Komla Dumor's Death Not Of God - Archbishop Duncan-Williams

Related Stories     The General Overseer of Christian Action Faith Ministries (CAFM), Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams says the sudden passing of ace BBC broadcaster, Komla Dumor, is not of God. He said, 41-year-old Komla Dumor was a "very spiritual person with a good heart" which makes it difficult to explain why he should die at the prime of his life. "He was one that didn't have just a good head [God] but had a good heart; it was something phenomenal". The former Joy FM/BBC presenter died of a heart attack in hishome in London on Saturday, January 18, 2014. He was survived by three children and a wife. "Did God do this? No. This is not God's dealing. This is not how God deals with His children, especially with his commitment and his spirituality and seriousness to the things of God," Archbishop Duncan-Williams said on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM, Friday. "There is no amount of explanation that one can give to the family and the children why such a thing should happen to such a good person like Komla". He told Bernard Nasara Saibu, co-host of the programme that it would take about a century for the Ghana and Africa to have a man like Komla. "It takes sometimes a hundred years to have men and people like the Komla Dumor type. We've lost a great asset and a gift not just from this country [Ghana] but for the whole of Africa," he grieved. The Archbishop prayed for God's "supernatural intervention" on behalf of the family "in this very difficult situation".

Source: myjoyonline.com

BBC will hold a funeral service for Komla Dumor, on Saturday February 1

Komla Dumor Related Stories Multimedia Holds Memorial Service For Komla Dumor Komla Dumor Could Have Become Ghana's President Komla Dumor Was The Big Deal - Paul Adom Otchere Writes Komla Dumor's Death Not Of God - Archbishop Duncan-Williams VIDEO: President Mahama Paying Tribute To Komla Dumor On BBC The BBC will hold a funeral service for Komla Dumor, on Saturday February 1. The service will be held at London’s St Martin-in-the-fieldChurch, Trafalgar Sq., from 11am to 12:30pm. The funeral service comes days after the BritishBroadcaster held a memorial for him. JOY FM, the station Dumor worked for, for a greater part of his broadcasting years, also held one for him last weekend. Celebrated widely, he died at his London residence on Saturday January 18. He joined the BBC in 2006, and rose rather quickly through the ranks of some of it’s flagship programs on radio and television.

Komla Dumor's Passing: Togbe Afede Officially Informed

Related Stories     Prof. Ernest Dumor, father of Komla Dumor, accompanied by family members, on Sunday 26th January 2014 called on the President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV to inform him formally about the passing of his son which occurred in London on Saturday 18th January 2014. Receiving Professor Dumor, Togbe Afede XIV described the news as heartbreaking and said that he and the whole of the Volta Region House of Chiefs would stand firmly behind the family in all that the family would be doing in respect of the funeral. Professor Dumor indicated that the family had taken a decisionto bring Komla back home to Ghana for his burial. He added that documentation associated with transporting the body back to Ghana was far advanced. The family used the opportunity to once again thank Ghanaians for their support, love and prayers. Prof. Dumor said, “We are mindful of the worldwide legacy that Komla has left behind and thank the Almighty God for the impact of Komla’s life.” Professor Dumor added that he has been particularly struck by how deeply young people have been expressing their sympathies. The family would ensure that in the arrangements for the funeral, the involvement of such young people is not overlooked. The family is undertaking the consultations needed so that the numerous people who feel a deep sense of loss at Komla’s passing are able to participate meaningfully in his final journey. Present at the meeting with the President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs was Togbi Amenya Fiti V, Paramonunt Chief of Aflao. Media Contacts: Amb. Patrick R. D. Hayford 020 601 309 Esther A. N. Cobbah Stratcomm Africa 28 Samora Machel Road, Accra 023 084 7021 Website: www.komla-dumor.com Email: dumorfamliy@gmail.com Hotline: 0303 932 383 Komla Afeke Dumor, who passed away suddenly on 18th January 2014 in London, was the son of Professor Ernest Dumor, the first Chief Executive Officer of the National Identification Authority (NIA) and a former member of the Electoral Commission of Ghana and Professor of the University of Ghana, Cape Coast. Komla, who is a native of Aflao in the Volta Region of Ghana, was a well-respected international broadcast journalist. He previously hosted the Super Morning Show on Joy FM in Ghana for almost a decade before going to the BBC in 2007. Komla is survived by his wife Kwansema and three children. He was the brother of Mrs. Mawuena Trebarh, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), and Dr. Korshie Dumor, a Medical Doctor currently practicing in the USA.

Massive ‘Chop Chop’ @ Korle-Bu!...Board Chairman Fingered!

