President Obama in a recent comment threatened to cut US foreign aid to countries including Ghana that will disrespect the rights of homosexuals.

President Obama’s comments come after UK Prime Minister David Cameron recently issued similar threats to cut aid to anti-gay nations.

But the vociferous opposition legislator in a heartless manner condemned his threats and said President Obama can go to hell and called on well meaning Ghanaians to ignore him.

“I was shocked when I heard it from such a man I hold in [high] esteem,” the firebrand said. “I have lost respect for him on this issue because what he is saying here is that if men and men and women and women are not allowed to sleep he will not give us foreign aid, then that is [funny]. ”

“Is that what God asked us to do by saying that we should go out and multiply; did he say men and men, women and women should sleep and multiply the generation, if he indeed said that he is a nonentity,” he fumed.

Hon. Appiah Ofori asked Ghanaians to ignore the US President and concentrate on issues of national concern that will promote their wellbeing.

General News of Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Source: citifmonline

Hon Richard Turkson and Former Gov Gen of Canada

Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dr. Richard Turkson is dead. He died Wednesday morning after a short illness.
Dr. Turkson had only days ago played host to President John Mills who paid a four day official visit to Canada.

Profile of Dr Richard Turkson
Dr. Richard B. Turkson was from 1990 to 1993 Africa Regional Director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) whose headquarters is located in London, UK. In November 1993, he was reassigned to the newly-created post of IPPF Legal Consultant (Africa), a position he held until July 1995.
He has been Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon; Visiting Professor, Temple University Law School, Philadelphia, USA; Commonwealth Secretariat Technical Expert attached to the Department of Law, University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius; Member of the General Legal Council, the statutory body charged with the function of regulating the legal profession in Ghana; National President, Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana, and Member of the National Census Technical Advisory Committee (2000 Population and Housing Census).
He has led several Ghana Government delegations to meetings of the UNFPA Executive Board (1998-2000) and the UN Commission on Population and Development (2002 and 2003). He also actively participated as a member of Ghana Government delegations to The Hague Forum (1999); the ICPD + 5 Review (New York, 1999); the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (2001), and the ICPD + 10 Review (New York, 2004).
He has been a member of the Ghana Bar for a long time and has practised extensively in the Courts of Ghana as Barrister-at-Law and Solicitor of the Supreme Court. He was Vice-Chairman-cum-Rapporteur of the 35th Session of the UN Commission on Population and Development (2002-2003).
Before his appointment as High Commissioner, he was on retirement from the Public Service of Ghana and consulting for non-governmental organizations such as IPPF Africa Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya, IPAS Africa Alliance Office, Nairobi, Kenya, African Population Advisory Council, Nairobi, Kenya.

His broad areas of interest include the following:
gender and human rights, particularly promotion and protection of sexual and reproductive rights at the national and international levels
the critical role of African parliamentarians and other law-making institutions in promulgating relevant laws affecting sexual and reproductive health and rights.

His publications and conference presentations include:
The Family Planning Movement in Africa: the Pathway to Recognition;
Reproductive Rights within the Context of Current International Human Rights Instruments;
The History of Family Planning in West Africa: 1964 – 2004 and Legal and Policy Barriers to Family Planning in Swaziland, Zambia, Senegal and Burkina Faso (edited by Turkson and published by IPPF as a tool for advocacy at the NGO Forum preceding the historic Beijing Conference in 1995).
Amongst Dr. Turkson’s expectations as High Commissioner for Ghana are the following:
To work together with his compatriots resident in Canada and interested Canadians to generally empower our women, particularly those in the rural areas, to eliminate or alleviate poverty and all those factors which hinder development.

This should go a long way in achieving the Millennium Development Goals;
To search for meaningful opportunities for investment by Canadian partners in the oil and mining sectors;
To search for similar opportunities in value-added agro-processing and access to Canadian markets for Ghanaian non-traditional exports.

Many of those who have passed commentary about the president’s visit to Canada over the weekend, have wondered why he paid the visit without holding an event in Toronto where out of 80,000 Ghanaians living in the Ontario Province, 50,000 are living in the Greater Toronto Area[GTA]alone.

Among those who passed their comments about the president’s visit to Ottawa-Canada to this reporter was Mr. John Anati, vice president of Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario [GCAO], Mr. Eric Agyeman, board member of Algonquin College, Prince Ofosu Sefa, NPP Secretary of Toronto Chapter as well as other members in the area.

Mr. John Anati, on behalf of the association right before addressing the president at the town hall meeting in Ottawa expressed how disappointed Ghanaians in Toronto were as the head of state never considered coming down to meet with them and also provide answers to many questions bothering them about issues concerning governing the state.

“If you look at how the questions were being fired you could see that there is no strong link between the high commission and the people in finding answers to problems they are facing” an observation made by Mr. Eric Agyeman of Algonquin College.

