Leave homosexuals alone, let them be – CDD boss supports the advocacy of LGBTQI+
Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development, CDD-Ghana, Prof H.K. Prempeh has mounted a strong defense of the right of the LGBTQI+ community to advocate to not be persecuted or harassed for who they are, stressing that the rights of advocates cannot be curtailed merely because they identify as LGBTQI+. Prof Prempeh argued that is cannot be unconstitutional for people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and other sexual orientation ( LGBTQI+) to come together to fight to be allowed to coexist with straight people in the community. His comments come at a time there is renewed advocacy for the rights of the LGBTQI+ community in the midst of a crackdown by government and religious organization as well as other bodies. The discussions on the LGBTQI+ community have been sparked by news of the opening of an LGBTQI+ office in the country. While many on social media have kicked against the acceptance or legalisation of homosexuality in the country, calling on Government to tighten legislation on the matter, persons like Prof Prempeh have written favourably for the community. “Once upon a time in human history and society, consensual sexual relations, including procreation, between persons of different “races” was proscribed as “miscegenation”, because it was deemed offensive to the “natural order of things”. The legal proscription of miscegenation found support and justification at the time in some Christian doctrine, as it does today on the fringes of that religion. (Chattel slavery, too, enjoyed support and protection from both law and religious doctrine at various times in history)… Is an “LGBT Office” or Association per se illegal–they say it’s even a threat to “National Security”–merely because an existing law (with origins in colonial era legislation), which finds support among certain faith communities, proscribes so-called “unnatural carnal knowledge”? Assuming, for the sake of argument, that such a law is deemed not unconstitutional by a contemporary court (btw, apex courts in a number of common law jurisdictions like India and Belize have recently invalidated similarly worded statutes), how exactly does one go from saying that such a law is not unconstitutional to then saying that, persons not otherwise engaged in the proscribed conduct may still not band together as an association even to advocate the repeal of such a law or to protest abusive use of such law to target and harass persons on the assumption that they may be predisposed to engage in such conduct (whatever that means)?” He questioned. Meanwhile, the government has moved in to close the office that had been opened weeks ago in Accra. Many have called on the President to come with a definite pronouncement on his position on the matter. MyNewsGh Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
‘Unhappy’ Samuel Boadu shocks Medeama with resignation as head coach
Samuel Boadu has resigned from his position as head coach of Medeama, according to multiple sources. He is reported to have submitted his exit letter after leading the Mauve and Yellows to a 2-0 win over Eleven Wonders at home on Wednesday, 24 February 2021. The Ghana U15 boys coach is said to be unhappy in Tarkwa following the club’s decision to hire Finland-based Seth Ablade as technical director. Boadu has been with Medeama for three years and feels it is time to look elsewhere for another coaching spell. Medeama have managed to recovered from a chequered start to the season and currently occupy the third position after six 16 matches. Ghana soccernet Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Run-Off is required as no Candidate got 50 Percent of valid votes’ cast – Mahama to Supreme Court
The Petitioner in the 2020 election Petition trial says a run-off is required since no candidate in the December 7 polls obtained 50 percent valid votes cast. The case of the Petitioner is simply that, in addition to fundamental constitutional infractions committed by the Electoral Commission chairperson, who was the returning officer of the Presidential Election, the figures announced in the declaration she herself made on December 9, 2020, no candidate got more than 50 percent of the valid votes cast and, as a constitutional consequence, a run-off election would be required. These were contained in former President John Dramani Mahama, the petitioner’s closing address filed by his lawyers at the Supreme Court. Mr Mahama argued that the evidence from the terms of the declaration and the consideration that the EC Chairperson said were the basis of the declaration she was making, led to the conclusion that “Nana could only be credited with 49.625 percent of the