The Ministry of Healthhas taken serious issues with the Board Chairman of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital over the decision to appoint a Board member into an executive position at the hospital, and to pile upon him huge sums of monies and mouthwatering conditions of service. However, in an interesting twist, the Board Chairman, Mr. Eddie Annan, has treated the concerns of the Ministry of Health with absolute contempt. This newspaper can state that the Board Chair has named theBoard member, Godfred Ahianyo, to head a three-member special audit committee of the Board, and as his conditions of service is taking home a full salary (GH¢2,498.16), a duty post vehicle, duty post accommodation, market premium (GH¢2,540.50), monthly credit allowance of GH¢60.00, responsibility allowance (GH¢1,270.25), entertainment allowance GH¢508.10) and others. Documents cited by the Daily Searchlight reveal that after full computation of his salary and allowances, Mr. Ahianyo, for December 2013, took home a whopping GH¢7,341.02 as net salary. His gross (before taxes) was GH¢9,352.17! Incredibly, the Board Chairman has approved these conditions when his sector Ministry is dead opposed to them. Earlier, reacting to these incredible benefits, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sylvester Anemana, wrote in a letter dated 24th December 2012, “Your letter reference Number KB/G-486 dated November, 2012, appointing Mr. Godfred Ahianyo a member of the Hospital’s Board, as Chairman of the Board’s three-member committee to audit various processes at the Directorates and sub-BMCs of the Hospital is a clear caseof conflict of interest. Every Board/Council has approved allowances for the Board Members and sub-committee work. This is what Mr. Ahianyo should be entitled to. But what you provided in your letter is equivalent to emoluments of a permanent employee… “Besides being a conflict of interest, were the services of Mr. Ahianyo engaged in accordance with the Public Procurement Act, Act 633? Why should the appointment be indefinite, if it simply entails audit of processes? Why should conditions of service that go with a permanent appointment, such as duty post accommodation, go with such an appointment?” The letter was directed at the Board Chairman, who, in direct contempt for this letter, has even gone ahead to grant Mr. Ahianyo even more enhanced conditions of service.

Source: The Daily Searchlight

Somebody Bigger Than Abuga Pele Needs To Be Prosecuted - Nana Akomea Suggests

Former Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akomea has suggested the rot at GYEEDA is far bigger than Abuga Pele, the man who has been formally charged with causing financial loss to the state. He questions " how can Abuga Pele cause the payment of $2million to an individual because GYEEDA hasn't got that money. How? How can GYEEDA cause the granting of loan to a private companyamounting to GHC 50,000". The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliamentfor Chiana-Paga has been charged with willfully causing financial loss to the state, misapplication of public funds and aiding and abetting crime. Mr. Abuga Pele on behalf of GYEEDA without authorization from his minister signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CEO of GIG Mr. Assibit and paid GH¢3,330,568.53 to thecompany, the court heard Friday. The commencement of prosecution comes almost nine months after Joy FM's investigative journalist Manasseh Azure serialized a litany of wrongdoing going on at the government agency. According to Manasseh Azure Awuni, the report cites “extreme focus of power and authority at the top echelons of governance”, which has resulted in a situation whereby the deputy National Coordinators of GYEEDA, the Monitoring and Evaluation team, and Regional Coordinators are unaware of modules that have been approved and for which implementation had started. Speaking on Joy FM and Multi TV's Saturday news analysisprogramme Newsfile, Nana Akomea says the rot at GYEEDA "is much, much, much bigger than Abuga Pele. It goes wa,y way beyond the coordinator". Akomea argues that if Abuga Pele is being prosecuted for signing the MoU without ministerial approval than whoever authorized thepayment of the money resulting in the financial loss should be made to answer. "We are being told that he didn't have ministerial approval so who paid the money?.. because he has to write a contract for it to be processed through the system for it to be paid by the Ministry of Finance... "If there was no ministerial approval how did it go through the system for it to be paid?" Nana Akomea fumed.   Backing the former NPP Communications Director, Egbert Faibille Jnr is shocked that a MoU alone could cause the Finance ministryto release the monies. "In the 21st century Ghana a MoU resulted in the payment of monies? My understanding of MoU is that it is an expression of intent and beyond that a contract is executed and so which cabinetsat that GH¢826,000 left the national kitty?", the lawyer argued. He said even the release of monies for the payment of feeding allowances for secondary schools in the Northern Region went through cabinet.

