The SunRoy's age capThe SunTHERE is no age concern with Roy Hodgson — both young and old are welcome if they are good enough. Tonight in Stockholm, Hodgson will give debuts to one of the youngest players ever to make an England appearance, Liverpool's wing-wizard Raheem ...Sweden v England: Roy Hodgson warns Wilfried Zaha and Raheem Sterling ...Telegraph.co.ukCaulker, Osman, Sterling to start for EnglandTimes of IndiaGeorge Burley: I've worked with Zaha and Bale – they are cut from the same clothThe IndependentDaily Mail -The Guardian -Mirror.co.ukall 677 news articles »

Telegraph.co.ukShock and phwoar! US military rocked by spreading scandalThe IndependentThe sex scandal that has already cost David Petraeus his job as Director of the CIA widened yesterday with confirmation that the Pentagon is investigating "inappropriate communications" between General John Allen, the top US commander in Afghanistan, ...Condemning David Petraeus for affair demonizes sexual desire: MallickToronto StarThe Generals and the Women: A Guide for the PerplexedNew Yorker (blog)Gen. John Allen denies improper relationshipNBCNews.comBloomberg -ABC News (blog) -Daily Mailall 6,115 news articles »

Three weeks to the December 7 elections, political parties are yet to receive copies of the biometric voters register from the Electoral Commission (EC).

Volta Youth Caucus (VYC), a non-political pro-Volta Region advocacy group, has said the New Patriotic PartyÂ’s Free Senior High School (SHS) promise, could close the education access gap between the 'haves' and 'have-nots' in society.

Four persons, including an official of Ghana Post and three Nigerians have been arrested for allegedly trafficking in narcotic drugs through the post.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Chris Kpodo says the Government of Ghana is committed to ensuring peace, security and stability in neighboring Cote d' Ivoire.

Ghanaian-based multiple-awarding-winning IT startup, Dropifi has been adjudged the Best IT Startup on the globe in US-based Kaufman FoundationÂ’s Global Startup Open for 2012.

I have tried since the recent (30/10/12) IEA sponsored presidential debate, to ignore the President John Dramani MahamaÂ’s lies at that august forum watched live by all Ghanaians, regarding how much it cost to train Ghanaian doctors in Cuba, which he said cost only $5000.

It was quite welcoming and refreshing to hear Professor Ameyaw Ekumfi, the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Techiman-North, enlighten students at the University of Education at Winneba on the imperative need for an Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party government to implement a fee-free Senior High School program across the board, if Ghana is to rapidly inch up the ladder of socioeconomic development into an enviable middle-income status within twenty years or less.

One of the 2012 electionÂ’s most interesting features has been the theatrical sideshow of GhanaÂ’s best-known political family: the Rawlingses.

The Government of Ghana on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to peace, security and stability of Cote dÂ’Ivoire, Mr Chris Kpodo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said in Accra.

Tragedy struck a family at Krapa in the Ejisu municipality on Saturday when the room in which a two-year-old boy was sleeping caught fire and burnt the boy to death.

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA - The winning numbers of the Lucky Tuesday Lotto draw held in Accra were, 12-38-40-81 and 34, according to a bulletin of the National Lottery Authority.   GNA...

Juapong (V/R), Nov. 14, GNA – The New Patriotic Party (NPP) government will build a new economy when voted into office come December 7, 2012, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, running mate for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, presidential candidate of the Party has said.        He said such a new economy would be centred on petro-chemical industries and agro-processing to create jobs for the country’s teaming unemployed youths.   Dr. Bawumia said this at Juapong on a day’s campaign tour of the Volta Region on Tuesday.   The tour, which took him to Vakpo, Kpando and Nkonya, also afforded him the opportunity to apologize for the inability of Nana Akufo-Addo to visit those communities on his recent visit to the Region due to the Melcom shopping mall disaster.   The NPP flagbearer cut short his campaign tour to enable him return to Accra to sympathize with the disaster victims and their relatives.     Dr. Bawumia said a government of NPP would give priority to the financial sector and revive the “era where banks were chasing people to come for loans.”   He criticized the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for presiding over a “wahala economy” and said it was time for a change to improve the living conditions of people.   Dr. Bawumia urged the people to vote for their children’s education by voting for Nana Addo to implement the NPP’s free Senior High School (SHS) education campaign policy promise.   Makralo Agbohla VI of Dafor-Adidome called for the establishment of a Technical and Vocational Institute at Juapong.   At Vakpo, Togbega Gbogbolulu V, Paramount Chief of Vakpo Traditional Area, expressed the conviction that NPP’s free SHS education policy was practicable and urged the party to honour that promise should it come to power.   Dr. Bawumia, in response said education played important role in economic transformation and re-assured that the free education policy would be implemented without fail.   He said the NPP was also aware about developmental challenges such as the lack of potable water and roads in the area and assured that the party would address those challenges when voted into office.   The team received rousing welcome at almost every place they visited to campaign amidst bystanders singing the free SHS jingle.    GNA...

