newspaper raided 

Court officials in 

Liberia raided the 

offices of a newspaper 

critical of 

President George 

Weah's government 

and arrested all its employees 

on Monday. 

Editors, journalists and even the 

caretaker at Frontpage Africa were 

reportedly detained for several 

hours at the civil court in the capital, 

Monrovia. 

The arresting officers said they 

were acting in relation to a $1m ( 

£700,000) civil lawsuit filed against 

the paper over publishing allegedly 

misleading material. 

Frontpage Africa said the arrest 

of its staff was an attack on press 

freedom and part of a government 

attempt to discredit its investigative 

journalism. 

Mr Weah, a former international 

football star, was sworn in as president 

in January, defeating then 

Vice-President Joseph Boakai with 

more than 60% of the vote. BBC 

•President George Weah 

•Some families have lost more than one child 

Funerals held for 24 children 

in India school bus plunge 

A MASS funeral has been 

held for 24 school children 

who died when a school bus 

fell into a gorge in a mountainous 

region of India on 

Monday evening. 

Tearful relatives placed 

wreaths on the bodies ahead 

of the cremation, while some 

mourners asked: "What 

wrong have these children 

done?" 

Most of those who died 

were younger than 10 years 

old, while the bus driver and 

two teachers were also killed. 

The incident occurred in 

the northern state of Himachal 

Pradesh. 

Road accidents are common 

in India, often due to 

poor driving or badly maintained 

roads and vehicles. 

The reasons behind the accident 

are not yet clear, according 

to an official 

statement. 

Monday's accident, which 

occurred about 325km (200 

miles) from the state capital, 

Shimla, involved a bus transporting 

some 40 students 

from Wazir Ram Singh Pathania 

Memorial school in Nurpur 

in the country's Kangra 

district. BBC



05 

Editorial 

Losing the fight against diabetes 

REPORTS FROM Central Region 

indicate that diabetes is wreaking serious 

havoc in that part of the country 

by claiming more lives than 

tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. 

According to Dr Emmanuel 

Amissah of the Internal Medicine 

and Therapeutic Unit of the Medical 

School of the University of Cape 

Coast, over 260,000 new cases of the 

disease have been recorded this year 

with about 5,000 deaths. 

Medical experts have, thus, called 

for urgent drastic measures to stop 

the increasing rate of diabetes in the 

country. 

Diabetes, often referred to by doctors 

as diabetes mellitus, describes a 

group of metabolic diseases in which 

the person has high blood glucose 

(blood sugar), either because insulin 

production is inadequate, or because 

the body's cells do not respond properly 

to insulin, or both. 

Patients with high blood sugar typically 

experience polyuria (frequent 

urination), become increasingly 

thirsty (polydipsia) and hungry 

(polyphagia). 

The most common diabetes symptoms 

include frequent urination, intense 

thirst and hunger, weight gain, 

unusual weight loss, fatigue, cuts and 

bruises that do not heal, male sexual 

dysfunction, numbness and tingling 

in hands and feet. 

Causes of the disease differ depending 

on the type. Type 2 diabetes, 

for instance, could be caused by obesity, 

living a sedentary lifestyle, increasing 

age and bad diet. 

In spite of how dangerous diabetes 

could be, education on the disease, 

according to the medical 

experts, is poor. 

This means many people gloss 

over some of the lifestyle behaviours 

that compound diabetes and make it 

more grievous. 

The DAILY HERITAGE observed 

during a recent visit to some 

hospitals that not only were adults 

battling the disease, but many children 

were on admission due to diabetic 

complications. 

We think that the National Diabetes 

Association of Ghana should 

intensify the campaign on the disease 

to educate more people to stay safe. 

Ningo residents 

call for protection 

BY MUNTALLA INUSAH 

muntalla.inusah@dailyheritage.com.gh 

RESIDENTS OF Kpatcheremidor, 

Sohapa and surrounding 

communities, all suburbs of 

Ningo in the Ningo-Prampram 

District of the Greater Accra 

Region, are living in fear following recent 

attacks by some unidentified soldiers over 

their own lands. 

They are, thus, calling on the government 

for immediate intervention. The residents, 

who are predominantly farmers, are 

worried over recent attacks on them over 

their own 32, 000 acres of lands their forefathers 

left for them. 

Addressing the media to drum home the 

need for government intervention to avert 

clashes between the people of Ningo and 

Osudoku, the Chief of 

Kpatcheremidor/Sohapa, Nene Otu 

Ackam I, said whenever they visit their 

farms to work they are beaten by a joint 

force of police and men in uniform. 

“We have lived here for over four hundred 

years without disturbances. The mainstay 

of the people is farming. The area, 

though falls under the Osudoku state 

boundary, is part of the Ningo traditional 

area and administration. Just because the 

• Over military attacks 

• From (L-R) Titus N. Debrah, a leader, Nene Otu Ackam I, Chief, and 

Emmanuel Tetteh Oma, a leader, addressing the media 

land falls under the Osudoku state boundary, 

the chiefs and some persons from Osudoku 

are taking advantage to perpetrate 

impropriety on it, with such disregard for 

the people of Kpatcheremidor, Sohapa and 

the Ningo people as a whole.” 

While giving account on incidents that 

had happened to his members, Nene 

Ackam said for about a year now, “the paramount 

chief of the Osudoku Traditional 

“We are using this medium 

to advise the claimant of 

our village to exercise 

restraint since we are all 

aware that this matter is in 

court. We want Nene 

Aadegbor Ngmogmowuyaa 

Kwesi Animle VI to know 

that until the court gives 

its verdict the status quo 

must remain” 

Area, Nene Aadegbor 

Ngmogmowuyaa Kwesi Anirnle VI, had 

started claiming ownership of the village 

though records at archives indicate otherwise. 

“We are using this medium to advise the 

claimant of our village to exercise restraint 

since we are all aware that this matter is in 

court. We want Nene Aadegbor Ngmogmowuyaa 

Kwesi Animle VI to know that 

until the court gives its verdict the status 

quo must remain.” 

Explaining to the paper why the said 

land belonged to the people of Ningo, yet 

it is within the boundary of the Osudoku 

state, Nene Ackam said the stretch of land 

was given to them as a ‘thank you’ gift by 

the Akakposu Family for helping them in a 

war.


06 

View DAILY 

HERITAGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018 

Ghana’s sovereignty mortgaged: 

The radio spectrum control and 

warfare (Part I) 

BY KOFI B. KUKUBOR 

SINCE PARLIAMENT ‘approved’ 

(we do not know 

whether it was by rectification 

or ratification) the 

controversial Ghana/USA 

military ‘cooperation’, the 

debates on the benefits of the deal to 

Ghana have been cacophonic. The 

substance of the discussion is lost as 

the average Ghanaian is left to the 

mercy of partisan interests and confusion. 

The President, Nana Akufo- 

Addo’s attempt to clarify the deal to 

Ghanaians rather muddied the waters. 

In his speech, President Akufo-Addo 

believes he has done so much service 

to Ghanaians that he could not see 

the reason why Ghanaians would not 

give him a synchronised style of 

North Korea standing ovation. Indeed, 

the critiques of the military deal 

are hypocrites, traitors, and secret 

dealers in the United States of America 

(USA) yet with anti-American populist 

agenda. 

