Regional News of Monday, 4 July 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comAssembly conducts demolition to pave way for road constructionVictims of demolition exercise demand compensationMCE refutes claims of unfair demolitionVictims of a demolition exercise undertaken by the West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly say they were unfairly treated during the exercise, which has left dozens displaced. The exercise, conducted on Friday, July 1, 2022, was to pave the way for the construction of roads in the area. Where does the assembly want us to go?” Hamidu Amadu who lost his three-bedroom property to the exercise, questioned. Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of the West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly, Issahaku Aremeyaw Somo, has refuted claims that the assembly did not serve the victims' notice. The MCE was emphatic that the assembly has no plans to compensate victims of the demolition exercise.

Regional News of Monday, 4 July 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comTaxi, tipper truck collide in AhafoSeven passengers onboard speeding taxi die in accidentFirefighters responding to accident involved in accidentSome eight lives have been lost in a head-on collision that occurred on the Kwapong-Nobekaw road in the Asunafo South District in the Ahafo Region. The accident involving a taxi cab with registration number GT 7008 – X, and a tipper truck with registration number GC 7955-20, is reported to have occurred at about 9:30 a.m. last Thursday. All seven people onboard the taxi including the driver, died on the spot, in addition to one of the four passengers who were onboard the tipper truck. He indicated that instead of four passengers, the driver was carrying six passengers. The commander stated that preliminary investigations had established the cause of the accident to be overspeeding on the part of the taxi driver who veered off his lane into that of the tipper truck, resulting in the head-on collision.

Soccer News of Monday, 4 July 2022Source: ghanasoccernet.comBechem United attacker Agustine Okrah has named Ibrahim Imoro of Kotoko as his best player in the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League season, with Hearts of Oak captain Mohammed Alhassan as his most outstanding defender. “Imoro was outstanding throughout the season, and for me, he was the best player. A defender with the speed of light, who can join attack when necessary with high recovery rate is rare. This explains why I rate him as my best player of the season,” Okrah told th Graphic Sports. Okrah chose Bechem United's MTN FA Cup semi-final match against Obuasi-based AshantiGold, where his team came from behind to defeat AshantiGold 2-1 at the Len Clay Stadium, as his best match of the season.

Crime & Punishment of Monday, 4 July 2022Source: GNAThe Half Assini Police in the Western Region is investigating an alleged punishment meted out to a 15-year-old class prefect which has made it difficult for her to sit down due to severe bruises on her buttocks. According to the father of the girl, Mr. Francis Bronya, his daughter, the class prefect of the school was tasked to write names of students who reported late to school as well as absentees. The father said unknown to her, one of her colleagues wrote her name as well in the list when she stepped out to attend to nature's call. Mr. Bronya said her teacher was enraged by the girl's action and punished them by spanking the whole class and later invited the victim to the front row of the class and gave her extra lashes of which she was alleged to have collapsed. The father said the girl was later rushed to the hospital after which a formal complaint was lodged with the Half Assini Police.

This comes after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on July 1 authorized the Finance Minister to hold formal discussions with the Bretton Woods Institution. The Ministry further assured Ghanaians of government's commitment to successfully negotiate a program with the IMF in the coming months, in support of Ghana’s economic recovery. In a last-ditch effort, the government has begun negotiations with the IMF on a bailout deal. SPOILER ALERT: Another IMF loan won't save Ghana’s economy. Like its past 17 IMF programs, a new one will fail,” the US-based economist wrote.

Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra. As compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 7.2269 and a selling price of 7.2341. The Euro is trading at a buying price of 7.5180 and a selling price of 7.5255 as compared to Friday's trading of a buying price of 7.5759 and a selling price of 7.5835. The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 58.3551 and a selling price of 58.3703 as compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 58.1260 and a selling price of 58.2920. Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.

Ghana was found guilty by CAF after Morocco protested the ages of two Black Maidens players Nancy Amoh and Rasheeda Shahadu. The ban means Ghana’s u-17 side would not partake in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup African Qualifiers and would have to pay a fine of $100,000. Following the protest by Morocco, the Ghana Football Association was allowed to contest the case over the accusations of a falsified birthdate. Ghana’s u-17 side played Morocco in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup African Qualifiers. The Black Maidens lost by 4-2 on penalty shootout in the return leg as the Moroccans qualified to play at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.

General News of Sunday, 3 July 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comStranded Hajj pilgrims demand refund afterPilgrims pay GH¢39,000 for this year’s HajjGhana’s quota for Hajj is 3,069, Board ChairmanThe National Hajj Board has said Muslim pilgrims who could not be airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the 2022 hajj will be refunded. This comes after some Muslim pilgrims expressed disappointment towards the Hajj Board after they were abandoned at the Hajj village for hours. According to them, they were expected to travel to Mecca but the board has intentionally removed their names to the final list of travellers while their passports are also being held by the Hajj Board. Addressing the matter, the Communications Director for the Hajj Board, Abdul Rahman Gomda said, some individuals could not be airlifted because of the limited quota by the Saudi authorities. He said the board is working to ensure that the disappointed pilgrims get back their monies in due time.

