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00:00 We have a parade in the NPP following the election of Dr. Balmia as the first Northland Muslim to lead the NPP since its establishment. We have details as President Ekofu Ado concedes that the 2024 general election will not be easy for the NPP, charging the party to go all out and campaign vigorously for victory.
00:24 Also, health officials report alarming health concerns among residents in communities whose source of water had been polluted by illegal mining. Details in the second part of Joy News' Poison for Gold documentary.
00:38 On the Akosombodan spillage, MP for Nortong Samula Blakpa laments government's continued silence on resettlement plan for flood victims as he inaugurates a seven-member committee to oversee the fair distribution of relief items.
00:55 Good morning, welcome to Joy News Desk. My name is Aisheb Rahim. Let's stay for details.
01:16 History has been established in the political landscape of Ghana, especially in the NPP, following the election of Dr. Balmia as the NPP's flag bearer.
01:28 He becomes the first Muslim and Northerner to lead the party since its inception. This development somewhat defeats assertions that the NPP is an account-centered party, as always alleged by the NDC.
01:42 It is likely that this will also be the first time two Northerners will be leading the far front in a general election in Ghana.
01:50 The situation projects a crucial election for both parties while mounting pressure on the choice of running mate, Samula Mbura Hasmo.
02:00 Dr. Mahmoud Balmia is son of Alaji Mumune Balmia, a key figure alongside SD Dombo and other influential Northern politicians who together contributed to the formation of the NPP, establishing the Dankwa Buzia Dombo tradition.
02:17 While Dankwa and Buzia have previously led the NPP, Dr. Balmia's ascent now represents the Dombos, symbolizing the Northern presence in the party after becoming the first Northerner to lead the NPP.
02:33 When the NDC goes to vote a region, they say to them, the NPP is an account party. Don't vote for them. Isn't that what they say?
02:45 When they come to the North, they come here and they tell us, NPP is a Kambonga party. Don't vote for them. Isn't that what they say?
02:58 Balmia, an accomplished economist, held various professional positions before entering into active partisan politics. But what prompted the choice of Dr. Mahmoud Balmia as candidate Akufado's running mate?
03:15 I wanted somebody from the North to partner me for the elections and then for the governance. He's also a very clever man and I needed his brains to help me govern the country effectively. And he's an honest person. He speaks honestly to you. He's one of those people who have to guess what they're trying to say. He will say what he has to say very directly and I like that.
03:42 Prominent NPP members including Council of State member Edris Tanle Blankson and Amma Buzia, the sister of Ghana's first Prime Minister Ke A. Buzia, support the President's stance on Dr. Balmia.
03:57 I have worked with him for a while and I can tell you if there is a guy you told and I said, look, people call me that I should put my neck there, I would tell them that if it is for Balmia, I would do it.
04:18 He calls me mommy, that flatters me. But all the qualities because of my brother, I have a little bit of experience in politics and all the qualities I look in a position, a politician for. To me, he has...
04:32 Dr. Mahmoud Balmia shares his vision for transforming the economy and calls for support from the NPP's rank and file.
04:41 I have my own vision and my own priorities. Given the opportunity by you, the people of Ghana to lead, I shall govern as my own man with guidance from God Almighty.
05:01 My vision is to build an inclusive, food self-sufficient, data-driven and systems-based nation that will fully participate in the global digital revolution to resolve our problems and also to usher in a golden age of benefits from our natural resources.
05:29 I want to lead a nation that improves and unleashes the talents of our youth and offers good jobs with good pay and sustainable growth with macroeconomic discipline.
05:47 Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo acknowledges that the 2024 general elections will be a challenging one. He is therefore charging party supporters to campaign vigorously for victory.
06:00 Ghana cannot afford the return of the NDC, especially under the leadership of John Jumandi Mahama.
06:17 Let's all pull together. We have to go and campaign hard and easy. The election is about to start.
06:35 The NDC's campaign for the 2024 general election is now set for a fierce contest between the MPP's Dr Mahamud Baumia and the NDC's John Jumandi Mahama.
06:46 It remains to be seen what will inform their ultimate choice in the worthy running mate for the crucial race ahead.
06:56 Samuele Mbura, JOY News.
