A total of eight independent candidates filed their nomination papers to contest the upcoming December 7, polls, in the Bono Region, Mr. Guggisberg Asirif-Young, the Bono Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) has said.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, he said the independent candidates were among the 40 Parliamentary Candidates of the various political parties who filed their nominations to contest the elections in the 12 constituencies of the region.
In a breakdown, Mr Asirifi-Young explained four PCs were contesting in the Sunyani East, three in the Sunyani West, three PCs in Wenchi, five PCs in Banda, and three PCs in Tain constituencies.
The Dormaa West constituency has three PCs contesting the elections, with Dormaa Central having four PCs, as well as Dormaa East, three PCs and Berekum East four PCs.
He said Berekum West constituency had two PCs, Jaman South, three PCs, and Jaman North three PCs, saying the EC was now preparing balloting.
Election 2024: Eight Independent Candidates contest parliamentary seats in Bono Region
Agona Duakwahene calls for violence free elections to ensure peace
Ghanaians, particularly the youth have been urged to desist from violence, chaos, and intimidation likely to mar the beauty of the upcoming general elections.
The Krontihene of Agona Nyakrom Traditional Area, Nana Kojo Amoakwa V, who made the call, said this year’s election was very crucial to the future of the people of Ghana.
It must, therefore, be peaceful, credible, and fair and not generate war, as seen in other countries.
Nana Amoakwa, who is also the Duakwahene, was addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of Duakwa to climax their 2024 Annual Akwambo festival at Duakwa in the Agona East District of the Central region.
The week-long festival was under the theme; “Akwambo Festival; A tool for development, through unity and peace in Duakwa and Ghana.”
He reminded the people that if the elections turned into war, Ghanaians would be miserable because they had nowhere to go.
He tasked political party leaders and supporters to conduct their campaigns devoid of insults and personal attacks to enhance lasting peace for the nation.
The Duakwahen said no matter what happens the elections, especially the presidential race would be won by one candidate and adviseed whoever would lose to accept the results to enable the country to continue its development agenda.
The occasion was graced by Okeseku Afari Mintah III, the Omanhene of Agona Nsaba Traditional Area and representative of Omanhene of Agona Nyakrom, Okofo Katakyi Nyakoh Eku X.
Nana Amoakwa said he was optimistic that after stock taking of the past during the festival, the new developmental projects envisaged to enhance quality living standards of the people would be achieved.
He said unity and peace were important for effective planning for development, adding that peace promoted healthy people for quality transformation.
The Duakwahene revealed that this year’s festival was used to raise funds to complete a modern community center plus ICT for the digitalization programme to thrive in the area.
Mrs Hannah Asamoah, NPP Agona East Parliamentary Aspirant called on the people to vote for her and Dr Bawumia for president to consolidate their children’s secondary education.
The PC said she had started supporting market women financially to enhance their trading activities and farmers with adequate inputs to increase their produce, as well as job creation for the youth.
She announced that government had voted a substantial amount of money for the construction of Astroturf at Duakwa to improve sporting activities to unearth talents of the youth.
Mrs Queenstar Pokuwaa Sawyer, MP for Agona East, also called on the people to vote for her and Mr John Mahama as president to continue the work he left off in 2016.
She pledged to create enabling environment in the areas of employment for the youth in Duakwa township, adding that she was poised to support the youth, women empowerment and provide farming inputs to farmers to increase their yields.
Mrs Janet Odei Paintsil, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Agona East assured the chiefs and people of the town of government’s support to provide social amenities to raise quality living standards.
She gave the assurance that the Assembly would support the completion of a modern community center plus ICT to train the youth in digitalization drive.
The DCE said the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) equipment had been inaugurated and the Assembly would soon start construction of roads in the various communities to enhance effective transportation of goods, services and curtail post-harvest losses in the district.
Truelife Campus Conference 2024: Exploring My Essence and Empowering Personal Growth
On Saturday, 14th September 2024, the University of Ghana Business School Auditorium was the venue for the Truelife Campus Conference, themed “Exploring My Essence.” This transformative event aimed to inspire, empower, and equip individuals with the tools to live their best lives, aligning with a focus on personal development and community growth.
The conference featured renowned speakers who shared deep insights on overcoming self-doubt, embracing self-love, and building a strong personal value system in a world increasingly shaped by social media influences. Attendees left the event empowered to embrace their true identities and make positive life changes.
Keynote Speakers and Highlights
Esi Ankrah, Executive Director at the Center for Leadership at Ashesi University, entrepreneur, and certified coach, spoke passionately about self-awareness and leadership. She emphasized how self-understanding is crucial to achieving success both personally and professionally.
