Ghana Broadcasting Corporation

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has entreated Ghanaian Muslims to be cautious of persons who hide behind the religion to perpetuate heinous crimes in the society. Speaking at a ceremony to mark this year's Eid ul Fitr, the President urged the different Islamic groups in the country to work towards peaceful co-existence, and be wary of ideologies that may pervert a beautiful religion like Islam for selfish and destructive ends. The president's call is in the right direction but it must not be seen as being addressed to only Muslims but rather adherents of all religions in Ghana, and indeed the world at large. Frank Sinatra, in the Playboy Magazine, of February 1962 stated inter alia that Christ is revered as the Prince of Peace, but more blood has been shed in His name than any other figure in history. That, there were men of God who destroyed the educational treasures at Alexandria, who perpetrated the Inquisition in Spain, and who burned the witches at Salem. And th...

Every year after the Ramadhan fast, Muslims all over the world are joyous because of the Eid celebrations, popularly known in our part of the world as Sala. Muslims gather in different centers, dressed in their best clothes, and obviously in a very happy mood. People greet each other with warm hugs and with the joyous greetings, Eid Mubarak (Arabic) or Barkade Salah (Hausa), meaning, have a blessed Eid. Like most celebrations, families cook their favourite dishes to serve during Eid, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Ghana is not left out, members engage in communal eating, as a way of deepening the bonds of brotherhood that exist among Muslims. The bond of Brotherhood is very much emphasized in Islam, and it is interesting to note, that the Eid Prayer, which is offered by all Muslims on the Eid day,can only be said in congregation. As such, all Muslims have to gather and perform the Eid prayers as one community, as one people, as brethren together. But it is possible that the real...

Ghana is not regarded as a conflict nation, however issues about access to land, use of natural resources, appointment and elevation to chieftaincy among others, have often led to levels of conflicts nation-wide. Not too long ago, Ghana placed sixth in Africa in the Global Peace Index and also placed 54th worldwide out of 162 countries sampled. This is indicative of the relative peace in Ghana. Recent happenings are however casting shadows on the much talked about peace loving culture of the Ghanaian. Fresh on our minds are the recent conflicts in some parts of Upper West and Volta Regions, activities of vigilante groups and very recently the torture and gruesome murder of theArmy officer at DenkyiraObuase in the Central Region. It is quite clear that we sometimes trivialise the peace we have as a nation and forget about the need to preciously safeguard it. As Ghanaians we have made a mark by scaling up tolerance and peace during general elections. It will however serve our interest if...

Undoubtedly, road transport remains the largest and main mode of transportation in Ghana. As a major transport network, it serves an array of purposes for both travelers and industries. Safety on the roads has become a major challenge in the country. Globally, road safety is being tackled as a public health and developmental issue which Ghana is no exception. Road traffic crashes and the associated casualties undermine socio-economic development especially in low and middle income countries like Ghana. Owing to this devastating effect, the United Nations (UN) declared a decade of Action for Road Safety with a call on member countries to reduce road traffic crashes by 50 percent by the end of 2020. To achieve this, the National Road Safety Commission and other stakeholders are working hard to ensure that road traffic crashes and injuries are reduced to minimum levels in accordance with the set target. The National Road Safety Commission was established by an Act of Parliament in 1999 to...

History was repeated June 19 when President Akufo-Addo swore in Justice Sophia Akuffo as the 13th Chief Justice of Ghana, the second female to have attained that height. The first being her immediate predecessor Justice Georgina Theodora Wood who retired about two weeks ago after almost 47 years of active public service, the last ten years being the Chief Justice and head of Ghana's judiciary. It is disturbing that after 60 years of independence only a few women are in high positions in Ghana. Justice Sophia Akuffo's nomination by the president and her subsequent vetting and approval by Parliament is therefore a feather in the cup of gender advocates. It is a major boost towards women empowerment. The point must however be made that she was not chosen simply because she is a woman. The fact is she is highly qualified, very competent and capable of doing the job. She has over the years exhibited these qualities as a lawyer which propelled her to the notice of the 1st President o...

In 2015, leaders of 197 countries met in the French capital of Paris to deliberate on how to minimize the harmful effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment. Greenhouse gas emissions emanating from manufacturing and other related activities are having debilitating effects on the global environment. The earth's human habitation quality is strongly being undermined and gradually rendering biological diversity of many species inhabitable. Realising the devastating effect of global warming on current and future generations, leaders at the Paris meeting drafted an agreement to guide the industrial activities of member countries. The collective consensus culminated in what is now known as the Paris Agreement. It was precisely touted as historic because it provided the platform to mobilise global effort at addressing the threat of climate change. On 5th October, last year, the threshold of parties required to enforce the Paris Agreement was obtained. That is 147 out of 197 cou...

