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OccupyGhana is questioning Ghana's official coronavirus death figures, claiming government is underreporting the numbers which currently stand at 54. According to the pressure group, “the reported 54 deaths so far cannot be right”, indicate that the Ashanti Region, which has the second highest coronavirus cases, has recorded 38 deaths yet only less than 20 of those deaths have been included in the national figure. In a statement Monday, the group indicated there is s a complete lack of candour from government officials on the rate of infection. “There is cause to suspect that the death numbers are being massaged,” the group claimed but did not provide alternate figures to counter the official numbers from the Ghana Covid-19 management team. It warned that once the public begin to suspect underreporting in figures, there will be trust issues and that will have serious consequences on public behavioural responses. Although OccupyGhana acknowledge the initial successes chalked by the government in containing the spread the deadly coronavirus within Ghana, “we should not be lulled into a false sense of security” Read the full statement below DEAR GHANA, HAVE WE DECIDED TO LIVE WITH THE VIRUS? The outbreak of COVID-19 surprised many leaders around the world. Several had to institute lockdowns in major parts of their countries to stem the spread of the virus. However, this led to massive economic downturns in their countries. To deal with this reality, several leaders have opened their countries up again and are countenancing an express or implied policy of ‘Living with the Virus.' THE HEALTH REALITY IN GHANA We acknowledge the initial successes that the government has had with containing the spread of COVID-19 within Ghana, which has even attracted the favourable attention of some international commentators. However, we should not be lulled into a false sense of security. Ambulances are not showing up when people call 112. Tests are delayed on account of suspected depletion in reagents, short staffing etc. There's a complete lack of candour from officialdom on infections. A good case in point is the real possibility that there is an outbreak of COVID-19 among parliamentarians and yet that fact is being hidden and all we get are conflicting statements and behaviour that is not in line with how to deal with this disease. The case count is growing steadily by the day – about 200 to 300 new cases per day. At the last count, we had 7652 confirmed active cases even though that number could be higher (the total number of confirmed cases is 11,964.) There is cause to suspect that the death numbers are being massaged. The reported 54 deaths so far cannot be right. For instance, even though 38 deaths have been reported from the Ashanti Region alone, less than 20 of those deaths are included in the national count! If the public suspects under reporting etc, there will be a loss of trust in the reporting system and that will have consequences that will influence public behavioural responses. Several healthcare workers have been infected and some have died, sadly. This points to the sad fact that our doctors and nurses and frontline health workers do not have adequate PPE. Our holding and treatment facilities are running out of space and just a few days ago, the Special Advisor on Health at the Presidency lamented the fact that we do not have enough critical care staff. We also do not have enough critical care beds. Hospitals are getting overwhelmed with spill overs of designated areas for suspected and confirmed cases into emergency rooms and wards otherwise not assigned. The result of this, with delays in getting test results, is a desperate attempt to shorten hospital stay and increase availability of bed space by discharging patients before the post-treatment test results. The unfortunate occurrence, which has led to some being discharged with their repeat tests coming back positive after their discharge. This is disheartening and should not be allowed as we seek to fight this pandemic with professionalism and integrity. Contact tracing is not being done at the levels needed anymore. The government must answer allegations that because contact tracers were paid GHS70 instead of the promised GHS150 per day, they have walked out. The result is that there isn't much contact tracing going on at the moment. And yet we, Ghanaians, are not doing the things that have been shown to reduce the spread of the disease – no physical or social distancing and an unwillingness to wear face masks. Even elected and other high-ranking government officials are guilty of this. The country's success in suppressing the spread of this disease was due in part to the early and aggressive lockdown strategy, minimising the opportunity for transmission of the disease in strategic areas. If the lockdown is not economically feasible, should we not be pursuing other measures that reduce transmission and do not affect the economy as much? REOPENING PUBLIC SCHOOLS Following that line of thought, is it a wise decision to reopen schools even if it is just for Forms 2 and 3 SHS, Form 3 JHS and final-year students in our tertiary institutions? We acknowledge that to ensure social distancing, the President directed that JHS 3 classes are to comprise of a maximum of 30 students and SHS classes a maximum of 25 students. Prior to the students arriving, the schools are supposed to be fumigated and disinfected. Once the students arrive, each student, teacher and non-teaching staff are to be provided with re-usable face masks by the Ministry of Education. Yet we worry about the wisdom and safety of this measure, looking at how fast the disease is spreading now. The belief that the virus does not affect children is false. Children and teenagers do get the disease and then spread it to adults who are more vulnerable. Also, the virus induces an inflammatory condition in children and teenagers that can be deadly. Looking at the behaviour of the general Ghanaian population, how sure are we that the JHS and SHS students are going to wear their masks and social-distance not only in the classrooms but also when they leave the classrooms and in the dormitories? How good is personal hygiene going to be at a time when it is of utmost importance? For instance, are all schools going to be assured of the running water needed for the basic hand-washing protocol? If we are not careful, these schools could turn into hotspots for disease transmission and the students could become super-spreaders. Of course, students have been impacted by lockdown. Their learning has been affected, even where there are robust online and at-home lessons underway. But at this point in the school year, is it really worth the risk of reopening schools? If the whole aim is for them to finish their exams, can we put resources into getting students to take these exams online? How about students being given time-bound extended essays and/or open book examinations to write at home? How about combining all of those with continuous assessment grades to arrive at a final exam score for all such students? We are asking these questions because we do not think that the need to get the students to be physically present for exams is worth the risk of having the disease break out in our schools. We are not convinced that if students get sick in schools, there are adequate resources to test and treat them. CONCLUDING COMMENTS If the government has decided to pursue a policy of ‘living with the virus,' then the healthcare system and the population should be prepped for this. Let's just remember that Sweden tried the method and has one the highest levels of deaths per million in the world. We acknowledge the renewed emphasis on enforcing social distancing and the wearing of masks. This should be across the board and must include all government officials. They have to lead by example. Large social gatherings should be continued to be banned. We should re-dedicate resources into testing and contact tracing. Recent studies have shown that not all patients who get severely ill need ventilators. We should invest in cheaper non-invasive oxygen therapy solutions. Also, the use of convalescent plasma has been shown to reduce mortality. The Ministry of Health should start an aggressive push to harvest and store plasma from recovered patients. At the start of this outbreak, Ghana showed the world that we could do a lot with the little we had. This took resolve and great leadership. We should not lose that now when the stakes may be much higher. For God and Country OccupyGhana® By 3news.com|Ghana

June 16, 2020

https://3news.com/govt-massaging-covid-19-death-figures-occupyghana-claims/

The Ghana Police says it is awaiting an executive instrument (E.I) on the mandatory wearing of face mask as directed by President Nana Akufo-Addo to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the country. President Akufo-Addo in his nationwide address on covid-19 to the nation announced wearing of fase mask has now been made mandatory in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central and Western regions where the number of people contracting the virus has surged. “…residents of these four regions and indeed all Ghanaians must remember that the wearing of masks is now mandatory.Leaving our homes without our face masks or face covering on is an offence,” the president said in the Sunday address. He directed the police to ensure strict compliance of the directive, which he said will be the subject of an executive instrument. The police in a statement Monday night said they thus expect compliance from Ghanaians. “Good people of Ghana, we expect immediate compliance from the general public on the mandatory wearing of face mask, as directed by H.E President Nana Akufo-Addo, while awaiting the Executive Instrument on the subject,” it said. It has thus advised all to safeguard their health, families, loved ones and the nation as a whole, stating “COVID-19 is real, it kills but you can prevent it”. Of the 11,964 cases so far recorded in the country, 4,258 have recovered with 54 deaths and 7,652; a situation President Akufo-Addo said was a worrying situation. Greater Accra leads with 7,138 cases followed by the Ashanti region with 2,205 confirmed cases. The Western Region, after being flagged the new hotspot region, follow with almost 1,000 cases. Its eastern neighbours, the Central Region, has so far recorded 621 cases, making it the fourth highest region with Covid-19 cases. “It is important for me to remind residents of the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions, where a great majority of cases have been recorded, and in the Western and Central Regions, where we are seeing an increase in infectious cases, to continue to adhere strictly to the social distancing and in-house hygiene protocols announced,” President Akufo-Addo advised. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 16, 2020

https://3news.com/were-awaiting-e-i-on-mandatory-face-mask-wearing-to-enforce-compliance-police/

There were 717 rapes in Nigeria between January and May this year, amounting to one rape every five hours, the country's police chief says. Mohammed Adamu described rape as a serious and wicked offence and urged Nigerians to report any case. Speaking to journalists after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential palace in Abuja, the police chief said that 799 suspects had been arrested and 631 had appeared in court. But Mr Adamu did not speak about the sentences or number of convictions. Activists are concerned that not many trials result in someone being found guilty. Some of the recent victims were allegedly murdered after being raped prompting a series of protests across Nigeria demanding action from the authorities and communities. The police chief said security agencies are partnering with non-governmental organisations in the areas of training, working with victims and evidence gathering for successful prosecutions as part of efforts to tackle the issue.

June 16, 2020

https://3news.com/nigeria-records-one-rape-every-five-hours/

Some customers of Menzgold Ghana have described the claims by Nana Appiah Mensah, alias NAM1 that he has paid over GH¢9.6 million to customers whose monies were locked up in his firm as “false”. They have subsequently challenged NAM1 to publish the names of the customers he claims to have paid. Samuel Odartey threw the challenge to NAM1 at a press conference Monday morning on behalf of the customers. He said the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) via a court order has frozen NAM1's assets, “so where did NAM1 get the money to pay GH¢9.6 million and how was the payment done.” NAM1, who is the Chief Executive Officer of defunct gold dealership firm, Menzgold, in a statement issued on Sunday, June 14, 2020, claimed that he has paid over GH¢9.6 million to customers whose monies were locked up in his firm. He also assured customers who are yet to receive their monies that they would receive their monies before the end of December 2020. NAM1 published the statement on Instagram as part of efforts to help dispel rumours that he had neglected customers affected by the shutdown of Menzgold to sign on a new artiste onto his Zylofon Music record label. According to him, it would be wrong to say that Zylon and Menzgold were one and the same and that the only way he has been able to settle his indebtedness to affected customers was because of the other sources of revenue being generated by the former. Source Graphic Online

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/publish-names-of-customers-you-claim-to-have-paid-menzgold-clients-to-nam1/

Ghanaian highlife musician Amakye Dede has paid tribute to his longtime friend Nana Tuffour who died Monday dawn in Kumasi, stating his demise will leave an irreplaceable gap in the music industry. Amakye Dede, who has known Nana Tuffour for more than two decades, said the late highlife musician was very influential in Ghana music. The 66-year-old Nana Tuffour died Monday dawn in his home after a short illness. His body has since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. Reacting to the death of the ‘Abeiku' hit singer, Amakye Dede revealed to Miriam Osei Agyemang on Urban Blend on 3FM that the last time he met Nana Tuffour was December last year. “Nana Tuffour was such a great nice guy. Among the musicians Nana Tuffour was so nice I was so close to him.” “I have known Nana Tuffour for more than 25 years to 30 years,” he said, indicating that he was always in touch. “Through…I got to know one engineer in Germany called Bodo Staiger. It was Nana Tuffour who recorded there first before he told me that the guy was good…,” Amakye Dede recounted. He also reminisced that “I've been also playing with him on the same stage. We performed together both here and abroad.” Asked about how Nana Tuffour's death will impact the music industry, the veteran musician said “His absence will bring much gap in our music business because Nana is very influential in the music scene…” “All [that] I can say is that may the good God receive him in a good faith and I know by all means…he is going to just find a place for all of us we will meet again,” he concluded. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/nana-tuffours-death-will-bring-gap-in-ghana-music-amakye-dede/

Government has granted financial clearance for some 8,076 nurses to be posted to health facilities across the country. The appointment of the nurses who completed from various public health training institutions, is expected to take effect from November 1, a statement from the Ministry of Finance sighted by 3news.com stated. According to the statement signed by a Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei-Asare, the emoluments of the personnel would be charged against the Compensation Employees vote of the Ministry of Health in the 2020 annual estimates. “The Ministry of Health is to ensure that the Nurse Assistant Clinical and Nurse Assistant Preventive staff have their documents processed in time and placed on the Mechanized Payroll to enable the Controller and Accountant-General's Department effect payment of their salaries,” it directed. It said the financial clearance will expire on December 31, hence cannot be used thereafter. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/govt-gives-financial-clearance-for-over-8000-nurses-to-be-posted/

Chairman of the Film Classification Committee, Socrate Safo, has rubbished perceptions that the career of some entertainment personalities was destroyed by politics. The career of some of the creative personalities in the country, he observed, took a nosedive not because of politics. Actors, producers and artistes such as Clement Bonney, popularly known as Mr Beautiful, Lenny Akpadie, Grace Omaabo and NaCee have received backlash for supporting the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Some of these personalities later claimed their support for the NDC had adverse effect on their career. But movie producer Socrate Safo, who is now the Chairman of the Film Classification Committee says it is childish for anybody to call for a boycott of any artiste or businessman's product because of the person's political affiliation. While speaking on Showbiz 927 on 3FM with MzGee, the known as a sympathizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), stressed that the entertainment personalities did not lose their jobs because they supported a political party. He also denied allegations that Mr Beautiful's acting career took a nosedive because of politics. “If anything, Mr Beautiful lost it before politics not because he was following NPP or NDC because he was busy with the pastor (Badu Kobe) anytime you need him he was in Accra; before then he was in Kumasi busily shooting,” he alleged. “Maybe he uses that to blackmail some of the NDC people to give him something; I don't know but that is what I believe,” Socrate Sarfo added. The renowned movie producer noted that “Most people that have come out to support the NDC have come out crying and we know the case of Lenny Apkadie, he was in the studio; he cried, Lucky Mensah too came to cry.” By Doreen Abanema Abayaa|3news.com|Ghana

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/politics-did-not-destroy-mr-beautifuls-career-socrate-safo/

Pollster Ben Ephson is pushing for all Ghanaian members of parliament and the speaker, Prof. Mike Ocquaye, to be quarantined on the back of admission that some MPs and parliamentary staffers have contracted the deadly novel coronavirus. He argued that parliament is no different from other institutions where persons are quarantined once a covid-19 case is recorded among the people, hence the MPs must be subjected to the same covid-19 protocols to protect the larger society. Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu revealed Friday that some MPs and parliamentary staffers who tested positive for the virus and were supposed to be in isolation were still having contacts with others. “The arrangement was that anybody who, unfortunately, tested positive, will not be openly identified but that the testing team will have the arrangement to contact them behind the curtain and have the situation managed,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said. He claimed that some people have ignored directive from the covid-19 team to self-isolate “and they visit parliament and endanger the lives of all of us.” Commenting on the issue, Mr Ephson who is the Managing Editor of the Dispatch Newspaper has said “I think that all Members of Parliament, from the Speaker to all the 275 MPs, all the staff in parliament, all the journalists working in there should all be quarantined as soon as possible. Speaking to Alfred Ocansey on the Sunrise morning show on 3FM 92.7, he said once someone contracts the disease and gives out the names of persons he has been in contact with, “the ambulances go there with armed police men to take them for testing”. “So once the Majority leader has opened up the can of worms that there are members of parliament and staffers who have tested positive they should all be quarantined as soon as possible.” By Laud Ayensu|3news.com|Ghana

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/all-mps-speaker-of-parliament-must-be-quarantined-immediately-ben-epson/

Ghana has cut down on its testing for the novel coronavirus, Deputy General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association Dr Titus Beyuo has claimed. He told Alfred Ocansey on Sunrise morning show on 3 92.7FM Monday that the situation is attributable to the reduction in the country's enhanced surveillance which formed a chunk of the tests conducted in the early stages of the outbreak in the country. Dr Beyuo was reacting to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's address on the covid-19 situation in Ghana on Sunday June 14. President Akufo-Addo had said with a population of 31 million, the total number of tests that have been conducted in Ghana is one of the highest on the African continent. “Furthermore, many countries in the world, including several of the developed economies, are not implementing a policy of enhanced contact tracing, and this makes our data qualitatively different and more effective in the fight against COVID-19. Indeed, the success of our tracing, testing and treating will lead, in the end, to a reduction in the number of cases. That is what we are working for. “Understandably, much focus has been placed on the rise in the total number of confirmed cases. As at midnight of 13th June, the total number of positives, cumulatively, stands at eleven thousand, nine hundred and sixty-four (11,964), out of the two hundred and fifty-four thousand three hundred and thirty-one (254,331), tests conducted. “We have a total of 4,258 patients who have fully recovered, have been discharged, and are now free of the virus. So, our scrutiny, in effect, must be on the number of active cases, i.e. people who remain on our books as still positive. “Hence, as things stand now, the total number of people with the virus, that is active cases from our tests, is seven thousand, six hundred and fifty-two (7,652). Our positivity rate, i.e. the ratio of positive cases to total tests conducted, stands at 4.7%. In our hospitals and isolation centres, we currently have thirteen (13) persons severely ill, six (6) persons critically ill, with three (3) persons on ventilators.” But Dr Beyuo told Ocasney that: “The type of statistics that will be helpful to us is a graph that tells us what the curving of the active cases are week-on-week or month-on-month, and then we can tell what it was last week and what it is now. “But for us, what is worrying is not how many cases there are, but what the profile of the disease is looking like now. Many of the people reporting to the hospitals are coming with symptoms and that is worrying.” He added: “[President Akufo-Addo] also mentioned the figure of tests. The contest in which he mentions it shows how much tests we have done as a country. A lot of efforts have gone in, a lot of money and resources have gone in but it doesn't tell you what is happening now. Because what we are picking is that it looks like the actual testing has reduced. It may be because the enhanced surveillance has gone down. “But if you want to look at the test we should just look at the quantum but instead we should look at week-on-week. “So if you say from beginning till now we have done over 600,000 number of tests that is very correct but this past week how many tests did we do?  How does that compare with the period to the period when we were doing enhanced surveillance?” By Laud Ayensu|3news.com|Ghana

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/covid-19-testing-reduced-in-ghana-gma-executive/

Ghana's highlife legend Nana Tuffour has died. The 66-year-old died Monday dawn in his home after a short illness, family sources told 3news.com. His body has since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. The ‘Abeiku' hit maker early this year released a new song, Abasa Komu. Tributes have been flooding social media after news of the musician, popularly known as 9-9-2-4, broke Monday morning. “It's sad to hear that the High Life musician 9924 (Nana Tuffour) has passed away,” Cobby Randy tweeted. R.I.P. Nana Tuffour You music will live on pic.twitter.com/dtDhbkwqa6 — RonnyTweets (@AaronEggley) June 15, 2020 Everything has a Genesis so as it ends Farewell Nana Tuffour pic.twitter.com/uSOUGVVTWT — Efia Butty (@EfiaButty) June 15, 2020 RIP 9924 Nana Tuffour. ‘Me yere dada' is till a jamm #CitiCBS @benkoku @KojoAB @nathan_quao @eastsportsman @AbeiquGh — KWAKUGH (@BekwaiNative) June 15, 2020 Very sad to learn of the passing of legendary High Life Musician, Nana Tuffour. He was one of the greats and influenced so many. May his soul Rest In Peace 🙏🏾#JoySMS #DaybreakHitz pic.twitter.com/e8Qr6q9oCh — KWEKU CHELSEA 🇬🇭🇳🇬❁ (@sk_annan) June 15, 2020

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/highlife-veteran-nana-tuffuor-dead/

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says despite the increase in the COVID-19 case count, the tracing, testing and treatment regime being pursued by government would eventually reduce the number of cases. In a televised address Sunday night to apprise the nation on measures being adopted to curb the spread of the disease, he said though there was public anxiety on the increasing case count, available data indicates that the country was managing the pandemic rather well.Explaining further, the President pointed out that the increase in numbers was as a result of the enhanced contact tracing and testing, which had in the past weeks brought to the fore the reality of the situation.“We have to bear in mind, at all times, that the more people we test for the virus, the more people we are likely to discover as positive, and, thus, have the opportunity to isolate and treat them.“If we do not test people for the virus, we will not find the persons who are positive, let alone isolate them from the population and treat them, and prevent them from spreading the virus,” he said.President Akufo-Addo also called attention to the fact that Ghana had carried out far more testing than any African country, stating that the enhanced policy of contact tracing being implemented by the government was more effective in the fight against COVID-19.As at June 13, 2020, a total of 254, 331 test have been carried out, with positive case count of 11,964, a total of 4,258 recoveries, 7,652 active cases, and 54 recorded deaths, 13 persons severely ill, six in critically condition, with three three persons on ventilators.He was emphatic with the ratio of positive cases to total tests conducted standing at 4.7%, “our scrutiny, in effect, must be on the number of active cases, i.e. people who remain on our books as still positive.”With Ghana's COVID-19 related deaths and severe cases being the lowest in Africa and the world, the President indicated that the country's ratio of positivity to deaths which stands at 0.4 per cent compared to that of Africa's 2.6 per cent and a global rate of 5.5 percent, shows that Ghana is performing well in managing the pandemic.“I am relating all these figures not to engender any false, feel-good factor, but as statements of fact that must provide the context for us, when we examine our figures…If, indeed, we are to be guided by the data, then we must look at the data in all its ramifications, not just one particular aspect of them. That is the proper way to do justice to the data.“I am, thus, in no way suggesting that we should let our guard down, and throw out of the window the efforts we have made in bringing us this far, where we have become a reference point for many in the handling of this pandemic.The President called on all and sundry to observe the protocols that have been instituted to control the spread of the virus“As we begin to ease the restrictions, we must be even more disciplined in our adherence to the personal hygiene and social distancing measures we have become accustomed to, we must keep fit, and we must continue to eat our local foods to boost our immune systems.“This is how we can prevent our health care services and our heroic health care workers from being overwhelmed due to an increase in demand for hospital care,” he stated.The President said Government, was monitoring the spread of the virus, and had established benchmarks of health outcomes “which define the mitigation measures that must be pursued to curb the spread of the disease, and enable us to reassess the easing of restrictions.”He cautioned residents of the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions, hotspots, and in the Western and Central Regions, where cases were increasing, to adhere strictly to the social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols.President Akufo-Addo cautioned that it was mandatory to wear face mask, and that people should not leave home without them.“Leaving our homes without a face mask or face covering on is an offence. The Police have been instructed to enforce this directive, which is the subject of an Executive Instrument.“Let me repeat: our survival is in our own hands. If we are lax and inattentive, we will continue to have serious challenges with the virus. If we are mindful and self-disciplined, we have it in us to defeat this pandemic, and help return our lives to normalcy.“I appeal to each and every one of you for your help in this regard. Let us, together, rise to the occasion, and fulfill our common destiny. We can do it!, he saidGNA

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/tracing-testing-and-treatment-will-flatten-the-covid-19-curve-akufo-addo/

The president of Mali has said he is prepared to hold talks with the opposition coalition, as he continues to face calls from his critics to resign. Speaking on public television Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said his door was open, his hand was always extended and that he looked forward to meeting soon with members of the opposition movement. Mr Keita, who came to power seven years ago, has been losing support over his handling of ethnic violence in Mali as well as a jihadist uprising which has affected large areas of the country. Earlier this month, tens of thousands of people protested in Mali's capital to demand Mr Keita's departure. More than 13,000 international troops are in Mali to help contain the violence. Two UN peacekeepers were killed on Sunday in an attack on a convoy in the north of the country. BBC

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/mali-leader-agrees-to-meet-opposition-amid-protests/

The Ghana Immigration Service has seized 141 gallons of fuel at some unapproved routes along the Ghana-Togo border in the Ketu South District of the Volta Region. The fuel which was loaded in yellow jerry cans was being readied for smuggling when immigration officials intercepted it on Saturday in two separate operations. Persons behind the illegal activity however managed to escape, the Aflao Sector Command of the Ghana Immigration Service said in a statement. The Sector Commander, Chief Superintendent Frederick Baah Doudu, said intelligence led to the discovery and seizure of the fuel from an uncompleted structure close to unapproved route along the Pilla 7 and 7B border enclave. According to him, the said the uncompleted structure is suspected to be “a secret place used as a facilitating point for illegal cross-border activities”. The first seizure, which was done at about 9:30 p.m. was 129 gallons while the second one, which was 12 gallons. “Efforts made by the patrol team to arrest the suspects proved futile as they escaped into neighbouring Togo,” the statement said, noting that manhunt has been launched for the arrest of the suspects Meanwhile the 141 gallons of fuel have since been transported to the GIS Aflao Command pending investigations and subsequent handover to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority Chief Supt. Doudu has commended the operation team led by Assistant Insp. Sumaila Safo, ICO Anthony Bassa Denyo and ICO Wisdom Joel Adiko for their show of professionalism and hard work in foiling the suspected smuggling. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 15, 2020

https://3news.com/141-gallons-of-fuel-for-smuggling-seized-at-aflao-border-area/

Former coach of Elmina Sharks Football Club, Kobina Amissah, has expressed regrets for rejecting to take up a new role as the technical director for the Elmina Football Academy. Coach Amissah agreed to take up the new position after satisfying himself with what was said to be a juicy remuneration offered him by the owner and President of the club, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom. He however refused later to sign the contract to seal the deal. That decision, Coach Amissah has explained, was influenced by someone within the camp of Dr. Nduom who phoned to chastise him for not demanding for more than what was being offered him and according advised him not to accept the new position. Per the contract for the new job, coach Amissah was to receive a pay raise, monthly call credit, fuel allowance, and laptop computer among others. But he said the insider who had full knowledge about the financials of the contract, convinced him that what was being offered him was below what his contemporaries in other clubs were receiving. Accordingly, he declined to sign the contract which he had initially agreed to and was looking forward to signing. Speaking on Ocean1 TV, Coach Amissah said noted he if he had not acted the way he did, he could have provided at least one academy player for Elmina Sharks. He thus offered sincere apology to Dr. Nduom, the Omanhene of Edina Traditional Council Nana Kwadwo Conduah VI and other well-wishers who trusted him and encouraged him to take up the new role. His issue, he said, should be a lesson for all young people, especially those in the football fraternity. By 3news.com|Ghana Should Chris Hughton be sacked following performance of Ghana Black Stars?

