UTAG-UG’s approach to Public University Bill wrong – UTAG

Daniel Opare
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The President for the UCC Chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Dr. Samuel Bert Boadi-Kusi, has described the approach by the University of Ghana branch of the University Teachers Association to object to the Public University Bill as wrong.

UTAG-UG claims the impending Public University Bill poses great danger to University education in the country.

According to UG-UTAG the bill has the tendency of irreparably damaging the country’s global standing as a pillar of democratic governance in Ghana.

Addressing the media at a press  conference Wednesday 16th September  2020, UG-UTAG President,  Dr. Samuel Nkumbaan, noted that the Public  University Bill, which seeks to harmonize Public universities under one law, has disturbing implications for the future of higher education in Ghana.

“To conclude, the Bill is unconstitutional, unnecessary, and deeply harmful to the integrity of the Public Universities. It posses a threat to the ability of students, lecturers and administration to carry out their day to day  learning, teaching  and research functions  without fear of government dictates or reprisals”, UTAG-UG President Dr. Samuel Nkumbaan told the media at the press conference.

In an interview with host of Atinka FM’s AM Drive, President for UTAG-UCC and immediate past National UTAG Secretary, Dr. Samuel Bert Boadi-Kusi, said the national UTAG has held stakeholder consultation meetings to address concerns raised by the association.

According to him, there is an approach to every situation and that UG’s approach is to be taken by the national body and not a branch of the national body.

 “What UG-UTAG is doing will give the branches in the other universities to also take matters into their own hands and act on the blind side of the national body. the concerns of UG-UTAG is that of the national office and so its not as if nothing is being done about it”, he noted.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu Boatemaa

How to enable iOS 14's coolest hidden feature

Daniel Opare
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The wait is finally over — iOS 14 is rolling out globally. 

OK, the wait wasn’t that long; Apple launched the new version of iOS and iPadOS just a day after its Apple Watch/iPad event on Tuesday, but still, the latest version of the company’s mobile platform was originally announced during WWDC in June. 

But while iOS 14 brings a ton of cool new features, such as picture-in-picture, widgets, and the ability to change your default browser, the feature that may be the most useful is located in the iPhone’s Accessibility settings. It’s called Back Tap (under the Touch menu), and it lets you double or triple tap the back of your iPhone to perform certain actions faster. 

A logical thing you could do is set your iPhone to take a screenshot when you double or triple-tap the phone. Firing up Siri is also a solid option (and it feels like you’re actually waking her up, which is cool), as is opening the Control or Notification Center if you prefer tapping to sliding your finger across the screen. Frankly, nearly all of them are great. 

To enable the feature, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. 

Besides those basic system options, you can also set Back Tap to work with a number of Accessibility options, such as Magnifier, VoiceOver, or Zoom, or you can set it to scroll down or up. Finally, you can set the feature to trigger Shortcuts, giving you essentially endless possibilities of what you can do with it. 

There’s one caveat to this: Back Tap only works on iPhone 8 or newer. Also, the option isn’t available on the iPad, even if you have iPadOS 14 installed. 

And while we’re in the Accessibility menu, here’s another great feature that’s new to iOS 14: Sound Recognition. Fire it up, and you’ll be able to set your iPhone to listen to certain sounds, such as fire alarm siren blaring, cat meowing, baby crying, or water running, and notify you when it “hears” these sounds. Neat! 

mashable

'Zongo For NPP' begins clean-up exercise at the Tamale Central Mosque

Daniel Opare
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‘Zongo for NPP’, a youth group affiliated to the Nasara Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has initiated clean-up exercise starting from the Tamale Central Mosque.

The thoroughly cleaning of the Mosque took effect, after the group embarked on health walk on the principal streets of the Tamale metropolis.

The exercise brought together representatives of various youth groups in Tamale, and Northern region at large.

Women’s Organizer of the group (Zongo Na Giwa), Murjana Abdullah said, the exercise was aimed at enticing the youth of the north into active politics.

She noted that, the youth of the Northern region distances themselves from active politics, which isn’t the best for development.

Madam Murjana used the opportunity to call on the youth of the region to begin door-to-door campaign, because mass rallies would not be possible prior to the general elections due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The Northern Regional Nasara Coordinator, Alhaji Shamhuna Issah expressed excitement about the exercise, stating that the group have really shown loyalty to the governing party.

