Jaman North records outbreak of ASF

Sunyani, GNA – There have been reported cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) in seven pig farms in the Jaman North District in the Bono Region.

Dr Donald Joachim Darko, the Bono Regional Director of the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, that about 200 affected pigs have died of the epidemic.

He said the ASF was a highly contagious and deadly swine disease that could affect pigs and passed on from one pig to another by direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected pig, but could not be transmitted from animals to humans.

It could kill the animal within a week of infection, while it also caused miscarriages in an infected pregnant pig and baby pigs delivered by infested pregnant pig could not survive, the Bono VSD Director added.

Dr Darko said the outbreak was reported about two weeks ago in some pig farms at Jankofa, a farming community in the District, and results of samples that were taken to Accra for testing confirmed the ASF.

He said veterinary officers and other officials of the District Directorate of Ministry of Food and Agricultural had met with the affected farm owners and opinion leaders and educated them about the disease and how to prevent spread to other farms in nearby communities.

Dr. Darko said transporting of animals and animal products from the area had been banned, adding he had directed that a veterinary officer must be present for supervision before the slaughter of any pig to ensure it was healthy and wholesome for human consumption.

He said the 200 animals killed by the disease had been buried in a very deep hole to prevent its spread and assured the situation was now stable.

Dr Darko mentioned the loss of appetite, vomiting, bloodstains around the ears, nose, mouth, and some other parts of the body of a pig and standing quietly as some of the symptoms of the disease that could be demonstrated in affected animals.

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Journalists urged to report attacks on them for redress

Tamale, GNA – Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafo, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) has appealed to journalists and media practitioners to make formal complaints about attacks on them and be ready to testify to seek redress.

He said the NMC was a legitimate body to handle issues of attacks on journalists and appealed to them to cooperate to protect themselves.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo was speaking at a consultative meeting with journalists in Tamale on the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists.

The consultative meeting, organised by the NMC together with the Ministry of Information and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), was to enlighten participants on the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists amongst other emerging issues on the safety of journalists.

In recent times, attacks on journalists have been on the rise in the country hence the development of the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists as a commitment on the parts of the state and partners to address such issues.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo expressed regret that some journalists and media practitioners, who suffered attacks, declined to make formal complaints or were unwilling to testify in such matters to help ensure justice for them, saying “There is little we can do if you do not report to us or willing to testify.”

He reiterated the NMC’s commitment to protecting journalists in the country because “If the journalist is not secure, we cannot get quality journalism” urging journalists to consider the long-term effects of attacks on their health and wellbeing and seek justice rather than settle such matters on the quiet.

Mr Abdourahamane Diallo, Head of Office and Representative of UNESCO in Ghana bemoaned the increasing cases of attacks on journalists in the country and called for a multi-sectoral approach to protect, prevent and prosecute the perpetrators of such attacks.

Mr Yakubu Abdul Majeed, Acting Northern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association lauded the engagement and said the development of the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists was in the right direction to help protect journalists in line of work in the country.

GNA

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Musician held over fraud granted GH¢200,000.00 bail

Accra, GNA – A 29-year-old blogger and Musician accused of defrauding a trader of 21,000 Euros under the pretext of securing her two Italian passports and Resident Identity Cards, has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢200,000.00 by an Accra Circuit Court.

Jacklin Sarfo Gyamfua a.k.a. Ohemaa Jackie, is facing charges of defrauding by false pretences and forgery of official documents.

Gyamfua has denied the charges.

At today’s sitting, Detective Inspector Frederick Sarpong opposed to bail on the grounds that investigations had been extended to the Italian and the Ghana Immigration Service.

Inspector Sarpong said the Police had written to the two institutions and they were awaiting their response.

Mr Peter Sarfo Antwi, counsel for Gyamfua, prayed the Court to admit his client to bail on the grounds that the information being sought by the prosecution from the two institutions could delay.

According to Mr Antwi, his client could be on remand while those pieces information were being sought for adding that “even if it would take about two years, then my client would have to be on remand for those years.”

Defence counsel recalled that “the constitution speaks of the presumption of the innocence of an accused person”.

He said accused was taking care of his ailing husband who has brain tumour and accused would be needed to offer her husband quality care.

According to him, his client had people who would stand as sureties for her and she would cooperate with investigators.

Prosecution in response to defence counsel’s submission, informed the court that the bail conditions should be such that accused would appear to stand trial.

The Court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah ordered prosecution to file their witness statement by way of disclosures.