He posited that is time appointment to head the high commissions are done not by looking for people holding PhDs, Professors or of people with so many degrees but rather very energetic persons who can create a strong communication between the people and the government they represent. According to Prince Ofosu Sefa, Secretary of Toronto NPP chapter, it was interesting that the president did not hold an event in Toronto during his trip.

He found the president quite likable, approachable and serene adding,” he seems to use this style sprinkled with frequent references to God/the Christian faith to charm the audience. However, he is a boring and uninspiring speaker. He does not command the room”.

Other residents whom this reporter collected their views about the president’s visit commented that from what he said it seems he came to tell them what they knew of already as problems existing and not how his government is finding solutions to those problems.

Really, many were those who conducted research and drafted their grilling questions to face the president should he had interacted with Ghanaians resident in Greater Toronto Area [GTA] during his visit.

Some of the questions the president would have attempted to answer were why not rebuking his insulting ministers, the influx of Fulani herdsmen into the country posing security threats to the ordinary people, persistent strikes by doctors, nurses, teachers and other civil servants without government finding solutions to them and many more.

Source: Ghanaweb

Hon. A. Raynell Andreyehuk a senator introducing a conleague to President Mills at parliament hill

President Mills graunt interview to Kristen Shane, association editor of The hill times embassy newsweekly

Source:Ghanaweb

President Professor Mills arrives in Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, welcomes President Mills to his office

President Mills chatting with Canada Prime Minister harper

Prez Mills thanking the Akyem Brenasehene and Adontenhene of Akye Bosome traditional council, Barima Amoaben-Oko Awuakye I

MP's welcomes prez mills in the office 256-s

Prez Mills addressing chiefs and people at st pauls university, Ottawa

On friday November 18th, President Mills made a trip to Ottawa, the capital city of Canada.

President Mills met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other MPs at Parliament Hill and also addressed the chiefs, MPs and special guests at St Pauls University, Ottawa.
Source:Ghanaweb

The Canadian government’s Border Services Agency published on its websitethe names of suspects from Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Ghana, Haiti, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and the former Yugoslavia, among others.

The Ghanaians are Frank Kobena BERKO and Kiemtor ALIDU(aka SEIDU, Kiemtor). The statements on the websitedid not indicate specific charges against them.

“We all have a part to play in making our communities safe, and today we are asking for Canadians’ assistance,” said Public Safety Minister Vic Toews. “In releasing the names of individuals, who are residing illegally in Canada and who are complicit in committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, it is our hope that new information will help our law enforcement officials track them down and remove them from Canada.”

Canada “is recognized around the world for its leadership in global efforts to hold persons suspected of, or complicit in, serious human rights abuses accountable for their crimes through cooperation with other countries and international tribunals,” the agency added.

General News of Thursday, 21 July 2011 
Source: GHP/AFP

Additionally, bio-technology facilities at the CRI are being upgraded to allow for technology generation and transfer.

Mr. Isaac Baning, Principal Scientific Secretary of the Institute, made this known when he together with three other officials of the CRI called at the Kumasi Office of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to interact with reporters.

WAPP was developed by the West and Central Africa Centre for Research and Development (WACRD) based in Senegal to aid growth in food production and help bring down hunger in the sub-region.

The participating countries are Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire.

Mr. Baning said each of these countries had established a national centre of specialization focusing on commodities, which they have comparative advantage.

In the case of Ghana, the emphasis is on the root and tuber crops including yam, potato and cassava, while Mali is giving more attention to maize and rice with Senegal concentrating on sorghum, millet and other drought tolerant crops.

Through this arrangement, researchers would share experiences, technology and information and by this promote trade.

Source: GNA

Polling stations were open across Canada as of 7 a.m. PT. They opened first in Newfoundland and Labrador at 8:30 a.m. NT., and they will remain open for 12 hours in each time zone.

Canadians who are registered to vote will have received a voter information card in the mail indicating the polling station where they are registered to vote.

Voters who are not already registered may register at their local polling station before casting a ballot. To register, voters will be required to prove their identity and address, or have another voter from their riding swear an oath vouching for them.

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper was scheduled to vote at 11 a.m. MT in his Calgary riding. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff greeting commuters in his west Toronto riding Monday morning and was scheduled to vote just before 10 am. ET. And NDP Leader Jack Layton was in his east Toronto riding and scheduled to vote at 10 a.m. ET.

Bloc Québéois Leader Gilles Duceppe’s plans were not announced, while Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was to vote in Sidney, B.C., at 10 a.m. PT.

Results blackout

The first results will start being broadcast at 10 p.m. ET when the polls close in British Columbia. Strict rules prevent any instance of what Elections Canada calls “premature transmission of results” until the last polls have closed in every electoral district in the country.

Section 329 of the Elections Canada Act states: “No person shall transmit the result or purported result of the vote in an electoral district to the public in another electoral district before the close of all of the polling stations in that other electoral district.”

The agency has issued a warning to Facebook and Twitter users to use caution on election day when communicating and posting voting results, saying the act also applies to transmissions made over the internet.

