DAILY ANALYST Friday, 9th August, 2024 DAILY ANALYST Friday, 9th August, 2024 Page 2 Global News auto industry in March, triggered a wave of criticism. Democrats were quick to reiterate their campaign message that the former president poses a threat to democracy. The Biden campaign used the “bloodbath” comment in an ad - posted on its social media accounts - and a spokesman accused Mr Trump of “encouraging and excusing politi- cal violence”. The Trump campaign, howev- er, said the comment was specifi- cally about the auto industry and had been deliberately taken out of context. It sent a fundraising email which said Trump’s political opponents and others had been "viciously" misquoting him. "[They] fully understood that I was simply referring to imports allowed by Crooked Joe Biden, which are killing the automobile would have been illegal and arbi- trary. There appear to be several mo- tives behind Carles Puigdemont's return to Spain. Firstly, he wants to pressure the authorities into applying the country's new amnesty law - which withdraws legal action against Catalan nationalists - to him, after the supreme court excluded him from its application on technical grounds. He also aims to disrupt the investiture of Socialist Salvador Illa as the new Catalan president today. The former Spanish health minister would become the re- gion's first non-nationalist leader since 2010. Equally important for Mr Puig- demont is to assert himself and his Junts per Catalunya (JxCat) party as the main pro-indepen- dence force. He is keen to cast his separat- ist rival, the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), as being complicit with Spanish unionism because of its agreement to support Mr Illa's investiture. Until a new local government is in place, ERC is still responsi- ble for the Catalan police force, making the former regional president's return particularly uncomfortable for the party. U S President Joe Biden has said he is not con- fident there will be a peaceful transition of power if Donald Trump loses the presidential elec- tion in November. In his first interview since he dramatically dropped out of the race last month, Mr Biden told P olice in Barcelona are hunting for the sep- aratist former leader of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, who made a dramatic return to Spain after a seven-year exile despite facing an outstanding arrest warrant. The Mossos d'Esquadra - Catalan police - set up roadblocks within Barcelona and leading out of the city as part of Operation Jaula - or "cage" - aimed at finding Mr Puigdemont, who was seen leaving a rally this morning in a car. The operation was reportedly ended a few hours later. For much of the past several years he has lived in Brussels, after police indicted him on charges linked to a failed bid for Catalan independence in 2017. At the time, Catalonia's pro-in- dependence leaders including Mr Puigdemont organised a refer- endum - which was ruled illegal by Spain's constitutional court - and later declared independence for the region. Madrid imposed direct rule on the region shortly after and Mr Puigdemont fled to Belgium. On Thursday morning, Mr Puigdemont briefly addressed hundreds of supporters who gath- ered near the Catalan parliament in Barcelona, shortly ahead of the expected investiture of a new head of the Catalan government. He said he had returned "to remind you that we are still here" and added: "Holding a referendum is not and will never be a crime." Mr Puigdemont then disap- peared. Many were expecting him to turn up inside the parliament building in time for the inves- titure ceremony at 10:00 (08:00 GMT), but he was nowhere to be seen. A Catalan police officer was de- tained on suspicion of helping Mr Puigdemont flee, a spokesperson for the Mossos d’Esquadra said. The officer allegedly owns a car in which Mr Puigdemont escaped after making his address, Spanish industry," Trump wrote on social media at the time. Mr Biden has previously expressed concern that his former rival would not accept the result of the election. During the presidential debate on CNN in June - which triggered the crisis over Mr Biden's candi- dacy - Trump was asked directly whether he would accept the 2024 election results. “If it’s a fair and legal and good election, absolutely," he respond- ed, after initially avoiding the question. Trump made repeated un- founded claims of election fraud in 2020 after he lost that election to Mr Biden. J apan has - for the first time - issued a warning about an increased risk of a "major earthquake" striking in the near future. The advisory was issued on Thursday night local time, telling people to be alert but not to evacuate. It also stressed that the warning did not mean a large earthquake was imminent, but that the probability was higher than usual. It came hours after a 7.1 mag- nitude earthquake occurred off the southern island of Kyushu, which reportedly caused no major damage. But experts were put on heightened alert because of where the epicentre