votes at the time.” Mr Mahama said “The fact that Petitioner is not indicating in this Petition what he or the other candidates should have obtained compared to numbers declared by the EC, cannot lead to a conclusion that the declaration by the EC Boss is constitutional.” According to Mr Mahama his own figures are “not relevant to determining whether that claim is well-founded or not.” Mr Mahama invited the court to take judicial notice of the fact that, ahead of the December 7, 2020 elections, political parties were urged not to seek to announce results based on figures they had collated but to wait the official declaration of the EC Boss as the returning officer for the Presidential Election. He explained that the EC under provisions of Articles 43-54, 56 (7), 63 and 65 of the Constitution and CI 127 is charged with the conduct of the Elections. Mr Mahama said “the starkly untenable nature of the claim that the petitioner should have put towards his own figures is put in sharp relief when it is recalled that, by virtue of Article 64 (1) of the Constitution, any citizen of Ghana can present a petition challenging the validity of the election of the president. A citizen, in bringing such a challenge, would not be required to indicate the exact number of votes that candidates ought to have obtained. Being a candidate does not change qualification for bringing such a Petition and cannot require more than any other citizen.” He recalled that “No one is asking Nana Addo either to bring his figures or the number of votes he and other candidates got, nor has Nana put forward his figures in this petition as that would have no relevance in the court before the court.” Accordingly, the Petitioner discharged the burden of proof that was on him. The Petitioner avers that “the unsigned press statement was not only correcting the alleged wrong total valid votes cast figures announced by Mrs Jean Mensa in her declaration on December 9, 2020. It also went on, explicably, to adjust the votes obtained by candidates Mahama and Akuffo-Addo as declared for them on December 9, 2020. Votes of other candidates were also adjusted.” All this, the Petitioner said was done outside the framework provided by CI 127 and particularly, without the involvement of the agents of the candidates, contrary to the requirement of Articles 49 (2) and (3) of the Constitution and Regulation 44 (10) of CI127. “Paragraph 29-30 of the amended Petition are very clear on how the Press Release issued on December 10, 2020 compounds the lack of transparency, fairness and candour of the 1st Respondent (EC) in the ever-changing figures,” the Petitioner said. The Petitioner said the figure in the purported “correction” as to the total valid votes cast was itself repudiated by first Respondent (EC) by the time the answer to the Petition was filed on January 9, 2021. “It defied logic that the 1st respondent (EC) issued a “correction” on 10th December 2020 to a figure which is now claimed to have been the actual figure purported on Form 13 on December 9, 2020.” Mr Mahama said “in the midst of changing figures of total valid votes cast as well as votes of individual candidates, it simply cannot be said that the overall results on Form 13 were not affected, especially when the figures claimed to have been form 13 are different from figures in the “correction” on December 10 2020.” He contended that there were discrepancies in figures provided for candidates of other parties and “the material increase of Akuffo-Addo whiles at the same time materially reducing the votes of the Petitioner clearly requires explanation.” Mr Mahama said fundamentally, there was no evidence from the EC on the basis of which any of its contradictory claims could be accepted as “the truth.” Petitioner held that attempt to “effect a correction by an unsigned press release is wholly untenable.” According to the Petitioner the testimony of the three witnesses for the Petitioner showed clearly not only the breach of the duty to be fair and candid under Article 23 of the Constitution but also the lack of due process in terms Article 296 of the Constitution. Petitioner submitted that when matters of breaches of the Constitution or of Statute arose before a court there was urgency about addressing those breaches. Mr Mahama said the conduct of the EC Chairperson in sending the agents of a major candidate who should have been present in the resolution of the outstanding issues leading to the declaration and “immediately going ahead to make the declaration without even the required steps under the Regulation 44(10) were self-evidently unreasonable.” Ghana Guardian Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez’s cat gets hit by a car and is sent to Spain to be cured… by private jet!