June 13, 2020

https://3news.com/ex-elmina-sharks-coach-regrets-rejecting-new-role-apologises-to-nduom/

The National Sports College (NSC) at Winneba in the Central Region has set up an isolation centre to manage any suspected coronavirus case. Acting Director of the College, Mr Noah Bukari, explained it forms part of measures to prevent spread of the virus should any case be recorded. “Any suspected case of Covid-19 will be sent to the pavilion and the summer huts in the College which are going to be used as isolation centres to manage the situation,” he disclosed. He said this when Zoomlion Ghana Limited disinfected the College against the deadly coronavirus pandemic. He also added that the College has bought Veronica buckets, alcohol-based hand sanitisers and loads of nose masks to be given to their students. “All of the above together with the practice of social distancing will help protect the students and the staff against the Covid-19. He lauded Zoomlion Ghana Limited and the Ministry of Education for the initiative to disinfect the College. “We are very happy to see our college disinfected against the new coronavirus pandemic. We believe the exercise will help a great deal in safeguarding us all against the virus,” Mr Bukari said. Meanwhile, Zoomlion has also disinfected the Winneba Vocational Training Institute. Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the exercise, the Principal of the Winneba Vocational Training Institute, Mr Martin Ekow Young, lauded the exercise, which he noted was key in preventing the spread of the virus. On measures employed by the institute to protect the final-year students, he disclosed that the school authorities have resolved to reduce class size to 25 students. “There will be Veronica buckets together with soaps just at the entrance of every classroom. We will also make available alcohol-based hand sanitisers for use by the students and the teaching and non-teaching staff,” he noted. He said the institute had also made provision for thermometer guns which would be used to check the temperatures people who enter the institute. Though he said they have not been bought yet, Mr Young assured that will be done before reopening. By 3news.com|Ghana Should Chris Hughton be sacked following performance of Ghana Black Stars?

June 13, 2020

https://3news.com/national-sports-college-disinfected-against-covid-19-sets-up-isolation-centre/

Management of the University of Education Winneba (UEW) in the Central Region has put in place a standby medical team to attend and manage any positive case of the deadly novel coronavirus on its campus at Ajumako. “We have medical personnel on standby who will attend to any student who may test positive for the covornavirus,” he said. The Dean of Faculty of Ghanaian Languages at the Ajumako Campus, Professor Charles Owu-Ewie, announced this when Zoomlion Ghana Limited disinfected the campus on Friday the university prepares to resume academic activities for final year students. According to him, the medical team will act as first respondent, and will primarily isolate and manage any Covid-19 case that may be recorded on the Ajumako Campus. He said the disinfection exercise was the last leg of the campus' readiness before the students finally return. “…and as part of the protocols, every student coming to campus will first have his/her temperature checked before allowed entry,” he noted. For non-campus residents, Prof Owu-Ewie said there will be a daily check of their temperatures anytime they arrived at the campus main entrance On that score, he assured that they will ensure all the students abide fully by the Covid-19 safety protocols. “We know there is some apprehension amongst the students and parents, but we believe by adhering to the Covid-19 protocols we will prevent a coronavirus attack on campus,” he said. While welcoming the idea of mass testing of all students, the dean indicated that thermometer guns would be used as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, he said the university has bought Veronica buckets, soaps and alcohol-based hand sanitisers which will be put at the entrances of lecture halls, offices and various halls of residence. “The university also has loads of nose masks which will be given to the students who will be returning to campus,” Prof Owu-Ewie further disclosed. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 13, 2020

https://3news.com/uew-forms-medical-team-to-respond-to-possible-covid-19-cases/

Colleges of Education in the Northern Region are being disinfected against the novel coronavirus ahead of resumption of academic activities for final year students as directed by government last week. Two months after all schools were closed down to prevent the spread of the covid-19 pandemic in the country, President Nana Akufo-Addo last Sunday directed final year students in JHS, SHS and tertiary institutions to resume activities when he announced easing of covid-19 restrictions. All schools were however asked to put in place a number of covid-19 safety protocols including a mandatory disinfection of their facilities consequent to which Ghana's leading waste management firm Zoomlion was contracted for the exercise. The company, which has been leading the fight against covid-19 prevention through disinfection of thousands of government and private facilities, on Thursday, began fumigating some tertiary institutions in the Northern Region. The exercise commenced from the Tamale College of Education where offices, classrooms, administration block, dining halls among others were disinfected with a WHO-approved chemical. Vice Principal of the College, Nuhu Imoro Alhassan, welcomed the decision for the gradual resumption of academic activities, indicating that the e-learning system has not helped some of his students. According to him, some trainees of the College do not have smartphones to access the e-learning platform, noting that even in the case of those who have smartphones, internet accessibility was a challenge for them. The process has just started. The spraying that you're seeing is just the beginning. When they come we will also monitor them and see how we can address the situation. Notwithstanding, Mr Alhassan said the College will not go back to what have been taught through the e-learning course but will continue, but said “we have to find out how many people didn't get contact hours so that we can organize classes for them because starting all over may be a problem”. Asked whether the College will use the e-learning to assess the trainees he answered in the negative, explaining that “UCC is saying they are not use the e-learning to assess students and so we are still discussing with them ways and means of assessing the students” Meanwhile he has welcomed the disinfection exercise, saying “the spraying that you're seeing is just the beginning” When the final year trainees report for continuation of academic work, he the vice principal said the College authorities will monitor them for signs of covid-19. At the Bagabaga College of Education where the Zoomlion disinfection team undertook similar disinfection, the vice Principal, Emmanuel Alhssan said he was glad that the trainees were to return on June 22 for academic activities. He said the school has prepared for their coming indicating that UCC which they are affiliated to has already issued a timetable for resumption of academic activities. “Back on campus, the management and the academic board of the college met to plan and strategise on how to receive the students when they come. The various lecturers who are handling them with regards to teaching practice, project work revision have been informed of what is expected of them,” he said. Covid-19 safety protocols, he said, have also been put in place and that the College has teamed up with its in-house doctors, nurses and health tutors to offer screening for every trainee before being allowed on campus. “We have a clinic that have two medical doctors who provide medical services and so we have discussed with them the reporting of these students and so when the students come, the health workers; we have nurses who are there and we also have tutors who are health tutors and so we would do an initial screening of these students before they're let into any facility on campus,” Mr Alhassan said.. Touching on social distancing, he said the College has adequate infrastructure to ensure that all the required protocols are followed. “We have sufficient lecture halls that can accommodate up to a 1000 students but the final year students are just 510 and so we will be accommodating just about a half,” he noted. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 11, 2020

https://3news.com/covid-19-disinfection-begins-in-colleges-of-education-in-nr/

The jungle training school of the Ghana Armed Forces in Akim-Achiase in the Eastern Region has not recorded any positive coronavirus case, Chief Instructor of the school, Major Bright Basuglo, has revealed. He said several covid-19 protocols put in place by the Jungle Warfare School has ensured personnel were do not get the deadly virus which has affected more than 10,000 people and killed over 40 of them in Ghana. Major Basuglo said Veronica buckets have been placed in front of every department within the school, while personnel have been encouraged to frequently use alcohol-based hand sanitisers, practice physical distancing. They are also enforcing the mandatory wearing of nose masks by everyone. He said this Wednesday during the disinfection and fumigation of the facility by Zoomlion Ghana Limited as part of measures by the government to stop the spread of the virus. “We will continue to strictly adhere to all the Covid-19 preventive protocols to enable us stay healthy to contribute our quota to the nation's fight against this unseen enemy,” Maj. Basuglo said. He applauded the efforts of the Military High Command and Zoomlion Ghana Limited for the exercise. The Chief Instructor observed that the disinfection exercise will go a long way to protect officers and students at the training school, also known as the Seth Anthony Barracks, against the virus. Currently the school with a staff strength of 100, he said was training 69 personnel. Facilities disinfected included classrooms, offices, headquarters building, guard posts and the barracks. For her part, the Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, Zoomlion Ghana Limited revealed that the exercise was being done simultaneously in all military installations and facilitates across the country. According to her, the disinfection of military facilities will last for a week. She added that her outfit had already disinfected a small military unit in Koforidua. Meanwhile, she said Zoomlion will be continuing with the disinfection of churches, mosques and other institutions across the country. By 3news.com

June 10, 2020

https://3news.com/achiase-jungle-warfare-school-has-no-covid-19-case-chief-instructor/

The Northern Regional Security Council has warned it will deal with any group of people or politicians who attempt to recruit the youth from the region to foment trouble in the upcoming general elections in December. Chairman of the Council, Salifu Saeed, said the region has suffered enough in the hands of politicians who always run to the area to influence and recruit people to cause mayhem in parts of the country on election day. Addressing some soldiers at the Northern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces in Tamale to launch the disinfection and fumigation of military installations in the region, he said that era is over. According to him, the people of the Northern Region will no longer tolerate such rabblerousing politicians. “Those people who have that mind or the potential of thinking that they can come to the Northern region like in the past to get people to come out to cause confusion during election year, such time has passed. We will not tolerate it”. He said the people were now tired of conflicts which has partly dragged the development of the area. “We are tired with conflict, we are tired with abuse of politicians trying to use us to mobilise ourselves to fight ourselves,” Mr Saeed stated, and warned “we are not going to countenance that”. The REGSEC, the minister said, “is more than ready and prepared to deal with whoever will leave his region, his community to come to the Northern region under the pretext that they're politicians and want to come and mobilise people here to foment trouble”. He indicated that the region has over the years struggled to bring peace and stability which he noted has begun yielding results. “We have struggled to get Dagbon peace, we have struggled to maintain [peace] and contain all the hotspots in the region and that is why Northern Region is largely peaceful now, and investors are trooping in to the region, developments are coming,” he stated. Mr Saeed warned the REGSEC will not allow anybody irrespective of their political colour, to derail the gains made. “We have started enjoying and seeing the benefit of peace. I'm sending a clear warning, when any political party wants to do that we are going to take criminal action against them,” he warned He has meanwhile appealed to the people of the north, particularly opinion leaders, imams and chiefs not to allow anyone to use them to cause trouble during the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections. The exercise The exercise being undertaken Zoomlion Ghana Limited, will see by the leading waste management company disinfect all military installations including barracks and schools across the country against covid-19 which has infected more than 10,000 people in Ghana. For the Northern, Savannah and North East Region, the exercise kickstarted Wednesday morning from the Northern Command Headquarters and continued to the 6 Infantry Battalion Headquarters popularly known as Kamina Barracks and the Bawah Barracks. General Manager of Zoomlion for the three regions, Peter Dawuni, said more than 8,000 basic schools and 96 senior high schools within the regions are also being disinfected against the covid-19 pandemic. The exercise, he said, was being done simultaneously and expected to be completed by June 27. “The output is for us to minimize if not eliminate, the threat of covid-19. We all know the virus is something that cannot be visible and therefore it is appropriate that intermittently, we disinfect these facilities. The exercise, he said, is a partnership between Zoomlion and government and geared towards the spread of the deadly virus. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 10, 2020

https://3news.com/were-tired-of-being-used-by-politicians-for-violence-northern-reg-minister/

The Municipal Chief Executive for Sunyani, Justina Owusu-Banahene, says she is hopeful the disinfestation and disinfection of Sunyani Military Barracks (3 Battalion) will spur military personnel on to continue to support the government's fight against Covid-19. She made the remarks at the launch of the disinfestation and disinfection of military facilities in the Bono, Bone East and Ahafo regions. As one of the front-runners in the war against Covid-19, she said, it was crucial that homes and offices of military officers were safeguarded against the novel coronavirus which has infected more than 10,000 people in Ghana. The exercise being undertaken by Zoomlion Ghana Limited, she said, will not only protect the military personnel from getting infected, but will also encourage them to enforce the Covid-19 preventive protocols spelt out by the President. “Looking at the role championed by the Army in ensuring the safety of the populace, it is expedient that as one of the frontline workers, the military have their homes safe from the virus,” she said. Mrs Owusu-Banahene said Covid-19 has come to stay with us, adding that it will take a concerted effort to mitigate its effects. For her part, the Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), Esther Abayeta Asadoo, said the exercise was expected to be replicated in all military facilities and installations in the three regions to ensure the safety of military personnel. Commanding Officer of the 3 Battalion at the Sunyani Military Barracks, Lt.Col J.Y. Kwarteng, intimated that the exercise will be done in all military offices and homes across the region. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 10, 2020

https://3news.com/military-facilities-in-sunyani-disinfected-against-covid-19/

Zoomlion Ghana Limited has begun the disinfection and disinfestation of about fifty-five (55) military facilities and installations located in both the Volta and Oti regions in an ongoing exercise to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. Also, 2,654 private and public basic and senior high schools in the two regions would be covered in the exercise. “Under the initiative of the Military High Command, and the Ministry of Education, all military facilities, barracks, basic and senior high schools, methodist churches and tertiary educational institutions in Volta Region and Oti Region will benefit from the exercise,” Volta Regional Minister, Archibald Letsa, said. The minister said this Tuesday when he launched the exercise at the Volta Regional Security Coordinating Council in Ho. A total of fifty-five military facilities including the Volta Barrack in Ho, Naval Training Command in Sogakope, Akoefe Training Camp, Operation Ahodwo camps, (Nkonya/Alavanyo), Operation Gongon in Kete Karachi, Operation Safe camp in Hohoe, Operation Sitdown Look Camp in Aflao, MOC in Kpando Torkor and MOC in Dambai. Twenty tertiary institutions in the two regions would also disinfected and fumigated. The Regional minister said the exercise will be carried out in all offices and public places, as well as police installations across the region. It follows the directive by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo to schools to resume academic exercise for final year students of the various basic and senior high schools as part of the easing of covid-19 restrictions announced last Sunday. The disinfection exercise forms part of efforts by the government to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Mr Letsa charged all the municipal and district chief executives to engage with the respective directors of education to monitor the exercise in schools under their jurisdictions. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 10, 2020

https://3news.com/55-military-facilities-2654-schools-being-disinfected-in-volta-oti-regions/

Deputy Defence Minister, Major (retd.) Derrick Oduro, has commended Ghana's biggest waste management firm, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, for being at the forefront of Ghana's fight against the deadly coronavirus. Using state-of-the-art equipment, the firm has since the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, conducted a series of disinfection exercises in second cycle schools, police installations, market centres, churches, mosques, universities and other public places across the country. A World Health Organisation-approved chemical, which is a chlorine-based with sodium hypochlorite compound, is being used for the covid-19 disinfection exercise. The chemical disinfects within 10 to 60 minutes of application. Launching the nationwide disinfection and disinfestation of police facilities across the country in Accra Monday, Major Oduro lauded Zoomlion Ghana Limited for choosing to use a WHO approved chemical. He observed the use of high quality, state of the art equipment has enabled Zoomlion to cover enough grounds in its disinfestation and disinfection exercises. He was hopeful Zoomlion, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies,  will do a thorough work in all the military facilities, including their schools to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. The deputy minister indicated that the health and general well-being of members of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) was very paramount to the government. That, he explained, was the reason the government has engaged Zoomlion Ghana Limited to undertake disinfect and disinfest all military facilities across the country. “Just as the disinfection exercise of both public and private schools in the country, this exercise which is to be replicated in the country has become crucial to reduce/control the community spread of Covid-19,” explained Major Oduro. Major Oduro however cautioned the disinfection exercise alone was not enough in containing the spread of the virus and urged all “play our part to stop it.” The GAF, he said has thus put place teams to ensure the strict compliance of the President's directives on Covid-19. “Let us all continue to maintain these protocols by wearing our nose masks, keeping social distancing, regular washing of our hands and use of hand sanitisers,” he advised. He applauded the GAF for their professionalism and sense of urgency to duty in the covid-19 era. “I want to commend all ranks for standing up to your call and for the support you continue to offer the Commander-in-Chief and my Ministry,” he commended. “There is no doubt that the efforts you are making to provide the all-round security and support, including logistics in this period, has contributed to the success that we have chalked as a country,” he said. For his part, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Obed Boamah Akwa, reiterated the GAF's commitment to continue to support the government in the fight against Covid-19. “In this regard, we will continue to utilise the Level II Hospital at El Wak Stadium, put at the disposal of the Ghana Health Service our logistics chain management expertise and use all assets, by land, sea and air, to tackle the menace, until the fight is won,” he assured. He indicated that personnel of GAF have been deployed to enforce adherence to the Covid-19 preventive protocols directed by the President. “As our contribution, we deployed across the length and breadth of our country enforcing the measures. We helped to enforce the three-week lockdown; in providing security at Isolation Centres, providing escorts to fumigation teams, among others,” the CDS recounted. According to him, the exercise will ensure that personnel and their families are safe to carry out their duties. The Chief Operations Officer and Managing Director of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mrs Florence Larbi, said throughout its disinfection “we use disinfectants that are chorine-based containing sodium hypochlorite. “…Chlorine-based solutions are safe and used for water treatment, for example in swimming pools. This Chlorine based disinfectant is most effective in killing bacteria, fungi and viruses, including influenza virus,” she stated. “I also want to take this opportunity to assure all of us present here and the entire country that our state-of-the-art vector control assemblage of equipment is second to none in the waste management sector in Ghana. “We have in readiness, thousands of Motorised Spraying Machines that can be deployed to a wide coverage area within the shortest time possible,” she added.. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 9, 2020

https://3news.com/zoomlion-commended-for-expertise-in-fighting-covid-19-in-ghana/

Some churches in Accra have had their auditoriums and premises disinfected in compliance with the government directives to them as part of the coronavirus protocols for the resumption of religious activities in the country. Religious activities in Ghana was halted for over two months as part of raft measures introduced by the government in March to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus which has now affected over 9,000 people in the country. After weeks of wider stakeholder consultations, President Nana Akufo-Addo last weekend announced the easing of the restrictions to among others, enable religious activities to resume but amid tight protocols. Religious bodies are mandated to disinfect their venues before resumption and also at least once every month. A number of churches in Accra on Saturday engaged waste management experts, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, as recommended by government, to fumigate their church auditoriums and premises in preparation towards reopening of church service. Four of them – Victory Bible Church International Headquarters (Dominion Sanctuary) at Awoshie, Emmanuel Presbyterian Church of Ghana, St Mary Anglican Church and the Christian Divine Church, all at Tema New Town have been disinfected by Zoomlion with the WHO-approved chemical. At the end of the exercise, each church was certified with a covid-19 disinfection sticker which was posted at the entrance of the auditoriums to inform users that the place has been disinfected and cleared for use as directed by the government. “So watch out and make sure that the churches that you're entering are really disinfected before you access them,” Project Coordinator for Corporate Social Responsibility at Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Lola Asiseh Ashitey advised. The Churches, she said, were also issued with a certificate of attestation. “The virus is real; it is real. We don't have to compromise on safety, we don't have to compromise on the safety protocols so as your church has been disinfected, make sure that when you're coming into the premises you wear your nose mask, observe social distancing. She said following the President's directive to religious bodies to disinfect their venue for worshiping, a number of churches have contacted Zoomlion Ghana Limited, which has been at the forefront of the covid-19 disinfection in the country, to disinfect their venues. The churches, she noted, “do not have money so we are making sure that we are able to serve them with the little that they have to make sure that they can access their church premises”. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 7, 2020

https://3news.com/zoomlion-certifies-churches-in-accra-for-resumption-of-religious-activities/

Two solid waste landfill sites at Kpone and Asokore Mampong are to be decommissioned and re-engineered by the government as a multi-purpose recreational centre. Waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited through Waste Landfills, to turn the two landfill sites into green recreational facilities. Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, announced when she toured the Kpone Landfill site in in the Greater Accra Region Wednesday. She said the foul and repugnant smell from these sites and the associated health hazards will be a thing of the past when the projects are completed. “As the rains have set in, they normally come with diseases such as cholera, therefore, this project will help avert those challenges,” the minister explained. The project which has already started is expected to be completed within eight months. The two recreational centres will have sporting facilities to help unearth sporting talents in the two areas. General Manager of Waste Landfills, Peter Kwei Dagadu, said that decommissioning and re-engineering works were on-going at the two landfill sites, indicating that the landfill sites have outlived their purpose. “With this project, we will give these landfill sites new lives, with sport facilities, places of relaxation, space for crusades and other social gatherings could also be held there,” he added. The Kpone Landfill site has triggered concerns from residents in the area who have over the last months been organizing series of protest to pressurize the government to shut it down over health concerns. It has been overflowing and continued to be used as dumping ground for solid waste from parts of the Greater Accra Region. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 5, 2020

https://3news.com/kpone-asokore-landfill-sites-to-be-turned-into-recreational-centres/

As part of efforts to contain the spread of the Covid-19, Zoomlion Ghana Limited has begun a nationwide disinfection of mosques across the country. The exercise started Thursday with the disinfection the Madina Central Mosque, Shia Mosque Madina, Al-Aziz Central Mosque, Burma Camp, Ahlul-bait Institute Central Mosque, Alhamadiya Mosque and the Military Barracks Central Mosque. The rest were Anlu Sunnah Mosque, Kardo Mosque – all in Nima and the Police Mosque, Cantonment. It followed an appeal by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, for the disinfection of all Islamic facilities, including mosques across the country. Partly sponsored by the government through the Ministry of Zongo and Inner-City Development, the exercise forms part of Zoomlion Ghana Limited's corporate social responsibility (CSR). All the mosques that were disinfected had set-up Covid-19 Committees as directed by the central government as part of measures introduced for the easing of covid-19 restrictions. Imams at the mosques told journalists they were ready and prepared observe the Jum'aj prayers Friday. At the Madina Central Mosque, the Madina Chief, Baba Amadu Seidu, expressed the Moslem community's appreciation to both the government and Zoomlion for the gesture. “We are a law-abiding people and so we will comply with all the directives and Covid-19 preventive protocols outlined by the President,” he assured. The Madina Central Mosque, he said, has also put in place the necessary measures to make sure that the 100 Moslems who will come to worship observe all the Covid-19 safety protocols. According to him, the Moslem community in Madina and its environs has had several meetings with their chiefs and Imams all in an effort to ensure the safety of members during worship. However, there were some reservations by the Alhamadiya Muslim Mission regarding the restriction on the 100 people who must congregate for worship. The deputy Ameer II of the Alhamadiya Muslim Mission, Alhaji Wahab Issah, said limiting the number of Moslems who must congregate and worship was not helpful. “We can't pray with just 100 people, therefore, we have asked our members to stay at home,” he pointed out. He has meanwhile commended Zoomlion and the government for the exercise, and called on all Moslems to support in the country's quest to fight the coronavirus. By 3news.com|Ghana

June 5, 2020

https://3news.com/zoomlion-begins-nationwide-covid-19-disinfection-of-mosques/

A General Manager for Zoomlion Ghana Limited Esther Abayeta is advocating frequent massive fumigation against bed bugs in senior high schools across the country in a bid to end the continuous outbreak. Senior high schools have over the years been grappling with bed bug infestation, mostly in their dormitories and classrooms; a situation authorities say, has become worrying for them and their students. According to authorities at most of the schools which have so far been fumigated against the insect as part of the ongoing nationwide fumigation and disinfection of SHSs against bed bugs and covid-19, the students have been having sleepless nights. Though some of the schools occasionally undertake a limited fumigation exercise in their schools, authorities say there is always infestation after few weeks. Commenting on the issue during fumigation and disinfection of SHSs in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions, Mrs Abayeta who is the Zoomlion General Manager the three regions said the situation requires frequent massive fumigation. “…when we got to some of the schools, in fact, especially the dormitories, we could see blood all over the walls and some of the senior house masters and mistresses told us that the blood on the walls are actually blood from bed bugs,” she told journalists on Tuesday. She observed the blood sucking insects had become a problem in the schools, noting “when we moved some of the mattresses, you could see some holes and a whole lot of them”. With the ongoing massive fumigation exercise by Zoomlion in senior high schools, she was optimistic the situation will be brought under control and create a conducive environment for the students upon resumption of schools from the covid-19 induced break. “We really believe that with this exercise we will be able to eliminate bed bugs in our various secondary schools,” she expressed. That, Mrs Abayeta indicated, is because the WHO-approved oil-based pesticide being used for the exercise is very effective against the blood sucking insects Notwithstanding, she advised the Ghana Education Service to make the exercise a regular one in the schools to ensure total elimination of the insects. “I will recommend that we shouldn't wait for the schools to be infected with bed bugs again before we come in to spray but we should do it periodically, maybe twice in a year. With that we will be able to eliminate it totally,” she advised. The GES-Zoomlion project On the back of the outbreak of covid-19, the government through the Ghana Education Service contracted waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited to disinfect senior high schools across the country against the deadly virus. As part of the project, the waste experts were asked to also take advantage of the schools closure to do massive fumigation of these schools against the bed bug infestation which has become a major problem in the schools. Hundreds of schools in the Central, Western, Volta, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo have so far been fumigated and disinfected against bed bugs and covid-19 with a lot more being done currently in other parts of the country. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 13, 2020

https://3news.com/zoomlion-recommends-frequent-massive-fumigation-against-bed-bugs-in-shss/

