desmond frimpong

On Friday 7th September, Abstrakte Productions and supporters gathered dressed in yellow for the premiere of the highly anticipated film ‘LUCKY.’ The main hall of Silverbird Cinema, a sea of patrons in yellow, was packed with celebrities, industry leaders and movie lovers.

The screening consisted of two shows, 7PM and 9PM which had an audience of almost 1000 people who were extremely excited to watch the film. The movie that lasted for one hour and 15 minutes and hosted celebrities and industry buffs like, Shirley Frimpong Manso, Kobi Rana, Deborah Vanessa, Joey B and  Efya Awindor to mention a few.

When interviewed after the movie exclaimed, movie supporter Emma Odame exclaimed,“this is a very relatable movie. Every youth must watch! I’m glad that our story is finally being told.”

‘LUCKY’, is a comedic-drama that features top talents like Efya Awindor, Kumi Obuobisa, Fred Amugi, Akofa Edjeani, Kabuki Akiwumi to name a few. The story is coming of age tale about Lucky Barima Mensah, a young, suave university student that has just landed a date with the most popular girl on Twitter.

With not one cedi to his name, he partners with campus hustler Wadaada to make this dream-date possible. The journey is a tragicomedy that provokes thought and leaves the audience on the edge of their seat.

“LUCKY” was directed by Togbe Gavua and produced by Lawrence Adjei and Godfred Adjei, the trio came together and formed  Abstrakte Productions to produce quality films from Ghana.    “ It is my hopes that LUCKY  will be a medium by which audiences around the world can experience what exactly a day in the life of a young West African university student could possibly be. I believe, in this day and age this is a revolutionary act as the current world narrative is devoid of these types of African stories. The telling of stories like LUCKY stands to challenge the status quo and the overall perception of Africa by the world and Africans themselves,” shared Director Togbe Gavua, who crafted parts of LUCKY’s story from his life experiences.

Last week, the production house hosted a private screening, sponsored by Belvedere Vodka and House of Cane Juice, for critics, film buffs and influencers.

When asked about the film's importance, Executive Producer Kusi Adu-Amankwah shared, "Lucky is important because while it tells an African story by Africans, it raises the bar for filmmaking."

‘LUCKY’ is currently showing in Silverbird cinemas at 7 PM &amp; 9 PM. Abstrakte Productions will eventually take the film on tour and enter international film festivals.

All media inquiries contact: info@ford-communications.net

‘LUCKY’, is a comedic-drama that features top talents like Efya Awindor, Kumi Obuobisa, Fred Amugi, Akofa Edjeani, Kabuki Akiwumi to name a few.

Newest film makers Abstrakte successfully break all the rules with “LUCKY.”

About 2,000 staff of the five defunct indigenous banks will not be absorbed by the Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG), Deputy Employment Minister of Ghana Bright Wereko-Brobbey has disclosed.

It was concluded at that meeting that as part of its integration and rationalisation, the CBG would retain a sizeable number of workers of the defunct banks.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsnight programme Monday, Mr Wereko-Brobbey said it would be impossible for CBG to retain the almost 4,000 staff it inherited following the consolidation of the five banks.

“The numbers that came before us today suggests that about 2,000 or so people are likely not to be absorbed,” the Deputy Minister said.

He was, however, quick to add that “other alternative uses of labour like they [CBG] promised us is something they are considering.”

This means that staff with skills that are still relevant to the sector will be put together and used for the rendering of other services.

The figures came to light after a meeting between CEO of CBG, officials of the Bank of Ghana, the Employment Ministry and representatives from organized labour.

Over 2,000 staff of defunct banks in Ghana to lose jobs

The number of internet fraud cases reported by commercial banks operating in Ghana to the Central Bank in 2017 increased to 1,418 from 1,001 in 2016.

Grace Akrofi, advisor at the Bank of Ghana (BoG), who stated this at a financial crime sensitization forum said the total value reported for fraud or attempted fraud amounted to approximately GH¢190.38 million.

Of these, 16 percent, representing GH¢30.08 million, was recorded as losses while 84 percent, representing GH¢160.30 million, was recovered.

She mentioned suppression of cash and deposits, card fraud, manipulation of accounts and negotiable instruments, cheque fraud, as well as forgery and alteration of documents as some of the fraud cases.