Accra, Nov 14, GNA - Madam Sharon Quaye, Collector and officer in charge of the Diplomatic shop-duty free at the KIA, on Tuesday called for some form of restriction on items that were imported into the freezones so as not to kill local initiatives.   She noted that although the focus of the freezones regime was to provide employment and boost local industries, some freezones developers still imported items that could be found locally, such as artifacts and traditionally made bags into the freezone to be exported.   This, she said, did not bode well for local industries.   Madam Quaye was speaking on ‘a suspense regime: freezones’ at a day’s seminar organized by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs Division to educate their stakeholders on tax regimes.   She explained that the freezone formed one of the international customs regimes also known as the Suspense Regime; a system which allowed imported goods to undergo processing or further treatment, including domestically produced goods or local importation for eventual exportation or re-exportation.   She noted that no duties or taxes were paid upfront on such goods unless it fell within the customs territory. These regimes include warehousing, transit goods and transshipment.   A customs freezone is an isolated area, building or place within a country considered by law to be outside the customs territory of that country.   Madam Quaye said the freezone presented several benefits to freezone developers as well as the country, including attraction of foreign direct investment, creation of employment, total exemption from payment of direct and indirect duties and levies on all imports and exports from freezone and total exemption of freezone developers from payment of income tax on profits for 10 years, among others.   She noted, however, that a major challenge they faced in their work was the unavailability of modern ICT and connection to the GCNET system, which meant that they had to monitor and control goods manually, which also allowed for mistakes and called for policy makers to make real efforts to introduce modernity into freezone operations as stipulated by the revised Kyoto Convention.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA – Samsung, the Global Electronics leader, is once again demonstrating its commitment to making life better for its customers this festive season with exciting offers on its products with unique technologies.    Some of the products included Duracool refrigerators, Eco bubble washing machines, Satellite LED TV and Triple Protector Air-Conditioners.   A statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the duracool refrigerator comes in three models with luxurious design.   Mr Richard Nunekpeku, Marketing Manager for Consumer Electronics at Samsung, said the company deeply understood the needs of its consumers.   “We provide tailor-made solutions to meet those specific needs and the technologies built into these products are specifically made for the African market, “he noted.   He said as a brand that was committed to creating a future full of possibilities, management wanted its consumers to have access to meaningful innovations and contemporary designs at better values.   “The technologies out of which Duracool and the washing machine were built are just two of the several technologies we have, “he added.    Mr Nunekpeku said the latest free Satellite LED TV that was recently launched allows consumers to enjoy over 30 English channels and more than 27 French channels at no cost to them.   The marketing manager said Samsung wanted customers and non customers to begin the celebration of the festive season this November by giving them mobile phones and digital cameras for purchase made on Samsung air conditioners, washing machines, free satellite TV and the Duracool refrigerators.   He said the Christmas season bound and connected families and friends, hence the opportunity to provide customers with the tools that could enable them to connect and with their relatives and share those memorable moments.   GNA...

