The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described as surprising and deceptive, the sudden interest of President Akufo-Addo in infrastructural projects.

John Mahama addressing chiefs and elders of Tsito in the Volta Region accused the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of cancelling and abandoning various projects initiated by his administration.

His comment follows Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s claim that no government in the history of Ghana’s Fourth Republic has initiated more infrastructural projects than the Akufo-Addo government.

He described the record as “second to none, with verifiable data to back up the claim”.

This declaration made at a town hall meeting held in Accra on Tuesday, 18 August 2020, has renewed jabs and counter-jabs; with the NDC accusing the NPP of refusing to give credit to the erstwhile administration for projects commenced and completed during its time in office.

Among other things, they have also accused government of touting their projects as personal achievements when there are documentary evidence to prove otherwise.

Already, the former President has thrown a challenge to his successor for a debate on the performance record of their respective governments, especially in the infrastructural development sector.

Mr Mahama said he is poised to compare records of both administrations to clearly assess who had done more for the country even though the incumbent government had earlier described infrastructural development as unnecessary, ahead of the 2016 elections.

This challenge has however been rejected by government with the Deputy Information Minister, Pius Hadzie calling it pointless.

But emphasising the stance of his party with regards to development, the former president said a new NDC government will devote its early years in power to completing abandoned projects before initiating new ones.

He urged electorates to save the future of the country by voting massively for the NDC in the December 7 polls

COMPETENT AND DECISIVE LEADERSHIP MATTERS

Two weeks ago, when there was all this noise about students getting infected, a few noisy parents took over the airwaves! Berating the government, that it is insensitive, that they have sent the kids to schools to die, and that it is because of elections that kids have been sent to school!

The noise was so much, one felt very agitated listening to them, especially that screaming lady at Accra Girls!

Today right now as I type, on Citifm, parents are calling in, and want their kids to return to school, “we are all tired, we want the kids to return!”
A 10 year old kid is now on air right now, he wants to go to school!

The final year students are writing their exams, they haven’t died, they are happy that they will move unto the next stage of their education. There are those who have bought University forms, waiting impatiently!

Today, the Nigerians have decided to follow Ghana.
Today because our Education and Health Authorities refused to be carried away by a few screaming naysayers, we have so much experience, knowledge and data to deal with the virus in our education set up than most African countries, we took bold steps and its paying off!!

Remember the noise about the EC registration, we were told there will be an explosion in about 2 weeks after the registration started! Here we are, everything is normal, people aren’t falling like flies!

We have to move on, return our economy to buoyancy, let’s get ahead of most African countries whose governments haven’t tackled the virus like we have done here.

I love Nana Addo for sticking to his advisors, the data and the science!
This is competent leadership!!

The administration of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) has said it will keep on doing virtual administrations and keep every one of its holy places shut to the assemblage in spite of the facilitating of COVID-19 limitations by President Nana Akufo-Addo for strict social occasions with not in excess of 100 individuals.

An announcement marked by Rev. Morris Appiah, General Secretary, stated: “No ICGC neighborhood get together will be available to run face to face chapel gatherings until so exhorted by the Presbytery”.

Furthermore, it noticed: “All ICGC nearby congregations will keep on association together on-air and online as we join the General Overseer on Sunday for administrations as we do now”.

“We are aware of the requirement for our gatherings to assemble and revere unreservedly and straightforwardly. Nonetheless, the present circumstance requests that we likewise think about the wellbeing and security all things considered. I importune all of you to continue imploring intensely for the congregation, Ghana and the countries. I’m persuaded we’ll come out of this better and more grounded”, the announcement included.

Half a month back, Pastor Otabil encouraged his kindred Christian priests to show restraint until the time that it is alright for temples to accumulate and cooperation as they used to preceding the coronavirus pandemic.

In his virtual assistance on Sunday, 10 May 2020, the author of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) stated: “Well, as you probably are aware, our reality is experiencing some fascinating days; the most recent couple of months from January, particularly for us in Ghana, from March, have been exceptional months as we have tried to moderate the impact of this rampaging infection that is assaulting people aimlessly and exactly when we thought in Ghana that we were having command over the circumstance, we are starting to understand that the infection has its very own brain and doesn’t appear to compare to a portion of the endeavors we are making, in this way, it would appear that things are getting somewhat awkward for us all”.

“Certainly”, he included: “It likewise implies this isn’t the ideal opportunity for holy places to consider assembling in gatherings in light of the fact that the emergency before us isn’t going down and it’s significant that as houses of worship, we assume our job in ensuring society, which is comprised of our individuals and ourselves as ministers, as a major aspect of society, and we believe that we will bear the plan as it is presently.