“A key concern to us is the widening gap between the date of occurrence and detection. As you all know, fraud is a criminal offence and any delay in its detection could have a significant impact on the performance of the industry as a whole.

“In the same vein, any delay in the investigation of the cases and subsequent prosecution of culprits may also have far-reaching consequences on the stability of the banking sector.”

Ms Akrofi further lamented the increasing involvement of bank staff in the reported fraud cases.

According to her, while most deposit-taking institutions were increasing their staff intake, especially at the entry level, most of them do not have the capacity to adequately vet the new employees.

A research done in November 2016 by the African Union (AU) Commission, in partnership with Symantec, found out that Ghana was among the top most attacked countries in Africa.The study also disclosed that in 2016, there were more than 400,000 malware incidents, 44 million spam incidents and 280,000 bots incidents in Ghanaian institutions.

A research done in November 2016 by the African Union (AU) Commission, in partnership with Symantec, found out that Ghana was among the top most attacked countries in Africa.

Ghana is losing millions of dollars to bank fraud

Ghana businessinsider politics

Ghana has signed eight cooperation agreements with China after talks between the leaders of the two nations.

The cooperation agreements happened ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

According to a statement from the office of President Nana Akufo-Addo, the deal includes a $2 billion infrastructure agreement for Ghana to improve its roads and develop railways in exchange for bauxite.

“We are looking seriously at how we can secure sources of long-term finance that will allow us to deal with our infrastructural development,” Akufo-Addo said.

Another statement also says China Harbour Engineering Co. has agreed to build the marine facilities for a liquefied natural-gas terminal in the port of Tema, which the company is currently extending.

The presidency of Ghana disclosed that Jiangnan Shipyard of China will construct the floating regasification facility.

When completed, the $350 million project will provide as much as 2 million tons of natural gas per year, and supply about 30 percent of Ghana’s total electricity generating capacity.

Ghana is floating the idea of a $50 billion so-called Century Bond to get infrastructure funding, and would like China to contribute, Akufo-Addo said.

The other accords are related to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aviation, maternal health, construction projects and the supply of police vehicles.

The cooperation agreements happened ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

Ghana,China to further enrich relations with eight cooperation agreements

Ghana is said to lose over GHC 5.7 billion to fake and counterfeit goods every year, that is coming from the PanAvest International and Partners.

According to Professor Douglas Boateng of PanAvest International and Partners, there is a need for the government to enact a law to purposely deal with this unpleasant situation.

He believes this phenomenon is rife due to the absence of stringent laws to deal with the menace which is accounting for accounting for five to seven per cent of world trade.

Prof Boateng bemoaned the ever growing negative and devastating impact of counterfeiting and piracy on business and industry, workers, economy as well the image and reputation of the country.

He further said these activities has negative impact on the Ghanaian consumer and called for appropriate remedial action to be initiated.

Managing Director of WASP, Grant Webber also called on consumers to be very vigilant when buying HP printers and toners.

He noted that, HP has introduced security seals on its products which include QR codes that can be authenticated using a smartphone app and tamper-evident features.

“We firmly believe that W.A.SP Ltd is your partner of choice, especially given our market leadership with similar transformational projects already concluded here in Ghana" he added.

Ghana has been urged to enact a law to purposely deal with counterfeit goods in the country

Ghana loses over GHC 5.7 billion to fake and counterfeit goods

Talent management company, MK Content has branded reports that their client and Beasts of No Nation actor, Strika, as false.

Strika claimed not to have received a penny from the $30,000 he made from the movie as promised.

However, his managers have released a statement providing details on the welfare facilities and financial support given to him following the movie.

Below is the statement from MK Content.

Strika, who is originally known as Emmanuel Adom Quaye, caught attention when local news reported that he found “begging for money on the streets of Accra.

Strika’s managers have come out to refute the story that the Beasts of No Nation actor is a beggar

Ghana businessinsider finance

Ghana’s producer price inflation for July increased from 7.7 percent in the previous month to 8.2 percent.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the figures, acting Government Statistician, Mr Baah Wadieh explained that the manufacturing sub-sector recorded the highest year-on-year producer price inflation.

“The figures also showed that during the month of July, three out of the sixteen major groups in the manufacturing sub-sector recorded inflation rates higher than the sector average of 10.4 percent,” he said.

