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Ghana raises cocoa price above Côte d’Ivoire in new boost for farmers.

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Ghana has raised its cocoa farmgate price to align with Côte d’Ivoire’s recent increase, marking the second price hike this season to strengthen farmer incomes and address challenges facing the cocoa sector. 

Announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the National Farmers’ Day awards, the new price of GH₵49,600 per metric tonne—equivalent to $3,062—brings Ghana’s rate in line with Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading cocoa producer.

The latest adjustment lifts the price from GH₵48,000 set in September, and increases the per-bag price from GH₵3,000 to GH₵3,100. “On the advice of the producer price review committee, I am pleased to announce an increase in the producer price of cocoa from GH₵48,000 to GH₵49,600 per tonne,” President Akufo-Addo said, noting the importance of keeping prices competitive with neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire to support farmers and reduce smuggling.

Last month, Côte d’Ivoire raised its farmgate cocoa price by 20 percent, setting it at 1,800 CFA francs ($3.06) per kilogram, or $3,060 per tonne, for the new harvest season beginning on October 1. 

This move, which pushed the Ivorian rate slightly above Ghana’s previous price of $3,039 per tonne, had prompted some Ghanaian farmers to withhold their beans in anticipation of a similar increase.

The president’s announcement addresses concerns over income disparity and cocoa smuggling, which has become a significant issue as farmers sought higher prices across borders. 

Ghana reportedly lost more than a third of its cocoa output in the 2023/24 season due to cross-border smuggling, contributing to a two-decade production low that has helped drive global cocoa prices to record levels.

In addition to the price increase, President Akufo-Addo directed Cocobod to offer scholarships to children of cocoa farmers pursuing tertiary education. 

This initiative is part of a broader effort to support Ghanaian cocoa farmers, who face challenges from fluctuating market prices, climate impacts, and competition from neighbouring countries with more competitive rates.

Supreme Court to deliver ruling on vacant parliamentary seats today.

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The Supreme Court is scheduled to resume hearing and deliver its ruling today, Monday, November 11, on the case involving vacant parliamentary seats, following an adjournment on October 30.

The case seeks to prevent the ousting of two NPP MPs and one NDC MP who are aiming to stand as independents in the upcoming election, along with the Independent MP for Fomena, who is also seeking to stand on the NPP ticket.

Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo had previously instructed Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin to submit relevant documents by Wednesday, November 6, after the Speaker’s lawyer, Thaddeus Sory, requested more time to consult with the Speaker and gather necessary instructions.

House vote hangs in balance as Trump appoints border tsar.

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The Republican Party is edging closer to overall control of the US Congress, having already secured a majority in the Senate and needing three seats to take the House of Representatives.

A party needs 218 seats to win a House majority and president-elect Donald Trump’s has 214, according to the latest data, compared with the Democrats’ 205.

Since winning the presidential election last week, all eyes have been on Trump to see who he appoints to serve in his administration.

So far, roles have been given to New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik – the new US ambassador to the United Nations – and Tom Homan, who Trump has said will serve as his “border tsar”.

Republicans are expected to hold at least 52 seats in the 100-member Senate after capturing three previously held by Democrats in West Virginia, Ohio and Montana.

Control of the House gives a party the power to initiate spending legislation and launch impeachment proceedings against officials.

Leading both chambers would mean that most of Trump’s agenda would have a greater likelihood of winning congressional approval than if Democrats controlled one of them.

Trump campaigned on promises, among other things, to “end inflation”, cut taxes and deport immigrants who are in the US illegally.

Meanwhile, rumours are swirling around who Trump will offer his top cabinet jobs to.

Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), had been tipped to become the next homeland secretary.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Homan would be “in charge of our Nation’s Borders (“The Border Czar”), including, but not limited to, the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security”.

He continued: “Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job.”

In a statement to the New York Post, Trump also announced Stefanik as his pick for UN ambassador.

She confirmed her acceptance of the role to the same newspaper, saying she was “truly honoured”.

“During my conversation with President Trump, I shared how deeply humbled I am to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate,” she said.

Elsewhere, Susie Wiles has already been appointed as the 47th president’s chief of staff. In his election victory speech, Trump called her “the ice maiden” – a reference to her composure – and said she “likes to stay in the background”.