Authorities of some Senior High Schools in the Volta Region have praised the Ghana Education Service (GES) and waste management company, Zoomlion, for the partnership that has seen their schools fumigated against bed bug infestation. Describing the gesture as timely, they revealed their schools have had to battle bed bug infestation over the years. The GES in collaboration with leading Zoomlion have kick started a nationwide fumigation and disinfection of Senior High Schools.  A total of 98 schools in various districts across of the Volta Region have benefited from the exercise which include covid-19 disinfection. Assistant Headmaster of OLA Girls Senior High School, Pious Aweonam, said the exercise comes as a relief to the school especially in the wake of the deadly covid-19 pandemic and bed bug infestation. He commended Zoomlion for the gesture and appealed for the exercise to be conducted frequently. “This exercise will make the teaching and learning environment conducive for students when schools are asked to re-open” For his part, the Assistant Headmaster of the Awudome Senior High School, Peter Kwame Nambia, called on GES to regularly undertake such exercise to rid SHSs of bed bugs which he attributed partly to overcrowding. He appealed to the Ministry of Education to support the school with infrastructure as it struggles with the growing number of students each year. The exercise saw classrooms, dining halls, dormitories, and administrative blocks disinfected and fumigated. Education Minister Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh in April launched the exercise to fumigate and disinfect all Senior High Schools in the country in a bid to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus. Over 500 Senior High Schools across 4 regions have so far benefited. The exercise which has been carried out in the Central, Western, Bono Region, Bono East and the Volta Region is expected to move to the Northern, Ahafo and Oti regions. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 12, 2020

https://3news.com/heads-of-shss-in-volta-laud-zoomlion-for-bed-bug-fumigation-covid-19-disinfection/

The Church of Pentecost headquarters at La and three other transit quarters of the Church in Accra have been disinfected against the deadly novel coronavirus. The disinfection exercise carried out by the waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited free of charge, saw the Gbawe Church of Pentecost Pension House, Tesano Church of Pentecost Transit Quarters and East Legon Transit Quarters disinfected with the WHO-approved chemical for covid-19 It formed part of the waste management company's corporate social responsibility aimed at fighting the spread of the coronavirus that has so far infected 4,263 and killed 22 of them with only 378 recoveries. Following the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic, Zoomlion offered to disinfect a number of tertiary institutions across the country, state agencies, and churches among others as part of its corporate social responsibility. This initiative is aimed at supporting the government's efforts in containing the deadly virus. At the La Church of Pentecost, the various offices, washrooms, restrooms, parking lot, driveways as well as metal railings and the entire church compound were disinfected. Caretaker at the Church of Pentecost Pension House at Gbawe, Mr Daniel Annor, welcomed the gesture. He said the Church has been embarking on such an exercise every year, indicating this year's exercise by Zoomlion had come at the right time when the world is battling covid-19. According to Mr Annor, the disinfection will help ensure the safety of visitors since the venue mostly host a number of people for conferences and other activities. At the Tesano Church of Pentecost Transit Quarters, the Caretaker of the facility, Mr Dominic Awah, was hopeful that the exercise would go a long way to help the facility, considering the number of patrons who use the facility for meetings and as accommodation. He expressed the hope that the venue will now be safe from microorganisms which may be injurious to the livelihood of the users. For his part, the Caretaker at the East Legon Transit Quarters, Mr Enock Ennin, who described the exercise as first of its kind, underscored the need for it to become a periodic affair. Meanwhile Zoomlion has also disinfected the Light House Chapel headquarters in Accra popularly known as Qodesh. Assistant Pastor to the Resident Bishop of the Qodesh Family Church, Reverend Pius Worlanyo K. Akator, expressed the church's gratitude to Zoomlion for the exercise. “We want to thank Zoomlion for this disinfection exercise, and God bless the company,” Rev Akator said. Other institutions that benefited from the exercise were the headquarters of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and Entrance Pharmaceutical-Tobinco Group at Spintex, Accra. On the back of the Covid-19 pandemic, Zoomlion has disinfected a number of tertiary institutions across the country, state agencies and churches among others. The initiative forms part of the waste management company's corporate social responsibility and aims at supporting the government's efforts in containing the coronavirus. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 11, 2020

https://3news.com/la-church-of-pentecost-qodesh-disinfected-against-covid-19/

The ban on public gatherings introduced by government to stem the tide in the spread of the deadly coronavirus the country has been extended to the end of May, President Nana Akufo-Addo has announced. “Tonight, I have come into your homes to announce that the ban on public gatherings, as set out in E.I 64, has been extended also to the end of the month, i.e. 31st May,” he said on Sunday in his ninth televised address to update Ghanaians on the country's covid-19 situation, Accordingly, the President said the holding of conferences, workshops, parties, nightclubs, drinking spots, beaches, festivals, political rallies, religious activities and sporting events will remained banned. All educational facilities shall continue to remain closed, he said. “There is still a ban on funerals, other than private burials conducted with not more than twenty-five (25) persons,” Nana Akufo-Addo stated. The country's borders as announced by President Akufo-Addo in his May Day address to the nation will also still remain closed until May 31. Ahead of the extension some civil society groups and others including the Ghana Medical Association advised the President against any plans of lifting the ban on social gatherings. “The President of the Republic should not lift the ban on social gatherings for religious activities, schools, marriage ceremonies, funerals etc. Our international borders should also remain closed for now” it advised in a statement on May 9. Contrary to skepticism by some Ghanaians that the disease is not real, the GMA indicated the pandemic is real, saying “it is here with us in Ghana” The doctors observed that the pandemic “is still a major health threat to all persons living in the country”. On Sunday, 437 new cases were announced to push the country's tally from 4,263 to 4, 700. “With our total number of infections standing at 4,700 with 494 recoveries, 5 persons being critically ill and 4,179 responding to treatment, 22 persons virtually all of them with underlying illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes and chronic liver disease have unhappily died,” Nana Akufo-Addo said. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 11, 2020

https://3news.com/ban-on-public-gatherings-extended-to-may-31-as-covid-19-cases-nears-5000/

Twenty-four hours after Ghana recorded 921 novel coronavirus cases, 437 new confirmed cases have been registered by health authorities Sunday, bringing the total to 4,700. “With our total number of infections standing at 4,700 with 494 recoveries, 5 persons being critically ill and 4,179 responding to treatment, 22 persons virtually all of them with underlying illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes and chronic liver disease have unhappily died,” President Nana Akufo-Addo announced on Sunday. The figures, the President said, is from the 160,501 tests conducted in the country since the first two cases on March 12. Of the active positive cases, Nana Akufo-Addo said 4,179 persons responding to treatment. “We must understand that the more people we test for the virus, the more persons we will discover as positive,” he stated. In his ninth address to update the nation on Ghana's covid-19 situation, the president said if people are not tested for the virus, “you will not find the persons who are positive, let alone isolate them from the population and treat them”. Nana Akufo-Addo said that but for the proactiveness of the health authorities in undertaking undertaking enhanced contact tracing of infected persons, and had relied solely on testing persons who reported to hospital, Ghana's case count would have stood a 1,413. “The implementation of our strategy of aggressively tracing, testing and treating is our surest way of rooting out the virus,” he assured. Early identification of persons with the virus, he observed, ensures that people do not spread the virus to others. He said the rapid implementation of policies has resulted in our low infection, hospitalisation and death rates, some of the lowest in Africa and the world. “We, certainly, must be doing something right in Ghana. Our country has administered more tests per million people than any other country in Africa, and, in fact, the World Health Organisation has reached out to us to share our sample pooling experience with other African countries, so they can adopt this strategy and also ramp up their testing capabilities,” he stated. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 11, 2020

https://3news.com/4700-people-now-have-coronavirus-in-ghana-with-494-recoveries/

Grime. A nation's day of grief. Ghana's football day of terror. Wednesday May 9, 2001. The Accra Sports Stadium had just witnessed a beautiful game of football after rush hour. For the 90 minutes it hosted the home side Accra Hearts of Oak and the visiting team Kumasi Asante Kotoko, two of Ghana's biggest clubs, football did what it does best: bring joy to the thousands who had thronged the venue. But that excitement was short-lived as what is today, Ghana's biggest sporting horror reared its head. All it took was a careless spark of fan indiscipline, agitation, misplaced bravado and a misjudgment on how to handle the situation. 127 people lost their lives, till today, the highest for any number of casualties for a football match in the country, and sits in the world's top stadium disasters of recent memory. Years on, the images of what was a Dark Wednesday, lingers for survivors and persons close to the deceased. The pain never goes away. Hawa Asare was 11 years old when the incident happened 19 years ago. The agony of losing her father has weighed heavily on her all these years. “I and my siblings spent my father's last days with him. In the hours before the game, we were together and even asked him not to go since the cloud had gathered. But he went because of the love he had for his club Asante Kotoko. Later, we got to know of the incident, and it so happened that he was part of those who had lost their lives.” Gory. Unimaginable. Grave. Gloom shook the very foundations of Ghana football. A people's beauty and love for football had been marred. Many were not spared. They left behind memories. They left behind dreams. The casualty list is enormous, and has affected families, threatening their livelihood. For years, they have had to live without their loved ones in an excruciating manner that plays back to them, the events of May 2001, everyday. Agnes Owusua, a new mother at the time, lost her husband, Ebenezer Amoako in the disaster. Like many, she heard of the news on radio, an unfortunate piece of information that later proved true. “I was shaken when I heard it on radio. Later, I passed out only to recover subsequently. I have tried to fend for myself and my three children all these years.” For the Ghanaian people and football fraternity, it is a blemish on a sporting journey that had seen nothing of that magnitude prior to 2001. Herbert Mensah, Chairman of Kumasi Asante Kotoko at the time, and the lead campaigner in ensuring the significance of the day is not lost, agrees this shouldn't happen again. “If anybody has had to be with a family who is grieving, they will know to tamper their activities when they go to the stadium,” he says, adding that the need to stamp hooliganism out of the game cannot be emphasized enough. The call by Herbert and other well-meaning stakeholders cannot be taken lightly as the dangers of not abiding by stadium rules has far reaching implications such as the struggle affected persons put up with long after disasters. Over the years, football fans, families of the affected persons and survivors as well, continue to preach responsible fan behavior at games. For everything they have experienced, they are better placed to offer an insight on behaving well at games and avoiding living with pain. Never again? It has been the mantra over the years but do recent happenings give cause to worry that this may repeat itself? “Best practices, which Africans are poor at, are what must now determine whose job it is, who is accountable, who checks on the person who is meant to do A, B, C and D. It is only that you can turn around and say it might not happen again,” says Herbert Mensah He adds that: “But if best practices are not in place. If people do bring guns; what is the punishment?” The message is loud enough. The dark horrors of May 9, 2001 offer sufficient admonition. Never again. By Juliet Bawuah|3news.com|Ghana

May 11, 2020

https://3news.com/the-may-9-disaster-19-years-ago-on-a-dark-wednesday/

Waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited has partnered the Ghana Police Service to   disinfected the Winneba Police Command and Staff College. This forms part of efforts by the two entities to curtail the spread of the coronavirus on campus. The disinfection exercise saw various areas like the classroom blocks, bungalows of lecturers, Offices and external environment of the facility disinfected by the team from Zoomlion. Commandant of the Winneba Police Command and Staff College Superintendent Samuel Aseidu Okanta told journalists the exercise will help erase doubts in the minds of incoming trainees of potential the covis-19 outbreak. “…if they are aware that the place has been disinfected they will have no fear but beyond that the IGP is not only disinfecting only this facility, it includes stations, various Police cells” Supt. Okanta said. “Just like the universities using different strategies to carry out their mandate, the Police Administration is ready to also use different strategies to carry out our mandate so in the not too distance future when students come to the depot it will be easy for them” the Commandant said. For his part, the Central Regional Manager for Zoomlion Ghana Limited Ernest Osei, urged the college to take precautionary measures before admitting students to prevent the spread of the virus on campus. “We have done a good job on the Police Colleges but you know very well that people are coming from different places but I believe at the entry point that is where they must take other precautionary measures in terms of hand washing ,the use of hand sanitizers must be enforced” he said. According to Mr Osei, the exercise is not only going to end at the colleges but will continue at the various Police Stations, District commands as well as the Regional Command and the various Police Barracks. “This exercise is meant for all Police stations, Districts and Divisional commands as well as the Regional Commands and the various Police barracks across the Central Region” Mr Osei added. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 10, 2020

https://3news.com/winneba-police-command-and-staff-college-disinfected-of-covid-19/

Armed robbers numbering about four on Friday evening attacked a bullion van belonging to the Absa Bank at gunpoint at Mmaampehia near Techiman in the Bono East Region and stole over GH¢600,000 contained in the van. Reports say the robbers who were wielding guns attacked the van and its occupants at about 5.30 pm wounding the driver and a police officer on board in the process before fleeing with their booty. The report identified the driver of the van with registration number GT 3181 – W, as Frank Agyeman, the police officer as Lance Corporal Yussif Abubakar and an official of the bank on board as Sampson Kofi Sarfo. The robbers were said to have bolted away with an AK 47 rifle loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition together with the police officer's armour into the nearby bush. Confirmation The Bono East Regional Police Commander, DCOP Djan Kyere confirmed the story and stated that GH¢ 234,000 out of the amount contained in the bullion van had been retrieved by the police. According to him, in their hurry, the robbers left GH¢ 39,000 inside the van while GH¢195,000 was also retrieved when the vehicle used to by the robbers was intercepted at Akomadan in the Ashanti Region. Sharing booty DCOP Kyere explained further that the robbers parked their saloon car in front of an uncompleted gari processing factory at Akomadan to share their booty. He said in the process they were spotted by a police guard who called for reinforcement for the arrest of the perpetrators. Police reinforcement DCOP Kyere said when the police reinforcement arrived, the robbers had run away leaving behind the saloon car they used for the operation, GHC 195,000 out of the booty and a G3 gun and an action pump gun behind. They, however went away with the AK 47 they seized from the policeman on board the bullion van and another one they used in their operation. DCOP Kyere explained that one person who had shown up to claim the ownership of the vehicle used by the robbers for the robbery had been arrested for interrogation. The victims of the robbery who were rushed to the Techiman Holy Family Hospital have have been treated and discharged while the bullion van has been towed to the Techiman Police Station. DCOP Kyere added that the police were still investigating the matter for arrest of the robbers who were believed to be still hiding the Ashanti Region. Source Graphic Online

May 10, 2020

https://3news.com/armed-robbers-rob-absa-bullion-van-of-%c2%a2600k-ak-47-with-19-rounds-of-ammo/

As the world commemorates Mother's Day today, I am pleased to join all well-wishers to wish mothers in Ghana and across the globe a Happy Mother's Day. Today is indeed a day to celebrate motherhood and the invaluable contribution of mothers in maintaining the family and in making the world a better place for us to live in. Today is also a day for recognizing the inestimable support and love mothers have always given not only to their biological children but to the human race in general. Robert Browning was spot on when he posited that, “all love begins and ends with motherhood”. Whilst celebrating the contributions of mothers to the development of our society and nations, I also wish to use this opportunity to call on all stakeholders in the country and beyond to use this day as a day of reflection on the plight of mothers particularly in this period of global health crisis occasioned by the outbreak of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. Even as I recognize that the government of President Akufo-Addo has, and continues to roll out several mitigating measures to ameliorate the socioeconomic impact of the Covid-19 protocols and in addressing the plight of mothers in general, I still believe that there is the need for more pragmatic interventions to further the cause of mothers in this part of our world. Once again, I wish all mothers, all prospective mothers and indeed all women playing motherly roles in diverse ways, a joyous MOTHERS DAY. Thank you. …Signed… H.E. Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo

May 10, 2020

https://3news.com/more-pragmatic-interventions-needed-to-further-the-cause-of-mothers-mrs-akufo-addo/

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it is currently finalising its manifesto for the 2020 general elections in December. General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia on Saturday said that the party managed to get the needed materials from their national stakeholder consultations before the outbreak of coronavirus which has brought vibrant political activity to a standstill in the country. Speaking on TV3 news analysis programme, The Key Points, he said the 2020 Manifesto Committee “has been working and is still working”. “We are about finalising the manifesto. You realise that we were engaged in speak out session that has been disrupted somehow, but so far, what we have done has given us sufficient material to manage [with] even if we are not able to finish with the other regions” he revealed. The party has since last year been engaging the general public, civil society organisations, trade unions, various associations and other identifiable groups in the country to solicit their views in drafting the party's 2020 manifesto. The NDC has explained it is seeking to develop what it calls a “Peoples Manifesto” that speaks to the direct needs and concerns of the citizenry. “The objective is to develop a grassroots manifesto driven by the need to give meaning to our social democratic principles of inclusivity and mass participation in the pursuit of growth and development of our country” the party said in November last year. Accordingly, the party directed all constituency and regional secretariats to coordinate the preparation of local draft manifestos at the constituency level to address the peculiar needs of the masses in the various constituencies for inclusion into the 2020 political document of the NDC. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 10, 2020

https://3news.com/were-finalising-our-manifesto-for-election-2020-ndc/

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has released identity cards for some 912 newly recruited teachers to enable them go through the new entrant biometric registration to be able to receive their salaries. Each of the 912 teachers who were part of those trained in 2018 and employed last year are to report to the GNAT Hall in Accra from Monday, May 11 to 15 to undergo the registration exercise. The registration will enable the Controller and Accountant General's Department to capture their details onto the public payroll. It will be the last process for the teachers before they begin to receive their salaries. Although last month's biometric registration was done in the regions for the teachers, the latest exercise will however be conducted in Accra. Source within the GES explained the decision was taken for the teachers to come to Accra for the exercise due to the small numbers involved. The Ashanti Region which has the highest number of 369 teachers and Brong Ahafo with 99 will have their turn from May 13 to 14 From May 11 to 12 the 46 teachers from the Central Region 46, 85 Eastern Region and the 79 from the Greater Accra Region will take their turn. Eighteen of them are from the Northern Region, 41from the Upper East and the 74 from Upper West are to register between May 11 to 15. From the Volta region are 81teachers and the Western region 20. They will also take their turn from May 13 to 15. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 10, 2020

https://3news.com/912-newly-recruited-teachers-cleared-for-biometric-registration-to-receive-salaries/

A cluster of new coronavirus cases in South Korea has forced the closure of bars and clubs across its capital city, amid fears of a second wave of infections as the country cautiously emerges from lockdown. South Korea reported 34 new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, the biggest daily rise in a month, bringing the total number of infections to 10,874. The country had acted swiftly to bring its initial outbreak under control, and was widely regarded as a success story because of its aggressive containment strategy. But on Saturday, just days after restrictions were relaxed, the mayor of Seoul ordered all bars and clubs in the city to be shut, citing fears of an “explosion of infections”. The new spike in cases are linked to a 29-year-old man who went on a night out in Seoul's popular Itaewon district last weekend. Now health authorities are scrambling to trace and test an estimated 1,510 people who visited the same venues as the man. On Sunday, President Moon Jae-in said the new cluster of infections had “raised awareness that even during the stabilisation phase, similar situations can arise again anytime”. In a speech, the president said the country must not lower its guard to the virus, adding: “It's not over until it's over”. BBC

May 10, 2020

https://3news.com/south-korea-fears-second-wave-after-spike-in-new-cases/

As Ghana inches closer to recording 5,000 cases of the novel coronavirus, doctors in the country are urging President Nana Akufo-Addo not to lift the ban on social gatherings introduced as part of raft measures to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Despite the closure of schools, ban on religious activities and all forms public gathering as well as closure of borders, Ghana's covid-19 cases, particularly community infections, continue to soar to the surprise of many. Just three days after the Ghana Health Service announced that covid-19 infections in the country peaked on April 25, almost thousands cases were recorded last Friday and additional 251 new cases on Saturday to bring the national tally to 4,263. Twenty-two of the infected persons have died since the first two cases were recorded in the country on March 12. The number of recoveries currently stands at 378. On the back of the high number of new cases being recorded, the umbrella body of doctors in Ghana, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) wants the current status quo maintained and strengthened. President Nana Akufo-Addo is expected to give Ghanaians update on the coronavirus situation this evening and already some people are pushing for the ban on social gatherings to be lifted and borders temporarily be opened for some stranded Ghanaians outside the country to fly in. But ahead of the weekly briefing, the GMA is asking the President not to lift the ban on social gatherings, religious activities or reopen schools. “The President of the Republic should not lift the ban on social gatherings for religious activities, schools, marriage ceremonies, funerals etc. Our international borders should also remain closed for now” it advised in a statement on May 9. Contrary to skepticism by some Ghanaians that the disease is not real, the GMA indicated the pandemic is real, saying “it is here with us in Ghana” The doctors observed that the pandemic “is still a major health threat to all persons living in the country”. People have been advised to wear face masks, observe at least two metre social distancing, use hand sanitizers regularly and frequently wash hands under running water, there appears to be lapses in their adherence. “Non-adherence to the Covid -19 preventive measures at this point in our collective fight against the disease has a huge potential to erode any gains made so far. This also has the propensity to escalate further spread of the disease. It has thus advised all to endeavour to adhere strictly to all the preventive measures and asked government to also strictly enforce all the measures to ensure compliance. Government, it said, must also ensure “prompt and continuous distribution of PPEs” to all health workers at their various institutions or places of work at all times. “This will guarantee the safety of all health workers as they continue to render care to patients”, the Association said. Meanwhile, it has appealed to Medical Doctors and other health professionals to continue to dedicate themselves to the fight against covid-19 in the interest of mother Ghana “in spite of the huge sacrifices we have made so far”. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 10, 2020

https://3news.com/dont-lift-ban-on-social-gatherings-or-re-open-schools-borders-gma-to-pres/

General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress has asked the New Patriotic Party to be concerned about choosing a flagbearer for the December polls and stop fretting about when his party will name a running mate to partner John Mahama. With just about seven months to the 2020 elections, concerns have been raised about who is likely to partner the former president for his comeback bid, with some critics claiming the NDC does not have qualified individuals for the spot. Addressing the issue on TV3 news analysis programme “The Key Points on Saturday, Mr Asiedu Nketia said his party is not late in announcing a running mate, stating there is no standard practice of when to announce a running mate or a campaign team. He said there is no pressure on the NDC to announce a running mate, explaining that “every party has a way of managing its affairs”. The man who is popularly known as General Mosquito wondered why the NPP is “concerned that we haven't announced a running mate when they don't have a flagbearer”. “They don't have a flagbearer, they don't have a running mate. They have about 160 parliamentary seats to fill and yet they divert people's attention on to our running mate,” he stated. “I'm not sure our people are worried,” he added, indicating that “the [NDC] constitutional timeline is nowhere near”. Indeed the NPP is yet to endorse President Akufo-Addo as the flagbearer for the party as he was the only candidate picked and filed nomination for the presidential primary of the party which was originally fixed for April 15 but was suspended due to the covid-19. For the NDC General Secretary, the push for Mahama to name his running mate “is just a creation of the government and NPP to divert [attention] from burning issues.” According to him, the NDC in terms of preparation is better placed than the NPP which has a flagbearer to select as well as some 160 parliamentary candidates, saying “ at least we are almost through with our parliamentary candidates”. “If they insist they have a flagbearer, then whatever they have slated to do by way of a selection of a flagbearer is a charade. They shouldn't be fooling their party members if they think they have a flagbearer,” he said. Meanwhile, Mr Asiedu Nketia has said running mates are a secondary issue because such persons only partner the presidential candidate and do not have the weight of the candidate they partner. “The presidential election in Ghana is called presidential because you focus on electing a president so running mate is just somebody who will just support the president. I don't think the weight of a running mate should be more important than the presidential candidate,” he argued. According to Mr Asiedu Nketia, that explains why the pictures of running mates are not found on the ballot boxes, and that it is the presidential candidates people vote for, not their running mate. “The person you're going to vote for is more important than who partners him…There is a reason you don't have the picture of the flagbearer and the picture of the running mate on the ballot box, because you're voting to choose a president”. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/you-dont-have-a-flagbearer-asiedu-nketia-tells-npp/