He stated that the manufacturing of coke, refined petroleum products and nuclear fuel recorded the highest inflation rate of 42.2 percent, while manufacturing of rubber and plastic products recorded the lowest producer price inflation rate of negative 1.7 percent.

Meanwhile in the petroleum sub-sector, the inflation rate was negative 2.7 percent in 2017.

Mr Wadieh pointed out that the rate then increased consistently to record 36.9 percent in October 2017 but declined to 27.7 percent in November 2017.

“The rate increased to 36.4 percent in December 2017 but declined consistently to record 15.9 percent in March 2018. Subsequently the rate increased again to record 44.2 percent in June 2018, but decreased to 42.2 percent in July 2018.” he said.

This represents a 0.5 percentage point increase. The producer price inflation measures the prices received by domestic producers for the production of their goods and services over a period of time.

Ghana’s producer price index rose by less than one percent in July

Ghana businessinsider tech

Patrons of domestic air travel should get access to alternatives by the end of August 2018.

This is because a new airline, Passion Air, has joined the space to provide air transport services for the local market.

This brings the number of airlines operating in Ghana’s domestic aviation market to two.

The authority believes this should protect consumers as it will prevent unfair competition and possible exploitation in some cases.

The Director of the GCAA, Simon Allotey explained that this should make the industry competitive.

“There could be price wars where a strong carrier could decide to reduce prices to below economic levels just to get the competitors out and once the competitors are out, then they increase prices,” he told Citi Business News.

Passion Air joins Africa World Airlines as the second operator in Ghana’s domestic aviation industry.

AWA has been the only company since Starbow Airlines exited the market early this year.

The new airline is expected to operate flights to Kumasi which will gradually be escalated to Tamale and Takoradi with an increased fleet of aircrafts.

The Commercial Manager for Passion Air, Anita Khoury maintained in an interview with Citi Business News that the company will drive competition to meet the unsatisfied needs of domestic air passengers.

Speaking at the official ceremony to inaugurate Passion Air’s first aircraft, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority said it is will enforce its laws regulating pricing in the aviation industry even as new entrants join the sector.

Passion Air joins Africa World Airlines as the second operator in Ghana’s domestic aviation industry

<h1>Emmanuel Nii Adom Quaye who played ‘Strika’ in ‘Beasts of No Nations movie has ended up a beggar on the streets of Accra despite starring in the internationally acclaimed movie, Ghanacelebrities reports.</h1>

The teenager from Ghana made his acting debut in Netflix's first original feature film, Beast of No Nation.

He starred alongside Abraham Attah and Idris Elba who were undoubtedly the stars of the movie.

Abraham Attah has been a global sensation and has garnered all the accolades and opportunities and it looks like Strika has been badly mismanaged.

Boye wrote, “I am sad this morning. I was heading to the Ghana Institute of Journalism campus and I met [Strika]. You would ask who is [Strika]? [Strika] starred in the movie Beast of No Nations. The said film that made Abraham Attah. Today I met him begging for money on the road leading to GIJ. I called him and brought him to campus. Speaking to him, he tells me he now works with a gentleman who sells yam at Agbogbloshie Market. He stays with his grandma at North Kaneshie.”

Adom Online reports that Strika alleges that after shooting Beast of No Nation movie, a producer named Kofi Robert popped up and requested to keep his monies into a bank account until he turned 18, but that hasn’t happened even though he is approaching 19.

Local media report that Strika says neither his 1% share of the profit gained by American service provider, Netflix, has hit his account.

In a post on Facebook, Caleb Boye narrates meeting Strika today and he’s begging to make ends meet, when he probably should be in school for a boy his age.

This Ghanaian actor who starred in the Hollywood blockbuster 'Beasts of No Nation' now begs on the streets of Accra

In recent times, these words have created a hype which is undoubtedly due to the fact that human history and interaction are ultimately going to be altered in no mean terms by these concepts. The end of this article is to simply bring light to this seemingly technical world which would affect us positively if we understand and make use of the advantages it comes with.

