Claim: A WhatsApp user said that Ghana’s ex-President John Mahama has asked for the Kumasi International Airport to be renamed after the country’s founding President, Kwame Nkrumah.
Verdict: This is false. Investigations by DUBAWA have shown that the ex-Ghanaian leader did not make the claim attributed to him. Also, Mr Mahama has disputed the claim, describing it as “misinformation and disinformation.”
Full Text
Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo, commissioned a newly constructed Prempeh I International Airport on May 10, 2023.
The airport, formerly Kumasi International Airport, was renamed after Nana Prempeh I, the late Asantehene of the Ashanti Region.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the current Asantehene of the Ashanti Region, party faithful, and other dignitaries.
Hours after the ceremony, a flyer that made the rounds on WhatsApp alleged that the former president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, had said that the newly constructed airport should have been named after Kwame Nkrumah, not the late Asantehene.
“Kumasi International Airport should have been renamed after Kwame Nkrumah not Prempeh,” the ex-Ghanaian leader reportedly said.
The flyer was shared wildly on other social media platforms, here, here, and here.
The viral flyer
DUBAWA decided to investigate this claim in its fight against misinformation and disinformation ahead of Ghana’s 2024 election.
Verification
Considering the controversial nature of the claim, the ex-Ghanaian leader would have made headlines in the country if he made the comment attributed to him.
A Google keyword search by DUBAWA showed no evidence online to support the claim attributed to Mr Mahama. There is no publication by any credible media outlet in Ghana on the issue.
Further investigations by DUBAWA have shown that the ex-Ghanaian leader, John Mahama, did not make the claim attributed to him. He has disputed the claim and described it as “misinformation and disinformation.”
Writing on X (formerly Twitter) on May 12, 2024, Mr Mahama said:
“They won’t stop the misinformation and disinformation.”
DUBAWA later contacted a journalist at Ultimate FM, the media organisation purported to have originated the flyer.
However, Justice Bediako, a reporter with Ultimate FM, said they did not create the purported flyer.
Conclusion
It is not true that the former Ghanaian President John Mahama has asked for the Kumasi International Airport to be renamed after Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Claim: Founder of the All People’s Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga, claims Ghana has the biggest loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Photo Credit: John Mahama
Verdict: False. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Argentina’s highest loan is $30 billion in debt, while Ghana is placed 12th with a $1 billion debt.
Full Text
The All People’s Congress (APC) Founder Hassan Ayariga has claimed that Ghana has the highest amount borrowed from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) compared to any other country.
The claim can be found by referencing 5:19-5:32 during an exclusive interview with Mr Ayariga conducted by TV3’s Roland Walker. The interview was featured on TV3’s morning show, Newday, on Jan. 4, 2024, and is available on the channel’s YouTube platform, which has over 600,000 subscribers.
In the interview, he said,“We are the highest country that has borrowed so far from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) than any other country. We are on top. Ghana is number one.”
Verification
First, with the mention of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), DUBAWA’s research was geared toward finding data from the organisation to confirm the claim’s veracity.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a key player in global finance, offering monetary assistance to governments suffering from economic difficulties.
From the table above, Ghana is not the highest debtor. Argentina holds that position with a debt of $30,412,500,000. Ghana is ranked 12th on the list, indicating that it has a relatively lower debt compared to many other countries in the table.
Source: IMF
DUBAWA also provided an overview of Africa’s top 5 biggest debtors to ascertain if Ghana is leading among them. We discovered that Ghana ranks as the seventh African country with the highest debt.
Source: IMF
Conclusion
The claim by the founder of the APC, Mr Ayariga, that Ghana is the IMF’s biggest debtor is false. Argentina is the first.
Claim: An X user claims Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo rejected a proposal by the Ga Mantse to rename the Greater Accra region as the Ga-Adangme region.
Verdict: This is false! The Ghanaian leader did not reject the proposal made by the Ga Mantse as alleged. In a video of the interaction between President Nana Akufo-Addo and the Ga ruler two years ago, the Ghanaian leader said he would consult his Cabinet about the proposed name change.