The matter has been adjourned to 0ctober 14.

Presenting the facts, Police Detective Inspector Sarpong said the complainant Barbara Adu Boahen, resided at Accra whiles Gyamfua was a dual resident of London and Accra.

Prosecution said during the month of February this year, the complainant and a witness in the case saw the accused running adverts on social media platforms purporting to be securing travelling documents and resident ID cards for every country within the European Union (EU).

The Prosecutor said the complainant who was interested in travelling to Italy, contacted the accused on her phone posted against the accused person’s Facebook advertisement.

Police Detective Inspector Sarpong said Gyamfua promised to secure two Italian passports and two Resident ID cards for the complainant and her daughter at a fee of 24,000 Euros.

Prosecution said Gyamfua then gave the complainant her Access Bank Account bearing the name Afua Serwa Dwamena and UMB account bearing the name Lord men’s Enterprise and requested the complainant to pay the 24,000 Euros into the aforementioned accounts.

According to the Prosecutor, the complainant paid 21,000 Euros into the accounts provided by the accused.

Police Detective Inspector said Gyamfua later provided two forged Italian passports and two Resident ID cards for the complainant and her daughter.

On March 30, this year, prosecution said the complainant presented the passports at the Kotoka International Airport but they were arrested for presenting fake passports.

Prosecution said a report was made to the Police at the National Signal Bureau/ National Security.

On September 8, this year, Gyamfua was arrested and during a search in her house, two forged Italian passports and two Resident ID Cards were found.

Prosecution said the accused and her husband had issued stern verbal warning to the complainant and a principal witness to stay off the case else they risked being dealt with.

GNA

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NI100: DUP asks Irish President to rethink centenary invite

The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has called for Irish President Michael D Higgins to reconsider his decision to turn down an invite to a church service to mark Northern Ireland’s centenary.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said it was a “disappointing and retrograde step”.

Earlier, the Alliance Party also said President Higgins should reconsider.

The Queen has been invited to the service, which has been organised by Christian church leaders.

It will take place at the Church of Ireland cathedral in Armagh city on 21 October.

The inter-denominational service is part of a programme of events to mark the centenary of the partition of Ireland and the formation of Northern Ireland in 1921.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for President Higgins said he was “not in a position to attend the ceremony and this has been communicated to the organisers”.

It is understood he had been expected to attend. He did not offer any further explanation of his decision.

“We don’t know the reason why he has decided not to attend this service,” Sir Jeffrey told the BBC’s Nolan Show.

“We hope he will rethink this decision. It is not conducive to the kind of respectful relationship with the head of state of our neighbouring jurisdiction.”

image caption Sir Jeffrey said it would be a “retrograde step” if President Higgins did not attend the service

“In the absence of clarity around the reason for him not attending many may reach a conclusion that it is a decision based on politics.

“When you consider the standard Her Majesty the Queen set when she went to Ireland in that historic visit she crossed boundaries, broke taboos and set a clear example of how to do reconciliation.”

“It is a retrograde step taking us backwards when the president of the Republic of Ireland cannot attend a service of this nature that has been called by the churches,” said Sir Jeffrey.

“It is disappointing. One wonders has the Irish government advised the president not to attend and if so was it taken for political reason?”

Sir Jeffrey said the service was about “marking the centenary”, which he added was a “fairly neutral term”.

BBC News NI has approached the Irish government for comment.

‘Surprising and uncharacteristic’

Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry also said President Higgins should reconsider his position.

“This event is very much in keeping with the reconciliation efforts of successive Irish presidents and the Queen over recent years and the inclusive approach to marking the decade of centenaries,” he said.

However independent assembly member Trevor Lunn, formerly of the Alliance Party, tweeted in support of the president’s decision.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

“I don’t see it as a discourtesy to Her Majesty, just a correct if difficult decision,” he wrote.

SDLP assembly member Matthew O’Toole said President Higgins had taken part in “some of the most important and landmark moments of reconciliation” in recent years.

He said “we simply don’t know” the president’s reason for not be attending the centenary church service.

“I would say very clearly that Michael D Higgins throughout his tenure as president has been clearly committed to reconciliation,” he told BBC News NI.

“Reconciliation is also about not jumping to the worst possible conclusion about people and understanding this stuff is sometimes quite complex.”

Ulster Unionist Party assembly member Mike Nesbitt described the move as “surprising and uncharacteristic from someone who has shown a consistent willingness to reach out and promote reconciliation”.