Big data basically refers to data sets that are so large in multiple varieties (example videos and images) and comes at such a speed that it is virtually impossible to use the traditional data processing applications to handle them. Every day, data is being generated in various ways and forms through devices, sensors and new technology platforms. Due to the nature of collection, it is often unstructured, however big data encompasses all data whether structured, semi structured or unstructured. The measure of what is considered big data keeps growing, as data keeps being collected. It is estimated that on the average people send 500 million tweets a day and analysts believe that by 2020 there would be 5,200 gigabytes of data on a person, that should give an idea of how much data would be available for use in the next few years.

Why the hype on Big data? Data reveals meaningful information when properly gathered and analysed. Now that we have higher volumes of data, a good analysis would mean better predictability of trends and cuts across all areas be it government, business, medicine, crime and so on. What it means is that in business for example, we can now predict services or products and give them on a hyper individualized basis, on crime, police patrols can be concentrated in areas of higher crime based on accurate trends and predictions and in medicine better disease mapping and allocation of resources in areas where they are needed.

Before Machine learning, Business Intelligence played a major role in ensuring that business executives could visualize the data they obtained from traditional databases but business are now also confusing business Intelligence with machine learning. The picture below shows the differences between the two and how they complement each other.

For emphasis, machine learning is the field of computer science that uses statistics to build systems that can learn from the data and identify patterns and make decisions. As pictured above, whilst business intelligence looks at historic events and answers the question what has happened, machine learning does 3 kinds of analysis - descriptive, prescriptive and predictive.  Business Intelligence focuses on descriptive analysis whilst Machine Learning does all three kinds of analysis. Descriptive analysis means data can be broken down to a level that can aid in understanding factors that influence choices. It uses data aggregation and data mining to provide insight into the past and answer: “What has happened?”. With prescriptive analysis, patterns can be drawn from collected data. It uses optimization and simulation algorithms to advice on possible outcomes and answer: “What should we do?”. Lastly with predictive analysis, after knowing the factors that influence choices and the patterns that exist in random data, the system can now predict the occurrence of events based on information or data it receives.

Machine learning is not such a new concept in the IT world, however, the ability to automatically apply complex mathematical calculations to big data repeatedly and in a faster manner is a recent and exciting development. Examples of everyday uses of machine learning are on social media, for example Facebook utilizes machine learning for face recognition by matching unique features. On Facebook, when you are uploading a picture of you with a friend, it automatically suggests you tag that friend. In a matter of seconds data has been analyzed and used. That been said it must be emphasized that machine learning is actually a subset of artificial intelligence and particular applications of AI include expert systems, speech recognition and machine vision.

Virtual personal Assistants and online customer support services are possible because of machine learning. Examples are Apple’s Siri, Google’s Alexa and closer home, recently birthed Maame (self-created by Npontu Technologies, Ghana). Chatbots come with varied degrees of human intelligence processes which include learning, reasoning and self-correction. Maame is a chatbot that can accept several communications at the same time minimizing the waiting time in most customer service centres. “She” is also a non-emotional person that would not complain of tiredness or having a long day after serving so many people. In a country where majority of its citizens are not on the literate and sophisticated side, Maame is being trained to not just engage in English but to handle communication in various local dialects of the country to offer most needed assistance to the customer service wing of any company. In this case, its focus is not just text to text but also speech to speech in the local language to aid organizations best serve their diverse clientele.

With all the brouhaha and hype it comes with, the good news is that the application of machine learning and AI to huge gigabytes of data is no longer the domain of just the experts. There are a now platforms where companies can simply upload data and have it analysed at the click of a button. A phenomenom that would have been impossible just a few years ago. This trend is not peculiar to the US or Europe known for quick technological advances but is also possible right here in Africa, Ghana with the application Snwolley (snwolley.com), which offers machine learning as a service. Snwolley allows predictions in three steps which are identifying the category for the intended prediction (e.g. Classification, regression etc.), creating and storing your model and then running your prediction using the created model. It relies on complex multithreading technologies to run all possible algorithms for the intended prediction providing the highest prediction to the user. It also uses data sourcing from multiple platforms such as Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS), Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), API and local file. The good news is that all this can be done without creating a high level specialized team as the processes of data science are automated on the platform.

In Africa just as in the world, organizations must begin to leverage on data and analytics to create value through innovation. To do this there must be a paradigm shift, an explicit data governance structure that creates a culture of value for data. Data is the oil fueling the next level of change in our world and in the proceeding articles, we will be speaking on challenges in the implementation of machine learning in Africa.