The engagement between the Ga ruler and the Ghanaian leader was reported by various media houses in the West African country here, here, here, and here.
Nearly 41 years later, there is a growing call for the region to be renamed the Ga-Adangme region.
Explaining the rationale for the proposed change of name two years ago, the Ga ruler said the campaign is part of the effort towards the “unification and consolidation of Ga-Adangme state. Your assistance in this regard will be appreciated by us.”
See the video of the interaction, starting from minutes 0:00 to 0:23 posted on YouTube by Accra-based Ablade TV.
“I support his rejection of the proposal [because] it wouldn’t make sense…,” the X user, Father Anthony wrote, referring to the interaction between the Ga Mantse and the President.
The video has been watched 52.9k times and recorded over 3.3k engagements with some of the comments being highly critical and explosive.
Due to its virality, DUBAWA decided to probe the claim as part of its campaign against misinformation and disinformation in the West African country.
Verification
President Nana Akufo-Addo did not reject the proposal by the Ga Mantse to rename the Greater Accra region as alleged.
In a video of the interaction between President Nana Akufo-Addo and the Ga ruler two years ago, the Ghanaian leader said he would consult his Cabinet about the proposed name change.
“For Greater Accra’s name to be changed to Ga-Adangme with respect, that one is not your responsibility. It is mine [and] I will consult my Cabinet and the Council of State,” the President said.
Also, a Google keyword search conducted by DUBAWA on the subject showed no media house in Ghana has published a story about the alleged rejection of the proposed name change by the Ghanaian leader.
The 1992 Constitution of Ghana clothes the Ghanaian President in Article 5(1) (a-c) with the power to create a new region, alter the boundaries of a region; or provide for the merger of two or more regions.
In Clause 2 of Article 5, the Constitution provides that the decision of the President on the creation of a new region, alteration of the boundaries of a region, and the merger of two or more regions will need to be taken on the advice of the Council of State.
Since the proposed name change of the Greater Accra region will require something more than administrative duties, President Akufo-Addo assured the Ga ruler that he would conduct the necessary consultation on the matter.
“I cannot commit myself to that, and you cannot do it without me,” the President advised.
The President’s response to Ga Mantse’s request does not amount to rejecting the proposed name change, as alleged.
Conclusion
President Akufo-Addo did not reject the proposal by the Ga Mantse to change the name of the Greater Accra region to the Ga-Adangme region. The Ghanaian leader said he would consult the relevant bodies on the subject.
Ex-Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan announced his retirement from active football on June 20, 2023. However, the former Sunderland player has, within the last two weeks, been the center of media attention, including social media, after the High Court in Accra gave its judgment in a suit challenging his marriage to his wife, Gifty, and the paternity of their three children.
There have been screaming headlines in the media in Ghana and other parts of the world, with varied narratives about the decision rendered by the Ghanaian court.
Social media was not spared its share of interpreting the outcome of the three-year legal tussle. Users of X (formerly Twitter) put an exciting spin on the entire story here, here, and here.
“Breaking: Asamoah Gyan to lose his properties following a divorce with ex-wife,” Kofi Ratty wrote on X.
Another user, Kasoa Blogger, wrote, “Asamoah Gyan’s ex-wife gets GHS25,000 monthly, mansions, cars, and land post-divorce. After years of dispute and paternity doubts, the court confirmed on Oct. 31, 2023, that the three kids are Gyan’s.”
Finding love and starting a family
Court records showed Gyan, who had just been called up to the National under-23 football team, the Black Meteors, met Sandra Gifty Gyamesi in 2003 while she was an employee of Wangara Hotel in Accra.
The former Rennes player entered into a romantic relationship with Gifty, which produced their first two sons, the High Court established.
The two, however, sealed their relationship with an ordinance marriage on August 31, 2013, under the Marriages Act, 1884 to 1985 (CAP 127) of Ghana at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
Records available at the court showed that the couple did not cohabit after marriage but lived in separate homes while entertaining periodic visits from each other both in and outside Ghana.
