The notice served on the Republic of Guinea by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the current Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority that it faces sanctions unless the country is returned to constitutional order is one of the trending stories in the Ghanaian press on Monday.
The Graphic reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who is current Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority, has served notice the Republic of Guinea faces sanctions unless the country is returned to constitutional order.
In a terse message condemning the weekend’s coup in Guinea by soldiers that has seen President Alpha Condé’s rule toppled, President Akufo-Addo said “ECOWAS demands respect for the physical safety of the President of the Republic, Professor Alpha Condé”, saying the regional block objects to “any unconstitutional political change”.
“We ask the Guinean defense and security forces to remain in a constitutional posture, and express our solidarity with the Guinean people and their Government,” he said.
The newspaper says that over 1.2 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the United States arrived in Ghana on Saturday morning.
The US Ambassador Stephanie Sullivan, Deputy Minister of Health, Honorable Mahama Asei Seini, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Honorable Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, and the UNICEF Country Representative to Ghana Ms Anne-Claire Dufay received the vaccines at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
Delivered through COVAX, the donations are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s global efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Ghana’s Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service will oversee vaccine distribution nationwide.
“These vaccines will save lives here in Ghana. Vaccines, along with other preventive protocols, will help control the pandemic and slow the development of new variants. We stand with the Government of Ghana in its fight to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Ambassador Sullivan.
The United States has worked closely with Ghana since the start of the pandemic and has contributed over $30 million to support public health efforts and the COVID-19 response in Ghana. These funds are addressing the immediate and medium-term effects of COVID-19 on the health, agriculture, and education sectors, including the hard-hit private sector.
The 1,229,620 doses donated to Ghana by the United States through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to share the U.S. vaccine supply with the world. The United States has already donated and delivered more than 125 million doses to more than 80 countries and economies worldwide. As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic at home and work to end the pandemic worldwide, President Biden has promised that the United States will be an arsenal of vaccines for the world.
The United States and USAID will continue to support Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, including future donations. USAID will also support vaccine preparedness efforts, including transport of vaccines to health facilities, detailed planning, and social and behavior change activities to encourage uptake of WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines.
The Graphic also reports that the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has commenced investigations into the circumstances that caused the aborted takeoff of KLM flight on Friday, September 3, 2021.
The GACL in a statement said the pilot of the flight reported a bird strike close to the windshield of the aircraft.
“The Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (RFFS) of GACL was at the scene immediately to provide emergency fire cover. The aircraft was subsequently towed to the parking bay where passengers disembarked and were transported to various hotels around the airport,” the statement said.
“Meanwhile, the airline has commenced processes to get passengers back to their final destinations as soon as possible. Investigations into the cause of the incident have commenced.
“Management of Ghana Airports Company Limited wishes to assure the general public that it has a robust Wildlife Management System in place and remains committed to the highest safety standards at the airport”.
Management of Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) can confirm that on Friday, September 3, 2021 10.35pm, KLM Royal Duto Airlines Flight (KL590) bound for Amsterdam, aborted takeoff via Runway 21 at Kotoka International Airport. The Pilot reported a bird strike close to the windshield of the aircraft.
The Times says that the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation is scheduled to launch the National SIM Card Registration Exercise (NSCRE) across the country next month.
The six months exercise which is expected to commence on October 1 this year and end on March 1, 2022 is in line with the Subscriber Identity Module Registration Regulations, 2011, L.I 2006 which mandates network operators or service providers to activate a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) only after the subscriber registers the SIM as directed by the NCA.
It is projected that about 40 million numbers will be registered by the end of the exercise and every subscriber is expected to comply.
Addressing the media in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said every subscriber would be required to provide the name and residential or occupational address and the date of birth in the case of individuals as part of the requirement for the registration.
However, in the case of a body corporate, a Certificate of Incorporation or registration an identification document would be required to get their registration done.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful explained that only the National Identity Card (Ghana Card) issued to individuals would be used for the exercise, stressing that “Registration of SIM cards of Citizens, Foreign Residents and Foreigners staying in Ghana for more than 90 days. In the case of foreigners staying in Ghana for less than 90 days, a valid passport or other travel document is required.”
Giving the rationale behind the exercise, she said even though this wasn’t the first time such an exercise was being carried out; all the previous efforts failed because they lacked a verifiable secure identification document.
GIK/APA