Leading Gold Producing Countries in Africa – 2019
GOLD PRODUCTION IN AFRICA Table 7: Leading Gold Producing Countries in Africa – 2019 World Ranking Africa Ranking Country Production Volume in Metric Tonnes 7th 1st Ghana 142.4 8th 2nd South Africa 118.2 14th 3rd Sudan 76.6 16th 4th Burkina Faso 62 17th 5th Mali 61.2 19th 6th Tanzania 48 21st 7th Dem. Rep. of the Congo 45.6 22nd 8th Côte d’Ivoire 41.9 23rd 9th Zimbabwe 38.7 30th 10th Guinea 27.5 33rd 11th Senegal 16.8 35th 12th Mauritania 15.1 36th 13th Egypt 14.9 37th 14th Madagascar 14.5 38th 15th Nigeria 14 Data Sources: Metals Focus & World Gold Council (2020); *Compiled by Author Figure 7: Leading Gold Producing Countries in Africa – 2019 Data Sources: Metals Focus & World Gold Council (2020); *Compiled by Author BRIEFS: Africa is one of the global regions with strong exploration and mining of the precious metal (gold). Contribution of gold revenue to gross domestic product (GDP) and socio-infrastructural development in economies in Africa; and in economies in other regions across the globe cannot be overemphasised. In 2019, fifteen (15) African countries were included in forty-three (43) countries with significant gold production volumes across the globe. These 15 African countries and their respective global and Africa rankings as well as gold production volumes during the period are presented in Table 7 and Figure 7. The fifteen African countries produced 737.4 metric tonnes, equivalent to 22.53% of total volume of gold (3,272.7 metric tonnes) produced by the 43 global countries in 2019. Data in the table and figure indicate Ghana and Nigeria were the respective highest (142.40 metric tonnes) and lowest (14 metric tonnes) contributors from the African continent to major global gold production in 2019. Total gold volumes (337.2 metric tonnes) produced by Ghana (142.40 metric tonnes), South Africa (118.20 metric tonnes), and Sudan (76.60 metric tonnes) were equivalent to 45.73% of total gold production (737.4 metric tonnes) by the 15 African countries listed in the table and figure. Ghana’s total volume of gold production in 2019 was estimated at 142.40 metric tonnes. This was equivalent to 4.35% of total global gold production (3,272.7 metric tonnes); and equivalent to 19.31% of total gold produced (737.4 metric tonnes) in Africa during the period. Respective total gold production volumes by South Africa (118.20 metric tonnes), Sudan (76.60 metric tonnes), Burkina Faso (62 metric tonnes), and Mali (61.20 metric tonnes) sufficed to affirm their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th rankings in Africa during the period. Total volume of gold produced by Tanzania (48 metric tonnes) in 2019 was the 6th and 19th highest in Africa and globally. Senegal’s total gold production capacity of 16.8 metric tonnes in 2019 was enough to place 33rd globally, and 11th in Africa after Guinea (30th globally, and 10th in Africa) with 27.5 metric tonnes. Eight (8) of the 15 countries listed in the table and figure are in West Africa. This suggests gold production in commercial quantities was more pronounced in the West African sub-region than anywhere else on the continent during the period. Numerical advantage of West Africa was corroborated by its quantitative contribution to Africa’s total gold production during the period. Total gold production by the 8 West African countries in the table and figure equalled 380.9 metric tonnes, equivalent to 51.66% of total gold production contributed by the African continent (737.4 metric tonnes) to total global gold production (3,272.7 metric tonnes) in 2019. However, total volume of gold produced by West Africa (380.9 metric tonnes) was less than the volume produced by China (383.2 metric tonnes) during the period under review. Ebenezer Ashley (PhD), Chartered Economist/ Business Consultant Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. CONTACT:0555568093
Nana Addo celebrates Samini on his birthday
Today marks the 39th birthday of Ghanaian recording artist Samini. And as the goodwill messages poor in for the “my own” singer, from far and near, I guess one that would stand out for Samini is the one that came in from the Nation’s president-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo. He was one of the foremost musicians who supported the 4more4Nana movement that culminated in the re-lection of Nana Addo. Nana Addo took to his Instagram page to celebrate Samini who did a campaign song for Nana during the electioneering period known as Kpoyaka. “Happy Birthday, @samini_dagaati. Thank you for all your support. God bless. #Kpoyaka,” Nana Addo wrote on Instagram. Another celebrity who got the honour of a birthday wish from the president was Prince David Osei who also recently celebrated his birthday. It must be noted that he was also very much part of the 4more4Nana movement. GH Base Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. CONTACT:0555568093
THE NDC HAS NO CASE; DON’T JOIN THEIR DEMONSTRATION-PART 1—Aziz Adam Kobilla