Covid-19, the pandemic, has changed many things; too many things. But for C.K Akonnor it all feels very different. Sixty- one days into his career as national team coach, he watched on as football closed in different countries in the wake of the coronavirus. Akonnor's first tasks were games against Sudan in Cape Coast on March 27 and a return leg in Khartoum four days later. He had penciled down names, called them out in a press conference and all looked set for what should have been a coronation at the Cape Coast Stadium until things had to stop. The uncertainty over when it will all come together again has many broken out in cold sweat. Akonnor is one of them. “It is a bit uncomfortable because of what it demands. I know a lot of people have doubts.” He said in an interview with Michael Oti-Adjei. “If we had played, if we had played two matches, I think Sudan and South Africa, by now there would have been a different view of my appointment and also for myself as well but this a situation that everyone is in and there's nothing I or anybody can do about it. We just have to wait and see when the opportunity can come again for us to work” he added. There is a lot of pressure if you have the Black Stars job; interviews, call-ups, monitoring of players and many others. In the former Ghana captain's case, he has not even gotten the opportunity to start and that frustrates him a lot. In many countries restrictions have been eased and things are gradually getting back to normal. Germany for instance announced recently that the Bundesliga is returning on May 16. That is good news for many but Akonnor still believes that this might go on for a while in Africa. “I know for certain that the Germans are going to start soon. I believe that in England, the Premier League will also continue and then in Italy. And so based on these facts, ours will not be too far away. So I am looking forward to that moment where they will start so that we can follow suit. So far I haven't heard CAF say anything and that is quite strange but I am sure they are also waiting for what FIFA will say. Once that is done, it means that we will have an opportunity to work again,” Mr Akonnor said. Akonnor's ideas are bright. Youth football is high on his agenda. How the team plays, a proper philosophy and an all hands on deck approach is what he is looking at to make things work again. He has also been backed by many of the players he led back in his time to do a great job for Ghana and hopefully he can. “I am there to serve my country and that I will do to the best of what I can. I want to see us rise to the occasion that everyone can believe that we are doing something and there is some sort of hope.” By Yaw Ofosu|3news.com|Ghana

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/c-k-akonnor-there-would-have-been-a-different-view-of-my-appointment-if/

Some suspected criminals in police cells in the Greater Region have tested positive for coronavirus, the Accra Regional Police Commander DCOP Fred Adu-Anim has revealed. He told journalists Saturday suspects in their cells who tested positive for the deadly virus have since been isolated. “We have tested some of the policemen and we are waiting for the results,” he said during a cleanup exercise at the Accra Regional Police Headquarters by Zoomlion which also saw the company disinfect the place. The Ghana Police Service on Wednesday partnered the waste management giants, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, to undertake a massive fumigation and disinfection of all police facilities and installations across the country. Dubbed ‘Police-Zoomlion National Disinfection and Fumigation Exercise,' the project will see all the six police training schools in the country, police stations and cells, barracks and their offices among other facilities. Commenting on the Saturday's exercise, head of  Corporate Communication for Jospong, owners of Zoomlion, Sophia Lissah, said disinfection and fumigation project was critical because the police are among the fontline workers in the fight against the coronavirus in Ghana. “Greater Accra Region has 14 divisions and this is one of them. Today all the divisions are undertaking this exercise but the disinfestation is happening at just this centre where we have the cells, the striking force etc…but then the other areas will be scheduled for next week” she said. She said the project is quite unique because “aside the officers, you realise that they are all together; the police, the inmates at the cells, the family (of the police), they all live together in one community so if one has it, it becomes a bit pricey; you can't tell what will happen so it is key for us that as we are doing this, we are looking at all the people here”. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/some-suspects-in-police-cells-tested-positive-for-covid-19-dcop-adu-anim/

The Ministry of Education in partnership with Zoomlion Ghana Limited have begun general disinfestation and fumigation of some 79 Senior High Schools in the Western Region to ride them off bed bugs and curtail the spread of covid-19. The exercise started from the St. John's School in Sekondi where dormitories, classrooms, laboratories, dining halls and major blocks were all disinfected and fumigated. The Western Region Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Abdulai Abdallah who supervised the exercise a total of 79 SHSs are will be covered in the region. “We are all aware of the Covid-19 but aside that, we also have the problem of bed bugs in most of our schools and that is why today we have collaborated with the Ministry to carry out this exercise. “The target is the bed bugs and other vectors, but once this is done, then we also look at the viruses and gems. So we have two chemicals we are using to target the two concerns and that is what we are doing today till all the 79 schools are covered,” he explained. The Headmistress of Archbishop Porter Girls SHS in Sekondi described the exercise as timely because it will address the schools' concerns with bed bug infection which has been a headache even before the covid-19 pandemic. “This is going to help the school so much. Hitherto we have had bed bugs infestations and we have done some minor fumigation but this is going to be a bigger boost to what we have done. The students upon returning to the campuses are going to have their peace of mind to study just as teachers staying on campus are going to benefit this very important exercise,” he said. The headmaster added “I believe that going forward, even after this Covid-19 era, we would need more such fumigation and disinfection so that we can avoid infestations from pest, insets and rodents that disturbs students in their studies. I therefore say thank you to government and Zoomlion for coming to our aid with this exercise.” Assistant Headmaster of St. John's School in Sekondi, Francis Atta Ofori Siaw, said the school has been a victim of the bed bug infestation and also not spared from the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic hence described the exercise as necessary. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/zoomlion-begins-fumigation-disinfection-of-79-shss-in-western-region/

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has downplayed the capacity of vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in pushing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to retain power in the December presidential election. General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, in rejecting assertions that Dr Bawumia has become a torn in the flesh of his party, said the vice president has messed up his reputation which was once held in high esteem by some people. In his view, any decision by the NPP to choose Dr Bawumia as their running mate will be to the advantage of John Mahama who is seeking to win back power from Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the 2020 polls. “We don't believe that Mahamudu Bawumia is a torn in NDC's flesh. In fact the way he has messed his own reputation up, it will be very advantageous for us if he gets the slot to be running mate of NPP and he will be a very easy candidate to deal with,” Mr Asiedu Nketia stated on The Key Points on TV3 Saturday. The man popularly known as General Mosquito made the comments when asked by the show host if the NDC was considering someone who could equal Dr Bawumia, who played a key role in Akufo-Addo's candidature in the run up to the 2016 elections. For Mr Asiedu Nketia, the ex-deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana has since becoming a vice president “created a certain perception about himself”. That, he contended, will make it “very easy for us [the NDC] going into the campaign if any running mate of NDC have to contend with Dr Mahamudu Bawumia”. “All his records are there; whatever he says and so on,” he indicated. Akufo-Addo picks Bawumia again President Akufo-Addo who is seeking re-election to do four more years was the only candidate picked and file nomination for the presidential primary of the NPP which was fixed for April 15. Addressing a crowd of party faithfuls after filing his nomination forms at the NPP headquarters in Accra on February 20 this year, Nana Akufo-Addo announced he will maintain Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate for the 2020 presidential election in December. It will be the fourth time the President will be pairing with the astute economist to go into presidential election on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Nana Akufo-Addo said the choice of Dr Bawumia was an easy one to make, and stated it was not something that required thorough thinking. “The Party rules require that once you are declared flagbearer, you have to choose a running mate. This is not something to think about. Once I'm declared the flagbearer, this same man will be my running mate; Mahamadu Bawumia will be my choice” he said to a loud cheer from the crowd. He added: “still maintained, no change. No curve, no bend. We are moving on forward”. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/bawumia-has-messed-up-his-reputation-hell-be-easy-match-for-ndc-asiedu-nketia/

A clinical epidemiologist, Professor Fred Binka has questioned claims by the Ghana Health Service that Ghana has reached its peak of the of the deadly coronavirus infections. Even before the country's case count could reach 3,000, the Director of Public Health, Dr Ebenezer Badu Sakordie on Tuesday announced the rate of infections per data available shows the case count peaked on April 25. According to him, the number of cases that were recorded after that date declined until May 6 “We peaked around the 25 of April and since then the numbers have continued to come down until May 6,” he explained subsequently on Thursday. “So that is showing that of the positivity, since peaking on April 2, we have consistently recorded a decline until today, May 7,” Dr Badu Sarkodie said. But commenting on the issue on The Key Points on TV3 Saturday morning, Prof. Binka argued there is no justification whatsoever for the Ghana Health Service to be talking about the country's cases peaking at a time that authorities are struggling to test everyone. “There is no reason to go to talk about peak at this time because we are talking about the peak of Ghana [yet] we haven't covered Ghana, we are still struggling to cover Ghana,” the former Dean of School of Public Health at the University of Ghana stated. He observed adequate measures have not been put in place to screen people from the entire country who are at risk of the virus He wondered whether the three regions which have so far not recorded any case of covid-19, is as a result of non-testing in those areas. “In greater Accra,” he said, “there are many places that have not reported any of these cases and my position is that you have not tested” Prof. Binka added: “If you don't test you don't find it. For him, the entire population is tested, one cannot make the case that Ghana's infection rate has peaked on the curve, saying “until you have covered the country, you cannot be saying that the country has reached its peak, no”. Head of Disease Surveillance at the Ghana Health Service, Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, speaking on the show explained the ‘peaking' as was said earlier meant that was the highest spike to have recorded in the country at the time. Meanwhile, he has said the over 900 cases announced Friday are not new ones and that they some were from April 26. “Just before I came I looked at the data we've collected; it is still not real time. What I'm saying is that like yesterday, we got about 900 cases, that 900 cases are not new cases…It's a mixture of old and new cases,” he stated By 3news.com|Ghana

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/theres-no-reason-to-say-covid-19-has-peaked-in-ghana-epidemiologist/

Rapper Medikal has no intention of replying shots thrown at him by female rapper Eno. Eno in a new diss song – ‘Argument Done' – released Friday took heavy jabs at Sista Afia and Medikal claiming the rapper wrote one of Sista Afia's diss tracks. For some days now, Sista Afia has ignited a lot of controversy after the release of her song ‘WMT', on April 22. While Sista Afia did not mention names, some people have concluded that she took jabs at Sister Derby, Wendy Shay, and Efia Odo in the song. The song saw counter jabs and reactions from Freda Rhymz (released ‘KMT'), and Eno (released ‘Rap Goddess'). But following the release of Sista Afia's second diss song ‘You Got Nerves', which many said was directed at Eno, there have been speculations that Medikal ghost-wrote the lyrics of the track. During an interview on Showbiz360 with Giovani Caleb, Medikal, born Samuel Adu Frimpong, said he hasn't heard Eno's diss song and the accusations. When the host probed get his reaction to the allegations, the ‘Omo Ada' rapper said “the level where I dey right now I trying to focus on my wife and my family and then I'm trying to do music to entertain my fans as well so I'm not into fetching insults and stuffs and getting back” at people. “That's why you will not find us in any petty beef we don't do that,” Fella Makafui, his wife, interjected. Medikal and Fella Makafui – the Frimpongs – tied the knot on March 7 in a controversial wedding which saw the actress faint during the event. Commenting on marriage so far, Fella Makafui said “It's been amazing…it's been fun even before we got married…we are now more closer. Everything is now like smoother.” They are currently planning on having a family and are hoping to have two or three kids but Fella hinted that “we will be adopting as well.” Watch the video for more: By 3news.com|Ghana

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/video-im-focusing-on-my-wife-family-medikal-wont-reply-eno/

Ten Togolese who illegally entered Ghana have been repatriated to Togo after serving a 14-day mandatory quarantine. One of them had tested positive to the deadly coronavirus. The Ghana Immigration Service in Aflao on Friday handed over the 10 people to the Togolese health and national security officials   at the Aflao border. The 10 entered Ghana on March 27 through unapproved routes in the Bono region and were intercepted at Duadaso Police checkpoint. They were isolated upon their arrest and tested for covid-19 thereafter. Result of one of them came out positive. After serving their compulsory isolation, Ghanaian  security officials  handed over to the Togolese nationals. A team led by one Lt. Mahinou Rock from the Commission for COVID-19 in Togo received Mandanakou Kodjo whose sputum tested positive. Mandanakou Kodjo was transferred into another ambulance parked at the Togo side of the Aflao border whilst the other nine were driven on board the Bono Regional Coordinating Council bus into Hotel Ibis in Lome. The Ghana Immigration Service said they will ensure no one enters the country illegally during the border closure By Komla Klutse|3news.com|Ghana

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/10-togolese-who-entered-ghana-illegally-repatriated/

A court in Bahirdar, northern Ethiopia, has sentenced the country's former communications minister and close ally of late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to six years in prison for corruption. Bereket Simon was arrested in January 2019 at his residence in the capital, Addis Ababa, and taken to Bahirdar, capital of the Amhara region – the second largest of Ethiopia's nine states. He has been in detention since. Bereket was found guilty on Tuesday. Some of his supporters had said the charges were politically motivated. He was a powerful figure in Mr Mele's administration and was often described as the chief ideologue of the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which came to power in the early 1990s. It consisted of the Amhara Democratic Party, the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP), the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement. In 2018, his party Amhara Democratic Party ousted him from executive committee membership. The EPRDF has since been re-branded and restructured as the Prosperity Party under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed – and no longer includes the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF). BBC

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/ethiopia-jails-powerful-ex-minister-for-corruption/

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has begun a three-hour power cut to some parts of Accra for the next six days to enable it relocate transformers to a new site. It said explained that as part of the relocation of 145MVA transformers from the Tema Port to the Pokuase Bulk Supply Point construction site, it will have to isolate some high voltage overhead lines. Accordingly, electricity supply to persons in Tema, Klagon, Spintex, Trasacco, Dzorwulu, Achimota, and Ofankor will be cut from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m each day from Friday to next Thursday, May 14. The Pokuase Bulk Supply Point is expected to supply and stabilise power and also reduce the technical and commercial losses of transmission to Pokuase, and its surrounding communities. It is expected to directly benefit 350,000 people. The $60 million dollar project was funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation under the supervision of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA). By 3news.com|Ghana

May 9, 2020

https://3news.com/ecg-begins-3hr-power-cut-in-parts-of-accra-for-six-days/

Takoradi-based rapper Kofi Kinaata has revealed that while delving into the ills of religion in the country in his smash hit song, ‘Things Fall Apart', he also took a swipe at himself. He disclosed that the line in the songs that attacks ‘part-time Christians' was directed at himself. ‘Things Fall Apart', released in October 2019, ended the year as the biggest and most controversial song. It highlighted religion and questioned if people were really worshipping God. Apparently, Kofi Kinaata also questioned his personal relationship with God in the song which won ‘Song of the Year' at the 2020 3Music Awards. He told MzGee on TV3 New Day that “the whole part-time Christian thing was for me…sometimes you feel ashamed and the guilt will not let you feel like a Christian. Your kind of lifestyle doesn't suit a Christian so we are part-time Christians. We are not proud though.” The rapper recounted that “You know when the Jehovah's (Witnesses) people come, some of us run away. I've been there before, I've done that before and I'm not proud of that. I'm done with that nowadays when they are coming, I listen to them; It's gospel.” Asked if he received any backlash from Jehovah's Witnesses, he said “they were even happy. You know it's a huge problem when they are coming people will run away so I was addressing that issue and they were happy.” According to Kofi Kinaata, Jehovah's Witnesses singled the line to bash people who run away from them whenever they want to preach to them. Interestingly, the rapper's father is a preacher of the Christ of Christ. When he started rap, his father wasn't enthused about his choice of career because of the negative perceptions that came with it. Asked how his dad felt about the song, Kofi Kinaata revealed that “for this [one] I think he is proud of me,” because when he started, “he wasn't paying attention…till I released the ‘Susuka' song that was the only song that my father called,” that he was now a fan of his music. His father, the rapper disclosed, is a very strong critic of his songs. “He is very deep and you have to be deep to tackle him one-on-one.” Watch the video for more: By 3news.com|Ghana

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/i-took-a-swipe-at-myself-in-things-fall-apart-kofi-kinaata/

The US unemployment rate has risen to 14.7%, with 20.5 million jobs lost in April, as the coronavirus pandemic devastated the economy. The rise means the jobless rate is now worse than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Since the pandemic began, the US has suffered its worst growth numbers in a decade and the worst retail sales report on record. Just two months ago, the unemployment rate was at 3.5%, a 50-year low. Weekly figures released on Thursday showed a further 3.2 million Americans sought unemployment benefits last week. That brings the total number of jobless claims since mid-March to 33.3 million- or about 20% of the US workforce. In recent weeks, companies such as Uber, Lyft and Airbnb were among the firms that have announced cuts, as shutdowns halted significant amounts of travel. The impact has been felt across the economy, affecting medical practices, restaurants and administrative workers among many others. The number of new claims reported each week by the US Department of Labor has subsided since hitting a peak of 6.9 million in March. But they remain extraordinarily high. And the number of people collecting benefits has continued to rise, despite recent moves to start re-opening in some parts of the country. BBC

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/covid-19-pandemic-sends-us-jobless-rate-to-14-7/

A political science lecturer at the University of Education Winneba, Dr. Isaac Brakoh has described solid, the newly constituted five-member campaign team of the New Patriotic Party for the 2020 general elections. In his view, the Peter Mac Manu-led team is strategic and capable of delivering victory for the NPP in the December polls. Mr Mac-Manu who led the party to win the last elections in 2016 was chosen again this week to lead the re-election bid campaign of President Nana Akufo-Addo in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary election. He will be supported by Dr. Mustapha Hamid, Lord Oblitey Commey, John Boadu and Sammi Awuku. Commenting on the choice of the party on Onua FM's morning show Friday, Dr Brakoh observed the track record of the individuals in the 2016 general elections proves they are capable of canvassing enough votes to retain the NPP in power in the 2020 elections. He told host of the show Nana Yaw Opare that maintaining Peter Mac-Manu as chairman of the campaign team is a step in the right direction. “Peter Mac-Manu in 2016 general elections worked splendidly in bringing the party to power regardless of the incumbency advantage of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Now that they [NPP] are in power, he is trusted to do more”. Touching on achievements and political competency of Sammy Awuku, Dr. Brakoh described the now NPP National Organiser as a workhorse who speaks without blemish, noting he is well admired in the country. That, the lecturer held, will help a lot in his campaign task and activities in winning many hearts, especially that of the youth. He said Sammy Awuku is capable of doing amazing job in ensuring a remarkable victory for NPP. Dr. Brakoh has meanwhile urged the NPP campaign team to as early as possible, map out strategies in intensifying their campaign message since the largest NDC is equally determined to win back power. By Maxwell Otoo onua|3news.com|Ghana

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/mac-manu-led-campaign-team-solid-can-deliver-victory-for-npp-lecturer/

Michy, ex-girlfriend of dancehall artiste Shatta Wale, is grateful to him for taking the time to record a birthday song for her. The dancehall artiste's ex confessed that the song, ‘Infinity (Michy's Birthday)' is beautiful. The mother of Shatta Wale's son supposedly turned 26 on Wednesday, May 6. After sharing a photo of himself and his ex with fond memories and wishes, Shatta Wale hit the studio to record a song for her. Reacting to the song, Michy said, “This song is so beautiful, it makes my ovaries tickle.” She added that “I would have loved to say thank you in person but I don't want any chopius situation so God bless you @shattawalenima thank you for the beautiful song & ………… #infinity #birthdaysong #atonement #sweetEx unfortunately there wasn't an infinity but the lessons & blessings have been rewarding .” This song is so beautiful 😍 it makes my ovaries tickle 😆 I would have loved to say thank you in person but I don't want any chopius situation🤦🏻‍♀️😂so God bless you @shattawalenima thank you for the beautiful song & ………… #infinity #birthdaysong #atonement #sweetEx unfortunately there wasn't an infinity but the lessons & blessings have been rewarding 🙏💕 . @yaa.kivi (creator of the last slide) be careful😫😂😂😂😂😂 A post shared by Michelle Diamond (@michygh) on May 7, 2020 at 10:09am PDT Michy, born Diamond Michelle Gbagonah, had in a previous interview revealed that she suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hands of Shatta Wale. According to her, the abuse hit a crescendo after their “staged” marriage proposal at the Reign Concert on October 14, 2018, at the Fantasy Dome in Accra. But Bulldog, manager of Shatta Wale, recently speaking in an interview on Showbiz 927 on 3FM with MzGee, rubbished the claims by Michy that his artiste's proposal to her at the 2018 Reign Concert was staged. Bulldog said he finds it very ridiculous for Michy, who was clearly surprised on the night, to make such remarks when she knew nothing about the proposal till it happened on stage. The artiste manager, who said he has been around Shatta Wale and Michy long enough, however, revealed that he has been praying fervently that they come back together. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/the-birthday-song-you-did-for-me-tickles-my-ovaries-michy-to-shatta-wale/

The European Union has added 12 countries to its money-laundering blacklist, putting their financial transactions under greater scrutiny. They include Botswana, Ghana, Mauritius and Zimbabwe. Others are Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Cambodia, Mongolia and Myanmar. Once approved by the European parliament the list will come into force in October. Valdis Dombrovskis, the commission's vice-president said, the EU needed to put an end to dirty money infiltrating its financial system. Of the 22 blacklisted countries, only North Korea has refused to commit to trying to tackle the problem, the BBC reported The decision by the EU, Reuters reported, seeks to intensify scrutiny of states posing money-laundering risks. It added that the EU is looking into creating a new body to help police financial crime and monitor banks more strictly. The EU explained the countries “pose significant threats to the financial system of the Union” because of failings in tackling money laundering and terrorism financing, the Reuters reported. According to Reuters, “Banks and other financial and tax firms will be obliged to scrutinise more closely their clients who have dealings with these countries. Companies in listed states are also banned from receiving new EU funding”. By BBC & Reuters

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/eu-blacklists-ghana-3-african-states-over-dirty-money/

Students of Koforidua Senior High Technical School (SECTECH) are occasionally forced by bed bug infestation to sleep in the school's dining hall, the headmaster, Samuel Prince Folley has revealed. He said with the high incidence of bed bug infestation, students found it extremely difficult to sleep, especially at night, adding that the situation was also having a toll on their academic work. Mr Gyamfi made the revelation when a team from Zoomlion Ghana Limited fumigated and disinfected senior high schools in the Eastern Region on Thursday The exercise formed part of efforts by the Ghana Education Service (GES) to rid SHSs in the country of bed bugs, and to also help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic when schools resume for academic work. About 14 SHSs including the Koforidua Senior High Technical School, benefited from the disinfection and fumigation exercise on the first day. The others were Oyoko Methodist SHS, Universal SHS, Oti Boateng SHS, SDA SHS, Liberty Specialist Institute, Hyundai Koica Technical Institute, Pope John SHS, Ghana SHS, New Juaben SHS, Moses Accountancy SHS, New Juaben College of Commerce, School For Deaf and Pentecost SHS. Aside the bed bug infestation at Koforidua SECTECH, Mr Folley indicated that his school was also grappling rodents. He therefore commended the GES and Zoomlion Ghana Limited for the initiative which he noted would help rid the school of bed bugs. On post Covid-19, the headmaster disclosed that the school has bought a number of Veronica buckets, soaps and alcohol-based hand sanitisers to ensure both students and staff observe the necessary protocols. He said these will be placed at vantage points to enable the students use as part of measures to contain the spread of the virus. However, he admitted that it will be difficult for the students to observe social/physical distancing protocols, attributing that to high student population and the lack of adequate dormitories. At the Pentecost Senior High School, the Headmaster, Mr Peter Atta Gyamfi, described the exercise as ‘timely,' adding that it will help get rid of bed bugs from the school. He, therefore, urged the GES to fumigate SHSs periodically. He stated that the coronavirus pandemic has affected students, particularly those in their final year. That notwithstanding, he was hopeful that things would return to normalcy for academic work to continue. For his part, the Headmaster of Oyoko Methodist SHS, Mr Frank Nkum Eyiah, indicated that his administration has put in place a plan that will adequately prepare, especially the final year students, for their examinations. A similar package, he added, will be made available to cater for SHS 1 and SHS 2 students respectively, to help them catch up for what they have lost over the period. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/bed-bugs-forced-koforidua-sectech-students-to-sleep-in-dining-hall-headmaster/

Gospel musician Kofi Sarpong has disclosed that he is happy about the career of musician Fameye. The musician, who is also a Chief Superintendent of Police, said he is grateful that God has made Fameye a successful musician in Ghana. Fameye, born Peter Famiyeh Bozah, lost his parents, who were police officers, at a very young age. In spite of losing his parents at a young age, the ‘Nothing I Get' hit singer has weathered the storm to become a household name in the music circle in Ghana. Kofi Sarpong speaking with MzGee on TV3 New Day revealed that he is blood-related to the Fameye. According to him, someone from Asante Mampong drew his attention to the fact that they were blood-related so he reached out to him. “We spoke and then we began to meet and talk.” The ‘Ayeyi Ndwom' hit singer revealed that, “I like him [Fameye]. In fact, I'm proud of him. He will tell his story by himself” He added that Fameye has “gone through a lot. We thank God that He has elevated him or has blessed him.” Asked of his favourite Fameye song, Kofi Sarpong mentioned ‘Nothing I Get'. In February this year, Fameye was honoured by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia when he joined the Ghana Police Service to celebrate their annual WASSA End of Year Party at the Ghana Police Headquarters. He was presented with a plaque by the Vice President after performing as the guest artiste during the event. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/i-like-fameye-im-happy-god-has-elevated-him-kofi-sarpong/

