Multi TV available in 60 thousand homes

Multimedia’s free-to-air digital network Multi TV says it has sold almost 60 thousand satellite receivers over the four months since it was formally launched.

The figure also means that more than 60 thousand homes in Ghana now get to watch Multi TV channels.

Officials say the sales figure, though impressive, is still below the one million target it is hoping to hit by the end of next year.

The Sales and Marketing Manager, Nutifafa Attah told Joy Business the past two weeks have seen a jump in sales because of an ongoing promotion.

He says more people are also beginning to discover the numerous interesting programmes the network has to offer.

Multi TV will now be targeting corporate institutions to purchase boxes on behalf of their workers, officials have said.

The network offers more than 20 digital television and radio channels for free to subscribers. Subscribers would however need to make an initial one-time investment for the installation of the satellite receiver and dish.

That means, there will be no monthly charges as is the case with other digital television services.

Source: Joy Business/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Fuel Prices Up By 5% in Ghana

GHANA NEWS – The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has announced a five per cent increase in fuel prices which takes effect on Saturday.

The increases follow hikes in crude oil prices in the world market which hovers around $80 per barrel. Media reports had speculated the price hikes but hinted government was going to absorb the increases.

However after a meeting between stakeholders on Friday the decision was taken to pass on the marginal price hikes to consumers.

The new increases have thus been communicated to the Oil Marketing Companies or OMCs.

Already, there appears to be an artificial shortage of the commodity as fuel stations are alleged to be hoarding the commodity for purposes of making more profit.

Source: Myjoyonline/Ghana

Hundreds Gather In Accra To Watch Jackson’s New Documentary

Corporate heads and celebrities from the media and the entertainment industry Tuesday night thronged the Silverbird cinemas in Accra to be among the first in Ghana to watch the new documentary of the late pop star, Michael Jackson.

The documentary “This is it” was pieced together from 100 hours of footage shot at rehearsals for the star’s ill-fated comeback shows.  Top cinemas across the globe will premiere the documentary today Wednesday.

Silverbird Ghana however said it first took a bold step to show the one hour forty-five minutes documentary to three hundred special guests ahead of the rest of the world because it wants to grow the cinema culture in Ghana.

Some of the special guests included Information Minister Zita Okaikwe as well as film directors and entertainment critics.  Michael Jackson, who died on June 25 aged 50, had spent the previous four months rehearsing in Los Angeles.
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Ghanaian Newscaster On Italian Television

Dayana Akosua Adu, a Ghanaian, is the only African female newscaster on Italian Television.

Rete Brescia (R.T.B), a well established TV station housed in the Italian northern city Brescia, broadcasts its news and programs, apart from Italian language, in 5 other languages including English of which Akosua Adu is part of it.

Having worked as a Secretary to a Bank in Ghana, she joined her husband in Italy 20 years ago and her courageous acts, tenacity and determination has pushed her to the position she is today. But says she owes everything to the grace of God as she granted an interview to ghanaweb.com.

Coming from a family background that would not yield to hindrances and discouragements to achievements, Akosua looked back at the early years in Italy and what an Italian journalist told her at that time has now become a reality of which she is relishing every bit of it as a journalist. As a gospel artiste and an activist who likes to speak on behalf of the down trodden she could be seen at public rallies in Brescia speaking at the forefront against treatment of migrants in Italy. At one of such rallies, where she has been invited to perform with her gospel band she recalls how an Italian journalist interviewed her. She narrated that story this way: “It was at one of my concerts at a public square during a demonstration, an Italian journalist covering the event told me in response to her question, ‘you don’t look like a gospel artist, you look like a political activist’. I spoke against their continuous views and reports on Africa showing children with bare feet and pot bellies. I cannot keep silence over that. The lady journalist response was, ‘then you have to come and work with us and present Africa as you like it’”. According to her it was like a joke but a confrontation with the lady. Today she is a news anchor woman at R.T.B vividly remembering what the lady journalist told her at that rally.

Akosua Adu who hails from Akwapim Akropong, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, admitted she wasn’t a journalist and didn’t think of becoming one but one thing led to another which again she pointed out is the work of God. Looking at the family background in Ghana she mentioned that from a personal research she did it came out that the family can boast of some seasoned journalists in Ghana among them was her grandfather who composed the signature tune (a drumming tune called Ghana ‘muntie’, meaning, Ghana listen) for Ghana News on Radio/TV which is still being used today.

