S. H. E Group donates to Haven of Hope, Orphanage at Nsawam

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By Maxwell Okamafo Addo

“Humanitarian actions of a group known as S.H.E which stands for Support, Health, Education and empowerment made up of young energetic ladies are the visible effects of their deep commitment to improving the human condition,” especially the generosity of young ladies attentive to vulnerabilities and pain of humanity.

Members of SHE have taken it upon themselves to help raise awareness about the critical maternal issues in the country.

The group made up of young ladies who are students with the believe that they are never too young to make a change have supported the less privileged ones at the Haven of hope, Orphanage Nsawam.

The group’s aim is to help, support and educate young girls in Ghana with their needs and advice.

The Members of the Group together with the Founder, Chelsea Asare Co-founders, Nana Akua Boateng,Maame Ama Mochiah ,Melissa Amoako ,Lynette-Ann Fleischer-Djoleto  said the idea  of the group is to subsequently improve upon the literacy level of females especially, in our society.

Nana Akua Boateng, a member of the group said its their priority to make constant effort at seeing that children, not only enroll in school but also read and complete school and become better future leaders. So the need to help advance social values and adopt reading as a habit for youth of the country.

These young ladies have proven to be young women who have got strength, vision and foresight; highly innovative and do not slack in pursuing their mission in fulfilling their set goals to help the less privileged in society.

Melissa Amoako, another member said they are yearning to be strong advocates on issues relating to children.

The founder, Chelsea Asare said though their main focus is on Ghanaian females, they know the importance of education regardless of one's sex or social standing.

And so as a group, before going into that area, they decided to research on various orphanages in Ghana. And Haven of Hope Academy was one that stood out because it does not only serve as a home to many, but an institution which also seeks to educate and improve the academic standing of many young and bright children.

At Nsawam, the group celebrated the New Year’s Day with the kids at the orphanage. The ladies also provided the students with school bags filled with stationery to encourage and support the kids during the school year.

They also played games such as charades, musical chairs, etc. they also interacted with every child during the day, their future career options.   

 

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

“Ghana’s best days lie ahead of us” – Akufo-Addo

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“Ghana’s best days lie ahead of us” – Akufo-Addo

 

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is confident that with a spirit of reconciliation, fairness, integrity and hard work, the best days of Mother Ghana lie ahead of us.

According to President Akufo-Addo, “our goal has to be constant – to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of Ghanaians, who yearn for improvements in their living standards, in conditions of peace, security and solidarity, and to put Ghana onto the path to sustained progress and prosperity.”

“We can hope for a brighter future, because we are blessed with enormous wealth and human potential.”

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Sunday, 7th January, 2018, at the Independence Square, at an inter-faith thanksgiving service held to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the establishment of the 4th Republic.

With the country experiencing the longest, uninterrupted period of stable, constitutional governance in our history, he stated that this period has banished the spectre of instability that disfigured the early years of Ghana’s existence, and the benefits are showing.

Cataloguing some of the benefits, the President noted that Ghana has witnessed sustained growths in the size of the economy; rising levels of per capita real incomes; systematic expansion of the private sector; and taken strong measures to try to protect our lands, water bodies and environment from the menace of environmental degradation.

Additionally, over the last 25 years, efforts to meet the most basic elements of social justice, i.e. education from kindergarten through to secondary school, and accessible healthcare to all our citizens, are ongoing.

The President indicated further that the under the 4th Republic, media freedom has been entrenched; attachment to the rule of law, probity and accountability, respect for individual liberties, human rights, the principles of democratic accountability and social justice have been deepened; and an environment in which government and regulatory policies attempt to enhance, rather than inhibit or frustrate, trade, commerce and investments is being created.

Democracy, equality of opportunity and respect for human rights, ideals which have stood the test of time, President Akufo-Addo said, have now found firm anchor in the country’s body politic.

This, he added, is evidenced in the election of 5 Presidents in the history of this Republic, and “even when there was disagreement with the outcome of an election, it was the Supreme Court, rather than the streets, that determined its result.”

Despite all these gains, the President indicated that Ghana has not reached the potential she should have.

“The biggest challenge we face continues to be eradicating widespread poverty. We still have challenges in the performance of our public services; we face threats, traditional and contemporary, to our nation’s security and social stability, in the form of chieftaincy conflicts, land disputes, ethnic conflicts, vigilantism, cyber security issues, youth unemployment, economic hardships, and corruption in our public life,” he said.

In addressing these challenges, the President told the gathering that “we have begun to take a deep look at the structure of our economy, and transform it, from a raw material producing and exporting one to a value-added, industrialised economy, with a modernised agriculture, to serve better our needs.”

