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Prove to church instrumentalists you care—Uncle Ato to church leaders.

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Ghanaian gospel musician Uncle Ato is unhappy about how some churches treat their instrumentalists and other musicians.

Speaking to TV3 on Showbiz 360, Uncle Ato premised his concern on Luke 10:7, which says “every labourer deserves their wages.”

He therefore admonished churches to pay particular attention to their musicians and those that need help.

“The scripture makes it clear. In 1st Corinthians chapter 9, the bible says that no soldier goes to war buying his own uniform and boots. He deserves to be taken care of.

In Matthew 10, it also says the labourer deserves his pay so when you go, they will give you where to sleep and it must be given and because that is assured, you don’t need to worry about charging them because it is something that must be made for you,” he said.

According to him, even if the churches do not have the financial muscle to pay their musicians every month, they need to show concern about their well-being.

“Probably if you don’t put them on salary, prove to them that you care,” Uncle Ato said.

He further noted that sometimes the church leaders do not even know where some of these musicians sleep, what they eat, you don’t even know how they come to church and we don’t even care.

“We need to do it; even we gather church monies and give out to orphanages and those on the street, what is the big deal if you have to support those who are contributing to the church, it’s not a problem at all,” he stated.

Uncle Ato is known for songs such as ‘Mensuro’, ‘Jesus’, ‘Aseda’, ‘Kronkron’, ‘Mewo Anyidado’, among others.

Election 2024: I’ll hold a national dialogue on education—Mahama.

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The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has revealed plans to initiate a national dialogue on education if elected president, aimed at addressing the sector’s key challenges.

Mahama highlighted issues such as food shortages, intimidation of school heads over free speech, and the lack of basic amenities in schools as critical areas needing attention.

Speaking during an encounter with the clergy in Kumasi on Monday, November 11, Mahama emphasized that the best approach to solving these challenges is through an open dialogue with key stakeholders involved in the implementation of educational policies.

“We will hold a national education dialogue if we win the polls. There were a lot of challenges, including a lack of textbooks, furniture, and infrastructure.

“These are fundamentals that need to be done. As you are aware, our education sector is at a crossroads, and the best way to address these challenges in the sector is through dialogue with key stakeholders who are the centre of the implementation of policies in the educational sector.”

Youth in Prayer Collaborates With Action Chapel For All-Night Vigil.

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As Ghana prepares for the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections, a non-denominational Christian youth group, Youth in Prayer, is calling on Ghanaians to stand in the gap for the country.

The group, comprising members from various churches, will hold an all-night vigil on November 15 at Action Chapel International.

The purpose of the vigil is to pray and secure the destiny of Ghana through intercession and seek God’s timely intervention.

In a statement, the group said, the prayers would begin at 9pm on Friday November 15 and continue until the morning of Saturday, November 16.

The all-night service will be led by Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and other influential spiritual leaders, including Reverend Dr. Ebenezer Markwei of Living Streams International, Bishop Gideon Titi Ofei of Pleasant Place Church, Reverend Robert Ampiah-Kwofi of Global Revival Ministries, Apostle General Sam Korankye Ankrah, and Bishop James Saah of Action Chapel.

“Whether we admit it or not, Ghana’s election this year is a crucial one, and we need to pray fervently, stand in the gap and secure the destiny of our nation,” the group added.

One of the main highlights of this 7-hour prayer session will be the powerful worship sessions led by Minister Joe Mettle, Lady Elsie Otoo, Rev. Ella Duncan-Williams and Minister Kofi Karikari.

To ensure that those who cannot attend in person can still participate, the prayer meeting will be streamed live on the Church’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, as well as on the official social media accounts of Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams. There will be buses available to transport participants from all over the country. Call 059 230 0069 for more information.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigning amid outrage over child abuse cover-up scandal in CofE.

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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, leader of the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion, has announced that he will be resigning amid outrage over an abuse cover-up scandal.

In a statement posted to the Church of England’s website on Tuesday, Welby announced his decision to step down having received “the gracious permission of” King Charles III.

