Kumasi, Ghana | AFP | India has its Bollywood and Nigeria, Nollywood. Even New Zealand has a Wellywood. In Ghana, films made in Kumasi and the surrounding region go by a similar shorthand — Kumawood. The cultural heart of Ghana is about five hours’ drive from the more cosmopolitan coastal …
Read More »World’s first malaria vaccine
Children aged five to 17 months old in Kenya, Ghana, Malawi to test it Ghana, Kenya and Malawi have been chosen to test the world’s first malaria vaccine through a pilot program beginning next year, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on April 24. The vaccine, which has partial effectiveness …
Read More »Ghana MPs face British travel bans over ‘visa fraud’
Accra, Ghana | AFP | Three members of Ghana’s parliament and a former lawmaker are facing travel bans to Britain over apparent visa irregularities, according to a leaked document seen by AFP on Wednesday. Britain’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, wrote to parliament Speaker Mike Oquaye that the four …
Read More »First large-scale malaria vaccine trials for Africa
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | A new malaria vaccine will be tested on a large scale in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi, the World Health Organization said Monday, with 360,000 children to be vaccinated between 2018 and 2020. The injectable vaccine RTS,S could provide limited protection against a disease that killed …
Read More »Ghana bribery probe clears minister
Accra, Ghana | AFP | A Ghanaian lawmaker was on Thursday found in contempt of parliament and ordered to apologise after claiming that a government minister bribed a committee to approve his appointment. National Democratic Congress (NDC) party MP Mahama Ayariga accused Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko of paying members of the …
Read More »Ghana’s gender minister warns on short dresses, causes storm
Ghana’s gender minister causes storm over rape comments Accra, Ghana | AFP | Ghana’s new gender minister has warned schoolgirls that what they wear can attract rapists, sparking controversy and debate in a traditional but evolving society. Otiko Djaba told girls at a senior school in eastern Ghana they should …
Read More »Ghana seeks new dawn for struggling power sector
Accra, Ghana | AFP | Ghana’s new government is looking to fix a crippling power crisis with a complete overhaul of its deficit-ridden energy sector including a boost for solar energy. Intermittent power supply issues have dogged the west African nation since the 1980s and became particularly acute in the …
Read More »Controversy over Ghana’s elephant size cabinet
Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo lent credence to the saying that the strength of an African democracy is in the size of its cabinet after he appointed 110 ministers to his newly formed government. Addo defended the size of his cabinet as a “necessary investment” for the small country. Addo appointed …
Read More »Ghana shuts tourist site where 20 died in freak tree accident
Accra, Ghana | AFP | Ghanaian authorities have closed the popular tourist destination of Kintampo Falls after 20 people died in a tree fall tragedy, officials said Monday. A group of high school and university students were swimming on Sunday afternoon at the picturesque waterfalls in the Brong-Ahafo region, some 450 …
Read More »FIFA bans Ghanaian referee for life for match fixing
Zurich, Switzerland | AFP | Ghanaian referee Joseph Odartei Lamptey was on Monday banned for life by world football’s governing body FIFA for match fixing. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had already slapped a three-month ban on Lamptey after he awarded South Africa a controversial penalty in their 2-1 …
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