He continued, “The era of Ghana’s industrialisation has dawned, so that we can trade in the global marketplace, not on the basis of raw materials, but on the basis of things we make, inspired by our sense of enterprise, creativity and innovation. It is the most effective way we can generate jobs and wealth for the masses of our people, and join the ranks of the developed, prosperous nations of the world.”

With Ghana’s obligation to the unity and integration of the region and continent remaining, President Akufo-Addo stressed that achieving functioning, common regional and continental markets will help consolidate the process of structural transformation of our economy, on which we are engaged, and will, thus, help open up the space for accelerated development.


Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

United Airlines flight diverted to Alaska after customer incident with faeces

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United Airlines flight diverted to Alaska after customer incident with faeces

A plane travelling from Chicago to Hong Kong was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Alaska after an incident involving faeces.

United Airlines flight 895 rerouted to Anchorage after a passenger allegedly smeared excrement in two of the aircraft's lavatories.

The man is also said to have tried to flush his shirt down the loo.

Further details about the man have not been released, but the FBI said that there were no indications the incident was terror related. No injuries were reported.

FBI spokeswoman Staci Feger-Pellessier simply said "an unruly passenger had caused some kind of disturbance" on the plane, according to Sky News .

Anchorage airport police lieutenant Joe Gamache added that the shirtless man, 22, did not attempt to interfere with the flight crew or resist them. He was not arrested upon landing – but he was interviewed.

Lt Gamache said: "We received a report of a passenger who had messed up the bathrooms with his own faeces.

"After the interviews were done, there were no appropriate charges for anything criminal."

A translator was needed to interview the man, who possessed a US permanent resident card but was travelling on a Vietnamese passport. Reports say his speech was 'nonsensical or unintelligible' to a translator, who was required for the interview.

The man was taken to a nearby hospital for a mental health assessment. United Airlines didn't comment on the situation, but said that hotel accommodation was provided for the other passengers on the flight.

mirror.co.uk

DVLA apologises over mandatory GHC108 first aid kit

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DVLA apologises over mandatory GHC108 first aid kit

 

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has apologised to Ghanaians for introducing the controversial mandatory first aid kit.

Many Ghanaians have kicked against the new policy, saying the GHC108 price tag is a rip-off.

Deputy Minister of Transport, Titus Glover condemned the DVLA for unilaterally initiating the process without consulting relevant stakeholders.

However, in a statement, the Governing Board of the DVLA conceded that “there has not been the necessary public education, discussion and sensitization with relevant stakeholders.

“The Board therefore would want to advise our patronizing clients/customers that the introduction of the “First Aid Kit” has been suspended and put on definite hold. 

"We unreservedly apologize to the general public for any inconvenience occasioned,” the statement added.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com
 

11 questions to ask before getting married

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11 questions to ask before getting married

 

Marriage is not something any of us should rush into. When you marry someone, you are essentially saying that you’re ready to spend the rest of your life with them, forsaking all others. You’re saying that you’re ready to settle down with them and devote your life to them. Marriage means obligations, commitments and dedication. It doesn’t come in kit form, but it’s something you have to work at.

Besides the usual, “Do you take such and such to be your lawfully married husband/wife?” question, there are also a few questions you need to answer before you walk down the aisle. Answering these questions should help to confirm whether you are ready to get married or not, and they should help to avoid a nasty and painful divorce that none of us should ever have to go through. Without further ado, let’s take a look at 11 questions to ask before getting married.

1. Are You Emotionally Attracted To Your Partner?

This is one of the most important questions to ask before getting married. For a lot of us, it’s necessary that we fancy the person we are dating. But when you marry someone, it’s also necessary that you’re emotionally attracted to them, too. A marriage simply cannot last because of looks alone, so you need to make sure that there are foundations here that go beyond mere appearances. If you’re not convinced that this person is your soul mate, you might want to reconsider whether marriage is really right for you both.

2. Are You Ready To Share Bank Accounts?

Lots of married couples have a joint bank account, as it helps with their cash flow. You both know your incomings and outgoings, and it makes a lot of sense in terms of budgeting. For those of us who still have an independent mind, giving up your own bank account is not an attractive proposition. If you are the kind of person who wants to be able to control your own expenditure without being told, “Hmm, we haven’t budgeted for another trip to the opera this month, I’m afraid,” you’re going to have a hard time being married.