Mr President, the question as to 

what are the benefits of the military 

‘cooperation’ to Ghanaians, and how 

Ghana’s sovereignty is guaranteed is 

still unanswered. I will attempt to serialise 

the contents of the agreement 

with the hope of escaping the terrain 

of extreme partisan mediocrities as 

epitomised in the President’s speech. 

This article focuses on the Radio 

Spectrum which the agreement gives 

FULL and UNFETTERED ACCESS 

to the USA military. 

Use of Radio Spectrum 

Article 14 of the agreement states 

that the USA military “shall be allowed 

to operate its own telecommunication 

systems (as 

telecommunication is defined in the 

1992 Constitution and Convention of 

the International Telecommunication 

Union), and also “the right to use all 

necessary radio spectrum for this purpose. 

Use of the radio spectrum shall 

be free of cost to United States 

forces.” 

Radio Spectrum 

Simplified 

Anytime you hear of "AM radio" 

and "FM radio," "VHF" and "UHF" 

television, "community radio," "shortwave 

radio", etc., you are in a radio 

wave or in an electromagnetic wave 

propagated by an antenna. Radio 

waves have different frequencies and 

you can only pick up a specific signal 

when tuned into a specific or assigned 

frequency. In Ghana, it is the National 

Communication Authority that is 

mandated by law to decide who is able 

to use which frequencies and for 

which purposes, and it issues licenses 

to stations for specific frequencies. 

Common radio frequency bands 

include the following: AM radio, Short 

wave radio, Community band (CB) 

radio, Television stations, FM radio, 

Television stations, Garage door 

openers, alarm systems, Radio controlled 

CCTV/ security camera, Standard 

cordless phones, Baby monitors, 

Radio controlled airplanes, Radio controlled 

cars, Wildlife tracking collars, 

MIR space station, Cell phones and 

New cordless phones, Air traffic control, 

Global Positioning System 

(GPS), Marine control system, Wi-fi 

networks, Bluetooth, Deep space 

radio communications, Radio controlled 

mechanized farms, etc. 

Now, you will realise that Radio 

Spectrum controls every aspect of 

modern day life. That is why countries 

with a proper sense of security, national 

safety, and sovereignty, control 

their Radio Spectrum with high sense 

of security measures and diligence. 

The present-day and future warfare is 

and will be determined by the national 

military that has superior control over 

Radio Spectrums. The Radio Spectrum 

is now a warfare. “The electromagnetic 

spectrum touches everything 

we do, and we must make sure [that] 

use and protection of this spectrum 

include a whole-of-government and 

international approach.” (Air Force 

Maj. Gen. Sandra E. Finan, deputy 

CIO for C4 and Information Infrastructure 

and Capabilities a DoD, 

USA). 

Effects on the 

defence of Ghana 

Communications, navigation, battlefield 

logistics, precision munitions, 

etc., depend on complete and unfettered 

access to radio spectrum. And, it 

is a territory that must be vigilantly 

defended from enemy combatants. In 

international warfare, intelligence and 

trade, the USA, like any other foreign 

nation, is an enemy combatant in pursuing 

national interests. 

Having command of electromagnetic 

waves will allow USA forces to 

operate drones from a hemisphere 

away, guide cruise missiles inland from 

the sea. It will facilitate blocking enemies 

(including Ghana, depending on 

USA foreign and military interests at 

the time) from using the spectrum. 

This will be critical to hindering the 

ability of Ghana’s military in defending 

the country, preventing a takeover 

and abduction of Ghana’s Presidents 

as happened in Panama when a ‘useful 

tool’, General Manuel Antonio Noriega, 

Commander-in-Chief of the 

Panama Defense Forces ("PDF") and 

de facto leader of Panama, on February 

4, 1988, was abducted because he 

ceased to serve American interests. 

Same applies to other leaders and nations 

that the USA invaded successfully. 

They first invade the Radio 

Spectrum to prevent host nations 

from communicating and, thereby, 

rendering them impotent of defending 

their countries. Again, in Iraq's 

communication radar, stations were 

taken over during the early hours of 

Operation Desert Storm. 

This will also give capability to 

USA military to stage elaborate electronic 

assaults that could result in 

nightmare scenarios on the battlefield 

of Ghana’s military radios that will 

abruptly fall silent in the thick of 

combat. The US may very well never 

engage in a head-to-head shooting war 

but, the ability to effectively control 

the radio spectrum is already becoming 

a new type of arms race: one that 

is just as volatile as intercontinental 

ballistic missile, ICBM race during the 

Cold War. 

The exposure of civilian privacy 

to the manipulation of US military 

With the full access of Radio 

Spectrum possible, soldiers known as 

spectrum managers will create detailed 

maps of all of Ghana’s electromagnetic 

activity, and gather intelligence 

on users. In addition to tracking and 

recording the emissions of every piece 

of military hardware, the managers 

will also compile a list of which frequencies 

were used by a galaxy of 

cheap civilian devices. With these data, 

the USA military can manipulate electronic 

devices of institutions and civilians, 

track or set them up for arrest or 

With the full access of Radio Spectrum possible, soldiers known as 

spectrum managers will create detailed maps of all of Ghana’s 

electromagnetic activity, and gather intelligence on users. In addition 

to tracking and recording the emissions of every piece of military 

hardware, the managers will also compile a list of which 

frequencies were used by a galaxy of cheap civilian devices. 

abduction to illegal prisons (e.g. 

Guantanamo Bay Prison) in the USA 

without any necessary or incriminating 

evidence. This will expose the 

Ghanaian from his CCTV gates, wifimobile 

handsets and GPS locations to 

the US Military. Indeed, any radio device 

could be corrupted and navigation 

data (electronic election results, 

etc.) misdirected. And what will be the 

benefits to Ghana? “Use of the radio 

spectrum shall be free of cost to 

United States forces.” Article 14 of 

the agreement refers. Ghana gains 

nothing. 

The impotency of Ghana’s constitution 

Article 3 of the agreement accord 

diplomatic immunity under the Vienna 

Convention on Diplomatic Relations 

of April 18, 1961. In other 

words, any violation, abuse, damage, 

and used data gathered through the 

Radio Spectrum is not subject to 

Ghana's Laws or the primacy of 

Ghana’s Constitution. 

Article 3 of the Vienna Convention 

on Diplomatic clearly defines whose interests 

are paramount in carrying out 

diplomatic assignments. 

Article (3) (1) (b) protecting in the 

receiving State (Ghana) the interests of 

the sending State (USA) and of its nationals, 

within the limits permitted by international 

law; and 

(d) ascertaining by all lawful means 

conditions and developments in the receiving 

State (Ghana) and reporting 

thereon to the Government of the sending 

State (USA). In summary, the primary 

purpose of the military 

‘cooperation’ is to protect the interests 

of USA, not Ghana. 