Bernard Avle, celebrated media personality and journalist, addressed the pervasive influence of media on self-perception. He offered insights on navigating societal pressures while staying authentic in today’s media-driven environment.
Baaba Ankrah, CEO of GOBA Kente, encouraged participants to embrace their cultural identity and practice self-acceptance. She discussed the significance of valuing one’s heritage as a key to promoting self-confidence.
CPT Kofi Amoabeng RTD, retired military officer and President of UT Holdings, shared his journey of overcoming personal and professional challenges. His session focused on the themes of resilience and maintaining a strong ethical foundation.
Topics Explored
- Self-Acceptance: Embracing and celebrating one’s unique identity.
- Knowing Yourself: Tools and techniques for self-discovery and growth.
- Overcoming Self-Doubt: Practical strategies to build confidence and assertiveness.
- Self-Love in a World of Filters: The impact of social media on self-esteem and how to navigate it.
- Cultivating a Strong Value System: The importance of personal values in living authentically.
The conference fostered an atmosphere of engagement and reflection, with participants sharing personal stories, asking questions, and taking part in lively discussions. Workshops and breakout sessions provided opportunities for deeper exploration of the topics in an intimate, supportive environment.
Conclusion
The Truelife Campus Conference 2024 was a remarkable success, leaving a lasting impact on attendees by encouraging them to embrace self-awareness, self-love, and resilience. It provided valuable tools for personal growth while emphasizing the importance of living with purpose and integrity.
Sweet Melodies FM is proud to have covered this inspiring event, with special thanks to our correspondent, Melody Esi Owusu, for capturing these powerful moments. Stay connected with us for updates on future events!
“Enough is Enough” Demo: NDC leadership presents petition to EC
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership presented a petition to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) as part of its “Enough Is Enough” demonstration in Accra.
Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Chairperson of the NDC, delivered the petition to Mr. Samuel Tettey, Deputy EC Chairperson in Charge of Operations.
The NDC petitioned for an independent forensic assessment of the voter register and the EC’s IT systems, alleging that the roll had been compromised.
The party urged the EC to convene a stakeholder meeting with all political parties, civil society organisations, and relevant foreign institutions, such as ECOWAS and the African Union, to discuss the forensic audit.
In addition, the EC should commit to disclose and make public the findings of the forensic audit to ensure transparency and accountability.
Mr. Asiedu Nketia said the EC needed to reassess the electoral process because the current system was “compromised”.
He added that the EC should put in place measures to prevent future manipulation of the register.
Mr. Asiedu Nketia asked the EC to follow its slogan of transparency, fairness, and integrity to ensure a peaceful and transparent election process.
He emphasized that those actions were important to achieve a free, fair, and transparent election.
The NDC also presented the petition to Parliament.
Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Majority Leader, and Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority Leader, accepted it on behalf of the Speaker of Parliament.
Five political parties commit to gender transformative policies
Five political parties have pledged to promote gender and social transformative policies to improve the lives of women, children, and people with disabilities.
They are the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), and the Great Consolidated People’s Party (GCPP).
The parties made the commitment during a forum in Accra on Tuesday.
The forum was jointly organised by the Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) and the Transformative Social Policy for Post COVID-19 Africa (GETSPA).
The parties pledged to operationalise the Affirmative Action Bill, 2024, provide incentives for entrepreneurs to thrive, promote childbirth and maternal care, and work closely with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
Dr. Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko, Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, said the party would support women-owned businesses by providing affordable financing through its Women’s Trade Empowerment Fund and incentivizing women in the renewable energy sector.
She indicated that the NPP’s policies would be designed to create an environment conducive to private sector growth, with a focus on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMSs) to promote a socially transformative nation.
Dr. Tsiboe-Darko emphasized that the future NPP government would implement the Affirmative Action Act, which would be signed into law by the President, to give the necessary institutional and legislative support for women, particularly in the workforce.
This would be targeted at ensuring that women, particularly those returning from delivery, re-join the workplace, as well as assisting young graduates and people with disabilities to enter the workforce easily.
Nana Oye Bampoh Addo, former Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection under the previous NDC administration, stated that inclusivity was central to the party’s ideology.
As such, they would ensure that their policies resulted in a decent level of life for all Ghanaians, including access to quality healthcare and education regardless of social status.
On economic support, Madam Bampoh Addo stated that if elected, the NDC would create a Women’s Development Bank to provide low-interest loans to women entrepreneurs to enable them to nurture and grow their businesses sustainably.
Regarding the implementation of the Affirmative Action Act, Nana Oye Bampoh Addo said the party would reserve a 30 per cent quota for women in all political appointments.
