THE PARROTS

Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah says the destiny of Ghana should not be subjected to a "trial and error" by voting for a different party in the December 2016 election. He believes given the infrastructural projects among other initiatives that President John Mahama has undertaken the last four years, he would do more when given a second term. "If one system is working just as has been acknowledged in terms of the infrastructure that we have seen I believe that we give that particular system the chance to continue with the process that they want to do," he said. Addressing the Wanaa and Walaa Traditional Council in the Upper West Region, Mr Debrah said Ghanaians should not be in a haste to vote out President Mahama because he is the safest hand among his opponents. "I want to assure you that you are in safe hands if you continue to keep the government of President Mahama because he will ensure that whatever you deserve will come to the community." ...

President John Dramani Mahama has left Accra for New York to attend the 71st General Assembly of the United Nations. This year’s General Debate will open on Tuesday, with President Mahama scheduled to address the world body on Wednesday, September 21. A statement from the Flagstaff House said as Co-Chair of the UN Advocacy Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), President Mahama will be co-hosting a number of side events related to the successful implementation and advocacy for the SDGs. These include a GSM Association-organised event on the role of Mobile Innovation and the Private Sector towards accelerating the implementation of SDGs and achieving the 2030 Agenda. President Mahama will also co-host with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) a side event on ‘Pathways to Zero Hunger’, which will showcase concrete transformations in food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture in support of the delivery of the...

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...