3. Are You Really Ready To Spend The Rest Of Your Life With Them?

This is another one of very important questions to ask before getting married. Committing to just one person for the rest of your life is something you need to think long and hard about. This is the person you are going to be with forever, with no one else involved. It’s a heck of a commitment, and it’s a commitment you really need to be 100% sure of, before walking down that aisle. If you know in your heart of hearts that you are totally committed to your partner, marriage could be absolutely right for you.

4. Do You Resolve Your Arguments?

Every couple fights and argues. Some argue over the little things, such as what film to watch. Others argue over the amount of time one of them is spending at work, whilst other people will fight about the irritable things one another does. If your arguments always end in a compromise and you move on, it’s fine. But if your flare-ups are constant and they always end with you or your partner getting your own way, you might need to reconsider your relationship. A marriage is a two-way street, built on compromise, and if one of you is getting your own way all the time, warning signs should be sounding.

5. Are You Prepared To Make Sacrifices?

If you or your partner loves going to the ball game on the weekend and hitting the bars after work, you have to be prepared to give some of your vices up, once you get married. Marriage is all about making sacrifices and giving up your time to devote it to your spouse. There will be some weekends where you won’t be able to do the things you really want to do in order to spend time with your partner. This is something that will happen and you need to adjust accordingly. Are you ready to do that?

6. Are Your Beliefs The Same?

Here is another one of fundamental questions to ask before getting married: do you have the same beliefs, values and ideals? If one of you is religious and the other is atheist, you’re going to struggle to agree on many things. Moreover, if you go on to have children, your two belief systems will mean that you will want to raise your kids in two different ways. Having the same beliefs helps to avoid conflict, and it means that you’re always singing from the same hymn sheet.

7. Are You Ready To Give Up Your Dreams?

Okay, we’re not saying that marriage kills all dreams, but there are certain dreams you will have to give up. After all, you’ve got a partner and a house to support now. With this comes financial responsibilities and obligations. That super car you always wanted might have to be forgotten, as will that dream of travelling around the world. Marriage is about working towards a shared goal, and as such there is no time for huge individual dreams. Sorry…Unless you both have the same dream.

8. Do You Both Want Children?

Next one of super-important questions to ask before getting married is whether or not you both want to have kids. This one is a biggie, and it’s often the question that breaks up many previously happy couples. For a lot of us, getting married is a giant step towards starting a family. For this reason, it’s absolutely essential that you know one another’s thoughts on children, before getting down on one knee. If one of you wants children but the other is dead against the idea, there’s little point in getting married and thinking, “Oh, they’ll change their mind.” Unfortunately, they won’t. Most people know by the time they hit their mid-twenties whether they want kids or not. If they don’t or they do, they’re unlikely to ever change their minds.

9. Will You Be Faithful?

When we’re young, we’re full of energy and testosterone. We want to go out there and have a great time. We go to parties, get drunk, and we have some fun. If you’re married, your hedonistic days of kissing strangers are over. If this bothers you, and if you know deep down that you will invariably stray once or twice, you should reconsider getting married. Even just a drunken kiss is cheating, and if you know you’ll be way too tempted to embrace another’s lips, it’s probably a case that you’re not yet ready to settle down.


10. Are You Happy With Each Others’ Approach To Health?

If you don’t smoke and your partner does, it can be a deal breaker for some couples. Or, if you drink now and then but your partner enjoys getting tanked-up each weekend, it is again something else you need to seriously think about. Health is a long-term investment, and if you get the impression that only you is making the investment, you might want to either have a serious talk with your partner about their approach to their health, or you might want to call it quits. Two contrasting diets rarely work in a marriage.

11. Are You Happy With Your Partner’s Family?

There has long been a joke that the husband never gets on with his mother-in-law, but it really does matter that each of you are able to welcome and accept your partner’s family. Once married, you will have to attend their family’s birthdays, gatherings, weddings, vacations and so on. This is a big commitment, so it’s vital that you enjoy their company and get along with them.

Do you want to add something else to the list of questions to ask before getting married?

Stay happy!

Photos: Akufo-Addo meets leaders of political parties

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Photos: Akufo-Addo meets leaders of political parties

 

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Thursday, 4th January, 2018, met with the leaders of the various political parties in the country to seek their views on some governance-enhancing measures his administration intends to take.

   

The political parties represented by their Chairpersons and General Secretaries, were drawn from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Progressive Peoples’ Party (PPP), Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Peoples National Convention (PNC), and the National Democratic Party (NDP).

The rest were Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), United Peoples Party (UPP), All Peoples Congress (APC), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), United Front Party (UFP), and the Democratic Peoples’ Party (DPP).

