All EYES ON 31st NIGHT ELECTION PROPHECIES

      Nana Kwame.O Fordjour

Prophesying, the act of foretelling future occurrences through “spiritual vision”, has become a widely accepted form of spiritual guidance in Ghana and several parts of the world. Some individuals consult Prophets, Mallams, Fetish priests and other spiritual figures, in an attempt to seek direction for their future endeavors or prior to making crucial decisions at any point in time. 

New Year’s Eve, is a symbolic day in the calendar year for many. It’s a period where resolutions are made, prophetic declarations are said` and predictions/projections are made into the New Year. Most churches announce their themes for the year on this day. Churches mostly need extra seats and space for 31st nights because it’s a day where all Christians including “backslidden” ones, busy ones as they may call themselves…etc make it to church and try to make peace with the Creator prior to the brand new year.

Not too long ago, specifically on New Year’s Eve 2011, some popular men of God gave categorical prophecies about the outcome of the 2012 general elections. Notably amongst them was Rev. Owusu Bempah, who claimed the flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, would win the elections but would not be sworn-in as President of Ghana. A prophesy many believe was fulfilled based on the unprecedented controversies surrounding the 2012 election results.

Prophet T.B Joshua, has been credited with prophesying about the late President of Ghana, His Excellency J.E.A Mills’ victory after his third attempt. In another publication by Pleasure Magazine (PM), the Nigerian Prophet was quoted as predicting a second round in the 2012 elections, “The election you are talking about, I am seeing it being decided on the second attempt” he said according to the PM. Even though Prophet T.B Joshua refuted the PM’s claim in a strong worded rebuttal on his official Facebook page, many still believe the PM couldn’t have concocted such a story. 

Ghanaians appetite for election related prophesies were highlighted before and during the election petition in 2013. Even a couple of years prior to the 2016 election, spiritual leaders joined the bandwagon of prophesies about the 2016 elections. The General Overseer of Word Victory Chapel International, Prophet Doctor Emmanuel Enim predicted Nana Akufo Addo’s victory in the 2014 NPP presidential primaries, however he predicted President John Dramani Mahama will be re-elected in the upcoming 2016 election.

So what should Ghanaians expect from Prophets and spiritual leaders on 31^st December, 2015? Many Ghanaians are anxiously awaiting prophecies for the upcoming 2016 election. In the build up to the election 2016, social media fanatics have already started whetting the appetites of people. A recent rumor trending on Facebook is that Rev Owusu Bempah has predicted Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom’s victory in the 2016 election. The rumor generated hundreds of comments and shares on Facebook, which demonstrates the anxiety some sections of the Ghanaian populace have towards political prophecies in a season like this.

31^st Night is just some few days away, and many are wondering whether or not these prominent men of God, noted for their election prophecies, will make categorical statements about the 2016 elections on the eve of an election year. Some believe they will tread cautiously, taking into consideration the repercussions of whatever prophecies they will declare on their integrity as genuine men of God.

I expect nothing short of mind-blowing prophecies on 31^st night. At the end of the day all these prophecies would be taken with wisdom and maximum discernment.

By Nana Kwame.O Fordjour/ PR and Communication Expert / Political Analyst

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Vodafone Rewards Loyal Customers

Agnes Emefa-Essah, Director of Marketing at Vodafone Ghana 

Vodafone Ghana has officially launched the Red Club to reward loyal customers.

According to Theophilus Agbeko, Vodafone Marketing Manager for Mid-High Value Customers, Vodafone Red Club was part of the company’s plans to acknowledge customers who have decided to remain loyal to the network.

Mr Agbeko, who was speaking on Friday in Accra during the launch, said the product allows loyal customers to shop in about 25,000 shops worldwide at discounted prices.

“It would be a mistake for Vodafone not to acknowledge loyal customers. We have just launched this to give customers the freedom to shop around the world at discounted prices. These times when money is hard to come by, it is good to negotiate discounts, which we have done with over 25,000 vendors worldwide,” he stated.

Under the Red Club programme, over 10,000 customers are expected to be presented with Loyalty Cards that would grant them access to fantastic discounts from selected hotels like Holiday Inn, African Sun, Africa Regent and Allure Beauty Parlour, Antrak, J.S Car Rentals.