In 2016, the then EC chairperson and the returning officer of the 2016 presidential elections, Madam Charlotte Osei declared the outcome of the polls without four constituencies; Afram Plains North, Upper West Akim, Sawla Tuna Kalba and Tamale Central. These four constituencies have a combined voter population of 220,270. Madam Charlotte Osei declared the results of the two main parties as follows: Nana Akufo Addo (NPP)= 5,716,026 (53.85%) John Mahama (NDC)=4,713,277 ( 44.40%) This yielded a difference of 1,002,749 ( 9.45%) between the two main contenders. Madam Charlotte Osei explained that the votes of the four constituencies left out in the declaration is immaterial no matter their outcome to the Presidential polls hence the reason she went ahead to declare the results without them. The gazetted results ( NPP and NDC) for the 2016 presidential polls were later published as follows: Nana Akufo Addo (NPP)=5,773,299(53.6%) John Mahama (NDC)=4,800,737(44.6%) Difference =972,562. Fast forward, this year, the EC under a new boss and returning officer, Madam Jean Mensah declared H E President Nana Akufo Addo the winner of the 2020 presidential elections without Techiman South Constituency. The results declared for the two main contenders are as follows; Nana Akufo Addo( NPP)=6,730,413 (51.595%) John Mahama (NDC)=6,214,889(47.366%) With a difference of 515,524 between the winner and his closest contender. According to Madam Jean Mensah, Techiman South Constituency has a total voter population of 128,018 and so if all these votes were added to the votes of the second contender it cannot cancel out the excess votes ( 515,524) between the winner and his closest contender. She further stress that in as much as the percentages will alter if such a situation happens but the winner as she declared would have obtained 50.8% which is beyond the required percentage to triumph in any presidential election as posited by the constitution of the republic of Ghana hence the reason she went ahead with the declaration. It is important to note that this article sort to address two issues as being advanced by the leadership of the NDC that resulted in the incessant demonstration we are seeing on our streets on daily basis by supporters of the NDC. Point 1: the NDC argued that why will EC declare the 2020 presidential polls minus the Techiman South Constituency? This argument appears sensible but in actual sense it is deceptive. It is important to remind the NDC and ourselves that the 2016 presidential election was declared without FOUR CONSTITUENCIES as established above but it was accepted by all. Drawing from the above experiences, what the two EC bosses-cum-returning officers sort to educate us is that declaration of results can be done with some outstanding figures provided those figures outstanding cannot significantly alter the declared results. Mathematically, in the case of 2016 if all the 220,270 votes from the four constituencies that were outstanding were added to the votes of the second contender in this case John Mahama it wouldn’t have been enough to offset the over 1 million votes difference between Nana Akufo Addo and John Mahama. Moreover, Nana Akufo Addo percentage would have still remained above the over 50% + 1 votes. Similarly, if all the 128,018 votes from the Techiman South Constituency is added to John Mahama during the just ended 2020 polls it cannot cancel out the 515,524 votes difference between Nana Akufo Addo and John Mahama and Nana Akufo Addo will maintain a percentage higher than 50% +1 votes. This means waiting or not waiting for the outstanding results from the four constituencies and Techiman South Constituency as in the case of 2016 and 2020 respectively is of no significance to the declared results hence the decision to forgo them to avoid unnecessary delay and further heightened tension in the country. Just like myself, any Mathematics student understands this phenomenon adequately. If your Mathematics is defective don’t just follow, consult a selfless Mathematician for advice. This is a science and data issue. If we are to be guided by some electoral experience. It will suffice to say that the assumption to allocate all results coming from the outstanding constituencies in the case of both 2016 and 2020 to one presidential candidate is untenable and should be discouraged as it is nearly impossible to make such assumption. It is untenable because these outstanding figure represents the total registered voters in those constituencies and our electoral experience reminds us that: 1. No constituency has ever recorded 100% voter turnout. 2. No constituency has given all its valid votes to just one candidate. This further supported the decisions taken by the respective returning officers of both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Point 2: the NDC argued again that why did the EC declare the results with certain figures and gazetted the results with different figures? Again, this arguement is flawed because the EC did indicate before declaration that there are some figures yet to come from Techiman South Constituency. We were told this by the EC to bear in mind that the declared results is not final but reliable because the outstanding figures cannot vary the results significant enough to invalidate the declared results. Dear NDC supporters, your leaders are misleading you into doing the unthinkable don’t listen to them. Thank you Aziz Adam Kobilla Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. CONTACT:0555568093