Record-setting advance polls

More than two million Canadians cast ballots in advance polls over the Easter long weekend, a 34 per cent increase from the 2008 federal election.

Preliminary figures from Elections Canada show 2,056,001 ballots were cast during the three days of advance polls, compared to 1,528,780 advance ballots cast three years ago.

Of the three advance polling dates, Elections Canada said two were the busiest advance polling days ever recorded.

Polling stations warning

Elections Canada issued a warning to voters Sunday to ignore instructions from anyone but the agency itself about where they should vote.

The warning came after reports surfaced of voters being told to go to the wrong polling stations, some up to an hour away from their homes.

Elections Canada said it had received reports of voters being given false information in several ridings, most of them in Ontario.

Leaders make final pitches

The federal party leaders were all on the campaign trail Sunday, making their final pitches to voters before election day.

Jack Layton’s confidence continued to soar, as the New Democrat Party leader told the crowd gathered at a rally in Kingston, Ont., his party could defeat Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. It was the first time in the election campaign Layton specifically said he could defeat Harper.

Harper, meanwhile, took his campaign across the country, touting his economic plan and blasting the NDP’s platform, which he claimed would result in sky-high tax hikes. Harper also repeated his pitch to Liberal voters, saying the party will be nothing but a “backseat passenger” to an NDP government.

Ignatieff defended himself against Harper’s appeal to Liberal supporters, accusing the Conservative leader of trying to destroy him and the party. Ignatieff underscored the difference between the Liberals and the NDP, saying the New Democrats have never formed a federal government.

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe returned to Montreal on Sunday, appealing to Bloc supporters and their love for Quebec. He repeated the party’s desire for the province to become its own country and took a shot at an NDP candidate who is running in a mostly Francophone area of Quebec but doesn’t speak French.

He said: “Amongst the nations coming to your rescue are the genuine believers of freedom, downright opportunists and crass mercenaries.”

To the Egyptian transitional military government he said, 93you owe it a duty to your people not to betray the revolution. You have a duty and a responsibility to set in motion the quest for accountability, transparency and integrity in governance”.

“The peaceful revolution as we saw in Egypt must be protected and nurtured until it becomes a shining example of the creative energy of an empowered people,” President Rawlings said.

Mr Abdul Hanan Zubeiru, representative of the Ghana Embassy in Libya, said the Embassy received a distress call about the stranded Ghanaians who had converged in Niamey en route to Ghana.

He said the Ghana Embassy had been responsible for their upkeep for the past three days including the cost of transportation from Niger to Ghana.

Mr Zubeiru said 20.00 and 50.00 Ghana cedis would be given to each returnee on arrival to enable them to pay their fare to their homes.

Mr Osman Shaid, leader of the refugees, said they all met in Niamey from different locations and most of them came from Sirte, Benghazi, Misirata, Tripoli and Saba.

He said they left under pressure and did not their belongings and pleaded with the government to come to their aid to resettle.

Mr Shaid said some of them worked for over four months in Libya and were not paid their salaries and showed their appreciation for the support given them by the Ghana Embassy and the Regional Coordinating Council.

Mrs Lucy Awuni, the Deputy Regional Minister who received them, assured them of the government’s commitment to reintegrate them into their families.

“Government is ready to do whatever it takes to get you engaged in your various skill areas to undertake economic ventures,” he said.

Source: GNA

The Embassy further wishes to inform all Ghanaians living in Japan to contact the Embassy for any assistance in case of emergency.

The contact details are as follows:
Ghana Embassy
1-5-21 Nishi Azabu
Minato -ku
Tokyo 106-0031
Japan
Tel: 03 5410 8631

Contact Persons
1. Mr Kwaku Totime
Charge d’ Affaires
Tel 080 6619 5198

2. Mr. Bonaventure Adjavor
Minister-Counsellor
Tel: 080 4185 3666

l thank you for your usual cooperation in this very important matter.

Bonaventure Adjavor
Minister Counsellor
Ghana Embassy
Tokyo

Message from Ghanaians

Ghanaians who survived the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan on Friday write on their experiences

SUNDAY

• My Magnitude 9.0 Earthquake Survival Story; A Ghanaian In Tokyo

SATURDAY

• 10:00pm (GMT) “…. tell my people I am alive. Some Ghanaians are missing. I will be sending you updates whenever i can.”
  -Chris Amoah & wife (Tokyo)10:45pm (GMT): “… no need to ask [government] for evacuation. This is not a war, we want to remain here to help our brothers”
• 11:30pm (GMT): “….About 170,000 people have been evacuated from the area around a quake-damaged nuclear plant in north-east Japan that was hit by an explosion …. I know about 3 Ghanaians living in that area. No news on them yet”
• The 8.9-magnitude quake that struck off the coast of Japan Friday pummeled buildings, set off massive fires and tossed a subsequent 30-foot tsunami over the largely-populated City of Sendai, among others.

If you live in japan and have information about Ghanaians, please post it on the comments page.

Source: Ghanaweb.com