Cut in gas supply to Ghana was only temporary – Energy Ministry

The Energy Ministry has said that the cut in gas supply to Ghana from Nigeria on Monday was only temporary.Sources close to the situation had told Citi FM that the Nigeria Gas Company had suspended supply because of Ghana’s indebtedness to the company. The Communications Consultant to the Energy Ministry Edward Bawa in an interview with citifmonline.com however insisted that “It was not because of indebtedness.” “For between 30 minutes and hour today [Monday], gas supply was cut to allow for a fault on the Ghana side of the West Africa Gas Pipeline to be rectified.”

Police Officer, 5 others arrested for toll booth fraud

Six people including a Police Officer and two toll booth attendants have been arrested at the Senchi ferry site in the Eastern region for collecting tolls without issuing tickets.

Three drivers have also been arrested for conniving with the syndicate to evade payment of tolls.

The Asuogyaman District Commander of the Police Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD), ASP Akwasi Yeboah told Starr FM’s Eastern regional correspondent Kojo Ansah that the suspects will be prosecuted.

I don't solicit sex"; stop calling me a prostitute – Nana Yaa Jantuah

I’m not a prostitute,” the director of public relations and external affairs of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has disclaimed in an interview with Morning Starr’s Kafui Dey on Starr 103.5FM.

Ms Jantuah, who has been the face of the PURC as far as explaining issues concerning poor power supply are concerned, has been the butt of public anger in recent times after the Commission announced hikes in electricity and water tariffs despite a worsening power crisis that has necessitated a load shedding exercise.

Fishermen besiege Fisheries Ministry; demand resignation of Minster

Fishermen in the Central Region have besieged the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in protest against the dissolution of the Premix Committee.
According to the fishermen the Minister, Sherry Ayittey has been making unilateral decisions without consulting them and must resign.
They also cited for instance the dissolution of the national premix committee and the attempted plan to dissolve the landing beach committee as an unacceptable development.

It’s time to make things happen' – George Andah explains NPP MP ambitions

Marketing guru, George Andah says the time for complaining must give way to a time when people who believe can make a difference put themselves up for public office.
Confirming his decision to contest the Awutu Senya West seat on the ticket of the opposition NPP, the former MTN marketing manager says “somebody has to go out there and try and be in the thick of things and make things happen” he told Joy News Monday.

Pregnant Wife Stabs Husband To Death

A 26 year old pregnant wife simply identified as Onyiyechi has been arrested by the Lagos state police command for stabbing her husband to death following an argument over the presidential candidates in Saturday's general election at their home in Ejigbo on Sunday March 29th.

According to a report by Vanguard, the husband was supporting PDP while Onyiyechi supported the APC. An arguement over who would win the presidential election degenerated into a fight with the wife stabbing her husband inside their one room apartment at the 81 military zone junction in Ejigbo
A neighbor in their compound narrated what happened, He said;

Cedi Falls Rapidly Crosses GH¢4.00

A dollar was selling at GH¢4.01 and buying at GH¢3.77 at the forex bureaux as at Friday, 27 March, 2015.

One British Pound was selling at GH¢5.97 and buying at GH¢5.61.

The Euro was also selling at GH¢4.40 and buying at GH¢4.13.

The cedi maintained a GH¢0.006 buying rate to the CFA and sold at GH¢0.006.

Muntari’s $900K Truck Causes A Stir

Sulley Muntari’s newest love may not have received the expected welcome in Italy as football fans have taken a dig at the AC Milan midfielder’s latest automobile acquisition.

Pictures of the Ghanaian player standing by a new Mercedes-Benz Brabus G63 AMG 6×6 recently, surprisingly sparked off angry reaction on social media, especially after the monster truck was said to be worth about $900,000.

Depending on its specs, other quotes for the six-wheeler are between $525,000 and $700,000.

Medical Doctors To Strike By May If……

The Ghana Medical Association has promised to embark on a “series of steps that would definitely disturb the current industrial harmony in health care delivery” in the country if government failed to resolve the standing matter of Conversion Difference and Reduced Pensions by the end of May, 2015.

