Author: Krobea

The family of Kofi Annan continues to be inundated with tributes from across the world barely 24 hours after the renowned diplomat died. The outpour of sympathy for the former UN Secretary-General definitely symbolises his sterling role in the fight for global peace. His family and his foundation, Kofi Annan Foundation, said he died peacefully on Saturday after a short illness. The world greeted the news with an outpour of sympathy to the man who headed the United Nations between 1997 and 2006. READ: What world leaders are saying about Ghana’s Kofi Annan But the tributes continued to pour in…

People should no longer use the word “Mormon” to characterise the faith, the head of the Utah-based church has said. Church leader Russell Nelson urged both followers and non-followers to stick to the official designation “the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”. Mr Nelson, 93, said the move had been prompted by God, who “impressed upon my mind the importance of the name”. However, he added, the central text of the Church would still be called the Book of Mormon. The church’s updated online guide says the terms “Mormon Church”, “Mormons” and “Mormonism” are no longer acceptable. It also…

Former President of Ghana Jerry John Rawlings has joined former world leaders to mourn the passing of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Mr Annan died on Saturday in Berne, Switzerland. Significantly, he became the UN Secretary-General in 1997, when Mr Rawlings was president of his home country, Ghana. “My sincere condolences to the wife and family of Kofi Annan,” Mr Rawlings said in his statement of mourning on Saturday. “Global diplomacy has lost a true gem.” Even when he left office in 2006, Mr Annan played major roles in sustaining world peace. Until his death, he was the Chair…

Ghana has won three gold medals in the just ended SAGE World Cup competition in South Africa, placing them second only to Israel, who went away with four. The competition, which saw young teenagers from across the globe compete with their entrepreneurial and innovative ideas to find out which one is most viable and which one addresses the world’s most challenging needs with respect to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs), had about 32 countries participating. Countries that participated included the USA, Ireland, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Iran, Chile, Japan, Canada, Israel, China, Russia and others. Countries who won…

Italian President Sergio Mattarella is due to preside over a state funeral for 18 of the victims of Tuesday’s bridge collapse in Genoa. Mr Mattarella and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will lead mourners at the ceremony at a hall in the city. So far 38 people are confirmed to have died in the disaster and five are still unaccounted for. Some families are reportedly staying away from Saturday’s ceremony because of anger at the government. The collapse of a section of the Morandi motorway bridge and the deaths of those crossing in vehicles have led to a fierce debate in…

A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, says it is unconstitutional for a traditional council to order someone to stay away from an area. “Legally, it is unconstitutional for a traditional council to tell somebody that he is unwanted in that area.” He added that the issue about Freddie Blay should be handled carefully. “Honestly speaking, legally it is unconstitutional. However, I think that this issue that has come out [and] we should all be tactful when we [are] commenting on it,” he said on Friday on Sunrise morning show on 3FM. In his view,…

Past and present students of the Unity and University halls of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have marched on the streets of Kumasi to protest a recent decision by authorities to allow females to be admitted as residents of the two all-male halls. The decision has sparked the students’ outrage with some resorting to the law courts for arbitration. READ: Parents warned against sending their female wards to Conti & Katanga On Friday, the demonstrating students – a combination of Katanga (University Hall) and Conti (Unity Hall) Power – carried coffins of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Kwasi…

President Trump’s plans for a Veterans Day military parade through the streets of Washington DC have been delayed until at least 2019. Mr Trump was impressed by France’s Bastille Day parade on a visit in 2017 and said the US could “top it”. But figures released on Thursday suggested the event could cost about $90 million (£71m) – more than three times the original estimate. Critics had also made comparisons to parades in countries led by autocrats. The parade was originally conceived to mark the centenary of the end of World War One, on 11 November. A Pentagon spokesperson, Colonel…

The Chairman of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Board, Michael Nsowah, says the skills students acquire from the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) does not support the modern development agenda of this country and due to this, plans are ongoing to make secondary school compulsory for everyone. He mentioned that infrastructure for the double intake system has not been completed since education is competing for a part of the country’s budget with all the other sectors. “The road map for the free compulsory secondary education is removing cost barriers that prevent people from accepting secondary school education.” He was speaking…

A National Vice Chairperson for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Anita Desoso, has denied claims that former President Jerry John Rawlings referred to her as a crook. The reference was made by the NDC founder after she begged him on behalf of the executives of the NDC at a June 4 anniversary celebration at Madina, in Accra. According to Anita Desoso, she considers the former president as her father but does not accept the reference he made. “I am not a crook,” she protested. “On the stage at Madina, he did not say that but when he went home after…