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez have sent their cat Pepe, who is of an exclusive breed that there are only eight in the world, to Spain for treatment. The cat, which they have had for more than two years and is of a breed called sphinx, was hit by a car in Turin, which is where they live thanks to Cristiano playing for Juventus. Pepe travelled on the family’s private jet to head to Spain, which, according to Cadena COPE, cost three thousand euros. This breed of animal also costs 3,000 euros, according to El Partidazo de COPE. Cristiano and Georgina decided to send him by private jet to Spain so that, when he is cured, he can return to Italy by the same means of transport. According to Pronto, Pepe the cat is at Georgina’s sister’s house. m.allfootballapp Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Why THREE big Ghanaian coaches rejected Hearts of Oak
Hearts of Oak are struggling to attract a big-name coach after the unexpected exit of Kosta Papic two weeks ago. GHANASoccernet.com understands Maxwell Konadu, Ibrahim Tanko and Yaw Acheampong has turned down offers to replace the Serbian in the dugout. These three top coaches are concerned about the rampant dismissal of coaches by the club’s board who have come under pressure. The headhunted coaches are not enthused about the club’s signings in the offseason. Also, they dread inference by the board in player selection which was cited as the chief reason for Papic’s exit-but that has been quashed by board member Vincent Sowah Odotei. Konadu has been available since his dismissal by Asante Kotoko and Acheampong also expected to leave Elmina Sharks. Tanko, former Black Stars assistant coach and Black Meteors head coach, has been unattached since returning from the 2019 CAF U23 Cup of Nations in Egypt. In 11 years, the Togbe Afede XIV-led board have fired 22 coaches including Paa Kwesi Fabian and the late Yusif Abubakar. The rest are Nebojsa Vucicevic, Shaibu Tanko, CK Akunnor, Ben Adjei, David Duncan, Mohammed and the late Herbert Addo. Others are Eddie Ansah, Can Vanli, Kenichi Yatsuhashi, Sergio Traguil, Yaw Preko, Henry Wellington and Frank Nuttall just to mention a few. In the interim, stop-coach Samuel Nii Noi seems to be getting the job done with two straight wins (against Ebusua Dwarfs and Liberty Professionals). Next week, the Phobians face perennial rivals Asante Kotoko in the Ghana Premier League derby. Ghana soccernet Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
This is just the beginning- Legon Cities brace hero Hans Kwoffie after Elmina Sharks victory
Legon Cities newboy has promised more goals for the club after netting a brace in his side’s victory over Elmina Sharks on matchday 16 of the Ghana Premier League. Having joined the Royals just a week ago, the former Ashantigold attacker is making instant impact at the club, winning Man of the Match on his debut in the draw against Bechem United and scoring twice last night to earn their first win in four matches. “I am very happy to contribute once again. I want to thank my team-mates because it won’t be possible without them. I am here to score more goals and this is just the beginning,” he said after the game. Hans Kwoffie has scored eight goals in ten games between Ashantigold and Legon Cities in the ongoing Ghana Premier League. His addition to Legon Cities is expected to propel the club into a decent position on the league log. Coach Bashiru Hayford believes the striker’s addition to his squad could help lift the team to a better place in the league. “I can’t say that the entire team problem is solved because of the arrival of Hans Kwoffie. There’s still more games to go and we need more wins. Together, we will all lift ourselves to the highest level,” said Hayford. By Lukman Abdul Mumin Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Samuel Jinapor pledges to tackle deforestation aggressively
The Lands and Natural Resources Minister-designate, Samuel Jinapor, says he will be more aggressive in tackling Ghana’s alarming loss of forest cover. Speaking during his vetting, he said it was time for larger re-afforestation interventions. “We need to roll out an aggressive afforestation scheme; an afforestation scheme that will not look at tickling, that will not look at small interventions but which will ensure we aggressively roll out a programme of afforestation.” Mr. Jinapor suggested that the President will also headline an annual tree planting exercise. “Once in a year; preferably on June 5th, which is World Environment Day, the President of our republic will lead a tree planting exercise.” He added that the Asantehene, Ya Naa and other prominent members of society will also partake in the exercise. Mr. Jinapor added that it will be a priority to “see to the growth of the trees.” “The programme must contemplate