LISTEN: Fresh mind-blowing leaked audio, it keeps coming
Leaked audio by individuals planning to remove the IGP Dr. Dampare has generated a lot of controversy across the various platform within the country. Unfortunately and fortunately on the side of these individuals captured in the audio, the conversation does not identify any person by their name. However, the people involved in the conversation are said to be high-ranking police officers with someone said to be a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Their discussion was centered on Dr. Dampare’s leadership as IGP. The individual accused the IGP of being a huge headache to the NPP going to the 2024 elections. He also alleged that the IGP did not have good relations with Dr. Bawumia and the military. Read an excerpt of the conversation captured in the leaked audio which has caused generated a whole lot of controversy. The audio is noted to capture three different voices in the alleged plot. The audio into the scene Tuesday, July 11, 2023. VOICE 1 : “Alhaji, my only problem… this current IGP if we do a mistake and take him to the elections, it will not help us. It will not help us at all and I will not mind if the position is not given to me and that man is changed; because he will not help us, he will not help us at all… he won’t help the party at all.” VOICE 1: “I know there are others who are also good for this position, if I don’t get and this man is changed and those people that we think they are our men get it (it is ok)… Because we need to break this 8. That is important, we need to break the 8… Because I wouldn’t want doctor to become the flagbearer and then we lose the elections… ” VOICE 1: “This IGP is not correct, he won’t help us. Alhaji you have done politics, you know elections is not… sometimes elections mafia work is inside.” RESPONSE: “Not just sometimes, mafia work is inside. As for elections mafia work is involved.” VOICE 1: “Alhaji whatever we need to do to get somebody else to supervise these elections (2024) we need to do. Because as we speak, this IGP is not fine with the military, he is fighting with the army. You find out, if any army officer is your friend, you call him and ask him that how do you see this IGP. He has been arresting military cars; commanders’ cars.” VOICE 1: “If you find out yourself, he is not in good terms with Dr Bawumia… find out if you are close to Dr Bawumia because he knows that Dr Bawumia did not recommend him as IGP… Dr Bawumia knows that if we take him to elections we’ll have difficulties.” Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana For publication please kindly contact us on 0256336062 or Email: apexnewsgh@gmail.com
Mining dispute: A-G fights $300m claim
The Attorney-General (A-G) and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has gone to court to stop an Australian mining firm, Cassius Mining Limited, from pursuing an international arbitration seeking $300 million compensation from the Government of Ghana (GoG). Cassius has been fighting Ghana in international arbitration forums since February this year, seeking compensation over what it claimed were unfair treatment and breaches of mining laws by the GoG’s failure to extend the term of the company’s Prospecting Licence Agreement (PLA), after exercising its contractual right of extension. However, in an application filed at the Commercial Division of the Accra High Court, the A-G urged the court to restrain Cassius Mining from going for international arbitration but rather avail itself of an ongoing arbitration at the Ghana Arbitration Centre (GAC) over the same dispute. Arbitration should be in Ghana It is the case of the A-G that per the PLA, any dispute between the mining firm and the GoG must be resolved by arbitration in Ghana in accordance with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act, 2010 (Act 798) and not by an international arbitration panel. The A-G filed the application at the High Court in Accra following a new international arbitration initiated by Cassius Mining in which the company sought to have the arbitration in London, UK, under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Arbitration Rules. Such a move by Cassius Mining, Mr Dame argued, was a clear violation of the PLA, Act 798 and virtually ousted the jurisdiction of the High Court of Ghana from supervising the arbitration process as stipulated by Act 798, and rather placed such jurisdiction over the matter in the High Court of England and Wales. “The recourse by respondent to international arbitration is gross abuse of process and most oppressive of applicant herein as, in Clause 21 of the Prospecting Licence Agreement, the parties have agreed that their dispute shall be referred to arbitration in accordance with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act, 2010 (Act 798). “Nowhere have the parties agreed that their disputes would be resolved under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules,” the A-G submitted before the court. Forum-shopping The Principal Legal Advisor to the government, therefore, urged the High Court in Accra to restrain Cassius Mining from embarking on any international arbitration, as such a move was not only against the PLA and Act 798, but also amounted to forum-shopping, which would saddle the GoG with