The couple is blessed with three children: Frederick Asamoah Gyan Junior, 17, Raphael Mensah Gyan, 11, and Zelda Ohemaa Gyan, 9.
The couple shared good moments together in the early days of their marriage, to the delight of their fans.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel in 2019, Gyan and his wife were seen picking their children up from a UK school.
“Hey guys, like I promised you guys, I just came up from London. I went to see the family and enjoyed some nice time with [my] family, and now we are back to business,” he said in the video, starting from minutes 0:00 to 0:20 here.
Hugging Raphael, his first child, after he had returned from school in the video here, starting from minutes 5:11 to 5:39, the former Ghana Black Stars striker is heard saying,
“That is my boy. That’s my firstborn. Say something to them, tell them you miss daddy… that’s junior baby jet. Now, I am daddy jet, so he is the baby jet.”
Ex-Ghanaian footballer Asamoah Gyan. Photo credit: YEN
There is no doubt Gyan, Gifty, and their three children formed a happy family readily available to support one another.
Reacting to the video, a fan, Vanessa Joan, as reported by YEN, wrote,
“All you fathers out there who do not care for your children, just see how beautiful they [Gyan, Gifty and their children] look. God bless you, Asamoah Gyan; despite all the fun you have been having, you still make time for your family. Keep it up.”
The three children are reported to be football lovers as their parents, and Raphael is reported to be in the Ghana Under 20 team, getting ready to continue with his father’s legacy.
In another post that got many fans talking, Gifty posted a picture of herself in the kitchen on Instagram, as reported here five years ago, saying,
“My favourite place in the house #thekitchen.”
The beginning of the end of the marriage
After nearly ten years of marriage, court records have shown that things began to take a different twist in the family when the football legend claimed to have discovered that his wife was married to another man before their union.
Gyan petitioned the High Court in Accra to annul their marriage since his wife could not marry two men contrary to the provisions of the Matrimonial Causes Act, 1971 (Act 367) of Ghana.
He also doubted the paternity of his children and requested a Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test to be conducted to establish the truth as revealed by the court records.
What Gyan said in open court
Gyan told the court that when he met Gifty, she presented herself as a spinster named Gifty Akua Oware.
The ex-footballer further told the court that Gifty lured him into marriage by using a different name, Gifty Akua Oware, to contract a second marriage.
He, however, discovered that she had been married to one Frederick Odame Antwi on Feb. 26, 2002, under the Marriages Act, 1884-1985 (Cap 127), bearing the name Sandra Gifty Gyamesi. Because of his discovery, Gyan asked the court to annul his marriage to Gifty.
He also asked the court to grant an order for a DNA test for the determination of actual paternity of the said three issues of the marriage and a declaration that a reasonable amount would be made for the maintenance of the problems until the paternity test had been completed.
Gifty’s response to Gyan’s claims in court
Records of proceedings evident on page 11 of the certified judgment showed Gifty admitted the fact of the marriage between her and Eugene.
Gifty explained to the court that when she met Gyan, she opened up to him about some health challenges she had been suffering from and explained to him that in the attempt to resort to treatment facilities outside Ghana, her foster mother, Madam Lucy, arranged a marriage with her son, Eugene Odame Antwi and procured a marriage certificate to support her visa processing.
She continued that when the visa was finally issued, she travelled to Italy, where Gyan visited, and introduced him to Eugene as her boyfriend. Gifty said she was chaste when she had sexual relations with Gyan in 2004.
Gifty later told the court Eugene is married to a lady in the UK who is aware of the arranged marriage in 2002 to procure travel documents. She argued the marriage between her and Eugene was void because she was 17 years old, a minor at the time, and the said marriage was contracted without the consent of her parents, contrary to Ghanaian law.
Also, she added that since her purported marriage to Eugene was not consummated, the marriage is void. She, therefore, asked the court to dissolve the union between herself and Gyan, celebrated on Aug 31, 2003.
Gifty counter-petitioned the court and further asked for custody of the three children, a lump sum of $1 million, and a monthly amount of £5,000 towards the maintenance of the home and upkeep of the three issues of the marriage pending suit and after the final determination of the suit.