sat - at the edge of the Nankai Trough, an area of seismic activity which stretches along Japan's Pacific coast. The plate boundary sits between Suruga Bay in central Japan, and the Hyuganada Sea in Kyushu to the south. Previous Nankai Trough earth- quakes have left thousands dead. These megaquakes have been recorded once every 90 to 200 years, with the last one occurring in 1946. Experts say there is a 70% to CBS News: “If Trump loses, I'm not confident at all." "[Trump] means what he says, we don’t take him seriously. He means it, all this stuff about ‘if we lose it will be a bloodbath’.” Mr Trump’s comment that it would “be a bloodbath for the country” if he loses the election, made as he was talking about the media said. Roadblocks have now been set up across the city, a spokesperson for Catalonia's interior depart- ment said in a statement. Spanish TV also showed imag- es from La Jonquera, a municipal- ity bordering France, where police could be seen stopping cars and checking the boots. Puigdemont ally Aleix Sarri criticised the police operation on X, saying: "Hundreds of policemen encircle Barcelona to arrest Pres- ident Puigdemont. A hunt paid with public money to please the powers in Madrid. This is not what a democracy does." Police reportedly used pepper spray to disperse Puigdemont supporters who gathered near the parliament. Ignacio Garriga of the far-right Vox party, which strongly opposes independence for Catalonia, said Vox would "do everything neces- sary to ensure that Puigdemont is arrested". Some Spanish commentators are puzzled at the fact that police were unable to arrest Mr Puig- demont despite him announcing he would return to Catalonia earli- er this week. On Wednesday, he posted a video on X saying that he had "started the return trip from exile" and added that his arrest His supporters stormed the Capitol building in January 2021 in an effort to stop the election result from being certified. Many in attendance that day repeated the former president's claims that the vote had been rigged. In the CBS interview clip released on Wednesday, which was posted on X, Mr Biden also appeared to suggest there were ef- forts to complicate the post-elec- tion certification processes, although it was unclear exactly what he was referring to. “Look what they’re trying to do now, in the local election districts where people count the votes,” he said. "You can't love your country only when you win." 80% chance of a magnitude 8 or 9 quake striking somewhere along the trough in the next 30 years, according to the Kyodo News agency. Worst-case estimates suggest more than 200,000 people could be killed in the earthquake and potential subsequent tsuna- mi.However, at a press con- ference on Thursday, Japanese Meteorological Agency official Shinya Tsukada emphasised that while "there is a relatively higher chance of another major earth- quake compared to normal times" they were not saying it would definitely happen "in a certain period of time". This current advisory - the lower of two types of alerts at officials' disposal - will be in place for a week. It asks residents to be on higher alert in the coming days, and for those who cannot evacu- ate quickly to consider doing so voluntarily, according to Japan's NHK broadcaster. Officials have also told people be cautious but carry on with their everyday lives, while checking evacuation routes where needed and that households have enough supplies. Biden 'not confident' of peaceful transition if Trump loses Police hunt ex-Catalan separatist leader after shock return from exile Japan warns of heightened risk of megaquake Trump was asked whether he would accept the election results in the June debate Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont made a dramatic return to Spain on Thursday morning DAILY ANALYST Friday, 9th August, 2024 Page 3 Frontpage Stories Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia "A few years ago, I pushed for the reduction of the gold export levy (withholding tax) from 3% to 1.5%. The result of this is that after a sharp decline in 2021, the gold export volumes have been steadily recovering, with 2024 showing promising signs. In the first half of 2024, the small-scale mining sector alone produced a total export volume of 821.97 troy ounces." "This is more than double that of Jan-Jun 2023 (404.06 troy stakeholders, including Kwame Bediako, Leader and Founder of The New Force, have expressed concerns that the fees are too high, Dr. Quaicoo's revelation highlights that the current amount is relatively modest compared to what could have been. When asked by Bernard Lav if the 100,000 Ghana Cedis fee is too burdensome for presidential aspirants, Dr. Quaicoo recounted the 2020 IPAC meeting, saying, “It will shock you that in 2020, Akua Donkor suggested that we pin it at 1 million Ghana Cedis.” His comment underscores the balance the EC has tried to strike in setting the fees, aiming to ensure the process is accessible while maintaining the seriousness of the