Top Stories

Parliament yesterday voted against the private member bill which was presented by the Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, asking the President of Ghana to absorb fees of students in the public tertiary Education institutions for year 2021 academic year.

The House through voice voting which was put by the Rt Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin either for the adoption of the motion or otherwise, majority of the MPs voted NO, to get the motion rejected.

The Hon member of Parliament for Ofonase-Ayerebi and an immediate past information minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has described the motion moved by Hon MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga as inappropriate and does not meet the required standards.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah in his argument on floor of Parliament said, the motion must be clear and specific but not ambiguous, he continues to say that, the motion must not encourage illegality or unconstitutionality, it must not be discriminatory and finally busy follow best practices.

Responding to Mr Oppong Nkrumah’s debate, the Hon member of Parliament for North Tongu and a former ranking member on foreign affairs committee, Samuel Okudzato Ablakwa said, Corona virus has really cost us as a country which has led our economy in recession.

He added that, due to the effects of COVID-19, many Ghanaians have lost their jobs, many have been laid off and there is considerable difficulty in the system and that is why governments across the globe have been intervening to reduce and to assist their citizens.

Therefore, government of Ghana has no excuse to come in at this point to assist students in the direction the motion is seeking his high office to address to bring some relief to parents and students at the public tertiary institutions and by extension, assist accredited private tertiaries as well.

Mr Okudzato was wondering why NPP government would find it difficult to accept and implement the request for giving assistance to tertiary students in the country since, in the 2020 election campaign, the NPP promise to give financial assistance to tertiary students without even a guarantor, and all what they need is their Ghana Card to access loans for their fees.

But the immediate past deputy Education minister, Dr Yaw Adu-twum responded to Mr Okudzato Ablakwa that, that promise still holds, just that, as we speak, the Nana Addo led government has not even gotten its ministers yet, therefore, the minority and NDC should exercise patience.

He also added that, more than seventy percent of tertiary students have already paid their fees, so which fees is Mr Ayariga is asking government to absorb again.

A 28 year old teacher of Oti Boateng S.H.S. Kofi Ofori has been found dead in his room few weeks after gaining employment as a teacher at Betom a suburb of Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

According to a Co-tenant, Samuel Amado, the last time he saw the deceased was on Tuesday evening, till yesterday Wednesday, when he returned from work and smelled an offensive odour upon entering the house.

He said he enquired from his wife if their little son has pooped and she said nope. Amado said he started pacing about in the house until he realized that the bad odour was emanating from the deceased room and house flies crowded the widows.

He averred that ,he alerted the rest of the tenants and they called the deceased relation Bruwa and they all proceeded to the police station to Lodge a formal complain. Speaking to the P.R.O. of the Eastern Regional Police Command Sergeant Francis Gomado, the police proceeded to the scene and forced the door opened. He said the police found a lifeless body of Kofi Ofori with blood oozing from the nose.

He averred that the corpse has been deposited at the regional hospital morgue for preservation awaiting autopsy.He appealed to the general public to help the police investigate to ascertain the cause of the death.

The Ministry of Health has directed that all public Covid-19 testing laboratories providing walk-in services should charge only travellers for Covid-19 testing.

A statement issued and signed by acting chief director of the Ministry of Health, Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari, said all other walk-in requests such as ill health, contact tracing and exposure must be done free of charge using public health resources.

Read the full statement below:

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has finally filed their withess statement as orderd by the Supreme Court

The NDC’s deputy director of legal affairs, Baaba Jamal speaking on Accra based OK FM assured that Mr Mahama and his lawyers are ready for today’s hearing in court.

The Former legislature for Akwatia says the NDC never intended to delay the hearing as the first respondent claim.

Supreme Court Orders Mahama To File Witness Statement or Have His Case Thrown Out

The Supreme Court of Ghana on January 26, 2021 ordered former president John Mahama who is the petitioner in the ongoing Election petition hearing to file his five witness statements by Wednesday, January 27, 2021 or have his case dismissed.

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court presided by Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah on January 20, 2021 adopted five major issues that the Court would be considering for the hearing of the 2020 Presidential elections of which as part of the orders directed the petitioner and his lawyers to file their witness statement by 12 noon on January 21, 2021.

Mr. Mahama failed to comply to enable hearing of the case today, January 26, 2021.

The court however in its reading directed Mr. Mahama and his legal team to comply with the orders of the court by the close of Wednesday, January 27, 2021 or risk having his case dismissed.

A 54 year old man whose name given as John Selasi and appears to be a look alike of the late Jerry John Rawlings has revealed that, the spirit of the late former President J.J Rawlings has entered into him to continue his works

According to him, his neighbours have been referring to him as “Papa J” because of his lifestyle and values in society.