She also asked the court to give her a 50% share of Gyan’s properties and businesses, as found on page 5 of the court decision. The possessions include Baby Jet Boxing Promotions, Baby Jet Airline, Weija mansion, UK mansion, cars, Paradise Pac Mineral Water, BJ Sports Bar & Restaurant, Gyan Investments Ghana Limited, and a printing press in Dubai.
The court held documents tendered by Gifty, including a marriage certificate, confirming that she married Eugene on Feb. 26, 2002, at the Tema Metropolitan Assembly. However, she was unable to produce evidence of her admission, diagnosis, or treatment in any hospital in Italy during the period 2004 to 2005 to prove that the said marriage was one of convenience, as she claimed.
“Since the Respondent (Gifty) was unable to discharge her burden of adducing credible evidence to establish her assertion, her case that the marriage was for immigration purposes fails,” the judge ruled.
The judge, therefore, held that the “marriage between Eugene Odame Antwi and the Respondent (Gifty) cannot, therefore, be said to be void, because same was for immigration purposes only.”
The court further held that Gifty deceived Gyan by misrepresenting to him that she was a spinster at the time of the marriage when she was married to Eugene without regard to the consequences.
“The Petitioner (Gyan) did, in fact, rely on the said misrepresentation and thereby entered into a marriage with the Respondent (Gifty) to his detriment.
The detriment being that by the said marriage, the Petitioner unknowingly contracted a marriage with another man’s wife, an agreement he would not have entered into, had the respondent been candid with him, before the marriage between the parties,” the Judge said on page 41 of the certified judgment.
The judge held that “the marriage celebrated between the Petitioner (Gyan) and Respondent on Aug. 31, 2003, in Accra, under the Marriages Act, 1884 – 1985 (CAP 127), is hereby annulled, forthwith.”
On the paternity issue, the court held that Gyan is the biological father of the three children after a DNA test confirmed it. However, custody of the three children was given to Gifty, as explained by the judge, to “enable continuity in their care and control and allow for the siblings to bond as they grow together.”
To provide for the upkeep of the children, the court awarded GHS25,000 to be paid by Gyan to Gifty on the 1st of every month, starting from Nov. 2023, for the maintenance of the children and the upkeep of the home.
Pronouncing the properties acquired during the pendency of the marriage, the court held that Gifty contributed in kind toward acquiring the properties by catering for the children and living with them. At the same time, the ex-footballer plied his trade; she was entitled to a share of the property.
However, the court held there is ample evidence on record that before and after the marriage, there was no intention by the parties to hold properties jointly.
“Upon the totality of the evidence, I find that the Respondent (Gifty) is entitled under Sections 20 and 21 of the Matrimonial Causes Act to those properties acquired for her by the Petitioner (Gyan), while the Petitioner retains ownership of the properties he acquired for himself,” the judge said.
In view of her role in taking care of the children of the union, the court settled the following properties on Gifty, a UK property, a gas station at Prampram, a 4-bedroom house at Spintex, a suburb of Accra (purchased for her before the marriage in 2013) and two cars, a luxury BMW, and an Infiniti.
On the issue of the $1 million financial settlement asked by Gifty, the court held that because of the nullification of the marriage and the settlement of some properties on her, there is no need to award further financial provisions.
Media reports after the court’s decision here, here, here, and here in Ghana and the UK suggest the marriage between the ex-captain of the Black Stars and his wife had been dissolved.
“Former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan must pay compensation to his ex-wife after a court ruled on their divorce case and determined he is the biological father of their three children,” UK’s BBC reported.
Also, a Ghanaian-based online news portal, YEN, reported here on Nov. 1, 2023, that:
“Ghanaian football star Asamoah Gyan has broken his silence following the recent court ruling on his long-standing divorce battle with ex-wife Gifty Gyan.”