Whatever crime the military personnel 

and civilian personnel commit in 

Ghana in carrying out their functions in 

the interest of USA, the Constitution of 

Ghana shall be impotent as their acts, 

actions, commission, and omissions, 

whether genuine or deliberate, is under 

the privileges, exemptions, and immunities 

equivalent to those accorded to the 

administrative and technical staff of a 

diplomatic mission. Ghana and citizens 

of Ghana cannot claim any damages 

guaranteed by the constitution. Article 

15 of the agreement refers. 

Conclusion 

This agreement violates Article 73 of 

the constitution as it is not “in a manner 

consistent with the National interest of 

Ghana”.The U.S. is noted to have the 

characteristic of violating the UK charter 

in pursuing her interests. The desire 

to label a President or other nations 

governments as rogue States when US 

interests are not met makes it difficult to 

trust US in such agreements. The invasion 

and abduction of General Noriega 

of Panama in 1988, and the illegal invasion 

of Iraq and the abduction and 

killing of Sadam Hussein and many 

more are clear evidence of US disrespect 

and violation of the UN Charter 

on the sovereignty of Nations. 

The Ghana/USA military cooperation 

does not only violate the engineering, 

regulatory, economic, legal, 

and management policy power of 

Ghana, but it is also a rape of Ghana’s 

sovereignty. 

Mr. President, now I put it to you. 

Who is ‘traitoring’ the sovereignty of 

Ghana? As I wait for the answer, I 

shall adjourn this article to the 

forenoon of Part II. 

Shalom. The author is a Governance 

and Policy Analyst.


Health benefits of walking for middle-aged people 

Walking strengthens 

your heart 

Reduce your risk of heart disease 

and stroke by walking regularly. 

It is great cardio exercise, 

lowering levels of bad cholesterol 

while increasing levels of good 

cholesterol 

Lowers disease risk 

A regular walking habit slashes 

the risk of type 2 diabetes by 

around 60% and you are 20% less 

likely to develop cancer of the 

colon, breast or womb with an active 

hobby such as walking. 

Its helps you lose weight 

You will burn around 75 calories 

simply by walking at 2mph for 

30 minutes. Up your speed to 

3mph and it 99 calories, while 

4mph is 150 calories. 

It prevents dementia 

Older people who walk six 

miles or more per week are more 

likely to avoid brain shrinkage and 

preserve memory as the years pass. 

Since dementia affects one in 14 

people over 65 and one in six over 

80, we reckon that is a pretty great 

idea. 



&Env. 

GAC tests 9,680 Kwahu 

Easter revellers for HIV 

THE TECHNICAL 

support Unit of the 

Ghana AIDS Commission 

(GAC), in 

the Eastern Region, 

has tested 9,680 

people to know their HIV status. 

This was done during the justended 

Easter festivities on the 

Kwahu ridge. 

The number comprised 5,556 

males and 4,124 females out of 

which 217 males and 247 females 

were tested during the pre-Easter 

HIV Testing Services (HTS) at 

Linda Dor Restaurant at Bunso. 

About 30 HTS sites were set 

up at strategic locations in 11 

towns on the Kwahu ridge and 

offered counselling and testing 

services while education on the 

use of both female and male condoms 

and distribution were also 

intensified throughout the threeday 

period. 

Eastern Region is one of the 

regions heavily affected by the 

HIV and AIDS epidemic in 

Ghana and over the past years 

had consistently recorded the 

highest HIV prevalence. However 

Behaviour Change Communication 

activities and other 

testing services had gone down 

drastically. 

The celebration of Easter in 

Kwahu has assumed an international 

dimension for the past 10 

years, due to the paragliding competition 

patronised by many foreigners 

and Ghanaians as well and 

has been characterised by activities 

such as street jams, discos, 

beauty pageants and many other 

socialisation activities. 

Briefing the GNA, Ms Golda 

Asante, the Eastern Regional Director 

of the GAC, observed that 

festive and socio-cultural activities 

were well patronised in the region 

and many people engaged in risky 

sexual behaviour during such periods, 

which could expose them to 

HIV. 

She said in order to ensure that 

the first 90 of the agenda 90-90- 

90 was completely achieved, they 

had adopted the strategy to integrate 

HIV interventions in all 

such festivities such as Odwira, 

Ngmayem, Kloyosikplemi and 

the Eastern paragliding festivals 

to reach out to people. 

According to Ms Asante, in 

line with the ‘test and treat’ policy, 

all those who tested positive 

would be connected to care and 

treatment immediately, adding 

that logistics and funds had been 

made available for communication 

and follow-ups to ensure that 

people had been rolled onto care. 

She explained that testing 

without providing the necessary 

care and treatment was wasteful 

especially in the face of the 

agenda 90-90-90, which seeks to 

get 90 per cent of the population 

tested to be rolled onto care and 

treatment and subsequently reduce 

the viral loads of all carriers 

on treatment by 90 per cent by 

2020. GNA 

Nipah virus predicted to cause next human pandemic 

BY KWASI DEBRAH 

GHANA’S VETERINARY Service 

is putting health officials on 

high alert after antibodies of a 

virus, known as Nipah virus, was 

detected in parts of Africa. 

Wildlife veterinary specialist, 

Dr Richard Suu-Ire, indicates the 

disease is predicted to potentially 

cause the next world pandemic. 

“We’ve proved beyond doubt 

this virus is now in Africa. So our 

medical colleagues should have 

this in mind that when there is an 

outbreak of unknown disease, it 

can only not be Ebola virus disease 

but can also be Nipah virus 

disease,” he warned. 

Dr Suu-Ire made the revelation 

at a forum on 'One World, 

One Health, One Medicine' by 

the Ghana Veterinary Medical 

Students Association in Kumasi. 

Dr Richard Suu-Ire said the 

virus was first detected in 1998 in 

the Malaysian forest of Kampung 

Sungai Nipah, from which it got 

its name. 

•Fruit bats are reservoir carriers of Nipah virus and other highly fatal viruses, including Ebola virus 

History 

Fruit bats are reservoir carriers 

of Nipah virus and other highly 

fatal viruses including Ebola 

virus. Large numbers were later 

spotted around orchards at pig 

farms in northwest Malaysia. 

Nipah virus was found in the 

saliva of bats in half-eaten fruit 

dropped and consumed by the 

pigs. 

During the outbreak in 

Malaysia over one million pigs 

were killed, 800 pig farms were 

demolished and 36,000 farmers 

lost their jobs. Humans have, in 

recent times, been battling with 

diseases of animal 

origin. 

In 2014, West 

Africa experienced 

the worst case of 

Ebola outbreak. 

Avian flu claimed 

lives of thousands of 

poultry in Ghana 

about two years ago. 

The disease continues 

to claim human 

life in the West 

African sub-region 

‘One World, One 

Health, One Medicine’ 

concept seeks 

to create awareness 

on the link between 

animal diseases and 

public health. 

Professor Raphael 

Folitse, Dean of 

School of Veterinary Medicine at 

Kwame Nkrumah University of 

Science and Technology, wants 

Ghana to go beyond collaboration 

on ‘One health’ to 

strengthen one health systems to 

curb the situation. 

“Many parts of the world are 

far, far ahead. For those of us in 

West Africa, we’re still behind,” 

he said. 