07:00 I've been joined on the line by a political historian with the History and Political Studies Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr Jemfi.
07:12 I'm grateful for your time. Obviously, this is the first time someone from the northern extraction is leading the NPP. Do you think it is a true reflection of the Ndankwabuzi Adombo tradition?
07:26 Thank you very much. I think that it is even beyond that. It is a true reflection of the contemporary politics of the NPP.
07:39 In the sense that the NPP, I believe, is beginning to see the need to go beyond Ndankwabuzi traditions to rather honour commitment, hard work, dedication and actors who are interested in becoming viable candidates for their cause and possibly for the cause of the country.
08:01 Yes, I believe you asked this question because of the historical tone of the NPP that at least was recalibrated in the 1990s.
08:15 We know that the cusp of its current victories and, if you like, failures came about with the United Party, which was the main opposition party in Ghana from 1967 onward until Ghana became a one-party state in the 1960s.
08:37 We understand that the key axis was Gouzias and also the other axis that would emerge from Assante, the chief linguist of the Assante, Hennibabu Azakutu, and the Northern People's Party, the Arulogit organization and the other groups from Ghana, the Tugulang Congress and all the other groups coming together at least,
09:04 crystallized into a political party that would be national in character. Because if you look at our history and political party formation, you would realize that it was fundamentally about groups, ethnic based, regional based and all that.
09:22 So when you look at the earlier groupings like the Assante-Amebu Osoku or the Assante-Konfidensi and the other groups that would emerge, like Aboriginal and Protectionist Society in the earlier period in the struggle for independence,
09:38 these groups were sometimes, I mean, sectionalist groups, sometimes were too, if you like, elitist groups, sometimes it was regional based, ethnic based, and had pockets of smaller interest that would, if you like, eventually culminate into broader, if you like, nationalist sentiment with full push for independence, especially from the 1940s post-Second World War.
10:07 So you realize that the need and the desire to look at political party formation from a national base became very significant. And that is why the UGCC itself, as the first political party in its national character, would be led by Pagrant and the other groups and all that.
10:29 And that is what translates into other groups over time. And these groups, as we all know, is what would eventually merge into the NPP as we see today. But at least fundamentally, we have seen that there have been different groupings, different actors playing a part in the NPP struggle.
10:48 But at least we have also realized that from the 1990s, it has had Albert E. Du Bois leading, it has had John E. Jekunkufo leading, and it has had President Akufo-Addo leading. These are account-based actors, if you like, and fundamentally you would also realize that Kuvya Bifebwezia himself is an account-based actor.
11:11 So a political party that is national in character should be seen to consistently having some continuities and discontinuities. And this, in essence, re-hashes the point that whilst it changes over time, all actors would have the opportunity.
11:36 Hello, can you hear me?
11:43 Professor Edu-Jemsi, please go ahead. I can hear you.
11:51 So all actors that are involved would have the opportunity beyond time. So that we have seen in our contemporary history, has been that it's largely driven and the action.
12:13 Even though we know that Asante is the political theatre, or has been the political theatre since its recalibration.
12:25 I do not [inaudible] that stood in several fronts in opposition to the CPP and to also push for federalism and other things that were in sync with the broader framing of the current MPP did not play a significant role.
12:45 What I'm trying to say is that in contemporary times, what we have seen is that when you look at Asante and Asante, which have become the theatre of the MPP politics, they have delivered the vote.
12:58 However, we've had major actors who have played a role within the MPP that were not necessarily, for example, becoming the running mate of President Kofo, who became the first president of the MPP in its recalibrated form in the 1990s.
13:18 And in 2000, first before Flagbearer in the 1990s, and in 2001 election, won again in 2004, and then closed his government by 2008 with Aliou Mahama.
13:29 Fundamentally, you see that the MEP navigated its course, how to work with various actors.
13:37 And all the other groups, some of them becoming what you call a national [inaudible] formation at a national level in terms of its executives, have had different ethnicities playing a significant role.
13:53 But a question is opening, like the MEP and others have answered, that at least since Aliou Mahama leaves the election at the primaries, that would there be a possibility that a northerner, or someone of a northern extraction, or outside of the Akan group, be able to emerge as a Flagbearer?