<a id="d30bbbab-358d-501a-b7f3-8cd7eebac4f1">This is a sponsored post.</a>

So how do we describe, predict and prescribe data we have collected?  This is where machine learning comes in.

Big data, machine learning and artificial intelligence from an excited office in Africa

<h1>Aretha Franklin, whose gospel-rooted singing yet expansive delivery earned her the title "the Queen of Soul," has passed on at age 76.</h1>

The singer had been reported to be in failing health for years and appeared frail in recent photos, but she kept her struggles private.

The "official cause of death was due to advance pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin's oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit," the family statement said.

Here are three ways Detroit's diva made history.

<h1>1.She performed for three presidents inaugurations</h1>

The queen of soul performed at the inauguration of three US presidents- beginning with with a medley of Duke Ellington hits for Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1977.

Bill Clinton's inaugural ceremony in 1993 was also graced by her stylings at a pre-inauguration festival two days before Bill's swearing in

Barack Obama was the lucky third in 2009, and the sizeable hat she wore to his inauguration made almost as many column inches as her performance.

<h1>2. She was the first woman in the Rock &amp;amp; Roll Hall of Fame</h1>

Aretha racked up 20 Top 10 albums, a lot of top selling singles and 18 Grammy awards during a fifty year recording career. Maybe it it not really a surprise she was also the first woman to enter the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame, in 1987 due to her long standing career.

The Hall of Fame has often been criticised for failing to honour female performers (almost 90% of its inductees are men), the fact she was first underscores the fact that Aretha is impossible to ignore.

<h1>3. Her voice was declared a natural resource in Michigan</h1>

In 1985, the Michigan state's department of natural resources declared Aretha’s voice as a natural resource. Well, that isn’t the only way the state found to immortalise her talent.

In her native Detroit, the city council also named a street Aretha Franklin Way after her in 2017. The diva, then 75, thanked the city for "this resplendent honour" and vowed;"Every time I drive or walk down it, I'm going to dance down it!"

It wasn't just her great voice that serenaded us all though but she made some incredible history.

Three ways Aretha Franklin made history

<h1>Ghanas parliament was treated with a pill of hilarity when a Member of Parliament referenced the names of some villages in his constituency that included references to genitals.</h1>

The name mentioning was as a result of MP John Frimpong Osei asked when villages in his constituency would get access to electricity.

The parliamentarians could not keep a straight face when the village names such as 'Vagina is Wise' and 'Testicles are Sad' were mentioned.

A video posted on Twitter shows some slumped over their desks laughing and a female MP wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

These are the English translations for the Twi names:

Etwe nim Nyansa - "Vagina is Wise"

Shua ye Morbor - "Testicles are Sad"

'Providing them with electricity may interfere with nocturnal activities,' Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko joked in response to Mr Frimpong Osei's request.

But he added that a survey would be carried out to figure out how the villages could be linked up to the national grid.

Lots of Ghanaians had never heard of the village names until they were read out in parliament.

Such town names are usually decided by the first settlers of such communities who use their life experience to pick the name of their village.

According to the World Bank's latest report in 2016, almost 80% of Ghana's population has access to electricity, which is almost double the average rate across Africa.

Ghana's parliament bursts into laughter as local village names Vagina is Wise, Penis is a Fool and Testicles are Sad', are read out by MP

The names of these 4 Ghanaian villages threw the parliament into laughter and confusion

The Finance Minister of Ghana Ken Ofori Atta says the chaotic situation in the financial sector is not one of banking failure but rather individual failures.

The minister whose ministry is coughing out ¢5.8 billion to rescue the insolvent banks says it is time for “social justice.”

At least seven banks -Capital Bank, UT Bank, Sovereign Bank, Construction Bank, uniBank, Beige Bank and The Royal Bank- have gone under in the last 12 months with their directors becoming subjects of criminal investigations.

Capital and UT Banks were the first to go under in August 2017 and their assets taken over by GCB. After 12 months, five more banks were also liquidated and merged into the Consolidated Ghana Bank.

Some of the managers were deemed to have engaged in acts of criminality with a good of them found guilty of poor corporate governance practices.