“We’ve proved beyond 

doubt this 

virus is now in 

Africa. So our 

medical colleagues 

should 

have this in mind 

that when there is 

an outbreak of 

unknown disease, 

it can only not be 

Ebola virus disease 

but can also 

be Nipah virus 

disease,” he 

warned.

spread_April 11 2018.qxp_SHOWBIZ TEMP 4/10/18 7:20 PM Page 1 

News 

DAILY HERITAGE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018 WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH 

March for science 

hits Accra April 14 

BY KENT MENSAH 

ACCRA WILL on Saturday, April 14, 

join the global March for Science to 

demand immediate measures to reduce 

poverty in Ghana and protect the 

environment. 

Scientists and public-spirited people 

in more than 700 cities all over the 

world are embarking on a global march 

for science to draw attention to the 

need for science-based evidence in 

policy formulation. 

The march is an annual event which 

was first held on Mother Earth Day on 

April 22, last year. 

In Ghana, the 2018 Accra March 

for Science will be on the theme 

‘Building Ghana: Let’s End 

Environmental Destruction and 

Poverty Through Science Informed 

Actions,’ a statement from local 

organisers Alliance for Science (AfS) 

Ghana said. 

“We chose this theme to drum 

home the point that unless the 

government prioritises science by 

investing a lot more in technological 

research, and begin to adopt the 

outcome of research works by 

scientists when making policy 

decisions, there is no way we will 

succeed in ending poverty in our 

country,” the statement signed by 

Executive member of AfS Ghana, 

Reuben Nana Yaw Quainoo, said. 

“We also want to draw attention to 

the fact that there is direct correlation 

between protecting our environment 

from degradation and ending poverty,” 

the statement added. 

The march will draw attention to 

Sustainable Development Goal 1, 

which aims to end poverty in all its 

forms. Goal 2 seeks to end hunger and 

achieve food security, and goal three to 

combat climate change and its impacts. 

“There is a direct correlation 

between scientific investments in 

science, ensuring the technologies 

reach farmers, and poverty reduction. 

That is why we are marching to draw 

attention to that link and encourage the 

prioritsation of science and technology. 

We are calling on all science-loving 

Ghanaians to step out for this march 

and support this just cause,” the 

statement concluded. 

Alliance for Science Ghana says the 

march will start from the premises of 

the Council for Scientific and Industrial 

Research, CSIR near 37 Military 

Hospital at 6a.m. on Saturday, then the 

marchers will walk to Christ the King 

Church, near Flagstaff House, then to 

Lands Commission office near 37 

station, to 37 station to Opeibia 

Junction and back to CSIR premises at 

37. 

Upon return, a 45-minute forum 

would be held during which various 

speakers would address the crowd on 

various aspects of the themes 

mentioned above. 

“We chose this theme to 

drum home the point that 

unless the government 

prioritises science by 

investing a lot more in 

technological research, and 

begin to adopt the outcome 

of research works by 

scientists when making 

policy decisions, there is no 

way we will succeed in 

ending poverty in our 

country,” the statement 

signed by Executive 

member of AfS Ghana, 

Reuben Nana Yaw Quainoo, 

said. 

•A 45-minute forum would be held after the march 

Let’s rise and make a 

difference – Apostle Dr Anim 

BY COBBY SACKITEY 

THE PRINCIPAL of 

Pentecost Theological 

Seminary, Rev (Dr) 

Emmanuel Kwasi Anim, 

has called on Christians 

to rise and make a 

difference in order to help shape and 

develop the country. 

Speaking at a conference at 

Pentecost International Worship 

Center at Michel Camp, the eminent 

man of God called on Ghanaians, 

especially Christians, to be disciplined 

and diligent in all things to help build a 

strong nation. 

While addressing the conference on 

the theme ‘The Blood of Jesus Christ 

Speaks,’ during the Easter celebrations 

which marked the death and 

resurrection of Jesus Christ, Dr Anim 

said 

“I will urge the youth not to divert the 

purpose of Easter celebration but to 

reflect on the important sacrifice. 

“It’s very sad the youth have now 

turned Easter into prostitution, 

smoking, and fighting among other 

ungodly acts. It must stop now, it is 

against Christianity." 

He noted that the resurrection of 

Jesus is the triumphant victory for 

every Christian. Apostle Dr Anim 

expressed worry at the careless 

abandon with which some Ghanaians, 

out of greed, had destroyed the 

beautiful environment, especially water 

bodies God had endowed the nation 

with. 

“Some persons who, out of 

carelessness and greed, have destroyed 

our beautiful water bodies that God 

has blessed us with, I pray the blood of 

Jesus Christ speaks in their life.” 

He urged Ghanaians, especially 

Christians to help stop the menace to 

help build and develop the country. 

25 Cape Coast traders freed 

BY KWAKU BAAH ACHEAMFOUR 

POLICE IN Cape Coast have set free 

25 people who were arrested in 

connection with the demonstration 

and subsequent demolition of stalls 

being constructed by city authorities in 

Cape Coast. 

The traders demolished the 

structures, arguing that not only did 

the authorities at the Cape Coast 

Metropolitan Assembly fail to consult 

them on the ongoing construction but 

also the project would increase the 

traffic situation at the central business 

district of Kotokoraba, thereby 

impeding trading activities. 

The said space, the traders argued, 

should be used for its original purpose 

of serving as a parking lot, a project 

the city authorities disagree to as they 

want to construct new shops to 

accommodate traders who could not 

get allocation in the newly constructed 

Kotokoraba market. 

Preliminary police investigation 

could not establish that the 25 were 

part of those who demolished the 

shops being constructed at 

Kotokoraba. 

•A section of the traders 

•Rev. Dr Emmanuel Kwasi 

Annim, Principal, Pentecost 

Theological Seminary 

The ring leaders, however, have 

been told by the police to produce 

those who orchestrated the said 

demolition. 

Sources reveal that the case may not 

proceed further as the metropolitan 

assembly had asked the police to drop 

the case against the rioters. 

Some elders in the town have also 

intervened in the matter, urging the 

Cape Coast Metro Assembly to choose 

dialogue in resolving the matter rather 

than resorting to prosecution. 

The said space, the 

traders argued, should 

be used for its original 

purpose of serving as a 

parking lot; a situation 

the city authorities 

disagree as they want 

to construct new shops 

to accommodate 

traders who could not 

get allocation in the 

newly constructed 

Kotokoraba market. 

Diabetes killing more 

people than 

HIV/AIDS 

• Claims 5,000 yearly 

BY KWAKU BAAH 

ACHEAMFOUR 

MEDICAL EXPERTS in the 

Central Region are calling for 

drastic measures to stop the 

increasing rate of diabetes in 

the country. 

The disease, according to 

the experts, has assumed an 

alarming proportion 

necessitating urgent steps to 

curb further infections. 

Education on the disease, 

doctors say is poor as people 

still harbour misconceptions 

about the disease resulting in 

more infections. 

A doctor with the Internal 

Medicine and Therapeutic Unit 

of the Medical School of the 

University of Cape Coast, Dr 

Emmanuel Amissah explained 

that over 260,000 new cases of 

the disease have been recorded 

with about 5,000 deaths. 