unnecessary cost and expenses. “Unless restrained by this honourable court, the respondent (Cassius Mining) will continue searching for an international forum that will support the breach of Clause 21 of the Prospecting Licence Agreement and undermine the ongoing proceedings before the Ghana Arbitration Centre. “That this is a fit and proper occasion on which this honourable court ought to exercise its supervisory jurisdiction over the pending arbitration proceedings between the two parties hereto and grant an interim injunction restraining the respondent from embarking on plain illegality,” the A-G added. The application for interim injunction by the A-G is in conformity with Section 39 of Act 798 which clothes the High Court with the jurisdiction to grant interim injunction in arbitration proceedings. Challenge This is not the first time the A-G is challenging Cassius Mining’s decision to go for international arbitration over the dispute. In March this year, the A-G successfully challenged the jurisdiction of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands, to hear the dispute after Cassius Mining had filed an arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules before the PCA. Raising a preliminary legal objection, Mr Dame argued that the GoG had not consented to the PCA administrating the arbitration and also per the PLA, any dispute between the two parties must be resolved in Ghana in accordance with Act 798. The PCA upheld the objection by Mr Dame, declined jurisdiction over the dispute and refused to constitute a panel to hear the dispute. “The PCA Secretary-General may act as appointing authority under the UNCITRAL Rules if all parties so agree. The PCA understands that no such agreement has been reached in this matter,” the PCA said in a letter dated March 20 this year to the parties. Background Per court records, on October 12, 2016, Cassius Mining Limited applied for a prospecting mining licence to explore minerals in Talensi in the Upper East Region. On December 28, 2016, the GoG, through the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, granted the mining firm a prospecting licence for two years, which was to expire in December 2018. On June 14, 2018, Cassius Mining alleged that the GoG had failed to uphold its part of the contract by not renewing the prospecting licence which was set to expire in December 2018. The mining firm, therefore, dragged the GoG to the Ghana Arbitration Centre (GAC) on June 26, 2018, in accordance with the dispute settlement clause of the Prospecting Licence Agreement, which enjoins the parties to settle their disputes in Ghana in accordance with Act 798. An arbitral panel which was comprised Emmanuel Amofa, Kizito Beyuo and Professor Albert Fiadjoe, was formed to hear and determine the dispute. However, per the court documents, on January 23, 2019, Cassius Mining applied for a stay of proceedings for three months in order to explore settlement with the GoG. After the expiration of the three months, the mining firm applied for an extension which was granted but nothing was heard about the arbitration, although it was still pending. In February 2023, Cassius instituted fresh arbitration at the PCA, which declined to hear the matter following the objection raised by the A-G. Graphic
Don’t do diss songs again– Sefa Kayi advises Sarkodie
A known Ghanaian media personality and host of Peace FM’s morning show, Kokrooko, Kwami Sefa Kayi has advised the influencial Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie to put a stop to doing diss songs. Sending a birthday wish to Sarkodie on July 10, 2023 Mr. Sefa Kayi asked the world class musician to be a good boy during his programme Kokrooko. Whiles on radio playing Sarkodie’s Baby, Mr. Sefa Kayi announced he played Sarkodie’s song without knowing it is his birthday. “I still love Sarkodie, you know. I have just being told it’s Sarkodie’s birthday today. What a coincidence. So Chairman General Kwami Sefa Kayi To King Sark. 😊 Sarkodie saw the birthday message and responded saying that Kwami Sefa Kayi’s words are final and would as such heed to his counsel. “Chairman general baakop3 wo kasa p3 final ! Anka baako bii ba wo din womu but wakayi de3 lol !! Bless you my boss I appreciate you,” Sarkodie tweeted. Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana For publication please kindly contact us on 0256336062 or Email: apexnewsgh@gmail.com
Beyonce’s mum’s home robbed of huge cash and jewellery
Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, was robbed when burglars broke into her Los Angeles home and made off with an entire safe containing more than $1 million in cash and jewelry. The 69-year-old businesswoman and designer is accompanying her daughter around the world on her Renaissance tour and was not at her residence during the incident that was discovered Wednesday morning. Police told TMZ that they are continuing investigations, searching for videos and interviewing neighbors, but have not yet been able to learn the identity of those responsible and how they were able to enter the mansion and remove the vault. In April, Tina called authorities after hearing a strange noise at the front of her property and a man was arrested and placed on psychiatric hold for throwing rocks and causing minor damage to her mailbox.