Other names in the running to join the administration are billionaire X owner Elon Musk, who played a key role in Trump’s campaign, and Robert F Kennedy Jr – who ran his own presidential campaign before endorsing Trump.

Over the weekend, Trump announced that Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo – who both served in his first administration – would not be offered new positions when he returns to the White House in January.

Bawumia announces free kidney dialysis for all NHIS patients from Dec 1.

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Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has announced that starting December 1, 2024, kidney dialysis will be provided free of charge for all patients under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

This comes after a successful pilot programme that offered free kidney dialysis for patients aged 60 and above, as well as those under 18 years.

Dr. Bawumia announced while campaigning in the Old Tafo constituency on Sunday, November 10.

“Many people suffer from kidney diseases, requiring dialysis, which can be costly and unaffordable for many. Six months ago, we initiated a pilot programme to include dialysis under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). For the past six months, individuals over 60 and those under 18 have been receiving free dialysis.

“However, we are now concluding this pilot programme. Starting December 1 of this year, all kidney dialysis patients will be covered for free under the NHIS,” he stated.

NPP, NDC have mismanaged Ghana – GUM.

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The Ghana Union Movement (GUM) has criticised the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for “mismanaging the country” and supervising the sale of state-owned businesses bequeathed by previous governments.
The Party said the sale of state-owned factories to private individuals and failure to revive defunct state enterprises largely accounted for the growing youth employment situation that had bedeviled the country.
These were contained in a news release issued by the Party’s founder and leader, Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews, and shared with the Ghana News Agency.
The GUM urged the youth to “be concerned about their future” and vote to break the duopoly enjoyed by the NPP and NDC for decades.
“Embracing both NDC and NPP as a party is just endorsement of the continuity of the Ghanaian predicament. Ghanaian youth must rise to vote massively against these parties, because they were the source of our problems today,” it said.
The GUM said the slow pace of development since the commencement of the Fourth Republic in 1992 justified the call for the “total overhaul” of the 1992 Constitution “considering the mess caused by both NDC and NPP government respectively.”
The Party proposed the adoption of what it termed as “Hybrid African Democracy” which it said was suitable governance model for the country.
“The current model was copied line, hook, and sinker from the West, where they have established and structured institutions to make their democracy work,” it said.
The GUM also called for downsizing of Parliament to reduce the cost of running the business of the House.
The Party said that salaries and benefits awarded to 275 Members of Parliament as well as Article 75 Office Holders “drain the national purse than building it.”
“We urge the public to vote for the Ghana Union Movement for a reliable, better Ghana with the Ghanaian youth as its core,” the Party said.
The GUM caused a stir when it placed third in the 2020 presidential election, beating the traditional Convention People’s Party, People’s National Convention, and the Progressive People’s Party.
The party garnered 105,548 votes, representing 0.805 per cent of the total ballots cast.
Rev. Andrews has indicated that the Party would build on its achievements in 2020 and affect the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
The GUM has promised to establish factories in every region and operate a free port to boost economic activities and improve the living conditions of the people.

President Akufo-Addo announces free tertiary education for cocoa farmers’ wards.