According to the statement, doctors in the public sector continue to suffer from the reduced pensions due to the unwillingness of Government to pay the Conversion Difference due them.

This was contained in a press statement of the 2nd National Executive Council Meeting of the Ghana Medical Association for the year 2015 and jointly signed by its President, Dr. K Opoku Adusei and the General Secretary, Dr. Frank Serebour.

28 ‘Sakawa Boys’ Arrested In Tamale

Twenty-eight persons suspected to be involved in Internet fraud, ‘Sakawa’ in the Tamale metropolis have been arrested. The suspected Sakawa boys, also referred to as Shattas in the Tamale metropolis, were arrested during joint police and military swoops at the Moshi Zongo and other areas in the metropolis on Saturday night

Even though a police source that confirmed the arrest to the Daily Graphic in Tamale failed to give details on the operations, it is believed to be part of efforts by the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to clamp down on the rise of cyber fraud activities among the youth in Tamale.

Now that votes are in, the dangerous part of Nigeria’s election has begun

After waiting in long lines around the country over the past two days to vote, Nigerians are engaged in another long wait—to find out who will lead their country for the next four years. Both incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan and challenger retired general Muhammadu Buhari claim early leads.
Collating of tens of millions of votes from around the country will officially start on Monday at 12pm local time, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The wait, of more than 48 hours after voting began, is causing tensions to rise. Voters in some areas of the country are worried that what has been a remarkably transparent process on the ground could be vulnerable to vote tampering at the national level. Unofficial results from some of the 120,000 polling units around the country have been posted on social media by polling volunteers keen on maintaining a transparent process.

Curfew in Bauchi, NE Nigeria, after Boko Haram fighting

Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - An indefinite lockdown was ordered on three areas in northeast Nigeria on Sunday after troops battled scores of Boko Haram fighters outside the Bauchi state capital, Bauchi city, the authorities said.
Soldiers supported by two fighter jets intercepted the militants who were in 20 pick-up trucks at Dungulbe village, seven kilometres (four miles) from the city, and engaged them in fierce fighting.
"The fighter jets are pounding the enemy position while ground troops are engaging them," said a military officer in the city, who asked not to be identified, in an account supported by residents.
"The operation is still ongoing but the terrorists have suffered serious losses and are in disarray," the officer added.
The fighting took place as Nigeria held a second day of voting in its general election after technology failures hampered polling on Saturday.

5 Steps to be more mindful with Email

Like you, I spend a lot of time thinking about how to be more mindful in my interactions with others. I also practice mindfulness when I meditate, and I'm mindful about what and when I eat. It was only recently that I started thinking about how to apply this to the digital world.

All too often, I send emails and texts from my smartphone amidst a flurry of other activities, at all times of day and even when I'm in front of the television. I even find myself replying to emails as I'm standing in line at the grocery store. In these moments, I convince myself that I am being efficient and multi-tasking, but the truth is that I am not being very mindful at all! I'm not giving the person attached to the email or the text the attention that he or she deserves.

Security on high alert in Bolga as tension heightens

Police in Bolgatanga in the Upper East region are on high alert over a possible outbreak of violence in the area.

Tension is heightening among factions in the Bolgatanga chieftaincy dispute as the two royal gates failed to settle their differences on who the rightful heir to the Bolga throne is.

Some angry members of the rival factions on Friday issued a stern warning to some chiefs they accuse of meddling in the dispute to stay away or face their wrath.

Chinto: Chief and his driver gunned down

The former Acting Chief of Chinto near Nsawam in the Eastern Region Nana Okotoako Kofi Mankata II, 54, and his driver Nana Kwame, 38, were both gunned down Saturday night at Nsawam-Adoagyiri by unknown assailants after returning from a funeral.

The masked motorbike-riding assailants, according to sources shot the Chief and his driver right in front of his (Chief’s) house and bolted away.

HEALTH:Sex In Water — Is It Safe?

