Stop burning our equipment or we’ll go on 3-day demo – Small-scale miners
The Small-Scale Miners Association has threatened a three-day nationwide ant-government demonstration if the authorities at the helm of the illegal small-scale mining activities (galamsey) do not stop burning their equipment. At a press conference at Ntaferewaso in the Twifo-Atti Morkwa District of the Central Region, the group’s Director of Communication, Mr Abdul Razak Alhassan, said “as far as we know, the military was deployed to specific river bodies but we are seeing a situation where they veer into communities with licensed small-scale miners and end up burning their equipment”. “Some of the communities are Asamoakorom and Awusem, both in Twifo Praso District of the Central Region”, he said. The group is demanding clarity on the anti-galamsey orders of the President. “We need clarifications on the President’s directive to the military”, Mr Alhassan said. According to him, “we do not understand why the government made a U-turn on the issues raised at the meeting held at the Accra International Conference Centre.” “We never discussed anything about involving the military in clearing people operating with legally-acquired licences”, the group decried. The group said if their concerns are not addressed in a week, they would hit the streets. “We are giving the government seven days to address these concerns”, he said. “If nothing is heard from them, we will embark on a three-day nationwide demonstration”, Mr Alhassan threatened. A few days ago, OccupyGhana said it found it shocking that the government recently set some seized galamsey equipment on fire. In a statement, the civil society group said it is “shocked to see pictures and films in which equipment allegedly being used in galamsey operations and apparently seized by security officials, have been set on fire”. “While these dramatic optics might have the support of some, we think that it is a brazen illegality that will only exacerbate the situation and not help in the fight against galamsey”, the statement noted. The anti-galamsey soldiers deployed by President Nana Akufo-Addo to stem the tide of illegal small-scale mining, destroyed some 127 changfans, nine excavators and a fuel pump during their recent operations. The ‘operation halt’ soldiers also arrested two Chinese galamseyers. Speaking about the operation, Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul told journalists at a press conference on Friday, 30 April 2021 that: “It is noted that since the operation commenced on Wednesday, 28 April 2021 to Thursday, 29 April 29 2021, the troops have destroyed a good deal of equipment including nine excavators, 127 changfans”. “Furthermore, the following items have been seized and would be destroyed except items that will be used as exhibits in the court for prosecution: 8 by 24 plate batteries, one pump action gun case, a generator, a Huawei phone, a chainsaw machine, eight raincoats, fuel filters, non-citizen Ghana cards, two drilling equipment and two boots.” “These items would be destroyed except what the police deem necessary for their work for prosecution, otherwise everything will be destroyed”, he said. He said: “This operation will be conducted on all major river and forest reserves in all galamsey endemic regions throughout the country to rip them of illegal mining activities.” “There will be aerial patrols at places where GAF has also swept past. Armed men would be authorised to take immediate action on anyone who returns to these river bodies to engage in galamsey activities.” Read OccupyGhana’s full statement below: 4TH MAY 2021 OCCUPYGHANA® PRESS STATEMENT GOVERNMENT, APPLY THE LAW ON ILLEGAL MINING! OccupyGhana® is shocked to see pictures and films in which equipment allegedly being used in galamsey operations and apparently seized by security officials, have been set on fire. While these dramatic optics might have the support of some, we think that it is a brazen illegality that will only exacerbate the situation and not help in the fight against galamsey. The government’s epileptic and faltering fight [against] galamsey gives the impression that it is unwilling to follow and apply the law. When Aisha Huang was first arrested, she was charged with some ludicrous, risible and insignificant administrative breaches of immigration regulations. It took a protest and a petition by OccupyGhana® on 16th May 2017 for her to be charged with the proper offences under the Minerals and Mining Act, which, as we will show, provides for serious punishment for illegal mining. We believe that her quiet and hurried deportation by the government was to avoid subjecting her to the full rigours of the law. We insist that that unfortunate truncation of the judicial process sounded the death knell to the galamsey fight. But the law in the Minerals and Mining Act is clear. There is a fine and imprisonment between 15 and 25 years for each of the following crimes: buying or selling minerals without a licence or authority; mining in breach of the law; abetting any breach of the mining law; contracting a non-Ghanaian to provide mining support services; abetting the breach of the mining laws by a foreigner; fabricating or manufacturing floating platforms or other equipment to be used for mining in our water bodies; and providing an excavator for an illegal mining operation. The Act further provides that a non-Ghanaian who illegally mines or abets illegal mining attracts a large fine and imprisonment between 20 and 25 years, and shall be deported AFTER serving the sentence. This is what should have been applied to Aisha Huang. Also, and of particular importance to us, is the legal provision that equipment used in any of these offences is required to be first seized and kept in police custody. Then, when the person using the equipment for the illegal mining activity is convicted, the court will order the forfeiture of the equipment the state. Then the Minister has 60 days within which to allocate the equipment to a state institution. There is absolutely no legal room for simply torching the equipment. It is illegal and must stop forthwith. We think that all the efforts to end illegal mining will not achieve anything until we resolve to simply enforce the law. If the security
Tomorrow’s meeting will determine whether we will do a 10, 15, or 20% adjustment to the fare– GPRTU
The leadership of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has hinted that transport fares could go up by as much as 20%. The Secretary of GPRTU Mr. Godwin Abulbire in an interview with Citi News monitored by Apexnewsgh.com said they will resume dialogue with the Transport Ministry and other stakeholders on a possible transport fares increment this week. “What made us not conclude the dialogue last Wednesday was that the fuel margins, which are currently at 9 pesewas, must even come down, so obviously we couldn’t have arrived at a particular figure that we were pushing for. Initially, our target was a 20% increment but it seems the price of the fuel is coming down. So that is why we decided not to propose any figure since on Tuesday, we will get the actual margins to increase our fares.” He explained “We are looking to increase the fares because our argument doesn’t rely on the increase or decrease of fuel prices alone. Before the budget was laid before the government, we were advocating for an increase in transport fares and after the budget was read, we were told to wait for its approval. So, tomorrow’s meeting will determine whether we will do a 10, 15, or 20% adjustment to the fare,” he said Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Galamsey causing babies born without eyes, nose and ears at Aowin
Medical staff in Sewum Health Centre in the Aowin District of the Western North region are recording a high number of newborn babies without some vital body parts due to the activities of illegal mining popularly known as galamsey. According to the Health Centre, pregnant women in the community are continuously losing their newborn babies because the women drink water contaminated with chemicals used by the illegal miners. A Midwife in charge of the Sewum health Centre Gifty Adwoa Adjanor disclosed that the facility has been recording cases of newborn babies without nose, eyes, ears and mouth. According to the midwife, the development is a result of the highly polluted river – which serves as a source of drinking water – due to illegal mining activities along the river bodies. The Midwife is thus appealing to traditional leaders and other residents in the area to support the renewed fight against galamsey to enable pregnant women to give birth to healthy children. Sewum is a cocoa growing area and also a notorious illegal mining community in the Aowin District of the Western North region. Drinking water in the community is heavily contaminated with chemicals used by illegal miners. All river bodies in the area which serve as the water source for domestic and farming activities are heavily polluted due to the indiscriminate mining activities on river bodies. The situation has left the poor community with over a population of about 1000 people with no option but to depend on the unsafe water for drinking and other domestic use. Meanwhile, the percentage of pregnant women being delivered by professional midwives in Ghana has increased to eighty percent. According to the Nursing and midwifery Services at the Ghana Health Service, there has also been a significant improvement in Ghana’s midwives to patient ratio. These are findings of an assessment of midwifery services in Ghana. The Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services Mrs. Eva Mensah at the GHS made the revelation Sunday, May 9 during a Mother’s Day ceremony organized by GHOne TV and Starr FM to celebrate midwives in the country. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Fix your mother up, never get tired of showing her love–Otiko Afisah Djaba