International customers can gain discounts when they visit Disneyland, HP, Hawes and Curtis, Harrods, Marks & Spencer and over 25,000 partners across the world.

“It depends on how long you have been on the network which is very key to us and how much you spend and the consistency by which you spend. These customers have decided to come into our lives and they have always been with us and that is how come we said they qualify as loyal customers. We expect to issue up to 10,000 of these cards in the next two years,” he said.

Mr. Agbeko added that as part of the package, customers who qualify for the Red Club loyalty cards would have the loyalty cards delivered directly to them in their homes or workplaces.

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Ghana Urged to Fight Extremism

Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu

Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, spokesperson for the National Chief Imam has called on the various religious sects in Ghana to reject the formation of religious extremist groups.

According to him, religious extremism was mainly the root cause of religious terrorism around the world which resulted into suicide bombings, piracy, aircraft high jacking and other forms of atrocities usually cried out in the name of one religion or the other. 

Speaking at the just ended National Seminar on Guidelines for Religious Broadcasting in Accra on Tuesday, Sheik Armiyawo condemned the various terrorist attacks that were being carried out in the world by extremist groups in the name of one religion or the other.

The Seminar was held to determine guidelines on how religious broadcasting can be carried on our airwaves to benefit not only the religious communities but also the country as a whole.  

“Islam does not condone extremism. Religious extremism is a deviation from the Islamic goals of promoting peace. The fight against religious extremism remains a mission we must all work to attain,” he stated.

  

“ It is not the business of a Muslim to insult a Christian because they believe in the Trinity. Strong Quranic texts state that provided they do not chase you out of your homes or fight you because of your faith, you have no business fighting any Christian or chasing a Christian and slitting his throat,” he noted. 

Reverend Prof Emmanuel Asante, Chairman of the National Peace Council stressed that religion if properly harnessed can have a positive impact on national development. 

He emphasized that religious broadcasting could only facilitate peace and development if it takes up the challenge to confront ignorance, poverty and disunity, and inspire true teaching and preach concrete responses to these challenges.

“The traditional role of Journalism is to enable the public to make well-informed decisions. However, when a society is threatened by violent religious conflict, journalism faces greater difficulties in broadcasting, as opposing sides seek to control the media. 

“It is therefore in order to offer a platform for the various religious groups identified in our society as credible groups to broadcast their beliefs, so as to spread moral values among our people ,” Prof Asante added. 

Meanwhile Kwesi Gyan-Apenteng, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) said the guidelines for Religious Broadcasting would spell out principles governing the content of religious programs in broadcasting though it will not impose guidelines on religious broadcasters or on any media activity in the country. 

The event brought together a lot of personalities like Most Rev Charles Palmer-Buckle, the Catholic Archbishop of Accra; Rev Helena Poku-Sarkodie and William Ampem-Darko, former Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC)  among others 

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Indigenous Shoemaker Honoured

Yaw Barima Agyapong Addo reciving his award

Ghanaian shoemaker and Chief Executive of E-Cash Shoes, Yaw Barimah Agyapong Addo has been rewarded for his achievements in Ghana.

Mr Addo, who started his career as a cobbler, was presented with an award for entrepreneurial accomplishment at the just-ended Junior Chamber International (JCI) Ghana Awards, which took place in Accra over the weekend.

E-Cash Shoes, which was established in 2005, manufactures shoes that can compete with those produced by the likes of Louis Vuitton and Salvatore, among others.

Mr Agyapong Addo, after receiving his award, commended the organizers for recognizing his achievement in the Ghanaian shoemaking industry and pledged to work hard.

Speaking at the awards night, Albert Ankrah, the outgoing president of JCI Ghana, said the sole aim of the event was to reward young people who had embarked on various projects to help transform society.

Mr Ankrah called on the youth to be innovative and undertake projects that can address some developmental issues in our societies.

According to him, young people must address some developmental issues that would help shape society.

“By recognizing these people, JCI encourages them to seek excellence and serve others. We believe in improving the world around us. The association hopes to unite and bring on board stakeholders from all areas to create a positive impact on society,” he stated.

