A Governance Expert Professor Baffuor Agyeman-Duah has asked the government, through the state power distributor, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to release a load-shedding timetable.
This, in his view, will help consumers of power plan their lives properly.
“The wise thing to do is to issue a timetable,” Prof Baffour Agyeman-Duah said on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Monday April 22.
He further criticized the government for the snail’s pace with which it is finding solutions to the power challenges.
He believes that given the rate at which the power outages occur, the government should have at least attached all seriousness to finding lasting solutions but that has not been the case.
he said “The government hasn’t been too active in seeking solutions to problems”
Meanwhile, the Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has admitted that the power outages in parts of the country are frustrating.
However, he said, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the challenge.
Mr Ahiagbah attributed the situation to the maintenance work being carried out by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
He assured that the work will soon be completed.
“The recent power outages have been understandably frustrating. However, there is an end in sight. The maintenance works are almost complete, and we can soon expect access to an uninterrupted power supply around the clock, as we have become accustomed to under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia Administration.”
Regarding the criticism the members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have made against the government over the outages, he said “The NDC is the last political organization to point fingers because Ghana has not forgotten the hurts of the ‘real dumsor,’ suffered under H.E. Mahama.
A Governance Expert Professor Baffuor Agyeman-Duah has criticized the government for the snail’s pace with which it is finding solutions to the power challenges.
He believes that given the rate at which the power outages occur, the government should have at least attached all seriousness to finding lasting solutions but that has not been the case.
Speaking on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Monday April 22, he said “The government hasn’t been too active in seeking solutions to problems”
Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah further asked the state power distributor, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to release a load-shedding timetable.
This, in his view, will help consumers of power to plan their lives properly.
“The wise thing to do is to issue a timetable,” Prof Baffour Agyeman-Duah, said.
Meanwhile, the Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has admitted that the power outages in parts of the country are frustrating.
However, he said, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the challenge.
Mr Ahiagbah attributed the situation to the maintenance work being carried out by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
He assured that the work will soon be completed.
“The recent power outages have been understandably frustrating. However, there is an end in sight. The maintenance works are almost complete, and we can soon expect access to an uninterrupted power supply around the clock, as we have become accustomed to under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia Administration.”
Regarding the criticism the members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have made against the government over the outages, he said “The NDC is the last political organization to point fingers because Ghana has not forgotten the hurts of the ‘real dumsor,’ suffered under H.E. Mahama.
Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has been honoured with the prestigious 2024 Laureus World Sports Breakthrough of the Year award.
The 20-year-old midfielder has swiftly emerged as a pivotal player for the Spanish giants since his high-profile £89m transfer from Borussia Dortmund last summer.
Bellingham’s remarkable season has seen him score crucial goals, including the winner in the recent El Clasico clash against Barcelona, taking his La Liga tally to an impressive 17 goals.
Additionally, he played a crucial role in Real Madrid’s victory over Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final, which they clinched on penalties.
In other categories, tennis legend Novak Djokovic secured the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award for the fifth time, while Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati clinched the women’s equivalent.
Bonmati, who also holds the current Ballon d’Or title, was part of the triumphant Spain women’s team that secured victory in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, in addition to achieving success with Barcelona in Liga F, the Spanish Cup, and the Women’s Champions League during the 2022-23 season.
Reflecting on the award, Bonmati expressed pride in being the first footballer to win the Laureus women’s award, highlighting her team’s commitment to equality and representation both on and off the pitch.
The Laureus ceremony in Madrid also recognised outstanding achievements in other categories, including the Spain women’s football team winning the Team of the Year award, and athletes such as Simone Biles, Diede de Groot, and Arisa Trew being honoured in various categories.
This recognition not only celebrates individual and team accomplishments but also underscores the significant impact of sports in inspiring and uniting people across the globe.
For Jude Bellingham, the award is expected to inspire to do more and urge closer to winning the covetous Ballon d’Or Award which he has been tipped to clinch by many pundits and fans alike given his recent exploits.