candidates. Responding to Kwame Bediako's concerns, Dr. Quaicoo also light-heartedly pointed out that candidates like Bediako, who have invested in extensive campaign materials such as billboards, should not find the filing fee to be a significant burden. “When you drive around in town, don’t you see the expensive billboards he has mounted? Are they not expensive?” he remarked. Dr. Quaicoo further reassured the public that the EC is adhering to the legal framework governing elections. He reminded candidates that the law allows filing fees to be refunded to those who secure a significant portion of the vote— 25% for presidential candidates and 12.5% for parliamentary candidates. As the election process unfolds, the EC continues to emphasize transparency and legal compliance while engaging with concerns from all political stakeholders. P resident of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has assured the general public that the association will continue to push for media responsibility alongside freedom of expression. Speaking at a seminar organized by the Department of Journalism & Media Studies, of the University Of Education, Winneba, to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the GJA, Held At Uew, On Friday, August 8, 2024, Mr Dwumfour said the GJA has always stressed the need for journalists and other media practitioners to exhibit responsibility in the exercise of freedom of expression. “I, therefore, wish to reiterate that whilst the GJA will continue to push for the protection of media freedom, it will never pull from the promotion of media responsibility,” he added. According to Dwumfour the theme for the celebration “75 years of excellence in journalism: The impact of journalism education on the future of journalism practice in Ghana,” was carefully chosen to highlight the importance of excellence in our enterprise. D r. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has promised to reduce the mining export tax to 1% if elected in the upcoming 2024 general elections. Speaking at a campaign event on August 8, 2024, Dr. Bawumia outlined this initiative as a strategic move to combat gold ounces) and 2022 (262.05 troy ounces). Also, in value terms, 2024 recorded $1.77 billion higher than 2023 and 2022 just from the small- scale sector." "Given our strategic intention to realize higher production volumes to refine locally and support the gold for oil and gold for reserves programmes for a stable currency, I will further reduce the withholding tax from 1.5% to 1%, in the next government under my presidency." Mr Dwumfour further disclosed that to further underline the commitment of the GJA towards ensuring a future of journalism that is more productive and responsive to the development aspirations of Ghana, the GJA will organise a symposium on the topic: “AI and the future of journalism” as part of the 75th-anniversary celebration. “Prof Chairman, to further underline the commitment of the GJA towards ensuring a future of journalism that is more productive and responsive to the development aspirations of Ghana, we will organise a symposium on the topic: “AI and the future of journalism” as part of the 75th-anniversary celebration. The objective is to explore the good of AI for the good of journalism, as we move into a future that belongs to you, our dear students. May I use this opportunity to invite the HoD, faculty and students of the Department of Journalism & Media Studies to this important symposium scheduled to take place at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra on August 15, the very day the GJA was born,” the GJA boss explained. smuggling, which he identified as a significant issue affecting the country’s mining sector. Dr. Bawumia explained that the reduction in the export tax is intended to make it less financially appealing for individuals to smuggle gold out of Ghana. By lowering the tax from the current rate, he believes that the policy will incentivize legal and transparent transactions, leading to increased gold production volumes that can be refined domestically. The NPP flagbearer also highlighted how this tax reduction would support his proposed “gold for oil” and “gold for reserves” programs. These initiatives aim to use gold exports to stabilize the national currency and strengthen the country’s foreign reserves. According to Dr. Bawumia, these programs are crucial for achieving economic stability and enhancing Ghana’s financial resilience. Dr. Bawumia noted that a previous reduction in the gold export levy from 3% to 1.5% in 2021 had already led to a significant decrease in gold smuggling. He attributed this success to the more favorable tax environment, which encouraged miners to adhere to legal export practices and contributed to a more controlled and transparent gold market. T he Director of Elections at the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, Dr. Serebour Quaicoo, has revealed that Akua Donkor, leader of the Ghana Freedom Party, once suggested a significantly higher filing