Experts and stakeholders at the 10th Baraka Policy Institute (BPA) public lecture held in Accra have emphasized the need for some critical reforms to improve in the country educational system. This year’s lecture brought together stakeholders to reflect on the state of education in Ghana, diagnose challenges, and chart a way forward, with speakers calling for increased investment, modernization of teaching methods, and recalibration of curricula to align with national development goals. Honorable Clement Apaak, Member of Parliament for Builsa South, in his submission as a panelist, stated that even though governments over the years have done some work in...
Minority justifies decision to boycott deliberation on lithium agreement
Members of the Minority caucus on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament have defended their decision to boycott a stakeholder meeting on the pending Lithium Mining Agreement. The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor in July 2024, presented the agreement which is between the Government of Ghana and Barari DV and was subsequently referred to the Lands and Natural Resources Committee for consideration. Ranking Member of the Committee, Alhassan Suhuyini, explained that the decision of the Minority members not to attend the meeting was due to the emergency sitting of Parliament at the Accra International Conference Center,...
NDC Wants Live Broadcast of EC Meeting to Address Voter Register Discrepancies
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is requesting a live broadcast of its upcoming meeting with the Electoral Commission (EC) to discuss concerns and discrepancies found in the Provisional Voters Register (PVR) for the December 7 general elections. In a letter, NDC General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey emphasized that a live broadcast would ensure transparency in the discussion. This follows an earlier letter on August 27, seeking a meeting to address “serious discrepancies” discovered during the voter exhibition exercise, including inconsistencies between the PVR and exhibited registers. The NDC and other groups have raised concerns about these discrepancies, which were identified...
Galamsey: I believe Akufo-Addo and his government have let the nation down – Kojo Yankah
Founder of the Pan African Heritage Museum, Kojo Yankah has wondered what President Akufo Addo and his government can do between now and the elections on December 7 to tackle the illicit small-scale mining practices (Galamsey). Yankah believes that the President and his government have let the nation down, with respect to protecting the nation’s environment and natural resources. He said this after asking questions relating to galamsey in Ghana and the government’s approach to nipping the situation in the bud. He asked what prevented the inter-ministerial committee that was set up to tackle galamsey and the security agencies from...
Miracles Aboagye: NDC is a Key Enabler of Illegal Mining
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, director of communications for Bawumia Campaign, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of enabling the illegal mining practice known as galamsey. He claims that while the government is trying to combat galamsey, NDC officials are campaigning against the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) using galamsey as a political tool. Aboagye alleges that NDC officials visit galamsey sites, encouraging miners to continue their activities and promising to protect them if they come to power. He argues that this makes it difficult for the government to effectively address the issue. Aboagye’s comments come amid a blame game between...
Omane Boamah warns against ‘criminal mistakes’ in voter register handling
Dr. Omane Boamah, the Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has responded to the Electoral Commission’s (EC) assertion that it will not inflate the voter’s register. On Monday, September 2, the EC strongly denied allegations that it had added names to the voter register to benefit a particular political party in the upcoming 2024 elections. Dr Bossman Asare, the EC’s Deputy Chairman in charge of Corporate Services, emphasised that the commission has no intention of inflating the register to favour any political party. In a Facebook post, Dr Omane Boamah questioned Ghana’s electoral integrity in light of...
Lawyer Assures Dr. Mahama Tia Kabiru’s Commitment to NPP Walewale Primary Re-Run
Samson Lardy Anyenini, counsel for Dr. Mahama Tia Kabiru, has expressed confidence that his client will participate in the re-run of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Walewale primary, following the High Court’s nullification of the initial results. Despite being initially declared the winner, Dr. Kabiru faced legal challenges that led to the court’s decision, necessitating new nominations and a fresh election on September 8. In an interview with Selorm Adonoo on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, monitored by Baina Tv, Anyenini stated that Dr. Kabiru remains committed to the process, saying, “I don’t think he is going to give up.”...
Effective Measures in Place to Tackle Financial Crime, Attorney-General
Ghana’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, addressed the 41st Cambridge Economic Crime Conference on September 2, highlighting the country’s robust measures to combat financial and economic crime. He emphasized that the primary motivation behind these crimes is the pursuit of illicit wealth and unfair advantages. To tackle this, Dame stressed the importance of effectively tracing and recovering the assets of suspects, thereby eliminating the incentive for such crimes. He stated, “Asset tracing is the ultimate goal in combating economic and financial crime.” Dame also noted that allowing perpetrators to retain the proceeds of their crimes is not only...
Parliament Pledges Peaceful Elections: Speaker Bagbin Assures Journalists
As part of activities leading up to a seminal lecture celebrating 30 years of Parliament and Ghana’s democracy, Speaker Alban Bagbin met with the Northern Region Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Tamale. The engagement focused on Parliament’s role in ensuring peaceful elections and addressing legislative challenges. Bagbin assured journalists of Parliament’s commitment to a peaceful electoral process, emphasizing that power lies with the people. He stated, “Those who make utterances that they won’t hand over power will have no choice but to do so because the Constitution says so, and the power is with the people.” Prof....
Music Industry Professionals Reject Gov’t Plan for Recording Studio – Mark Okraku Mantey
Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey, has revealed that the government’s plan to establish a recording studio for artists was met with resistance from some members of the music industry. Despite the government’s 2020 manifesto promise to build an ultra-modern recording studio with reduced fees for musicians, the project has yet to materialize four years later. At the 3Entertainment Creative Arts forum on August 30, Okraku Mantey explained that the industry’s opposition to the initiative hindered its progress. “The industry fought against it, and it was a vocal opposition. While some supported the idea, the majority...