A Vice President of IMANI Africa Bright Simons is questioning the basis of the call made to the policy think tank by actress Yvonne Nelson to organize a protest against the government for the power outages just as the one that happened under the Mahama administration.
Bright Simons says IMANI has been raising the issues against the government but he is yet to see Yvonne Nelson supporting their work by sharing them on her social media platforms.
The movie producer in a post on her X platform on April 22 expressed her readiness to partner with IMANI Ghana for the second time to organise the demonstration against the Akufo-Addo government for the power cuts.
The actress was the lead organiser of a massive protest against the John Mahama government which brought together many celebrities over ‘dumsor’ back in 2015.
In a post on her X platform, Yvonne Nelson disclosed that her 2015 ‘dumsor’ protest was supported by IMANI Ghana and wants same to be done against the current government.
Replying to her also on his X platform, Bright Simons said “We’ve been chasing ECG, pursuing CWM matters, fighting over gas value chain issues (a la Genser), probing power tariff proposals, highlighting IPP debt buildup etc etc.
“I’m afraid I’ve never seen Ms. Nelson amplify any of that work. Ever. Not even a retweet. Now, why is that?”
The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has said that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) should be the last to point fingers at the government due to the power outages.
He says Ghanaians still remember the erratic power supply (Dumsor) that they suffered under the Mahama administration.
His comments come at a time when key persons in the NDC including Joyce Bawah Mogtari, special aide to former President John Dramani Mahama accused the Akufo-Addo administration of failing to take responsibility for the power crisis (Dumsor) in the parts of the country.
Bawah Mogtari said the failure of the government to take responsibility should be condemned because their own actions have the situation.
Commenting on the energy challenges on her X platform, she said” These power outages must be condemned especially when those responsible refuse to accept responsibility for their own actions that have led to the consequences we are experiencing.
“Untold hardships, unemployment, corruption and stealing, land grabbing and now complete darkness and a total disregard for our basic needs!
“They rode on the back of propaganda to campaign. Where is the excess of power we didn’t need or require! Can we have it now! Won the election on lies, have governed with lies and propaganda and now trying hard to hoodwink us, the darkness has exposed them.
“This Akufo Addo/Bawumia administration will go down as the worst in the history of this country. Ghana deserves better!”
But Mr Ahiagbah also said in a post on his X platform that “The recent power outages have been understandably frustrating. However, there is an end in sight. The maintenance works are almost complete, and we can soon expect access to an uninterrupted power supply around the clock, as we have become accustomed to under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia Administration.”
He added “The NDC is the last political organization to point fingers because Ghana has not forgotten the hurts of the ‘real dumsor,’ suffered under H.E. Mahama.
The recent power outages have been understandably frustrating. However, there is an end in sight. The maintenance works are almost complete, and we can soon expect access to an uninterrupted power supply around the clock, as we have become accustomed to under the…
The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has admitted that the power outages in parts of the country are frustrating.
However, he said, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the challenge.
Mr Ahiagbah attributed the situation to the maintenance work being carried out by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
“The recent power outages have been understandably frustrating. However, there is an end in sight. The maintenance works are almost complete, and we can soon expect access to an uninterrupted power supply around the clock, as we have become accustomed to under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia Administration.”
Regarding the criticism the members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have made against the government over the outages, he said “The NDC is the last political organization to point fingers because Ghana has not forgotten the hurts of the ‘real dumsor,’ suffered under H.E. Mahama.
The recent power outages have been understandably frustrating. However, there is an end in sight. The maintenance works are almost complete, and we can soon expect access to an uninterrupted power supply around the clock, as we have become accustomed to under the…
Inter Milan sealed their 20th Italian title by beating arch-rivals and nearest challengers AC Milan in a historic Derby della Madonnina.
Francesco Acerbi was unmarked to head in Benjamin Pavard’s flick-on from a corner to give Inter the lead.
Marcus Thuram latched onto a long ball and was given too much time to cut in before smashing their second into the bottom corner at the San Siro.
England’s Fikayo Tomori headed in from close range to give Milan brief hope.