fee for presidential candidates. During an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in 2020, Dr. Quaicoo revealed on Bernard Lav's Atinka TV morning show, Ghana Nie, that Akua Donkor proposed a filing fee of 1 million Ghana Cedis, ten times higher than the current fee. This disclosure follows the latest conversations around the filing fees for the upcoming elections. The EC has set the fee for presidential aspirants at 100,000 Ghana Cedis and 10,000 Ghana Cedis for parliamentary candidates. While some political I’ll reduce mining export tax to 1% GJA will continue to promote media responsibility Akua Donkor proposed GH¢ 1 M filing fee Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, GJA President Dr. Serebour Quaicoo, Director of Elections at the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana Akua Donkor, leader of the Ghana Freedom Party DAILY ANALYST Friday, 9th August, 2024 Page 4 in harmony with the River Volta. The annual flooding replen- ished soil fertility, contributing to agricultural yields, while the community engaged in oyster picking, fishing, and hunting. However, since the test run of the Volta Dam, such cata- strophic flooding has not been experienced until now. The community's sources of livelihood have been severely impacted, leading to out- migration and ongoing health challenges. Relief items promised by the VRA and central government have not materialized beyond an initial, inadequate supply. The citizens praised the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for his efforts in mobi- lizing resources and support for the victims. In light of the circumstanc- es, the concerned citizens are calling for the government to declare the area a disaster zone and implement serious mea- sures to alleviate the suffering. Their demands include immediate action to fix the Aklakpa River bridge. provi- sion of safety canoes for school children, improvement of access roads and drainage systems, addressing health challenges caused by polluted water bodies, adequate compensation for lost properties, farms, and livestock, speedy construction of prom- ised housing units, Waiver of electricity bills for affected households from October 2023 to March 2024. On the issue of a broken steel bridge at Mepe-Sayikope- Aklakpanu, the residents com- plained bitterly that this is the only lifeline linking North and Central Tongu Districts. They indicated that it was Story: Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu C oncerned citizens of the Mepe Traditional Area in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region have broken the silence by voicing their frustration and demands following the devastating spill- age of water from the Akosombo Dam reservoir by the Volta River Authority (VRA). At a crowded press confer- ence held on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at Mepe, the residents, clad in red attire recalled that on October 2, 2023, the VRA com- menced the spillage, affecting numerous communities down- stream, including Torgome, Fodzoku, Dorfor, Volo, Battor, Mepe, Mafi Adidome, and various others along the Volta River. They lamented that the three Tongu Districts—North Tongu, Central Tongu, and South Ton- gu—were particularly hard hit, with Mepe being the epicenter of the disaster. According to them, the initial announcements from the VRA downplayed the impact, sug- gesting that the spillage would affect no more than a hundred individuals. However, they pointed out that within 24 hours, about 60% of houses in Mepe were flooded. They further lamented that many residents returned from their farms only to find their homes inaccessible and valuable properties, including livestock, unsalvageable due to the rapid flooding. They detailed that the disas- ter left most of Mepe submerged, destroying buildings, farms, and animals. The citizens accused the VRA and government authorities of negligence and indifference. Despite claims of conduct- ing simulation exercises, the residents complained the VRA's top officials have not provided adequate support or plans for the affected households. Moreover, they pointed out that the Ministry for Sanitation and Water Resources, which ad- vised relocation, has not visited the flood victims even eleven months after the incident. They asserted that the resi- dents continue to suffer from the aftermath, with thousands of houses, crops, and livestock destroyed. They indicated that the gov- ernment has yet to compensate the flood victims, many of whom are now homeless and living under makeshift canopies. The citizens alleged that the spillage seemed deliberately calculated and executed without sufficient contingency plans. They noted that for over 200 years, the people of Mepe lived eight months now the steel bridge across River Aklakpa at Mepe-Sayikope, connect- ing Juapong to Adidome Tagazi collapsed under the weight of a heavy-duty truck. For now, they complained that all motorists had been directed to detour through Dadome, to Adidome in the Cen- tral