a situation where we plant, and we see to the growth of the trees,” he said. On how much overall recovery efforts would cost, Mr. Jinapor said the situation was now being assessed. “A lot will be required in terms of the funding, and I am not looking at only governmental sources… we have begun a reflection along the lines of how much we needed and how to raise the requisite funding.” In 2019, Global Forest Watch estimated that there was a 60 percent increase in Ghana’s primary rainforest loss in 2018 compared to 2017. That was the highest in the world at the time. One of the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation organisations, World Wildlife Fund, also added Ghana in its 2020 deforestation fronts report published in January 2021. It believes there is a likelihood that Ghana will experience high rates of forest loss between now and 2030. Smallholder farming has been identified by the World Wildlife Fund as the key driver of forest loss in Ghana, accompanied by small scale timber. The World Bank estimates that deforestation is costing Ghana $400 million a year. Citinewsroom Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
COVID-19 vaccines: Consider responsible immunisation – SDA tells members
The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church, has said its members have been taking vaccines against viruses and diseases from time immemorial and has called on members of the church across the country to consider “responsible immunisation” during the COVID-19 pandemic. This follows the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines in the country. In a statement issued by the church and signed by the President of the Church in Ghana, Pastor Thomas Techie Ocran, the SDA said: “On the current debates on the COVID-19, we wish to inform our members that vaccines have long been used by Adventist church members throughout the world. “As we witness the global magnitude of the pandemic, the deaths, disability and long-term COVID-19 effects that are emerging in all age groups, we encourage our members to consider responsible immunisation.” The statement continued that: “The stand of the Adventist church is based on its strong teachings and practices on health and well-being informed by biblical revelation, writing of Ellen G White (co-founder of the church) and on peer-reviewed scientific literature.” It further continued that: “It is worth noting however that the corporate church is not the conscience of the individual church member, and we recognise individual choices.” It emphasised that: “These are exercised by the individual. The choice by a member not to be immunised is not and should not be seen as the dogma nor the doctrine of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.” Responding to claims by some persons that the COVID-19 vaccine is the mark of the beast, the church explained, it does not believe that “the mark of the beast” is a literal mark,” but rather a sign of allegiance that identifies the bearer as loyal to the power represented by the beast.” Ghana has received 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India (Covishield). The consignment was delivered today, February 24, 2021. This is the first consignment of vaccines acquired through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX) which Ghana, among 92 countries has signed unto. The Minister-designate of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and officials from the Ghana Health Service were at the Kotoka International Airport. classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Using Conman to describe Mahama was inappropriate, i withdraw it – Amewu
The minister designate for Railways John Peter Amewu said using the word “conman” to describe former President John Dramani Mahama in run up to the 2020 general elections was inappropriate and therefore withdraws it. Peter Amewu took back his ‘insults’ during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 when he was asked by the Member of Parliament or Awutu Senya-West, Gizella Tetteh –Agbotui, what informed the comment and whether he himself is a conman. He responded that; “I am not a conman. Yes, it is on record that I have used that word. It was in reaction to a statement that I issued when I was the Lands Minister, the implications and the dictate of that word was in a context at the time I was issuing that statement. “The conman was not directed to what the interpretation might have been made. Of course, it was not an appropriate word to use at the time. In that context, I have withdrawn that word.” As the head of the Lands and Natural Resources ministry in the run up to the 2020 elections, Mr Amewu said John Mahama is a conman who does not fulfil his promises especially in the mining sector. The former president had prior to Amewu’s comment said the