John Selasi, who is believed to be branch secretary for the NDC in Zenu Central in Kpone Katamanso Constituency, is determined to follow the core values of the late J.J Rawlings

Speaking to Kasapa News, he applauded the good works of the late President and assured that, he will emulate from him

He added again that, he’s hoping for God to raise him to the level J.J Rawlings reached so he can take the country to the promise land.

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has disclosed that some male victims of Covid-19 who have fully recovered from the disease are struggling to have penis erection for sexual pleasure.

According to the Vice President of the Association, Dr. Frank Serebour, a number of complaints have come to the attention of physicians across the country for response and treatment.

Dr. Serebour speaking on Abusua 96.5 FM in Kumasi  said, a lot of people who have recovered from COVID-19 infection are developing other health abnormalities while others have no other complications.

“The after effect of COVID-19 is becoming serious people are suffering here and there, even some studies which suggest some men who have fully recovered from the virus infection are not experiencing penis erection for sexual pleasure,’’ he disclosed.

The Supreme Court of Ghana has ordered former president John Mahama who is the petitioner in the ongoing Election petition hearing to file his five witness statements by Wednesday, January 27, 2021 or have his case dismissed.

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court presided by Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah on January 20, 2021 adopted five major issues that the Court would be considering for the hearing of the 2020 Presidential elections of which as part of the orders directed the petitioner and his lawyers to file their witness statement by 12 noon on January 21, 2021.

Mr. Mahama failed to comply to enable hearing of the case today, January 26, 2021.

Lawyer for Mr. Mahama, Tony Lithur explained to Court that it was their understanding that per their application for stay of proceedings, they were not to file the processes expected.

The court however in its reading directed Mr. Mahama and his legal team to comply with the orders of the court by the close of Wednesday, January 27, 2021 or risk having his case dismissed.

“The petitioner is referred to the following rules of court. Rule 69 (C4B) of the Supreme Court of rule C.I.16 as amended by C.I. 99 which reads the court may dismiss the petition where the petitioner fails to file the processes regarding the petition within the specified time or hear and determine the petition when the respondents fail to file their answers or the processes regarding their answer within the specified time. Indeed, this position in the procedural rules of the Supreme Court relating to presidential election petition is echoed through the different hierarchy of court in current case management structure and will not be compromised.”

“Order 32 rule 7 of A sub-rule 3 of the High Court civil procedure amendment rule 2004 C.I. 87 which governs trials in the High Court has a similar provision which states where a party has failed to comply with any of the directions given at a case management conference or pre-trial review or both, the judge may make the following by striking out the action, if the non-complying party is a plaintiff or strike out the defense and counter if the non-complying party is a defendant or order any party to pay a cost or make any appropriate order. The petitioner is again directed to file his witness statements on the matters raised in his petition and other pleadings and his response to the preliminary objection by close of the day, Wednesday, January 27, 2021, failing which this court will proceed to invoke the sanctions imposed on this court by the rules of court.”

Ghana is now recording about 600 new Covid-19 cases everyday, this is according to information available the Ghana Health Service website.

The service confirmed 635 new cases on Friday, January 23 within 24hours after it had announced 658 new infections across eight regions on Thursday, January 22, 2021.

The confirmation of 679 new infections in GHS latest update brings the country’s new cases in the last three updates to 1,972. The latest infections, confirmed in eight regions were from tests conducted as at January 20, 2021.

This bring the country’s active cases to 3,286 from a previous 2,799.

Seventy-one of the active cases, it said, are in severe conditions, with 36 in critical condition.

The service update continues to say the active cases are being managed in treatment sites, isolation centres across the country, while some were under home management.

Ghana has so far recorded 60,794 cases of the virus since it confirmed its first two cases in March 2020.

The organizers of Communication Students’ awards Sky Infinity Group has announced the opening of nominations for the second edition of the top notch communication awards scheme.

The awards scheme, which is believed would serve as a spring board for many students who wish to reach higher heights with their works, efforts and contributions in the media space will also have the ability to celebrate, reward and motivate students in various communications institutes and departments nationwide.

In a presser released today 25th January, 2021, the management of the awards scheme stated that only students who are in a communication school or department or related and are also tertiary students of Ghana are qualified to nominate.

Students who wish to nominate can do so using the link and process below
http://http://communicationstudents.com/nominate/

Fill the forms by typing
Your Full Name
Your Email
WhatsApp Number
School Attended
Upload Professional Profile Picture
Select Categories
Upload Proof of Work
Or Submit Link of Work

Below is the full press release and the categories:

The communication students’ awards seeks to encourage and motivate students who are doing marvelously well in Public Relations, Journalism, Music and Arts and other communication related discipline.

The organizers have successfully launched the second edition and opened nominations.