Tongu District, and then to Juapong. "We are saying the Aklakpa Bridge is crucial for their com- munity, because human activi- ties, especially business, have come to a standstill since it collapsed. "The lives of people including over 300 school children from surrounding communities risk their lives daily by crossing the River Aklakpa to access educa- tion in Sayikope, Mepe township, and Dadome due to the collapse of the bridge. "Following this situation, we the concerned citizens of Mepe are calling on the government to take immediate action to fix the Aklakpa River bridge. "We are also stressing the ur- gent need for the central govern- ment and VRA to provide safety canoes to be used by school chil- dren from surrounding commu- nities to cross the river to access education in order to safeguard the heart-threatening situation in the area," they explained. The citizens stressed the need for concrete data to ensure proper support for those directly and indirectly affected by the flood. They also urged the govern- ment and VRA to honor their promises and take swift action to prevent future disasters. The press conference con- cluded with a plea for immedi- ate and effective intervention to restore the community and safeguard its future. T he President of the Labone Old Students Association (LOSA), Mr Listowel Agbeli has urged students to take their studies seriously to attain success in their academics while old students do their part to help develop the school. He said this at the Launch of the 75th Anniversary of the La- bone Senior High School and the unveiling of the Anniversary Logo for the celebration. The Labone Senior High School was established in 1949 and is now 75 years old. Aside from the launch, LOSA is set to embark on a series of activities including Students Carrier and Family Fun Day, Health Screening at La and Osu, Homecoming, food bazaar, jams and gospel rock show, candlelight procession, bonfire, Speech and Prize-giving Day, Gala Dinner Dance and Thanks- giving Service to mark the anniversary celebration. At the launch, old students, current students, stakeholders, and sponsors, converged at the National Theatre in celebration of this feat. A cake was also cut to celebrate the anniversary. Speaking at the launch, the National President for LOSA, Mr Listowel Agbeli assured that the old students will embark on a series of projects to help develop the school. However, he said while LOSA does its part to uplift the school, the students also have a responsibility to learn to achieve greater heights in life. After taking a tour around the school, Mr. Listowel Agbeli observed that the school needs some development and or face- lift, urging the Alumni to support this endeavour. “While calling on the educational Authority to intervene as a matter of urgency, I want to call on all old students and various year groups to immediately direct all support to the school, towards the provision of classroom furniture, and the refurbishment of the old boys dormitory i.e. house 2 and 3,” he stated. While the National LOSA will focus on bigger projects to enhance the school’s internally generated funds, the National President encouraged each year group to adopt a classroom and at least furnish it to an acceptable international level and ensure that the environment is the best. For her part, the Headmistress of Labone Senior High School, Mrs Rejoice Akua Acolor extended her deepest appre- ciation to the government for implementing the Free Senior High School initiative saying it is a policy that has undoubtedly broadened educational access for numerous students. She assured that the school will continue to ensure stu- dents have the best of education at the school to shape them for the future. “Labone Senior High School pledges to continue shining brightly, nurturing future generations with the aid of cutting- edge technology through the integration of technological tools, we aim to enrich the learning experience, stimulate creativity, and equip our students with the skills, competencies, character qualities, necessary to strive in a dynamic world of work and in adult life,” she stated. She paid tribute to all former heads and staff for laying the foundation for the school’s successes and also expressed grati- tude to LOSA for their loyalty and support towards the school’s collective achievements. A former Army Commander and a LOSA 67 Member, His Excellency Major General Samuel Nii Anum Odotei (Rtd) also noted the importance of ICT in shaping the future of students and called for more investment in ICT to prepare school chil- dren for future challenges. Mepe Citizens Demand Action After Devastating Akosombo Dam Spillage Labone @ 75 launched DAILY ANALYST Friday, 9th August, 2024 Page 5 Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng Former President John Dramani Mahama tegic operations of the Ghana Air Force including surveil- lance of the country’s offshore oil production fields, border patrol, the training of pilots and internal transportation