According to the English Oxford Dictionary, Restoration means; the action of returning something to a former owner, place, or condition. It is clear that over the years, some of the Ghanaian identity got lost and needed to be reclaimed. To quote Former President Rawlings, '' When did we go so wrong, and so far? .He was making reference to the unfortunate murder in Denkyira Obuasi, in cold blood of Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, while on a national assignment at Diaso in the Central Region, recently. His beef was that in the past if an alleged robber or thief was caught, he was given a few slaps and handed over to the law enforcement agencies. Today, the situation is completely different, where ''instant justice'', or better still ''mob injustice'' has become a thing of the time. It is for this reason that we need to restore the values that Ghana has lost. That is why the National Commission For Civic Education, NCCE needs to be applauded for beginnin...

The Sixth Edition of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines ethnocentric as “based on the ideas and beliefs of one particular culture or race, using these to judge other cultures”. This is not an attitude or behaviour that is accepted in any civilized or democratic society and must be collectively condemned wherever it is emerging. All well-meaning Ghanaians will agree that the recent media reports of two groups clashing over the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer ( CEO) for the Tamale Teaching Hospital was uncalled for and undermines the legitimacy of appointing authorities. It is significant to note that both Dr. Prosper Akanmbong and Dr. David Zaawumya Akolbila hail from the Upper East Region and must have been appointed to the high office of CEO of the Tamale Teaching Hospital on merit and not because of the region they come from. This is not the first time the traditional chiefs in the Tamale Metropolis are reported to have allegedly sanctioned demonstrations a...

Last Friday, June 9, Ghanaians were united in grief at the state funeral for Major Maxwell Mahama who met his untimely death two weeks ago at Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region while on a national assignment. The gruesome murder of Major Mahama did not only send shock waves across the country but raise concerns as to why any group of people could commit such an unimaginable detestable act. The various tributes read at the forecourt of the State House during the burial service painted a picture of an intelligent officer who given the opportunity to live his life in full will have contributed in no small way to the country's development. Unfortunately, this was not to be. In view of the fact that Major Mahama was in the line of duty, to combat illegal mining or “galamsey” in the area, any attempt to politicise his death and burial will point to a country which is not grateful to its heroes and heroines. He was, therefore, pursing a noble duty aimed at protecting the interest of th...

What should have been a normal endurance routine for a soldier turned out to be a brutal, painful and a deadly voyage. A young promising captain of the Ghana Armed Forces had his life snuffed out in the gruesome of ways. On Monday May 29, the whole country was stunned when news broke about the hideous murder of Major (then Captain) Maxwell Adam Mahama at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region of Ghana. The young Captain of the Fifth Infantry Battalion of the Ghana Armed Forces was on an officially-sanctioned mission when he met his untimely death. He was the commander of a security taskforce on ‘Galamsey’. Some residents of Denkyira-Obuasi accused him of being an armed robber and without recourse to the law Captain Mahama was found guilty and lynched by a mob and parts of his body set ablaze. The circumstances leading to the death of the Captain has stunned most if not all Ghanaians - perhaps except the perpetrators of the heinous crime. This brutal act raises questions on the state of ...

9th June 2017, Ghana mourns yet another gallant citizen, who died in the course of duty. The nation is grieving as a result of the termination of the exuberant and useful life of Major Maxwell Adam Mahama. The nation on Monday, the 29th of May woke up to a horrible and tragic story. A serving military officer then Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama, working to protect the lives of citizens was lynched by the same people he was assigned to protect at Denkyira Obuase. The nation has been left terrified, traumatised and sad as innocent blood has been shed. A promising and fruitful life has been wasted through instant justice. Two different accounts of the untimely and unnecessary death have been put in the public domain. That is he was mistaken for an armed robber and secondly, it was a calculated attempt by the people of Denkyira Obuase to take his life as Major Mahama was seen as a thorn in their flesh, because he thwarted their galamsey operations. Whichever is true, the act is condemnable, u...

I made the terrible mistake of watching a bit of the lynching of Captain Maxwell Mahama. I regret it. I can not sleep. I have never seen anything like that before. I know it happens. I've seen it on television and on the internet. But I never saw it actually happening. In the past, the most I saw was picture of the victim after the fact - dead. I guess that is the lesson we all have to learn from this tragic death...if we turn a blind eye to travesties in our society, one day it will be brought to our doorsteps. Our old proverbs are replete with warnings about this kind of 'head-in-the-sand' attitude. Well, this time we've seen the killing in action; the killing of a human being with glee by other so called "human beings"; hurling rocks at him as though they were trying to kill a large python or a wild animal that had taken a life from the community. Other attackers were wielding big sticks like fufu pestles and scrambling for an opportunity to inflict their b...