“The reciprocal state visits were a high watermark in Anglo-Irish relations and until we know the reason why he is not in a position to attend, we cannot be critical,” he said.

The leader of Aontú, Peadar Tóibín, said President Higgins had made “the right decision not to attend the event”.

“There isn’t a president in the world that would attend an event to mark, commemorate or celebrate the partition of his or her country,” he said.

So far the church leaders have made no comment about the issue.

President Higgins is in Italy and has not yet responded to calls for him to reconsider his decision or give his reasons.

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ICGLR MINI-SUMMIT ADDRESSES CAR SITUATION

Luanda – Angola’s capital, Luanda, hosts Thursday a Mini-Summit of the heads of State with the focus on the security matters of the Central African Republic (CAR).

The event is taking place at the initiative of the Angolan statesman, João Lourenço, in his capacity as president of the International Conference on Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

 

Speaking to the press, on Thursday in Luanda, the Angolan minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António, said that the meeting will analyse several issues.

 

He said that among the topics, the event will address the report on implementation of the decisions adopted at the 2nd Mini-Summit held in April this year in Luanda.

 

The participants will also assess the Joint Road Map for Peace in the Central African Republic, drafted by Angola and Rwanda.

 

Téte António was speaking at the end of the audience the Angolan head of State granted to the President of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki.

 

Mini Summit agenda foresees the speeches to be delivered by

The host President João Lourenço and the Congolese leader, Denis Sassou-N´Guesso, who is also the acting president of the Economic Community of the Central Africa States (ECCAS).

 

Also expected to deliver speech CAR president, Faustin Archange, and the president of African Union Commission, Moussa Faki.

 

On the other hand, the presidents of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Cameroon, Sudan and Rwanda have sent their representatives at the Mini Summit.

 

Last January, Luanda hosted the first mini-summit which discussed the political and security situation of the Central African Republic.

 

In April of this year, Luanda hosted the second mini-summit on  the same topic.

ANGOLAN PRESIDENT ENCOURAGES PEACE EFFORTS IN CAR

Luanda – Angolan Head of State João Lourenço encouraged Thursday in Luanda the counterpart of the Central African Republic, Faustin Touadera, to move on with the peace process in his country in favour of reconciliation among different internal forces.

João Lourenço was speaking at opening ceremony of the Mini-Summit of the heads of the State of the International Conference on Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), stressing that a Joint Road Map for Peace in CAR was the main instrument for peace in that country.

 

Also ICGLR chairperson, João Lourenço encouraged CAR saying that it should not miss out on the opportunity to achieve the peace in order to take advantage of the joint efforts from different national interests and the United Nations contingent.   

 

In his speech, the Angolan president considered crucial taking advantage of the progress achieved in the field of negotiations with the internal political forces of the opposition, the civil society and the leaderships of the rebel groups.

 

As for the lifting of the arms embargo imposed on the CAR, the president said that the resolution of the United Nations Security Council of July this year, reflects a relative easing of the embargo.

 

He said that the Mini-Summit, underway this Thursday, confirms

that the region is moving towards the completion of a cycle of diligences that might lead, soon, to the attainment of a permanent solution and sustainability in the CAR.

 

In his capacity as ICGLR chairperson, João Lourenço reiterated ICGLR´s unconditional support for peace and stability in CAR.

 

João Lourenço added Luanda Mini-Summit is sharing its voice with that of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the United Nations, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the deposed President of Guinea, Alpha Conde.

 

CIRGL Mini-Summit of Heads of State, the third of its kind taking place in Luanda, is focused on security issues of the Central African Republic.

 

The CAR has been plunged into growing insecurity since the Coup d’Etat perpetrated by the Seleka group in 2013, which toppled François Bozizė, former Central African President.

 

ICGLR was created with the aim to address the issues related to peace and security, after the political conflicts that ravaged the region in 1994.

 

ICGLR comprises Angola, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic (CAR), Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

ANGOLA MARKS NATIONAL HERO’S DAY

Angola is celebrating on September 17, 2021, the 99th anniversary of the birth of Dr. António Agostinho Neto, writer, politician and first President of the Republic of Angola, born on 17, 1922.

As Angola's first President, Dr. António Agostinho Neto founded the foundations by which this nation is built daily.

Thus, in his tribute and his deeds for the benefit of Angolans, the date of his birth was consecrated as the Day of the Founder of the Nation and the National Hero, aimed to keep the principles, ideals and teachings of this illustrious son of Angola.