Biriwa (C/R), Nov 14, GNA - A total of 50 men from the Niger Delta in Nigeria have graduated from the Biriwa Vocational Training and Rehabilitation Institute in the Mfantsiman District of the Central Region.       They were awarded National Vocational Training Institute Proficiency II Certificate.   The graduation is the second to be organized for people from the Niger Delta who went through nine months training in wielding and fabrication.   The training is Amnesty Training Programme (ATP) in collaboration with the governments of Ghana and Nigeria to offer vocational training to about 200 ex-militants of the Niger Delta uprising in Nigeria in five technical and vocational institutes in Ghana.   At a durbar on Tuesday held in their honour in Biriwa, Mr Samuel Kwashie Amegbor, Manager of the Institute, said the students were trained in manual metal ARC welding processes, gas welding, metal inert gas, tungsten inert gas as well as numeracy, communication skills, entrepreneurship skills and ICT.   He told them they were lucky to have been offered the opportunity and urged them to go out and utilize the skills acquired to develop themselves, their families, communities and Nigeria as a whole.   The manager also asked them to go to the job market and make the institute and Ghana proud so as to open further opportunities for others, stressing that there were others on the streets in Nigeria and Ghana waiting to be given this golden opportunity.   Mr Amegbor thanked the Biriwa community, the Municipality and Central Region for accommodating the Nigerians and stressed that the Amnesty training programme had really helped the institute to establish a complete workshop, which was being used concurrently to train regular trainees in the area of welding and fabrication and that it had also economically boosted business within the community and Cape Coast environs.   He said the institute ensured holistic training to its students, which made them more marketable on the job market, adding that the stigma attached to vocational education that the course was limited to a specific section of individuals seemed to be dying out with the increasing demand for specialized skills.   The Manager said although the institute was successful it was still faced with a lot of challenges and appealed to all stakeholders to assist it to build an additional boys hostel to help enroll more students locally and internationally.   Mr Amegbor also asked for modern tools and equipment in most of the departments to enhance training, adding that with a trainee population of 1,500, the school had no official vehicle and appealed for a school bus to be used for field trips.   The Deputy Central Regional Minister Mr Aquainas Tawiah Quansah, asked the trained students to make maximum use of the skills they had acquired by setting up their own businesses back home and endeavour to market the institute by producing quality items.   He appealed to the management of the institute to consider giving a quota of about 50 admissions to apprentice mechanics and youth on the streets in the Municipality of which he would cater for their expenses and tools.   Mr Quansah also promised to assist the institute with GH¢5,000 to enable them purchase a school bus as well as assist the girls hostel with 14 ceiling fans and five brand new computers to the school.   Mr Brizimor Dima, the course prefect, thanked the government of Ghana for the opportunity given them and gave the assurance that they would make good use of the skills they had acquired.   Mr Olantunji Otun, ATP coordinator, thanked the government of Ghana and Nigeria for the gesture, stressing that the training given to the students would go a long way to improve upon the bonds that existed between the two countries.   Nana Kwa Bonko V, chief of Biriwa asked the trained students to impart the knowledge they had acquired into others and endeavour to open their own shops.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA - Dr Koma Jehu-Appiah, Country Director for Ipas Ghana, has expressed grave concern about rising incidence of unsafe abortion cases and has called for the full implementation of the Abortion Law.   He said statistics from the Ghana Health Service indicated that unsafe abortion was the second leading cause of maternal mortality in Ghana, accounting for 15 per cent of maternal deaths, and also accounted for 25 to 30 per cent of maternal deaths in leading teaching hospitals in the country.   Speaking at a day’s stakeholders’ forum on Tuesday on “The Medical Social Issues on Abortion” to commemorate the 60th anniversary celebrations of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Dr Jehu-Appiah said it impeded the country’s efforts at achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 primarily aimed at reducing maternal mortality by 75 per cent by 2015.   The forum organized by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) was under the theme: “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: The Emerging Issues in Ghana”.   Dr Jehu-Appiah noted that although Ghana’s abortion law is considered relatively liberal, the criminalization of abortion, coupled with traditional values, social perceptions and religious teachings, had created a situation where quacks and charlatans carried out abortion in clandestine and dangerous ways.   Legal abortion is permissible in Ghana on grounds of conception resulting from rape; defilement of a female idiot or incest; when there is risk to the life of the woman or likely injury to her mental or physical health or where there is substantial risk or serious abnormality or disease with the foetus.   However, the termination of pregnancy ‘to save the mother’s life, in cases of serious medical conditions, including hypertensive disorders, renal failure, as well as obstetric emergencies such as acute haemorrhage in pregnancy, has been available in virtually all public and private hospitals in Ghana.   Dr Jehu-Appiah expressed concern about the low use and inaccessibility of modern contraceptives and described as being a contributing factor to the high rate of unsafe abortion, adding “how many students can just walk into a pharmacy shop to buy a pack of condom”?   