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News in Details:
September 2024
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NOW THE HEADLINES……………………………………………..
Election 2024: Trust in the EC is at its lowest – CDD Fellow
Father of stabbed O’Reilly SHS student vows to sue school over son’s death
Wa West: Prolonged drought wipes out farms beyond repair
Otumfuo destools Wirempehene for abusing sacred oath
Farmers at chaang allege they are not beneficiaries of planting for food and jobs program
EduWatch urges Mahama to clarify free tertiary education promise for Level 100 students
IN INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
Ugandan athlete in hospital after Kenya petrol attack
A SHORT BREAK……….
NOW, THE NEWS IN DETAILS —
STORY 1
A Democracy and Development Fellow at CDD-Ghana, Dr John Osae-Kwapong, has stated that trust in the Electoral Commission (EC) is currently at its lowest point in the history of the Afrobarometer survey.
He emphasised that the EC should take steps to avoid giving any election stakeholders further reasons to doubt the transparency and fairness of the electoral process, especially as the December elections approach.
The Electoral Commission has committed to holding accountable all officers involved in electoral malpractices, following allegations of unauthorized voter
These transfers, which occurred without the consent of the affected voters, involved moving voters from polling stations in the Tamale South and Sagnarigu constituencies to the Pusiga constituency in the Upper East region.
It is on the back of this, Dr. Osae-Kwapong in his contribution urged EC to be more cautious in its operations before, during and after the polls.
“Everyone should go into the December 7 elections confident that the processes will ensure a free and fair election. When you hear news that an officer—even if it is just one—has illegally transferred voter registrations from one place to another, it raises serious concerns. Even a single incident can fuel a lot of questions,” he said on Tuesday.
He noted that although it is a positive step that the officer involved has been suspended, the Commission cannot afford any mistakes in the upcoming election, especially given the current perception of its integrity.
Dr. Osae-Kwapong added that while no system is perfect, people are unlikely to distinguish between honest mistakes and deliberate wrongdoing in this context.
“I hope the EC will be very sensitive to this issue and ensure they do their utmost to avoid giving anyone any reason to doubt the election process,” he said.
STORY 2
Enoch Sackey, the father of Edward Sackey, a final-year student of O’Reilly Senior High School who was fatally stabbed during an altercation on campus, has vowed to sue the school.
Edward, an 18-year-old General Arts student, died on Monday, September 2, after being stabbed by a classmate from the Visual Arts Department.
In an interview with Accra-based CitiNews, Enoch Sackey expressed his family’s frustration over the incident, stating that the school must be held accountable for the circumstances that led to his son’s untimely death.
“We have to sue the school; we have to hold the school responsible. We want the school authority to come out to explain and tell us, why such a thing would happen in a school premises that the teachers, nobody tried to interfere… they were all unconcerned until my son passed away,” he said.
Earlier today, he accused the school’s teachers of negligence. He says his niece called him earlier that day to invite him to campus over the fight when it started. Mr Sackey said he initially did not understand the rationale behind the call, as the teachers had the responsibility to prevent it. He however made his way to the school in Accra to understand the happenings.
The aggrieved father, along with other family members clad in red and black attire on Tuesday, picketed the school premises to express their displeasure.
He added that neither the school administration, the attacker’s family, nor the police has reached out to them regarding the situation.
“We want answers from the school authority, and the parents of the boy and the police. What happened to the extent of leading to the student stabbing his friend? That’s all we want. We want justice, and we want the school authority to explain to us if the teachers were not at the school when it happened, or they were there, or they did not care.”
He added that the administration has invited police officers to prevent them from accessing the campus.
According to Accra-based 3News, Edward was stabbed three times in the chest over an argument over who was richer.
“The whole thing was about you what do you have? I have this and that, you’re lying. That was what brought the fight. So, I thought the whole thing was nothing.”
The deceased’s cousin further explained that she was approached by Godwin later with a caution that she warns her “brother or else his blood will flow.”
At this point, the deceased had reportedly run to some teachers but they “did not do anything.”
She rushed to her uncle’s shop near the school to report the development. Her uncle was unavailable.