14:13 For me, it is significant to have this conversation because the African-based politics historically has been ethnic, sectionalist, though in Kenya today it is the Lius, the Tikus, and all the Kali, the general groups, some parties around that, sometimes there is sectarianism, there is strife in Kenya, Rangre, and Rangre, conflict all over the place in Kenya.
14:42 And I think that's an epitome of that. You look at the question of today, Rwanda, which is not only a medical story, but a good government story, going through its own ethnic politics.
14:55 If you look at Sierra Leone, Africa has its own ethnic politics, so you see ethnic politics dragging the kind of politics that we see in Ghana.
15:12 What was the impact, Professor Edujemfi, if there is any, in terms of political history?
15:20 Yes, so in fact, the impact of ethnic politics is that it does not allow us to concentrate on individual access based on their skills and capacity and what they can bring to the table.
15:36 And so if the person even has capacity and does not belong to a major sector or the nucleus of the party, he or she loses possibly the opportunity of leaving the party and leaving the country to form a government.
15:50 That is the biggest aspect we find with ethnic politics.
15:54 When a political party goes beyond ethnic-centric politics to look at politics from the sphere of development, what they seek to do is to rather reward hard work and to reward commitment and individuals who have the technocratic ability to deliver results for both their party and their state.
16:17 It's all of these crystallizes in Dr. Mahmoud Baroume, and I think my consistent narrative about him within the scheme of things is what has paid off to me within the thinking of the MPP.
16:29 The MPP is beginning to demonstrate that it is willing to be able to break the gate and possibly form government in 2025.
16:38 Having said that, it is not going to be an easy task, but it will be an uphill one.
16:44 The bigger picture is the 2024 elections in the northern region.
16:48 We know over the period the NDC has cashed in massively until at least Dr. Baroume came in to garner some votes for the NPP.
16:59 How is it looking like in terms of the fortunes for two major political parties having two not-ness leading the forefront?
17:11 Even though we talk about regional base and all the other bases we try to shy off in terms of their extraction, the reality of the matter is that these two gentlemen are gentlemen indeed.
17:26 They are highly diplomatic.
17:28 They do not speak off the cuff.
17:32 Even if it was from different extraction within the northern and upper regions, what you realize is that hard work is what is going to pay off.
17:44 Since the inclusion of Dr. Mahmoud Baroume, we have systematically tried to open the windows, the portals, the gates and the access points of the MPP for it to be able to embrace others in addition to their own philosophy.
18:04 We have also tried to allow the state access and individuals as much as the citizenry to appreciate that some dashes can have a few times the MPP.
18:14 That is a message he communicated in his speech on the day of election on Saturday.
18:24 So fundamentally this is what is added to the MPP. He has brought in the northern and upper region votes. He has also been able to bring in additional jungle votes.
18:37 He has been able to bring in a lot of intellectuals.
18:44 So when we are kind of becoming skeptical about the MPP, the leadership of Dr. Mahmoud Baroume himself, which has been quite problematic over time,
18:58 his persona and charisma, i.e. the person of Dr. Mahmoud Baroume, seem to have created a certain balance for this government.
19:10 Admittedly, he is the one who speaks on Saturday that he shares the sentiments of the young men who went to demonstrate and showed the army's vision about the government and the economic world.
19:24 In the same vein, he is that gentleman who sat in a certain FM station and had a different about the ill-healing of his own government.
19:34 He comes to the table with the young men in the ethnic extraction booth, the jungle booth and all that. He comes with a certain sense of truth.
19:45 He is not an angel anyway. If angels were found on earth, you would find some corruption with them.
19:52 Not only that, he also contests with an equally smart politician in the person of the former president, Mohammed, who indeed was demonized and has almost become a saint with the current abysmal performance of the MPP.
20:09 It is going to be based on the politics of issues, I guess. If any of them decide to go into the realm of insult, the realm of disregard of what their individual governments have contributed historically,
20:27 and rather concentrate on their ethnic extraction, they will be misfired. Because these two gentlemen have a certain sense of history that is quintessential Ghanaian intellectual and social construct.
20:44 One last thing, Prof. I know the regional balance plays a critical role and that really will come to play in the choice of a running mate.
20:56 For you, what will be the best regional balance in terms of choosing a running mate for these two parties who have Northness leading?