Life in Italy in those early years according to her wasn’t the best she had expected though her husband, Nana Biney, who was also a source of inspiration, made her aware of the situation that prevails for migrants before she arrived. She went through the mills doing some domestic jobs and working as a factory hand for 18 months but all along she knew she was going to change lane and was not discouraged or distracted by what some friends said when she started some courses provided by the City Council which included a computer course. “Two years after completing some of these courses I was called by one of the Trade Unions (CGIL) in the city of Brescia which said they are looking for a journalist to work at a TV Station. My initial response was, I’m not a journalist but a banker and also a political activist who likes speaking for people using my music to get the message across but they insisted and asked me to go for the opportunity being presented at Rete Brescia,” Akosua mentioned.

Speaking about the audition she again recalled: “We were a group of people from different nationalities, some accredited journalists, being auditioned for a job to be taken on as a newscaster when R.T.B decided to go multi-lingual in 2001. My performance was terribly bad on that day when put on set with the lighting systems and all the Italian camera crew standing and watching. I thought I miserably failed but was surprised the man in charge picked me among all the rest. He said my voice is good for the job and have good command over the English language believing I can be worked upon,” She indicated it was not only about English but realised they needed also someone with command over the two languages, English and Italian, the latter which she has because of the courses she did earlier. “I was employed immediately,” she said.

Since then the Ghanaian has been enjoying her job and interacting freely with the staff. Have been trained to use the camera for covering events and been sent alone several times on locations. When I asked her about the difficult part of the job she took a deep breath and burst into laughter before responding. “Sometimes when I go out on location for news they look at me up and down and ask me, ‘did you miss your address?”, she told me still laughing.

Programs on R.T.B has won several awards internationally, they give a positive side of the foreign migrants in Italy and Akosua Adu, who also works with the City Council Office of Brescia as a social service mediator between the Council and the Ghanaians and Nigerians community, said:“We have a hard working Director whose editorial lines is to portray the positive side of the immigrant in Italy, give information about the migrants and to give out necessary information that will ease their stay in the country.”

In the concluding part of the interview she was quick to point out she desires to be a politician in Italy appearing to take inspiration from her father who was a Politician, a Magistrate and a District Commissioner in Ghana”.

What would you want to change in Italy if you have a position of authority in Italy?, I finally asked her. She replied: “Working as a newscaster here in Italy, for that matter African immigrant, is in its self a change. Some gave me a short time thinking it will all be over for me but it has not turned out to be the case. I believe I’m at R.T.B as a pioneer to pave way for other Africans here and right now it is stirring up the youth. There are opportunities in the land of Italy, what people don’t like are challenges and hindrances. If you leave Italy and go elsewhere, you will still have challenges. It is only that, it comes in a different form,” and she added: “Life is full of challenges and for one to break through you must be somebody who believes so much in what is in you to be able to cross the barrier and that is what I am”.

The President of R.T.B, Virgilio Baresi, praised the working ability of the Ghanaian describing her as a selfless individual who has learned more about the job with time and added the station broadcasts to 5 continents across the world. “We want to help all immigrants who want to put their problems across. Those who come to Italy must be helped not only to make money for us. In Brescia every 100 people you meet in the street 38 may be foreigners, we have 156 ethnic groups in the city. We need to educate them on the laws of the land because if they misbehave Italians pay for the cost,” Baresi said.

R.T.B. website: www.retebrescia.com -

source: Dayana Akosua Adu, a Ghanaian, is the only African female newscaster on Italian Television.

Rete Brescia (R.T.B), a well established TV station housed in the Italian northern city Brescia, broadcasts its news and programs, apart from Italian language, in 5 other languages including English of which Akosua Adu is part of it.

Having worked as a Secretary to a Bank in Ghana, she joined her husband in Italy 20 years ago and her courageous acts, tenacity and determination has pushed her to the position she is today. But says she owes everything to the grace of God as she granted an interview to ghanaweb.com.

