Ghana Broadcasting Corporation

NEWS COMMENTARY BACKS CALLS TO DISBAND ALL VIGILANTE GROUPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY As a democratic country, Ghanaians expect the holding of regular free and fair elections. Inviting observers from international organizations such as ECOWAS, AU, UN and their local counterparts to publicly monitor, assess and produce report on the election results, have largely helped to enhance transparency of Ghana’s polls. All these electoral activities help to entrench democracy as the foundation for national and regional security, development and integration. Sometimes, election, seen as one of the pillars of democracy is abused by some powerful elites when they get the opportunity to govern. They exploit the vulnerability of the youth, commit crimes, engage in electoral violence and go scot-free. The condemnation that followed the violence in La Bawaleshie during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election has been loud and clear. There have been some videos showing how reportedly some electorates were beat...

NEWS COMMENTARY ON ZERO TOLERANCE FOR FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM) DAY – 6TH FEBRUARY Another milestone of Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, day is with us again. The day is celebrated globally as part of the UN efforts to eradicate FGM. The day is also to accelerate action towards its total elimination to free women and girls from the adverse effects of the practice. Some find it difficult to believe that such an outmoded cultural practice still exists. FGM refers to any practice that involves partial or total removal or alteration of the external female genital organ for non-medical reasons. Studies show that an estimated 100 to 140 million women and girls in the world have undergone some form of FGM and two million girls are at risk from the practice each year. Parts of the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Brong Ahafo, Volta Region and some Zongo Communities in urban centres of the country are notable places where the practice still goes on. It is clear that t...

WETLANDS are land areas that are saturated or flooded by water either permanently or seasonally. The initial notion among some people is that wetlands are plots lying idle and of no use and must be drained, filled in and re-use for housing, agriculture or industry. It is not surprising that as much as 35 percent of wetlands on earth have disappeared since 1970. Wetlands are found in both coastal and inland areas. Coastland wetlands include saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves and lagoons. On the other hand, floodplains, swamps, rivers, lakes and ponds are some of the inland wetlands. Even human constructions such as fish ponds, low land rice fields and salt pans are considered as wetlands. We have countless number of wetlands in Ghana, but some people tend to associate wetlands to only areas serving as stopover for migratory birds. Indeed, some are classified as wetlands of international importance and registered as Ramsar Sites and therefore protected according to the multilater...

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE LOSS OF VALUES IN GHANA The troubles confronting customers of Menzgold come as no surprise to many Ghanaians who have over the years witnessed similar cases resulting from Ponzi schemes. Several reasons have been attributed to the turn of events, with various people linking them to greed, systemic failure and lack of due diligence among others. Whiles attempts are being made to solve the problem so that customers can have their investments refunded, be it in full or in part, there is the need for us as a nation to take time off to reflect on the causes of this recurrent phenomenon that always leaves many Ghanaians devastated and distraught. What could be the compelling reason for people to take such risks, with some customers investing hundreds of thousands of Ghana cedis into a scheme that promised the heavens in terms of interests. To some persons, every endeavour has a risk factor and without risk nothing could be achieved. This notwithstanding, risk must...

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE GRUESOME ASSASSINATION OF UNDERCOVER JOURNALIST AHMED HUSSEIN-SUALE Ghana once again has witnessed sophisticated atrocity against a journalist. This time, perhaps what could be best described as unwarranted, shameful, coward, barbaric and gruesome assassination of one of the promising and well-endowed investigative journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale. He was reported to have been shot three times by unidentified hit men on motorbikes January 16 last Wednesday evening  in what is described as “Hollywood style”. Mr. Hussein-Suale was a key member of the renowned private investigative team Tiger Eye PI which has overwhelming record of successful investigations to uncover high-level national and international criminal activities including the infamous corruption within Ghana and some African football leagues. The media and the nation in general including the President of the land received the news with shock and  dismay, wondering what might have instigated...

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE RECAPITALIZATION OF BANKS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY OF GHANA. On the 11th of September, 2017, the Bank of Ghana notified banks and the general public on its decision to review upwards the minimum paid-up capital requirement from 120 million cedis to 400 million cedis as part of a holistic financial sector reform plan to further develop, strengthen and modernize the financial sector to support the government’s economic growth vision and transformation agenda. The increment was about two hundred and thirty-three-point three three percent. The notice was met with public outcry and mixed reactions especially from the banks in Ghana. For instance, a Financial Analyst Sam Bediako Asante said the figure is lower as it may least affect the attempts to achieve mergers and acquisitions. However, another Economist at the University of Ghana Business School Dr. Lord Mensah said the move poses a threat to the local economy as local banks are likely to be taken up b...

