Day: April 11, 2024

The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) says it has not granted approval for the seeds of 14 genetically modified (GM) products to be cultivated in Ghana.

The authority, which is responsible for the regulation of GM and its related products, instead said it has only registered 14 GM products to be imported into the country.

A statement signed and issued by Mr Eric Amaning Okoree, Chief Executive Officer of NBA, and copied to the Ghana News Agency explained that any entity interested in importing any GM products into the country is required to get an import permit from the NBA to be able to do so.

It said the 14 approved GM products are also not for cultivation but ‘they are for the purposes of food, feed or processing.’

‘They have been registered to allow for importation for those purposes by individuals or groups interested in them. Any entity interested will require an import permit from the NBA to be able to import them for use in the country. Therefore, the NBA wishes to state categorically that those
events or products have not been imported into the country for food, feed, or processing yet,’ it explained.

The statement noted that the NBA as the government agency responsible for the regulation of GM and its related products has laid down procedures in line with the Biosafety Act, 2011 (Act 831) and with international best practices in deciding on any application brought before it.

‘Authority therefore wishes to assure Ghanaians of the safety of GM product(s) that have received the NBA’s approval; notably the Bt Cowpea submitted by SARI and the fourteen (14) events submitted by Bayer West-Central Africa S.A and Syngenta South Africa which are intended for food, feed or for processing.’

The statement explained that the 14 approved products, made up of eight maize and six soybean events are not intended for cultivation.

‘They are, rather, grains for direct use as food, feed or for processing as stated above. This approval was granted under Section 13 of the Biosafety Act, 2011 (Act 831) and Regulation 1
5 of the Biosafety (Management of Biotechnology) Regulations, 2019 (LI 2383) following the evaluation of data and information supplied by the applicant and a thorough risk assessment by the NBA Technical Advisory Committee (TAC),’ the statement added.

It explained that having received the applications for registration, the Authority evaluated the events in line with available data provided by the applicants in line with the authority’s mandate and regulatory processes.

The statement expressed the concern that the call to reject any GM seeds that would be supplied was ‘unfortunate’, adding ‘The NBA recognises the need for Ghanaians to adapt to the emerging plant breeding technologies in the agricultural space for sustained crop improvement and food security.

‘We wish to reiterate the fact that the improved yield and sustained food security will rather inure to the benefits of farmers rather than impoverish them as being speculated by a section of the media. Again, there is a robust biosafety system in place
to ensure the safety of GMOs officially released in the country.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

A witness has told an Accra High Court that Manasseh Azure Awuni, an investigative journalist, and four others have no evidence to support their publications against Lighthouse Chapel International (LCI) and its founder.

In a defamation suit against Awuni, the Media Foundation for West Africa, its Director, Sulemana Briamah and Edwin Appiah, a co-editor (defendants), a witness of LCI, Mr Marcel Aboagye, testified that the defendants had failed to present any evidence to the court in support of several defamatory allegations made against the LCI in their published articles titled ‘Darkness in a Lighthouse.’

At the General Jurisdiction Court (a division of the High Court) presided over by Justice Joseph Adu Owusu Agyemang, Mr Aboagye stated that the defendants’ articles claimed that LCI owed several former church pastors over 42 years of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions.

The witness, pointing to the SSNIT Investigative report dated August 20, 2021, stated that SSNIT cleared
LCI of those allegations.

According to the witness, the allegations were false, and the defendants presented no evidence that LCI owed former pastors any SSNIT contributions.

During cross-examination, the witness claimed that the defendants falsely published articles claiming that former pastors Larry Odonkor, Edward Laryea, Seth Duncan, and Faith Fiakojo were exploited by the church to build worship centres and schools in Wa, Kade, Paga, and Fumbisi with their resources. The church then illegally took over the buildings.

The witness referred to a mail from 2008 that announced the policy and indicated that as part of the policy, LCI will continue to buy and build church buildings.

The witness testified that the defendants’ exhibits provided no evidence to substantiate the allegations that the facilities depicted in the publications were built with the personal resources of those pastors.

According to the witness, LCI built those structures with its own resources, and in the case of Wa, the buildings refe
rred to in the articles as having been put up by Larry Odonkor with his finances were constructed by the Church long after he had left the Wa Mission.

The witness went on to say that the publications falsely claimed that one of the former pastors, Seth Duncan, had attempted suicide three times due to maltreatment by the church.

The witness said that LCI never mistreated Seth Duncan.

According to the witness, Seth Duncan’s attempt to commit suicide was unconnected to the church.