He however indicated that, the NPP and the Akufo-Addo government will surely secure another term.

Chairman for the Tamale Central Mosque, Alhaji Abdullah Hindu thanked the group for considering the worship centre, and further wished them Allah’s blessings.

He encouraged the group to visit health facilities, and other entities to carry-out similar exercise for God to replenish the blessings for NPP victory.

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Nurudeen Ibrahim

Nigeria's Kaduna approves law to castrate child rapists

Daniel Opare
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The governor of Nigeria’s north-western Kaduna state, Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, has signed into law a measure introducing tough penalties for convicted rapists.

The law says those convicted of raping a child below the age of 14 should be surgically castrated and given the death sentence.

Where the victim is over 14 years, the law provides for surgical castration and life imprisonment.

Female adults convicted of raping a child will face bilateral salpingectomy (removal of fallopian tubes) and death.

In rape cases where the victim is under the age of 14, a medical report will be necessary to corroborate the allegations.

Child rapists will also be listed on a sex offenders’ register to be published in the media.

The governor confirmed he had signed the law in a tweet on Wednesday evening

Social embed from twitter

State lawmakers passed the bill last week.

Kaduna is the only state in Nigeria with such legal provisions on rape.

There has been a growing public outcry over rape across Nigeria in recent months. Although there have been numerous arrests, the number of convictions is believed to be low.

BBC

SA leader urges Jerusalema dance challenge on holiday

Daniel Opare
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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged his countrymen to mark this year’s Heritage Day by taking up the Jerusalema dance challenge.

Jerusalema is a hit song by South African musician and producer Master KG that has been a major hit across the world. It gave rise to a shuffle dance move that went viral on social media.

Heritage Day is annual public holiday is marked every 24 September to celebrate the country’s culture and diversity.

“There can be no better way to celebrate our South Africaness than joining the global phenomenon that is spreading across the world that is the Jerusalema dance challenge,” Mr Ramaphosa said in a televised address.

“So I urge all of you to take up this challenge on Heritage Day and show the world what we are capable of.”

eNCA@eNCAPresident Ramaphosa is challenging you to show us your best dance moves on #HeritageDay. He’s urging South Africans to do the #JerusalemaDanceChallenge next Thursday. #eNCA Courtesy #DStv403

BBC

BBC

Public University Bill will not determine UTAG’s voting pattern – UG-UTAG

Daniel Opare
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The University of Ghana branch of the University  Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG) says the brouhaha surrounding the Public University Bill will not determine the voting pattern of UTAG-UG.

This comes statement after UTAG-UG said the impending Public University Bill poses great danger to University education in the country.

According to UG-UTAG, the Bill will damage the country’s global standing as a pillar of democratic governance in Ghana.

Per the draft Bill, a University Council shall consist of nine persons, including a chairperson who will be nominated by the President.

The draft Bill, when passed, will see to the renaming of The University of Professional Studies, Accra after its founder, Nana Opoku Ampomah.

Addressing the media at a press  conference Wednesday 16th September  2020, UG-UTAG President,  Dr. Samuel Nkumbaan, noted that the Public  University Bill, which seeks to harmonize Public universities under one law, has disturbing implications for the future of higher education in Ghana.

“To conclude, the Bill is unconstitutional, unnecessary, and deeply harmful to the integrity of the Public Universities. It posses a threat to the ability of students, lecturers and administration to carry out their day to day  learning, teaching  and research functions  without fear of government dictates or reprisals”, he added.

Reacting to issues surrounding the press conference on Atinka FM’s AM Drive with host Ekourba Gyasi, UG-UTAG President,  Dr. Samuel Nkumbaan, explained that the Public University Bill is not political and that UTAG-UG’s stance is not based on a promise by any opposition to scrap the bill when it comes to power.

“This Bill is a national policy and not political. Our agitation is because the bill poses great danger to University education in the country. Why will be waiting for an alternative party’s promise. What if that party comes to power in 20 years and the deal is already in force? The tertiary education would have gone bad by then”, he said.   