Dozens of workers have lost their jobs, some their lives, with many others struggling to make ends meet, 12 months on.

There have been calls for the directors to be prosecuted to act as a deterrent to others, an assertion the Finance Minister agrees to.

According to him, the amount being used to save the banking sector could easily have gone into direct government policies like maternal health care or free Senior High School which would have been of direct benefit to the populace.

Ghana's finance minister makes fresh statements on collapsed indigenous banks in the country

<h1>Fifa is cautioning the football ruling bodies in Ghana and Nigeria to solves various issues confronting their football or risk being hit with suspensions.</h1>

Nigeria is still experiencing a power struggle as Chris Giwa and Amaju Pinnick factions are yet to settle their differences. A situation which led to the delay in resumption of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Fifa sees Pinnick as the legitimate head of the NFF following his win in the election held on 30 September 2014.

However, Nigeria U20 women who have progressed to the last eight of the U20 Women's World Cup will be allowed to carry on provided they make the semi-final.

"Two decisions of the Bureau of the Fifa Council in relation to undue influence in the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation and the Ghana Football Association have been notified on 13 August 2018," read a statement from Fifa.

"In line with art. 16 par. 1 of the Fifa Statutes, the Bureau of the Fifa Council decided that if by Monday, 20 August 2018, at 12:00 (CET), the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) offices are not handed back to the legitimate NFF executive committee under President Amaju Melvin Pinnick, who was duly elected on 30 September 2014, the NFF will be suspended with immediate effect for contravening art. 14 par. 1 i) and art. 19, as well as art. 14 par. 1 a) of the Fifa Statutes. The suspension would be lifted only once the NFF, under President Amaju Melvin Pinnick and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, confirms that it has been given back effective control of the NFF and its offices.

"Furthermore, the Bureau decided that if the suspension of the NFF takes effect, the Nigerian team currently competing in the Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018 will still be allowed to continue to participate in the tournament on an exceptional basis given that the tournament is underway."

Ghana, on their own part, are battling to get their football back on its feet after an exposé released in June by undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, culminating in the resignation of former Ghana Football Association boss Kwesi Nyantakyi.

The government have halted all football-related activities in the country and have a court case meant to cleanse the battered GFA - a decision that does not go well with Fifa who had installed a two-man liaison to run the nation's football.

According to the world football body, failure for Nigeria to abide by the directive would see the country banned from all footballing activities.

Fifa set to clamp down on Ghanaian football

Ranchers from the US are readying to commit 4,400 heads of cattle to the Ghana dairy market due to their expressed interest.

Investors from both local and international markets are looking forward to establishing a commercially productive domestic herd in the West African country.

Local media say the Chief Veterinary Officer of MOFA, Dr Kingsley Micky Aryee, confirmed that the process is currently at the proposal stage

This bilateral protocol paves the way for suppliers and investors, who are keen to develop domestic cattle and dairy industries in Ghana.

In 2017, Ghana imported an estimated $90 million in dairy and dairy products, of which the United States held a 1.5 percent market share.

Most imports from the European Union (EU), the largest supplier with a 67 percent market share in 2017, consisted of Ultra High-Temperature (UHT) pasteurised milk.

According to a report  by the Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN), Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) accepted a USDA-proposed Veterinary Health Certificate for the export of cattle from the United States to Ghana in June 2018.

US investors are betting on Ghana’s appetite for dairy products

Ghana’s president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced a ministerial reshuffle, the first since appointments were made in March 2017.

Reports in local press indicate that talk of downsizing the appointments referred to as ‘elephant-sized’ did not materialize as the president kept 110 ministerial slots filled.

Major cabinet positions largely remained unchanged like the Attorney General and Minister for Justice and Finance Minister. The president replaced a dismissed Energy Minister with the former Lands and Water Resources minister

The reference to an ‘elephant-sized’ team was in relation to the record number of appointees – the highest under the 1992 consitution, but also a veiled political mockery by opponents because the ruling New Patriotic Party’s official emblem is an elephant.

Back in March, the government defended itself against the accusation of a record number of appointments, Minority leader in parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, came out guns blazing saying that the cabinet will feed on the public purse.

But in response, then information minister Mustapha Hamid told reporters,” we never promised a lean government.” Adding that the size of the government was necessary to assist the president’s ambitious development agenda.