The outstanding young personalities, who were below 40 years, were recognized for their innovation in their chosen fields.

Mabel Simpson, a fashion designer, who uses local textile prints to manufacture various accessories, received an award in the cultural achievement category while Nana Adjoa Sarfo, President of Direct Impact Foundation, was rewarded for helping rural children improve their reading, speaking and computer skills.

Other awardees were Raindolf Owusu, a software developer, John Armayh, Richard Dugan, Regina Agyare, Prince Adu-Appiah and John Stephen Agbenyo.

Mr Ankrah disclosed that the 10 awardees were selected based on their “exceptional service, creativity and positive change in the communities and their ability to act as role models for other young people.”

He added that society should not expect benevolent bodies to always address developmental challenges, but the youth must be innovative and collaborate to undertake projects that would yield good results.

Mr. Ankrah noted that the sole aim of the association is to identify social challenges and mobilize support through grassroots participation to find solutions.

The Ghana Country Director of UNAIDS, Girmay Haile, also urged the youth to participate actively in projects to develop themselves and their communities.

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APC Opens Service Centre

APC by Schneider Electric, a global leader in integrated critical power and cooling services, in partnership with Technology Distribution (TD), has officially opened a service centre to enhance services to clients in Ghana.

According to Ayo Adegboye, Vice President, IT Business for APC by Schneider Electric West Africa, the establishment of the service centre would help bridge the gap between business partners and end-users.

Speaking at the opening of the TD office in Accra on Thursday, Mr Adegboye said the service centre would help resolve several challenges that end-users of APC Uninterruptible Power Supplies have been going through.

“For us the motivation is the commitment we have seen from TD to our business. Considering our business partners, our resellers and of course our end users, there was no way we could deny them better services,” he stated.

TD is a pioneered IT solutions and distribution company, which has been in Ghana for over 10 years, offering several computers and their accessories for sale.

“We do regular servicing, warrantee  replacement for UPS and other machines under services warrantee. For those outside warrantee, we would be able to fix for a small token. Above that, the service centre would also sell batteries for the UPSs, especially when you are outside of warrantee. They would also offer what we call extended warrantee sales.

He added that the service centre would be manned by APC trained engineers who also work with TD to offer the best support service to clients.

“We have seen TD invest in capacity building. TD has invested in people trained by Schneider Electric to be able to offer service as a direct extension of APC. They are APC trained engineers,” he added.

Adesuwa Igho-Orere, General Manager for Sales and Marketing at TD, disclosed that calls from partners and customers for quality services necessitated the partnership with APC.

“We think this will go a long way in cementing a relationship between our partners and the customers, knowing that they have a one-stop shop for the purchase of these machines and receive top class after sales services as well,” she added.

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Telecoms Industry Overtaxed

Ebenezer Amankwah

Over-regulation and over-taxation in the country’s telecommunications industry is crippling the sector, Ebenezer Amankwah, Corporate Communications Manager at Vodafone, has stated.

Mr Amankwah, who was speaking at a roundtable in Kumasi recently to highlight challenges facing the telecommunication industry, mentioned that six telecos were competing for space and attention from 27 million Ghanaians.

“The high and multiple taxes, combined with inflexible policies, are making things really hard for operators,” he stated.

According to him, owing to the current situation, the National Communications Authority (NCA) must create the right conditions for telecommunication companies to thrive, adding that the imbalance in the market share was also not helpful for competition.

He therefore asked that the problems be resolved to create a level-playing field.

Mr Amankwah said Vodafone Ghana has for the past seven years invested $1.7 billion to strengthen its operations and upgrade its network infrastructure.

Vodafone, with a 23 percent market share of the market, employs 1,500 permanent workers and about 300 people on contract basis.

He said his outfit had experienced significant increase in the number of subscriptions from 1.5 million in year 2008 to 7.3 million, hinting that Vodafone would continue to roll out innovative products to expand its market share.

Nana Yaa Afriyie Ofori-Koree, Foundation and Sustainability Manager at Vodafone, said her outfit would continue to undertake its corporate social responsibility to ensure that they give back to society.

