Twitter rejected FG’s demand that Nnamdi Kanu’s account be blocked – Lai Mohammed
Micro-blogging platform Twitter rejected the Nigerian government’s demand that the account of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu be blocked, Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed disclosed on Tuesday. Mohammed stated this when he featured on ‘Politics Nationwide,’ a Radio Nigeria call-in programme in Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The minister insisted that Twitter was suspended in Nigeria because the platform was being used to promote the views of those who wanted to destabilize the country. Mohammed said that it was unfair to conclude that Twitter was suspended because it deleted a tweet posted by President Muhammadu Buhari. “Twitter has become a platform of choice for a particular separatist promoter,” he said. “The promoter consistently used the platform to direct his loyalists to kill Nigerian soldiers and policemen, run-down INEC offices and destroy all symbols of Nigeria’s sovereignty. “Every attempt to persuade Twitter to deny its platform to this separatist leader was not taken serious.” The minister added that the Nigerian government had no apology to offer to those who were unhappy with the suspension of Twitter’s operations in the country. He argued that a country must exist in peace before citizens could exercise freedom of speech. Speaking further, Mohammed blamed the violence and destruction of property recorded in parts of the country during the #EndSARS protests on Twitter and its founder, Jack Dorsey. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
MTN Foundation handover GH¢300,000 blood bank building to Cape Coast Teaching Hospital
MTN Foundation committed to improving health, education, and economic empowerment in Ghana, has presented a blood bank building to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH). The ceremony to present the facility, meant to support effective patient care, coincided with the commemoration of World Blood Donor Day which fell on Monday, as well as MTN’s 25 years of existence in Ghana. The building has a reception, screening room, blood store room, refrigerators, a laboratory, a waiting area, and a washroom. Mr Samuel Koranteng, the Chief Corporate Officer of MTN, said the role of blood ineffective health care delivery could not be overemphasized. He indicated that the blood bank would help manage the hospital’s bloodstock which includes maintaining an inventory for each blood group, ensuring an average age of blood at the time of issue, and monitoring the amount of blood that becomes outdated. The Chief Corporate Officer said one key area his outfit was very particular with, was the sustainability and maintenance culture that would be adopted by the management of the hospital to ensure that the facility served its intended purpose. “Five years from now, when we come back to visit, we hope to meet the facility well maintained and possibly in the same state as presented to benefit generations to come” he stated. Mr Koranteng announced that the Company had rolled out several promotions as part of programmes to appreciate its customers for their commitment to the network and urged all customers to take advantage of them. Dr. Eric Kofi Ngyedu , Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Hospital, said the donation of the blood bank to the hospital was very timely and would immensely augment and improve blood donation services. He said the unacceptable rate of maternal deaths, mostly caused by post-partum hemorrhage informed the management’s decision to seek support from the MTN Foundation to help secure lives and stop all preventable deaths. Expressing gratitude, the CEO thanked MTN for what he described as ‘historic’ and promised that the hospital would take very good care of the facility for future generations to feel MTN’s generosity. Dr Leticia Lokko, a hematologist at the Hospital, outlined the importance of blood donation and stressed that safe blood was a critical resource for infants with severe anemia, pregnant women who experience postpartum hemorrhage, cases of trauma, surgeries, treatment of malaria, sickle cell disease and a host of others. She further urged the public to freely walk to the facility and willingly donate blood to help save lives and curtail all preventable deaths. —GNA Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Activate all CCTV cameras installed in Accra to curb crime – Okoe Vanderpuije
Former Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije has urged the government to activate CCTV cameras installed in Accra to help tackle crime in the capital. The CCTV cameras were installed at vantage points as part of the Accra Areawide Intelligent Traffic Management System. Mr. Vanderpuije who is also the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South claims the devices are currently offline several years after they were installed. “When you drive through the city of Accra, you will see these cameras that we started installing during my term of office and continued even after I left office, all over on white poles. There are some in Mamprobi, Chorkor, Osu, and other places, but they have not been activated,” he said in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. “We installed these cameras throughout the city of Accra, and I am sure if you go to the scene of the incident, you will see cameras on the road because there are cameras all over Korle-Bu and Jamestown and a camera would have definitely captured the bullion car and the motorists following them somewhere around the city if they were activated.” The Accra Areawide Intelligent Traffic Management System was introduced to help reduce traffic congestion in the capital city. The system relies on a coordinated traffic signal system with digitised traffic lights and a centralised control centre where all traffic signals will be monitored and controlled to improve traffic flow, trip reliability and road safety. The legislator claimed that the devices are offline because of a lawsuit initiated against the government for terminating the contract with a Chinese company called Beijing Everyway. Ghana risks paying a hefty judgement debt for cancelling the contract. The private construction company filed a lawsuit against the Government of Ghana in the London court of international arbitration to demand $55 million from Ghana for abrogating the