The meeting, which was the first between a sitting President and leaders of the political parties in recent years, lasted well over three hours, and was held in a good atmosphere, one of frank exchanges and mutual respect.

Issues discussed included the commemoration of the Silver Jubilee of the 4th Republic, on Sunday 7th January, 2018; the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives; and the creation of new regions, amongst others.

It is the intention of President Akufo-Addo to have further such meetings in the future, with the leaders of the political parties, who described this initiative as a laudable one.


Ghana | Atinkaonline.com 
 

Trump's lawyers seek to halt  release of  new book " Fire and Fury"

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Trump's lawyers seek to halt  release of  new book " Fire and Fury"

 

Lawyers for US President Donald Trump are seeking to stop the release of a book containing damaging allegations about his administration.

Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House is due for release on Tuesday.

It cites former top aide Steve Bannon as describing a meeting with a group of Russians as "treasonous".

It also questions Mr Trump's fitness for office, reports his wife was crying on election night and says Ivanka Trump has presidential ambitions.
The White House has disputed the book's accuracy. Mr Trump earlier said Mr Bannon – who was sacked in August – had "lost his mind" after losing his White House position.

Among a number of explosive statements, Mr Bannon reportedly said, referring to a Trump Tower meeting between top campaign officials and Russia: "They're going to crack Don Junior like an egg on national TV."

The meeting, which involved Mr Trump's eldest child Donald Trump Jr, is being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of his inquiry into possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russia to win the election.

The legal notice, which has been published by the Washington Post, demands that author Michael Wolff and the book's publisher "immediately cease and desist from any further publication, release or dissemination of the book".

It accuses Wolff of making "numerous false and/or baseless statements" about Mr Trump and says lawyers are considering pursuing libel charges.
The lawyers base their notice on excerpts of the book published in publications including New York Magazine and ask for a full copy of the book to be sent to them.

The letter says the book "appears to cite to [sic] no sources for many of its most damaging statements about Mr Trump" and that many claims are made without citing sources.

Neither Wolff nor the publisher, Henry Holt and Co Inc, have yet responded.

The attorney who wrote the letter, Charles J Harder, has been called Hollywood's favourite lawyer. He represents Jared Kushner, and represented wrestler Hulk Hogan in his case against now defunct news website Gawker.

Mr Harder also briefly represented disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein.
He sent a cease-and desist letter to Mr Bannon on Wednesday, saying he had violated a non-disclosure agreement.

What's in the book?

Wolff's forthcoming book makes many claims, including that:

The Trump team was shocked and horrified by his election win
His wife, Melania, was in tears of sadness on election night

Mr Trump was angry that A-list stars had snubbed his inauguration
The new president "found the White House to be vexing and even a little scary"

His daughter, Ivanka, had a plan with her husband, Jared Kushner, that she would be "the first woman president"
Ivanka Trump mocked her dad's "comb-over" hairstyle and "often described the mechanics behind it to friends"

The book is reportedly based on more than 200 interviews but some of the book's excerpts have already been criticised and questioned.
How has the Trump administration defended itself?

"Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency," Mr Trump said in a statement on Wednesday.

Press secretary Sarah Sanders dismissed the book as a "trashy tabloid fiction" that she said was "filled with false and misleading accounts from individuals who have no access or influence with the White House".

A spokesperson for Melania Trump said the First Lady had encouraged her husband's presidential bid. "She was confident he would win and was very happy when he did," she said on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the White House said it was banning personal devices, including mobile phones, from the West Wing, citing security concerns.

In researching the book, Mr Wolff said he was able to take up "something like a semi-permanent seat on a couch in the West Wing" following the president's inauguration.

BBC

Special Prosecutor law will ensure prudent use of resources-Bawumia 

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Special Prosecutor law will ensure prudent use of resources-Bawumia 

 

Vice President, Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia says  the signing of the Special Prosecutor Bill into law is a significant step in the President Akufo-Addo's determination to fight corruption in the public life of our dear nation. 

He said both past and present public officers will be under the microscope and held to account for their actions.

“ This will help fight corruption and ensure prudent use of our resources for the benefit of all,” he said.

The Vice President was speaking at the 86th Annual National Convention Of The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission At Baghe-E-Ahmad (Pomadze) in the Central Region Thursday.

“Finally, in our attempt to utilize resources prudently to benefit deprived communities, we have signed into effect the Zongo Development Fund Bill which is set up to improve the lives of our people in the Zongo communities,” he added.

The Vice president said, to achieve all these and all other government projects, there is the need for the support and cooperation of all. 