What he says makes the case 

worse is the fact that diabetes 

now kills more people than 

tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. 

Three types of the disease, 

he added could be identified 

namely Type One which is 

found among children ,Type 2 

found among adults and the 

gestational one which is found 

among pregnant women . 

He is, therefore, calling on 

the public to take their health 

seriously so that they do not 

fall victims to the disease. 

He also mentioned some 

symptoms of the disease which 

must be closely monitored in 

seeking early health care. 

It includes weight loss, 

fatigue, frequent urination and 

uncontrolled thirst resulting in 

rapid intake of water among 

others. 

A doctor with 

the Internal 

Medicine and 

Therapeutic Unit 

of the Medical 

School of the 

University of 

Cape Coast, Dr 

Emmanuel 

Amissah 

explained that 

over 260,000 

new cases of the 

disease have 

been recorded 

with about 5,000 

deaths.


10TH 

APRIL 

2018 

TUESDAY 

CURRENCY PARIS CODE BUYING SELLING 

US Dollar USDGHS 4.4034 4.4078 

RATES Pound Sterling GBPGHS 

6.2396 

6.2476 

Euro 

GBPGHS 

5.4395 

5.4436 

10 

DAILY HERITAGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018 WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH 

Star Beer extends gold bar promo 

• As it rewards another batch of winners 

BY PHILIP ANTOH 

philip.antoh@dailyheritage.com.gh 

GHANA’S LIQ- 

UID gold, Star 

Beer, has extended 

its ongoing 

‘Star Win 

Gold’ promotion, 

which was launched in December 

2017 to the end of April 

2018. 

The promo, which has so far 

rewarded about 167 consumers 

with 2.5g gold bars each, is one of 

Star beer’s ceremonies to reward 

its loyal consumers with gold 

bars. 

Apart from the gold bars, the 

promo has also rewarded thousands 

of consumers with other 

amazing prizes that include free 

Star beers. 

Commenting on the awards, 

Marketing Manager for Lagers at 

Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited 

(GGBL), Mr Carsten Schemmer, 

expressed appreciation to 

customers of Star Beer for their 

loyalty. 

According to him, the focus of 

the campaign is to add value to 

the lives of customers by giving 

them more rewards for every bottle 

of beer they buy. 

“This promotion is one of the 

many ways Star Beer is rewarding 

consumers for their loyalty in line 

with the brand winning the prestigious 

Monde Gold International 

Award for the quality taste of Star 

Beer for two consecutive years,” 

•Batch of winners displaying their gold cards 

he said. 

“We are using this opportunity 

to share this gold with Star Beer 

consumers, and I am delighted to 

share that the promotion has been 

extended, which means that it will 

continue until the end of April 

[this year].” 

Mr Schemmer used the opportunity 

to congratulate all the winners 

on staying true and loyal to 

the brand over the years. 

He urged consumers of Star 

Beer to keep patronising the beer 

to stand the chance of winning 

more gold bars. 

Speaking at the event after receiving 

her gold bar, Mrs Albana 

Dun said “Guinness Ghana Breweries 

Limited has empowered me 

with this gold bar. I really didn’t 

believe how one could win gold 

bar after drinking beer, but after 

winning a free bottle of beer in 

my first try, I believed in it and 

that belief led me to win the Gold 

bar.” 

She thanked Star Beer, and 

urged them to come up with more 

innovative promotions to positively 

affect the lives of customers. 

Another winner, Mr Emmanuel 

Amankwah, gladly said, “I am 

amazed and feel indebted to Star 

Beer for this Gold Bar reward. I 

have been greatly encouraged by 

the promotion Star Beer is running.” 

The ‘Star Win Gold’ promo,’ 

which was launched in December 

last year to run till the end of 

April 2018, has so far rewarded 

consumers with amazing prizes, 

including Gold Bars and free 

drinks of Star Beer. 

Brewed from the finest quality 

of barley, malt and hops, Star Beer 

does not only offer every true 

beer drinker the richest and most 

refreshing taste in beer, but also 

celebrates life’s journey and those 

uniquely Ghanaian values. 

MTN opens application for Bright Scholarships 

MTN GHANA Foundation has 

opened applications for students 

who are interested in its Bright 

Scholarships. 

The application for the scholarship, 

which is opened from April 3 

to May 3, 2018, is for both senior 

high school graduates and continuing 

students in public universities. 

In a press release copied to the 

DAILY HERITAGE yesterday, 

the telecommunication network 

explained that the Foundation 

would award 100 scholarships to 

students in public tertiary institutions 

each year for three years. 

“The scholarships will cover 

the cost of tuition, accommodation 

and a stipend for books and 

other relevant reading materials,” 

the stated. 

They further explained that 

for high school graduates to 

qualify for the scholarship, they 

should pass in six subjects with 

an overall aggregate of 24 in 

their final exams. 

“Three of the six subjects 

should be core subjects -- English 

Language, Mathematics, Integrated 

Science or Social Studies 

and the other three must be in 

applicant’s respective electives,” 

they stated. 

For over 20 years, the 

Foundation has awarded 

over 1000 scholarships 

to students from basic 

school to tertiary level. 

Aside the Bright Scholarship, 

MTN Ghana Foundation 

has launched the 

Teacher Improvement in 

itiative. 

Commenting on the Bright 

Scholarships, the Acting Corporate 

Services Executive of MTN, 

Mr. Samuel Koranteng, said, “over 

the years, MTN identified the crucial 

role funding plays in helping 

brilliant and needy students to 

achieve their dreams and aspirations. 

In view of that, MTN 

Ghana Foundation makes the 

conscious efforts to ease that burden 

by awarding scholarships such 

as the MTN Bright scholarships to 

enable these students to complete 

their education.” 

Qualified applicants can apply 

through Scholarships.mtn.com.gh 

or visit any MTN service centre 

for applications forms. 

The commencement of the 

Bright Scholarships is in honour of 

the promise MTN made to 

Ghanaians during the commemoration 

of its 20th Anniversary in 

2016. 

For over 20 years, the Foundation 

has awarded over 1000 scholarships 

to students from basic 

school to tertiary level. Aside the 

Bright Scholarship, MTN Ghana 

Foundation has launched the 

Teacher Improvement in itiative.



DAILY HERITAGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018 11 

Politics 

Do not mind anything that anyone tells you about 

anyone else. Judge everyone and everything for 

yourself —Henry James 

MFWA to host UN Special Rapporteur 

at Regional Media Conference 

THE MEDIA 

Foundation for 

West Africa 

(MFWA) will, on 

May 1, 2018, host 

the Union Nations 

(UN) Special Rapporteur 

on the promotion and protection 

of the right to freedom of 

opinion and expression, Prof. 

David Kaye, at a regional conference 

on press freedom and 

media development to be held 

at Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana. 

The conference would bring 

together the heads of MFWA’s 

national partner organisations 

and media experts from all the 

16 countries in the sub-region. 

There would also be participants 

from a number of African 

countries with dire press freedom 

conditions including 

Uganda, Ethiopia and Democratic 

Republic of Congo who 

would share experiences with their 

West African counterparts. 