Sports News of Sunday, 3 July 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comIvory Coast to host 2023 AFCONGhana kick start 2023 AFCON qualifiers with a win over MadagascarCAR hold Ghana to a stalemate in the 2023 AFCON qualifierPresident of the Confederation of African Football(CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has announced that the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will not take place as planned. The 2023 AFCON, which will be hosted by Ivory Coast, was originally scheduled to begin in June 2023 and end in July 2023. The 2023 AFCON qualifiers have already begun, with two group matches taking place in June 2022. Ghana, who are in Group D with Madagascar, Angola, and the Central African Republic, won and drew their first two games. The Black Stars defeated Madagascar in the first game before drawing with Central African Republic in the second.

General News of Sunday, 3 July 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comKennedy Agyapong declares intention to run for presidentKennedy Agyapong slams govt over IMF returnGhanaians lament fuel price incrementKennedy Agyapong, a presidential aspirant hopeful of the new Patriotic Party has outlined his plans solve the perennial fuel price hikes that hit the country. Kennedy Agyapong holds that the key to solving the fuel price issues lies in diversifying fuel production and refinement in the country. He disclosed plans to use cassava to produce fuel with the view that a local production of fuel will cure the challenge of price hikes. So that is my answer to your question about reducing fuel prices. The persistent increase in fuel prices has generated criticism for the governmentCurrently, the national average price of fuel per litre at the pumps is pegged at GH¢11 and GH¢14 for Gasoline and Gasoil respectively.

Founder and leader of Heaven’s Gate Ministries International, Prophet Nicholas Osei alias Kumchacha has described President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the pioneer of demonstrations in Ghana. According to Kumchacha, President Akufo-Addo’s history as an activist goes back to the days of the Jerry John Rawlings administration in 1995. The pioneer of demonstration in Ghana is Nana Akufo-Addo. So if we talk about the IGP of demonstrations it is Nana Addo, he is the Dampare of demonstrations,” Kumchacha stated on Oman Channel. He was speaking about the Arise Ghana demonstration organized to raise governance and economic concerns under the current administration of President Akufo-Addo.

General News of Sunday, 3 July 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comGhanaians suffering economic hardshipGovernment signs up for an IMF programmeOpposition mock government for decision to seek IMF supportThanks to social media and to news agencies, news travels very fast across the world, such was the case with Ghana’s July 1, 2022 decision to turn to the International Monetary Fund amid an economic downturn. Views GhanaWeb monitored especially on Twitter, showed Nigerians ‘celebrating’ their situation, that they had not gotten as bad as to seek IMF support by way of a programme. Others were also shading fellow Nigerians who have perennially insisted that Ghana was a better economy as compared to theirs. A former Senator, Shehu Sani was among the commenters, he tweeted: "Ghana is reportedly in talks with the @IMFNews for loan. Ghana just went to IMF for support, Nigeria should be rich enough to bail out other African countries.

Gabby in rejecting Mahama’s call cited how the former president had also refused to fire his Finance Minister in 2015 despite a strong push from within the National Democratic Congress. “We remember so well, Sir, agitations within NDC for you to sack Seth Terkper, your finance minister. Mahama in a June 2 Facebook post advised Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ring changes in the economic management of the country. He specifically mentioned the roles of Ofori-Atta and VP Mahamudu Bawumia – head of the Economic Management Team, EMT. He urged the Akufo-Addo to immediately take a bold decision to replace his finance minister.

It is therefore not surprising that he was the first senior member of the party to comment openly on the IMF program and he minced no words in criticizing his government. With Bawumia being viewed as an architect of this economic meltdown and Alan Kyerematen unable to excuse himself from the mess, Kennedy Agyapong’s chances could be boosted with the return to the IMF. If the dumsor of his era won the NPP the elections in 2016, the IMF return could bring him back in 2024. It therefore comes as no shock that for months, people within the NDC and John Mahama have drummed home the IMF return as the only panacea to the current challenges. Whoever gets the nod to lead the party will have to show why after the persistent fuel hikes, ever-increasing transport fares and IMF return, Ghanaians should trust him and the party again.

General News of Friday, 1 July 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comAto-Forson reacts to Ghana going back to the IMFI’m a Ghanaian first before a politician, Ato ForsonAkufo-Addo orders Ofori-Atta to go to IMFRanking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Cassiel Ato Forson, has expressed joy about the government finally deciding to go for an International Monitory Funds bailout (IMF) programme. Ato-Forson, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, said that even though it took the government too long to go for an IMF bailout, the move will put Ghana’s economy back on track. “I am glad that finally, the NPP government has taken the decision to go to the IMF in a way that Ghana can get the programme obviously to implement, that will, in the long term, bring about the economic stability that we want. Ato Forson made these remarks after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ordered the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to commence official engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Meanwhile, GhanaWeb is accepting nominations for the prestigious GhanaWeb Excellence Awards – Youth Edition.