Coming from a family background that would not yield to hindrances and discouragements to achievements, Akosua looked back at the early years in Italy and what an Italian journalist told her at that time has now become a reality of which she is relishing every bit of it as a journalist. As a gospel artiste and an activist who likes to speak on behalf of the down trodden she could be seen at public rallies in Brescia speaking at the forefront against treatment of migrants in Italy. At one of such rallies, where she has been invited to perform with her gospel band she recalls how an Italian journalist interviewed her. She narrated that story this way: “It was at one of my concerts at a public square during a demonstration, an Italian journalist covering the event told me in response to her question, ‘you don’t look like a gospel artist, you look like a political activist’. I spoke against their continuous views and reports on Africa showing children with bare feet and pot bellies. I cannot keep silence over that. The lady journalist response was, ‘then you have to come and work with us and present Africa as you like it’”. According to her it was like a joke but a confrontation with the lady. Today she is a news anchor woman at R.T.B vividly remembering what the lady journalist told her at that rally.

Akosua Adu who hails from Akwapim Akropong, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, admitted she wasn’t a journalist and didn’t think of becoming one but one thing led to another which again she pointed out is the work of God. Looking at the family background in Ghana she mentioned that from a personal research she did it came out that the family can boast of some seasoned journalists in Ghana among them was her grandfather who composed the signature tune (a drumming tune called Ghana ‘muntie’, meaning, Ghana listen) for Ghana News on Radio/TV which is still being used today.

Life in Italy in those early years according to her wasn’t the best she had expected though her husband, Nana Biney, who was also a source of inspiration, made her aware of the situation that prevails for migrants before she arrived. She went through the mills doing some domestic jobs and working as a factory hand for 18 months but all along she knew she was going to change lane and was not discouraged or distracted by what some friends said when she started some courses provided by the City Council which included a computer course. “Two years after completing some of these courses I was called by one of the Trade Unions (CGIL) in the city of Brescia which said they are looking for a journalist to work at a TV Station. My initial response was, I’m not a journalist but a banker and also a political activist who likes speaking for people using my music to get the message across but they insisted and asked me to go for the opportunity being presented at Rete Brescia,” Akosua mentioned.

Speaking about the audition she again recalled: “We were a group of people from different nationalities, some accredited journalists, being auditioned for a job to be taken on as a newscaster when R.T.B decided to go multi-lingual in 2001. My performance was terribly bad on that day when put on set with the lighting systems and all the Italian camera crew standing and watching. I thought I miserably failed but was surprised the man in charge picked me among all the rest. He said my voice is good for the job and have good command over the English language believing I can be worked upon,” She indicated it was not only about English but realised they needed also someone with command over the two languages, English and Italian, the latter which she has because of the courses she did earlier. “I was employed immediately,” she said.

Since then the Ghanaian has been enjoying her job and interacting freely with the staff. Have been trained to use the camera for covering events and been sent alone several times on locations. When I asked her about the difficult part of the job she took a deep breath and burst into laughter before responding. “Sometimes when I go out on location for news they look at me up and down and ask me, ‘did you miss your address?”, she told me still laughing.

Programs on R.T.B has won several awards internationally, they give a positive side of the foreign migrants in Italy and Akosua Adu, who also works with the City Council Office of Brescia as a social service mediator between the Council and the Ghanaians and Nigerians community, said:“We have a hard working Director whose editorial lines is to portray the positive side of the immigrant in Italy, give information about the migrants and to give out necessary information that will ease their stay in the country.”

In the concluding part of the interview she was quick to point out she desires to be a politician in Italy appearing to take inspiration from her father who was a Politician, a Magistrate and a District Commissioner in Ghana”.

What would you want to change in Italy if you have a position of authority in Italy?, I finally asked her. She replied: “Working as a newscaster here in Italy, for that matter African immigrant, is in its self a change. Some gave me a short time thinking it will all be over for me but it has not turned out to be the case. I believe I’m at R.T.B as a pioneer to pave way for other Africans here and right now it is stirring up the youth. There are opportunities in the land of Italy, what people don’t like are challenges and hindrances. If you leave Italy and go elsewhere, you will still have challenges. It is only that, it comes in a different form,” and she added: “Life is full of challenges and for one to break through you must be somebody who believes so much in what is in you to be able to cross the barrier and that is what I am”.