21:07 It will be exciting to have two Asante men or two Asante women or two Akam men or women joining.
21:15 Not necessarily to create a balance, but we have seen historically, as I said, Asante has been the theater for the MPP.
21:26 They have been consistent with Akufo-Addo from 2012, 2016, and then in 2016 Asante was with Akufo-Addo and they were with Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahmoud Bawumia and the MPP.
21:48 Even though this MPP government has been notorious in not delivering home the public good for the Asante region. Having said that, it is clear that if they choose someone from Asante, it will be a difficult fight for the MPC.
22:04 I'm grateful. Okay, briefly for me.
22:08 Again, I have said over time that the MPC is national in character, even than the MPP. And if they choose being successful from the Asante, they can perform a political miracle.
22:20 I'm grateful for your time. Dr. Samuel Edujemfi, he is a political historian with the political and history department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
22:34 Some delegates in the New Patriotic Party in the Asante region were disenfranchised in the just-ended presidential primaries due to challenges with the voter register.
22:43 Though some of the anomalies were detected two weeks earlier, efforts to rectify them yielded little results. Some delegates were left stranded at the polling stations in anticipation of an opportunity to vote.
22:57 Nanaia Ojeyemakom, some polling stations, has filed this report.
23:02 Delegates in the Sokwa constituency were first to sound the alarm of missing names in the register a day before the polls at the Asante regional office of the electoral commission.
23:14 Attempts to get the commission to accept a supplementary register was denied.
23:19 Head of the EC in the Asante region, Benjamin Banobio, directed constituency executives to channel the grievances through the party's election committee.
23:30 They have anything to do, they need to trash it out with their national election committee.
23:35 And then national election committee will get to the head office of the electoral commission.
23:40 And then if there's anything to go by, head office will also inform us as to the next line of action.
23:48 But for now, we are going to go ahead and have the election with the register that has been given to us.
23:57 On election day, names of about 40 polling station officers in the Askowa constituency were missing from the register.
24:04 One of the affected persons, Mr. Ejey, said the challenge encountered could mar the election.
24:11 To reach to the poll, I got information that my name was not captured. My coordinator asked for my ID card to correct the anomaly. I came here today to find out that my name was still not captured.
24:27 In my polling station, four out of the five executives were not captured. This can negatively affect the election.
24:36 In the Bosonjo constituency, name of the member of parliament, Dr. Yaw Osei-Odichu, was missing from the voter register.
24:46 After close to an hour of deliberations to get national party officials to resolve the issue, the MP was allowed to cast his ballots.
24:54 Here is the MP's reaction after the issues were resolved.
24:59 I think it was a general issue that was quickly resolved by the headquarters, by the party general secretary, through the EC and back to the region, to Bosonjo. Everything is good.
25:13 Issues of proxy voting became a challenge at the Mensia South constituency.
25:19 But election committee member, Gary Nymako, insisted the voter register was credible. He refuted the challenges witnessed in some areas.
25:29 There is an original voter register. Your name will be there. You can go and check and you vote. I don't think so far, we have seen any mix-up or anything. We have not seen that.
25:43 But if your name is not there, there is an original document there. You can look at the one and vote.
25:48 Which one is the original register?
25:49 There are three registers. The one at the centre, before you enter, there is one there to check, there is one in the midstream and there is one at the EC.
25:59 So which one? They say they can't find their names.
26:01 The one the EC is using, because yesterday, for instance, the Asokwa constituency, they went to the EC's office to get issues with the register resolved.
26:11 We just left Asokwa right now. And they are voting peacefully over there. We don't see anything wrong with Asokwa.
26:18 We just left there about 15 minutes ago. From Asokwa we came here. And we didn't hear the complaint about anybody complaining about voter register in Asokwa.
26:27 So I'm surprised you hear this in here. I'm surprised. We just came from Asokwa.
26:32 So far for me, it's been peaceful. It's been very orderly. Let's commend the police, let's commend our delegates. So far, so good.
26:41 Though the issue caused tempers to flare among party members, the election in the region remained largely calm and peaceful.
26:49 Reconciliation process for the party remains the major concern to many.
26:54 Ejusu MP John Kuma spoke to Joy News.