Having sex in water sounds so sensual, doesn't it? When you're swimming in a pool or lake, you're practically naked already, so why not slip off your bathing suit and get it on? But, wait: is it safe to have sex in water?
Not exactly. Lake, river, ocean, and pond water all contain bacteria. Having sex can introduce that bacteria into your vagina, which could put you at risk for infections that you don't want up there. Pool water, on the other hand, contains chemicals that could irritate your lady business.

Fake National Security Operative Jailed 16 Years

The Juaso Circuit Court, presided over by Mr. Fredrick Tetteh, has sentenced a man, who posed as a national security operative and succeeded in swindling three people of cash totaling GH¢43,900 to 16 years imprisonment

 Yussif Salifu, 44, and unemployed, was charged with six counts of defrauding by false pretences, but he pleaded not guilty.   

India:Village Bans Kissing in Public

An Indian village in a western coastal state has imposed a ban on couples kissing in public, claiming the sight of such “obscene” behaviour is unwanted by local residents.


The village parliament of Salvador-de-Mundo, eight miles north of Goa’s capital Panaji, unanimously passed a resolution this week warning holidaymakers against engaging in public displays of affection.


“We have adopted this resolution following complaints from villagers about couples kissing in public. This was the only way to put an end to it,” deputy village chief Reena Fernandes told AFP on Thursday.

Nigeria reopens some polling stations after election glitches

Polling stations have reopened in some parts of Nigeria for a second day of voting after technical glitches disrupted the country’s knife-edge presidential election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said 300 of the 150,000 polling stations would accept further ballots after handheld devices to read biometric identity cards malfunctioned.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who is facing a strong challenge from Muhammadu Buhari, was the highest-profile victim of the breakdown on Saturday and eventually had to be registered using the old manual method.

Another Legon terror arrested

A member of a gang which allegedly terrorised students of the University of Ghana, Legon, in Accra has been arrested.

Richard Agordo, 38, who claims to be unemployed and an ex-convict, was arrested after attacking two Law Faculty students of the university who were returning home after a group discussion.

The suspect is said to have emerged from the bush with an accomplice and ordered the two students, a male and a female, to surrender their valuables at gunpoint, after he had snatched the lady’s handbag.

In the course of the struggle, Agordo shot the male student in the thigh.

We won't compromise on food safety - FDA

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has assured consumers that it would not compromise food safety for economic gains.

Mr Kofi Essel, Head of Animal and Food Safety Management at FDA, said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

He stated that the FDA would protect retailers and consumers from being coerced into buying products which did not bear production and expiry dates.

This is at a time when some traders in chicken products are reported to be complaining about the Ghana Broiler Revitalization Project (GHABROP) chicken which bears no production and expiry dates.

Crocodiles 'visit' Kumasi homes

Some residents living in Kumasi's swampy areas have been receiving unwelcomed visits from crocodiles in the past few months.

Kumasi Zoo officials have been assisting with the removal of the reptiles from the homes of the affected residents.

Three dwarf crocodiles have been removed from homes at Santase, TUC and Kwadaso - all suburbs in the Ashanti regional capital - within the past three months.

One of such crocodiles gave students of Nyarko Science Academy at Kwadaso a scare Tuesday afternoon when the cold blooded vertebrate invaded one of their classrooms.

Zoo officials say more of these animals could be making their way into occupied environments in the rainy season because for many years, their habitats have been disturbed by developers

Cedi fall hits petroleum importers; fuel shortage imminent

The  Cedis' depreciation is taking a heavy toll on the operations of lot of  businesses in the country. The latest are firms that import petroleum products into the country.
According to the  Chamber  of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBDCs),  the development has made it difficult to secure new credits from banks to fund its imports.
Some banks have even cut credit lines to them, say importers of the commodity.
This is because most of the banks are not satisfied with the dollar rate government buys the products from distributors.
Chief Executive of the Chamber, Senyo Hosi, told Joy Business, this could result in serious shortages in petroleum products in the coming weeks.