Four persons have been arrested in Zebilla in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region for allegedly dealing in narcotic drugs. Two of them, Rafui Mahamadu, 30 and Simon Adabre, 18, had a total of 589 wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as ‘wee' The other suspects, 25-year-old Bilal Anambe and George Akansiak, 21 years, who were present at the crime scene are suspected be involved in various crimes in the area. The Zebilla police commander, Superintendent Ahmed Adam Mahama, told journalists that the police information that a group of young men were peddling and smoking substance suspected to be Cannabis Sativa at Abuss Dam in Zebilla. He said a team of local police officers teamed up with some personnel drawn from Operation Conquered Fist stationed at Zebilla and moved to the location where the four suspects were found peddling drugs. Aside the 589 pieces of wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be wee which were concealed in five separate black polythene bags, the team also found 40 packs of smoking papers, a pair of scissors and a smoking lighter concealed in a bag. One unregistered motorcycle and a bicycle were also retrieved from the scene, the police said. The Commander said the suspected wee shops in the area were also destroyed. Meanwhile he said Mahamadu and Simon Adabre were arraigned before the District Magistrate Court in Bolgatanga together with the other two suspects and have been remanded into Police custody. Supt. Mahama said the Police will not relax in bringing to book all those terrorizing the  people in the Zebilla township and its environs. He said the police has stepped up activities in and around the Zebilla town and warned persons involved in criminal activities to desist from such negative attitudes else they will be smoked out to face the full rigors  of the law. He called on residents of Zebilla to volunteer information to the police to help them arresting criminals. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/4-arrested-in-zebilla-with-589-wrappers-of-wee/

The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, has said Ghana is ready to make an assessment on ‘Covid-Organics'- the purported COVID-19 cure from Madagascar. He said when that herbal product is made available the GHS would collaborate with the Food and Drugs Authority to ascertain its potency and advise the public accordingly. Dr Kuma-Aboagye said this at a media briefing on Thursday in Accra on the latest Coronavirus management situation in the country. He was responding to a question posed by a journalist as to whether Ghana is considering the use of the Covid-Organics as part of its treatment measures. ‘Covid-Organics', is the herbal remedy produced from artemisia, a plant with proven efficacy against malaria, and other indigenous herbs as stated by the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research in Madagarscar. The plant was first imported into the island nation in the 1970s from China to treat malaria. It is now marketed in bottles as a herbal tea, while the President of Madagascar, Mr Andry Rajoelina has said clinical trials were under way in the country to produce a form that could be injected into the body. As COVID-19 spreads across Africa and leaders put their countries in lockdown, President Rajoelina last month launched the herbal remedy that he claimed could prevent and cure the disease. The announcement caught medical experts, who have scrambled to find a cure for the disease that has killed more than 252,000 and infected at least 3.6 million people globally, by surprise. Meanwhile, the African Union said, it is in discussion with Madagascar with a view to obtain technical data regarding the safety and efficiency of the herbal remedy. In an attempt to reassure people and brush aside safety concerns, Mr Rajoelina took a dose of Covid-Organics at the launch event and said it was safe to be given to children. The World Health Organization (WHO) have also advised people against using untested remedies for COVID-19. “Africans deserve to use medicines tested to the same standards as people in the rest of the world,” WHO, the United Nations health agency, said in a statement on Monday. “Even if therapies are derived from traditional practice are natural, establishing their efficacy and safety through rigorous clinical trials is critical,” the statement said. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also warned people against using unproven remedies. “There is no scientific evidence that any of these alternative remedies can prevent or cure the illness caused by COVID-19. In fact, some of them may not be safe to consume,” the CDC said. GNA

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/ghana-ready-to-test-efficacy-of-madagascars-covid-19-cure/

Gospel musician Joyce Blessing is not ready to divulge what exactly is going on in her marriage even though social media is rife with reports that all is not well. The ‘I Swerve You' singer will neither confirm nor deny reports that her marriage has hit the rocks except to say her lawyers are handling it. Earlier this week, social media and the media landscape was inundated with reports that the singer and her husband, who also happens to be her manager, were about to divorce. Adding fuel to the speculations was a video that surfaced online of Joyce Blessing in a spat with her sister-in-law over the custody of her children. The visibly disturbed singer could be seen leaving the residence after the fruitless endeavour. Reacting to the reports on Okay FM, Joyce Blessing said she will not speak on the issue now. She said she will release an official statement soon because she does not want to be misquoted by anyone. The gospel musician also added that her lawyers are currently handling the issue. Watch the video below: Gospel Musician Joyce Blessing reacts to reports of her marriage break up @okay101.7fm with @abeikusantana . . . . . . . . . . . #GhanaPaparazzi #AfricaPaparazzi #NkonkonsaCelebNews #NkonkonsaCelebScoop #NkonkonsaNews #Nkonkonsa #CelebrityNews #NkonkonsaScoop #Celebrity #News #Ghana #Africa #Accra #NewsFromGhana #NkonkonsaExlusiveVideo #NkonkonsaVideo #Nkonkonsa A post shared by Nkonkonsa.com (@nkonkonsa) on May 7, 2020 at 4:14pm PDT By 3news.com|Ghana

May 8, 2020

https://3news.com/divorce-rumours-my-lawyers-are-handling-it-joyce-blessing-reacts/

About eight hundred thousand workers in the hospitality, leisure and tourism sector are said to have lost their jobs. According to the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF), the sector is currently on the verge of collapse due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus which has infected 3,091 people in Ghana of which 18 have died and 303 clinically cured. Also, about 752 car rental workers in the Greater Accra region alone are said to have lost their jobs whilst 352,000 people at the informal sector are jobless now. Executive Secretary for Ghana Tourism Federation, Mr. Emmanuel Frimpong, who revealed this on Onua FM's morning show, “Yen Nsempa” on Thursday, said more job losses are expected as the covid-19 pandemic continues to wreck their businesses. The sector, according to Mr Frimpong, is currently dwindling by 90% and expressed fears the situation would persist for quite a long time due to the global loss of confident in tourism. “The hospitality sector will take time to recover even if countries open borders allowing airlines to operate,” he stated, and explained that is “because people are now surviving on savings made let alone to get money and travel to other places”. He observed that even if the COVID 19 pandemic is over, it will take about a year to maintain or revive the tourist sector “and if nothing is done about the situation, the sector would suffer total fold up” Mr Frimpong revealed they are in talks with government to support them in paying their workers otherwise they wull be forced to sack them shut down their businesses. He expressed optimism that government will do everything possible to give them stimulus package to sustain their businesses. “The last time we met President Akufo Addo at Jubilee House, he made us understand that the Finance Ministry was processing to secure about 3 billion Ghana cedis from the central bank to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which they stand a chance to benefit” Mr. Frimpong recalled. Once government does that, he said, players will be able to sustain their businesses and re-employ all staff. By Maxwell Otoo|3news.com|Ghana

May 7, 2020

https://3news.com/800000-job-losses-recorded-in-hospitality-sector-ghatof-claims/

Government has rejected to pay some 740 million cedis being claims put forward by some customers of the non-banking financial institutions in the country whose licences were revoked over breaches and insolvency. According to the Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the official receiver and liquidator of the institutions, Eric Nana Nipah, upon validation of the claims concluded they were illegitimate. He explained the receiver rejected payment because the claims were largely invalid, noting they were “set offs and cross lending; that is, some depositors who have either taken loans from some of these same entities or had in their custody placements from some of these dissolved companies”. In total, 6.4 billion cedis was received as claims from the customers of the 347 microfinance companies, 39 micro credit companies, 23 savings and loans and finance house companies which were collapsed. Of the figure, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said the receiver accepted to pay only 5.66 billion cedis upon validation of all the claims received. “Based on those validations, the receiver and official liquidator has commenced work on some 5.32 billion cedis leaving an amount of 340 million that is going through the very final processes of second level checks,” he indicated. According to him, payments made to customers to date totals 5.06 billion cedis, noting that approximately 2.11 billion cedis was in cash and about 2.95 billion cedis in zero coupon rated bonds. He said of the 297,000 individuals whose claims have been validated and accepted for payment, 98 per cent will be fully paid in cash. “The remaining two per cent individual depositor claims,” he said, will be paid by a combination of cash and bonds. Meanwhile, he said there are some of the liquidated organisations whose books and records still have challenges, noting they are being processed for investigations. Background The Bank of Ghana in August last year revoked the licences of 347 microfinance companies, 39 micro credit companies, 23 savings and loans as well as finance house companies for being insolvent. The revocation of the licences formed part of efforts by the central bank to restore confidence in the banking and specialized deposit-taking sectors. BoG said the continued existence of these institutions posed risks to the interest of depositors. A comprehensive assessment of the savings and loans and finance house sub-sectors carried out by the BoG identified serious challenges such as excessive risk-taking without the required risk management function to manage risk exposures, the use of depositors' funds to finance personal or related-party projects or businesses and weak corporate governance structures. Also the BoG held these institutions engaged in persistent regulatory breaches, involving non-compliance with Bank of Ghana's prudential rules, and failure to implement BoG on-site examination recommendations. “All efforts by the Bank of Ghana to get the shareholders and directors of the affected institutions to rectify the above lapses, especially the significant capital deficiencies, yielded no positive results,” BoG claimed. This resulted in a continuous to deterioration of their financial position leading to their insolvency with some of them ceasing operations and closing their offices to depositors while those in operation at the time were unable to pay depositors and other creditors at all or fully. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 7, 2020

https://3news.com/govt-rejects-%c2%a2740-million-invalid-claims-by-customers-of-collapsed-financial-institutions/

A total of 5.06 billion cedis has so far been paid to customers of the non-banking financial institutions in the country which had their licences revoked by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) for being insolvent. The customers are from the 347 microfinance companies, 39 micro credit companies, 23 savings and loans as well as finance house companies whose licences were revoked by the BoG last year over breaches, lack of corporate governance and for being insolvent among others. A statement from the receiver and official liquidator read by Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah said approximately 2.11 billion was paid in cash while about 2.95 billion cedis was paid in zero coupon rated bonds. Figures released by the official liquidator Eric Nana Nipah on Thursday showed the total claims received from the customers of the affected institutions amounted 6.4 billion cedis but upon validation, only 5.66 billion cedis was accepted for processing and payment. Approximately 740 million cedis was rejected, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said explaining that it was “due largely to invalid claims which were rejected and set offs and cross lending. He explained further that some depositors too had either taken loans from some of these affected entities or “had in their custody placements from some of these dissolved companies”. The Minister said the official liquidator is currently going through the very final processes of second level checks an amount of 340 million cedis, noting that is expected to be concluded and payments made by May ending. He said of the 297,000 individuals whose claims have been validated and accepted for payment, 98 per cent will be fully paid in cash. “The remaining two per cent individual depositor claims,” he said, will be paid by a combination of cash and bonds. Meanwhile, he said there are some of the liquidated organisations whose books and records still have challenges, noting they are being processed for investigations. Background The Bank of Ghana in August last year revoked the licences of 347 microfinance companies, 39 micro credit companies, 23 savings and loans as well as finance house companies for being insolvent. The revocation of the licences formed part of efforts by the central bank to restore confidence in the banking and specialized deposit-taking sectors. BoG said the continued existence of these institutions posed risks to the interest of depositors. A comprehensive assessment of the savings and loans and finance house sub-sectors carried out by the BoG identified serious challenges such as excessive risk-taking without the required risk management function to manage risk exposures, the use of depositors' funds to finance personal or related-party projects or businesses and weak corporate governance structures. Also the BoG held these institutions engaged in persistent regulatory breaches, involving non-compliance with Bank of Ghana's prudential rules, and failure to implement BoG on-site examination recommendations. “All efforts by the Bank of Ghana to get the shareholders and directors of the affected institutions to rectify the above lapses, especially the significant capital deficiencies, yielded no positive results,” BoG claimed. This resulted in a continuous to deterioration of their financial position leading to their insolvency with some of them ceasing operations and closing their offices to depositors while those in operation at the time were unable to pay depositors and other creditors at all or fully. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 7, 2020

https://3news.com/over-%c2%a25bn-paid-to-customers-of-collapsed-non-banking-financial-institutions-govt/

President Nana Akufo-Addo will later today lead a three-day cabinet retreat to scrutinize data so far gathered by government on the impact of the deadly coronavirus outbreak across the governance sectors of Ghana. All ministers are expected to present a report on the impact of the pandemic on their various sectors as well as measures and recommendations needed to turnaround the situation, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has announced. “The president has instructed all ministers to report on the impact across their sectors and proffer recommendations for recovery,” he said at a news briefing in Accra to give update on the country's covid-19 situation. Mr Oppong Nkrumah said following Finance Ministers' projection of the impact of the disease on the economy, government put in place a number of interventions to respond to the issues including free water supply to Ghanaians for three months. Also, free electricity was announced for Ghanaians in the lifeline category and a 50 per cent subsidy for those above the lifeline for the next three months beginning May to July. “About eight weeks into the pandemic in Ghana and as we get closer to mid-year, government of Ghana has actual data on the real impact of covid-19 across various sectors,” he noted. The data, the Information Minister said will be examined by the President and his cabinet during the next three days, the decisions taken will form the basis for the mid-year budget review to be presented to parliament by the Finance Minister. “At a cabinet retreat that is starting today, the government of Ghana will examine the observed impact, the recommendations that are being made, the implications and will commence preparations for laying same before parliament during the mid-year review [budget]” he stated. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 7, 2020

https://3news.com/akufo-addo-leads-3-day-cabinet-meeting-to-examine-covid-19-impact-on-economy/

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has promoted 18,475 teachers who sat for the maiden Promotion Aptitude Test on February 20 and 21, this year to various grades within the service. The promoted teachers represent 61.0 per cent of the 30,280 who were shortlisted for the test. In the Deputy Director grade, 2,336 candidates took the test, out of which 1,140, representing 48.8 per cent, were successful. For the Assistant Director I grade, 7,170 took the test, with 4,709 (65.7 per cent) being successful, while 10,860 (59.5 per cent) out of the 18,238 candidates who wrote the promotion test for the grade of Assistant Director II passed. The Director-General of the GES, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, said for the Principal Superintendent grade, 1,766 candidates, representing 69.6 per cent of the 2,536 who wrote the test, were successful. “Formal promotion letters will be released in due course. Results for the non-teaching staff will also be released soon,” he said. Feature The new GES promotion process is a departure from the usual face-to-face interviews. Applicants for the grades of Principal Superintendent to Deputy Director were required to write aptitude tests for promotion to the next level, while Deputy Directors who wished to become heads of schools or take up any other leadership role were to attend interviews, in addition to the aptitude test. Problem Every year, about 35,000 GES staff applied for promotion, and in undertaking the exercise, the GES set up about 150 panels across the country, with each panel of five members interviewing eight people a day, in accordance with Public Services Commission (PSC) regulations. The panels worked for three to six months to attend to all applicants. After the results were released, the GES management received countless petitions against some of its staff in the district, regional and headquarters. Other petitions were directed against panel members. The petitions included allegations of victimisation and corruption. Based on these and other reasons, the GES management, in June last year, initiated action to reform the promotion process within the confines of the PSC guidelines. Commendation Following the smooth conduct of the maiden promotion aptitude test, the Director-General expressed his appreciation  to all staff of the service, particularly shortlisted applicants who took part in the exercise held at 35 centres across the country. In a congratulatory message, he said the management of the GES was highly grateful to the leadership of pre-tertiary education unions for their support and immense contribution to the new promotion process. “Management further expresses its gratitude to the consultants who conducted the examinations for the yeoman's job,” he added. Challenges “As a new programme, the process faced some initial challenges — some shortlisted candidates either did not receive their index numbers at all or received them late, some index numbers and names were mixed up, some candidates were assigned to wrong examination centres, etc. Majority of all such issues that came to our attention were referred to the consultants and resolved on or before the examination dates. “There were also allegations of leak of examination papers reported in some sections of the media. In this age of advanced ICT knowledge and skills, the possibility of leaks before and during the examination cannot be completely ruled out,” he said. However, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa said initial checks by the GES and reports from all the 35 examination centres across the country did not suggest that applicants had foreknowledge of the questions. “No cases of malpractice have so far been reported. The general conduct of the applicants before, during and immediately after the examinations does not suggest any act of examination malpractice,” he said. Indeed, the GES boss said, reports from almost all the centres showed that much as the teachers liked and praised the new process, they equally indicated that the questions were fairly above their expectation. “Majority of the applicants sat through till the end of the paper and some suggested the need to review the time alloted in subsequent examinations. These initial commendations notwithstanding, management wishes to assure all, including the general public, that it has initiated investigations into the allegation of the leakage,” he said. Daily Graphic

May 7, 2020

https://3news.com/20456-2/

A woman has given birth onboard a flight repatriating Nigerians from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, said that Kafayat Amusan had given birth to a baby boy about 30 minutes after the flight left the airport. The plane returned to Dubai immediately to ensure the safety of both mother and baby. Ms Amusan and her baby are in good condition after they were admitted to a hospital in Dubai. They are scheduled to return to Nigeria after the newborn's birth certificate is issued and other necessary travel documents are prepared. The woman was among the first batch of Nigerians evacuated from the UAE due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some 256 people were expected to arrive at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos at about 19:00 local time on Wednesday. Nigeria'S authorities say they have secured isolation units in both in Lagos and the capital, Abuja, for returning Nigerians to be quarantined. Foreign Affairs Minister Goeffery Onyeama earlier announced that 4,000 Nigerians living abroad had expressed their willingness to return home. BBC

May 7, 2020

https://3news.com/nigerian-woman-gives-birth-on-plane/

The Ghana Police Service has partnered waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited to fumigate and disinfect all police facilities and installations across the country against dangerous insects and the deadly coronavirus. More than 1, 200 facilities including the six police training schools, police stations and cells as well as bungalows for police personnel will be fumigated and disinfected to create a safe environment for police officers to perform their duties. Inspector General of Police, COP James Oppong-Boanuh, joined officials of Zoomlion on Wednesday perform the official launch for the takeoff of the exercise at the Police Training School in Accra. The exercise will be done simultaneously across the country. Launching the exercise, the IGP Mr Oppong-Boanuh lauded the longstanding partnership between the police and Zoomlion Ghana Limited which he said has resulted in several initiatives including the fumigation. “It is believed that the exercise when completed will create a more conducive atmosphere for habitation and the rest, how we keep ourselves safe will depend on conforming to the preventive measures that have already been outlined by the president,” he explained. Mr Oppong- Boanuh has meanwhile revealed personnel who contract the deadly coronavirus in the performance of their duties will receive a special package from the Ghana Police Service. Such package, he stated, will also be extended to the family members of the affected personnel. A covid-19 technical team, he said, has been constituted at the police headquarters in Accra to deal with all matters involving police personnel in relation to the coronavirus, which has so far infected over 2,700 people in the country and killed 18 of them with 297 recoveries. “To the personnel of the Ghana Police Service who have devoted your lives to help enforce the restrictions or let me say who have risked your lives to ensure that the restrictions are enforced, the Police Service thank you very much for your devotion,” he said. COP Oppong-Boanuh said the Police management board appreciates their sacrifices, stating that “appropriate measures have been put in place to support you and prevent you from getting infections and any of you who is infected in the course of your duty”. The IGP said the covid-19 technical team will ensure the uniformed men and women will “get maximum support as well as members of your family in this difficult time”. He suggested some of the about 5,000 personnel who were deployed for the anti-covid-19 lockdown duties in Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi have been infected by the virus but did not give further details. “As you are all aware, The Ghana Police Service and other security agencies have partnered the Ghana Health Service as frontliners to help fight this pandemic. It is not surprising to have a number of police personnel come in contact with infected persons and also get infected,” he stated. For his part, the Director General in charge of General Services at the Ghana Police Service, Mr George Alex Mensah said “The police officer needs to be safe, needs to be healthy to protect lives and properties”. “We are going to do it simultaneously across all the regions. We hope and pray that almost all our facilities; about 1,200 will be disinfected and fumigated to ensure that our men and women are safe” he added. The IGP and the police management board, he said, will ensure that the “men and women in uniform work in safe environment”. He noted that the fumigation and disinfection exercise is important to ensuring the health and safety of police personnel. The Head of Disinfection at Zoomlion, Reverend Ebenezer Kwame Addae said they will disinfect and fumigate a total of 1,249 police stations and cells across the country. The IGP [middle] in a group photo with officials of Zoomlion Ghana Limited after the launch of the fumigation and disinfection exercise in AccraHe said suspects in the various cells will have to be moved out for the exercise to be conducted, saying “We have to move people from one cell to another before we can do it so as and when the police are done” they will move in with the cells. Rev. Addae said their inspection showed some of the facilities were infested with insects like bed bugs, thus necessitating the need to fumigate those facilities including the training schools and bungalows against such insects. “When we did our inspection we saw that there are insects and bed bugs infestation and therefore there is the need to do fumigation,” he stated, adding in “the barracks, we will be doing both [fumigation and disinfection]. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 6, 2020

https://3news.com/over-1000-police-buildings-cells-to-be-fumigated-and-disinfected-by-zoomlion/

Police personnel who contract the deadly coronavirus in the performance of their duties will receive a special package from the Ghana Police Service, the IGP James Oppong-Boanuh has announced. He, however, did not reveal details of the support which he stated will also be extended to the family members of the affected personnel. A covid-19 technical team, he said, has been constituted at the police headquarters in Accra to deal with all matters involving police personnel in relation to the coronavirus, which has so far infected over 2,700 people in the country and killed 18 of them with 297 recoveries. “To the personnel of the Ghana Police Service who have devoted your lives to help enforce the restrictions or let me say who have risked your lives to ensure that the restrictions are enforced, the Police Service thank you very much for your devotion,” he said. The IGP said this while launching a Ghana Police-Zoomlion fumigation and disinfection exercise in Accra Wednesday. The exercise, which kick off at the Ghana Police Training School at Tesano in Accra, will see the waste management giant, Zoomlion fumigate and disinfect all police facilities and installations across the country against dangerous insects and covid-19. COP Oppong-Boanuh said the Police management board appreciates their sacrifices, stating that “appropriate measures have been put in place to support you and prevent you from getting infections and any of you who is infected in the course of your duty”. The IGP said the covid-19 technical team will ensure the uniformed men and women will “get maximum support as well as members of your family in this difficult time”. He suggested some of the about 5000 personnel who were deployed for the anti-covid-19 lockdown duties in Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi have been infected by the virus but did not give further details. “As you are all aware, The Ghana Police Service and other security agencies have partnered the Ghana Health Service as frontliners to help fight this pandemic. It is not surprising to have a number of police personnel come in contact with infected persons and also get infected,” he stated. Meanwhile, the Director General in charge of General Services at the Ghana Police Service, Mr George Alex Mensah said all police frontliners have been tested for the deadly virus but the results are yet to be made available to the police. “All our frontliners have been tested including even those at the headquarters but results are being awaited. “Those who were on lockdown duties have been tested and the results are being awaited. As at now we have not received any positive [case] from any of the tests,” he said and noted that those personnel have since resumed their official duties after self-isolation. Mr Alex Mensah however revealed that “almost all the personnel at Adenta Police station where some infected suspects were sent there have been asked to isolate themselves”. He also said although “there is an administrative package but that cannot be said here”. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 6, 2020

https://3news.com/police-officers-who-contract-covid-19-to-get-special-package-igp/

Heads of public senior high and technical schools in the Central Region have lauded the Ghana Education Service and Zoomlion Ghana Limited for the massive fumigation and disinfection of their schools against bed bugs and the deadly coronavirus. The nationwide exercise, which is a partnership between the GES and Zoomlion, made its stop in the Central Region last Saturday to fumigate and disinfect all the selected schools within the next 10 days. As at Tuesday, at least 30 schools had benefited from the fumigation exercise. The heads of the schools expressed joy as the spraying gangs from Zoomlion arrived at their respective schools for the bed bugs fumigation exercise which will also ward of other dangerous insects. They revealed bed bug infestation in their respective schools have become a major headache for students and school authorities for years. In some schools, authorities said bed bugs have swamped their dormitories and even some classrooms making it difficult for students to sleep at night and concentrate on their studies, a situation they described as worrying. Although most of them, particularly the less endowed schools said they occasionally fumigate against bed bugs, it has not been often due to its financial strain on them, a situation they said makes the elimination of bed bugs difficult. For them, the fumigation and disinfestation of their schools at a time that students are off campus due to the covid-19 outbreak was timely as it will afford the fumigants the room to thoroughly cover all areas. The heads expressed gratitude to the government and Zoomlion for the exercise which they said will reduce the financial stress on them as monies they would have used for such fumigation exercise could now be channeled into other useful ventures. “We spend so much on fumigation all the time so this will be a big relief for the school,” Assistant headmistress in charge of domestic at the Mfantseman Girls School, Mrs Eunice Yeboah told journalists when a team from Zoomlion fumigated the school on Monday. All the six dormitories of the school housing some 3,500 students and mattresses as well as trunks for students were fumigated against bed bugs while the classrooms, administration block, assembly hall, dining hall, science laboratory and libraries were disinfected against covid-19. Headmaster for Kwegyir Aggrey Technical School at Anomabo, Mohammed Kweku Assan said they were previously spending between 1,000 and 2,000 cedis to fumigate their overcrowded dormitories for students. He thanked Zoomlion and the GES for taking off the responsibility of bed bugs fumigation from them. “Bed bugs have been a big problem for the school and therefore this gesture by the government and Zoomlion is a welcoming one,” headmaster for Methodist SHS at Saltpond, Rev. Kobina Aidoo said. At the Ekumfi T.T. Ahmadiyya SHS, the headmaster, Mohammed Abdulai Quantson said “the students have been suffering from bed bugs” indicating that “bed bugs infestation is a big challenge for the school”. Assistant headmaster in charge of Administration at the Winneba SHS, Mr Daniel Nunoo “bed bugs have been a major concern at the dormitories and even the libraries” noting the students have been complaining of not being able to sleep at night, a situation that affect their studies as they are unable to concentrate in classroom due to restlessness. With the fumigation exercise, he was very hopeful the issue of bed bugs and cockroaches will be eliminated from the school. Central Region Manager for Zoomlion Ghana Limited,  Ernest Osei, said the feedback from the schools clearly shows the fumigation and disinfection  has so far been very successful. “Bedbugs have been a major challenge for most of the schools,” he observed and said Zoomlion will recommend to government to regularly fumigate against the insect “at least once every six months so that within two or three years we will curtail the disease in the secondary schools”. He identified personal hygiene as the major cause of bed bugs in the schools, noting that “if there is no proper personal hygiene in most dormitories that causes some of these things”. He expressed fears there could be reinfection of the bed bugs if proper measures are not put in place by the schools. “What we are doing at the moment, we should be very mindful that there shouldn't be re-infestation because it is likely the things the students took back to their homes, when they bring those things back, definitely there will be re-infestation,” he stated. He has thus advised against a situation where mattresses taken home are allowed back into the dormitories. “For me, I think with this exercise students who took their mattresses out shouldn't be allowed…new mattresses should be given to them  so that the reinfestation I am talking about wouldn't occur,” he advised. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 6, 2020

https://3news.com/were-grateful-heads-of-shss-in-central-region-tell-ges-zoomlion/