“This means we should all develop a sense of patriotism, eschew corruption and espouse honesty in all our undertakings,” he pointed out.

Dr Bawumia indicated that religious bodies have a mandate to provide training that is capable to transform society and the individual saying, “without this guidance, the human being, in his physical state, has the tendency towards unacceptable behaviours”. 

“Religion is supposed to regulate man’s behaviour in such a way that mankind is guided through reason and understanding. This, brings a person’s physical state under control in an orderly and proper manner. 

He said  there was  no doubt that majority of Ghanaians belong to one religion or the other but  the role of religion in shaping and moulding the moral character of citizens has lately been questioned in terms of deliverables.

“The question is whether religion has been successful in moulding society towards acceptable behaviours characterized by high levels of integrity and honesty or the converse. Many believe that religion has somehow failed in sterilising the society due to the prevalence of high levels of corruption, stealing of public and private funds through inflation of contracts, under-invoicing and over-invoicing, tax avoidance and tax evasion, among others,” he stated.

According to him, the greatest remedy to all of these vices is the continuous inculcation of discipline into the moral fabric of the Ghanaian people and challenged religious bodies to do more in this direction. 

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com 
 

Bawumia: Religious bodies must see themselves as stakeholders in Ghana's prosperity

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Bawumia: Religious bodies must see themselves as stakeholders in Ghana's prosperity

 

Vice President Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia says government is determined to partner religious organizations in Ghana for shared growth. 

“As mentioned in the 2018 budget presented to Parliament, Government intends to partner Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) not only to deliver critical social services in education, health and water, but also to support provision of skills and entrepreneurial training for the youth and the establishment of commercial enterprises,” he said 

The Vice President was speaking at the 86th Annual National Convention Of The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission At Baghe-E-Ahmad (P0madze) in the Central Region Thursday.  The theme for the occassion was: “Ensuring a Disciplined Society: The Role of Religion'.

He therefore urged religious bodies to see themselves as stakeholders in the prosperity of Ghana “and let us all unite and work tirelessly to achieve a prosperous Ghana.”

He also said the  government of Nana Akufo-Addo is committed to building a robust economy to provide equal opportunity for all Ghanaians by rolling out some bold policy initiatives and that  tese initiatives require high levels of collaboration, commitment and discipline to be successful. 

“Just two days ago, H.E the president signed five bills into law. They are: the office of the Special Prosecutor Bill, The Northern Development Authority Bill, Coastal Development Authority Bill, Middle Belt Development Authority Bill and the Zongo Development Fund Bill.

“First, The Northern Development Authority, Coastal Development Authority and Middle Belt Development Authority bills will manage the cedi equivalent of $1 million allocation to every constituency to undertake basic infrastructure projects. This is aimed at enhancing bottom-up development by increasing economic activity at the local level, and can only be achieved with significant levels of discipline and commitment,” the Vice President said.

Dr Bawumia also said the signing of the Special Prosecutor Bill into law is a significant step in the president’s determination to fight corruption in the public life of our dear nation. 


He also gave the assurance that both past and present public officers will be under the microscope and held to account for their actions saying, “this will help fight corruption and ensure prudent use of our resources for the benefit of all”.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com 
 

Turkey minister tells police to break drug dealers' legs

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Turkey minister tells police to break drug dealers' legs

 


Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu has been criticised for saying police should break the legs of drug dealers who are seen outside schools.

The Turkish Human Rights Association (IHD) and secular opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet both accused Mr Soylu of incitement to commit a crime.

He pledged to take the blame for it.

"If a dealer is near a school the police have a duty to break his leg. Do it and blame me. Even if it costs five, ten, twenty years in jail – we'll pay."

He was speaking at a public meeting on security, at a hall in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

He said the security forces' seizure of 20 tonnes of heroin in 2017 had made it a record year for drug hauls.

He said Turkey must fight drug dealers just as it fights the rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"What we are doing to the PKK terrorists we must also do to drug dealers – no one can poison our future. What the security officer does is my responsibility."

A 2017 report by the EU's European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction says Turkey is a key transit country for gangs smuggling heroin to Europe from Afghanistan.

The report, citing figures for 2015, said methamphetamine was also a growing problem in Turkey, including ecstasy (MDMA) pills that came from the Netherlands and Belgium.
Drug-related offenders account for about 20% of the Turkish prison population, and their numbers are growing, the report said.

In recent years Turkish security forces have also destroyed marijuana plantations in some southeastern areas where the Kurdish separatists have strong support.

Turkey has been fighting a Kurdish insurgency in its south-east for decades.

BBC

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