Source: myjoyonline.com

Let’s End Acrimony Along Ethnic, Political Lines-Prez Mahama

Related Stories     President John Dramani Mahama has underscored the need for Ghanaians to bury the acrimonious past and live together as one people, working for the good of the country. “Whether NDC or NPP; Kusasi or Mamprusi; Alavanyo or Nkonya; Andani or Abudu, we are one people and must not succumb to divisions,” he said. The President made the call at a memorial service in Accra put together by Action Chapel International and the South African Embassy in Ghana in memory of former South Africa President, Nelson Mandela, who died on December 5, last year. Held at the Action Chapel, the service received high patronage from former President Jerry Rawlings, politicians, members of theDiplomatic Corps and Christians from other churches who joined the congregation of the host church to celebrate the life of the late South African leader. No revenge President Mahama said the South African situation, where Mr Mandela and the Black population never allowed the evils of apartheid to push them into revenge, was worth emulating by Ghanaians and, indeed, the people of other African countries. “Apartheid was the most inhuman form of governance the world ever witnessed, yet Mr Mandela sought reconciliation. “We should not just eulogise this great African leader but learn from his life,” Mr Mahama said. The President made reference to the sacrifices the late South African leader made for his nation and said it was important that Africa emulated the example. Patriotism Recalling a recent statement by the Council of State that the level of patriotism on the part of Ghanaians had waned, the President indicated that the issue needed to be taken seriously by all in order to correct the wrongs in society. Mr Mahama rejected claims by some people that apartheid was defeated through dialogue, insisting that it was the arms struggle that forced the apartheid leaders to go to the negotiating table with the Africa National Congress (ANC). Archbishop Duncan-Williams At the memorial service punctuated with melodious South African songs and applauses, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, the General Overseer of Action Chapel International, said what made President Mandela stood out and also commanded much respect across the world was that he taught the world three things—forgiveness, respect for human dignity and reconciliation. “These were values he held onto. He lived forgiveness; he demonstrated it. Forgiveness is not a forgotten memory. Forgiveness is memory without revenge; memory without pain,” he said He observed that although the late South African President had the power to pay back all those who mistreated him and otherblack South Africans, he chose to reconcile the nation. South African High Commissioner The South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Madam Jeanette Ndhlovu, in an emotional tribute, described the life of Mandela as ‘well lived’.       Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana

Causing Financial Loss Charge: It Is "Unfair And Unfortunate" - Abuga Pele

Abuga Pele   Related Stories     The former National Coordinator of the GhanaYouth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), Abuga Pele has described his prosecution for causing financial loss to the state as “Unfair and Unfortunate”. “We all agreed as a country that we needed these modules totrain people so that the youth who are walking about can get something to do. And it is a fact that many many youth benefited from this programme, and it is now made to look like some evil thing was done, somebody somewhere cheated and some loans were given without parliamentary approval, without procurement and all those things. “Yes, the various contracts that were signed with them, I agree they should have been taking through procurement and other things, but go and find out, before 2009 whether any of those contracts were taking through procurement, they will castigate you without understanding the issues and without putting into perspective all the process that took place at the time and I think that it is unfair and unfortunate,” he said on Joy News. Abuga Pele has been charged with causing financial loss to the state during his headship as GYEEDA boss. He has also been charged with defrauding by false pretenses and aiding and abetting crime. Abuga Pele and the CEO of Goodwill International Group were incourt last Friday to respond to a total of 19 charges leveled against them. However, the two were granted bail and insisted their hands are clean.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/ Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Info Ministry Deputies And Other NDC Communicators Are Like Rottweilers - Egbert Faibille

Egbert Faibille   Related Stories     Following the appointment of Mr. Ben Dotse Malor as Senior CommunicationsAdviser and Head of Communications at the Presidency, series of debates have sprung up. It is quite not clear why a ruling government would forcefully draft an accomplished communicator to head its communications works despite having a Minister of Communications and Media Relationswith two deputies. Mr. Malor’s appointment certainly creates room for speculations. But from the lenses of the managing editor for the GhanaianObserver newspaper, he sees the move as a deliberate attempt by President Mahama, to eradicate the “Rottweiler” communicators in his team. The Rottweiler tag, according to him, suits perfectly the goverment's communication team, perhaps except Mahama Ayariga. Mr. Egbert Faibille explains that it appears the NDC has finally learnt that they never bag points when their dispatch communicators are only interested in unleashing insults on their opponents. “I see perfectly where the president is coming from and I will without fear say it. You see, if you look at Hon. Mahama Ayariga, he is a fine gentleman and when he stands and delivers, you know that this is a stable factor. Unfortunately, I can’t say so for his two deputies…it is becoming increasingly clear that there is a need for people with calm demeanor, people with respectability, people who can bring a certain level of calmness and grace under pressure to the way communication is done. The Rottweiler approach has failed. To unleash people, go unto the radio and insult, where did it lead this government to?”, he asked.