“The Makin Review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth,” stated Welby. “When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow.”

“It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatizing period between 2013 and 2024.”

Welby went on to say that he hoped “this decision makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change and our profound commitment to creating a safer church.”

“The last few days have renewed my long-felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England. For nearly twelve years I have struggled to introduce improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done,” he stated.

“In the meantime, I will follow through on my commitment to meet victims. I will delegate all my other current responsibilities for safeguarding until the necessary risk assessment process is complete.”

Welby believed that his resignation “is in the best interests of the Church of England,” and he prayed that “this decision points us back towards the love that Jesus Christ has for every one of us.”

Earlier this month, an independent investigation released a report, known as the Makin Report, which found that a figure named John Smyth likely abused over 100 boys and young adult men while they attended Christian camps from the late 1970s into the early 1980s.

Smyth had died in 2018 at the age of 75 while living in Zimbabwe, with British authorities reportedly being in the process of having him extradited back to the United Kingdom to face charges.

“Despite considerable efforts by individuals to bring to the attention of relevant authorities the scope and horror of Smyth’s conduct, including by victims and by some clergy, the steps taken by the Church of England and other organizations and individuals were ineffective and neither fully exposed nor prevented further abuse by him,” stated the investigative report, as quoted by Episcopal News Service.

Many accused Welby of failing to properly act when these credible abuse allegations were first reported to him and other church leaders back in 2013, with the archbishop facing mounting calls for his resignation.

An online petition was started last week calling for Welby to step down, garnering more than 13,000 signatures by the time that the Church of England leader had agreed to resign.

“Given his role in allowing abuse to continue, we believe that his continuing as the Archbishop of Canterbury is no longer tenable. We must see change, for the sake of survivors, for the protection of the vulnerable, and for the good of the Church,” stated the petition.

“With sadness, we do not think there is any alternative to his immediate resignation if the process of change and healing is to start now.”

Andre Ayew sends heartwarming message to ‘brother’ Bafetimbi Gomis after announcing his retirement.

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Andre Ayew has sent a farewell message to former France and Swansea forward Bafetimbi Gomis after he announced his retirement from football. 

Gomis and Ayew starred for Swansea during their with the Welsh club in the English Premier League.

Although Gomis spent only two seasons with the Swans, he formed a striking partnership with the Ghanaian as they caused problems for defenders in the league, especially in the 2015/16 campaign.

The 39-year-old later left to join Turkish giants Galatasaray in 2017.

“Today a page turns for my brother. Happy retirement to you, my friend! We shared unforgettable moments, on and off the pitch. Thank you for all the memories and battles and for the inspiration and support. This is not the end, just the beginning of a new adventure! We are together, Lion, Bafetimbi Gomis,” posted Ayew on Instagram.

Moroccan journalist sentenced to 18 months after remarks about a politician.

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A Moroccan journalist who accused a prominent politician of fraud was sentenced to prison Monday in a case that has sparked international condemnation from press freedom advocates.

Hamid Mahdaoui will serve a 1.5-year sentence and be fined an equivalent of $150,000 after being found guilty of defamation, his attorney Mohamed Hedach told The Associated Press.

Mahdaoui, the editor in chief of Badil.info, was prosecuted after a complaint from Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi. Mahdaoui had posted a video on his website accusing Ouahbi of corruption and fraud, both of which the justice minister denied.

The accusations came after the royalist Party of Authenticity and Modernity, which Ouahbi headed, became ensnared in controversy last year when an imprisoned Malian drug dealer implicated party members in a sprawling drug trafficking case that shook the North African kingdom.

Mahdaoui’s case garnered international criticism because he is being prosecuted under Morocco’s penal code rather than the press code governing journalistic conduct.

Reporters Without Borders’ North Africa representative Khaled Drareni in October called it a “misuse of the justice system to intimidate and silence the press.”