Sadly, on her return, Edward was covered in blood after he was allegedly stabbed by Godwin.
He was subsequently pronounced dead at the hospital.
The suspect has been arrested by the Ghana Police Service.
STORY 3
The recent drought in Northern Ghana and other parts of the country has destroyed some farms in the Wa West District. Even though recent rains have reached every part of the district, the district’s Department of Agriculture’s assessment has shown that the long spell has destroyed some farms.
Speaking news men, the Agricultural Extension Agent for the Tanvaare Zone, Mr Ali Salmah, said the situation has thus posed a problem to farmers.
“Some crops can recover from the pressures of the drought following the rains but some too; there is nothing to do at the moment. Some groundnuts that started to flower before the drought cannot recover, the same as maize farms.
” He recommended that farmers opt for crops with shorter maturity periods if they must plant at this time of year, to minimize potential losses. “Farmers can sow sorghum which has short maturity period. If we are lucky and the rain continued beyond October 20, we can still have a good harvest. But for maize, they require enough water to do well.
” Mr Salmah said distribution of inputs under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) Phase 2 will continue in the coming days. He mentioned that the agriculture department has identified strategic locations across the district to provide easier access to the inputs for farmers.
He indicated that the district’s large size makes it impractical to have all the inputs stationed in one location for the beneficiary farmers to access.
STORY 4
Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on Monday, September 2, 2024, destooled Wirempehene Nana Opia Mensah II for desecrating the revered Asante Sacred Oath (Ntamkɛseɛ).
This decision was made during a meeting of the Kumasi Traditional Council at the Manhyia Palace, where Nana Opia Mensah II was reprimanded for his blatant disregard and disrespect towards the sacred tradition.
The 90-year-old former Member of Parliament, who had reigned for 54 years, was stripped of his title due to his attempts to distort historical truths for personal gain, violating both statutory and traditional laws.
“Nana Opia, you knowingly and deceitfully invoked the Great Oath, despite being fully aware that the stool did not rightfully belong to you. You deliberately challenged its ownership, attempting to exploit your long reign to conceal your illegitimacy.
“However, by misusing the Great Oath for personal gain, you have forfeited your claim to the stool. Your actions have left you no choice but to relinquish the throne,” Otumfuo declared.
In a symbolic gesture of his removal from office, the chief’s traditional slippers were promptly removed, marking his destoolment by custom.
This action follows a comprehensive report presented to the Council on August 15, 2024, which revealed that the Aduana Clan, to which Nana Opia Mensah II belongs, is not the legitimate royal house, but rather the Oyoko Clan holds the rightful claim to the throne.
STORY 5
Some farmers in chaang, a farming community in the Nadowli-Kaleo district of upper west region have alleged that, they are currently not benefiting from the government flagship in the agricultural sector dubbed plating for food and job phase 2
The farmers have outlined the effort they put in order to be beneficiaries of planting for food and jobs program yet could catch the attention of duty bearers.
In an exclusive interview with Mr Gatetain a farmer at the community, he explained that, there was an officer from the district agric office who has been coming to register them for the program but after the registration, they never received any form of help be it fertilizers or anything under the planting for food and jobs phase 2 program.
CUE IN…. MR GATETAIN PLANTING
Mr Gatetain further explained that, since the start of the planting for food and jobs program, farmers at the chaang community, never benefited from the program. He said they were registered for the program but did not receive any support from program after putting in effort to contact the officer who registered them, but their effort has not brought any positive result.
CUE IN… MR GATETAIN PLANTING 1
STORY 6
Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) has called on former President John Mahama to clarify his recent promise to offer free tertiary education for Level 100 students.
EduWatch stated the need for details on how the policy would be implemented.
Divine Kpe, Senior Programmes Officer at EduWatch, acknowledged the potential benefits of such an initiative but stressed the importance of strengthening existing student financial support mechanisms.
“We have been doing quite a lot when it comes to financing at the tertiary education level. Our analysis shows that the current student loan system is not responsive enough to meet the financial needs of students. This has left many students unable to take advantage of opportunities for higher education,” he stated.