GFA Ethics committee bans Kofi Manu for a year
The GFA Ethics Committee has decided to ban Mr. Kofi Manu from taking part in all football-related activity for a period of one year for breaching Article 18 of the GFA Code of Ethics (2019). The GFA Ethics Committee at its meeting held on December 10, 2020, found Mr. Kofi Manu to have breached Article 18 of the GFA Code of Ethics (2019) (Duty to Cooperate) which imposes a duty to assist and cooperate truthfully, fully and in good faith with the Ethics Committee at all times, and not to take any action actually or apparently intended to obstruct, evade, or otherwise interfere with any actual or potential Ethics Committee proceedings. The Committee has commenced proceedings into Mr. Kofi Manu’s alleged involvement in Tiger Eye’s Number 12 Documentary. Mr. Manu was served notice in a letter dated November 23, 2020, to appear before the Committee in person on Thursday, December 3, 2020. A copy of the Tiger Eye’s video was added to the letter. However, Mr. Manu failed to appear before the GFA Ethics Committee. Mr Manu had also failed to honour a previous invitation to appear before the Ethics Committee on November 19, 2020. In a letter dated December 1, 2020, Mr. Manu raised various issues which could have been resolved if he had attended the meeting scheduled for December 3, 2020. On the basis of his conduct, the Committee found Mr. Kofi Manu guilty of breaching Article 18 which imposes the following sanctions in case of violation: 1. fine of at least GHc5,000 2. a ban on taking part in any football-related activity for a maximum of two years Going forward, the Committee expects Mr. Kofi Manu to act in good faith and desist from acts that could bring the image of the game and the GFA into disrepute. COMMITTEE’S DECISION The decision of the Committee is: 1. To ban Mr. Kofi Manu from taking part in any football-related activity for a period of One Year with immediate effect in accordance with Article 18(6), of the GFA Code of Ethics. 2. To impose on Mr. Kofi Manu a fine in the amount of GHc5000. Payment shall be made to the GFA within 14 days after receipt of this Decision 3. Kofi Manu is expected to appear at the Committee’s next sitting on Wednesday, December 30, 2020, at 4:00pm, failing which the Committee will proceed with its work without further reference to him. Should Mr. Kofi Manu be dissatisfied with or aggrieved by this Decision, he has within three (3) days of being notified of the grounds of the decision to appeal to the Appeals Committee of the Ghana Football Association. Happy 98.9FM Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. CONTACT:0555568093
It was a peaceful walk not a demonstration–NDC MPs
It was not as simple as expected at the Electoral Commission Headquarters in Accra when Minority members in parliament led by Hon. Haruna Iddrissu beseeched the EC’s Headquarters to present their petition. Some of the MPs were seen dressed in a mourning black attire with their faces frowned which indicates how peeved they were, following the recent happenings in the country especially after the declaration result of the December 2020 general elections. In an event which the Minority described as a peaceful walk to the Electoral Commission Headquarters to enable them to submit their petition, some of them were captured struggling themselves through the barricade as they were been pushed by the police but few of them later passed through the barricade and was able to penetrate. However, some MPs described the situation as an unfortunate incident as they expressed dissatisfaction. according to them, they were surprised that police personnel was seriously preventing them not to submit their petition. During a protest in Tamale First Vice Chairman of the NDC, Chief Sofo Awudu Azorka said the NDC intends swearing in John Dramani Mahama as President on January 7. Adding that the NDC believes that John Dramani Mahama is the legitimate President of Ghana and no human can change that. Meanwhile, the content of the petition is yet to be revealed the NDC has consistently said they do not accept the results of the just-ended polls which was used to declare Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as president. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/ Ngaemgbulam Chidozie Stepehen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. CONTACT:0555568093
Tempane NPP constituency denied petitioning President, as DCE reacts.