26:59 We are very hopeful that the leadership of the party and the government will come together to resolve all the disagreements that we observed during the campaign.
27:13 Of course, these things are normal when everybody is campaigning for power.
27:20 So as long as we understand that we are one family, we will bridge the gaps and the bridges and forge ahead.
27:29 This is not the ultimate. This is just to pick a flag bearer who should get us the ultimate victory in 2024.
27:36 It is expected that the delegates who overwhelmingly endorsed Dr Mahmood Bamiya's candidature will help restore the Ashanti region's confidence in the NPP.
27:49 For Joy News, Nanaia Ojima, Kumasi.
27:52 Let's take you now to the Upper West Region where correspondent Rafik Salaam gives a wrap of how expectations of some delegates were dashed at the end of the polls in the Wacom C20.
28:10 Out of a total of 6,275 delegates that took part in the election in the Upper West Region, majority of them comprising of 1,017 were stationed here at the War Technical Institute.
28:25 Two polling stations were created to ease congestion.
28:29 The close to 6,000 uniformed and plainclothes police personnel were deployed to ensure that nothing untoward happened.
28:39 Voting went on peacefully and no irregularity was recorded except one instance where the War Municipal Electoral Officer Ben Alogulu has raised his voice on the agent of Kennedy-Daijapon for allegedly trying to interfere in the process.
28:58 When they are here to cast their votes, they are communicating with them verbally, directly, influencing them, vote in this particular manner, vote in this particular manner, we are hungry, we are this, we are that, we are okay, those kind of stuff, which will not augur well for this particular exercise.
29:14 So they came and complained to me, so I have to take action and warn them that they are here only to observe, they shouldn't communicate with the delegates. The delegates have formed their opinion already.
29:26 The agent quickly rebutted the claim of the EC Electoral Officer.
29:30 One of the delegates asked me a question, a harmless question, as to whether he can vote in any of these, those of the boxes that are standing. I said, oh, you can vote in any of them, because there are ink there, you can use any of them, that was it.
29:44 So I don't really know what causes the confusion or what he was talking about, people creating confusion outside there, so I don't really know.
29:54 I asked the delegates who cast their ballots, to a very large extent, in the beginning, where Tad lived, on which of the four candidates they voted for, but in the end, they showed where their hearts were.
30:07 It has already been clear that my candidate will win, but as to the percentage, that's what we are talking about here. What percentage? I wouldn't say Bohemia, but everybody knows who is leading.
30:19 Well, you know, as a constituency chairman at this particular moment, it's difficult to tell, but from the look of things, I don't know, you can't tell, but you can see that the first person will be on the top.
30:37 At exactly 2pm, voting ended, the ballots were sorted, counted, and results announced by the two presiding officers.
30:46 Zeroing in on the overall results of the election in the Upper West Region, Dr Mahmoud Bohemia polled 4,878 votes.
30:58 The challenger, Kennedy Ohinu-Ajepong, polled 1,084. Dr Osu Afriyakoto, polled 176 votes, and Francis Adeyemiwo placed fourth with 77 votes.
31:10 Present at the venue were the three aspirants who have filed their names to contest the West Central Parliamentary Primary.
31:19 The body language, feud, tension, and mutual suspicion that characterized the campaign of 2020 West Central Parliamentary candidate Haji Umuhaudu and Wa Meya, a segregated woman,
31:32 four years ago, has cemented down to harmless political jokes, which is good for the optics.
31:40 The difference between the two is now reluctantly raised and united in the common dream for Vice President Dr Mahmoud Bohemia to lead the MPP to the 2024 polls.
31:55 This is just the beginning of what is going to happen at the polls, 2024 polls, because I'm sure the signal that is being sent is very clear to our opponents that arrangements are put in place.
32:10 We are poised on the ground, we have put ourselves, organized very well, and we are ready for victory 2025.
32:20 We are hoping that he's going to help to bring the dollar down again, which we know that is going to happen. He's coming with a different vision.
32:28 You know, when a driver and then a mate, a mate has his vision, a driver has his vision as well.
32:37 So now that we are bringing him, I know that he's going to bring us a very proactive vision, which is going to move Ghana forward to a very better level.
32:47 It's all over here at the Watanikal Institute. You've just seen the police who were here to ensure that it was very peaceful here, a congenial atmosphere here.