There were three red cards in injury time as tempers boiled over. Milan’s Theo Hernandez and Inter’s Denzel Dumfries were sent off for their part in a brawl and the hosts ended with nine men as captain Davide Calabria was sent off for violent conduct.
• Supercoppa Italiana x 5 • Coppa Italia x 3 • Serie A x 1
Simone Inzaghi has won his first Scudetto as a head coach. That’s now nine trophies in eight seasons as a manager with Lazio and #Inter Milan. 🇮🇹🏆 pic.twitter.com/l78IErxFhK
Inter players and coaches ran on to the pitch to celebrate at the final whistle at the ground both sides share, although Milan were the home side for this fixture.
The second-placed Rossoneri are now 17 points behind Inter with five games to go.
Inter could have won by more with Lautaro Martinez missing a sitter and Hakan Calhanoglu’s drive being tipped over by Mike Maignan.
This was the first time the Serie A title has ever been won in the 116 years of the Milan derby.
The former Western Regional Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Famous Tumi-Acquah, has advised the party not to fall for the unprovoked but planned communication antics of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) meant to inadvertently prevent the NDC from educating Ghanaians on the true state of affairs ahead of the December 7 elections.
He suggested to the NDC communicators not to pay attention to comments that only make them stop talking about issues affecting the ordinary Ghanaian.
“I have observed that, anytime there is any major issue in Ghana, which bothers and affects the daily activities of Ghanaians, the NPP will cleverly throw out something into the public domain. Immediately that happens, you see communicators of the NDC jumping onto what has been thrown out and that becomes topical. Once that happens, the real bread and butter issues become lost in the general discussion.
“And that has been the game plan of NPP all these years, and a good number of our communicators are somewhat falling for it, whether it’s on TV, radio or social media.”
In an interview, Mr Tumi-Acquah explained that currently, there are a myriad of issues, particularly the “unexplained power losses which is crippling businesses, cut throat port charges, companies relocating to other countries because of high taxes, blatant corruption in high places, dumsor etc” which Ghanaians need answers, “but government communicators keep bringing up issues which sway the attention of Ghanaians and rather pitches NDC against Ghanaians and communicators of the NDC appear unable to sustain and keep discussions in perspective, “and fall for the agenda set by the NPP instead”.
He adds: “Make no mistake, the NDC Party communication team at the National, Regional and Constituency level is doing a phenomenal work at setting the records straight and distinguishing themselves from the noisemakers. However, I believe an appreciation of communication strategy on diversion will further enhance our ability to sell the NDC as the best alternative.
“We are discussing the erratic power supply which is dumsor, no matter how government wants to color it, galamsey and it’s effect, the President’s refusal to sign off the LGBTQ+ bill, and gross corruption in the building of the National Cathedral, among others and that should be the thrust and nothing else.
“The NPP is aware that answers to these issues will form the basis for the decisions of voters going into the December, 2024 general elections. Anytime discussions get heated on these issues, the NPP will throw in something frivolous, and the discussion changes.”
According to him, one of the strategies of the NPP is to go after former President John Mahama and his running mate, and associate the NDC party with frivolous claims “with the connivance of some media houses” and entreated the NDC communicators to be weary.
“You have heard what is being said about former President Mahama and his running mate. You have also heard about how the NDC is being associated with some recent happenings including the train accident. Shockingly, that will dominate discussions for sometime because the NPP has partners in the media who will craft programmes just to talk about it and clandestinely set a different agenda and the real issues affecting the lives of Ghanaians most especially dumsor will be lost. We should be weary as more of such things will be thrown our way.
“Of course, the Party must defend President Mahama and his Vice-Presidential candidate, but I believe we should find a fine balance between that and telling Ghanaians the direction the country is headed.”
‘Continuously repeat’
While encouraging party communicators to keep presenting the “true state of affairs in the country”, he also urged them to “give Ghanaians a reason why they should vote for the NDC as the best alternative in the next December, 2024 general elections as it will not be a walk in the park”.