Mr. Eben Agbenya, a member of the CPP’s Manifesto Committee on Gender, also pledged the party’s commitment to ensuring a sound financial base for women businesses.
He said the party would create an enabling environment for banks to provide minimal interest on loans for women and employ more females into the security services.
Mr. Agbenya indicated that the CPP would prioritize maternal mortality reduction by training more youth to work in community health facilities and establishing a trimester clinic for knowledge enrichment with the Heritage Fund.
Emmanuel Felix Mantey, a Gender Activist with the PPP, said the party would develop solutions to tackle the governance, economic and social discrepancies in policies.
He said a PPP-led administration would guarantee seats at the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary levels of government, to promote gender inclusion.
Mr Mantey said the party’s Women Enterprise Development Agency would be intentional about addressing financing issues affecting women entrepreneurs and equipping them soft skills for growth and economic wellbeing.
Ms. Nora Gyempeh, National Women’s Organiser, GCPP, said the party’s ‘domestication’ policy would prioritize agriculture and allocate funds to boost women’s businesses.
She said that the GCPP’s emergency economic relief programme would assist young women in to develop technological skills and put the country on a path of sustainable growth.
In an interview with the media, Mad Patricia Blankson Akakpo, Head of Secretariat, NETRIGHT, said the network would collaborate with other CSOs, to parties accountable to their pledges.
“During elections, you hear political parties give promises, but when they come to power, then it’s a different ball game. We’re tired of the empty promises, and the lip service.
“So, whoever wins power, after 100 days, we will come back to look at what you have done for the women of this country, and we are looking at social interventions, women’s representation and participation,” she said.
NDC supporters burn lorry tyres while presenting electoral petition to EC
Some supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper West Region, have burnt lorry tyres at the Upper West Regional Electoral Commission (EC) office, while their leader presented an electoral petition to the Commission.
The presentation of the petition was to climax a protest by the party against the EC, regarding the conduct of the 2024 general election dubbed “Enough is Enough”.
Scores of party members and sympathisers together with some NDC Parliamentarians wearing red and black attires and bandanas, walked from the Ministries along the JJ Rawlings’ Street through the central business district with heavy security escort, to the EC’s office at Sombo, a suburb of Wa.
Dr Hassan Rashid Pelpuo, the Member of Parliament for the Wa Central Constituency, read the petition on behalf of the party.
The petition raised concerns about alleged discrepancies in the Provisional Voters Register (PVR), including claims of unauthorised voter transfers, missing and deleted voter data, untraceable transfer paths, and corrupt files with missing names and photographs of registered voters.
It alleged for instance that the NDC, had evidence of 243,540 illegal voter transfers in the 2024 PVR, including repeated transfers without the knowledge of the affected voters, while names of 3,957 voters who registered in 2023 had been deleted from the 2024 register without valid justification.
It was noted that 2,094 voters were transferred to different polling stations, but this did not reflect in the “Absent Voter List,” while 15,000 cases of untraceable voter registration paths were identified.
The petition called on the EC to address the alleged discrepancies in the PVR including an independent forensic audit of the voter’s register and the Information Technology (IT) system of the Commission.
It said that it would help restore public confidence in the electoral process and ensure transparency, credibility and fairness of the electoral procedure.
“The NDC believes that these unresolved issues can undermine the fairness and credibility of the upcoming elections,” it said.
The NDC in the petition, also demanded the EC to convene stakeholders for collaboration on ensuring a smooth electoral process; re-exhibit the register after the forensic audit; review and correct all unauthorised transfers; adopt a revised timeline for electoral activities and institute accountability and integrity measures for the election.
The petition said the forensic audit was a vital step towards restoring public confidence, ensuring transparency, and upholding the democratic principles of the country.
Mr Osman Ali, the Upper West Regional Director of the EC, received the petition on behalf of the Commissioner.
He assured the petitioners of transmitting the petition to the EC headquarters for the necessary actions to be taken.
Journalists advise getting facts right before breaking health stories
Dr Nii Nortey Hanson-Nortey, a public health expert, has called on journalists to fact-check health-related information they receive before rushing to break the news.
Dr Hanson-Nortey said, “don’t be in a hurry to break health news; getting your facts right is what helps.”
He gave the advice when speaking on “Health Communication and Infectious Diseases” at the opening of a four-day Post Covid-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project (PSDPEP) training for staff of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on advocacy reporting in health communication, youth entrepreneurship, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) promotion, gender, and climate change issues.