32:58 And then virtually the police here, because of the good work that they have demonstrated here, they were on a virtual holiday.
33:05 The regional commander of the police here in the Upper West Region, DCOP Prince Gabriel Wabo, who himself is here to thank the police for a new weapon.
33:18 We have done a human's job. We have come to the end of this region's elections successfully, without any hitch. And with that, the Inspector General of Police and his administration extends their thank you.
33:43 Reporting for JNU, Rafik Salam.
33:57 Away from politics, tests conducted by health officials have revealed alarming levels of heavy metals in rivers and water bodies in parts of the Ashanti region.
34:07 This is casting a shadow of uncertainty over the fate of these affected communities.
34:13 In part two of our latest hotline documentary titled "Poisoned for Gold", Erasa Sasaridonko reports the rivers and the water bodies that sustained communities for generations are now battlegrounds of destruction ravaged by the devastating consequences of illegal mining.
34:33 The milky brown color of the rivers and streams flowing across the country indicate suspended particles, including poisonous heavy metals.
34:44 Two years ago, residents of Eusiejo in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region were drinking the polluted water, but soon they started experiencing strange afflictions, as recounted by Theodora Yamwa, a nurse in charge of the town's CHIPS compound.
35:04 Some of them came here with frequent urinating and also burning sensation when they are urinating and also some came with skin rashes.
35:17 We fetched samples from the Tano, Brim, Butre, Ofing, Enuru, Ancobra, Pra and other polluted sources of water to be tested for heavy metals at the SHEATH Laboratory of the KNUST's Chemistry Department.
35:35 After a week of testing, the results were in.
35:40 For standard sake, we used the World Health Organization standards.
35:46 The World Health Organization pegs the acceptable standard for arsenic at 0.0050 mg/L, while the US and Ghana pegs it at 0.010 mg/L.
36:03 The Oda, Brim, Pra, Ancobra, Enuru, Ofing, Eshri, Butre, Subri, and Tano registered between 0.216 and 0.444 mg/L, which is 0.434 mg higher than acceptable levels.
36:28 This is 20.6 to 55.6% higher than acceptable levels in water using the American and Ghanian standards.
36:39 Dr. Eugene Ansah explains the test results.
36:44 All these water samples that are coming from our water bodies in Ghana were found to be acidic in nature, that is having a pH less than 7.
36:57 It has got a corrosive effect and whenever you drink it you have irritations.
37:02 In the truth, drinking water is expected to be neutral.
37:06 In terms of toxic metals, lead was ranked as the highest toxic metal present in all these water samples.
37:18 And should anybody drink this water or even swim in these waters, then they are exposed to high levels of lead.
37:27 The other metals include chromium, cadmium, and arsenic, and all these samples could not pass the quality standards.
37:39 [Splashing water]
37:49 Member of Parliament for North Tonga in the Volta region, Samuel Okujetabla, has lamented government's continuous silence on resettling victims of the Akosombodam spillage induced floods.
38:03 He said it was unfortunate for his constituents to continue living under harsh conditions in classrooms, grieving their loss while the government sits aloof.
38:13 He also questioned the Volta River Authority for showing reluctance in compensating the victims who have lost their livelihoods, investments, and properties to the floods.
38:24 Mr. Okujetabla was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a seven-member accountability council tasked to ensure equitable distribution of relief items received by the Office of the MP and the resettlement of the victims.
38:39 I know you have anything but compensation.
38:42 Apart from the need to relocate people out of the schools.
38:47 People have lost everything they have worked for their entire life.
38:53 Their farms, their livestock, their fish farms, their shops, everything is gone.
38:59 Electronic appliances, gadgets, everything.
39:04 Why is the VRE silent on compensation?
39:09 Why have they not asked us community leaders to submit the data, the evidence, and the documentation which we possess on what has been lost?
39:22 Please, people should not think that they can create this mundane disaster and get away with it.
39:32 I want to thank the Speaker of the Parliament who has rallied behind us after I delivered my statement last week.
39:39 The Speaker has ruled with great cleartance that there will be a parliamentary inquiry into this whole disaster.
39:49 Because in 2010, when you look at the record, the water levels were much higher than this year.