The Royalhouse Chapel International headquarters in Accra has benefited from Zoomlion Ghana Limited's free disinfection exercise. The gesture, which is being conducted by the waste management company, has seen many churches, schools, corporate institutions among others disinfected against the deadly coronavirus at no cost. The church's main auditorium, administration block, children block, teens service auditorium, international service auditorium, the oil dome and the entire compound were sprayed with the WHO-approved chemical. A Communications Officer at Zoomlion Ghana Limited and spokesperson for the Corporate Social Responsibility Disinfection Exercise, James Deku, said Zoomlion has devoted 1 million cedis to disinfect selected organisations where people congregate at no cost to them. That, he explained, is geared at helping to contain the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (Covid-19). He said the company has also made cash donations to the University of Ghana Noguchi Medical Research Institute, National Covid-19 Trust Fund and donated hygienic materials to vulnerable groups as a multifaceted approach towards helping to contain the spread of the virus. Mr Deku added that the company will stop at nothing to commit cash and professional disinfection expertise to support the country in this difficult moment “to ensure we resume our normal lifestyle devoid of any fear of the virus”. He admonished the general public to continue adhering to the laid down protocols of frequently washing hands and wearing nose masks anytime they move out of their homes. Director of Royalhouse Church Administration, Reverend Dzifa Gakpleazi, expressed the church's appreciation to Zoomlion Ghana Limited for the disinfection exercise. She said the effort by Zoomlion coupled with the church's adherence to the protocols by fixing hand washing devices at vantage points will make the church environment safe when normal church activities resume. She said the leadership of the church led by Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah has also donated some relief items to vulnerable groups to sustain them in this difficult moment. Rev Gakpleazi pointed out that the Royal House Chapel was in constant prayer to God to lift this plague off the nations of the world. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 6, 2020

https://3news.com/royalhouse-chapel-benefits-from-zoomlions-free-covid-19-disinfection/

Assembly members and some opinion leaders in Aflao in the Volta Region have joined forces to push local authorities at Ketu South Municipality to remove an illegally created refuse dumping site within the township. Dumping of refuse by the people on the walled private property was said to have started in 1976 and has since built up to become a big dumping site in the Dekeme residential area, like the height of a four-storey building. The Assembly members and opinion leaders in the area say the dumping site now poses serious health hazard to residents hence the need for local authorities to move in to remove the refuse from the site. Assemblyman for Aflagatigome Electoral Area, Amuzu Mohammed, claimed the site has now become grounds for some six local waste management companies in the area, a situation he described as worrying. A visit to the area recently showed children openly defecating on the property. The stench from the site was unpleasant. Some unknown persons had also set fire on the refuse at the site creating a smoky environment exposing the residents of the area to health risks. Mr Agbeko Kumaza, son to the owner of the property said efforts by his late father to prevent people from dumping their refuse on the parcel of land proved futile, stating “my father could not finally stop them before his death, so when we the children in Accra relocated to this place (Aflao) we continue from where our father has left it” The 67-year-old man said the family has met successive governments over the situation but nothing concrete has come of that. A government appointee in the area, Sancho Acussah, said many efforts have been put in place to evacuate the site but appealed to the government to come their aid. ” just look at this, it's almost about three or four-storey buildings up; very, very bad and just imagine the houses that are just closed to the dumping site. It poses a health hazard…..you can even imagine the stench, the flies and everything, very hazardous,” he said. Commenting on the issue, Municipal Chief Executive for the area, Elliott Agbenorwu, said the Assembly has initiated processes to swiftly address the issue at hand. He said the Assembly recently met with Zoomlion Ghana Limited to evacuate the waste to pave way for the use of the land for agricultural purposes. “….the Assembly has tried to do a few things; to do the evacuation but we have some challenge, one the place is not accessible” he stated. Meanwhile, Mr Kumaza said his family is willing to offer the land for any development especially market or lorry terminal, By 3news.com|Ghana

May 5, 2020

https://3news.com/assembly-members-in-aflao-demand-closure-of-illegal-refuse-dumping-site/

A massive fumigation exercise against bed bugs and other dangerous insects has commenced in public senior high and technical schools as well as special needs schools in the Central Region. Dormitories of 103 schools in the region are being sprayed with a WHO-approved pesticide to eradicate bed bugs and other insects which have become nuisance to students and school authorities. Also, all the selected schools are being disinfected against the deadly coronavirus outbreak which has infected more than 2,719 people in the country and killed 18 of them with 294 recoveries as at May 5. Areas disinfected against covid-19 included classrooms, administration blocks, libraries, laboratories, offices, assembly halls and dining halls.  The 10-day exercise has so far seen more than 35 schools fumigated and disinfected. They include Adisadel College, Ghana National College, Aggrey Memorial SHS, Wesley Girls' High School, Mfantseman Girls' SHS, Holy Child SHS, Kwegyir Aggrey Senior Technical School, Methodist SHS, Edinaman SHS, Mankesim Senior Technical School, St. Augustine's College,  Mfantsipim College, and Fettehman SHS. Bed bug infestations in second cycle schools across the country, particularly boarding schools, have become a major concern to school authorities and students over the years as some have had to spend scarce funds to occasionally fumigate against the tiny insects. The Ghana Education Service in partnership with the waste management giant, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, took advantage of the closure of schools across the country to fumigate and disinfect all SHSs to create a safe and enabling environment for students and teachers when school resumes. At almost all the schools so far fumigated and disinfected in the Central Region, authorities revealed how students have been complaining about the insect which causes skin irritation and itchiness in people. For the school authorities, the decision to fumigate and disinfect SHS in the country was a welcoming one as it would save them some money. “We've been spending so much on fumigation so this [fumigation exercise] will be a big relief for the school,” Assistant headmistress in charge of Domestic at Mfantseman Girls', Mrs Eunice Mary Yeboah told journalists. She said the school regularly spends money to fumigate its six dormitories against bed bugs but did not say how much. Central Regional Manager of Zoomlion, Ernest Osei described the exercise so far as “very successful” and recommended that such fumigation exercise is carried out at least every six months in order to rid the schools of the insects. “…we would recommend to government that such exercise like this should be carried out at least every six months so that within two or three years we will curtail the disease in the secondary schools,” he stated. Mr Osei indicated that the lack of personal hygiene was a major factor to bed bugs infestation in schools, stating that “if there is no proper personal hygiene in the most dormitories, which causes some of these things”. He advised school authorities to be cautious in allowing students to bring back their items and belongings which they took home as it has the tendency to cause re-infestation. “What we are doing at the moment, we should be very mindful that there shouldn't be re-infestation because it is likely the things the students took back to their homes when they bring those things back definitely there will be re-infestation,” he stated. In his view, regular fumigation and practicing personal hygienic will help to control bed bugs in the schools once and for all. “For me, I think with this exercise, students who took their mattresses out shouldn't be allowed [to bring them back to the dormitory]; new mattresses should be given to them  so that the re-infestation I am talking about wouldn't occur,” the Regional Manager advised. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 5, 2020

https://3news.com/bed-bugs-fumigation-begins-in-103-shss-in-central-region/

Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea, has disclosed that about 10 billion dollars will be required to construct subterranean drainage system to help deal with the country's perennial flooding. Although he said a subterranean drain is capital-intensive, he indicated “we do not have a choice”, adding “we would have to tackle this by going to the capital/bond market to raise about US$10 billion to undertake such a project.” “I am of the humble view that in the long-run constructing subterranean drains would pay off instead of the country having to pay more money for the yearly desilting of drains and gutters,” he said. Mr Atta Akyea made the observation while on a tour to kick-start an exercise of actively involving communities to desilt their gutters in flood-prone areas in Accra. The ‘de-silt choked gutters exercise' is a collaboration between the Ministries of Works and Housing, Local Government and Rural Development, Sanitation and Water Resources, Dredge Masters, Zoomlion Ghana Limited and the various MMDAs. It is aimed at ensuring averting flood during the rainy season which destroys lives, properties and livelihoods. The minister was accompanied by the Mayor of Accra, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, and Executive Chairman of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, and some assembly members. The tour took Mr Atta Akyea to communities including Chorkor Chemuna, Borla Junction area, Sukura, and Zamrama Line—all in the Ablekuma South Constituency of the Greater Accra Region. He stressed that constructing subterranean drains across the country will offer what he described as a ‘permanent fix' to the country's perennial flooding and its attendant effects. The Minister also explained that a subterranean drainage system would put all the gutters and drains underground, instead of open drains which have been with us since independence. Subterranean drainage system will prevent the prying eyes of recalcitrant citizens from tipping garbage from their homes into gutters, something that usually choke gutters and eventually cause flooding during the raining season. At Chorkor Chemuna, Mr Atta Akyea, Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuijie, Dr Siaw Agyepong joined hands with the residents to desilt the heavily choked gutters in the community. Zoomlion Ghana Limited brought in personnel and waste management vehicles in support of the exercise, while Dredge Masters' workers were also seen busily desilting drains in the said communities. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 3, 2020

https://3news.com/ghana-needs-10bn-to-construct-subterranean-drains-to-fix-perennial-flooding/

The Covid-19 Disinfection Team from the waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited has fumigated schools and churches in Accra and Nsawam in the Eastern Region as part of measures to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the country. Various teams on May Day moved to the Regional Maritime University in Accra, Action Chapel headquarters in Accra and the Christ Cathedral which is the Tema branch of the church as well as the Nsawam SHS and the Nsawam NHIS office to disinfect the place against the virus. The exercise at the Action Chapel headquarters which was in collaboration with Citi TV saw the team fumigate the main auditorium, offices, conference halls and the entire compound with the WHO approved disinfection chemical for the covid-19. Lecture halls, office of the vice chancellor, the registrar's and other offices as well as the entire campus of the Regional Maritime University were also fumigated. Similar thing was done at the old and new site of the Nsawam SHS where facilities including the dining hall, classroom blocks, staff common room, science laboratory and library among others were fumigated. Offices within the NHIS Office were also fumigated by the team. Addressing journalists after the exercise, Bishop Ebenezer Obodai of the Action Chapel International said it was important that “everybody takes precautions and put in the right practices to ensure the safety not only of our members but families as well.” He noted that the disinfection exercise will help make the church premises comfortable and safe for members. Rev Obodai said even before the partial lockdown in parts of Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi, the church was seriously educating members on the need to observe safety protocols such as frequent hand washing under running water, use of hand sanitisers, social distancing and wearing of face masks “…if you go round the church we have a whole lot of charts, Veronica buckets, hand sanitisers and even thermometers at every entrance of the church to check temperatures of members. And all these we put in place even before the lockdown to help fight the pandemic. So we are very conversant with what is going on and we will leave no stone unturned in terms of getting the place ready when the ban is lifted.” he assured. Project Coordinator for Corporate Social Responsibility at Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Lola Asiseh Ashitey, the disinfection of public tertiary institutions across the country have now been concluded with the Regional Maritime University being the last one. She has meanwhile urged corporate Ghana and other private institutions to take advantage of the 50% discount being offered by Zoomlion to disinfect their premises and offices. Since the outbreak of the virus in the country, Zoomlion has been at the forefront of the fight by helping with disinfection of state institutions and agencies, public tertiary institutions, churches among many others. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 3, 2020

https://3news.com/zoomlion-fumigates-regional-maritime-univ-action-chapel-int-against-covid-19/

Government has initiated processes to construct a permanent concrete bridge over the Chemu Lagoon to connect Ablekuma West and Ablekuma South constituencies in Accra after the only bridge on the lagoon was swept away last week. Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra Metro, Mohammed Adjei Sowa who revealed this said the contractor for the project is expected to be on site from next week for work to begin in earnest. The contractor has already cordoned off the area for the construction of the new permanent bridge which Mr Adjei Sowa said, will not be a footbridge but a drive through bridge to connect to the Dansoman area from Chorkor. He made the revelation Saturday when he joined the people of Chorkor for a Zoomlion Ghana Limited-organised clean up exercise to desilt gutters and drains within the community to avert flooding as the rains set in. The exercise, which was joined by the Minister for Works and Housing Samuel Atta Akyea and MP for Ablekuma South Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, also saw the team inspect ongoing dredging of the heavily choked Chemu Lagoon by Dredge Masters, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies. A suspending bridge constructed by the MP for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful in January this year to connect ensure free movement of people from Chorkor to Shiabu was swept away by chocked waste materials last Sunday following a downpour in Accra. The collapse of the bridge has cut off easy movement of people from the two communities who frequent the two areas. “There's high traffic on this corridor and it [the bridge] ought to be done. We are hoping that by next week, the contractor will be on site. It will be done ASAP so that movement will be free,” Mr Adjei Sowa assured the residents of the area. He indicated that the new bridge will not just “be a footbridge; it will be a drive through”. The Metro chief executive said crossing the Lagoon has become a scary adventure for the people in the area, particularly school children “In fact if you see the number of school kids that cross the bridge you will marvel…Sometimes it is very scaring”. He described the new bridge to be done under the Coastal Development Authority as a “very important project”. Need for attitudinal change Commenting on the clean-up exercise, Mr Adjei Sowa underscored the need for attitudinal change and enforcement of sanitation by laws in the country to prevent the annual flooding during the rainy season. “Once people appreciate the need to ensure and live in a cleaner environment, communities will begin to keep their surroundings clean at all times,” he stated. He observed that the drains from the Chorkor township which flows into the Chemu Lagoon have become a major problem because these drains which have now been de-silted, choke all the time. “Once it is cleared, you'll always avoid flooding around this time.  We are opening the waterways to enable us have a clean environment [and] have a flood free environment” he stated. “We will continue to de-silt and we are hoping that the people also will continue to abide by the rules and will not choke the drains with filth”. Let's de-silt our gutters Works and Housing Minister, Samuel Atta Akyea said the Ghana Meteorological Agency is forecasting the rains this year “will be slightly above normal” which means that there will be heavy inundation of rains. He said when the many open drains and gutters are left choked; there will be rain run-off which could cause flooding. “The floods have the tendency to even destroy lives, livelihood and properties,” he stated, adding that in anticipation of the rains, “we should try and desilt our gutters so that when there is a heavy rainfall pattern you will find the sewerage running through the channels”. “We are waking up the consciousness of Ghanaians that we should desilt our gutters so that whenever we have a downpour we are not going to experience the crisis we've gone through before,” Mr Atta Akyea said. MP for Ablekuma South, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, stressed the need to work together to maintain the highest level of cleanliness in this era of the coronavirus pandemic. He observed the infrastructure in the Chorkor community, particularly the roads and drains, need upgrade but said until such a time, the people have to ensure they clean their gutters and avoid indiscriminate dumping of waste. “Right now you can see that the gutter is not flowing as it should,” he observed as he joined the people in the area to remove all the waste that had filled the gutters. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 2, 2020

https://3news.com/construction-of-drive-through-bridge-over-chemu-lagoon-to-start-next-week/

Headmistress of Nsawam Senior High School (SHS) in the Eastern Region, Ms. Gladys Asiedu, has appealed to the government to fast-track the completion of a new building facility for the school at new location on the Nsawam-Aburi road. She said the need to complete the building has become necessary due to the increasing number of students posted to the school each year.   The situation, she said continue to put pressure on the limited facilities, something she said was not in the best interest of the students. Ms. Asiedu made the appeal when waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited in partnership with the Ministry of Education fumigated the school against bedbugs which have become nuisance in senior high schools across the country. The headmistress noted that the delay in the completing work at the school's new site was having adverse effects on both the students and academic work. Also, she appealed to the government to give the school a new bus, indicating that the old one has become rickety very risky get on the road. “A new school bus will assist in bringing students early to school, especially since many of them live far away from the school,” Ms Asiedu noted. She has meanwhile commended the government and Zoomlion for the initiative to fumigate SHSs against bedbugs. The exercise, she said, would save the school some 3,000 cedis; an amount she said is spent every academic year to fight bedbugs. The school had all its facilities at both the old and new sites fumigated.  These included dining hall, classroom blocks, staff common room, science laboratory, library among others. Earlier, Zoomlion disinfected the Nsawam National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) office, as part of measures to contain the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus—COVID-19. By 3news.com|Ghana

May 2, 2020

https://3news.com/nsawam-shs-appeals-to-govt-to-complete-new-sch-building/

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu is asking parliament to summon officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) to brief MPs on the Commission's preparedness towards the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. Contributing to the business statement of the House Thursday, the MP for Tamale Central said the EC must let the people of Ghana know of its preparedness for the elections despite the outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus in the country. “The independent Electoral Commission owes this country and members of parliament a duty; they will have to be summoned to come to give us their roadmap as to their preparedness in view of Covid-19,” he requested. With just eight months to the general elections, the EC is yet to begin the compilation of a new voters' register due to the coronavirus outbreak which has caused government to ban large social gatherings across the country. Registration for the controversial voters' register was scheduled to start from April 18 but was later suspended indefinitely. People have urged the EC to use the old voters' register contending that if it was fit for the District Level elections, then it should be fit for the general election, something the EC said is part of the options currently on its table for consideration. “They [EC] need to apprise this House of their level of preparedness for the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections,” Mr Iddrisu stated.. Mr Iddrisu said in the event the EC officials are unable to brief the Committee of the whole, at least they should appear before the budget committee. For him, Ghana's democracy which has evolved over the years, will survive the covid-19 pandemic which has so far infected 2,074 people in the country with 212 recoveries and 17 deaths. Responding, Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said the EC will at appropriate time brief the house on its preparedness for the December 2020 general elections. “I believe in the fullness of time, the EC will come to brief the House or at least the Budget Committee on where they are in respect of their own state of preparedness [for the elections]”. He assured that everything will be done by the EC to ensure that the elections come off as scheduled as President Nana Akufo-Addo has clearly indicated he will not clinch on to power beyond his mandate. “Suffice it to say however that the president of the republic at various forum, given strong indication that he does not intend to stay one day beyond the constitutional mandate given to him; that is up to the midnight of January 6,” the Suame MP stated. He expressed the hope that the coronavirus situation in the country “will not deteriorate or degenerate”. “We shall witness some improvement in the system,” he assured. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 30, 2020

https://3news.com/summon-ec-to-brief-mps-on-preparedness-for-election-2020-amid-covid-19-haruna-iddrisu/

The UN's biodiversity chief has called for a global ban on wildlife markets to prevent the outbreak of future pandemics. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema told the BBC that the practice of buying and selling wild animals in markets can pose a threat to human health as well as to endangered species. “We know over the last 60 years the majority of the new zoonotic diseases have emerged as the result of human activities … pushing wild animals into closer contact with humans and increasing the risk of transmission,” Mrema said. “Therefore we need to ensure that wet markets are well regulated, clean and not linked to the illegal trade of wild animals.” She acknowledged that many rural communities around the world depend on wildlife trade for “for economic and food security reasons”. China has placed a temporary ban on the consumption of wild animals, following reports that the current global coronavirus pandemic originated in a market in Wuhan where live animals were bought and sold – though there is still no definitive proof the market was the source of the outbreak. BBC

April 13, 2020

https://3news.com/senior-un-official-calls-for-wildlife-market-ban/

Informal settlements are at high risk of becoming hotspots of the novel COVID-19 virus.   Recent estimates show that one billion people live in informal settlements across the globe. It is projected that people living in informal settlements will increase to two billion by 2030 and to three billion by 2050, especially if current trends persist. In Africa, about 61.7 percent of the population resides in informal settlements, while it is estimated that 72 percent of urban dwellers in sub-Saharan Africa live in informal settlements. In Ghana, approximately 4.8 million people in urban areas live in informal settlements, that is 45 per cent of the country's total urban population. In Accra, with an estimated population of 4.5 million people, approximately one-third of the city's residents live in informal settlements. In their 2016 research “Know Your City”, Peoples Dialogue, counted 265 informal settlements in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (all the ten sub-metros of which seven are now municipal assemblies) alone. You can extrapolate this to the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area in addition to Kasoa and Greater Kumasi Area which are under partial lockdown and your guess is right. For instance, Fadama, Ghana's biggest informal settlement has between 55,000 and 79,000 dwellers. Other informal settlements and crowded places include Agbogbloshie, Avenor, Chorkor, James Town, Teshie, Nungua, Nima, Madina Zongo, Alogboshie, etc (in Accra) and Alaba, Aboabo, Moshie Zongo, Akwatia Line, etc in Kumasi. Most people who live in these areas in Ghana have no or limited access to basic facilities and services such as water, electricity, sanitation, housing, health, and security. These conditions contribute to poor health outcomes and the likely outbreak of diseases among the dwellers. Again, due to the poor sanitation conditions in these settlements, a notable disease in these spaces is cholera. With these challenges facing informal settlements in Ghana, the COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious threat especially to people living in these informal settlements across the country. The current mitigation strategies put in place to “flatten the curve”- prevent and delay the spread of COVID-19 including physical distancing have continued to prove difficult to enforce in informal settlements because of their crowded nature. Moreover, structural barriers such as inadequate water and sanitation impede their ability to adhere to the prescribed hygiene measures to curb the spread of the disease. In informal settlements, there is a higher likelihood of infection because of the difficulties to practice both physical and social distancing. Numerous structural and socio-cultural factors including, inter alia, queuing to use shared toilets or draw water from wells or boreholes, crowded public transport system, narrow lanes, limited public education on dos and don'ts would heighten the risk of exposure. Currently, the government of Ghana has recognised the potential of COVID-19 to spread like wildfire should it find its way into informal settlements. Hence, several strategies and interventions have been rolled out to support informal settlement dwellers and the poor. This includes the distribution of meals and dry food, free water and a 50% reduction in electricity bills. Whereas these measures are welcomed and will go a long way to support informal settlements, there are few challenges in the delivery of these supports. First, people are often crowded in trying to access these freebies — meals and dry foods. Second, most informal are not connected to pubic pipes or water supply systems. The non-existence of this essential service that is being subsidised means that the existing inequality gap is widened worsening the vulnerability of those most vulnerable to the pandemic. All over the world, informal settlements are overly crowded. It is rather irrational to assume that physical distancing and social distancing could be practiced in such an environment. Indeed, if the current epidemiological evidence is that COVID-19 is spread through human to human contact then there is no gainsaying that informal settlement is a recipe for disaster and the implications are deeply worrying. In fact, informal settlements are critical in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and its containment. Therefore, I urge health and city officials to jealously guard the many informal settlements in the partial lockdown areas or else we risk losing the battle against COVID-19. In addition to the interventions by government, I propose some ideas for consideration: Tailor-made narrative and messaging Whilst governments and health authorities are striving to limit widespread infections, awareness creation for informal settlements should be tailor-made. Education messages must be appropriate to their audience. In other words, the messaging should respond to their concerns, take account of available resources, use media that informal settlement dwellers use, and counter false information. The government should quickly assembly informal settlement experts to painstakingly design context fit messaging and social protection schemes to help prevent any potential spread in informal settlement. There are numerous actors such as Peoples Dialogue, Ghana Federation of the Urban Poor that the government could quickly call upon to assist in delivering this task. This approach will transmit trust and quick community buy-in. Use community leaders and NGOs Community leaders are best placed to advice on the appropriate measures that might be accepted by informal settlement dwellers. This is particularly important in informal settlements where the state has limited legitimacy and capacity. Such figures may include local chiefs, religious leaders, traditional healers or youth group leaders. Most informal settlements have some form of community-based organisation or residents' association, and the acceptability of COVID-19 control measures will be greatly enhanced if they have the support of these groups. Community leaders can play a role in disseminating education messages, identifying and isolating suspected cases, enforcing rules such as social distancing in queues and limited movement between units, and distributing protective equipment such as masks, soaps, and hand sanitizers. They can also develop measures of their own, which may be more appropriate to the local context than broad-based policies developed by central governments. Develop a roster system and limit entry & exit points Temporary measures should be developed to limit the movement of informal settlement dwellers. Roster systems must be developed to reduce the number of members who go out to the market or to fetch water, dispose sewage, conduct mobile transactions, or use public transport. The number of entry and exit points to these informal settlements should be controlled and hand sanitizers, containers filled with water and soap could be placed at these entry/exit points with signs urging those who enter/exit to wash and sanitize their hands. House informal settlement dwellers All schools in the country have been closed. As a short-term measure, these schools can be used to house kayaye's (head porters) who sleep on the street and some informal settlement dwellers who are willing to move out of their crowded settlements. I suspect there will be a lot of resentment to this action, but we must know that COVID-19 is a public health emergency and therefore unpopular decisions and sacrifices must be made if we are to win this war. Housing them in these schools comes with several advantages. First, they will be under total control and movement can be controlled. Second, they can adhere to the physical distancing rule and practice the prescribed hygiene practices proposed by public health experts. Third, it will help avoid the overcrowding and stampeding that is currently associated with sharing meals which have the potential to spread the virus should one of them contract it. Fourth, it will help in contact tracing should any of them be found to contract the virus. Contextualisation No two informal settlements are the same despite their similarities – differences exist between informal settlements in developing and developed countries, urban and rural and country to country. Policies including resource provision, educational messaging, and training and support for community leaders will only be effective if they are adapted to the characteristics of each settlement. Conclusion I think the most powerful asset that can be honed and harnessed in slums/informal settlements is resilience and self-organisation.  Hence, an effective COVID-19 campaign model should be community-led that help identify their needs and tailor innovative low-cost solutions. The need to empower leaders of various factions and organizations ranging from traditional leaders, religious bodies/platforms along with youth and women organizers to effectively mobilize community members and train volunteers, with strong support from the local government is very urgent. By Dr. James Kwame Mensah|3news.com|Ghana About the author: A lecturer in the Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management at the University of Ghana Business School. He is also a fellow at the Penn Institute for Urban Research, University of Penslyvania.