I''ll Not Accept Any Position In NPP Again - Jake Obestebi Lamptey

Former Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jake Obestebi Lamptey has denied claims that he is angry with the party and its 2016 flagbearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He said he does not believe that an out-of-office chairman should be noisy, but should rather be silent – something he has learnt from his long years as a politician.

He said his decision to remain silent is to afford other young people in the party the opportunity to serve just as he has done over the years. He also stated unequivocally clear that he would not accept any position in the party ahead of the 2016 elections.

“I am not angry with the NPP and Nana Addo. Silence is golden”, he said on Adom FM.

Nursing Mother Arrested For Selling "Wee"-Laced Toffees

The Police in Koforidua have arrested a nursing mother for selling candies made of weed.

According to the police, the suspect was part of a drug peddling syndicate that has been processing weed into different products such as cakes and toffees for sale to customers.

National Health Insurance To Introduce Three Initiatives

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is to introduce three new initiatives to promote primary health care in the country.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NHIA, Mr Sylvester Mensah, made this known when a three-member Japanese delegation visited the authority yesterday in Accra to help identify and address the challenges that the authority was facing currently.

The initiatives are the introduction of family planning into the National Health Insurance Scheme as a key idea for 2015, enrolling less-privileged persons onto the scheme and putting the universal healthcare coverage (UHC) into operation.

Why Too Much Sleep Could Be Bad For You

Many of us try, but often fail, to get eight hours' sleep each night. This is widely assumed to be the ideal amount - but some experts now say it's too much, and may actually be unhealthy.

We all know that getting too little sleep is bad. You feel tired, you may be irritable, and it can contribute to obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, doctors say. But too much sleep? You don't often hear people complaining about it.

However, research carried out over the past 10 years appears to show that adults who usually sleep for less than six hours or more than eight, are at risk of dying earlier than those who sleep for between six and eight hours.

Angry NHIS Card Holders Want 'Bailout'

Some National Health Insurance Service card holders have told Citi News the latest policy of paying for some services their insurance should ordinarily cover was “frustrating.”


Some service providers have been forced to return to the “cash and carry” system due to the National Health Insurance Authority’s failure to settle claims owed them.

Five Fined For Attacking ECG Staff

The Juaso Circuit Court presided over by Mr Frederick Tetteh has fined five residents of Nobewam, near Konongo in the Ashanti Region GH¢1,800 for destroying the properties of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and also attacking some staff members of the company.

Besides, they were bonded to be of good behaviour for one year and further ordered to replace the company’s damaged properties.

Miracles still happen:How Man,pregnant wife & kids escaped death in car crash

A middle-aged trader, Kenneth Okorie, his pregnant wife, two children, a house help and a relation narrowly escaped being crushed to death in an auto crash after a lorry rammed into the car they were traveling in.

The incident occurred on Sunday at about 9.30am on the Umuahia- Okigwe end of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, a few kilometers before the NNPC Mega filling station.

Man, 29, Two Children die Allegedly Inhaling ‘Generator’ Fumes

A man and his two children have died from allegedly inhaling fumes from a generating set kept in their room overnight.


Dauda Tahiru, 29, and his two children, Inusa Dauda, 2, and Saramatu Dauda, an 11 month baby, were found unconscious by worried neighbours who wondered why the family were still sleeping at about 10a.m.

 The three were pronounced dead on arrival at the Lapaz Community Hospital in Accra.

A MOTHERS LOVE:Incredible moment 'dead' premature baby came back to life after mum begged to cuddle him for a few last moments

First-time parents Kate and David Ogg were heartbroken when they were told one of their twins - born 2 minutes apart at just 26 weeks - had stopped breathing and had just moments to live. Thinking it was the only time they would have with the tiny boy they had already decided to name Jamie, Kate asked to be able to hold the lifeless child, and told David to climb into the hospital bed for a tender embrace.

What happened next was nothing short of a miracle.

In this mother's loving arms, the little boy started moving, and his breathing grew stronger. Hospital staff rushed back to his aid and together brought the baby back to life.