Referencing a report allegedly filed by Ghanaian online news portal Ghanaweb, a Nigerian-based blog, Lindaikejiblog reported here that,
“Ghanaian footballer and captain of the Ghana Black Stars, Asamoah Gyan, has allegedly filed for divorce from his wife, Gifty Gyan, at the Divorce and Matrimonial Division of the High Court, Accra.”
Is dissolution and annulment of marriage the same in Ghana?
In Ghana, a marriage can be ended either through dissolution or annulment. Divorce is a mode of dissolving an otherwise valid marriage. In contrast, annulment is the process used to invalidate a marriage manifestly incurable and not recognised by the law as valid.
“A person commits bigamy who, knowing that a marriage subsists between him or her and any person, goes through the ceremony of marriage, whether in Ghana or elsewhere, with some other person.”
The type of marriage referred to in Section 263 of Act 29 of Ghana is the ordinance marriage, otherwise known as a church wedding. In other words, when a man and woman are married under the ordinance, either party can only marry another person after a competent court dissolves their first marriage.
The law, however, does not apply to customary and Mohammedan marriages, which are by their nature polygamous. Under customary law and Mohammedan marriages, a man could marry more than one woman, but a woman cannot marry more than one man.
Void vs. voidable marriage under Ghanaian law
Under Ghanaian law, when a person marries under customary law and then remarries under ordinance when a court of competent jurisdiction has not dissolved the first marriage, that subsequent marriage is considered void.
Explaining what a void marriage is in the celebrated case of [De Reneville v De Reneville], the English court held a void marriage will be regarded by every court in any case in which the existence of the marriage is in issue as “never having taken place and can be treated by both parties to it without the necessity of any decree annulling it.”
In Ghana, a void marriage does not comply with the substantive or procedural requirements in Section 74 of the Marriages Act, 1884-1985 (Cap 127) of Ghana, which defect is incurable irrespective of the parties’ intention.
A marriage may be said to be void in Ghana where there was no publication of banns, parties used false names, the minister who officiated the marriage has not been licensed or gazetted, the place the marriage was celebrated has not been licensed or gazetted, and where none of the required certificates (Registrar’s Certificate, Marriage Officer’s Certificate, and Special License) had been issued to the parties.
The other factors are where a Mohammedan marriage contracted is not registered within one week after its celebration and where a marriage prohibited by consanguinity and affinity (blood relations) is contracted.
However, a voidable marriage is considered valid for all intent and purposes until steps are taken by a party to the marriage to nullify it.
Under Section 13 of the Matrimonial Causes Act, 1971 (Act 367) of Ghana, a marriage is voidable where it has not been consummated owing to the wilful refusal of the respondent to consummate it and where, at the time of the marriage, either party to the marriage was of unsound mind or subject to recurrent attacks of insanity.
The other factors are whether the respondent was, at the time of the marriage, pregnant by a person other than the petitioner or whether the respondent was at the time of the marriage suffering from an incurable venereal disease in a communicable form.
A major difference between void and voidable marriages is that with a void marriage, a party can remarry without annulling the first marriage, which is considered never to have taken place. However, with a voidable marriage, a party must annul the first marriage before remarrying since it is considered valid in the eyes of the law.
Another difference between void and voidable marriages is that with a void marriage, anyone, including a person not a party to the marriage, can petition the court for the annulment. However, only parties to a voidable marriage can petition the court for the annulment of the marriage, and no other person.
The Matrimonial Causes Act, 1971 (Act 367) of Ghana in Section 13 empowers any person to present a petition to the court for a decree of nullity for the annulment of the marriage on the ground that it is by “law void or voidable.”
Divorce versus annulment
However, divorce is significantly different from annulment, which can only take place where there have been substantive and procedural breaches of the law in contracting the marriage.
Divorce refers to the formal termination of a marriage, the status derived from it, and the extinguishing of the duties and rights accompanying it. Divorce is governed by the Matrimonial Causes Act, 1971 (Act 367) of Ghana.
Under Section 31 of Act 367 of Ghana, to petition for divorce, either party to the marriage must be a citizen of Ghana, domiciled in the country, or ordinarily resident in Ghana for at least three years immediately preceding the commencement of the proceedings.