39:54 And yet the spillage that was done was done at a very controlled, professional manner.
40:00 You can see this level of destruction and devastation.
40:02 What happened that this time, when technology has improved, when things should be done in an improved way,
40:12 when we have the benefit of hindsight, we have better know-how and expertise,
40:18 we rather have this time of very suicidal, as if somebody was out there to commit mass murder.
40:29 I do not accept this level of negligence.
40:34 And I am glad the Parliament is going to look into this.
40:36 But these two items, the continual silence of government on the matter of relocation, which is urgent,
40:44 which is so crucial because people have to be moved into where they can get their dignity back.
40:52 We are talking about human dignity. We are talking about fundamental human rights.
40:57 Nobody deserves to be living in classrooms under these conditions,
41:00 particularly when they have refused to open sublet housing units for us to move to, which is not far from here.
41:07 If you will not allow people to move into sublet, then do what you must do.
41:13 Reconstruct the houses. Land is available.
41:17 And compensation. The silence from government is unacceptable.
41:26 Water levels have significantly reduced in flooded communities.
41:30 Join News' Ivy Setoji joins us with some updates.
41:34 Ivy, describe the current water levels in some of the affected communities.
41:38 Well, some of the places are completely down.
41:42 The water level is completely dried up.
41:46 With some people trying to clean up their houses, their shops, and move in,
41:54 their normal businesses, you go to some houses, you realize that there is no water at all.
42:01 You see residents trying to scrub their house and also some of the shops.
42:06 The entrance to where we normally take the boats to the San Kizu,
42:14 to on the river where the whole place, their houses, they are flooded.
42:19 It's also declining gradually, except that the residents are saying that maybe it will take some time.
42:28 Currently, the engineers and planners are still in,
42:33 dredging some of the areas to make sure that all the spaces, all the water is able to get down.
42:43 And also, we understand that the construction of the housing unit in Mephe area by the construction ambassador is also ongoing.
42:55 So for now, residents are trying to go about their normal business,
43:00 especially those whose houses are dried up with no water left.
43:06 They are trying to get the few things left so they can get back to their normal business.
43:12 So is it that some victims are dying of snakebites at the various camps?
43:16 Well, we have tried to confirm that.
43:20 We spoke with the house director, the DCE, some of the authorities,
43:28 even the assemblyman who said there was nothing like that,
43:33 there was nothing of snakebites or people dying of fat.
43:38 We have really made our search and we are still doing it.
43:41 But for now, that information has not been confirmed that someone was bitten by a snake.
43:48 I have it that's all Jay with that update.
43:51 We're still live on JOYNE's News Desk.
43:53 Let's take a break. When we return, we'll be bringing you business.
43:56 Hi, good morning. Welcome to business. My name is Darrell Kwao.
44:05 The Association of Ghana Apparel Manufacturers have expressed concern about high taxes in export facilitation of garments.
44:12 According to President of the Association, Nura Salifu, this is taking a toll on operations.
44:17 She's calling on the Ex-Im Bank to support the Association in its quest to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
44:25 Nura Salifu spoke to JOYNE Business at the launch of an action plan by garment manufacturers.
44:32 Ghana's textile industry is mainly concerned with the production of fabrics for use by the garment industry and also for the export market.
44:39 The sub-sector is predominantly cotton-based, although the production of man-made fibers is also undertaken on a small scale.
44:47 President for the Association, Nura Salifu, said the Association's partnership with the International Labour Organization would bring about transformative change for the industry.
44:57 She called for more financial support to expand their operations.
45:01 This is one of the industries that has the potential to employ a lot of young people and to train a lot of the young people who may have a skill in the industry or may not have a skill, simply because our training timelines are between three to six months.
45:19 The choice to finance is one of the major challenges that we have. I think the interest rates are pretty high and we're hoping that through the Ex-Im Bank that they'll be open to negotiating better rates.
45:34 The Ex-Im Bank has actually led the way, let me say that, but some of the other private banks to look at ways of structuring a better rate that will suit the industry.
45:47 There was also a launch of a website for the Association at a workshop to increase digital presence of the sector and sell the story of Ghana's Boyan's garment sector.
45:56 James Deschamps reports for Joy Business.