The training is funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Social Investment Fund (SIF) and being implemented by the Institute for Digital Marketing and Communication Ghana (IDMC Ghana).
He urged journalists reporting on health issues to talk to the affected people, verify, prepare appropriate questions, and make them available to the designated health officials to get the correct information to avoid misinforming the public.
He stressed that, “it is important that journalists direct their questions to the right people, because in the health sector, it is not everybody at the hospital who can talk to the media on health issues.”
Dr Hanson-Nortey stressed the importance of explaining the interview’s purpose to the designated health official to get the right answers, adding that they must also pay attention to the details of issues.
He emphasised that it was important to understand the sensitivity of health topics before writing on them, noting that journalists must look at ethical considerations when reporting.
He also urged them to contextualise the issue, balance public interests and privacy, know how to handle visual content, do follow-ups, and do adequate research, among others, on sensitive health issues.
Defining health communication, he said it was a multidisciplinary field that makes use of communication strategies to promote health and well-being among individuals and populations, adding that it is critical to public health as it disseminates health-related information to influence individual and community decisions, actions, and policies.
Dr Hanson-Nortey indicated that understanding the audience’s demographics, such as age, gender, and culture, using clear, effective messaging, and cultural competence (appropriate language, respecting cultural differences, and avoiding stereotypes) are some principles of health communication that must be upheld.
Labadi Beach Hotel wins CIMG Hospitality Facility third time in a row
The Labadi Beach Hotel continues to demonstrate its excellence in creating value for the tourism sector as it wins CIMG Hospitality Facility of the Year 2023 award for the third time in a row.
As an indigenous five-star hotel, the recognition emphasises the hotel’s unwavering dedication to providing exceptional services and creating unforgettable guest experiences.
Mr David Eduaful, the Hotel’s Managing Director, was also recognised as the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG) Marketing Man of the Year 2023.
He was awarded for his visionary leadership that had propelled the hotel to remarkable growth and positioned it as a significant player in the international hospitality arena and setting of new industry standards.
Expressing his gratitude, Mr Eduaful said they were honoured by winning the awards, adding that it reflected the hard work and commitment of their visionary team.
“The awards reaffirm our position as a leading global hospitality brand, not just in Ghana, but on a global scale,” he said.
Prof Douglas Boateng, Non-executive Board Chair of the Hotel, said: “The management and staff have demonstrated that under thoughtful leadership and minimal interference, it is attainable to achieve and maintain world class standards right here at home. With continuity, there is no limit in the sky for Labadi Beach Hotel.”
The Hotel has positioned itself and continues to uphold its best international practices and standards, making the facility a leading destination for travelers seeking exceptional luxury and service.
Owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), it remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of quality and excellence whilst solidifying its position as a premier international brand.
Harris urges for a stop to the war in Gaza, no Israeli reoccupation.
U.S. Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris called for an end to the Israel-Gaza war on Tuesday, saying Israel should not reoccupy the Palestinian enclave after the nearly year-long battle is over.
Speaking at the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia, she advocated for a cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian Hamas terrorists, a two-state solution, and Middle East stability without empowering Iran.
“We’ve made ourselves very clear this deal needs to get done in the best interest of everyone in the region,” Harris, the U.S. vice president, said in response to questions asked by three journalists.
At least 41,252 people have been killed and 95,497 wounded in the Israeli offensive in the Hamas-ruled strip since Oct. 7, the Gaza health ministry said. The war began that day when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Harris was asked about Springfield, Ohio, a city that for days has found itself at the center of a social media maelstrom after right-wing agitators latched onto false claims that Haitian arrivals were eating household pets.
Former President Donald Trump, Harris’ Republican rival in the Nov. 5 presidential election, has pledged to conduct mass deportations of Haitian immigrants from Springfield if elected, even though the majority are in the United States legally.
“This is exhausting and it’s harmful and it’s hateful and grounded in some age-old stuff that we should not have the tolerance for,” Harris said.
The 45-minute interview began with economic issues. Harris said that if elected president she will work with private investors to boost housing supply, acknowledging that more work was needed to lower prices for Americans.
“One of the big issues that affects people right now in terms of the economy and their economic wellbeing is we have a shortage of housing supply,” Harris said. “It’s too expensive.”
Harris reiterated a plan to expand the child tax credit to $6,000. She repeated a pledge that Americans not pay more than 7% of their income on childcare.
Item 1 of 2 Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gestures as she speaks during a campaign event in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 13, 2024. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
[1/2]Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gestures as she speaks during a campaign event in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 13, 2024. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
The interview was scheduled after Harris did not attend the group’s convention in Chicago in July when Trump, in an interview, questioned her Black identity.