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE DIRECTIVE BY THE GES SUSPENDING PAYMENT OF PTA DUES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The Ghana Education Service (GES), an agency of the Ministry of Education charged with managing, administering, monitoring and supervising the performance, conduct and activities of government assisted schools issued a directive on January 14, 2019 suspending the payment of all PTA levies and fees at Senior High School as well as Technical and Vocational schools across the country. The Director General of the GES, Professor Opoku Amankwa cited some anomalies associated with the payment and administration of the levies. This suspension raised a lot of concerns. Whereas some have hailed the directive as timely and brave and an opportunity for government to sanitize the system, others have described the intervention as unnecessary, politically motivated and an exercise in futility. Parent Teacher Associations, PTAs, since time immemorial have proven to be key stakeholders in the development ...

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE NEGATIVE EFFECT OF IMPORTATION ON THE GHANAIAN INDUSTRIAL SECTOR Over the years, many scholars have expressed divergent views about Africa’s industrialization drive. Some held the assertion that the only way Africa’s economy can grow is by producing more locally manufactured products. For decades, governments of Ghana have attempted to improve the country’s economy by encouraging the setting up of small scale industries such as the Komenda Sugar Factory, Pwalugu Tomato factory and the Kumasi shoe factory. These factories have not helped in transforming the indutrial sector of the economy. While some are in bad state others have collapsed. Ghanaians and Africans as a whole do not value most locally manufactured products. For example, when one visits the Kumasi shoe factory, shoes are parked in various categories but people don’t even ask of the price. That is the attitude of the Ghanaian. Previous and current governments have not laid much emphasis on limitin...

COMMENTARY ON THE IMPENDING REFERENDUM FOR THE CREATION OF SIX REGIONS AND THE CALL ON VOTERS NOT TO SIT ON THE FENCE BUT TO BE ACTIVE CITIZENS Come 27th December, 2018, Ghana will witness a historic referendum as part of the process for the creation of six new regions. The proposed regions are: Western North, Oti, Ahafo, Bono East, Savana and North East. The voting is in accordance with Article 4 of the 1992 Constitution. It must be noted that the referendum is the climax of the process for the creation of the regions. President Akufo-Addo in accordance with the Constitution established the Commission of Enquiry to look into and establish the need for the creation of the regions and on the Commission’s recommendation the matter has been referred to the Electoral Commission for the organisation of the referendum. It is now the turn of the people of the affected areas to decide through voting. This marks the peak of the whole process because as the saying goes; ‘the voice of the pe...

NEWS COMMENTARY ON PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO’S ENCOUNTER WITH THE MEDIA A former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Clement Atlee once noted quote: “Democracy means government by discussion, but it is only effective if you can stop people talking.”Unquote. Indeed getting people to have access to first hand national information about matters affecting them to ensure effective and fruitful public discourse is arguably a rich recipe for good governance. President Akufo-Addo’s initiative to have encounters with the media at least twice a year, is laudable. Availing himself to the entire nation, through the lenses of the media, exhibits the genuine exposition of the tenets of his government which are accountability, transparency, and responsiveness. Coming at the end of the first half of the first term of his Presidency, the media Encounter was crucial. The President, has hugely acknowledged the importance of the media in the democratic dispensation. Truly, if the government is able to c...

NEWS COMMENTARY CALLS FOR DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES TO ESTABLISH BUSH FIRE CONTROL SUB-COMMITTEES TO HELP FIGHT BUSH FIRE AND RELATED MATTERS Every year, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), issues bush fire hazard alert to all stakeholders. This is done through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, MMDCEs who double as Chairmen of District Disaster Management Committees for activation of District Anti-Bush Fire Committees and utilisation of all local media and other platforms for public awareness creation on bush fires. This is in line with disaster prevention and early warning part of Ghana Disaster Management Cycle adopted from the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP. There are three phases in Ghana disaster management cycle namely, pre-disaster phase, disaster/emergency phase and post disaster phase. The primary component of the pre-disaster phase is disaster preparedness. Whiles the developed countries are utilising insurance  produ...

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE 80TH BIRTHDAY OF FORMER PRESIDENT JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR December 8, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, led a host of prominent Ghanaians to join Former President, John Agyekum Kufuor, in celebrating his 80th birthday at the seat of government, Jubilee House in Accra. American beauty queen, author, actress, businesswoman, model, producer, activist, philanthropist as well as print and television journalist Germany Kent ounce said, “Funny how we do not realise the true value and legacy of a living icon until they suddenly pass away.” Truth is, there are many living legends among us, we just do not stop and take time to notice their worth until it’s too late.” In deed there are a lot of the living in our society today who need to be recognised and appreciated before they pass on. This observation has been expressed by numerous Ghanaians, because more often, society intends to honor and cerebrate the dead than the living. It is said that t...