45:59 Now, Shikanik Auto Hub and Toyota Ghana have organized a workshop to equip women in the public on technologies associated with some of Toyota's vehicles.
46:11 According to CEO of Shikanik, Nanaifua Sewa Edusei, it is critical for women to know the basics of car maintenance and emerging technologies to prevent vulnerability on the road.
46:22 The Shikanik workshop focused on building the confidence of women on the roads.
46:27 The participants were taken through theory and practical lessons to help enhance their mobility.
46:32 Nanaifua Sewa Edusei is chief executive of Shikanik Auto Hub. She likes to refer to herself as a Shikanik.
46:40 She said it was important for women to understand the basic features of vehicles to improve on their safety and driving experience.
46:47 This workshop is to train young ladies and men about the basics of vehicle maintenance.
46:54 The basics, very basics, so instead of being vulnerable on the highway, young lady know how to change your tires yourself, that is good.
47:02 Gentlemen, if you know why you have to use coolant instead of water, that is good.
47:08 It is just to share knowledge on vehicle maintenance.
47:11 As many people who request for this, if we get more sponsors to support us, yes, we are willing.
47:17 So the team, Shikanik Academy, is ready to train as many young girls as possible.
47:22 Public relations officer of Toyota Ghana, Suzie Ansamp, reiterated the company's commitment to helping customers with quality vehicles and also ensure their safety on the road.
47:33 Toyota Ghana is a company that believes in transfer of knowledge.
47:38 We believe that we don't just sell cars, we want to get people to understand the cars they drive.
47:45 Our vehicles are built with cutting edge technology, safety features are incorporated.
47:51 But what is the use of these features if people do not understand how to use them?
47:57 Shikanik, with this workshop, she seeks to help people to understand basic things that are underneath their bonnet.
48:07 For instance, the basic fluids that you have, how to check your fluids, when to do your servicing.
48:14 And we believe that since we are a car company and we want to empower people to have the confidence to drive their vehicles, why not?
48:25 We decided to come on board to offer our newly launched facility, which is the Toyota Ghana Legon branch, because we associate ourselves with quality, durability and reliability.
48:36 The workshop was themed "Building Confidence Under The Hood".
48:40 And that's all for business for now, the news continues after this break.
48:50 The Continental Market in Accra is a hub for second-hand clothing, popularly known as Obroniwewu.
48:57 The OR Foundation and some designers from the market are helping to bring some of these clothes to the runway with models wearing them with style.
49:07 Over a thousand people from different backgrounds are present at the Rolling Spark in Accra for the second edition of the Obroniwewu Festival
49:17 to celebrate the Continental Market for its role in a rose repair, upcycling and remanufacturing of used clothing.
49:27 Welcome to the Rolling Spark, where scores of models graced the runway with elegance and style.
49:38 [Music]
49:48 The Obroniwewu 2023 Festival has brought to life clothes that hitherto would have been drowned in Ghana's drainage system, choking and perhaps causing flooding.
50:03 But here, the talented young ones here have brought life to these clothes and now they are on the runway.
50:11 [Music]
50:15 What makes this event truly captivating is the fact that these models are adorned in unique designs crafted from second-hand clothes, popularly known as Obroniwewu.
50:29 These extraordinary creations are the brainchild of five talented emerging designers from the vibrant Continental Market.
50:36 Amidst the glamour, lead organiser Sanibo Ten personally urged industry players and policy makers to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of Continental to Ghana's fashion landscape.
50:49 So Obroniwewu October is an urban upcycle and thrift festival that was initiated last year and the whole idea is to celebrate Continental and Ghana's culture of reuse and repair.
50:59 So we are here to celebrate Continental and Ghana's reuse and repair culture.
51:03 What is most significant is that we have designers from Continental who are very talented and creative individuals who have gone under two months intensive training
51:12 and today they are going to reveal to us their collection that they have been working on over the last two months.
51:17 Fashion entrepreneur, stylist and member of the Obroniwewu school Neil Davis says there is no reason why the creations from Continental's talented designers can't shine on the global runway.
51:29 And that's how we wrap up the bulletin this morning. My name is Ayeshe Prime. Log on to myjoeonline.com. There's more of the news and updates of all the developing stories. See you again.
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