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to provide a scholarship scheme to cover the educational expenses of cocoa farmers’ wards studying at the tertiary level.
“This means all wards of cocoa farmers qualify for free tertiary education through the cocoa scholarship,” he announced in a speech at the 2024 National Farmers’ Day Awards and Dinner Night, in Accra.
The President said following the introduction of the ‘Free Senior High School (SHS)’ policy during his first term of office in 2017, the objective for the existing COCOBOD scholarships, which catered for cocoa farmers’ wards at the secondary school, had been muted.
For a considerable number of years, the scheme provided financial assistance to students from cocoa-producing communities, serving as a source of relief for many parents in paying their wards’ fees.
The COCOBOD recently declared the termination of the long-standing initiative, citing the implementation of the ‘Free SHS’ programme by the Government.
As a replacement, the authorities have instituted the Cocoa Board Education Trust, to provide vital primary school facilities in neglected cocoa-producing regions.
The Board says with the advent of the ‘Free SHS’, it is time for the original plan to be reviewed, and channel resources towards other ventures.
President Akufo-Addo has made educational development and accessibility prominent in his Administration’s agenda, culminating in the huge investment in the sector.
Some five million Ghanaian children are estimated to have benefitted from the ‘Free SHS’ programme since its inception in 2017, with some GHS12 billion spent on its implementation, according to the Ministry of Education.
“I want to be remembered as the Education President,” the President asserted recently.
On the Farmers’ Day Awards, Nana Owusu Achiaw, a 70-year-old farmer based in the Sekyere-Central District of the Ashanti Region, specialising in mixed farming, was crowned as the 2024 National Best Farmer.
He received GHS1 million as his prize, a category sponsored by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), and was celebrated for his outstanding adherence to climate-smart agricultural and innovative practices.
Other award winners are Ransford Atiemo, National Best Farmer Second Runner-up, who received a tractor with implements, as well as Nassam Fuseini, National Best Farmer First Runner-up, who was also presented with a tractor, trailer, and sprayer.
Apostle Noah Obeng, the National Best Livestock Farmer, Stephen Addo, National Best Physically-Challenged Farmer, and Ernestina Osei-Tutu, National Best Female Farmer, each received GHS200, 000 as their prizes.
Mensah Weibukanga emerged as the Overall National Best Fisher, taking home a double cabin pick-up truck, while Ebenezer Dzikunu, National Best Fish farmer, Victoria Atsa, National Best Fish Processor, and Christopher Ackom National Best Marine Fisher, were also awarded for their efforts.
Nana Joojo Solomon emerged as the National Best Most Outstanding Personality for Sustainable Development of Artisanal Fishing, and received a double cabin truck, with Kwame Damoah, National Best Most Outstanding Fisheries Enforcement Officer, also taking home a double cabin kia truck.
Kwame Alex, the National Best Cocoa Farmer, Solomon Tohola, National Best Most Promising Young Cocoa Farmer, Yaa Ajele, National Best Most Enterprising Cocoa Farmer, Victor Benefo, National Best Coffee Farmer, and Winifred Batabana, National Best Sheanut Picker, were also decorated for their outstanding farming practices.
The programme was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) on the theme: “Building Climate Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Food and Security”.

Final voters register remains true certified copy without summaries – EC Chairperson to NDC.

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The Electoral Commission (EC) has reiterated that the final voters register for the December 7 polls it presented to the various political parties and independent presidential candidates last Wednesday remains the true certified copy of the register.

It has therefore dismissed an assertion by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that “the fact that there’s no summary or detailed statistics of the voters register makes it not certified.”

The Deputy Director of Elections and Information Technology (IT) of the NDC, Dr Rashid Tanko Computer, last Wednesday night returned the party’s soft copy of the register to the commission, saying the NDC would not take it back until it received the summaries or detailed statistics of the register.

Dr Computer who spoke to journalists present at the meeting to hand over soft copies of the final certified voters register for the 2024 general election to the various political parties and the independent presidential candidates said without the summaries the register was incomplete and not certified.

This was hours after they had been provided with copies of the certified voters register at the meeting with the parties.

EC

The Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, in response to the demand of the NDC for the detailed statistics of the register, said: “There is nowhere in any law that requires that you get a summary and it is important that we put that on record.”

“So the fact that there is no summary does not make the final voters register not certified. The register as you see, as you have it, it is a certified copy of the register. If you choose to return it, that’s your merit,” she said.

The EC Chairperson explained further that since 1992, the commission has never given a summary to anybody.

“In 2019, we gave out a soft copy of the register. In 2020, we gave out a soft copy of the register. In 2023, we gave out a soft copy of the register, and it did not have a summary.”

“So if it is your request today, that’s fine. I mean, we are not obliged to give it to you. But I think that’s a commission that believes in transparency, that accommodates and is responsive to the needs of its stakeholders,” she said.

The EC Chairperson therefore gave an assurance that the EC would provide the summaries of the certified voters register to the political parties.

“As a commission in the interest of transparency and responsiveness, we will provide you with the summary,” she said.

“We place on record here that the registers that you have in those cases are the certified copies of the final register. They are fit, they are credible, they are robust for delivering a true, a credible, a fair and a transparent election in December 2024.”

