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Let’s not entertain military coup detats in West Africa – Democrat Union of Africa

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Mrs Louisa Atta-Agyemang, the Co-Chairman of the Democrat Union of Africa (DUA), says the escalating pattern of toppling democratically elected governments in sub-Saharan Africa should not be entertained.

She described as intolerable the re-emergence of military Coup detats in especially West Africa and called for concerted efforts to stop it.

Mrs Atta-Agyemang was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Democrat Union of Africa (DUA Forum 2024), held in Accra.

“Since August 2020, for instance, power has changed hands unconstitutionally six times in five countries: Burkina Faso, Sudan, Guinea, Chad, and Mali,” she said.

Mrs Atta-Agyemang said two other African countries saw thwarted coup attempts in this period, Niger in March 2021 and Guinea-Bissau in January 2022, the latter of which led to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), contemplating deploying a force to the country.

She said “such events underscore the urgent need for us to strengthen our democratic institutions and ensure that they are resilient against such disruptions.”

She said their mission at the Democrat Union of Africa was to advocate for and support democratic governance, uphold the rule of law, and promote political stability across the continent.

“We must continue to stand firm against any actions that undermine these principles and work collectively to foster environments where democracy can thrive,” she added.

She said there was the need to deepen democracy in Africa to address the myriad development deficit that had plagued the continent for decades.

The Co-Chairman said” it resonated deeply with the challenges and opportunities we face today as a continent.

“As we gather here today, it is essential to reaffirm our collective commitment to the principles that unite us as leaders, transparency, accountability, inclusivity, and the rule of law,” she said.

She said every leader present at the forum was a firm believer in the core values, which were fundamental to building and sustaining strong democratic institutions.

However, as “we celebrate our unity and shared values, we must also acknowledge and address the undemocratic happenings on our continent.”

She implored African leaders to create more opportunities that would embolden the youth to zealously safeguard the continent’s development.

“For Africa, this is not just an opportunity but a necessity. We must harness our collective strengths to address the pressing challenges that have long hindered our progress,” she said.

She said by fostering a culture of democracy, entrepreneurship, investing in education and healthcare, “we can build an Africa that stands tall on the global stage.”

Participants at the forum were the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in Uganda, Inkatha Freedom Party in South Africa, Unity Party in Liberia, PDCI-RDA in Ivory Coast, Popular Democratic Movement in Namibia, The Third Republic Party in Tunisia and The Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) in Mozambique.

Others were Kenya African National Union in Kenya, RENAMO in Mozambique, Forces Démocratiques Pour LaRépublique (FDR) in Togo, Peoples Movement For Democratic Change (PMDC) in Sierra Leone, Peoples Democratic Party in Nigeria and the National Grand Coalition Party in Sierra Leone.

The rest are UNITA in Angola, CHADEMA in Tanzania, the Istiqlal Party in Morocco, Malawi Congress Party in Malawi, the ACDP in South Africa, the Democratic Party in Uganda, and Unión de Centro Derecha in Equatorial Guinea. -GNA

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New AMA Boss begins work with departmental tour, pledges cleaner, safer, inclusive Accra

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Michael Kpakpo Allotey, newly confirmed Mayor of Accra, officially began work at the Accra City Hall on Monday, outlining his vision to “reset” the capital city through a renewed focus on cleanliness, safety, inclusivity, and opportunity for all.

Mr.Allotey, who arrived at the office at exactly 8:30 am, was received by the Coordinating Director,Mr.  Douglas N.K Annoful, Heads of Departments and units, as well as staff of the Assembly.

In a brief address, he declared his intention to pursue a cleaner, safer, and more inclusive Accra, adding that the city “deserves a reset.”

“My vision is to create a city that is clean, safe, and green with opportunities for all,” he said, stressing that sanitation, law enforcement, and youth employment would be at the forefront of his administration’s priorities.

The Mayor, who was confirmed by the Assembly last week, noted that as a young person, he could not be associated with failure.

He noted that the city must undergo significant transformation, insisting that “whatever we are doing must change.”

He aligned his agenda with the national vision by recalling the President’s remarks, saying that just as Ghana was undergoing a reset, every part of the country, including Accra, would also be reset.

As part of his first-day activities, Hon. Allotey  toured the Assembly’s departments and units to gain first-hand insight into their operational mandates, ongoing projects, and implementation status

He visited key administrative and executive offices, including the Coordinating Director’s Office, the Director in Charge of Operations, and the Office of the Presiding Member, as well as engaged with staff from the Finance, Accounting, Budgeting, Procurement, and Cash Offices to better understand the Assembly’s fiscal structure.

Departments such as Human Resources, Planning, Business Development, and Audit also had the opportunity to brief the Mayor on their mandates and current operational status.

The tour further included visits to units overseeing internal services and public engagement, such as records management, stores, the MIS and CCTV monitoring units, the Public Affairs Directorate, the Client Service Centre, the Marriage Unit, Transport Office, Facility Management Unit, the Migrant Desk, and the Library.

The day also saw courtesy visits from various stakeholders, including traditional leaders, among others.

Mr.Allotey, a seasoned entrepreneur and logistics expert, brings over a decade of experience in the real estate, petroleum, and transportation sectors.

Before his appointment, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Our God Is Good Real Estate, where he led the delivery of affordable housing units in peri-urban Accra.

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UNESCO delegation pays courtesy call on Gender Minister to deepen collaborative

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The Head of Office and Representative of UNESCO to Ghana, Mr. Edmond Moukala, led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, to explore strategic areas of collaboration aimed at advancing inclusive education, gender equality, and youth empowerment.

The discussions focused on promoting educational opportunities for young mothers, empowering them to return to school, and addressing the persistent stigma that limits their ability to thrive.

Both parties recognised the importance of inclusive policies and interventions that allow young mothers to pursue their education without discrimination.

Other key areas of interest included the provision of training in entrepreneurship and digital skills for women and girls. These efforts are expected to enhance economic empowerment and promote self-reliance among women.

The delegation also discussed in-depth issues related to gender-based violence and the urgent need for stronger advocacy and preventive measures. There was mutual agreement on the importance of integrating gender and reproductive health education into all educational curricula to help foster safer and healthier learning environments for children and adolescents.

The engagement further highlighted the need to promote girls’ participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and support women in the media space, thereby opening doors for leadership and representation in key sectors.

The Minister acknowledged that the Ministry, being a cross-cutting institution, works collaboratively with nearly all other Ministries to ensure that the needs of women, children, and other vulnerable populations are mainstreamed into national development.

She noted that UNESCO’s support aligns strongly with the government’s broader development goals.

She emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to championing the President’s priorities which include: gender equality, inclusive education, youth empowerment, and poverty reduction.

Also present at the meeting was the Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr. Afisah Zakariah.

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Special Prosecutor pays courtesy call on IGP 

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The Special Prosecutor, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, on Thursday,  May 8, 2025, paid a courtesy call on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, at the National Police Headquarters. 

The visit formed part of efforts to forge closer institutional ties and explore avenues for enhanced collaboration between the Ghana Police Service and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

Key areas of discussion included strengthening inter-agency cooperation and seeking operational support from the Police to advance the work of the OSP.

 Also present at the meeting were some members of the Police Management Board (POMAB) and the Director of Investigations at the OSP, Mr. Emmanuel Basintale.

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