“I think our party is not really hitting the centre of the drum to get the best sounds. Our manifesto for the next elections is not out yet. However, it is clear that one of the high points will be the 24-hour economy. I don’t quite remember the last time we spoke vigorously about it. It should have a certain momentum. All shades of it should be pursued with verve.”
He said the party communicators should “abreast themselves with words like rhyme, repetition and continuously”, stressing that the NDC must as a matter of necessity “continuously repeat the 24 hour economy policy and others yet to be made public, for them to rhyme and create enough reason for the voter to want to vote for us”.
A United States diplomat has warned of a possible interference in Ghana’s upcoming general elections, suggesting that the democratic process may be targeted by what he described as “foreign malign actors”.
According to Kevin Brosnahan, who is the Press Attaché at the US Embassy in Ghana, these actors are poised to use disinformation campaigns to influence the December 7 general elections due to the country’s support for Ukraine and its stance on democracy in the Africa region.
While acknowledging that disinformation has not been widespread in Ghana, Brosnahan noted the combination of Ghana’s vocal support for democracy in the region, its support for Ukraine, and the prevailing regional dynamics within the subregion will increase the likelihood of Ghana and its electoral processes being targeted this year.
“In this election year…Ghana’s outspoken support for democracy in the region, vocal support for Ukraine at the UN Security Council, and regional dynamics, raises the possibility that Ghana and its elections will be targeted this year,” he warned.
Mr. Brosnahan gave the warning in Tamale last Wednesday during a public discussion on countering misinformation and disinformation to promote peace, security and development in northern Ghana.
It was organised by the non-profit organisation, Savana Signatures, under its Roundtable Series which highlights developmental issues for public discourse on how to address them.
Citing a report from the African Centre for Strategic Studies, Mr Brosnahan highlighted a surge in disinformation campaigns by foreign actors across West Africa since 2022, indicating it has gone up by four-folds.
He observed that these foreign actors leverage disinformation to erode trust in governments, sow uncertainty within communities, and exploit societal vulnerabilities, just to undermine peace and security.
The Press Attaché underscored the threats disinformation poses to democracy, stating, “democracy thrives on truth and the free flow of information but when voters receive and believe in disinformation, they can be coerced into making decisions that are against their own interest”.
He highlighted past instances in West Africa where massive disinformation campaigns have caused governments to be toppled and undermined democratic governments.
“I’m not saying these governments were perfect, but disinformation accelerated their downfall,” he stated, and added that “most of these countries by any measure, are worst of today than they were before the coup”.
AI fuelling deepfakes
Touching on how technology has fuelled disinformation, Mr Brosnahan noted the growth of artificial intelligence in the last six years has resulted in what he termed the creation of deepfake videos and audios, which are which are being spread on platforms like WhatsApp and social media.
These deepfake videos and audios, he said, have become a concern because they “could potentially change an election or get people not to vote”.
The Press Attaché emphasised the need for a collective action against misinformation and disinformation because they are “a huge threat to democracy” as well as peace, security and development.
Mr Brosnahan urged Ghanaians to exercise caution, by first pausing to think and verify whatever information they receive before proceeding to share to a wider audience, adding: “We have to hold bad actors accountable by calling them out on their malign, disinformation activities”.
He indicated that there are ongoing efforts by the US Embassy to enhance information resilience among stakeholders, including training journalists in fact-checking and promoting media literacy, particularly among youth and social media users.
He commended Savana Signatures for organising the discussion on such an important topic.
CSOs need to be intentional in their efforts
Delivering on the role of CSOs in countering misinformation and disinformation to promote peace, security and development in northern Ghana, Rev. Fr. Dr. Clement Aapengnuo, Team Lead at COGINTA Ghana, described the issue as a “serious business”.
[L-R] Rev. Fr. Dr. Clement Aapengnuo, Dr Jacob Abudu and Dr. Stephen AgbenyoHe indicated that there is a lot of misinformation and disinformation in the system, noting social media, as well as artificial intelligence which has great potential, are being misused for misinformation and disinformation.