Lack of sex education for young people, he said, was also a contributory factor to unsafe abortion as well as some parents are neglecting their responsibilities to their children in the name of economic gain and religion.   He called on the government, parents and religious bodies to ensure that each played its responsible roles to ensure that Ghana’s high unmet needs of contraceptives was met by making condoms available and education intensified.   Nana Oye Lithur, a human rights activist, and the Executive Director of the Human Rights Advocacy Centre, who also spoke on the topic: “Abortion, Rights and the Law” said Ghana’s laws and policy framework were liberal enough, explaining that although there was no legislative instrument on comprehensive abortion, the GHS had adopted guidelines and protocols which were enough for comprehensive abortion care in Ghana.   She attributed the increasing rate of abortion to the fact that young people were sexually active but did not practice safe sex and called for safe sex education for young people and the prosecution of perpetrators of rape and defilement.   She criticized the Minister of Health and the Ghana Medical and Dental Council for being silent on the recent video released by Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas on a quack doctor who was operating a clinic and performing unsafe abortion.   She challenged the two to make public statements on this matter in which the quack doctor before the procurement of the unsafe abortion had unprotected sex with over 50 young women who sought his services for abortion.   Professor Ken Attafuah, Founding Director of the William Ofori-Atta Institute of Integrity, who spoke on the main theme of the forum, explained that right to health, child prostitution and homosexuality were the main issues that needed to be addressed.   He reiterated the need for intensified education on the abortion law and the need to bridge the low rate of contraceptive use.   Dr Catherine Dawson-Amoah, Executive Director of PPAG, said a lot still remained to be done to surmount the challenges besetting the sexual and reproductive health in order to attain the MDG 4 & 5 as well as the ICPD goals.    She pledged PPAG’s support to remain unwavering in promoting the use of family planning in order to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, reduce adolescent pregnancies, promote condom usage and delay the onset of sexual activities among young people.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA – The Government of Ghana on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to peace, security and stability of Cote d’Ivoire, Mr Chris Kpodo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said in Accra.   He said: “President John Daramani Mahama’s position is that Ghana will not tolerate the use of its territory for activities aimed at destabilizing any neighbouring country including Cote d’Ivoire by either Ivoirian Refugees or any person or group of persons.”   Mr Kpodo stated during the signing of the final communiqué of the Tripartite Commission - Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR.   The Tripartite Commission was charged with the voluntary repatriation of refugees from Cote d’Ivoire living in Ghana.   He explained that deliberations and co-operations between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire was not merely states or neighbours but between peoples of the same origin whose destiny was inextricably connected.   “It is therefore, our shared responsibility to work towards peace, security and stability in Cote d’Ivoire for our common good,” he added.   Mr Kpodo said it was within this context that Ghana on October 6, 2011 took a number of decisions including the signing of a tripartite agreement with the UNHCR on voluntary repatriation so that Ivorian Refugees in Ghana would be able to return home to contribute their quota towards national reconstruction and development.   He said even though the remit of the tripartite commission was to ensure the voluntary return of the Ivoirian Refugees to Cote d’Ivoire, “it was worthy to note that authorities of the two countries had been cooperating on all fronts to ensure a peaceful environment and security in Cote d’Ivoire”.   The Deputy Minister opined that during the tripartite commission meeting in Cote d’Ivoire on June 1, 2012, the team acknowledged with satisfaction, the establishment of an effective mechanism to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of the Ivorian Refugees.   Mr Kpodo said efforts were been made by Ghanaian officials to receive a delegation from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is collaborating with Ghanaian authorities to ensure a successful trial of those presumed guilty of criminal acts during the Ivorian post electoral crises.   “To ensure significant progress in this matter, the hosting of a platform for the discussion on the subject of extradition request from Cote d’Ivoire by the UNHCR in Geneva may be useful due to the difference in the approaches of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire on matters of jurisprudence and due process,” he said.   He appealed to the tripartite committee to devise ingenious methods to encourage the international community to enhance its contribution towards the management of the Ivorian Refugees problems, particularly their nutritional and health needs.   Mr Bernard Ehui-Koutoua, Ivoirian Ambassador to Ghana, said President Alassane Ouattara was calling on all Ivoirian Refugees to return home in order to play their part in the national reconstruction of the new nation Cote d’Ivoire.   Madam Sharon J. Cooper, the UNHCR Resident Representative in Ghana said during the Ivorian conflict over 18,000 refugees crossed over into Ghana but so far more than half of them had returned home under the voluntary repatriation programme.   The next meeting of the tripartite committee is slated for April, 2013 in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire.   In attendance were Mr. Ken Dzirasah, Chairman Ghana Refugee Board, Lt. Cl. E. K. T. Donkor, Ghana’s Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, the UNHCR Resident Representative to Cote d’Ivoire and the Coordinator of Service for Aid and Assistance to Refugees and Stateless Persons (SAARA) in Cote d’Ivoire.   GNA...