How to create irresistible desire in relationships

Desire. It's that energy that wakes us up, focuses our attention, gets our blood flowing and makes us feel alive!

Desire is one of the most enjoyable human experiences there is: wanting something and anticipating getting it. Desire is the energy that surges us into evolution.

So what are the qualities that inspire this delicious feeling of desire between two people? I had the pleasure of listening to the lovely Esther Perel speak (the author of the revolutionary book Mating in Captivity), and she had some phenomenal tips on the subject.

Below are four qualities that Esther mentioned as being paramount in creating desire in relationships. If your relationship ever starts to feel a little stale (which, of course, is natural from time to time), infuse yourself with these qualities to bring yourself, and your love, back to life.

3 ways to keep your kidneys healthy

Kidney disease is one of the fastest growing illnesses in the UK and, contrary to popular belief, it can’t be cured, only treated. Here are three ways to keep it at bay.

March 12 is World Kidney Day and throughout the month of March, Kidney Research UK is holding a Go Purple campaign to raise awareness of kidney disease. Is it about time you started paying more attention to yours?

National charity Kidney Research UK has discovered that 74% of adults have little to no knowledge of kidney disease – including its causes and symptoms.

Mahama Ayariga kicked out of Sports Ministry in latest ministerial reshuffle

Sports Minister, Mahama Ayariga has been kicked out of the sports ministry in President Mahama’s latest ministerial reshuffle.
Mr Ayariga has been moved to the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, with Minister of State at the Presidency, Alhaji Dr. Mustapha Ahmed (MP) taking over as Minister for Youth and Sports.

Ghanaian, 45, arrested in India for hitting a cop

A 45-year-old Ghana national has been arrested by the Banaswadi police in India for allegedly attacking a cop.

About five policemen went to arrest him after news broke that he was swindling locals at a popular restaurant.

According to the India Times, Adams Darmeng hit one of the plainclothes policemen Constable Shiva Kumar with a chair at a multi-national chain of restaurant outlet Thursday.

Coca-Cola To Lay Off 250 Staff

Coca-Cola Bottling Company is laying off over 250 employees as part of efforts to enable it stay in business. The Company began the process today following the worsening effects of the current power crisis on its operations.

The announcement came as a sharp contrast to what the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola Company, Mr Muhtar Kent, had told Ghana’s Trade and Industry Minister, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah when he visited the United States.

You Will Soon Be Paying More For Your Mobile Calls

Telecom subscribers should be prepared  to pay more for calls within their networks from May this year.

In addition, subscribers will no longer enjoy  low tariffs and freebies extended to them as part of promotions from their network operators.

This is because of a directive from the National Communications Authority - the industry regulator - which restricts tariffs for on-net calls to go below 4 pesewas per minute. However, not all the network operators are happy with the directive.

Director of External Affairs of Vodafone, Gayheart Mensah, told  Joy Business the new order by the NCA would present major challenges for both operators and subscribers. According to him with a regulated retail pricing, the effect will be enormous on the consumer, noting that the low income subscribers would be most hit.

Currently, operators such as Tigo and Vodafone are offering their subscribes as low 1 pesewas per minute for calls made to subscribers on their networks.




Source: Joy Business

550 Set To Lose Their Jobs; More Industries To Lay Off Workers

The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union has confirmed that about 550 of their members have so far been affected by ongoing retrenchment exercises by industries and businesses.

Several businesses and factories in the country are set to lay off  more workers in the coming months, Joy News has gathered.

General Secretary of the Union, Solomon Kotei told Joy News workers and the general public should brace up for a more startling figure because the big businesses are yet to present the number of workers they intend to lay off.

Tullow Oil To Sack Workers

 
Tullow Oil Ghana has confirmed that it has started consultations with some of its employees who are likely to be laid off in the coming months.

“The extent of redundancies and organizational changes will be determined on case by case basis and may therefore differ from one Tullow operation to the other,” a statement from Tullow Oil Ghana said.

According to the company, the move is as a result of challenges in the oil and gas industry which have taken a heavy toll on crude oil prices.