Mahdaoui was imprisoned in 2017 after publicly throwing his support behind activists who led protests over social and economic inequities. He was sentenced to three years for not reporting to authorities that a Dutch Moroccan man had told him arms were being sent to the protesters. He later said he didn’t report it because he didn’t take the information seriously.

Morocco has in recent years been criticized for imprisoning journalists and activists known for criticizing the government. King Mohammed VI pardoned and released the country’s three most prominent imprisoned journalists — Omar Radi, Taoufik Bouachrine and Soulaimane Raissouni — in July.

Hedach, Mahdaoui’s attorney, said Mahdaoui had not decided whether to appeal Monday’s verdict.

Journalists urged to embrace technology to cope with changing trends.

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Journalists have been urged to move away from the traditional way of gathering, processing, and telling stories and embrace technology to fit properly into the changing world of journalism. 
Mr. Isaac Kaledzi, a resource person from DW Akademie, said the world was evolving, hence the need for journalists to equip themselves with skills that would make news gathering and reporting easy, even with the use of mobile phones. 
Speaking at the opening of a five-day Mobile Journalism (MoJo) training programme in Kumasi for some selected journalists in the Ashanti Region, he noted that times were changing and journalists must adjust to ensure quality work delivery. 
The training, organized by the DW Akademie, aimed at building participants’ capacity to use the mobile phone to produce timely and quality news without the use of the traditional camera, which sometimes delayed news reporting. 
DW Akademie is Deutsche Welle’s centre for international media development, journalism training, and knowledge transfer. 
Mr. Kaledzi said mobile phones were no longer tools for making and receiving calls only but had a lot of features that could be used for timely and quality news reporting. 
He observed that most citizens in Ghana possessed a smartphone known for its unique features, such as the camera, sound recorder, and access to internet connectivity, and could be used for both audio and video editing. 
Practicing MoJo gave the journalist the upper hand in terms of employment opportunities and quality work delivery. 
“Most media institutions employers would want to cut down on expenses and would prefer a dynamic journalist who can work alone,” he said. 
Comparing the traditional camera to the mobile phone, Mr. Kaledzi mentioned that a mobile phone was portable, easily accessible, and could be worked with at all times, while the traditional camera was very complex to deal with. 
Despite those advantages, he said journalists who embraced MoJo needed to complement mobile phones with other accessories. 
The tripod, light, microphone, and shoulder pod would help the journalists to be more professional and welcomed everywhere, said Mr. Kaledzi. 

No Change In Presidential Ballot Positions – EC.

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The Electoral Commission (EC) has confirmed that the presidential ballot order for the 2024 election will remain unchanged, despite the disqualification of Philip Appiah Kubi, the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) candidate.

This decision was announced by EC Chairperson Jean Mensa at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on November 12.

The EC’s commitment to maintaining the original ballot structure ensures a smooth and timely electoral process. With the printing of presidential ballots already 90% complete, the Commission is on track to meet all deadlines.

Jean Mensa emphasized that altering the ballot arrangement would cause unnecessary disruptions and logistical issues.

Disqualification

Philip Appiah Kubi was nominated to replace Akua Donkor, the GFP’s presidential candidate and founder, who passed away on October 28.

However, his nomination was deemed ineligible due to irregularities.

Electoral Commission’s Preparations

The EC has made significant progress in preparing for the upcoming election. Key milestones include: 90% completion of presidential ballot printing, Certified voters’ register publication and Election materials preparation.

These efforts demonstrate the Commission’s dedication to conducting a credible and efficient electoral process.

Ghanaians urged to embrace digitalization initiatives in the health sector.