The District Chief Executive for Tempane District of the Upper East Region Paul Abugri Azumah has responded to the December 15, 2020, purported petition against him coming from one Anthony Sandow as a convener. According to the accused District Chief Executive Mr. Azumah who spoke to Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh.com, all that the convener said in the purported petition was nothing than a fabrication of lies to dent his hard-earned reputation. “There is no party Executive whose name is there. No Constituency Executive, no electoral area coordinator, no party elder, no patron, constituency polling executive NO. Currently, all of them have been denied except only two. So, from our investigations, that is what the Executives are trying to respond to. Somebody wrote and puts people’s name and then phone numbers. Because the party Executives and other people are hot on the petitioners because they have no knowledge of it and one of those who wrote it called and said they were going to write a petition but they never saw the content and it was some time ago, it was 3 days after the election that they called them, so they never knew it was because of the petition they were calling them.” “So, we have asked them to come out and deny the Petition. Is two of them, one Anthony Sandow the convener, I am using him as an example because currently, everything that is coming out shows that he is the one going to the radio stations. This Particular gentleman said in the petition that, I am not accessible to people, that I don’t stay in my constituency, the unfortunate thing is that people just go and write something to make it look credible. You are saying I don’t stay in the constituency? Or moved into the constituency a month ago, that’s a lie.” “I came to office in 2018 August 7, the day I was sworn in and started work by the end of August 27th or so and there was no any accommodation for me in the constituency. So, I stayed in my bungalow in Bawku Sec Tech where I teach, that was where I was teaching before I got appointed, because the BNI advised that where I was staying security was not all that good, so I should look for this thing, so where I was, was better for me. So, permission was taken by the Regional Minister everybody up to the local government and they told me I should be there, whiles they work for the accommodation. But Garu has not given us accommodation. So, in May 2020 they finish the accommodation because it was handed over to them in January 2020. So, currently since may I have been in KUGRAGO that is where the building.” “So, is never true that am not accessible and that Anthony Sandow mother, is the KUGRAGO women group leader and she has been coming to me with the women, sometimes 120 of them 100 and they do meetings in my residence, during the campaign the mother used to be in my car and we go round. He Anthony Sandow, a certain point in time, our MP bought a bus for him through a company and the MP bought and paid half and he is supposed to do work and pay and he couldn’t pay and the company came for the bus and he came home and said MP has made him lose his job and was campaigning for the NDC Parliamentary candidate, I got the information and I called him to my residence and advised him to stop that thing. Just about 2 to 3 months ago, he went and the MP settled him with a motorbike and started now working for the MP. The question is those people you removed out of the party when he was peeved, was he able to bring all of them back?” Below is the Press release: NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY, TEMPANE CONSTITUENCY 21ST DECEMBER, 2020. RE-PETITION FOR THE REMOVAL FROM OFFICE, THE DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR TEMPANE DISTRICT- HON. PAUL AZUMAH ABUGRI Party Elders, Constituency Executives, Electoral Area Coordinators, Polling Station Executives, Friends of Kpemka, Youth for Kpemka, Osonoma Group, Party Supporters, The Media, Ladies and Gentlemen we express our gratitude to you for your swift response to our call on the subject matter above. On behalf of the Constituency Executives and the Electoral Area Coordinators of the Tempane Constituency, we want to state unequivocally without any fear of contradiction that we the Constituency Executive Hierarchy with all the Subsidiary Arms have no fore knowledge about the said petition as claimed by the petitioners. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, our thorough investigation after the release of the so-called petition revealed that such group superimposing themselves to be known as Youth Patriots do not actually exist. And no form of consultation whatsoever has been carried out with the Party Executives before such press release. It is with much regret to mention that peoples’ whose names were listed to be part of the petition denied with disdain as being associated with such ‘ungodly act’ when they were called. The Constituency Executives wish to use this medium to call on all well-meaning individuals whose names have been wrongfully included to the list of petitioners to do the needful by officially disassociated themselves using the Party’s Grievance Redress Procedures at the Constituency Level. The Media present, Ladies and Gentlemen, as Constituency Executives we want to urge all party supporters and well-meaning Ghanaians to disregard the above publications and treat it with the greatest contempt it deserves. The Member of Parliament, The District Chief Executive, The Deputy CEO of Youth Employment Agency, The Deputy CEO of Northern Development Authority, Party Executives and other Party Supporters in the Constituency were seen campaigning together peacefully and it is never true that the District Chief Executive is the cause of the Member of Parliament’s defeat in the Tempane Constituency. Indeed, the Constituency is in the process of setting
Just In: NPP PC Explains Why She Lost Bawku Seat to Mahama Ayariga as She Blames…
The 2020 Parliamentary Candidate for the governing New Patriotic Party in the Bawku Central constituency Agbanwa Gabiana Abugri has pointed out reasons why she lost the Bawku Central seat to NDC Mahama Ayariga. Speaking in an exclusive interview after the 2020 election, Madam Gabiana told Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh.com that her late hour sickness, party internal wrangling between her and some party members, misinformation by her opponents to the people of Bawku Central and even her own family members caused her losing the Bawku Central seat to his opponent. “When I went round, the message I got was very positive and I was crowning myself not less than 60 percent. But unfortunately getting to the last campaign period, I felt sick and I was out about 40 days, and even up to now, am not even out like that to start doing anything. Even though am well, the doctor said I need some rest, so I shouldn’t do any movement. So, that one too has affected my campaign because I wasn’t able to move to the whole constituency. You hear people saying that I have died and when I even came back, people said I was bed riding, that my opponent used my sickness as an opportunity to campaign against me. He was going around telling the people that, I wasn’t well, I was bed riding, and that they only want the people to vote for me and later the party will replace me with another person and people really bought into that without understanding the real fact.” “The second reason was that, there was a problem between the party itself, I mean between ourselves, so NDC also took the opportunity to give us more problems. The problem was not something that was hidden, it was glare we had problem among ourselves and that problem couldn’t be addressed even though I sent it to the region and I sent it to the national and it was not dealt with or maybe it wasn’t well addressed and it was between me and some members of the party. If you can remember, there was an audio I was trying to advise somebody to talk to somebody 4 months later, getting to the election time that audio was leaked. Apart from that, because I am not the MP when I go out and lobby for developmental projects and it gets the Municipal, it was diverted to my opponent and she was doing as if she brought it.” “Apart from that, you know Bawku here, we have that kind of chieftaincy problems, me being a Manpurusi, even though my opponent is my son, they went out 2 days to the election, people came and told me that this was what they told the chief; that any chief who had allowed us in their place, that person was going to be in trouble, to the extent that my own uncle went out and was distributing money that they should vote against me. There are so many things that I can’t mention here. But I am confident that if I had gone out to talk to people and they listen to me, it would have been a different thing altogether, but it didn’t happen that way.” She explained Madam Gabiana who appeared so disappointed when speaking to Apexnewsgh said, despite all the troubles and challenges, she gives all the glory to God her creator because he oversea everything and always has a way of addressing them accordingly. However, in the 2020 parliamentary elections, Mahama Ayariga of the NDC retained the Bawku Central seat with a total number of 25,490 votes whiles Madam Gabiana of the NPP secured 23,166. GUM candidate got 457, LPG 111 and NDP candidate managed with just 96 votes. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications or contact us on 0555568093
UER: The MP, DCE And The Authorities Didn’t Listen To Us, They Should Be Blamed For The Zebilla Seat—NPP Chairman