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Vodafone Rewards ‘Yee Twi Kɔ’ Winners

Vodafone officials in a group photograph with cash winners

Vodafone Ghana has presented GHȼ45,000 to three subscribers who accumulated the most points in the second month of the telecommunication company’s 70-day consumer promo dubbed, ‘Yee Twi Kɔ.’

Samuel Obeng Amoako, 28, won the monthly prize of GHȼ30,000, while GHȼ10,000 and GHȼ5,000 went to Baba Ibrahim and Belinda Boahene who placed second and third respectively.

Obeng Amoako, who was full of joy, was presented with his cheque at a short ceremony in Koforidua in the Eastern Region over the weekend.

“I was simply dumbfounded when I received the call from Vodafone. I didn’t know whether to shout, be quiet or start jumping,” he stated.

Mr. Obeng, a social worker at the Department of Social Welfare in Accra, said that his constant streaming of movies and series made him buy a lot of credit.

Baba Ibrahim and Belinda Boahene said that they were aiming for GHȼ100,000 cash prize in the grand draw.

Martison Obeng-Agyei, Head of Mass Market at Vodafone, said his outfit had increased the number of winners from 170,000 to 272,000 for more customers to benefit from the promotion.

The event was attended by Mark Hayford, Regional Manager at Vodafone, Michael Lartey, Commercial Director at Vodafone for Eastern Region and other top officials at Vodafone in Accra.

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NRSC Supports Police

Mrs Obiri-Yeboah presenting the items to ACP Sarpong

The National Safety Road Commission (NRSC) has presented safety gear worth GH¢ 200,000 to the Ghana Police Service to support their enforcement program in the Christmas season.

According to Ing. May Obiri-Yeboah, Executive Director of the NRSC, the donation was part of the commission’s efforts to help improve road safety practices on the roads before, during and after the yuletide.

Speaking during the presentation in Accra on Thursday, Mrs Obiri-Yeboah said her outfit would continue to support Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) to ensure that road traffic accidents reduce drastically in the country.

“We consider road traffic enforcement crucial to road safety improvements. We have over the years been supporting police with resources to help build the capacity of the Police MTTD,” she said.

The items which were procured with support from the Ghana Road Fund included 1,000 reflective vests, 200 magic lights, 200 white hand gloves, 100 body bags, 100 raincoats, 40 measuring wheel and 10 height gauges among others.

She hinted that the Police MTTD and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) would collaborate with other institutions like Guinness Ghana Limited, and Road Safety Management Services Limited to intensify enforcement efforts focusing on daily speed, alcohol checks, seatbelt and roadworthiness checks prior to departures at major terminals and on major road corridors across the country.

After receiving the items on behalf of the Police MTTD, ACP Patrick Adusei Sarpong, Director General of MTTD commended the NRSC for the gesture and urged road users to be extra careful during the festive season.

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AG Tasks 9 Pirate Fighters

(from left) Mr Ahmed, Yaa Attafua and Richard Quartey

Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong , Attorney General (AG) and Minister for Justice, says despite the positive contribution of the creative industry to the economy,  right owners are unable to enjoy  the benefits of their works due to the activities of pirates.

A nine-member Copyright Monitoring Team (CMT)   has therefore been inaugurated as a statutory body established under the Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690) to deal to with the challenges confronting copyright-based industries  and the creative industry.

The CMT is made up of  Dorothy Habadah, Godfred Lumor from the Copyright Office, Detective Superintendent Nasigri Braimah  Seidu,   Detective Superintendent Kessie Akrasi from the Ghana Police Service, Stephen Brobbey, Richard Quartey, Socrates Safo, Kwesi Nyarko and Yaw Oxbon from the various copyright owners associations.

According to Mrs Appiah-Oppong, the prime objective of copyright system in Ghana, which is to ensure that creators of protected works receive financial benefits or remuneration from their works, is being threatened by piracy.

In a speech read on the AG’s behalf by Suleiman Ahmed, Chief Director at the  Ministry of Justice in Accra yesterday during the inauguration of the (CMT) , the AG said  the impact of copyright protected works  on society and on the national economy cannot be overemphasised.

“The creative industries are also known to make considerable contribution to the economic wealth of  nations.  They also grow at a very fast rate and employ a large number of people,” she said.