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Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President, has called on Ghanaians to fully embrace the digitalization initiatives that have been introduced in the health sector. 
The initiatives, he pointed out, aimed to improve virtual healthcare delivery and enhance access across the country. 
Speaking at the launch of the E-Pharmacy and Tele-health services at Ejisu, he said it was a platform for individuals to receive consultations, diagnoses, prescriptions, and specialist care. 
Dr Bawumia, who is also the flag-bearer of the NPP in the 2024 elections, emphasized that the service would not only save time and money, but would also provide access to international Tele-health services, extending beyond Ghana’s borders. 
“The Tele-health initiative will enhance remote access to health services. 
With access to your vitals and records, diagnosis, prescriptions and specialist care can be rendered.  
The Tele-health initiative will save time, money and resources. 
One can access international Tele-health services as well, thus it is not limited to Ghana only”, he stated. 
During his visit to four constituencies in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Bawumia first stopped in Bekwai, where the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Joseph Osei Owusu is not seeking re-election. 
The NPP faces a challenge from an independent candidate affiliated with the party, who had garnered over 22,000 votes in the 2020 election. 
Despite this, the regional chairman urged party supporters to ignore the independent candidate’s campaign and stay focused on the NPP’s agenda. 
Dr. Bawumia’s next stop was in the Bosomtwe constituency, where Education Minister Yaw Osei Adutwum is the incumbent MP.  
The NPP flag-bearer acknowledged the crucial contributions of the constituency to the party’s political successes and pledged to ensure accountability if re-elected. 
The tour continued in the Ejisu constituency, where a one-minute silence was observed in honour of the late Member of Parliament (MP), Mr John Kumah. 
 Dr. Bawumia wrapped up his tour in the Asokwa constituency, where he met with local supporters to continue rallying support for the NPP in the upcoming elections. 

Sitting On Minority Side Will Be Bad Omen – Afenyo-Markin.

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The Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus remains the majority side in the House, emphasising that relinquishing their current position to join the Minority would be an ill-fated move.

According to him, with the general election just three weeks away, it is spiritually and symbolically unwise to accept to sit on the Minority seats which are not the rightful place for the Majority caucus in the House.

Speaking to media after the Supreme Court proceedings on the four MPs seat saga, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the symbolism of crossing to the other side is a bad omen and would send a wrong signal to Ghanaians.

“I should go and sit in the Minority (Leader’s) seat? Spiritually, it’s not even good. We have three weeks to elections. Is that my seat? I won’t do that. I will never do it,” he declared.

The Majority Leader underscored that the Minority side was “not (his) rightful place,” and voiced concerns that taking such a seat could inadvertently associate him and his colleagues, with a position they believe does not represent their electoral aspirations.

He affirmed the resolve of the NPP MPs to maintain their Majority status, declaring, “No NPP person will do that.”

He indicated that the NPP would not relinquish its majority position unless directed to do so by the Supreme Court, based on an interpretation of Article 97 of the Constitution under current circumstances.

He made this comment in response to a question of why he and members of his caucus would not agree to go and sit on the Minority side in the ongoing debate surrounding the seating arrangements in Parliament, particularly the dispute over which party holds the majority.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin stressed that maintaining the seating arrangement is crucial for stability of the House.

The Effutu Member of Parliament’s (MP) statement comes amidst tensions between the NPP and National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucuses, with each side claiming the majority.

The dispute began after Speaker Alban S. K. Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant, a decision later stayed by the Supreme Court.

The apex court is expected to rule on the suit seeking an interpretation of Article 97(1) (g) and (h) as pertained to the vacancy of the four parliamentary seats.

Chronicling events, the Majority Leader alleged that Speaker Bagbin was covertly backing the NDC’s plan to gain control of Parliament, which ultimately led to the declaration of four seats vacant.

He was of the view that Mr. Bagbin has the power to resolve the standoff between the two sides by simply instructing NDC MPs to return to their designated seats in the House.

According to him, this directive would effectively diffuse the tension and restore order to the parliamentary proceedings.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin said by doing so, the Speaker can prevent further chaos and promote a more constructive dialogue between the Majority and Minority caucuses.

“We are decent-minded people. We respect the court. We respect the law. Our doors are open to the Speaker’s call.

“Political decisions are a common sense approach. We believe in a common sense approach in solving this, and the common sense approach is for Mr. Speaker to direct the NDC side to go back to their seats,” he intimated.

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