Contingency Fund now stands at GH¢200 million — Finance Minister
The Contingency Fund, into which money voted by Parliament shall be paid and utilised, currently has a credit balance of about GH¢200 million, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, has said.. The amount is out of the total amount of GH¢1.33 billion that Parliament voted between 2017 and 2022 for the Fund. That, he said, included GH¢1,203,715,086, GH¢50,000,000, and GH¢76,489,307 voted in 2020, 2018 and 2017, respectively. “Of the total GH¢1,330,204,393 voted for the Contingency Fund, GH¢1,203,715,086 was paid from the Stabilisation Fund to meet COVID-19 related expenditures in 2020. The amount represented the cedi equivalent of the $200 million in excess of the $100 million cap established for the Stabilisation Fund,” he said. Replenishing fund In a statement read on his behalf on the floor of Parliament yesterday, Mr Ofori Atta said the government advanced and utilised an amount of GH¢1,201,911,778 from the Contingency Fund between 2020 and 2021 to meet COVID-19 related expenditures. He gave the breakdown as 2020 (GH¢1,200,696,496) and 2021 (GH¢1,669,387). “As of December 31, 2021, the balance in the Contingency Fund account was GH¢660,117,959. The Ministry of Finance, the Controller and Accountant General’s Department and the Bank of Ghana are working together to replenish the account over the medium term as indicated to this House in April 2020,” he said. Mr Ofori Atta’s statement was read by the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Dr Amin Adams, in response to a question by the National Democratic Congress(NDC) MP for Ketu North, James Klutse Avedzi. The MP had asked how much had been voted by Parliament and paid into the Contingency Fund, how much advances had been made from the fund since 2017 to date and how the advances made from the Fund had been utilised. Commitment to transparency The finance minister said the government had demonstrated commitment to transparency and accountability in the use of public funds by proactively complying with legal provisions governing the public finances. “With respect to accountability for funds from the Contingency Fund to primarily meet COVID-related operations, we have demonstrated unparalleled transparency,” he said. He said the Auditor-General, in accordance with article 187 of the Constitution and upon “my request in July 2022”, had conducted a comprehensive audit of all COVID-19 expenditures and sources of funds, including the Contingency Fund, covering the period March 2020 to June 2022. The report, the minister said, had subsequently been submitted to Parliament in a transmittal letter dated December 30, 2022 and subsequently referred to the Public Accounts Committee. Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana For publication please kindly contact us on 0256336062 or Email: apexnewsgh@gmail.com Greater accountability Under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mr Ofori Atta said, Ghanaians were enjoying greater accountability and transparency in the management of the public purse than any other period under the Fourth Republic. “Since 2017, the government has complied with the reporting provisions in the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921), including Budget Implementation reports, Fiscal Reports, Annual Public Debt Reports and Petroleum Revenue Management Reports. “Mr Speaker, we are building a responsive culture of transparency and accountability in public financial management,” Mr Ofori Atta said. Graphic
WATCH | Mexican mayor marries crocodile in centuries-old ritual to bring good fortune
Victor Hugo Sosa, the mayor of a town — San Pedro Huamelula — in southern Mexico, married a female crocodile in a traditional ceremony believed to bring good fortune. The reptile, a caiman, represents the “princess girl” in local lore. “I accept responsibility because we love each other. That is what is important. You can’t have a marriage without love… I yield to marriage with the princess girl,” Sosa said during the ritual, as quoted by news agency AFP. This marriage ritual has been practiced for 230 years to commemorate the peace between the Chontal and Huave Indigenous groups. The mayor, embodying the Chontal king, weds the reptile, symbolising the union of the two cultures. The wedding ceremony allows the communities to connect with earth and seek blessings for rain, crop germination, and harmony. “The wedding allows the sides to link with what is the emblem of Mother Earth, asking the all-powerful for rain, the germination of the seed, all those things that are peace and harmony for the Chontal man,” Jaime Zarate, chronicler of San Pedro Huamelula, explained, as per AFP’s report. The mayor of Mexico’s San Pedro Huamelula married a crocodile as part of a ritual to usher in a good harvest pic.twitter.com/JYByIWYbRb — Reuters (@Reuters) July 2, 2023 Prior to the ceremony, the reptile is taken to people’s houses for dancing. The crocodile wears elaborate attire and has its snout bound shut for safety. The wedding takes place at the town hall, where a local fisherman expresses hopes for good fishing and prosperity. The mayor dances with the reptile bride, and the event celebrates the union of cultures, bringing happiness to the people. The ceremony concludes with the mayor planting a kiss on the reptile’s snout. Edited By: Vadapalli Nithin Kumar