of troops. In November 2014, then President John Mahama had announced that Gha- na planned to acquire more Military equipment, including five Super Tucanos, Mi-17s and four Z-9s, for the Ghana Airforce. At the time, Ghanaian troops were said to have relied heavily on civilian flights for their movements and needed military aircraft to correct this anomaly. Despite oppo- sition criticisms, the govern- ment went ahead with the purchase agreements. UK Court’s judgement The recent judgement by England’s Crown Court in Southwark would appear to have now given a new life to earlier suspicions that the agreements covering the C295s especially were cor- rupt. The January 21, 2020 decision approved a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) between the Serious Fraud Office and Airbus SE, a subsid- iary of Airbus, after investiga- tions exposed massive bribery scandals involving the air- craft manufacturer in breach of the Bribery Act 2010. English law allows the SFO to postpone prosecution of an organisation based on an agreement between the SFO and a company or companies suspected to have committed economic crimes. Such an agreement – (DPA) – requires a seal of Judicial ap- proval to become lawful and may even allow the offending institution to avoid prosecu- tion entirely. The court, in its decision on such applications, con- siders among other things, whether or not the DPA before it is in the public interest. Also, the terms of the agreement must be fair, rea- sonable and proportionate. In the present case, the court found that the DPA is in the public interest and that the terms agreed to meet the tests of fairness, reasonability and proportionality. The court took the view that prosecuting Airbus now would among other things, lead to massive job losses and decimate the company’s performance on the stock market in the immediate to long term. Independent estimates suggest Airbus could easi- ly haemorrhage some £200 billion in the long term if it faced prosecution immedi- ately. The judgement stated that All three purchases, ap- proved by Ghana’s Parliament after heated disagreements on the floor, were roundly marketed by the government of the day as a drive to mod- ernize Ghana’s Air Force. Funding for the first two C295s came from a €60,034,636 loan facility from the Deutsche Bank S.A.E. A further €11,750,000 million loan from the Fidel- ity Bank Ghana Limited was also approved by Parliament during the period for the acquisition of two DA42 MPP Guardian surveillance aircraft for the Ghana Airforce. The House also ap- proved a total loan sum of $105,370,177.09 from the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) for the purchase of an Embraer E190 jet for the country. The Embraer agree- ment was to cover related spare parts, relevant accesso- ries as well as the construc- tion of an aircraft hangar big enough to house three large aircraft. Prior to the Parliamentary approval of the loan agree- ments, then Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu had slammed the deals as both questionable and non-trans- parent, adding that the con- tract sums had been padded by the government. He famously tabled figures obtained from the internet to back his claims but was scorned for doing no more than relying on Google to come up with such serious claims of wrongdoing. One of the C295s acquired under the deal supported United Nations-led missions in Mali. The rest were bought, as the Government explained at the time, to support stra- SFO investigations found that Airbus — which has since agreed to pay over £3 bil- lion in fines — had engaged in schemes that involved bribing its way to lucrative contracts in countries such as Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Indonesia and Ghana. French and US authori- ties have also found similar evidence of alleged bribery involving Airbus officials and or their agents in other countries, including Russia and China. In the case of Ghana, the Judgement of the Crown Court highlights instances where Airbus officials, as part of a scheme to obtain and or maintain contracts with the government, either bribed or agreed to bribe interme- diaries with close links to a high-ranking state official said to have influence over the country’s aircraft pur- chase plans between 2011 and 2015. The court documents did not mention any names but the timeframe stated in the judgement covered some peri- ods of the Mills-Mahama era. The first agreement to pay bribes in Ghana involved some €5 million which was disguised as a Commission to an intermediary – “interme- diary 5” – engaged by Airbus to promote its proposal to sell two C295 aircraft to Ghana. Eventually, due process tests exposed the dubious arrangements and no money was paid. Subsequent approaches by Airbus succeeded, resulting in Ghana buying 3 C259 aircraft through the multinational’s Spanish defence subsidiaries at separate times. The deals were arranged through several intermedi- aries led by “intermediary 5”, said to be an unnamed rela- tive