Gunmen wound five Kano Pillars players

Five Kano Pillars players have been shot by gunmen in an attack on the club's entourage as they travelled to Owerri for the start of the new Nigerian Premier League season.

"Five players were injured from gunshots - Gambo, Ogbonaya, Eneji Otekpa, Murtala Adamu, and Moses Ekpai," the club wrote on Twitter.

"The gunmen also snatched handsets and other valuables from the players".

Saturday's match against Heartland has been postponed indefinitely.

Harrison Ford plane crash: Actor will make full recovery thanks to 'beautifully executed' landing

(Reuters) - Film star Harrison Ford was injured on Thursday when the "Star Wars" actor crashed his vintage plane on a Los Angeles golf course shortly after taking off from a nearby airport, his publicist said.

The single-engine plane clipped a tree as it attempted to return to Santa Monica Airport shortly after take-off, and the pilot was "alert and talking" as he was taken to a local hospital, Assistant Los Angeles Fire Chief Patrick Butler said.

Butler declined to confirm that Ford was on board the silver and yellow aircraft, but Ina Treciokas, publicist for the 72-year-old actor, issued a statement confirming the details:

Meet the 30-yr-old Nigerian mobile phone entrepreneur who is challenging Apple in Africa

Michael Akindele, a 30 year-old Nigerian, is a director and a co-founder of SOLO Phone, an experience-driven digital content and smartphone company focused on delivering the best content and services on the mobile platform to African consumers.

SOLO Phone, which was established in Nigeria in 2012, is an experience-driven mobile device manufacturer which aims to provide the best content and services to the African consumer at an affordable price. The company manufactures smartphones priced at $150, bundled with free music of up to 20 million songs licensed from Sony, Universal and Warner. SOLO also recently launched a Video-On-Demand App available to all Android devices in Nigeria which offers the latest Nollywood and Hollywood movies from global movie studios.

I recently had a chat with Akindele where he recounted his entrepreneurial journey and explained why he feels SOLO phones will give other smartphones a run for their money.

From housekeeping to the White House: Meet Kwadwo Kojo Sarpong

Kwadwo Kojo Sarpong, a man whose humility is paired elegantly with his ambition, was once a Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) student and is now running a successful business by pursuing his dream.

Sarpong’s story started a little different from the common student.

He came to the United States in 2009 from Ghana and worked at Wal-Mart and as a housekeeper at a hospital.

28-yr-old creates app that lets you take back text messages

There have been ongoing programmes and initiatives set in place to close the STEM gender gap. Men dominate the field, and black women in particular are few and far in between the numbers. But things are changing, and young women like Maci Peterson make us very optimistic about the future.

Maci is the brainiac behind On Second Thought. The cleverly named innovation is an app that lets you take back text messages before the content is delivered to the receiving party. This app is a prayer answered to every college student who’s accidentally hit “send” to their mums and not their BFFs after a late Friday night/early Saturday morning.

Coca Cola products expiring Saturday flood shanty Bukom, James Town

The Coca Cola Depot at Odododiodoo has flooded the shanty community of James Town and its surrounding environments with coca cola products which are due to expire on Saturday March 7, 2015.

A bottle of the 200 ml coke which sells for 80 pesewas is now being sold for 50 pesewas or less – 30 pesewas – by retailers who are trooping to the Depot to take huge stocks of the fizzy drink which is near expiration.

BoG blacklists 108 microfinance firms for closure

The Central Bank will start closing down about 108 illegal microfinance companies from next week.

The Bank in 2014 published names of some of the illegal companies in the dailies, but more of them have been identified since last year.

Earlier this week, Mr Raymond Amanfu, who is with the financial services department of the Bank of Ghana, told Starr Business the Central Bank had identified about 40 of the illegal microfinance firms for closure across the country.

But the number seems to have increased per an interview he granted Joy Business which was aired on Thursday.

22-yr-old female student dies after falling from 4-storey building

A female student of All Nations University in Koforidua, the Eastern regional capital, has died after falling from a four-storey building.