Participants would discuss the 

current challenges to press freedom 

and media development in 

West Africa and share perspectives 

on the best approaches for 

addressing the challenges. The 

The conference would bring 

together the heads of 

MFWA’s national partner organisations 

and media experts 

from all the 16 

countries in the sub-region. 

There would also be participants 

from a number of 

African countries with dire 

press freedom conditions including 

Uganda, Ethiopia and 

Democratic Republic of 

Congo who would share experiences 

with their West 

African counterparts. 

conference would also serve as a 

platform to commence discussions 

on an elaborate process for 

the development of a comprehensive 

media development strategy 

in the region. 

The UN Special Rapporteur 

would be one of the key speakers 

at the conference alongside the 

Board Chairman of the MFWA, 

‘Promoting 

Journalists’ 

Safety 

and 

Countering 

Impunity 

for 

Mr Edetaen Ojo and 

the prominent Publisher 

and Editor of 

Nigeria-based Premium 

Times, Mr 

Dapo Olorunyomi 

among others. 

The conference is 

being hosted as a preevent 

to this year’s 

global World Press 

Freedom Day 

(WPFD) event, which 

is being hosted by 

Ghana on May 2 and 

3, 2018. 

Apart from the regional 

convening, the 

MFWA will also be 

hosting a parallel session 

on the topic: 

Crimes against Journalists in 

Africa’ at the WPFD event. The 

session, which will be hosted in 

collaboration with Canada-based 

free expression organisation, 

IFEX, will feature key speakers 

from Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, 

Dr. Congo and Namibia. 

The MFWA will also be hosting 

digital rights advocates and activists 

at a reception to discuss the 

rising phenomenon of internet 

by governments, especially during 

significant national events such as 

elections. 

This year’s WPFD celebration 

is on the theme: ‘Keeping Power 

in Check: Media, Justice and Rule 

of Law,’ and will be highlighting 

the importance of the judiciary 

and justice mechanisms for promoting 

and protecting freedom of 

expression, access to information 

and safety of journalists. 

The MFWA will also be 

hosting digital rights 

advocates and activists 

at a reception 

to discuss the rising 

phenomenon of internet 

by governments, 

especially during significant 

national 

events such as elections. 

•Prof. David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur


12 

DAILY 

Politics 



The sit-tight syndrome of African 

leaders a major threat to democracy 

BY YAW ANSAH, GNA 

Ablekuma West NPP 

elders applaud MP 

BY KENT MENSAH 

•Ablekuma West NPP elders presenting the citation to the MP, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful 

SOME ELDERS of the 

New Patriotic Party 

(NPP) in the Ablekuma 

West constituency have 

applauded their Member 

of Parliament (MP), Mrs 

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful for the pivotal 

role she played in the establishment 

of the new Ablekuma West 

Municipality. 

The elders in a surprise visit to 

the MP presented a special citation 

on behalf of executives of the Calvary 

Primary Polling station, acknowledging 

what they described 

as the MP’s ‘pivotal’ role towards 

the establishment of the new Assembly. 

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, 

Elder T. D. Asare, who is a 

member of the Ablekuma West 

Constituency Council of Elders, 

paid glowing tribute to Mrs 

Owusu-Ekuful. He mentioned that 

they had followed keenly the firm 

assurances the MP gave to wean 

Ablekuma West from the Accra 

Metropolitan Assembly. 

They were confident that the 

new assembly would be the springboard 

for monumental development 

in the Ablekuma West Constituency. 

They indicated that they 

were aware of the serious plans the 

MP had put in place to get a permanent 

office facility for the new 

assembly and her efforts deserved 

serious commendation. 

Receiving the citation from the 

elders, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful thanked 

them for the gesture. 

She emphasised her unwavering 

commitment to bringing development 

to the Ablekuma West Constituency. 

She asked for the support 

of the elders and people of the 

constituency in achieving this purpose. 

THE SIT-TIGHT syndrome of many 

African leaders is one of the major 

threats to the growth of democracy on 

the continent. 

This has been the trend in many 

countries including Uganda, Cape 

Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, 

Burkina Faso, Chad, Angola, Cameroun, 

Zimbabwe, Togo, Tunisia and 

Cote D’Ivore. 

Mr Arome Agenyi, Policy, Advocacy 

and Campaign Officer of Action 

Aid Nigeria, who was speaking at a 

day’s workshop for selected journalists 

from West Africa, noted that between 

the years 2001 to 2010, the continent 

had recorded 14 attempts by leaders to 

prolong tenure in the office. 

The two-day event sought to 

deepen the knowledge of participants 

on the African Governance Architecture 

inspired by the Constitutive Act of 

the African Union (AU) that expresses 

the AU’s determination to ‘promote 

and protect human and people’s rights, 

consolidate democratic institutions and 

culture and ensure good governance 

and the rule of law’. 

Jointly organised by Action Aid and 

West African Civil Society Forum, the 

journalists were schooled on provisions 

of the African Charter on Democracy, 

Elections and Governance (ACDEG), 

sets of regulations developed by the 

AU in the year 2007 as a roadmap to 

encourage better governance across the 

continent. 

Mr Agenyi noted that some of the 

leaders, who got elected through the 

democratic process, manipulate some 

vital democratic institutions including 

the judiciary, legislature to enable them 

to suppress opposition in a bid to hang 

on to power unduly. 

He said one of the surest ways to 

grow and maintain good governance 

on the continent was for Africa leaders 

to adhere to the provisions of AGA 

and ACDEG, which seeks to foster dialogue 

and share comparable lessons 

on trends, challenges, opportunities 

•Arome Agenyi, Policy, Advocacy 

and Campaign Officer of Action Aid 

Nigeria 

and prospects for improving governance 

and democracy among the Member 

States. 

As at March 2017, he recalled that 

45 out of 54 African member states 

had signed up the ACDEG, of which 

29 have given consent to it as a valid 

official document and for which it shall 

implement. 

“Being a State party to the instrument, 

all the countries were bound to 

adhere to its core principles by domesticating 

them in the system of governance 

of their country. 

“By domestication, it means national 

laws should be formulated, if not 

available, and certain action should be 

taken by the government to promote 

them in the country,” he said. 

Mr Arome hinted that out of the 

countries that had signed up to the 

AGA only Togo had domesticated and 

submitted the status of implementation 

report. 

Participants at the forum called on 

leaders to ensure that the continent was 

peaceful to facilitate growth, create employment 

opportunities for the youth, 

to deter them from seeking greener 

pastures in the west. 

They said a continent that has good 

governance would also be reliant and 

maintain its highly skilled labour that 

was also migrating to Europe and 

America due to bad governance, conflict, 

despair and deteriorating public 

institutions. 

Govt made no mistake in Ghana-US Military deal - Irbard 

BY GODWILL 

ARTHUR-MENSAH, GNA 

MR IRBARD Ibrahim, an International 

Public Relations Expert, has said 

the government had made a perfect 

foreign policy decision in the Ghana- 

United States (US) Military Agreement 

co-operation and would consolidate 

the bilateral ties between the two nations. 