of a powerful Ghanaian official who, at the relevant time, was in a decision-mak- ing position over the proposed aircraft purchase agreements. However, after an internal investigation exposed the link between intermediary 5 and the unnamed high-ranking government of Ghana official, a scheme was then hatched by the parties to route the trans- action through a third party company of Spanish origin, which company had no previ- ous dealings with Ghana. The Spanish company was passed off as the facili- tator of the proposed aircraft purchase agreements when in fact it was merely insert- ed into the arrangements to circumvent due diligence requirements in order to give the questionable transaction a clean bill of health. Upon conclusion of the deal with Ghana, under which two aircraft were initially sold, Airbus or its agents relied on false representations and documentation to pay bribe amounts close to €4 million to the Spanish third party com- pany which in turn funnelled the payments to intermediary 5. The payments were dis- guised as commission on the contract amount. The Spanish third party company pulled out of a subsequent deal that handed Ghana her third C259 aircraft. This was after Airbus had engaged an external counsel to conduct due dili- gence on it. Intermediary 5’s subsequent claim that Airbus owed him some €1.6 million under the deal covering the third C295 was not honoured. O ffice of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has cleared former president John Dramani Maha- ma of any wrongdoing in the infamous Airbus Scandal. However, the OSP con- firmed that John Dramani Mahama was identified as Government Official 1 and Individual 1 by UK and US courts . The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng made the announcement yesterday at a Press conference in Accra “The OSP confirms the identity of the following individuals. The individual described as Government Official 1 by the UK court and Individual 1 by the US court is John Dramani Mahama. He is a citizen of Ghana and was the Vice-President of Ghana from January 7 2009 to July 24, 2012,” the OSP stated. The former President John Dramani Mahama and his brother Samuel Adam Maha- ma Foster were alleged to be entangled in the scandal. A UK court heard charges against Samuel Adam Maha- ma Foster and his UK friends in the Airbus SE-Ghana case and issued an arrest warrant for them, resulting in an IN- TERPOL Red Notice. Background of the Airbus Scandal Ghana bought three Mili- tary Airplanes – C295s – from Airbus. The nation received its first C295 in November 2011. The second aircraft was received in April 2012 and the third in November 2015. The deals covering them were argued at the time to be in line with the 2009-2012 Strategic Plan of the Ghana Armed Forces. Mahama cleared by OSP DAILY ANALYST Friday, 9th August, 2024 Page 6 progress.” “The time for action is now, and the President’s immediate approval is crucial in this process. We cannot afford to delay in our pursuit of gender equality,” Nkaw stated. The enforcement of the Affirmative Action Bill is expected to catalyse economic empowerment for women and foster an environment where they can contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development. Empowered women are more likely to invest in their families’ health, education, and well-being, driving sustainable development and ushering in a new era of social change. Nkaw further called for the passage of the bill criminalising T he United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ghana Energy Commission have launched a campaign to raise awareness and ensure compliance with newly introduced energy efficiency regulations. The initiative began with a town hall meeting in Tamale, Northern Region, aimed at educating the public and stakeholders on the significance of these regulations for electrical appliances. The meeting addressed stakeholder concerns, highlighted the benefits of energy-efficient appliances, and built capacity among media personnel to support the adoption of energy-efficient technologies. It also served as a platform for knowledge-sharing and networking. Mr Gyimah Mohammed of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation emphasised the link between human activities and climate change. He noted that improper disposal of organic waste, industrial emissions, and unsustainable farming practices significantly impact A ctionAid Ghana has commended Parliament for passing the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Bill 2024. The organisation believes that the legislation will empower women and girls across society and help achieve gender equality and equity. As a social justice organisation, ActionAid Ghana views the bill as a critical tool to redistribute power and address systemic discrimination and power disparities that have long affected women and girls. A tech group in Ghana, led by young innova- tors, has developed a cutting-edge tool that uses artificial intel- ligence to diagnose ailments as part of