THE PARROTS

A group calling itself Committed Drivers Association (CDA) has threatened to strike next week Monday over the soon to be introduced operation of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT). Spokesperson of CDA, Francis Appiah told Joy News their source of livelihood stands threatened if some outstanding issues regarding the BRT are not ironed out immediately. He said it is not that “we don’t want the bus to work but what we need is that the bus should work while we also do our work.” But the operators of the company have rejected that. President John Mahama has promised to commission the BRT before the end of the year to bolster the transportation sector. Highlighting the 2016 manifesto of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the State Banquet Hall in Accra Tuesday, he said as a result of the BRT project, a special bus lane would be created to commence the Ayalolo Express. This, he said would be piloted in Amansaman [in Accra] and when it proves viable and su...

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says last night’s manifesto highlight by the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) is replete with its ideas. Communications Director at the NPP, Nana Akomea, says many of their ideas that functionaries of the NDC had “pooh-pooh” as unrealistic have found themselves in the manifesto. Speaking to Evans Mensah, host of Joy FM’s Top Story Wednesday, Mr Akomea said even though the NPP is yet to outdoor its 2016 manifesto “many of our programmes and policies put across by our flagbearer are in the NDC manifesto.” President John Mahama gave highlights of his plans for the country when given a second term at a ceremony held at the State Banquet Hall in Accra, Tuesday. He said starting 2017 he would set up a committee to consider the possibility of adding five more regions to the existing 10 Regions. President John Mahama He also said he would set up factories across the country but not in the fashion NPP flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa...

Chelsea legend Michael Essien is on the verge of joining Melbourne Victory in the A-League in Australia. According to the Herald Sun, Essien will become the second player to sign under the new Football Federation of Australia (FFA) guest-marquee rule, less than a month out of the start of the season. The deal is reportedly imminent, with the FFA approving Victory’s application for Essien under the new rule. Chief Executive Officer of the FFA, David Gallop, confirmed to the Herald Sun that Essien had satisfied the criteria. “FFA has had an approach from an A-League club in relation to using a portion of the Marquee Guest Fund to bring Michael Essien to the A-League as a Full Season Guest Marquee Player,” he said. “Michael Essien has had a tremendous domestic and international career, which qualifies him for a position on a Player Roster as a Full Season Guest Marquee Player and we have come to an agreed financial contribution if a club was to come to an agreement.’’ It co...

Samsung will limit the batteries of South Korean Note 7 smartphones to 60% of their capacity following a recall of the devices. The firm asked for Note 7s to be returned following cases of phones that exploded during or after charging. An ad announcing the move appeared on the front page of the  JoongAng Daily newspaper . The software update to limit batteries seems intended to provoke users who haven't yet returned their handsets. It will begin to be rolled out from 20 September, the ad says. The Associated Press reported that a similar advertisement also appeared on the front page of the Seoul Shinmun paper. It has not yet been confirmed whether or not a similar update will be pushed out to phones in other countries. The recall of faulty Galaxy Note 7 affects 2.5 million devices. In the UK, Samsung has offered to replace the handsets from  19 September  and has asked customers to contact the retailers or mobile operators from whom they bought the phones...

Nana Aba Anamoah, a journalist and political show host, has urged media practitioners to desist from accepting gifts from politicians as the December general elections beckons. Despite a self-confessed love for ‘frebbies’, Nana Aba Anamoah said she does not accept offers from influence-peddlers in the corridors of power. “I try as much as I can, not to take favours from politicians”, the host of ‘The State of the Affairs’ on Accra-based television station GHOne said on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Tuesday. While discussing the relationship between politicians and journalists ahead of the 2016 general elections, she said men are more likely to receive gifts from politicians than women. In a season of compromising offers of goodies including cash and cars, the TV presenter observed that women often get dinner dates. “I don’t think they call the women. I don’t know if it is just me. But they don’t call us. I mean they are just calling because they want to have dinner or lun...

Deputy operations manager of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Ali Maradona has disclosed that they will not beat Regional neighbors Ashgold in their week 29 fixture of the Ghana Premier League.   Ashgold host Kotoko at the Obuasi Sports Stadium on Wednesday. The Obuasi based club after match day 28 are occupying the 10 th position with 36 points which indicate they can mathematically be relegated if they lose to the Porcupine Warriors but the Ali Maradona says they will not put Ashgold to relegation. Speaking to Kumasi based Sikka FM in an interview, Ali said, “Asante Kotoko and AshantiGold play for the Ashanti Region, if we are to beat AshantiGold for them to be relegated, and then that will not happen, we won’t beat AshantiGold come Wednesday, September 14.” Asante Kotoko are gunning for a top four place with 43 points, a point better than Medeama and two points better than Bechem United who sits fifth and sixth respectively.

The Electoral Commission has rebuffed claims it fixed an unreasonable filing fees for presidential and parliamentary aspirants lining up for this year's polls. Director of Communications Eric Dzakpasu said the Commission only followed due process of law in asking aspirants-presidential and parliamentary- to deposit ¢50,000, and ¢10,000 respectively as filing fees for the December polls. The Commission has come under serious attack from some political parties who believe the filing fees are outrageous. "You do not need to have financial muscle to contribute your quota to the development of the nation. That is not good enough," strategist with the Convention People's Party Kwabena Bonfeh said shortly after the fees were announced. The Progressive People’s Party Kofi Asamoah Siaw said "what they are doing is to discourage participation and that is opposed to their core mandate under the constitution. The should revise these figures downwards to a...