He said the US had been a strategic 

partner to Ghana on so many areas; 

therefore, the President could not turn 

down the offer, which would enhance 

security in the country and the sub-region 

at large. 

He said the brouhaha that had 

characterised the deal was similar to 

the debate that surrounded the Guantanamo 

Bay detainees, noting that, in 

those two instances, the Government 

of Ghana made perfect foreign policy 

decisions. 

Mr Irbard, who is the Executive 

Director of the IRBARD Security 

Consult told the Ghana News Agency 

in an interview on Monday in relation 

to the President’s address on the pact. 

He said President Nana Addo 

Dankwa Akufo-Addo used the address 

to explain knotty issues concerning the 

Agreement and should, therefore, 

bring finality to the rancor generated 

by the agreement. 

“There is no need to be partisan or 

emotional about this because just like 

the GITMO Two, it is difficult for a 

sitting President of a third world nation 

like Ghana to say no to the 

United States in a unipolar world 

order just like what we have in our 

contemporary times,” he pointed out. 

“For instance, the Gitmo Two was 

seen as an avenue to open us to militant 

attacks, and I said no at that time 

because there was no iota of veracity 

in that claim, and two years down the 

•Irbard Ibrahim, security analyst 

line the two Gitmo detainees did not 

even kill a fly,” he observed. 

Regarding the issue of US military 

personnel having unlimited access to 

Ghana’s Military installations, Mr 

Ibrahim noted that, the US already had 

access to the nation’s security installations 

even without the security co-operation 

because we imported most of 

the weaponry from the US. 

“We don’t have warships of our 

own and since we did not manufacture 

them here, including the armoured vehicles, 

missiles, bombs, and so on… 

there is nothing hiding from them,” 

Mr Ibrahim stated. 

With regards to the President being 

harsh on his critics, Mr Ibrahim suggested 

to the President to be tolerant 

to divergent views in order to consolidate 

the country’s fledgling democracy. 

Meanwhile, Mr Emmanuel Kotin, 

the Executive Director of the Institute 

of Security and Counter Terrorism, 

told the GNA that, the Ghana-US military 

deal would not inure to the benefit 

of the country. 

He said the agreement was signed 

on weak legal framework and would 

risk the security of the nation in the 

short, medium and long term and, 

thus, called for a review of the deal. 

Mr Kotin said the US did not have 

permanent friends, but had permanent 

interest, noting that, if the deal goes 

wrong in the future, the entire nation 

would suffer the dire consequences. 

He criticised the President for tagging 

those who opposed the military 

deal as anti-Americans, saying, “The 

President used his address to pitch a 

section of Ghanaians against the US, 

and this is not good for our democracy.” 

Mr Kotin said he had filed a suit at 

the Supreme Court to seek interpretation 

of Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution 

and noted that, the outcome of 

the case would help in clarifying certain 

provisions in the agreement.

13 

WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018 

BY ABIGAIL ASARE 

Bryain 

drops ‘Deep 

Down’EP 

BY ERICA ARTHUR 

BUDDING AFRO pop artiste 

Godwill Very-Bryain Peters, 

known mainly by his stage 

name Bryain, has dropped his 

much-anticipating External 

Play (EP) titled ‘Deep Down’. 

According to the artiste, who is signed 

on to Blackline Entertainment owned by 

Kelvin Asure, he is managed by the producer 

of all his nine singles on his new 

EP, ScratchTheSavage. 

Speaking to the DAILY HERITAGE, 

Bryain said he chose ‘Deep Down’ as his 

title because his songs were made from 

deep down his spirit. The songs on his 

EP are ‘Dear Mama’, ‘Magnitude 1’, ‘All I 

Need’, ‘Survive’, ‘Give Way’, ‘Forever 

Grateful’, ‘Bad Vibes’, ‘Can't Touch’ and 

‘IV’. 

Bryain also said the 

competition in the music 

industry is a healthy one, 

hence it makes artists work 

harder. 

He says he is inspired by Nas 

Cassper Nyovest, MI, Brenda Russel, 

J.Cole, Sarkodie, EL and others 

who make beautiful and inspiring music. 

He advised his admirers to expect 

more and not settle for less. 

EL out with ‘Overdose’ video 

THE 2016 Ghana Music 

Awards ‘Artiste of the 

Year’, Elorm 

Adablah, popularly 

known as E.L, says 

he is taking the 

2018 music year 

at a full trottle. 

‘Overdose’ 

talks about 

showering immeasurable 

love 

to the woman of 

his dreams and the 

video was not 

spared when it comes 

to the best of quality. 

Shot in the famous 

East London studios, 

with direction 

from Wowa of Tunisian origin and 

shot by Trebla, everything 

came with good taste. 

E.L goes all loving 

with the female actress 

who plays the role of 

his girlfriend. In the 

dining scene of the 

video was a famous 

1917 diner and the 

VO Nation splashed 

huge cash to get it as it 

had been used in only 

two videos on this 

planet. 

Every scene of this 

video has the best of perfect 

pictures and the E.L brand 

makes known his value 

with whatever he 

does. 

•E.L 

•Shatta wale 

Shatta Wale can’t 

stand me when it’s 

freestyle — Samini 

GHANAIAN 

DANCEHALL 

artiste, Samini, says 

fellow musician Shatta 

Wale knows he is not 

a match for him in the 

field of music freestyle. 

Samini told Andy 

Dosty on ‘Daybreak 

Hitz’ on Hitz FM that 

Wale knows that “he 

can’t stand me when 

it’s free-style.” 

“He knows he 

can’t stand me when 

it’s freestyle. He 

knows. I know he is a 

freestyle artiste too… 

I can’t disrespect the 

fact that Bandana can 

do that, but then with 

that in mind, he 

knows I’m bad when 

it comes to 

that,” stated the ‘My 

Own’ artiste. 

“That one it needs 

big money, big investment 

behind it so we 

showcase that thing. 

Once and for all to 

Ghana and the rest of 

the world so they 

know that it’s just talk 

wey e dey talk.”

14 

DAILY 



‘Bronya’ 

deserves 

highlife song 

of the year 

— Wutah 

REJUVENATED 

GHANAIAN 

Highlife/Reggae 

group Wutah have 

openly declared 

their hit single 

‘Bronya’ the most 

suitable to win the 

‘Highlife Song of 

the Year’ category 

at the 2018 Vodafone 

Ghana Music 

Awards (VGMA). 

The duo, Afriyie 

and Kobby, who 

were recently reported 

to be on the 

verge of (another) 

split in a recent interview 

with 

George Quaye on 

Starr FM’s ‘Morning 

Zoo’ explained 

how impossible it is 

for their song; 

‘Bronya’ not to be 

categorised as 

‘Highlife Song of 

•Highlife duo, Wutah 

the Year’ as compared 

to the other 

competing songs – 

which could fairly 

be categorised as 

Afro-pop 

Wutah Kobby, 

who was making 

the justification, explained 

that their 

song best defined 

the Highlife genre 

and re-assured the 

entertainment 

world that their win 

could possibly revive 

the “dying” 

genre. 