The Constituency Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region Patrick Ayaaba has responded to the accusation and blame game of he been the architect of causing the defeat of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Zebilla Constituency. Mr. Ayaaba who spoke to Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh.com said he played his role professionally as a Constituency chairman but, unfortunately couldn’t receive any good cooperation especially from the Member of Parliament (MP) and District Chief Executive (DCE). According to him, the problem in the constituency between the MP, DCE and the party members wasn’t a hidden thing in the constituency hence, he made effort to resolve it on time before the 2020 elections, but unfortunately no attention was given to him for redress. He said, with his effort and efforts of some other party members, they were able to convince some NDC members in 2016 to win the Zebilla seat. But unfortunately, in the 2020 elections the people they convinced were feed up with the performance of the MP and DCE, which makes it difficult for the NPP to win the seat even though Zebilla is known as NDC stronghold. However, Mr. Ayaaba said the MP and DCE must take the blame for the abysmal performance the constituency witnessed in the just ended December 7, 2020 general elections. “In 2016, due to the hardworking of some us, we were able to convince some NDC people to join us plenty, and many of them joined us and we had the seat. But it seems their expectations was not met for a period and during that period all, we have been giving letters to the Regional and National telling them that if care is not taken, something of this sort will happen but it seems they did not pay attention to it and that is why it has caused us. I even have a report i wrote to them, in the report, I was saying that the behavior of the MP and the DCE is on called for and if they don’t come and put them to order, some of this sort maybe caused and even in some level, the Regional Chairman had to reply by saying what am saying is not true. So, I kept quiet.” He stressed “You know this our Northern Region everything we want consultation. Sympathizing of funerals, developmental issues, even if you want to pick somebody, you had to consult to know that we are all in agreement because resources are limited to supply. But it looks as if some were sidelined so I think that is the problem. When they don’t get, they create a problem and when they come and it is not well managed then other will feel offended, they are the cause. Even some polling station executive were of the view that they will sit down and somebody who did not support the party will bypass them and go and get some position. Even organizing polling station meetings was a problem. I have to stop campaign and call them to plead on them to come down. In 2016, some of them were even selling their guineafowl for the party. There is a lot to come and here, I want the MP to be sitting down and DCE to be sitting and I will be sitting down will be talking and see whether they can answer, is not a hidden thing. The place is an NDC area not an NPP area so you don’t boast. So, if somebody is not happy the way you distribute resources, you only need to call him and plead on him, but he will say let’s ignore him. Before the primaries, some people were having this thing that the MP has lost grounds so they have to change. So, they didn’t support him during the this thing. But when he won, his boys were going round saying money stop nonsense, and that comment alone have caused us a mess. You have won, why do you use that language again? I am not hiding anything, I want the authorities to come and we talk to each other and even what the Regional Chairman did, the letter he wrote to me is still with me. My report is still there, I served report even up to Chief of Staff office, only to make sure they will come and see to it that we correct things before it is spoiled. Meanwhile you have to listen to the people on the ground.” “Sympathizing of funeral was a problem, we didn’t even have money and the MP have never even given 1000 into our party account to be able to sympathize funerals…nothing, we don’t have any record of MP given us 1000. Nobody should put the blame on anybody, let’s put the blame on the MP and the DCE that is all.” He lamented “The DCE too, you know we were all contesting for the DCE’s position, so after that anyone who come to her, she will respond that you, you weren’t supporting me why do you come here? She has used all those languages on people and the people are there to justify right now. This is what has actually mess to the party in the constituency. I don’t think we need to blame anybody apart from the two of them and the authorities. The authorities also didn’t listen to us.” He told Apexnewsgh.com Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093.