efforts to improve access to quality, affordable health care in the country. The diagnostic tool, which has been certified by the Food and Drug Authority, analyses up- loaded scanned images to detect and diagnose ailments. The team developed the diag- nostic tool two years ago but has revamped it this year to make it more efficient. It can generate a medical report, prescribe medications, and also recommend treatment procedures, easing the work load of radiologists at health care facilities. All reports generated by the AI tool are also assessed by clinicians. According to the Journal of World Future Medicine, Health, and Nursing, early detection in disease management is a key factor in improving the ef- fectiveness of treatment and reducing the negative impact witchcraft accusations to ensure justice for vulnerable women. “No woman, or vulnerable aged woman, should lose her life due to being accused of witchcraft,” he said, referring to the tragic case of Akua Denteh, who was murdered following such accusations. He described these situations as a “very low point” for the country. The Country Director of ActionAid Ghana also congratulated the Affirmative Bill Coalition, pressure groups, the climate, leading to health issues, agricultural problems, and damage to energy and infrastructure systems. He cautioned against the use of “vampire appliances,” which consume up to 50% of household energy. “This excessive consumption strains energy generation plants, requiring them to produce more electricity and, in turn, increasing carbon dioxide emissions from thermal plants.” Mr Mohammed stressed that this not only burdens government resources but also reduces household disposable income. He urged a shift towards energy-efficient appliances certified by the Energy Commission. Mr Hubert Zan, Assistant Manager for Energy Efficiency Regulations at the Ghana Energy Commission, emphasised the need to address the influx of substandard appliances. “We believe that these minimum energy performance standards will serve as a benchmark for regulating appliances introduced into the country,” Zan said. He clarified that the new regulations do not prohibit used products but require all appliances to meet minimum Speaking in Tamale at the Transformative Action on Gender Equality (TAGE) Stakeholder Engagement on the promotion of intersectoral and legal support to combat violence against women in Ghana, John Nkaw, Country Director of ActionAid Ghana, emphasised the need for a swift and comprehensive implementation of the provisions in the Bill. “We urge the President to assent to the Bill expeditiously and ensure that its provisions are translated into concrete actions that can dismantle the systemic barriers impeding women’s of disease on individuals and society. Darlington Akologo, the team leader of the young innovators at Mino Health AI Labs, developers of the diagnostic tool, is hopeful the diagnostic tool will improve health outcomes in the country. In an interview with VOA, Darlington Akologo said the ini- tiative seeks to improve access to health care delivery in the country. “The goal is to get very good access to quality health care, regardless of where we are. So let us empower our health workers by leveraging AI tools," he noted. He acknowledged concerns about the limitations of the AI tool and the potential danger of a wrong diagnosis. “If you have a complex MRI of the brain and you want the AI diagnostic tool to pick up something like a stroke, you cannot do it. We understand the limitations of AI and have made it clear to clinicians that the tool should not have the final say; let clinicians have the final say," he noted. activists, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for their efforts in advocating for the bill. “Your hard work and resilience are empathic, echoing what our Country Strategy Paper VII stands for active citizenship for social justice,” he noted. He added that ActionAid Ghana remains steadfast in its mission to champion social justice and advance the rights of women and girls. Nkaw called for continued support to address power imbalances in gender relations. standards. “Importers must ensure their products are endorsed, and registered, and carry the yellow label to help consumers make informed decisions,” he added. Mr Zan also encouraged consumers to prioritise energy- efficient appliances to lower their energy bills and save money. He warned importers against importing non-compliant products into the country, stating that those found guilty would be required to re-export them. The collaboration between the UNDP and the Energy Commission highlights the importance of energy efficiency in driving sustainable development, with the new regulations expected to have significant impacts on both the economy and the environment. Recently, Ghana’s Parliament passed 17 new regulations and revised three existing ones concerning electrical appliances. These regulations aim to enhance the Standards and Labeling (S&L) regime, expand its scope, and im