EduWatch’s recent report highlighted the challenges faced by students transitioning from senior high school to tertiary institutions.
According to Mr Kpe, over 60% of students admitted to tertiary institutions are unable to enroll due to financial constraints.
“If there is going to be an intervention, it is actually the entry point where support is most needed. If this free education program is meant to assist students as they enter tertiary education, it could be a step in the right direction. However, we need more details on how this initiative will be implemented,” Mr Kpe added.
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama says that first-year tertiary students will not pay academic fees.
According to him, this is part of a government initiative to lessen the burden on parents financing the cost of their children’s education.
“We will implement a no-fees stress programme to alleviate the financial burden on parents and students in financing tertiary education.
“We will implement a no academic fees policy at the university for level 100 students,” he said.
EduWatch has joined the list of those calling for more clarity on how this will be achieved considering the country’s current economic situation.
Mr Kpe stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to improving financial support for tertiary students.
“Our recommendation, as outlined in our recent report, is for the government to enhance the effectiveness of the student loan system. This includes increasing the amount disbursed and ensuring timely release of funds to beneficiaries.”
While Eduwatch recognizes the potential impact of Mahama’s proposed free tertiary education for Level 100 students, Mr Kpe concluded that the success of such a policy would depend on its implementation.
“We need better and further particulars on how this is going to be rolled out. It’s a promising idea, but the details are crucial.”
A SHORH BREAK —
IN INTERNATIONAL NEWS ….
Rebecca Cheptegei won the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand in 2022
Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei is in a critical condition in a Kenyan hospital, after allegedly being doused with petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend.
The 33-year-old marathon runner, who competed at the recent Paris Olympics, had suffered extensive burns, the doctor treating her said.
She was attacked at her home in western Kenya, where she had been training.
There are concerns about the increasing cases of violence against female athletes in Kenya, some of which have resulted in death.
Ms Cheptegei is said to have been rescued by neighbours after the incident that happened on Sunday at her home in the small town of Endebess.
She was returning from church with her two children when she was targeted.
The alleged attacker also sustained serious burns, local police chief Jeremiah ole Kosiom told journalists.
“The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her,” Mr Kosiom was quoted as saying.
Ms Cheptegei, from a region just across the border in Uganda, is said to have bought a piece of land in Trans Nzoia County and built a house, to be near Kenya’s many athletic training centres.
A report filed by a local administrator said the two had been wrangling over the piece of land. Police say an investigation is under way.
The two are being treated at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, the main town in the region.
The hospital’s senior director of clinical services Dr Owen Benach told journalists that “a high-profile patient” had been “fully sedated because of the extent of the burns”. He said the hospital was well-equipped to deal with the difficult situation that both patients were in.
Talking to reporters, Ms Cheptegei’s father, Joseph Cheptegei, said that he prayed “for justice for my daughter”.
Ms Cheptegei finished 44th in the marathon at the recent Paris Olympics.
She also won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022.
In April 2022, another female runner, Damaris Mutua, was found strangled in a home with a pillow over her face in the Rift Valley town of Iten.
It came months after record-breaking long-distance runner Agnes Tirop was found stabbed to death in the same town.
In both cases, their partners have been identified by the authorities as the main suspects.
Ms Tirop’s husband is currently facing murder charges, which he denies, while a search for Ms Mutua’s boyfriend continues.
Men have also been targeted.
Last December, another Ugandan athlete, Benjamin Kiplagat was stabbed to death by assailants in Eldoret.
NOW TO END THE NEWS, A RECAP OF THE HEADLINES:
Election 2024: Trust in the EC is at its lowest – CDD Fellow
Father of stabbed O’Reilly SHS student vows to sue school over son’s death
Wa West: Prolonged drought wipes out farms beyond repair
Otumfuo destools Wirempehene for abusing sacred oath
Farmers at chaang allege they are not beneficiaries of planting for food and jobs program
EduWatch urges Mahama to clarify free tertiary education promise for Level 100 students
IN INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
Ugandan athlete in hospital after Kenya petrol attack
