Category: Ghana

The GAF were recently massively retooled by government

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has reaffirmed its readiness to deal with any threat to the country.

Brigadier General Michael Amoah-Ayisi, the General Officer, Commanding Southern Command, said the Forces would continue to adhere to their constitutional mandate of protecting the territorial integrity of the country against external aggression.

“The Ghana Armed Forces also has a secondary responsibility for the restoration of the Internal Security of the country in support of the Ghana Police Service and Civil Authorities,” he said.

Brig Gen. Amoah-Ayisi said this on Friday at the Land Combat Firepower Demonstration, an annual training event on the calendar of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The exercise was conducted with Two Infantry Battalion and supported by elements of the 64 Infantry Regiment, 153 Armour Regiment, 66 Artillery Regiment and the 48 Engineer Regiment.

The Ghana Air Force was represented with their aerial warfare capabilities.

The exercise saw the use of various light and heavy weapons, which included the M16 and AK47 rifles, LMG, RPG, M80 and MG3 guns.

Others were 81.35mm mortar, ZU 23mm anti-aircraft and KPV 14.5mm anti-aircraft guns.

The exercise is to enable students of the Senior Division of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College to appreciate the utilisation of fire assets available to a battle group as part of a joint Task Force and how they are employed within the operational framework of deep, close and rear operation.

Brig Gen. Amoah-Ayisi said the GAF was the lead service in any land-based operation hence the exercise to sharpen its skills and readiness.

“We are all aware of the recent disturbing incidents involving some secessionist groups with the intention of destabilising the peace in the eastern part of the country,” he said, and that the exercise sought to demonstrate the resolve of the Forces to deal with such threats.

Real Admiral Seth Amoama, the Chief of Defence Staff, expressed satisfaction with the professional disposition and display of weapons, which had given him confidence of a brighter future for the Forces.

He said government was doing everything possible to retool the Forces to perform their duties in an effective and efficient manner.

Funds allocated for the Phase III project of the 37 Military Hospital was ready and work would soon start, he said.

Newcastle part-owner Staveley on hopes moving forward

The Premier League has agreed to meet with Amnesty International for talks about a revised owners’ and directors’ test following Newcastle’s Saudi-backed takeover.

Amnesty wrote to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters after the takeover took place three weeks ago asking for rules to include human rights violations.

It has previously highlighted how Saudi Arabia has an “appalling” record on the issue and says the rules on club ownership are “woefully inadequate”.

But the Premier League says it has “legally-binding assurances” that the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has an 80% control of the club, not the Saudi state, despite Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also being chair of PIF.

Why is Saudi Arabia-led takeover controversial?

It is understood that the Premier League is willing to listen Amnesty’s concerns and will conduct a review of its owners’ and directors’ test as it often does after a takeover.

The test assesses whether any criminal activity has taken place by prospective owners, but currently does not specifically mention human rights allegations within that.

Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s interim chief executive, said: “We’re obviously pleased that the Premier League is willing to talk about these proposals as a starting point for what we hope will be a process that leads to considerable strengthening of the rules on football governance.

“The current rules concerning who owns and runs English football clubs are woefully inadequate, with no bar on ownership for those complicit in acts of torture, slavery, human trafficking or even war crimes.

“We’re keen to discuss with Richard Masters our ideas for a human rights-compliant Owners’ and Directors’ test which can help weed out unsuitable owners complicit in human rights violations, as well as reducing sportswashing and generally improving governance within the game.”

Our coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before – follow your team and sign up for notifications in the BBC Sport app to make sure you never miss a moment

Source: bbc.com

General News of Friday, 29 October 2021

Source: GNA

2021-10-29

The Effia-Kwesimintim Municipal Assembly through a consultative meeting with the members of the District Security Council (DEGSEC) has banned the use of smaller tricycles, popularly known as “Pragya” in the Municipality for commercial use.

Currently, Pragya is being used for passenger services predominantly in remote areas and now creeping in the urban centers of the Region for the same service without proper road-traffic regulations.

Alhaji Abubakari Issah, Municipal Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the decision formed part of efforts at ensuring the safety of residents in the Region.

He explained that during a recent meeting by the members of REGSEC where the decision was taken, it revealed that many of the Pragya riders were below 18 years and did not qualify to own a license per the laws of the country that regulated motor transport.

He said many of the tricycles did not have the necessary insurance cover and were also not conversant with road-traffic regulations, hence flouting them without recourse to their safety coupled with several complaints coming from the citizens and drivers about their indiscipline on the roads.

He said the ban of Pragya for commercial purposes in the Municipality was to reduce the rate of accidents on the roads, while ensuring the safety of residents, but not to keep them out of business and emphasized that the Assembly would confiscate any Pragya that would be seen operating in the Municipality.

According to the PRO, it was difficult for the Assembly to track the activities of the riders as many of them did not belong to any transport union and cautioned the riders and owners to comply or face the consequences, adding that no one would be spared when caught.

Alhaji Issah said the other type of tricycles known as “Aboboyaa” was however exempted from the ban because it was helping to transport goods though some were being used to carry passengers contrary to the regulations, but would later be regulated.

He said the Assembly in collaborations with the Motor Transport and Traffic Division (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, Division of Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) would put together a policy framework that would regulate the activities of the Pragya riders for public safety.

It would be recalled that as part of efforts to clamp down on the use of motorbikes for criminal activities within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and to provide optimum security to ensure public safety in the Region, the Regional MTTD of the Ghana Police Service embarked on night operations to bring perpetrators to book.

The operation, was also aimed at arresting riders who violated the Road Traffic Regulations such as unregistered motorcycles and tricycles, riding without Rider’s License or Insurance, use of motorcycles without the documents and any violation of the Road Traffic Regulations.

In April this year, the RMTTD embarked on a similar exercise and arrested and impounded 138 motorbikes and 15 tricycles in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis for various motor offences.

Eighteen persons were released after they were found to be innocent, while 49 were processed for court with 32 out of the 59 convicted to a total fine of GHS 5,280.