The President of R.T.B, Virgilio Baresi, praised the working ability of the Ghanaian describing her as a selfless individual who has learned more about the job with time and added the station broadcasts to 5 continents across the world. “We want to help all immigrants who want to put their problems across. Those who come to Italy must be helped not only to make money for us. In Brescia every 100 people you meet in the street 38 may be foreigners, we have 156 ethnic groups in the city. We need to educate them on the laws of the land because if they misbehave Italians pay for the cost,” Baresi said.

R.T.B. website: www.retebrescia.com -

Source: Reggie Tagoe in Brescia (Ghanaweb)

Adebayor Praises The Black Satellites

Togo’s national team captain, Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayor has congratulated Ghana’s Black Satellites for their triumph at the recent FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Egypt. The Black Satellites beat Brazil 4-3 on penalties to become the first African side to win the ultimate in the 32-year history of the biennial competition.

Adebayor, reigning African Footballer of the Year in a statement gathered by GNA Sports in Accra said the victory of the Black Satellites is a good omen for Africa, especially during the centenary year of Ghana’s founder, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

“You have certainly made Ghana and Africa proud. It is proper and befitting that on the 100 years anniversary of the first President of Ghana and the chief proponent of a Black Star of Africa, the Satellites of Ghana have emerged the first country in Africa to win the coveted FIFA U-20 World Cup.

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Lumba Brings In Sarkodie and Samini on new album

The king of longevity in Ghanaian highlife music, Daddy Lumba has wrapped up recordings for his forthcoming 27^th album, and it is would be nothing short of what he has been noted for throughout the 25 years in the music business. The 10-cut album is cleverly titled ‘Aware Pa Ye Anibre’ to mark his 25 years of marriage to his wife. The title track explores the virtues of a good marriage that has stood the test of time and the constant public scrutiny.

With his usual catchy lyrics and rhythms, the new album is set to follow the success of previous albums by appealing to both the old and young. Perhaps even more so now since the music icon relied heavily on the productions of Kaywah, who is currently one of the biggest engineers in contemporary Ghanaian music. Still on the subject of staying relevant, Lumba also featured the current fastest rapper in Ghana, Sarkodie on one of the songs, ‘Anadwo Yi Deε’.

Although Lumba’s decision to do a campaign song for Nana Akuffo Addo in last year’s presidential elections ruffled a few political wings, his befitting tribute to the late Hon. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu would be more than welcomed by politicians across the divide. The song, ‘Baah Wiredu’ is a remembrance song for the much loved Minister of State; and a reminder that Ghanaians honour and remember virtuousness.

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Ghana’s Economy Strong From Cocoa and Gold Exports

Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffuor on Friday said Ghana’s economy was able to withstand the impact of the global financial crisis, mainly due to the strong performance of cocoa and gold exports.

He made the observation at the inauguration of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Spanish Embassy in Accra. The ultra-modern office is expected to improve the implementation of Financial Protocols between Ghana and Spain.
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Tema Oil Refinery Receives Nigerian Crude

Ghana News: Tema, Ghana’s only oil refinery, received its first shipment of crude oil in 10 months on Sunday and is due to begin processing at the weekend, the worker’s union said.

“The first consignment has come — it’s 950,000 barrels from Nigeria — it came around 5 pm yesterday,” Albert Pinto, chairman of the workers union told Reuters on Monday.

Pinto said that Tema’s employees were carrying out tests on the crude ahead of the weekend’s planned restart.

The Tema plant has a capacity to process of 45,000 barrels per day but a huge debt burden had prevented it from buying crude since last December. Its operations slowed to a near standstill in February.
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Ghana Air Force Launches Golden Jubilee Anniversary

GHANA NEWS – Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), Minister of Defence, on Friday commended the Ghana Air Force (GAF) for maintaining the vision for its establishment despite the many challenges facing it.

“I doff off my hat to the Ghana Air Force for continuing to stay in the air in the face of the numerous shortfalls in the provision of modern platforms and woefully inadequate spares backing for the ageing fleet,” he said.

Launching the Golden Jubilee anniversary celebration of GAF in Accra, Lt-Gen Smith said: “Ghana Air Force has delivered, not only at the operational front but in support of national development objectives with commendable results.”