Mrs Appiah-Oppong urged the members of the team to discharge their duties with utmost integrity and guard against entrapments of pirates.

“I do acknowledge the sensitive nature of the responsibility of the monitoring team. Persons who exploit copyrighted works for their personal gains may do all they can to perpetuate their illegal activities. They may even resort to inducements to protect their activities,” she added.

Yaa Attafua , Ag Copyright Administrator, disclosed  that the Copyright Monitoring Team has the core mandate to  coordinate all anti-piracy and infringements relating to copyright issues.

“With the development of technology, the financial rewards which should go to right holders keep on diminishing. Therefore I’m very happy that this Copyright Monitoring Team has been set up,” she noted.

The event brought together various stakeholders in the creative industry including Rex Omar and Kojo Antwi among others.

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Reggie and Bollie Changing the Face of X Factor?

See, let's not pretend, Reggie and Bollie are really not that good...not with singing, not for a reality show based on singing. If any Ghanaian finds these words unsavoury, it's due to a simple reason: you are Ghanaian, and in this situation, I am not Ghanaian enough, or rather, I too I'm being a typical Ghanaian, but in that way.

Nobody tells their child they suck with their talents even if they are, and once you have something 'else' to say about Ghana brothers on the verge major success, you are pulling them down. But hear me out...

Ok, let me make a more tolerable statement: Reggie and Bollie ... nah, I can't say it, for it wouldn't be true. Okay...nah, I still can't say it. Maybe soon though.

Still, I have many good things, other good things to say about Reggie and Bollie, who entered the competition as Menn on Point. Before leaving for the UK, both artists had left pleasurable moments in our ears. Bollie's " You May Kiss The Bride " is original in the way it embodies hiplife. It is always relevant and enjoyable. It is catchy and humorous. It is a classic...all songs on Da Hammer's Sounds of Our Time compilation are. And till now, no, even now, it's the single moment of musical brilliance Bollie has given to us. His act on the X Factor isn't, and that shouldn't be a debate.

The only Reggie we know is Rockstone. Maybe that has not entirely been accurate since Zippy's entre in 2002 with his musical explosives. But since Reggie Zippy has been away in the UK practising as an accountant, we had all gone back to following Rockstone alone, and it is not until this edition of the X Factor that we have remembered our other Reggie, the prodigal Reggie.

Reggie Zippy, now known simply as Reggie is, well, was a real contender for hiplife relevance ( royalty even), at least, for his effort on two songs: " Virgin" and "Adomaa"...Actually, let's make it three; " For Sale" is special too. His voice, his melody is rich and ambiguous: it's nearly not good and nearly really good at the same time. On a song, he tastes hoarse, like you'd normally hear on dancehall, and/ or is an excellent highlife tenor, and /or the leader of a "jama" session; that energetic and immensely enjoyable genre which floats on chorused claps, sarcastic spiritualism and crass speak. And I don't even know why I always imagine him wearing sunglasses when I hear his voice. Anyway...

Unlike Bollie, Reggie has stage command, and has intentions other than engaging in twisted gesticulation with his knees and feet. He intends for his audience to have fun, and ensures that. He also has a voice which is engaging, and barks ad --lips which are instructive. His voice is not what you'd immediately expect to hear on a highly sought after singing platform as this, but he owns it, and to be fair, we hear all kinds of voices during auditions.

But at 31, he's back, in group, and we should look at him as a member of a group --a dysfunctionally interesting, oddly exciting group. They don't complement each other because Bollie (29), is underwhelming and omnipresent for all the nail --biting moments of their performance. Reggie is omnipresent too, but in the way we are attracted to.

That not withstanding, their performance is fire, and they're on the good side of Simon Cowell, easily the mist critical person in music today, and the one with the most important comments as far as the show is concerned. Endorsement from him is rare, and when you receive Simon's blessing, you're doing something right. The duo has secured Simon's smile ever since they performed their upbeat song "Turn It Up". This is not typical...not with Simon Cowell, not with the show. But it's working, and Simon is not easily fooled.

