General News of Monday, 24 January 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comFreddie Blay, the National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party, has tasked Majority Members of Parliament, to be resolute and strategic in their dealings with colleagues on the Minority side. He has tasked MPs of his party to do all it takes on their part to engage in consensus building efforts especially because of the nature of the current Parliament. The gathering was to help MPs to brainstorm ideas ahead of the resumption of Parliamentary duties on January 25. “Parliament is Parliament! Your colleagues in the NDC are determined to undermine you but you should be more resolute and strategic”.

A referee who gives spectators another form of entertainment aside from the field action, Alexander Cofie also known as Somo, has moved off the pitch to entertain wedding guests. In a recent video sighted by GhanaWeb, the dancing referee seemed to have transcended his rhythmic gyrating skills beyond the football field as he was spotted entertaining guests at a marriage ceremony. Garbed in his official refereeing attire, Somo was seen in the video dancing to the delight of wedding guests who couldn’t help but cheer him on. Referee Somo has trended on social media in the past months due to the entertainment aspect he adds to his officiating crafts. “I dance to entertain spectators because they looked bored so it's my own way of entertaining them by dancing.

Ghana as a country has experienced some disasters that have thrown the nation into mourning. These disasters claimed the lives of many, properties were destroyed and many were left homeless. As the government is putting measures in place to curb these disasters those incidents have left a sore in the heart of many. Circle flood, May 9, and 3 other disasters that wrecked the nation (Photo credit: Ghanaweb.com)Source: Getty ImagesYEN.com.gh bring 5 disasters that wrecked the foundation of Ghana. Reports claimed that 20 students died - 17 died on the spot while the other 3 were pronounced dead later at the hospital.

Sports News of Saturday, 22 January 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comTen African countries are contending for FIVE tickets available for grasp to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Ghanaians will be hoping to get a favorable draw in the playoffs because of the Black Stars' abysmal performance in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations ongoing in Cameroon. The Black Stars lost 3-2 to the Coelacanths of Comoros in the final Group C game at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Garoua on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, to end their AFCON campaign. The team will hope to use a FIFA Wold Cup qualification to appease Ghanaians. Ghana last qualified to the World Cup in Brazil 2014.

As the conversation rages on about the Apiate explosion, GhanaWeb takes a look at other disasters that rocked the nation and had Ghanaians uniting in grief. The fire instantly spread to a fuel station adjacent to the gas filling station causing death and destruction. A statement from the University of Ghana indicated that twenty (20) of its students were injured in the process. Eastern Region National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) official Richard Amo-Yartey in an update on the situation on October 24 said that at least 22 people, including a baby, were killed. Rescue efforts are currently underway with several people reported dead and others receiving treatment at hospitals for their various injuries.

But ACP Ofori also revealed that the motor rider and police officer escorting the truck were also alive. He confirmed that the driver and his escort helped lessen the deadly impact of the explosion by alerting people nearby of the imminent explosion. “When the incident took place, the police officer quickly alerted those around the scene that there is a likelihood that there would be an explosion. The first occurred and the second explosion ravaged the town and the village where a lot of destruction took place,” ACP Kwesi Ofori added. “The driver, the police officer and the motor rider are all alive because they heeded to the advice,” he noted.

This Week on Twitter #TwitterGhana captures the latest in music, movies, sports, entertainment and more you might have missed. AFCON Updates: BlackStar’s shock exit from the tournamentGhana’s Black Stars suffered a shock Group stage exit from the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) after failing to win any of their three games in Cameroon. This left the Black Stars with ten men for the rest of the match which they eventually lost 3-2. END OF THE ROAD FOR #TeamGhanaFirst group stage exit since 2006 for the Black Stars. Ghana's AFCON 2021: I didn't see the hunger in the Black Stars especially in Dede Ayew and Thomas Partey.

He expressed his optimism in the bill getting the needed support to push through after extensive consultations. “After extensive consultations, the E-levy will be re-submitted to Parliament this month. New year, same old insensitivity,” he wrote on his Facebook timeline on January 20, 2022. It will be recalled that in December 2022, a vote on the controversial bill ended in fisticuffs as MPs on both sides of the house violently disagreed on some voting processes. The E-levy bill if passed in its current form will see a 1.75% rate slapped on all electronic transactions including mobile money.