The deceased, who has been identified as Benedicta Nana Ama Esi Adu fell during a Christian fellowship after a day of fasting.

Her head got crushed after dropping on a faulty tractor parked on campus.

Benedicta’s colleagues, according to Daily Heritage Reporter Kojo Ansah have been devastated by her death.

Authorities at the University are in an emergency meeting over the incident.


Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5fm

Mahama off to Botswana March 9

President John Dramani Mahama will embark on a three-day state visit to Botswana from March 9.

According to a press release from the Botswana Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the visit follows the official visit to Ghana by President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama in August 2011.

During his visit, Mahama will hold bilateral talks with President Khama where the two leaders are expected to discuss ways of enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Ghana is 58 today

Ghana will commemorate its 58th independence celebration today with parades and social activities across the country.

A national parade of schoolchildren and contingents of security personnel will climax the celebration at the Black Star Square in Accra where President John Dramani Mahama will take the national salute.

Similar parades will be held in all the regional and district capitals, during which representatives of the President will take the salute and read the President’s speech.

This year’s celebration has the theme, “Achieving Transformation through National Unity”.

Roads to be closed for Independence Day Parade

 Some public roads in Accra will be temporarily closed tomorrow Friday March 6, 2015 due to the impending 58th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
The roads include the 28th February road from CEPS Headquarters to the Castle junction, Osu Ceme­tery traffic light on the Lokko Street, Castle Road from the AU Circle to Osu Cemetery traffic light and the Starlet 95 Road through to the Ministries traffic light.

Rich woman who kept illegal immigrant as virtual slave must forfeit 34-room Mohawk River mansion

Rexford, NY -- An Albany-area woman will be forced to give up a 30,000 square foot mansion where she kept an illegal immigrant in slave-like servitude.
A federal appeals court ruled last week that the government could take possession of the 34-room mansion known as "Llenroc" overlooking the Mohawk River.That's where Annie George, widow of a former Indian actor and businessman, held an illegal immigrant as a domestic servant for 66 months. The victim, Valsamma Mathai, was forced to do housework and child care seven days a week from dawn until night. Prosecutors said she worked 17-hour days and was forced to live in a closet.

US Ambassador attacked in South Korea (Photo)

The U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Mark Lippert, was attacked in Seoul, and is in stable condition, receiving treatment at a local hospital, according to the U.S. embassy.

According to Seoul police, Lippert was slashed on his right cheek and hand with a knife measuring about 10 inches long at 5:42 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

A South Korean news agency reported that the suspect was opposed to the joint South Korea-U.S. military drills that launched earlier this week, but Seoul police said the motive for the attack and how it was organized are under investigation.

14 busted in police recruitment scam-IGP

Hundreds of wannabe police officers were turned away for possessing fake recruitment letters.
About fourteen (14) persons have been arrested by the police in connection with this weekend's fraudulent police recruitment exercise.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Alhassan made the disclosure when he and his team appeared before Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee on Tuesday.
Hundreds of people issued with fake recruitment letters by some fraudsters were stranded at various police training depots in the country over the weekend. They claimed they received letters directing them to report at the training school.

Court stops sale of Genetically Modified cowpeas and rice in Ghana.

An Accra Fast Track High Court has halted the production and sale of Genetically Modified cowpeas and rice in Ghana.

The court said the Agriculture Ministry cannot approve the sale of GMOs until it rules on a case brought before it by the Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG).

The civil society group has sued the National Biosafety Committee set up by the Ghana government and the Ministry of Agriculture in a bid to prevent them from releasing and commercialising genetically modified cowpeas and rice.

Ghana can’t rescue stranded women in Middle East – GIS

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has stated that they cannot rescue the stranded Ghanaian women in the Middle East.

According to the GIS, the only thing they can do is to educate women on the dangers they are likely to encounter in those countries in their quest to seek a better a life.

Scores of Ghanaian nationals are reportedly stranded in some of the Gulf States including Kuwait and Qatar and are calling on government to rescue them.