HARRIS, TRUMP COURT BLACK VOTERS
In the 2020 presidential election, Black voters supported then-candidate Joe Biden 92% to 8% over the then-incumbent Trump, according to the Pew Research Center. Most Black voters, 63%, plan to support Harris, compared with 13% for Trump, according to an NAACP survey released this month.
However, some Black voters are losing faith in the Democratic Party. Over one quarter of younger Black men say they would support Trump this election, the NAACP poll showed.
“Black men are like any other voting group,” Harris said. “You gotta earn their vote.”
The interview was conducted by NABJ members from TheGrio and Politico as well as an anchor for WHYY-FM, a public radio station.
Both Harris and Trump have made efforts to win over Black voters, whose support may be decisive in the closely fought Nov. 5 vote, especially in a handful of battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Some forecasters regard Pennsylvania as a must-win state.
In Georgia, an intense battle is being waged for the Black voters who make up a third of the state’s population, the biggest proportion of Black voters in any of the seven battleground states.
Trump’s attempt to pull in more support from Black voters is complicated by their traditional loyalty to the Democratic Party, his past racist remarks and a history of Republican-backed voting restrictions that activists say make it harder for Black residents to vote. Republicans deny trying to suppress the vote.
A Ukrainian drone strike causes an earthquake-sized detonation at an arsenal in Russia’s Tver area.
A large-scale Ukrainian drone strike on Russia on Wednesday resulted in an earthquake-sized detonation at a major armoury in the Tver area, causing the evacuation of a nearby town, according to war bloggers and certain media.
Unverified footage and photographs on social media showed a massive ball of flame bursting into the night sky and many detonations booming across a lake some 380 kilometres (240 miles) west of Moscow.
NASA satellites picked up intense heat sources emanating from an area of about 14 square kilometres (5 square miles) at the site in the early hours and earthquake monitoring stations picked up what sensors thought was a small earthquake, opens new tab in the area.
“The enemy hit an ammunition depot in the area of Toropets,” said Yuri Podolyaka, an Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger.
“Everything that can burn is already burning there (and exploding).”
There was no information about casualties.
Russian state media have in the past reported that a major arsenal for conventional weapons was located at the site of the blasts. State media, which is now subject to military censorship laws, was muted in its reporting on Wednesday.
Igor Rudenya, the governor of the Tver region, said that Ukrainian drones had been shot down, that a fire had broken out and that some residents were being evacuated. He did not say what was burning.
One woman told Reuters that members of her family had been evacuated from Toropets.
“A fire started with explosions,” the woman said, giving only a first name, Irina.
A source in Ukraine’s SBU state security service told Reuters the drone attack destroyed a warehouse storing missiles, guided bombs and artillery ammunition. There was no immediate comment from the Ukrainian government.
Russia and Ukraine each reported dozens of enemy drone attacks on their territory overnight, with Russian forces advancing in eastern Ukraine.
MAJOR EXPLOSION
The size of the main blast shown in the unverified social media video was consistent with 200-240 tons of high explosives detonating, according to George William Herbert of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in California.
A Toropets chatroom on the Russian social media site VK was flooded with messages of support from other parts of the country and offers of help to people fleeing the town.
Some people were asking whether buildings at specific addresses were still standing.
“People, does anyone know what’s happened to Kudino village??? They told me nothing is left of our house,” posted one woman.
Another woman replied: “It’s horror there.” Kudino is a village 4.5 km (2.8 miles) northeast of Toropets.
Some war bloggers questioned how drones could trigger such large explosions at what was thought to be a highly fortified facility.
According to an RIA state news agency report from 2018, Russia was building an arsenal for the storage of missiles, ammunition and explosives in Toropets, a 1,000-year-old town, which has a population of just over 11,000.
Dmitry Bulgakov, then a deputy defence minister, told RIA in 2018 that the facility could defend weapons from missiles and even a small nuclear attack. Bulgakov was arrested earlier this year on corruption charges. He denies the charges.
“It (the concrete facilities) ensures their reliable and safe storage, protects them from air and missile strikes and even from the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion,” RIA quoted Bulgakov as saying at the time.
Some Russians on chat groups expressed anger.
“Why wasn’t the ammunition underground?! What are you doing???? In Kudino, houses were blown away! Why is the forest burning and no one is there… what kind of negligence is this!!!!” one woman posted.
Russia reported that its air defence units had destroyed 54 drones launched against five Russian regions overnight, without mentioning Tver. Ukraine said it had shot down 46 of 52 drones launched by Moscow overnight and that Russia had used three guided air missiles which did not reach their targets.