According to a statement signed by himself, the reason for the circular was because he had noted that certain judges and professional magistrates were flouting existing rules on dress codes - i.e. “Judges and professional magistrates must be fully robed in wig and gown for court sittings at all times,” the circular read. “For this reason, judges and professional magistrates should also ensure that members of the Bar who appear before the Courts strictly comply with the dress standards to maintain the dignity of the court. In September 2021, the CJ issued a similar circular titled: “Dress Standards in Court” addressed to all judges and professional magistrates. Which spiral he continued had led by non-conformity and legitimate demand for change of the current Constitution.

General News of Friday, 21 January 2022Source: www.ghanaweb.comCorrespondence from Western Region:The Thursday, January 20, 2022, explosion at Bogoso-Apiate in the Western Region saw about 17 individuals losing their lives with fifty-seven victims ofthe explosion being sent to three different health facilities in the Western Region, the National Ambulance Service has confirmed. The explosion was caused by a truck belonging to a mining service contractor MAXAM that was involved in a collision causing an explosion in the community. The truck carrying the explosive was from Bogoso heading towards Kinross, a mining company in Chirano in the Western North Region, 140 kilometers away from the explosion site. The truck dragged the motor on the road for some few meters, caught fire, and extended to a nearby ECG transformer which also caught fire. The vibration from the explosion was so hard like an earthquake, bringing all houses in the community down killing about seventeen and injuring an unknown number.

According to multiple reports, the incident is a result of a fuel tanker catching fire while enroute for a delivery. However videos shared on social media indicate that the tanker burned completely with the fire extending to places nearby. Some of the videos show members of the Kaase community making effort to stop the spread of the fire including throwing sand on the fuel tanker which had leaked and was extending away from the accident scene. An accident involving the transport vehicle, a tricycle and a motorbike led to a fire situation which caused the explosion. So far, some 13 deaths have been recorded with several others said to have suffered various degrees of injuries.

“As I have indicated elsewhere, Speaker Bagbin may have had genuine reasons for his request for an elevated security protection. “I recall same or similar "ugly noises" were made in 2001 when President Rawlings' security detail was reviewed by the Kufuor Administration. The NDC went to court on that issue after their "ugly noises" in the public space. BackgroundThe Chief of Staff at the Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces, Major General Nicholas Peter Andoh, withdrew four military personnel attached to the office of the Speaker of Parliament. Bonney Prince have been serving Bagbin’s office since he became Speaker in January 2021.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram Sam Nartey George has disclosed that he does not intend to father more than the three children he currently has. I welcomed the girl six weeks ago so she is the latest addition and hopefully she is the last”, he revealed. According to him, no one would want to have more kids considering the world’s economy amidst the challenges it is grappling with. “Given the world’s economy you don’t want to have too many kids”, he stressed. Sam George in August last year it would be recalled, celebrated the ninth anniversary of his marriage with Vera with whom they now have three kids.

Pregnant women can now be vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) announced on Wednesday (19 January). According to the GHS, recent studies across the globe including Ghana show that pregnant women are now safe to take the COVID-19 jab. Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, the director-general of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said specific vaccines will be administered to pregnant women. “But now that we have enough evidence both international and local, we are now able to add pregnant women to it because it is effective and safe. He added: “And then we have also recommended specific vaccines that can be used for pregnant women, just like we have specific ones for 15 year olds, those below 18 and 15 years.”Dr Kuma-Aboagye said the GHS will embark on massive education across the country on vaccinating pregnant women in the coming days.

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, seeks to add military personnel to his security detail for his protection during road movements across the country.”He explained that “this is paramount, especially in this day and age of terrorism and violent armed robberies. Bonney Prince were the officers requested to be attached to Mr. Bagbin’s office. The military indicated in a letter sighted by GhanaWeb that, the soldiers were attached to the Speaker ‘without proper procedure.’“It is humbly requested that the personnel are withdrawn with effect from 14 January 2022 while efforts are made to regularize their attachment,” the letter stated. Bonney Prince have been serving Bagbin’s office since he became Speaker in January 2021. Find below the letter from the Speaker to GAF.