Wutah were 

nominated in four 

categories at this 

year’s VGMA after 

a long lay-off from 

the award scheme 

as they parted ways 

to pursue solo careers. 

I can’t 

end my 

love for 

nudity – 

Efia Odo 

GHANAIAN AC- 

TRESS Andrea 

Owusu, popularly 

known as Efia 

Odo, says she 

holds the right to continue 

being herself despite becoming 

born again. 

According to her, the public 

must learn to accept her for 

who she is, rather than force 

her to become someone she is 

not. 

This comes after the television 

presenter vowed never to 

dress nude when stepping out 

for a programme or event. 

Following the death of late 

dancehall sensation Ebony 

Reigns, Efia Odo indicated 

that she had turned a new leaf 

and that she would now follow 

the ways of God. 

However, she was captured 

in a bikini during the Easter 

celebrations as she enjoyed 

some quality time at the beach. 

The said photo of her in a 

bikini led to talks from Ghanaians, 

with some taking to social 

media to accuse her of going 

back on her words. 

In a latest post, Efia Odo 

has indicated that she wants to 

live a real life and will not live 

her life to please anyone. 

She took to Instagram to 

post a photo of herself once 

again in a bikini standing 

next to a horse, saying people 

must learn to accept her 

for who she is. 

The actress wrote 

(unedited): “Wasn’t too 

sure if I should post this 

pic 

because I 

know how 

my people 

can be. 

They would 

start calling 

me names 

and it’s like 

now I have to 

walk on 

eggshells. 

But then am 

I still being real 

with myself ? 

Posting pics I 

think that’s 

pleasing to the 

eyes of the people 

just so they can 

see that I’ve 

changed? But then 

changed from 

what?Only thing 

that’s changed is my 

viewpoint on myself 

and on life. As you get 

older your perception of 

yourself has to change. 

•Efia Odo 

Now 

back to 

this pic of 

me in a bikini 

and cover-up standing 

next to this 

beauty...If I can post 

me in church then I can 

post me next to horse in 

a bikini at a BEACH 

RESORT! If you gonna 

accept me then you’ll accept 

me fully with flaws 

and all. I can’t fake a life 

that I’m not living. I love 

God and my relationship 

with him is between The 

King and I." 

Efia Odo is one of the 

fastest-rising actresses in 

Ghana currently, having 

starred in movies like ‘Royal 

Diadem’ and ‘What my wife 

doesn’t know’. 

She is also currently a cohost 

on Kwese TV’s morning 

show in Ghana.

DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH 

Sports 


15 

Ghanaian trio 

qualify for semis 

GHANAIAN TRIO, Janet Amponsah, Martin 

Owusu Antwi and Joseph Amoah, have 

made it to the semi-finals of the 200m race 

in this year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold 

Coast. 

Amponsah, who competed 

for Ghana at the 

Rio Olympics, made a 

time of 23.66s, with 

Owusu Antwi also securing 

a spot in the 

semis after making a 

time of 21.02s in the 

men’s category. Another 

prodigy, Joseph 

Amoah, also secured 

his spot 

in the semifinals 

after 

recording 

an impressive 

time 

of 20.84s. 

The trio 

will be in action 

tomorrow 

as they look to 

secure Ghana’s 

first medal in this 

year’s games in all 

competition. 

Team Ghana will 

be looking to improve 

on the two 

bronze medals 

they won four 

years ago in 

Glasgow. 

• Janet 

Amponsah 

We will not allow 

Palmer to undermine 

Appiah’s work 

— Takyi Arhin 

OUTSPOKEN 

FOOTBALL administrator, 

Takyi Arhin, has 

cautioned Wilfred 

Osei Palmer, now named as 

the new chairman of the 

Black Stars management 

committee, to 

be circumspect in 

his dealings with 

the Head coach 

of the Black Stars, 

Kwesi Appiah. 

According to the Techiman 

Eleven Wonder Chief Executive 

Officer (CEO), Osei Palmer was 

not in support of coach Appiah’s 

appointment as head 

coach of the Stars at the time of 

his re-appointment as Palmer 

had fronted for a German coach 

for the national team. 

“We will not allow Osei Palmer to 

undermine the work of Kwesi Appiah,” 

he told Accra-based radio station 

Hot FM. 

He also stated that Palmer’s comments 

after Ghana failed to qualify for 

• Takyi Arhin 

the World Cup in Russia disqualify 

him from taking up that role as chairman 

of the committee. 

Palmer is believed to have said that 

the government failed to pay some indemnities 

and unclassified payments, 

which was why Ghana failed to 

qualify for the World Cup in Russia. 

He was charged by the Ethics 

Committee of the Ghana Football 

Association (GFA) and asked to and 

retract the statement. 

The Techiman Eleven Wonder 

CEO also mentioned that Mr 

George Afriyie, the immediate-past 

chairman of the Black Stars Management 

Committee, was axed from 

his position due to his declaration to 

contest the FA presidency in 2019. 

Palmer and Kojo Yankah had 

come out publicly to call Mr Afriyie 

to apologise to the Executive Committee 

of the FA for declaring that 

he would contest the FA presidency. 

There have been reports in some 

sections of the media about the new 

changes in the various committees 

of the FA, with some labelling them 

as square pegs in round holes and 

others calling the situation as jobs for 

the boys. 

Mr Arhin emphatically stated that 

Osei Palmer and Kojo Yankah do not 

deserve the positions they have been 

given. 

Mohammed Shanoon denies 

involvement in visa fraud 

THE CHEF de Mission of Team 

Ghana at the Commonwealth 

Games, Mohammed Shanoon, has 

said he was not aware of some entries 

made by Christine Ashley 

and Hussein Addy, who were in 

charge of data entry of athletes 

and officials who were going to 

represent Team Ghana at the 

Commonwealth Games. 

Ashley and Addy have been 

suspended and sent back home 

from Australia for investigations 

to be carried out by the Ghana 

Olympic Committee (GOC). 

Mohammed Shanoon says the 

suspension and repatriation of the 

two National Sports Authority 

(NSA) officials was important to 

ensure that the investigations back 

in Ghana go smoothly. 

“We have conducted some preliminary 

investigations and those 

people sent back were complicit in 

a sense that there are some issues 

of entries they made without authority. 

Thus, to avoid any further 

confusion we thought that it is 

wise to suspend them pending 

further investigation into the matter,” 

he told Accra-based Kasapa 

FM. 

“The GOC has nothing to do 

with media accreditation for any 

journalist because coming to Australia 

comes with a different system 

of accreditation. 

“The suspension of Christine 

and Hussein has nothing to do 

with the detention and deportation 

of the so-called journalists,” 

he said. 

Shanoon also indicated that investigations 

are on-going and any 

person found culpable will be 

dealt with. 

“Any person found capable will 

be dealt with in accordance with 

the rules of the GOC. Some entries 

were made without my acknowledgement 

and permission as 

Chef De Mission. That is why the 

two have been suspended,” he 

said. 

•Mohammed 

Shanoon, Chef de 

Mission of Team 

Ghana at the 

Commonwealth 

Games

Daily Heritage April 11

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