Today is Mother’s Day in Ghana. How well have you been fixing your mother up? We should never get tired of treating our mothers well and celebrating mothers. We must honour our mothers because they are specially created by God to be the vessels of humankind and they toil to nurture us. So roll the drums for mothers, and understand that as history only remembers winners, Mother’s are winners, no matter how much pain they go through, what burdens they are carrying, or how unhappy they are, they are mothers. This is why we celebrate them over and over again each Mother’s Day. How would this world be if there was no mother? Mother’s day is celebrated on every second Sunday of the month of May in Ghana and other parts of the world. This day is celebrated to appreciate the immense contributions, hard work and commitment of every mother. We celebrate motherhood, their wonderful treats, mummy’s cooking, wiping our tears and their great influence on children and on our society. The sacrifices of mothers, cannot go unnoticed because they give birth, fend and take care of the children, do the house chores and are there for them through thick and thin. Mothers have gone through incredible and overwhelming challenges like teenage pregnancy, ill health, poverty, abuse, Kayayei and have survived. A mother should be a survivor who behaves responsibly towards her children, provides good guidance and counseling and plays the pivotal role in their child’s life. Unfortunately, some women are thrown out and condemned to lives of misery because they are barren. Why? Whereas other mothers have also abandoned their children or thrown them away, why? Each year we celebrate Mother’s Day with an avalanche of praises on mothers. But beyond this day what do we see? Mothers being mistreated by children, mothers being disrespected, being forgotten, isolated and rejected; mothers being abused physically, emotionally and sexually. Even as we celebrate Mothers today, there are mothers who will go hungry, mothers who are outcasts because they are labeled as witches, prostitutes and women with disability. Mothers who are widows, single mothers, aged and divorcees are rejected, scorned and subjected to intolerable ill treatment by some children, relatives and members of our communities. We must take the opportunity of this 2021 celebration to demonstrate genuine love, appreciation and concern towards mothers continuously. During this coronavirus crisis, a lot of mothers have supported their families greatly by making sure there is food on the table, their children are protected and ensured that they observed COVID-19 protocols. We encourage Mothers to continue to sensitize their children to be coronavirus safe. Mothers need to be celebrated for their awesome commitment, sacrifices, struggles and love poured on their children. We encourage all to act appreciatively towards their mothers, wives, and sisters 24/7. You know why? Because motherhood is not easy. To be a mother is an everyday job but without pay and no pension. There is no leave, excuse duty or retirement from motherhood. Let’s honour Mothers by demonstrating serious love, being thoughtful about their needs, being sensitive especially when they get to old age, and doing things for them that make them feel precious. The Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation wishes every mother including mothers with disability, widows, single mothers and mothers who care for children with disability a happy and blessed mother’s day. Mothers fix us up from birth but who is fixing mothers up? Fix your mother up with a kiss, a hug, a gift and some tender loving care. Mothers this is your day, be a role model, a champion, a winner, and be the best mum you can ever be for your children as we lap up this years’ Mother’s Day adoration. #fixyourmotherup #happymothersday Dr. Otiko Afisah Djaba is the Executive Director of The Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation, Gender, Disability, Women and Children Advocate Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
“We were elected not to complain or compare, but to get things done-Ken Ofori-Atta
Ghana Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has said, he and his party were not elected to complain or compare, but to get things done. Mr. Ofori-Atta made the pronouncement on Sunday during his press briefing following a question from the media. The Minister recounted some of the social intervention services provided Ghanaians, especially the vulnerable during the COVID-19 lockdown including the provision of free electricity to one million lifeline consumers, supply of free water to households, free distribution of food packs to the vulnerable and evacuation of stranded Ghanaians abroad. He further noted that despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Ghanaian economy, the rate of growth of the public debt had been lower under the Akufo-Addo-led Government than under previous administrations. “The rate of debt growth was lower despite massive investments in our flagship programmes such as the Free Senior High School Policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, NABCo, One District, One Factory, One Village, One Dam, restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowances, while maintaining macroeconomic indicators and exchange rate stability,” He stressed. “We were elected not to complain or compare, but to get things done. To fix what is broken and Government and I are determined and committed to do just that,” he pointed. However, Mr. Ofori-Atta estimated that it will cost the government $10 billion to fix all the bad roads in Ghana. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Let us rise up and build together and let us #FIXTOGETHER- Ken Ofori-Atta to Ghanaians
Ken Ofori-Atta the Ghana Finance Minister, has advised Ghanaians to assist the governing New Patriotic Party government in fixing various challenges affecting the country. Recently, a group of Ghanaians who are satisfied with the current economic challenges in the country has taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction. Within this short period, the hashtag #FixTheCountry on social media has become a common language to every aggrieved and unhappy Ghanaians across the country by way of expressing their displeasure over successive governments’ failure to improve the living standards of Ghanaians. However, responding to the calls by the movement for government to fix the country, the finance minister Mr. Ofori Atta believes, Ghanaians should support the government in fixing the country together. “In the coming days, we will move swiftly to address the issues that #FixTheCountry have raised. First, I am working with the Minister for Water and Sanitation to immediately ensure potable water to areas of critical need. Secondly, I am working with the Ministers of Roads and Highways, Transport and Interior to address congestion along the major highways. Thirdly, we are fast-tracking the implementation of the $200 million jobs and skills programme and economic transformation programme to enhance job creation significantly.” “Fourth, starting this month, we are rolling out over eight additional interventions under the GhanaCARES Obatanpa programme and these will be in the health, agriculture, trade, tourism, digitisation, science and technology, housing and financial service sectors. Fifth, by the end of July, we will have a new development bank capitalized with over $500 million that will provide long term whole financing and not retail, as happened in the past, to the private sector through commercial banks and non-bank financial institutions such as venture capital companies for SMEs, to ensure financing to the youth. So let us rise up and build together and let us #FIXTOGETHER.” He said Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
ESLA introduced by Seth Terkper very helpful to Akufo-Addo’s government-John Kumah
Mr. John Kumah, the deputy Finance Minister-designate has revealed that the Energy Sector Levy Act (ESLA) introduced by Seth Terkper the former Finance Minister under the Mahama administration, has been so supportive to the Akufo-Addo- Bawumia government especially in clearing a lot of energy sector-related debts. Mr. Kumah was speaking on Class91.3FM’s current affairs programme monitored by Apexnewsgh.com. “In fact”, Dr. Kumah noted, Mr. Terkper, his co-discussant on the show, “was the first person in Ghana to address that problem; that going forward, we cannot handle the debt situation with respect to energy without a special vehicle”. “But it has helped to raise revenue”, he acknowledged. The former chief executive officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) said: “In fact, as of June last year, per the data, we had paid GHS12 billion under ESLA alone for trying to clear debt”. “This year alone, per the data I checked, we had spent almost GHS2 billion and still continuing the energy sector recovery debt and right now, a number of legacy debts – you remember back in 2017, we used to have TOR debt, BOST debt, GNPC debt, VRA debt, ECG debt and even BDCs; last year, the BDCs made an announcement that all their debts had been cleared”, “It is all as a result of this ESLA levy that was introduced”, he noted, adding: “It is true; it is helping and the government of Ghana, I think in 2017, the government also introduced a new vehicle based on this ESLA called ESLA PLC, which raised about GHS10 billion in bonds to be able to help address this take-or-pay contract and I’m happy Hon Seth Terkper said that even they, while they were in office, thought that the take-or-pay was a bad arrangement, so, they had to replace it”. “So, we must all understand that there’s a problem which has been created and we are all working to resolve it”, He stressed Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093