“It might appear to be awkward, it may not be reasonable to us yet that is the value we pay for improving the world a spot and I believe that every last one of us will be patient and hold up till we can securely accumulate, not assemble under Marshall law yet securely accumulate and securely venerate and have cooperation all together and I believe that day will come rapidly however in the event that it delays, we will sit tight for that day so we can assemble as God’s kin, not in a climate of vulnerability yet in an air of sureness of confidence and trust in the Lord”, he said.

Dr Otabil’s counsel came a couple of days after some Christian heads sent a tall rundown of measures they proposed setting up in their houses of worship to moderate the spread of the infection as they pushed the legislature to lift the prohibition on party.

ICGC isn’t the main church to have selected to at present stay shut in spite of the unwinding of the limitations.

The primary church to report its choice to stay shut was Destiny Empowerment Chapel Internationa, whose General Overseer, Dr Bernard Taylor, told his gatherers that all community gatherings stay virtual in spite of the administration lifting the restriction on faith gatherings in the nation.

In an announcement, Dr Taylor stated: “We have such a significant number of years in front of us. Church will consistently be there for us to venerate in as Christians. What makes a difference is we need life to serve our God. We should not make light of intelligence and otherworldliness”.

“We have our future and that of our youngsters to secure. We should not bite the dust rashly because of numbness,” Dr Taylor prompted.

Additionally, The Maker’s House, (TMH), Destiny Arena, reported on Monday that it will stay shut until sanctions on open assembling and love are loose “some more.”

An announcement by the Head Pastor of TMH, Michael Boadi Nyamekye, said the congregation will stay shut in spite of the fact that temples are permitted to meet for an hour with not in excess of 100 individuals, considering its “gathering size, number of administrations required, strength of the dynamic players in an assistance and overhead cost, pressure on hardware and office and the coordinations to set up for example composing of names per administration and submitting it to the specialists, all the COVID-19 conventions.”

“I esteem it fit to report to you that TMH (Destiny Arena) will stay shut for quite a while until we have lucidity and the authorizations loosened up some more,” the head minister noted.

Dr Boadi Nyamekye likewise implored Christians to “shoulder the congregation and its enrollment in petition”.

“Ideally, this gets over soon so we can meet and embrace once more.”

In the interim, houses of worship and Christians who wish to association following the President’s facilitating of limitations on party, can just do as such under some severe rules, including guaranteeing that contributions are given remotely through electronic methods, for example, Mobile Money and e-banking frameworks, the Minister of Religious Affairs has said among other at a question and answer session on Monday, 1 June 2020.

Peruse the full rules beneath:

Holy places are to guarantee a No-handshake, No-embracing and No-Spitting strategy at untouched.

No packed moving and waving of cloths during community gatherings.

Receivers are to be purified following each utilization.

All people who talk or sing in chapels must wear facemask during administration.

Chapels are to dishearten singing in gatherings and rather use pre-recorded tunes.

Pre-bundled fellowship bread and wine ought to be gotten by individuals at the purpose of section.

Spot offering bowls at the passageway and leave focuses for individuals to give contributions and tithes when entering or on out of chapel premises. Support money moves through versatile cash or portable banking as types of giving contributions.

In recognition of social-removing conventions, laying-on of hands ought not be permitted.

There is expanding desire that President Nana Akufo-Addo will facilitate the limitations on open social affairs this end of the week.

Huge markers have highlighted the way that there will be an away from for the facilitating of the limitations.

President Akufo-Addo, while tending to the country at the 2020 Virtual Eid-ul-Fitr Celebration on May 24 said the state will close a guide for facilitating limitations before the week’s over so he “can declare to Ghanaians an unmistakable guide for facilitating the limitations.”

“We need to discover a route back, however in wellbeing, for we can’t be under these limitations perpetually,” he said.

Beside the President, the Senior Minister prior uncovered that there would be a partner meeting on Friday in front of President Akufo-Addo’s tenth location to the country on the administration’ treatment of the pandemic on Sunday.

Signs from Mr. Osafo-Maafo are that there is a guide being concluded that will be introduced to partners.

“Practically all the recognizable gatherings who matter in this have all had close conversations with us,” he disclosed to Citi News including that “Our specialists have likewise proceeded with these conversations and on Friday we will assemble these on the best exhortation accessible to settle on the best choice.”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Flagbearer, John Mahama is additionally anticipating a critical facilitating of limitations and has approached the administration to initially direct increasingly far reaching testing.

“… notwithstanding the up and coming facilitating of limitations, let me rehash the approach the administration to think about leading mass testing, in any event, at the purpose of need,” Mr. Mahama said in a tweet.

In the President’s May 11 location to the country, he stretched out the prohibition on social affairs to May 31.