He explained that misinformation often stems from inadvertent dissemination due to misunderstanding or lack of verification, while he described disinformation as a deliberate act to mislead or for ulterior purpose.
“So, we can now understand why disinformation has become a tool for violent extremists,” he noted, adding: “This election year, we are going to get a lot of disinformation and it can affect our peace; it can affect our security and it is affecting our development”.
Threats in Bawku
Rev. Fr. Dr. Aapengnuo cited a concerning trend in Bawku, where people’s pictures are posted with false information about them and threatened with death, leading to fatal consequences.
“About seven people have died out of this,” he lamented, highlighting the serious consequences of misinformation and disinformation.
He has thus cautioned against the manipulation of narratives to incite fear and division ahead of the December 7 general elections, stressing the need for awareness creation by civil society organisations.
“The election year …people can create stories and make it look like if you don’t react things will overtake you and many of our people, once it is coming from the media, they’ll believe it,” he said.
CSOs, he said, have a role to play to counter misinformation and disinformation because they are in the communities and not only have local knowledge but also local understanding of issues better than anyone.
These CSOs, he said, have become the “the eyes and ears on the grounds” and for which reason, they “need to be intentional” in their efforts at countering misinformation and disinformation”.
Misinformation, disinformation still poorly understood.
Executive Director of Savana Signatures Dr. Stephen Agbenyo said violent extremists and terrorist organisations were increasingly using disinformation to achieve their aims, often targeting vulnerable populations in our conflict-affected communities.
However, he observed that the true speed, scale and multidimensional nature of these disinformation efforts are still poorly understood, making it difficult to detect and resist extremist disinformation narratives that drive radicalisation and recruitment.
“Misinformation has become a weapon in the world of politics, capable of influencing public opinion and potentially swaying election outcomes,” he said, and underscored the need to tackle the spread of false information and manipulative narratives as Ghana prepares for this year’s polls.
“One of the most significant impacts of misinformation on the election process is the erosion of trust in the democratic system. When voters are bombarded with false information, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to make informed decisions. This undermines the very foundation of democracy and manipulates voters,” he said.
Dr. Agbenyo explained that recognising the impact of misinformation and disinformation on peace, stability, and democracy, as well as livelihoods and quality of life, Savana Signatures is building and strengthening an ecosystem
for countering the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation of all kinds.
He therefore called for the support of all, especially donor organisations, to help in its efforts to counter misinformation and disinformation.
The Nationwide Supporters of Alan Cash (NAWSAC) have taken a strong stance against the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for allegedly attempting to bribe the youth to defect from Alan Kyerematen’s Movement for Change and join the NPP.
NAWSAC, however, in a statement dated Monday, April 22, stated that the attempt of the NPP to induce some members of the movement has failed, indicating that no iota of progress was made.
“The depth of intelligence of the NPP has to be questioned as they are celebrating the fact that they have used money to persuade poster-sticking and noise-making babies to join them.
“If the NPP thinks they have made any iota of progress, then indeed they must be a laughing stock because the babies they claim to have pulled with money, have zero influence at the edge of the gutters of our structures. They don’t even have the mettle to convince their own parents much more the Ghanaian voter,” they wrote.
“We are aware of the clandestine operations of the New Patriotic Party to undermine the candidature of Alan Kyerematen,” the statement added.
They accused the NPP of engaging in what they describe as ‘monicracy’, indicating that “there have been blatant attempts to use money as a tool to pull young people from the Movement for Change.”
“This is defining of the awful state of the New Patriotic Party, who are forced in their panic mode to stoop so low,” they lashed out at the governing party, from which the movement broke away.
Furthermore, Luther-King Junior, the group’s convener, stressed that young people were fed up with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the NPP for their deceptive tactics and remained resolute to stick to their principles and endorse Alan Kyerematen’s leadership.
“NPP and NDC shall no longer take the youth for granted. [The] NPP and NDC cannot buy the conscience of young people with their spoils of corruption. The youth shall win this war,” they emphasised.