April 12, 2020

https://3news.com/informal-settlements-and-pre-emptive-actions-to-win-the-war-against-covid-19/

A woman and her two children, including a breastfeeding baby, have been burnt to death in a fire outbreak at New Takoradi in the Western Region. The woman, about 30 years and her children; about one-and-a-half-year-old boy and eight-month old baby girl, were taking their bath in a compound house Friday morning when the fire started. Premix fuel, which was stored close to the bathroom in the house and was being transferred into another barrel in close proximity to a naked fire, triggered the inferno at about 9:00 a.m., eyewitnesses told 3news.com. The woman and her children were said to have been caught up in the inferno. Their bodies were discovered only after the fire had been extinguished by neighbours. Two others, the man who was pouring the fuel and the woman who was cooking on a coal pot close by suffered burns and have been rushed to hospital for treatment. Bodies of the three have since been deposited at the Efia Nkwanta Hospital mortuary. Assemblyman for New Takoradi Lower Down, Gilbert Siaw Afriyie, who helped to douse the fire, said they did not know the woman and her kids were in the bathroom at the time, indicating there was no shout or cry for help. He suspected the three were weakened by the heat from the inferno. According to him, immediately the fire started, they informed the Ghana National Fires Service and also called the Electricity Company of Ghana to cut power to the area while they fought the fire with sea water, sand and wet blankets. Divisional fire officer at the Sekondi Fire Metro Station, Michael Tetteh, told our correspondent Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson at the scene that they received a call about fire outbreak at the New Takoradi Lower Down at about 9:16 a.m. He said they mobilized and rushed to the area within seven minutes but when they got there, the fire had already been doused by the people around. The fire officer said they were informed of how the fire started and the fact that three persons had lost their lives. “Information so far suggests that they had bought premix fuel which was being stored in the house. They were pouring some of the fuel and nearby was a woman cooking. This triggered fire outbreak,” he stated. He has thus advised the people in the area, who are predominantly engaged in fishing, against storing fuel in their houses, indicating it is not safe. “Though it [premix fuel] is liquid, it vaporize and if not well handled, it could cause fire,” the fire officer stated. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 10, 2020

https://3news.com/woman-2-kids-including-breastfeeding-baby-killed-in-good-friday-fire-outbreak/

Authorities at the University of Cape Coast have announced a resumption of academic work for the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year. The university, which has been closed for the past three weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country, said in a statement Thursday that lectures will begin for all students from April 22 to June 2. It however said the lectures will be conducted through the university's online platform, the Moodle Platform, and has consequently given all heads of departments up to Tuesday to provide the details of part-time lecturers to the pro-vice chancellor to be enrolled on the platform. “Heads of department should provide names, email address, telephone numbers and assigned courses (with codes and titles) of part time lecturers to the pro vice chancellor for enrolment of the lecturers on the Moodle platform by Tuesday 14 April,” the statement directed. Although the university has fixed June 15 for end-of-semester examination to begin, it said the date is tentative as it will depend on the coronavirus situation in the country. It said should the situation in the country remain the same beyond May, “new dates for revision and end of semester examinations would be communicated to members of the university community”. The university said the new timetable released for the semester will be used to guide students' self-directed reading and real-time interactions based on weekly activity plans to be prepared by their lecturers. “Reopening arrangement for sandwich session would be communicated to members of the university community later,” the statement said. Also, it said the third and fourth sessions of the end-of-first examination for distance education students should remain suspended and resume only when the coronavirus situation normalised. The university said it will count on the cooperation of all for the successful completion of the 2019/2020 academic year By 3news.com|Ghana

April 10, 2020

https://3news.com/ucc-resumes-lectures-on-april-22-exams-fixed-for-june-15/

Unemployed allied health professionals engaged in ongoing tracing of people who have had contacts with persons with the deadly coronavirus in the country have threatened to withdraw from the exercise if government does not employ them. They claimed in a statement that government has given financial clearance to the Health Ministry to employ some nurses and midwives on the back of the coronavirus outbreak but without them being considered. That, they indicated, “is the first time nurses and midwives are being processed for posting without allied health professionals”. Numbering 1,335, the allied health professionals who were trained with public funds in 2017/2018 are made up of health information graduates, disease control, field technicians, prosthetics and orthotics, physiotherapists and medical laboratory technicians. A total of 560 have been engaged for the contact training exercise ongoing across the country. “Our attention has been drawn to a letter with reference number MOH/HR/IT/005 from the Ministry of Health indicating that, nurses and midwives has been given financial clearance by the Ministry of Finance leaving behind Allied health professionals who heeded to the calls of the President and Ghana Health service to aid in the contact tracing of COVID-19 patients,” they said in the statement. They expressed shock at the decision by government. They have thus given government one week ultimatum to address their concerns or risk their services which will cause a big blow to the contact training exercise being done with the view to stopping the spread of covid-19. “A unanimous decision has been made, and members of the said group have given the ministry of health a week ultimatum starting from 08/04/2020 to 15/04/2020 to address our concerns or we will withdraw our members (560 members) from the contact tracing teams,” they said. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 10, 2020

https://3news.com/well-stop-contact-tracing-if-not-employed-allied-health-professionals-demand/

Ghanaians are currently on a partial lockdown as a result of Covid-19. Given that some people have honoured the social distance protocols in breach, there is the fear that there may be further spread of the disease, in a manner that may accentuate calls for and actual total lockdown. But, should there be a total lockdown, when will we be certified as free from Covid-19, to warrant our opening? There are fears, (whether well-founded or illegitimate) that Covid-19 may linger and  lead to the postponement of election 2020. In some countries, there are concerns of actual or perceived politically motivated abuse to be demonstrated, in postponing elections that are yet to be held. But in Ghana, it does not appear the ruling party is interested in abusing the processes and postponing the 2020 elections, just to prolong its stay in power. Impliedly, Ghana MAY go ahead with the 2020 elections, even if Covid-19 has not been fully contained.  Should this be the case, there are some key issues identified by the International IDEA, in its recent Technical Paper on Elections and Covid-19 (2020), that may be considered: The Issues We must also be aware of the fact that voter turnout may likely be affected, because of fear of infection, in a manner that may compromise the legitimacy of the elections and acceptability of its outcomes. Indeed, in the wake of social distance protocols, law abiding citizens may be unlikely to leave their homes to go queue and vote, because of their quest to be careful in not contracting the virus. They may actually call their family members to also stay away from the polls. Again, the aged, who are highly susceptible to the Covid-19 virus, may completely stay away from the polling process. This may create uneven participation and skew the polling process against the aged segment of the population. Moreover, Ghanaians abroad, who are now expected to vote in all elections, under the aegis of the ROPAL, may be unable to do so, due to the potential restrictions that may be imposed by their respective host countries. The dent of these challenges on the legitimacy of the 2020 election, should it be held, is indubitable. Conclusion The brief analysis above shows that we are confronted with risks on both sides of one coin. Through elections, the citizenry gets the opportunity to either renew or abrogate their social contract with their elected leaders. The people must have the right to decide whether they want to maintain the current government or kick them out through the 2020 elections. A postponement of the election may amount to the risk of suspending the political rights of the citizenry. This in political theory is almost coterminous with a denial of man's right to life. Going on with the elections, also risks several challenges that may undermine public health and lead to “voting without choosing” as well as the conduct of an election, whose legitimacy may be in severe doubt. What we must do as a nation, is to begin to prepare and dialogue around the above issues, even as we fight to contain the Covid-19.  We must eschew the needless pettiness of proving and disproving who built which hospital, (when and how), and work together beyond partisanship, to deepen education on compliance with our social distance protocols, among those who still believe the disease is only for the affluent in society. My very personal inclinations and belief, not backed by any scientific evidence, suggests to me that, if we are able to discipline ourselves and ensure total compliance with the social distance protocols, Covid-19 would not be an issue for Ghana by December 2020. Hence, we may be able to hold our elections without much issue with public health and safety. If so, then, given the timing of our current situation, I dare say that, there is no longer the need for a debate, as to whether we need a new voters register or not. The Electoral Commission must work with its key stakeholders to decide on the modalities to carry out its intention, in the wake of the spreading of Covid-19.  However, it is plausible to also reason that, Covid-19 constitutes an enough force majeure that makes a compelling case for abandoning the intention to compile a new voters' register. If the latter is the case, then the Electoral Commission must quickly think through a contingency plan, to re-psyche and whip up public confidence in the old register that has been bastardized through the utterances of the Commission itself, and other stakeholders. Happy Special Easter to all of us. May God bless our homeland Ghana and help us learn all the lessons of Covid-19, including humility, respect for common humanity, Social Distance and Personal Hygiene, throughout the period of our Special Easter, for a quick restoration of normal socio-economic and political life. By Yaw Gyampo|University of Ghana| 3news.com|Ghana

April 10, 2020

https://3news.com/covid-19-and-ghanas-election-2020-some-dilemmas-and-suggestions/

Twenty more people working on the Akosombo-Tema railway project have tested positive for the deadly coronavirus, bringing to 21 the total number of cases recorded in the Eastern Region within two weeks. The 20 persons contracted the virus from an Indian expatriate working with the construction firm, Afcon Construction Company, in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the region. A total of 257 people have been identified through contact tracing of which 244 are those who had contact with the Indian who tested positive for the virus on March 31. The Indian expatriate was said to be part of a group of construction workers who arrived in the country before the country's airports and ports were closed. “There is still no report infection outside the camp,” the Eastern Regional Health Directorate said in its situational report Thursday. According to the directorate, more results of samples submitted to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Accra are expected, which will likely shoot up the numbers for the region. Eastern Region has now become the third region with the highest number of confirmed cases after Greater Accra and the Ashanti Regions. As at April 9, Ghana had recorded a total of 378 cases of the coronavirus almost a month after the first two cases were confirmed in the country. Number of deaths stand at six while three persons have so far recovered. According to the Eastern Regional Health Directorate, “all other contacts identified in the region are in stable condition and being monitored”. It said all the persons with confirmed cases are in isolation treatment centres in the region. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 10, 2020

https://3news.com/20-more-people-working-on-akosombo-tema-rail-line-test-positive-for-covid-19/

A man who was trying to assist an 11-year-old boy to peel sugarcane at Koforidua Oyoko in the Eastern Region has had his penis bitten by the boy's father. Eric Kwadwo told the Police in the area that he was returning from town on April 6 at about 8:00 p.m. when he met the boy alone peeling sugarcane by the roadside. He claimed the boy sought his assistance and while helping out, father of the boy whose name has been given by the Police as Attah Kwaku arrived at the scene. Attah was said to have questioned Kwadwo as to why he was standing with his son at that time, the Eastern Regional police said in its report Wednesday. According to the Police, Kwadwo began to walk away from the boy but Attah  ran after him and pushed him down, causing Kwadwo to “fall face down”. Kwadwo sustained injuries to the nostrils, face and on the right hand. Police say the father of the boy who was not satisfied, pounded on Kwadwo and bit his penis, leaving him with “a deep cut”. Investigations into the case has commenced by the police which is on a manhunt for Attah.  He now faces charges of causing harm. Photos of the njuries to the face and penis have been taken by the police as evidence. By Yvonne Neequaye|3news.com|Ghana

April 9, 2020

https://3news.com/e-r-man-bites-another-mans-penis/

Owners of basic and second cycle private schools across Ghana are requesting for a suspension of their quota of SSNIT contributions for their employees' social security following the closure of schools on the back of coronavirus outbreak in the country. The schools, which form the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), say the closure of schools has had dire consequences on their finances to the extent that payment of salaries of the thousands of employees have become a problem. President Nana Akufo-Addo on March 16 ordered the closures of all schools in the country as the number of coronavirus cases began to rise. The move was part of raft measures taken by the government to stop the spread of the virus which has so far infected 313 people in Ghana. According to the school owners, they have not been able to retrieve all outstanding school fees for the term from parents and guardians due to the closure. “At the time the school lockdown was announced, many private schools had not fully retrieved their school fees from parents/guardians,” a statement issued by the acting GNAPS President, Dr Damasus Tuurosong said. They said the sudden school lockdown caught many managers of private schools unawares “with dire consequences on their finances”. In their current circumstance, GNAPS said their members are not only “unable to pay their employees' salaries, many cannot make statutory payments in respect of SSNIT”. “It is in respect of the difficulties that pre tertiary private school managers are encountering in making statutory payments that we appeal to your good offices to come to our aid and save our businesses from eminent collapse,” they said. They are accordingly appealing for a suspension of the payment of the employer's contribution to the SSNIT for private school employees for April salaries “until schools resume for academic work”. GNAPS assured that their members will “promptly honour their SSNIT payments” immediately schools resume. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 9, 2020

https://3news.com/private-schools-ask-for-suspension-of-payment-of-their-quota-of-employees-ssnit/

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says it has paid over 207 million to clear a substantial amount of its arrears to accredited health service providers across the country. Public health facilities are to receive 106, 484, 179.54 cedis representing 51.3% of the payments while the private service providers will receive 57,845,459.99 representing 27.9%. Facilities under the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) are to get 40, 227, 826.58 representing 19.4% and Quasi-Government service providers 2, 981,810.51 cedis representing 1.4% of the total payments made so far. A statement issued by NHIA Thursday said “the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has made substantial payments to service providers to reduce the outstanding claims due them”. Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced in parliament last Monday that 300 million has made available to the Authority as part of measures to provide liquidity to healthcare providers and the pharmaceutical industry to help the fight against coronavirus. “Subsequently, as at 7th April, 2020 barely a week after the announcement, the NHIA has released GHS 207, 539, 276.62 so far to its credentialed service providers”, the statement said. The Authority added that “the on-going payments will move lower tier providers (CHPS, health centers and maternity homes) claims paid close to November 2019”. “For this year 2020 alone, the NHIA has so far paid out a total of GHS363, 930, 660.51 to service providers and aims to further reduce any outstanding claims to ensure that NHIS members continue to receive quality healthcare across the country”, it assured. Meanwhile, the NHIA said as part of efforts to reduce congestion and the risk of staff contracting the deadly coronavirus, all NHIS District Offices outside the partial lockdown areas are operating at a reduced capacity. “The four Claims Processing Centre's (CPC's) throughout the country will only receive manual claims invoices by appointment whereas electronic claims submissions can be made online at any time”, it added. It has also advised NHIS members to renew their membership promptly. By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|3news.com|Ghana

April 9, 2020

https://3news.com/over-%c2%a2207m-released-to-pay-nhia-debt-to-health-service-providers/

A military officer on lockdown duties at a checkpoint at Tema Newtown has shot a police woman. The incident happened Thursday at about 8:30 am. The policewoman, Lance Corporal Francisca Tenge, who was also on ‘Operation Covid-Safety' duties at the same checkpoint with the military man, was shot in the leg and knee, 3news.com can report. Circumstances under which the military man shot the police officer is not immediately known as the police is yet to establish the motive for the action, our correspondent Josephine Antwi-Adjei reported. The soldier has since been removed from his duty post and placed under military detention. Snippets of information picked up from the police so far appears to suggest the policewoman may not have been shot on purpose. The policewoman is quoted to have said the soldier was standing behind her at the checkpoint and suddenly, she heard gunshot and the bullet hit her leg and the knee. She was rushed to the Tema General Hospital where she is receiving treatment. Inspector General of Police James Boanuh is said to be leading a team to visit the policewoman who is with the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Police at the Tema Regional Police Command. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 9, 2020

https://3news.com/military-man-shoots-policewoman-at-tema-newtown-covid-19-checkpoint/

The Ghana Water Company Limited says all customers who owe in water bills and had their taps disconnected before Sunday April 5 will not enjoy the free three month water package announced by the government for all Ghanaians. President Nana Akufo-Addo in his 5th covid-19 address to the nation announced government was going to absorb water bills for all domestic users for the month of April, May and June as part of stimulus package to cushion Ghanaians in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. “All water tankers, publicly and privately-owned, are also going to be mobilised to ensure the supply of water to all vulnerable communities,” the President added said. Although the government has categorical stated that all persons who have arrears will still enjoy the package for the period, the GWCL says those whose pipes were disconnected prior to the announcement of the package, will not be reconnected to enjoy the free water. “All customers disconnected prior to the President's announcement, are still liable and must pay their arrears to enable them enjoy the free water,” the Company maintained in a statement Thursday. It has therefore advised the affected persons who are unable to make full payment of their arrears to contact the GWCL to negotiate terms of payment. “If a customer is not in a position to pay arrears in full, such customer can negotiate with the District Offices and or Regional Offices, so as to be reconnected. These cases will be treated on individual bases” it advised. Meanwhile, the company said all stand-pipes shall be used to serve citizens for free because the government will absorb the bill “and pay commission/compensation to the vendors”. It said vendors are expected to control the services to the public, but for free, in order to ensure the prudent use of water. “Landlords and landladies who sell water to tenants must allow tenants to use the water for free from April, May and June. Landlords and Landladies who sell water to other members of the community must register with the district offices of the GWCL to be eligible for commission/compensation,” GWCL advised. The company said in places where there are no GWCL lines or taps, particularly deprived communities, tanker services have been arranged to serve them. “Consumers in such communities must liaise with the Assembly members, who will request for the services of these tankers from our district offices. The numbers for all district offices of the GWCL will be published in the media,” it said. It has advised customers against indiscriminate watering of lawns with treated water, moderate the use of treated water for car washing through the use of buckets  instead of hosing, shut all taps when not in use. Customers have also been asked to repair all leakages in their homes, report all burst pipes and leakages immediately to the nearest GWCL district offices and report all persons engaged in illegal connections, by-passes, and all malpractices against GWCL to the nearest Police station or to the district offices. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 9, 2020

https://3news.com/no-free-water-for-customers-disconnected-before-last-sunday-gwcl-insists/

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has begun tracking businesses to assess the socio-economic impact of covid-19 in Ghana. The online survey will also assess measures put in place by businesses to mitigate the impacts of covid-19 as well as efforts to build better recovery for businesses and cross border trade. Results from the survey will inform policy directions in protecting jobs and safeguarding progress of the Sustainable Development Goals. The findings will also provide insights into keeping the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) alive as a tool to handle future pandemics and protect jobs and businesses especially for youth and women. Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, called on businesses to participate in the survey to inform policy decisions. Business owners, Managing Directors or representatives of micro, small and medium scale businesses are being requested click here to participate in the survey. “I make a clarion call to all apex bodies of businesses in Ghana including Association of Ghana Industries, Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Business and Trade Associations, Private Enterprise Foundation and National Board for Small Scale Industries and individual businesses to participate in the survey”, Prof. Annim appealed. He noted that the roll-out of a soft loan scheme of up to 600 million cedis by the government is a direct response to the adverse effects of COVID-19 and its attendant policy interventions. The loan which is for micro, small and medium scale businesses will have a one-year moratorium and two-year repayment period. Acting Resident Representative of UNDP Ghana, Gita Welch, said covid-19 is not only a health problem but also a development crisis with enormous socioeconomic impact. “…for its assessment, empirical data will be required to ensure that recovery efforts are better directed,” she said. “This is a growing partnership that we hope will make a difference in providing the much-needed data for policy options and decision making”, she stated The socioeconomic impact study is part of a broader partnership seeking to strengthen capacities for economic and strategic policy development in response to COVID-19. The partnership, led by the GSS, includes other government institutions, the UN system in Ghana, development partners, academia and private organizations. Other interventions of the partnership will include re-engineering SDGs financing architecture to protect jobs and safeguard SDGs progress amidst COVID-19; supporting youth innovations in fighting COVID-19; and building resilience of local economies. Ghana as at April 8 recorded 313 cases of coronavirus with six deaths. A number of measures including a partial lockdown have been put in place by government to curb the spread of the virus. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 9, 2020

https://3news.com/ghana-statistical-service-undp-track-impact-of-covid-19-on-businesses-in-ghana/

Hundreds of African residents and businessmen in China's southern city of Guangzhou have been evicted from hotels and apartments as local health officials rollout a testing campaign for Covid-19, community leaders have told the BBC. Those evicted say they are being discriminated against. “They are accusing us of having the virus,” said Tobenna Victor, a Nigerian student in Guangzhou. “We paid rent to them and after collecting rent they chased us out of the house. Since last night we have been sleeping outside.” Businessman Lunde Okulunge Isidore, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, said: “They came to my house. They told me to wait after 24 hours for the result, [but] after 24 hours nobody contacted me.” Some residents have told the BBC that they have been evicted from their apartments, others say that they have been put into forced quarantine without knowing the results of their tests. On Tuesday, Chinese officials denied online rumours that the virus was spreading in African communities and that parts of the city where Africans reside were under lockdown. Guangzhou is home to one of China's largest African communities and has become a hub for African traders buying and selling goods to the continent. There are rising concerns in China over the increase in number of imported Covid-19 cases, which authorities fear could fuel a second outbreak. Since March, Guangzhou has required people arriving from abroad to be quarantined for 14 days.