government of Akufo Addo has failed woefully in the fight against illegal mining. But Amewu in a sharp rebuttal said “what has Mahama been able to do? Today, we have created a lot of mining districts, we’ve created 12 mining districts and 33 satellite districts. We are bringing mining back to the decentralization level. The small-scale mining which was in the status quo was supposed to have mining communities. “These were not inaugurated in all the years Mahama was President, we have just inaugurated them, bringing mining to the community of the owners of the resources. Decentralization, is the approach, so I am so disappointed in him. “He cannot address the problems. I’m telling the small-scale miners that this gentleman is a conman. He’s deceiving them and if they dare go in for him just because of galamsey, this country will come down,” he stated. modernGhana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Yankah dismisses claim that Nkrumah squandered foreign resources left by the British
Founder of the African University College of Communication (AUCC) Kojo Yankah has dismissed claims that Ghana’s first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah wasted foreign resources left by the British colonial masters.. In a write up to mark 55 years since the overthrow of Dr Kwame Nkrumah on Wednesday February 24, Mr Yankah catalogued the developmental projects that Dr Nkrumah embarked upon using Ghana’s resources. He said “I am reading elsewhere the propaganda spread about Kwame Nkrumah ‘squandering’ foreign resources left by the British. “Considering that Kwame Nkrumah did not build one house for himself or for his family; and that he did not even know what foreign account meant to him, let us consider only a few of what he spent the reserves on:In the Health sector, Nkrumah’s government built Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, made Korle Bu a Teaching Hospital and expanded its capacity by adding on Medical, Maternity, Surgical and Child Health blocks. “Nkrumah established the Ghana Medical School, provided Free Medical Care to ALL citizens; and established GIHOC Pharmaceuticals which was to become the leading pharmaceutical industry in West Africa; built several hospitals and clinics. Factories and Industries ? ” Every region had at least one factory. Examples: Aboso Glass Factory in Western Region; Zuarungu Meat Factory in the Northern Region; Wenchi Tomato Factory in Brong Ahafo Region; Akosombo Textiles Limited in Eastern Region; Pwalugu Tomato Factory in the North; Kumasi Shoe Factory, Kumasi Jute Factory in Ashanti Region, Kade Match Factory in Eastern Region; Nsawam Cannery in Eastern Region; Bolgatanga Meat Processing Factory and many more. Ghana had a shipping line, Black Star Line, with 15 ships. “Ghana Airways Corporation, Ghana National Trading Corporation, COCOBOD, VALCO, State Hotels Corporation, Tema Oil Refinery, Ghana Film Industry, GHAPOHA etc were all established under Nkrumah.Tema Township was created to accommodate a new port city outside Takoradi. Several Estates were spread out in Accra and Kumasi.Within the same 10 years, Kwame Nkrumah established the Ghana Education Trust to build a number of secondary schools like Mfantsiman Secondary School, Winneba Secondary School, Ofori Panin Secondary School, Apam Secondary School, Dormaa Secondary School, Techiman Secondary School, Labone Secondary School, Oda Secondary School, Swedru Secondary School, among others. “Eight training colleges were also built at the same time. With universities and technical colleges, I can name only a few: Ghana Nautical College (now Regional Maritime University), Kumasi Technical Institute, Ajumako School of Languages, Accra Polytechnic now Accra Technical University, University of Science Education (now University of Cape Coast (UCC), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Institute of African Studies, Kwame Nkrumah Institute of Economics and Political Science (now south campus of UEW), made University of Ghana (then University College of Gold Coast affiliated to university of London) a full fledged university to award its own degrees and became their first chancellor, among others. “Yes, Ghana under Nkrumah supported a number of African countries to attain their liberation and independence to make the Organization of African Union possible. On Ghana’s independence day, Martin Luther King was invited to take inspiration from Ghana’s achievement. Then followed George Padmore, WEB Du Bois, Dr Lee, Muhamed Ali, and others to strengthen Nkrumah’s Pan Africanist agenda. No attempt to denigrate or reduce Kwame Nkrumah’s pre-eminent role in Ghana and Africa’s development will succeed. Rather, we should ask ourselves, “What went wrong” and continue to build from there.” 3news Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093