contract. Beijing Everyway, said prior to the cancellation of the contract, it had worked on the provision and installation of a traffic management system. “…[Beijing] Everyway has gone to court because the contract that was awarded to them was terminated under Nana Akufo-Addo and given to Huawei. So Ghana has been sued, and the matter is now in court. If Everyway was working on the project, all these cameras would have been activated,” Mr. Vanderpuiye explained. Mr. Vanderpuije made the remarks on the Citi Breakfast Show while sharing his view on the recent robbery attack on a bullion van at Jamestown, a town in his constituency. A police officer and a trader were shot dead by the robbers on Monday, June 14, 2021. There have been a series of robbery incidents in Accra in particular in the last month, which are mostly carried out brazenly in the full glare of the public. Mr. Vanderpuiye said the cameras would have deterred the robbers from carrying on with the attack if the cameras had been activated. —citinewsroom Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
BoG, IGP clash over attack on bullion vans
A statement issued by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) on December 24, 2020 shows it directed all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and Specialized Deposit-Taking Institutions (SDIs) to secured armoured bullion vans in a move to combat robbery attacks. All DMBs and SDIs had up to July 2023 to comply with the BoG directive, the statement indicated. This follows series of attacks on bullion vans carting cash which most often results in the death and injury of drivers and police officers. “Following the Bank of Ghana’s (BoG) meeting with Cash Operations Managers of banks held on Thursday, 15t October 2020, Bank of Ghana hereby directs all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and Specialized Deposit-Taking Institutions (SDIs) to acquire armoured plated bullion vans for its cash operations,” BoG statement signed by its secretary Mrs. Alethea Godson-Amamoo has said. Although all DMBs and SDIs have up to July 2023 to comply with the BoG directive, they were expected to take immediate measures to secure the armoured bullion vans to prevent loss of lives, currency, and destruction of sophisticated equipment which then became a national security concern. “BoG further directs all DMBs and SDIs should comply with the above directive by 1st July, 2013 after which BoG will not admit any soft-skinned CIT vehicle into its premises nationwide,” the statement emphasised. However, following Monday’s armed robbery attack on a bullion van at James town in Accra, the Inspector General of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh has asked banks to provide armoured vehicles for carting money. Whiles BoG directive says July 2023, the IGP said DMBs and SDIs have up to the close of June 2021 to satisfy all the directive. He added that failure on their part will compel the Police to withdraw its officers for escort duties. “The IGP is also reminding the Association of Bankers to provide fortified armoured vehicles for carting currencies by the close of June 2021 as earlier agreed between them and the Police Service, else the Police withdraws its officers for escort duties,” the IGP warned in the statement. Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh, has instructed the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), to take over investigations into the armed robbery attack on Monday’s bullion van incident at James town in Accra. “The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh has directed the Director-General Criminal Investigation Department to take over the investigation into the attack on a bullion van at Adedenpo, a suburb of James Town in Accra on 14June 2021, which led to the murder of a police officer.” Police had said the unidentified armed men, on not less than three motorbikes, crossed the bullion van and started shooting sporadically. The police officer onboard was shot dead, the diver of the vehicle sustained gun wounds and a woman was killed by a stray bullet. By Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
CDD-Ghana initiates a network of West African Parliamentary monitoring organisations
The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has initiated steps to establish a network of Parliamentary Monitoring Organizations (PMOs) in West Africa to work towards enhancing parliamentary openness, transparency and accountability within the sub-region. According to CDD-Ghana, the West Africa PMOs’ network will, among other things, advocate for the adoption of the ‘Declaration on Parliamentary Openness’ by their respective national legislatures and campaign for inclusive social policies and programs that will positively enhance the lives of marginalized groups in their respective countries. Further, the network will advocate for strong and open Parliaments that embody citizens’ voices, especially those of marginalized groups, by enhancing their capacity to demand inclusive policies, responsiveness and accountability. In line with this initiative, CDD-Ghana disclosed it is hosting a four-day conference for PMOs operating across West Africa from June 15 to 18, 2021 in Accra. The conference, which forms part of activities under the Center’s project titled “Strengthening Parliamentary Monitoring Organizations (PMOs) in West Africa and Ghana to Enhance Parliamentary Openness, Inclusive Policies, Transparency and Responsiveness,” seeks to strengthen West Africa and Ghana-based PMOs. Regina Oforiwaa Amanfo Tetteh, Senior Programs Officer at CDD-Ghana, is optimistic that the conference will contribute to sharpening the skills of participating organizations to enable them advocate issues, policies and programmes that impact the lives of marginalized groups. “The ultimate aim is to set up a West African network of PMOs and to ensure the effectiveness of this network, its members must be equipped to enable them to contribute meaningfully to help achieve the objectives for which it was established,” she said. At the end of the project, CDD-Ghana hopes the participating organizations will be able to find innovative ways of documenting, assessing and sharing research findings on parliamentary performance in their respective countries. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
THE JAMES TOWN BULLION VAN ATTACK, A SAD STORY OF A POLICE OFFICER AND A HAWKER.