The celebration is under the theme: “Commitment to the Delivery of Air Power to Meet National Security Objectives.”

Activities for the month-long celebration include a raffle draw with a Kia Picanto saloon car as the ultimate prize.

Lt-Gen. Smith said Ghana’s First President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s vision for the GAF was to provide an image of Ghana as an emerging sovereign nation capable of handling her own affairs.

“GAF has improved from a humble beginning of a flying training school to a fully fledged air force rendering invaluable services to meet national objectives,” he added.

On its operations, he said GAF had flown Ghana’s flag since the 1960′s with Ghanaian troops in the Congo crisis, Liberian conflict and the current aviation support to the United Nations in La Cote d’Ivoire.

Lt-Gen. said GAF had won many international laurels while it has locally supported the Navy in numerous joint exercises with considerable success.

“GAF has supported government effort in transporting personnel and logistics during disaster, airlifting VIPs/VVIPs, Volta River Authority (VRA) personnel and perform commercial internal flights during operations,” he said.

He noted that the highly technical nature of the GAF demanded huge budgetary support that could hardly be met by developing economies like Ghana.

However, Lt-Gen. Smith said the acquisition of various categories of platforms ranging from fixed wing to rotary wing air crafts was far advanced and government was determined to improve the manpower and training needs of the service.

Air Vice Marshal Michael Samson-Oje, Chief of Air Staff, said the service had three transport squadrons, a fighter ground attack squadron and a helicopter squadron.

He said the flying training school at Takoradi which had not been functioning for sometime now currently undertake courses for personnel from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Aeronautical Engineering Faculty of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.

Air Vice Marshal Samson-Oje said the service was battling with the retention of highly trained personnel, because of the premature separation of young and highly trained officers and personnel from all branches of the GAF because of the attractive incentives offered by the private sector.

He said with the oil find, GAF had an important role of providing the capabilities needed to secure such an important national asset.

The GAF and Ghana Navy were established in 1959 by Ghana’s First President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Musician to Launch A Project On Climate Change Soon

Mister Bice Osei Kufuor,a Ghanaian Hip-life Musician, would soon embark on a tree planting campaign to create awareness on the effects of climate change.

The project code-named: “Securing Ten Thousand Lives,” would encourage people to engage in tree planting in the country, using a catch phrase “when the last tree dies, the last man dies.”

Mr. Osei Kufuor, popularly known as Obuor announced this after he and two others had been named climate change icons at a forum dubbed: “Africa Talks Climate,” organised by the British Council in Accra. The others are; Mr Kwadwo Oppong Nkrumah, a radio presenter on Joy FM,a private radio in Accra and 13-year-old Mordeciah Nyamekye. Obour said: “I will work on creating awareness about climate change and engage people in the project that would be sustainable.” Master Nyamekye pledged to engage children including his friends and folks in an informal way to encourage them to plant trees and make an impact on the environment within the next three years. “I will sensitise children; children also have a way of influencing their parents to do the right thing. This country belongs to all of us. We should not leave it to the politicians alone,” he said. Dr Nicholas Westcott, British High Commissioner to Ghana, said climate change was a developmental issue that required a fair deal between developing countries like Ghana and advanced countries like the United Kingdom.

He said fairness required developing countries to have a common voice in the mechanism for accessing and distributing funds. Inviting all and sundry on board, Dr Westcott said every country had a role to play in finding solution to the climate change issue, and hoped solution would be found to the phenomenon during the world conference in Copenhagen in December, 2009.

“This means a huge reduction in the UK’s emissions; we are committed to an 80 per cent reduction by 2050. With the Climate Change Act, we became the first country in the world to have legally binding framework for reducing emission and adapting to climate change,” he said. Ms. Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, said as part of preparations towards the conference, a national climate change programme would be launched in November to create awareness and called for support from Ghanaians.

Ms. Anu Mohammed, Researcher at BBC World Service Trust, a charity organisation that uses the media to support development, sharing highlights from a research conducted, said most people interviewed in Ghana could give any clear explanation for the changes in weather conditions. Giving examples of people’s explanation for the changes in weather, she cited a man in Accra as saying, “It looks as if God is changing his calendar.”

Source: GNA

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