The open social occasion warnings were first set up on March 15, 2020, when Ghana had six instances of the infection. All universal outskirt intersections were additionally shut.

Ghana right now has 7,303 instances of the infection.

The boycott secured gatherings, workshops, burial services, celebrations, political meetings, church exercises and other related occasions as a major aspect of measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the nation.

There is additionally a prohibition on memorial services, other than private internments, which have in excess of 25 people.

Beside the open social event warnings, there was likewise three-week incomplete lockdown of Accra, Kasoa, Kumasi and Tema which pushed the economy as far as possible.

Ghana’s limitations were among the most adaptable on the landmass as the administration put an accentuation on testing.

Since the lockdown was lifted, there has been an absence of social removing in showcase territories in spite of the fact that the legislature has attempted to repay by making the wearing of face covers compulsory out in the open.

The primary trace of limitations being lifted was the point at which the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) reported that inns, eateries and bars could continue activities but with upgraded social removing conventions.

Yet, there was a speedy u-abandon the state with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture saying drinking bars and night clubs ought to stay shut.

While there has not been a very remarkable commotion for the re-opening of houses of worship, there has been reliable discussion on the idea of limitations for schools.

There have been a few requires a trade off, with some recommending shift frameworks or the re-opening for simply last year understudies.

The Four pre-tertiary instructor associations; Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, Tertiary Education Workers’ Union and Coalition of Concerned Teachers have, be that as it may, enlisted their resistance to the reviving of schools.

The Parents Teacher Association and School Management Committees has additionally informed the legislature against the reviving regarding schools since it will place the lives of instructors and understudies at serious risk.

President Nana Akufo-Addo says the development of 88 new area clinics the nation over will start in July this year.

To him, the venture is required to keep going for one year.

At a gathering with boss and older folks from the Bolgatanga, Bongo, and Talensi-Nabdam territories of the Upper East Region for the most part alluded to as BONABOTO, President Akufo-Addo said the venture shapes some portion of government’s arrangement to grow the nation’s wellbeing framework.

“We expect on Agenda 88; God willing there is no reason to worry for us to begin in July. We are trusting that before the finish of June, all the game plans that should be done might have been finished so that before the finish of July, we start it. I need to ensure that inside a year, those tasks will be finished,” he said.

Government reported its eager intend to build the 88 medical clinics and six new local emergency clinics just as the restoration of the Effia Nkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, which is the territorial medical clinic of the Western Region all in an offer to help human services conveyance in the nation.

The standard 100-bed offices which will be in areas without medical clinics will likewise have settlement for staff.

Government is still during the time spent concluding the expense of the offices, as indicated by the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu.

The Minority in Parliament has asked the legislature to concentrate on finishing relinquished emergency clinic extends in the nation as opposed to beginning new ones.

Positioning Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh says such a methodology is doable contrasted with the guarantee of finishing more than 90 medical clinic extends in a year with a non-existent wellspring of reserve.

In any case, following objections of surrendered wellbeing ventures, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said such emergency clinic ventures began by the past Mahama organization have not been relinquished yet are being chipped away at.

88 locale coordinated to save lands for medical clinic ventures

Neighborhood Government and Rural Development Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama has coordinated the different locale gatherings without emergency clinics to distinguish and discharge at least 15 sections of land of land for the activities.

“This activity must be finished with every single essential report arranged by 31st May, 2020,” a letter from the Minister said.

She further encouraged Regional Ministers regulating the chose locale “to take an individual enthusiasm for encouraging the smooth remove from this significant activity.”

Find here the rundown of recipient areas

Akufo-Addo’s 94 clinics guarantee a political contrivance – Inusah Fuseini

The move keeps on confronting solid reactions over its plausibility. Individual from Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini has swam into the discussion saying that the arrangement bears a resemblance to political contrivance.

He contended that the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) organization has underestimated the soundness of Ghanaians since accepting office.

“It is 88 [district] emergency clinics [and six provincial hospitals] yet to be straightforward it might sound outlandish, that is the reason the individuals of Ghana are raising concerns. Many individuals are shocked in light of the fact that Nana Akufo-Addo inside the start of this current year and the completion of the most recent year acquainted credits with Parliament for the development of emergency clinics. What’s more, after the satisfaction of the condition point of reference, the undertakings would have been finished inside two years – that isn’t one year however two. So you have a president who peruses Cabinet notice that said that the choking of that medical clinics will take at least two years comes to make a guarantee that he will destroy them one year on the off chance that this not a political contrivance, at that point I don’t have the foggiest idea what is it.”

For Mr. Inusah, the non-accessibility of any definite arrangement on the undertaking leaves space for genuine concerns.

He included that the legislature would not have organized well being framework if Ghana had not recorded instances of the new coronavirus flare-up.