“This has been the practice since 1992, and it is out of the spirit of transparency and responsiveness, as I mentioned, that we are providing those summaries to you now. So as we indicated, we will notify you tomorrow, and we will send the summaries to you,” she assured further. 

All Set For Western Gospel Awards.

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The organisers of the annual Western Gospel Awards have officially announced that this year’s event, which is the fourth edition, will take place on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at Word of Life Assemblies of God Church, Anaji in Takoradi.

The awards ceremony is being organised to reward deserving gospel artistes in the region for their hard work, dedication and contribution to the progress of Ghana’s music industry.

In all, awards in about 24 categories will be given out. They include Western Gospel Artiste of the Year, Western Gospel Collaboration of the Year, Western Female Vocalist of the Year, and Western Best Gospel Artiste – Diaspora.

Other notable categories are Western Sound Engineer of the Year and Western New Gospel Artiste of the Year.

Three new categories such as Western Urban Gospel Artiste of the Year, Western Gospel Music Video of the Year, and Western Best Blogger of the Year have been introduced.

The event will be live on some selected social media platforms as well as some radio stations in the region.

It will witness live performance from celebrated gospel musicians such as Tagoe Sisters, Rev. Yawson, Team Eternity, Kofi Karikari, SK Frimpong, Lady Joy, Ruger Quarm, Lordable Holm and Shedrack Tronu among others.

I want to be an advocate for the vulnerable and voiceless- Mrs Prempeh.

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Mrs Alma Prempeh, wife of the NPP’s running mate, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has committed to become an advocate of the vulnerable and voiceless in society.

She said” I want to be the person who advocates for the vulnerable and voiceless in our society”.

Mrs Prempeh made the commitment when she met members of the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness creation programme on Cerebral palsy issues and issues affecting families raising children with disabilities
She said the NPP was committed to the welfare of people especially the vulnerable including mothers of children with disabilities in Ghana.

Explaining the policies of the party to about 150 mothers of children with Cerebral palsy and other disabilities, Mrs Prempeh said, “I am here for a reason, I am here to help parents like you live the lives you deserve “

“Everyone deserves a financially independent life,” she added.

She advised the parents not to feel ashamed of their children

Mrs Prempeh said, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President and the flagbearer of the NPP was coming with good intentions and urged the Special Needs parents’ community to vote massively for him to enable him to bring his good intentions to fruition

Mrs Prempeh supported by some executives of the NPP donated sewing machines, hair dryers. Gas stoves, cloth and some money to support the parents go into income generating ventures.

Mrs Hannah Awadzi, Executive Director of the Special Mothers Project expressed her appreciation to the NPP for opening their gates to listen to the concerns of Special needs parents.

She urged them to involve parents in policy formulation to ensure that their needs were met.

Mrs Awadzi also urged the NPP to pay attention to the Caregiver industry and create programmes that would support Special needs parents with caregivers even at the household level.

Post-election violence intensifies in Mozambique ahead of SADC meeting.

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Thousands protested once again Thursday (Nov. 07) in Mozambique’s capital over the outcome of the Oct. 9 presidential poll which extended the rule of the Frelimo party.

Security forces responded by firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

Human Rights Watch has said the internet is being restricted and social media sites blocked.

“We are asking to march, the police can march with us. It’s a peaceful march. Nobody came here with weapons, we don’t have weapons, the weapons are with them,” a protester said.

Amnesty International said on Wednesday (Nov. 06) that at least 20 people have died and hundreds more have been injured and arrested since the beginning of the protests in late October.

Opposition leader, Venancio Mondlane, who came in second in the presidential election has reportedly fled the country. Prominent members of his party were killed before election results were proclaimed.

The opposition has accused the ruling Frelimo of rigging the election in favour of its presidential candidate Daniel Chapo, who was declared the winner with more than 70% of the votes by the national Mozambique Electoral Commission.

Mondlane’s party Podemos had called for a days-long march to culminate in the capital.

It also took the vote rigging allegations to court.

Neighboring South Africa has shut its border post with Mozambique and heightened security around it.

SADC is set to discuss the situation during a meeting next week in Zimbabwe.

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