Source: Chris Joe Quiacoe/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Why Would They Want To Sacrifice Me...? I Know Mahama Won't Do That – Abuga Pele

Related Stories     The former National Coordinator of the GhanaYouth Employment and EntrepreneurialDevelopment Agency(GYEEDA) says he is clean of the criminal charges leveled against him in connection with the implementation of modules under the programme. According to him, it is totally untrue that the Mahama-led administration would want to use him as a “scapegoat” in the corruption controversy that has bedeviled the agency. He noted that, President John Dramani Mahama will under no circumstance sacrifice him knowing very well that he is innocent. “I have done nothing wrong for them to sacrifice me. What I know is that, Ghanaians are calling for the truth; they are not calling for a sacrificial lamb. “I trust the President, he has conscience, he is humane and very kind. He (Mahama) will not see to it that the innocent is been sacrificed. I have heard that they want to use me tocleanse the system but I trust the President,” he said. Abuga Pele and the Chief Executive Officer of Goodwill International Group, Philip Akpeena Assibit are standing trial at the Fast Track High Court on 19 criminal charges related to fraudulent contracts awarded to some private firms by the programme. The two were however granted bail though Mr. Abuga Pele has been cited for causing financial loss to the state. Speaking on Adom FM, Monday, Mr. Abuga Pele opined that “People make it look like I am corrupt. They have judged and condemned me”. Adding that “I will be shocked if they sacrifice me…I have worked so hard for this party (National Democratic Congress, NDC) whiles in opposition…I have sacrificed for this party. So why would they use me as a scapegoat?”

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/ Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Osei Prempeh: I Was Threatened And Insulted But…I'm Ready To Work With ‘Wontumi’

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Related Stories      Former deputy Minister of Justice and AttorneyGeneral and a leading member of the NewPatriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Osei Prempeh has pledged his unflinching support to ‘Chairman Wontumi’. Kwame Osei Prempeh contested and lost tobusiness mogul and former Bosomtwe constituency chairman of NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka Wuntumi in the just ended Regional Executiveselections. The contest which was described as a fierce one, saw Chairman Wontumi winning with 509 votes; beating Osei Prempeh who polled 209 votes. Speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’, Osei Prempeh said ‘as a good politician’ heconceded defeat immediately the results were announced. He indicated the fact that he lost does not mean he is going to leave the party. “I am ready to render any help needed in NPP… if he (Wontumi) calls on me for help; why not. Losing will not take me out of NPP” he said. Responding to whether or not Chairman Wontumi bought the votes of delegates, Osei Prempeh said: “Whether he usedmoney or he was helped the bottom line is that he has won and so we will back him to work. I didn’t mention Wontumi’s name on any of the platforms I campaigned on and that was to avoid acrimony; I was threatened and insulted but I have forgiven and forgotten…I don’t have any problem if he wants us to work together…”       Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com

Gov't okays TDC demolition; indiscipline, impunity will not be allowed- Minister

Source: Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah 
Date: 27-01-2014 Time: 03:01:26:pm

Inusah Fuseini

Land and Natural Resources Minister Alhaji Inusah Fuseini has lunged at the insanity permeating land acquisition in the country and charged persons crying for the victims of the recent demolition exercise by the Tema Development Corporation to rather commit to fighting the canker of impunity in the country.

The minister is convinced the victims encroached on a piece of land they had no title to, insisting that merely because a stranger walks into and occupies a completed house does not make him on her the owner of the house.

The minister was commenting on the demolition exercise by the Tema Development Corporationwhich has left over 150 home owners homeless and several hundreds of families putting up in tents.

Others are sleeping in the open as the tents supplied by the National Disaster Management Organisation can cater for only a few in need.

Some of the residents told Joy News' Joseph Opoku Gakpo about 15-20 people have been crammed in a 3 meter long UNHCR tent and there are fears of outbreak of communicable diseases.

Some of the women claim they have been left with no other place to take their bath than in the open, while some men say they were yet to take their bath, days after the demolition exercise.

The TDC is on a war path with some Tema chiefs and the Member of Parliament, Irene Naa Toshie Addo.

Asked if there was no other alternative than to render the people homeless, the Lands and Natural Resources minister said "One should also question whether we should allow impunity and indiscipline to prevail in this country. It is always important that we always balance the need to ensure that we have law and order in this country and the need to meet the requirements of people.

"...The indiscipline in land administration must be brought to an end," he stated.

According to him, the demolition exercise falls within the ambit of the TDC, agreeing that thedisputed land is the property of the TDC.

While admitting that what is going on in Tema is unfortunate, he was quick to add "repeating mistakes has never been considered as an experience."

"Let's try as a country to do things properly. If you build your house and someone walks in and occupies a room in your house, does that fellow become the owner of that room? he questioned.

He said if managers of government lands look on for the land to be encroached upon, the encroachers will not be said to have validly acquired the land.

When his attention was drawn to the fact that some victims may have been given documents purporting to be original land documents, the minister said that is no excuse.

"You can't rely on a forged document to say you are in adverse possession [of property].

The minister would not want to try the matter on radio except to add that "buyers beware! When you are buying the land the responsibility is on you to ensure that you acquire the land properly."