The reshuffle saw fifteen changes, reassignment of some ministers, a former deputy information minister taking up the substantive role. There were also cases of direct replacement of some appointees.

Ghana president keeps huge size govt in first reshuffle

Although it might not look like it from the outside, the Kantanka Okatakyie made in Ghana has undergone a huge transformation to almost look like a G-Wagon.

The car is the latest to be assembled by Dr. Sarfo, whose Kantanka vehicles are catching eyebalss both home and abroad.

Kanatanka started of as basic electronics company  but it’s now morphed into an entirely new life as a highly profitable and luxury SUV.

The Ghanaian automobile company has just revealed the Okatakyie and it is getting the biggest update in its history. This new model include a radical new look for the exterior and has the ability to withstand harsh roads.The new G Wagon like Kantanka also has a bright headlight with a boldly inscribed ‘Kantanka Okatakyie’, embedded with the Kantanka crown. It has a 1.5 engine capacity with two front tyres and one at the back.

Take a look at the G-Wagon like car made in Ghana captured by Oilcitytoday

The Ghanaian automobile company has just revealed the Okatakyie and it is getting the biggest update in its history.

Take a peek inside the all-new Ghana made G-Wagon

Take a look and enjoy some of the most evocative, momentous and trendy topics that caught the attention of Ghanaians from August 6-10.

<h1>Ghana replaces sacked energy chief in reshuffle of huge cabinet</h1>

READ HERE:<a href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/bi/politics/who-s-in-and-who-is-out-after-akuffo-addo-s-changes-id8704660.html" id="848c9902-6cfb-5b72-ac07-d7a1675e7854">  Ghana's president considers reshuffling ministers as part of reform bid</a>

<h1>Akufo Addo makes fresh comments on the country’s homosexual laws</h1>

READ HERE:<a href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/bi/politics/akufo-addo-makes-fresh-comments-on-ghanas-homosexual-laws-id8707805.html" id="bd0f4675-945d-591e-bbc3-f4facc609793"> Ghana’s president makes fresh comments on the country’s homosexual laws</a>

<h1>Government considers reshuffling ministers as part of reform bid</h1>

<h1>Merging 5 banks to form Consolidated bank of Ghana</h1>

READ HERE: <a href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/bi/finance/ghana-s-central-bank-revokes-the-licence-of-five-banks-id8683026.html" id="8e11eeb8-47b0-5be6-9cef-4468e701410a">Local banks in Ghana are losing ownership as Ghana’s central bank revokes the licence of five of them</a>

<h1>Nigerian traders cry over constant harassment by unscrupulous GUTA members</h1>

READ HERE<a href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/news/local/nigerian-traders-cry-over-constant-harassment-by-guta-members-id8702268.html" id="d6ae9669-262c-590a-a80e-fae5bc76e9da"> Nigerian traders cry over constant harassment by GUTA members</a>

Here are all the trendy topics that got Ghanaians talking this week

Ghana businessinsider lifestyle

<h1>Across much of Africa, gay people face discrimination, persecution, and potentially even death.</h1>

The West African country of Ghana has been cracking down on expressions of homosexuality recently. In Nigeria, there is a 14-year jail term for anyone caught in homosexual activity.

Ghana’s speaker of parliament has threatened to leave his office if gay rights are promoted. Even the president has weighed in, stating that his government will never legalise homosexuality.

On the back of Ghana’s position of making love a crime we take a look at countries where homosexual activities are legal, and if such referendum should be held LGBT campaigners are most likely to win.

In Rwanda, homosexual activities have been made legal since 1980. Also, the country has a robust system for protection of individuals engaging in the act.

Female sexual activities have been legal for a long period due to cultural acceptance, but male involvements were only legal in 2012.

Just like other countries with constitutional recognition of LGBT activities in their countries, Guinea Bissau has given legal backing to the acts since 1993.

Cape Verde is only the country that has a law protecting discrimination against homosexual in Africa. All homosexual activities and their rights have been legal in the country since 2004.

The country has one of the most comprehensive laws detailing relationship with LGBT and also offering them decent living chances among other people.

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea has one of the oldest laws legalising homosexual acts in Africa. The activities of LGBT has been made lawful since 1968. However, there is no law-based protection for homosexuals in the country.