He argued that UTAG has over 4000 members and that there was no way the association could force its members to vote for a particular party.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu Boatemaa

Ivory Coast rejects Africa court order on elections

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Ivory Coast will not recognise Tuesday’s ruling by the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights that allowed former Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro to run in next month’s elections.

Government spokesperson Sidi Tiémoko Touré said the authorities will only recognise a decision by the country’s constitutional court which barred Mr Soro from the elections because of a previous conviction.

The constitutional court also barred former President, Laurent Gbagbo, from the elections on similar grounds.

Ivory Coast withdrew from the African court’s charter in April.

Mr Touré said that people should “avoid thinking that the way institutions function must come from outside”.

There have been protests over President Alassane Ouattara’s decision to run for a third term after his preferred successor died in July.

Source: BBC

One week memorial service held for Barbara Tommey

Daniel Opare
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Family of slain Barbara Tommey on Wednesday, September 16th 2020 held a one week memorial service for Barbara in the United States of America (USA).

Barbara Tommey, 27 was killed by her husband, Sylvester Ofori, who is the Head Pastor of Floodgates of Heaven International Ministries in Orlando in the United States.

The Ghanaian US-based Pastor is reported to have shot his wife seven times at the Navy Federal Credit Union on Garden Parks Boulevard, west of John Young Parkway and north of the Mall at Millenia where she worked.

A video that popped on social media at the memorial service indicated how the family could not hold their tears over Barbara’s lost.

After the shooting, police went to this apartment building on Raleigh Street where Ofori and Tommey had, at one point, lived together. Investigators said they brought the SWAT team and eventually found him in the home.

Meanwhile, few days after his arrest, Ofori was sent to court to face the law for committing such a heinous crime.

Ofori is likely to serve more than 100 years in prison or to face death penalty.

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori

ADB donates Ghc100,000 to Support 25th GJA Awards

Daniel Opare
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The Agric Development Bank (ADB) has presented a cheque of Ghc100,000 to the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to support its 25th GJA Media Awards scheduled to take place on October 24, 2020.

The Managing Director of the bank, Dr John Kofi Mensah, who presented the cheque on Wednesday September 16th 2020, said the donation to support the GJA Media Awards had become part of ADB’s custom.

He said since 2017, relations between ADB and GJA had blossomed, pledging the bank’s commitment to continue to support the Association.

Dr Mensah expressed gratitude to the National Executive of the GJA for agreeing to include an award category for the Best Reporter (Agriculture) which is sponsored by the bank.

He also thanked the National Executive for honouring him at the 24th GJA Media Awards ceremony held last year.

Dr Mensah commended Ghanaian journalists for a great job done in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and contributing significantly to the government’s efforts at containing the pandemic.

The GJA President, Affail Monney, who received the cheque, expressed profound gratitude to ADB for the gesture.

He said even under difficult circumstances occasioned by the prevalence of COVID-19 and crisis in the banking sector, ADB could still manage to make such generous donation to the GJA.

He said the GJA was not prompted to honour the managing director of ADB at the GJA Media Awards last year, adding that the honour was conferred on him because he deserved it.

Present at the presentation ceremony were the Deputy Managing Director of adb Bank, Alhaji Alhassan Yakubu-Tali and the General Manager, Operations, Enoch-Benjamin Donkoh.

Also present were the GJA Vice President, Mrs Linda Asante-Agyei; General Secretary, Kofi Yeboah; National Organising Secretary, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour; Treasurer, Mrs Audrey Dekalu, and Public Affairs Officer, Ms Mary Mensah.

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com

NPP won’t legalise “ risky” Okada- Bawumia

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Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia , has stated emphatically  that the Akufo-Addo administration will not legalise Okada business .

Dr Bawumia’s  empathic  statement  follows conflicting reports that government was considering legalizing Okada after the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) promised in its manifesto that , it will legalise the business if it wins the December  7 elections.

“I know that there’s been a recent discussion about Okada in Ghana, I think that in the context of what we are doing we will rather encourage the okada riders to come in and try to lease these vehicles so that they can run businesses. They need to graduate from this risky and less safe okada riding to a safer means of transportation. Their problem will be a lack of capital but if you bring in new leasing policies and we have our national ID cards with our digital addresses we can have a credit system working and give you an option other than this risky job,” Dr Bawumia stated  during a campaign tour  of Kpando in the Volta Region.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

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