When I watched their semi- final performance of a medley of Black Eyed Peas’ "I’ve Gotta a Feeling", and Reel 2 Reals’ classic "I like to Move it, Move it", I had to watch it again. And then I had to watch it again. It was just lovely in its happiness and colour, and for the three minutes they were real rock stars. Both songs were apt in the way they were bubbly, which is a truthful reflection of the personality they present on the show.They got the crowd to stand, and achieved frenzy. They did it. It's no doubt the most heavenly three minutes of their careers.

Lauren Murray lost out on a slot in the final, and the Menn On Point have received flack for it, because for many, she is an exceptional singer on a show which is looking for exceptional singers. She's young, gorgeous and soulful in her singing, and she comes from humble beginnings. But she is a cliché. Your typical X Factor is young, pleasant and has a soulful voice. We have seen Lauren and what she represents, in many other forms, and maybe, at least this year, we are tired of silky and soulful. It's not a believable thing to say, and frankly, it tastes like salty meat on my tongue, but maybe it is what it actually is. Too much of a good thing might be unwholesome in the end.

Maybe we are at the point of singing competitions where the focus of a performance is no more vocal ability, but charisma. No matter what Reggie and Bollie are doing, we are drawn to it. It's not special, but at the same time, there's a difference to it. That's charisma, I think.

Perhaps (and this might be too early to say), this is a new phase in the direction on the show, a tangible manifestation of the dynamism and the element of surprise that the show professes to have. Might Reggie and Bollie be it?

Artistry is not necessarily about just singing, it's about performance...it's about entertainment. Look around! And on the X Factor now, nobody is performing better...nobody manipulates the crowd better and on a higher level than Reggie and Bollie, and on that score they are good enough...even better than good enough. I'm sure Simon knows that the Menn On Point are unimpressive vocally...but they excited him with their energy and breeze, and even the almighty Simon Cowell wouldn't mind some energy and breeze.

Also, in every contest, there is a story, and he who possesses the story wins the contest. In this competition, they possess the story: they are modest Africans with modest ambitions in the land of honey and milk. They've been through the valleys of the shadows; doubt, ridicule, doubt, and day jobs, but have braved it all, holding on to their desire with a strong fist above dirty water. These two things: an outpouring of a passion on stage, together with this touching spin of their story might just hand them the ultimate.

It makes perfect business sense, and is fit for that documentary film. Of course they deserve credit for even getting up on that stage for the auditions to start with, there are so many other directions this could have gone...but you never know the plans wey God get...not if you don't take that step anyway... Let's see what they do with what the show has given them --that's what the real X Factor is, maybe...

Godspeed!

By Gabriel Myers Hansen

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Ghana Loses Out on Corruption War

Mrs Ofori-Kwafo addressing the market women with Asafo Anye Ogbedai II looking on

Linda Ofori-Kwafo, Executive Secretary for Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition says the country is losing out on the fight against corruption because government has failed to implement laws that would serve as deterrent for people engaged in the act.

According to her until Ghana is able to implement laws, prosecute corrupt officials and recover stolen assets, the country would not make any headway in the fight against corruption.

Speaking at a public outreach for Market Women on corruption to commemorate the 2015 International Anti-Corruption Day at the Mallam Attah Market  in Accra on Wednesday, the Executive Secretary of the civil society group stated that every year Ghana performs poorly anytime she partakes in an assessment on corruption due to lack of mechanisms to curb the act.

She consequently called on government, the citizenry and institutions to use the United Nations (UN) International Anti-Corruption Day to assess the negative impact corruption has made on the country and its development and make a resolution.

However Mary Awelana Addah, Programmes Manager for Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) argued that though Ghana was losing out in the fight against corruption, the country was doing a great job at exposing and unmasking corrupt officials.

“But from the collective effort of government, we still have a lot to do on that front. When corruption is exposed in Ghana, it takes a long time for different committees to be setup and for a long time for reports to be released and when they are released we are even not made aware of what exactly they contain,’ Mrs Addah grieved .

She lamented that government’s effort to disseminate information on corruption and the enforcement of recommendations from such committees to the citizenry and media has not been good.

Meanwhile the Queen Mother for the Mallam Attah market, Asafo Anye Ogbedai II said corruption was not created by God but manmade.

She urged the market women at the Mallam Attah market to desist from giving bribe or receiving bribe from anyone.

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