The witness told the court that the defendants formed an ‘unholy alliance’ with the former pastors and published those pieces out of malice.

The matter has been adjourned to May 13, 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Alhaji Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, the Ameer and Missionary-in-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, has called on all to pray for peace ahead of this year’s elections, devoid of violence and disturbances.

‘Let’s consider and tolerate people who belong to other political parties and avoid tendencies that will cause disunity in our country.

‘We are looking for the good of the country, not individuals,’ he said.

The Ameer made the call on Thursday in a sermon to mark this year’s Eid-Ul-Fitr celebration in Accra.

He called on the Muslim community to avoid indiscriminate sex to protect the rights of children in society.

He said the country’s streets were inundated with children who did not know their parents, which affected their identity and survival in society.

He said, ‘Every child has the right to socialisation. It is the right of every child to have an identifiable father and mother.

‘The child has the right to education, health, food, clothing, and accommodation,’ he said.

Alhaji Salih said anyone
out of whose actions, a child cannot boast of his or her identifiable blood parentage and cannot find the rightful place in society committed a sin.

‘Invariably, such children grow to develop inferiority complexes, become social misfits, and start feeling like unwanted outcasts,’ he said.

He stressed that a society where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer cannot be called a welfare state; rather, it was a state that infringed upon the rights of the citizens.

Fasting, he explained, helped to remove and minimise the pains and sufferings of humanity and made us fit to face hardships.

He said Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, the Spiritual Leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, at the closing ceremony of the 91st Annual Convention, admonished all Ahmadi to demonstrate empathy and consider the sufferings of others as their own.

Source: Ghana News Agency

By Charity Nginyu

Following the tragic boat mishap that claimed the life of esteemed actor Mr. John Paul Odonwodo, widely known as Junior Pope on April 10th, 2024, the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has swiftly taken action to address safety concerns within the industry.

DR. Ejezie Emeka Rollas, the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, issued a statement outlining the decisions made by the guild in response to the heartbreaking incident.

Firstly, all film productions involving riverine areas and boat riding have been suspended indefinitely.

Furthermore, there will be no shoots at any locations nationwide on April 11th, 2024, as a mark of respect and solidarity following the tragedy.

In light of the circumstances surrounding the incident, the film titled ‘Another Side of Life’ has been suspended indefinitely.

The guild has also imposed a temporary ban on actors working with Adamma Luke as a producer until further notice.

‘While we keep searching for the bodies of the remaining persons, may
their souls rest in peace,’ DR. Ejezie Emeka Rollas expressed.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Houses were set ablaze in three villages in Bui division of the North West region as Government forces went on rampage attacking areas where they suspected were hideouts of separatists.

Eid Mubarak was a black event in Kumbo, Bui division after houses were set on fire in Sop, Jakiri subdivision. This came two days after houses were also set on fire in Ber and Kwanso in Kumbo subdivision.

On the night of Eid Mubarak, there civilians and one separatist fighter, were killed in Bamfem as soldiers went on rampage to avenge the death of their colleagues who are dead to have bene ambushed by members of Bui Unity Warriors, a separatist group fighting in the area.

Amongst the victims were a handicap, popularly known as Pa Oriel,90. He was removed from his home alongside a relative and neighbour, then killed. Their bodies were dumped in a nearby stream.

Meanwhile on social media, Separatists brandished an AK47 gun which they claimed was seized from members of the Rapid Intervention Battalion which they killed.

So
urce: Cameroon News Agency

While on a Live Facebook show broadcast over a separatist channel on September 18, 2022, the spokesperson of the Mankon-based, Batubu Kwifo armed group, Sama Thomas, said Separatist fighters should forget about international conventions and target civilians.

‘Southern Cameroonians, especially the fighters on the ground, when you are fighting, please, keep aside anything called international convention that might come after you tomorrow.’ the Belgium resident said.

If it is to kill La Republican citizens ( referring to Francophones in Cameroon) and even kill pregnant women, let there be one million, kill them…if it is to massacre them for a day, 50,000, do just that, that is what is going to attract international attention and action.’ He ordered.

The Batubu Kwifor spokesperson continued, that by killing civilians and targeting pregnant women, the international community will send troops to create buffer zones.

Two years after this declaration, the man who now runs a Facebook page called Amba News Line, fo
rmerly a page that was named Batubu Kwifor, has not stopped pushing the separatist fighters to target civilians.

In a new twist, he has started targeting English-speaking journalists in Cameroon, as a way to compel them to report in favor of the separatists. He now targets their private lives and tarnishes their images with fake narratives. He also announced that he would write their employers to sack them.

Source: Cameroon News Agency