By : GODWIN AKO GUNN Remember the tale of the singing bird who will not listen to any advice from the tortoise through the climbing plant. Yes, it was the first to be shot dead, but it endangered the tortoise and the climbing plant. No one is an island. My condolences to the families of these two individuals. May their souls rest in peace . The level of impunity and bravado that is creeping up in robberies is worrying, and we are all not safe. Was the hawker involved in the transfer of the money? Certainly no, but like the tortoise hiding in its corner, was caught up in a stray bullet. Last week, in broad day light and in-front of the police headquarters, robbers were bold to enter a forex bureau, robbed it, sat on a bike, shot their way through to escape. As people, what will destroy us is hypocrisy. We saw this coming, but for whatever reason, we never confronted it when arms were being placed in wrong hands. The peace and Christian councils will not listen to the voices calling for the prevention of “some people” being added to the national security. They kept directing one side to disband it’s party security, when they knew, another party was training theirs with how to handle guns!!! The media also followed up with their usual question, if the other side refuses to disband, what will you do? As if the nation belongs to the NDC and NPP. The “innocent” citizen, the poor hawker, looking for daily bread, and not interested in the GDP growth or your inflation rate, gets caught up in such a messy situation. Sadly, the mindset of our president is backward. Sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks no evil. He believes that when a security operative is provoked, he can take action and beat anyone he chooses. The question now is, when an operative is hungry, what will he do ? Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Those against me wants me to be sharing money to them–Amiyuure fight back
The acting Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive Mr. Joseph Amiyuure has said, those attacking him on radio and social media may have personal issues against him because he wasn’t sharing money to them as expected. Mr. Amiyuure revealed this during an engagement with Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnews Gh. According to Publications in some local media outlets in the region, a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Abdallah Salifu has issued a warning alert to the governing NPP by threatening them with a massive demonstration in the region if President Akufo-Addo mistakenly appoints Mr. Amiyuure to continue as the MCE for the people of Bolgatanga Municipality. Meanwhile, responding to the threat by the NDC communication member, Mr. Amiyuure said those threatening him and his party with a demonstration if appointed by the President to continue his good work may have personal issues against him. Even though he avoided mentioning any name, Mr. Amiyuure sighted one personality he described as an NDC communication member and a businessman as one person following him with heavy hatred even after paying him parts of his contract debt twice without completion due to lack of funds. “We are in a democracy and people have their own views but, if is about work, I don’t think that there is anybody who has worked more than me among all of them there. Some of them think as an MCE, I should be sharing money to them”. Mr. Amiyuure told Ngamegbulam Stephen of Apexnews Gh However, he recounts that his performance as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) since 2017 to 2020 is very remarkable. Meanwhile, Sanusi Issah the Upper Regional Communication Director of governing NPP has sent a strong message to the NDC communication member Abdallah Salifu not to threaten his party with demonstration following the impending President announcement of MCE in the Bolgatanga Municipality. According to Mr. Issah, If President decides to re-appoint Mr. Amiyuure as the Bolgatanga MCE, no one can change the decision. ”Whether they like Amiyuure or not, it remains in President power to appoint and disappoint. It is President who decides, we as followers we are around. So if the decision is made we have no other option than to obey. If someone is threatening demonstration, he doesn’t have that capacity”. Sanusi told Apexnews Gh Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093