April 8, 2020

https://3news.com/africans-evicted-from-chinese-hotels-over-covid-19-fears/

Former President John Dramani Mahama has presented some protective gears to the Cape Coast Teaching Hspital to support the fight against the deadly coronavirus. It included 50 pairs of gum boots, nose masks, gloves, overall, hand sanitizers and liquid soap which were presented on his behalf by the Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South,  Kweku Ricketts-Hagan. He was accompanied by the parliamentary candidate for Cape Coast North, Dr Kwamena Minta-Nyarku together with the central regional chairman of the National Democratic Congress and other executives of the party. Presenting the items, Ricketts-Hagan noted that it was part of donations intended to be made by presidential candidate of the NDC to the regional hospitals across the country to compliment government's efforts in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. He stressed that dealing with the pandemic required an all hands on deck approach to contain and prevent the spread of the disease, adding that it was important for all to contribute their quota to support the move. He said while government and the public did their best to adhere to the preventive protocols, the lives of the frontline workers should not put at risk. “You the health workers play a very critical role in the fight against the COVID-19 and it is very important to give you the necessary support and the right protective equipment for your work,” he said. He said Mr Mahama shared in the concerns of health workers about the issues of  limited and unavailability of PPEs and added the gesture was to help address that, and equip them for the fight against the virus. The Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital, Dr Eric Ngyedu who received the items expressed appreciation to Mr Mahama. He said the presentation was, saying it would boost the morale of the health workers to work well in the fight against the pandemic. Dr Ngyedu said the items would be handed over to the treatment centre already set up at the hospital. He revealed that the central region had not yet recorded any positive case of the covid 19 but was hopeful the items would augment the hospital readiness to deal with any possible case that may be recorded. By Thomas Vincent Cann|3news.com|Ghana

April 8, 2020

https://3news.com/mahama-gives-protective-equipment-to-cape-coast-teaching-hospital-for-covid-19/

The Covid-19 pandemic has injected an unprecedented amount of uncertainty into the global economy, as countries across the world battle growing infections, implement wide-ranging social-distancing strategies and attempt early fiscal interventions to stabilise markets. While managing the immediate health crisis is vital and necessary for economic stability, experts have already begun assessing how a recovery might look once the virus is contained and which countries stand to bounce back best. To better understand this, we turned to the 2019 Global Resilience Index by insurance company FM Global, which ranks the resiliency of the business environment across 130 countries, based on factors like political stability, corporate governance, risk environment and supply chain logistics and transparency. Pairing these rankings with their country's initial response to the virus, we identified the nations across the globe that have a high likelihood of maintaining stability and resilience through the crisis. We talked to residents and experts in these places to understand how they're coping now and what they might look forward to in the hopefully near-term future. Denmark Ranked second in the index, Denmark scores high marks for its supply chain tracking and low governmental corruption. The country also moved quickly when it came to enacting social-distancing measures in light of the spread of the virus. It announced a shutdown of schools and non-essential private businesses on 11 March and closed its borders to foreigners on 14 March, when the country only had a handful of positive cases. But the moves have already proven effective. “Regular flu has dropped by 70% versus last year, which must be a good indicator of the effectiveness of the steps taken by the government,” There's also the sense here that this is a global crisis, and Denmark's resilience will no doubt rely on how the rest of the world adapts and maintains open trade. “Denmark may be able to gain a relative advantage by having dodged some of the more serious consequences,” said Aarup Christiansen. In fact, the country is already talking about loosening some of the restrictions by Easter based on the containment so far, according to a Bloomberg report. “Denmark's well-developed pharmaceutical sector may prove an advantage,” said Aarup Christiansen. “I would, however, find no pride in Denmark being better off if it comes from other countries having to suffer.” Singapore Singapore scores high in the index for its strong economy, low political risk, strong infrastructure and low corruption in the survey, pushing it to number 21 in the overall resilience ranking. The country also moved fast to contain the virus and has had one of the flattest curves in the pandemic. said Rasmus Aarup Christiansen, managing partner of Pissup Tours, based in Copenhagen. “I was sceptical at first but seeing how almost all other countries have taken similar steps [like lockdowns and border closings] soon after Denmark, it seems the government was doing the right thing.” Danish culture, which tends to be trusting of authority and willing to stand together for a common cause, has also had an impact on the effectiveness of the measures. “The word ‘samfundssind' (which roughly translates to “civic sense” or “civic duty”) is the new buzzword in Denmark on both social and traditional media, and most people feel a moral duty to make sacrifices for the sake of public health,” said Aarup Christiansen. “No-one wants to be called out for being responsible for endangering the lives of senior citizens just because they won't give up their usual luxuries.” That doesn't mean there haven't been challenges, however. Aarup Christiansen has personally seen his travel business revenues plummet. While he appreciates the governmental financial aid packages, announced on 14 March (which include covering some of the costs of worker salaries), the rules and outputs have yet to be fully defined and put in place, leading to more uncertainty and layoffs. Still, the measures, like paying 90% of wages of hourly workers and 75% of those of salaried workers affected by the crisis, are being hailed as a model for the rest of the world, by essentially “freezing” the economy until the storm subsides. The model won't come cheap however; the measures are expected to cost 13% of total GDP. “We have tremendous trust in our government, who are relatively transparent about every step they are taking to fight this crisis,” said resident Constance Tan, who works for data analysis platform Konigle. “As a general rule, if the government enforces something, we comply.” That said, there are still rule-flouters, and the country has taken away passports and work passes for those in violation, according to a 21 March report by Channel News Asia. “But as a whole, we work together, and we do not need to worry about social unrest, people dying on the streets or economic destabilisation,” said Tan. As a small country, Singapore depends on the recovery of the rest of the world to have the most successful rebound, but residents generally believe in the strength of the future here. “As a people, like everywhere else, I think surviving this will make everyone more resilient,” said native Justin Fong. “One thing for sure, this has forced the adoption of technology which will bode well for Singaporeans.” Many businesses like Konigle implemented work-from-home policies quickly, and the government released the Trace Together app to help track the virus, which many residents have downloaded. United States To capture the United States' broad geographic footprint, the index splits up the country into West, Central and East regions, but as a whole, the US ranks well (9th, 11th and 22nd, respectively) for its low-risk business environment and strong supply chain. Containing the virus has proven challenging in major metropolitan areas like New York, and unemployment has already jumped to historic levels, in large part due to the mandatory shutdowns of more than half of US states, which has particularly hit restaurant and retail workers and other businesses that rely on foot traffic. But the US government has moved quickly to pass stimulus measures to stabilise the economy, and social distancing strategies enacted elsewhere in the country, which seem to be having an effect, should lessen the overall impact of the virus, allowing for a quicker economic recovery. Financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are predicting a “V-shaped” recession and recovery, with an unprecedented negative immediate impacts (as is already being seen) but a relatively quick recovery in the later quarters of the year; while consultants like McKinsey are taking a more measured, but still optimistic view, on recovery based on the successful implementation of public health measures – like the lockdowns in place – and policy interventions like the already-announced $2t stimulus package, likely the first of many. The US is also critical to the world economy, representing a nearly a quarter of global GDP, and the recovery of the global economy is highly dependent on how the US fares. “Generally speaking, the US economy is better-positioned to recover from large shocks and potential longer-run shifts than much of the rest of the world. The population is on average younger than much of the rest of the world with more mobility, and labour market restrictions are generally lighter, thereby facilitating greater labour reallocation” said Eric Sims, professor of economics at the University of Notre Dame. “More immediately, the Federal Reserve in the US and the Bank of England in the UK (neither of which have yet gone to negative policy rates) have a bit more space to provide monetary accommodation than other central banks around the world, such as the ECB or the Bank of Japan.” To further enhance the US' recovery, the presidential administration has proposed dividing the nation into areas that are less hard hit and allowing normal economic activity to recur. “I think those measures would go long way towards ultimately setting up the conditions for strong recovery,” said Peter C Earle, research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, a not-for-profit academic think tank. “We want money, goods, services, labour and ideas to flow as freely as possible, not just domestically but internationally as well.” The US' lack of universal healthcare has been one criticism of the county's ability to handle the crisis, and one that needs to be addressed for future resiliency. “I think eventually the world can emerge stronger after the virus is contained and I believe the US can, too. But it all depends on the lessons we learn,” said Michael Merrill, an economist and labour historian in the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. “We are going to have to invest in new forms of public health and create sustainable forms of social protection and institutional resiliency if we are to return to the commercially dense, interconnected, highly networked societies that were the norm only one month ago.” Rwanda We felt confident that the Rwandan government would handle the situation way better than in our home countries Due to recent improvements in corporate governance, Rwanda has made some of the largest leaps in the index in recent years, jumping 35 spots to its current rank of 77th most resilient in the world (and fourth highest in Africa). Most importantly, it looks particularly well positioned to bounce back from this type of crisis as the country successfully contained Ebola from its borders after an outbreak from neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019. With its mix of universal health care, medical supply-delivering drones and thermometer checks at its borders, Rwanda stands to be well-equipped to maintain stability throughout the crisis, especially when compared to other countries in the region. “A lot of foreign students like me stayed behind because we felt confident that the Rwandan government would handle the situation way better than in our home countries,” said Garnett Achieng, digital content curator for Baobab Consulting and student at the African Leadership University, who lives in Kigali and is originally from Kenya. “Amongst foreign African students, the only anxiety comes with knowing that our families back home are not in the same situation we are in.” Rwanda was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to impose a total lockdown, and is already distributing free food door-to-door to the country's most vulnerable. While tourism is expected to be hit hard, as Rwanda is a popular destination for many international conferences and exhibitions, Achieng is hopeful that the country will have relatively few casualties to the virus, making it well-positioned to recover quickly. New Zealand Ranked 12th-most resilient in the index, New Zealand scores especially high in corporate governance and its supply chain. The country has also been able to move quickly to contain the spread of the virus by shutting borders to international travellers on 19 March and enacting a non-essential-business lockdown on 25 March. “As an island nation, it is easier to control our borders, the main source of infections. So the effective border closure makes sense,” said Auckland resident Shamubeel Eaqub, economist at consultancy Sense Partners. “Compared to other countries, the response in New Zealand has been bold and decisive.” The measures are paying off, as some epidemiologists see it as having potential to be one of few “normal” nations left, according to a Guardian report, eliminating all cases if measures remain strong for the coming weeks. With tourism and exports a major part of the economy, New Zealand will face some struggles to its economy in the near term, but this doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. “By being insulated, we will have time to recalibrate,” said Dunedin resident Ron Bull, director of curriculum development at Otago Polytechnic. “We had already started talking about the impact of campers and backpackers on the environment, and this gives us time to weigh up what's important against the waves of tourist dollars coming in.” Overall, the country is well-placed for a stable recovery, with low levels of government debt and the ability to enact quantitative easing to keep interest rates low. “We have fewer constraints to both blunt the impact of dealing with [the] pandemic and supercharge the recovery,” said Eaqub. “Most importantly, New Zealand remains a relatively high-trust country. This will be a strong foundation for recovery from the biggest health and economic shock in generations.” Bull agrees the country has a likelihood to come out stronger. “Just like a family living in the same house, you have to get to know each other,” he said. “It's our time to sit down as a New Zealand family and decide who we want to be and make some decisions to make us stronger and better.” Source BBC

April 8, 2020

https://3news.com/5-countries-likely-to-recover-first-from-covid-19/

The Ministry of Health has defined frontline health workers as personnel working and managing the 56 coronavirus treatment centres across the country as well as those from the three laboratory institutions leading the testing for the deadly virus. Also, staff of the National Ambulance Service have been categorised as part of the frontline health workers who will enjoy the 50 per cent pay increment announced by the government for covid-19 frontline health workers. President Nana Akufo-Addo in his 5th address to the nation on the deadly coronavirus outbreak in Ghana announced that all health workers will be exempted from tax payment on their monthly emoluments for the next three months starting from April to June. He also announced additional package health professionals at the frontline of the virus fight; a 50 per cent increment of basic salary from March to June 2020. This announcement though lauded by many especially in the health sector, it has triggered discussions on the category of staff to be classified as frontline health workers. A statement issued by the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu on Tuesday explained the defined personnel are made up of those involved in triaging, testing and managing patients, doctors, medical laboratory scientist “and others”. It said the Ministry recognises the role of quasi-government institutions in the treatment of covid-19 cases and will accordingly consider them in the package announced by the government. “All health workers involved in the above service delivery activities for COVID-19 cases will be regarded as the frontline workers,” the statement said, in a bid to end discussions on who qualifies for the 50 per cent basic pay increment for the covid-19 frontline health workers. 130,345 health professionals on gov't payroll According to the Health Ministry, there were 130,345 health professionals on the government's payroll, stating the three-month tax exemption will be enjoyed by all of them. Meanwhile, the Ministry said teams have been trained for all the 56 treatment centres in various facilities within the Ghana Health Services and Teaching Hospitals including the University of Ghana Medical Centre and Bank of Ghana Hospital. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 8, 2020

https://3news.com/these-are-the-covid-19-frontline-health-workers-to-get-50-pay-rise/

The Eastern Regional chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has distributed 50 pieces of locally manufactured nose masks to some media personnel in the region to protect themselves from contracting the deadly coronavirus. A deputy Regional Surveyor at the Eastern Regional Lands Commission, Nana Domena Antwi-Berko and his friends donated the nose masks to the Association. The masks, made from African prints, is said to be reusable as they can be washed with detergent and dried. The Association said on Tuesday that it is working to secure another batch of nose masks to support frontline journalists leading the coverage and safety campaign on Covid-19 in Ghana. Chairman of the Eastern GJA  Maxwell Kudekor , said “we believe that journalists are part of the  foremost frontliners in the Covid-19 management and safety campaign hence need the requisite support to work.” He thanked Mr Antwi – Berko and his team for supporting the  safety campaign. The Eastern Regional chair of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr Arko Akoto Apaw underscored the need for people to protect themselves from contracting the virus and particularly advised all to wear face masks which he said will soak fluids from mouth and prevent droplets. He indicated that there is a short supply of surgical masks in the country for health personnel for which reason people may not get access to that protective gear for daily use. By Yvonne Neequaye|3news.com|Ghana

April 7, 2020

https://3news.com/gja-distributes-locally-made-nose-masks-to-journalists-in-eastern-region/

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has extended the appreciation of the nation to all health workers across the country for the continued sacrifices they are making in caring persons who have contracted coronavirus and the sick in general. “…I appreciate, and the country appreciates very much, the work that you are doing,” he told the leadership of the Ghana Medical Association April 7 at the Jubilee House in Accra He explained the meeting was also “to encourage you that, at this stage more than at any time in your professional career, you will really be standing up for the people of Ghana in everything that you do.” The President admitted that after 63 years of Ghana's independence, the country has not done well in making readily available all the facilities required for the health workers to function. He, nonetheless, assured that “on my part and on the part of government, we will continue to see what we can do to meet you halfway, ease the issues that you have. I think you heard my broadcast the other day, I indicated the measures that we want to put in place to support you in the work that you are doing.” Outlining some of interventions being made to support and motivate health workers during this crisis, President Akufo-Addo stated that “buses for nurses and health workers have started plying the streets of Accra, the allowances that are going to be paid to health workers are being worked out by the Finance Minister, and, very soon, in the course of this month the first payments are going to be made.” He continued, “the daily allowances that are going to contact traces and all; all of those things are being done. But, above all, in crises of this nature, it is our spirit, our morale, our commitment, to our country, to our society, that will determine the success or otherwise of our ability to confront this menace.” On the definition of who which group constituted “Frontline Health Workers”, President Akufo-Addo stated that “effort is being made on the part of government, to arrive at an acceptable definition, and I think your input will be very necessary and required, so that we get a definition that makes sense for everybody and which addresses the issue of people who are also in the frontline, as it were, of dealing with this disease.” By The Presidency|3news.com|Ghana

April 7, 2020

https://3news.com/we-appreciate-you-very-much-akufo-addo-tells-health-workers/

A man has physically assaulted his stepdaughter to death at a farming community in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis of the Western Region. Emmanuel Devor, popular known as Tsatsu, who has been arrested by the Police claimed the 20-year-old Benedicta Asaffuah, was very disrespectful to him, something he said provoked him Sunday to assault the lady to her death. The incident came as a shock to residents of Ahenkofi. Although the younger sister of the deceased who witnessed the incident said the stepfather strangled her sister, the suspect rather claimed he gave her a big blow which sent her to the ground. The devastated mother of the deceased, Augustina Dadzie, told Connect FM's Omanbapa morning show host, Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson that she was in the living room on Palm Sunday morning at about 9:00 a.m. when she heard an unusual noise outside. “I quickly came out to see my husband and my daughter in a brawl. I tried to separate them but could not so I decided to rush to call a neighbour next-door to help but when I returned, I saw my daughter lying motionlessly on the ground,” she narrated in Twi. According to the mother, some neighbours came to the scene quickly organised a taxi to rush the victim to the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital but she was pronounced dead on arrival. When asked what caused him to assault his stepdaughter to death, Devor said he asked the deceased to move out of his house because she had been disrespecting him. According to him, the lady refused and that provoked him to hit her. Benedicta's body has since been deposited at the Takoradi Government Hospital for autopsy while Police investigations have commenced. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 7, 2020

https://3news.com/man-assaults-20yr-old-stepdaughter-to-death-for-disrespecting-him/

President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Frank Ankobea, has applauded the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo  for the bold measures that his government has taken to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana. “We would like to say a big thank you for all the bold decisions that you've taken throughout this COVID-19 era, i.e. the lockdown, closure of our borders and some other things, particularly the incentive package that you've given to health workers, and the recognition of our work,”  he stated. According to the GMA President, “When you are working and the President of the nation recognizes the work that you are doing, it is very, very encouraging, and I must tell you we have resolved that we'll carry on this fight no matter what it takes. We know some of us may be taken away by COVID, but that is not going to let us down, and we will continue to mobilize all the health workers and fight to the end of this COVID-19.” Dr. Frank Ankobea made this known on Tuesday, 7th April, 2020, when, at the invitation of President Akufo-Addo, the Executive Committee of the Ghana Medical Association engaged with the President on measures being taken to combat the spread of the virus. The GMA President told President Akufo-Addo that members of the Assocation continue to join the mass media education which is ongoing across the country to sensitise Ghanaians on the need to practice good hygiene and maintain social distancing as the basic measures needed to defeat the virus. “Again, we are also raising funds in our own small ways, and you see that we've actually donated to Ridge Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital, we've also donated to Koeln-Bu Teaching Hospital, the Internal Medicine Department. We are still, together with our residents, that is the doctors in training, residency training, and we are soliciting for funds to get some PPEs, and are on the ground, we know where the PPEs must go,” he added. He appealed to President Akufo-Addo direct the Ghana Health Service to help ensure the distribution of all parts of the country. Nonetheless, he expressed his appreciation for the announcement made by President Akufo-Addo to the effect that “we are going to go into local production, and I was surprised that media men and all that never took it up. For me, that is the day that I would be so much happy. It would gladden my heart if we produce our PPEs.” With literature and evidence, according to Dr. Ankobea, indicating that “almost every five years a similar pandemic will come”, he appealed for adequate preparation to this end, and urged Government to “link us with the plastic industries, so that we get our own aprons, we get our own overalls, we get our own goggles, the shield and all that. We would be very, very grateful, and that would mean that we have started the preparations for the next pandemic.” Whilst also appealing for the construction of more intensive care units across the country, he added that “we should resource some laboratories so that they could come on to the test results, because you'll have to wait between 48 and 72 hours before the results come, and it has become a problem for us because the person is in a holding area”. Touching on the incentive package announced by the President, he stated that “it is in the right direction, and for that matter, it is also going to motivate us… I must say, before I sit down that Mr President, we are so grateful, we are so grateful for the bold decisions that you've taken.” Even though the Association initially advocated for a total lockdown, the GMA President stated that “you did it in a way that we turned round to support you. Now I must say that this is not the time for us to be talking about things that were not done. Now we are confronted with COVID-19, how to contain it moving forward is why we are here.” By The Presidency|3news.com|Ghana

April 7, 2020

https://3news.com/ghana-medical-association-applauds-akufo-addo-for-bold-decisions-on-covid-19/

The Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR) is working with the Ghana Health Service to set up a laboratory in the Northern Region to enable health officials swiftly test for the deadly novel coronavirus in the northern part of the country. Samples sent to the KCCR sometimes delay as it is the only facility with the capacity for testing for the virus in the middle and northern sector of the country. The KCCR has since February tested 1,600 samples of suspected COVID-19 cases of which 24 of those from the Ashanti, Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions turned out positive. KCCR handles between 300 and 600 samples on daily basis, necessitating the need for more laboratories across the country for expedited service delivery. Scientific Director at KCCR, Prof Richard Phillips Adame, says dealing with a virus like COVID-19 requires specialized laboratories. “We hear in the media expand diagnostics to everywhere but remember that the virus we are dealing with is a dangerous organism and so if you are working with dangerous organisms you need to work in special laboratories” he stated. “At KCCR, we have what we call bio safety labs with negative pressure in the rooms so when you are working there you can work safely and such safety labs are not many in the country,” he stated To reduce the pressure on KCCR, the Ghana Health Service is working with the Centre to establish another testing lab in the Northern Region to cater for samples from the area. “Usually, before you get the samples we send the samples collection packs to the facilities that need them and they nicely package them and their drivers bring them to us,” Prof Adame said “We know how the clinical scenario looks like and the rapidity with which we need to provide these samples so we are looking at probably expanding our laboratory to maybe Tamale and Navrongo to provide oversight for them so their travel time is reduced,” he added. The Regional Health Directorate has meanwhile adopted a four-thematic approach in handling and managing COVID-19 cases. This includes screening of all contacts of confirmed cases; screening and testing of residents in high risk communities where cases have been confirmed; and screening and testing of all travellers who arrived in the region within the last fourteen days. So far, 1,836 samples have been cumulated from routine surveillance, community screening, travellers manifest and contacts of confirmed cases. Ashanti Region has recorded 12 of the COVID-19 cases in Ghana. Two have died and three are on admission at Komfo Anokye Teaching and Kumasi South Hospitals. The rest are being managed from their homes. By Beatrice Spio Garbrah|3news.com|Ghana

April 7, 2020

https://3news.com/northern-region-to-get-covid-19-testing-lab/

Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo has sent best wishes to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who has been moved into intensive care over “worsened” coronavirus symptoms. The 55 year old was admitted to a London hospital Sunday evening with what doctors described as “persistent symptoms” and is said to be receiving “excellent care”. According to the BBC he was given oxygen late Monday afternoon before being taken to intensive care. However, he has not been put on a ventilator. “Over the course of [Monday] afternoon, the condition of the prime minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the intensive care unit at the hospital,” a No 10 statement read. In a tweet Monday night President Akufo-Addo wished the British Prime Minister “speedy recovery. Wishing British Prime Minister, @BorisJohnson, a speedy recovery and God's blessings. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and the British people at this critical time. — Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) April 6, 2020 Former President John Mahama has also sent out a get well message to the Prime Minister, stating he prays the Mr Johnson gets well soon. “This is the time Britain and the world are in need of leadership to guide us through this awful pandemic,” he added. Pray you get well soon @BorisJohnson. This is the time Britain and the world are in need of leadership to guide us through this awful pandemic. #StayHome #StopTheSpread — John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) April 7, 2020 By 3news.com|Ghana

April 7, 2020

https://3news.com/speedy-recovery-akufo-addo-to-sick-british-prime-minister/

Premier League players are set to start negotiations on a club-by-club basis over proposed wage cuts. It comes after talks aimed at a collective pay deal in response to the coronavirus crisis broke down without resolution over the weekend. The Premier League proposed a 30% pay cut, but the Professional Footballers' Association says that may harm the NHS. The row has escalated into one of the most serious disputes between players and clubs in the league's history. The government has said it expects the football authorities to “come together with an agreement urgently.” Writing in Monday's Telegraph, the culture secretary Oliver Dowden said “the deadlock between the PFA and the Premier League clubs on players' wage cuts is deeply concerning.” “Clubs, players and owners should be thinking very carefully about their next steps,” he wrote. “It's especially important that a disagreement over players' wages doesn't undermine all the good work that sport – including football – is doing to help the government's efforts to tackle coronavirus.” On Saturday the Premier League told senior players that a pay cut was required because the clubs faced losses of more than £1bn if the season could not be resumed. But with players rejecting a league-wide proposal, they are now expected to ask their own clubs to explain more about the specifics of their finances before accepting any cuts or deferrals. Some clubs are hoping that if executives and coaches accept pay cuts, it could help persuade players – who earn an average of £3.5m a year in the Premier League – to do the same by the end of the week. Health secretary Matt Hancock was among the leading politicians calling for players to take a pay cut and “play their part.” The league wants players to take a 30% salary cut in order to “protect employment throughout the professional game”. But the union says that equates to more than £500m in wage reductions over 12 months, and a loss in tax contributions of more than £200m to the UK government. As part of the proposals, the Premier League would advance £125m to the English Football League (EFL) and National League, and give £20m towards the NHS. The PFA says it is happy to continue talks with the Premier League but called on the league to increase its charitable donation and long-term funding of the EFL. Players are understood to be wary of agreeing pay cuts that would help billionaire owners save money which may subsequently be spent on transfers. Top-flight professionals have been coming under increasing pressure to take a drop in pay, especially with five Premier League clubs – Liverpool, Newcastle, Totten ham, Bournemouth and Norwich – now placing some non-playing staff on furlough leave under the government's coronavirus job retention scheme. Premier League leaders Liverpool have faced criticism from former players and fans for furloughing non-playing staff. However, clubs themselves are understood to have financial concerns, with Burnley saying on Saturday they faced a shortfall of £50m if the Premier League season was not completed. The PFA said all Premier League players “will play their part in making significant financial contributions in these unprecedented times”. Captains of Premier League clubs, led by Liverpool's Jordan Henderson, have been in talks over a plan to make charitable donations. England defender Danny Rose – on loan at Newcastle from Tottenham – said that players were keen to give up a portion of their wages to help good causes, but felt their “backs are against the wall” regarding the pressure they had faced to accept cuts. While Derby striker Wayne Rooney has said players are in a “no-win situation”. Should Chris Hughton be sacked following performance of Ghana Black Stars?

April 6, 2020

https://3news.com/premier-league-players-to-negotiate-proposed-wage-cuts-on-club-by-club-basis/

The National Identification Authority says it has not commissioned anyone or entity to recruit personnel on its behalf, describing a purported ongoing recruitment drive as a scam. It said in a statement Monday that messages are being circulating on social media platforms that the Authority is recruiting staff for “newly created offices”. Some people are said to have received messages like “Congratulations! You have been selected among those who are going to work for Al.4 permanently at NIA's new created offices. WhatsApp 0578671035 for more details. Note: do not share this message to anyone”. The NIA said it has not sent out any such message. According to the Authority, the said recruitment is a scam and warned people not to fall for it, noting the NIA has not even created new offices as being claimed. “For the avoidance of doubt, the NIA has not created any Regional, Municipal or District offices, neither has it commenced a recruitment process to staff any offices; claims or representations to the contrary, by any person or entity whatsoever are false” it said in the statement. It said the security agencies have been informed about the fake recruitment messages for the necessary action to be taken. Meanwhile it has asked the public including current and former staff of NIA to be wary of social media messages on NIA staff recruitment. “NIA will follow appropriate public service guidelines and protocols in any effort to recruit staff for the offices it will create in future,” it indicated. By 3news.com|Ghana

April 6, 2020

https://3news.com/were-not-hiring-so-called-ongoing-staff-recruitment-is-a-scam-nia/