The deployment of 44,000 registration officers by the Electoral Commission for the registration exercise and deployment of soldiers at Ghanaian borders are some of the leading stories in the Ghanaian newspapers on Tuesday.
The Times reports that the country’s Electoral Commission (EC) has deployed 44,000 registration officers across the country for the voter registration exercise which commences today.
The officials, according to Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Commission, have been given the appropriate training to be able to carry out the exercise without challenges.
Addressing a press conference in Accra yesterday, she noted that the officers have additionally signed an oath to perform their duties in accordance with regulations guiding of the registration exercise to develop a credible register.
The newspaper also said that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged all eligible voters to participate in the new voters’ registration exercise which begins today, while observing the coronavirus (COVID-19) safety protocols at the registration centres.
In a televised address to the nation last night, the President appealed to Ghanaians not to allow the fear of the pandemic to prevent them from participating in the exercise which will give them the right to vote in the general elections on December 7.
He said despite the outbreak of the COVID-19, elections have been successfully conducted in Asia, Europe and Africa, adding that “it is not beyond Ghana to join these nations to organise a successful election even in the midst of a pandemic”.
President Akufo-Addo entreated Ghanaians, who have turned 18 and of sound mind to participate in the exercise and strictly adhere to the safety protocols and restrictions, especially the protocols regarding gatherings.
The Graphic reports that the police have arrested two persons for allegedly manufacturing herbal medicines purported to cure the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The illegal activities of the two self-acclaimed doctors, Dr Abdellah, the Director of Dr Abdellah Herbal Home and his Research Assistant, Dr Abdul Sarnad Bin Musa, were exposed by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in his latest investigative pieces aimed at shedding light on a COVID-19 scam said to be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
The 30-minute documentary exposed how the two individuals produced hundreds of bottles of the “Covid Cure” with fake FDA numbers on its labels during the lockdown period. In the film, they attempted to sell 100 bottles of their concoction to the undercover team for GH¢150,000. They had stockpiled almost GH¢433,875 worth of fake cure products in total.
A statement issued by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) on Monday, June 29 and signed by its Chief Executive, Delese Darko, said the unregistered products, which were being manufactured at Kojo Ashong, a village near Amasaman, had been falsely labelled to bear forged FDA registration number “FDB/TMP03709” on both products and also had March 2020 and March 2021 as their manufacturing and expiry dates respectively.
The newspaper also says that the payment of water bills for all Ghanaians by the government as part of the COVID-19 interventions is set to end on Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
As part of measures to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in April announced that the government would absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the months of April, May and June.
A statement dated June 29, 2020, signed and issued by the Communications Manager of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Mr. Stanley Martey, said the “free water” intervention would come to an end in June.
Therefore, it said water vendors could resume their normal business after the last meter readings in June.
GIK/APA