According to Section 1(1) of Act 367, the sole ground for asking for divorce in Ghana is that “the marriage has broken down beyond reconciliation.” However, for the court to grant the decree of divorce, the petitioner must prove one of six factors, namely, that the respondent has committed adultery, that the respondent has behaved unreasonably, and that the respondent has deserted the petitioner for a continuous period of at least two years immediately preceding the presentation of the petition.
The other factors are that the parties have not lived as man and wife for a continuous period of at least two years immediately preceding the presentation of the petition, that the parties have not lived as man and wife for a continuous period of at least five years immediately preceding the presentation of the petition and finally, that the parties to the marriage after diligent effort have been unable to reconcile their differences.
Victory or loss for Gyan
A section of Ghanaians here, here, and here, have reacted to the court’s judgment in which they claim Gyan lost the legal battle to Gifty on the back of the properties the court settled on her.
“Every month biaa 25k for cry for her account. Herh marriage,” wrote Ardavinga on X.
For another X user, Spirocobbold, “A man’s loss and a woman’s gain.”
But Gyan did not lose the case, and the footballer bought the properties the court settled on Gifty in her name, Baffour Gyan, a brother of the ex-footballer, has said.
“The properties in the lady’s possession were gifts from Gyan, and the court asked that she keep them. Her lawyers had wanted $1 million and more, but the court declined their request,” the former Ghana Black Stars footballer said of his brother’s marital dispute.
“On the matter of the properties, when Asamoah and Gifty were together, he bought Gifty and the kids a house at Spintex, so that house was already in Gifty’s name. Gifty also bought a plot of land in Tema to be used as a gas station. That piece of land was also in her name already. And then the Infiniti car,” he reportedly added.
He explained to Accra-based Asempa FM, who reported here that “Asamoah Gyan has been in contact with his children throughout this case and has been taking care of them, so the GHS25,000 monthly support to the children is no news.”
Gyan’s reaction to public uproar about the court’s decision
Hours after news broke about the annulment of his marriage to Gifty, Gyan shared a cryptic message under a post on X made by a Ghanaian blogger, Ameyaw Debrah.
The former Sunderland skipper wrote:
“If I have 10pts and I keep quiet cos I’m mature, and you have 2 pts, and you’re going to find public sympathy, then it’s cool. You are very funny. This is deep, so think about it.”
Despite the annulment of the marriage, Gyan has said he did not regret marrying Gifty, irrespective of the issues they faced.
“During the marriage, a lot of things came up, which I didn’t even want to talk about, so many years, but I decided to do the needful because of how things were being unravelled. I did my investigations and saw the truth, and I took it to court,” the ex-Black Stars captain told Accra-based Asempa FM, as reported here.
He explained he went to court for the annulment of the marriage based on the things he discovered and that “my wish has been granted because the things I unravelled were the truth.”
Responding to a question about a possible remarriage, Gyan said he will concentrate on “caring and providing for his children, which he considers as the most important thing.”
“I am very, very happy with my life. I am a family man; my children like and love me, and I also love and like all of them, so that is where my focus is,” he said.
Conclusion
Gyan is the father of Raphael Mensah Gyan, Frederick Asamoah Gyan Junior, and Zelda Ohemaa Gyan, who are children of his nearly 10-year marriage to Gifty despite its annulment by the Ghanaian court.
A video circulating on social media has a group of seven unlicensed miners in Southern Ghana who claim to have unearthed what is being suggested to be the largest gold nugget in the history of Ghana. The video has been circulated on various social media platforms like Chakabars, an Instagram user with 1.2 million followers.
The video has gathered over 52k likes and 21.9K shares at the time of the report. According to the video, the group uncovered a mineral that required more than one person to transport. Comments on the video suggest people have accepted the claim as true whilst others have debunked it. This has necessitated a closer look into Ghana’s mining adventure. Additionally, news articles by someonline news portals also published articles on the newly found largest gold nugget in the history of Ghana.
Image: Screenshot of video
Small scale mining
Small scale mining in Ghana dates back to the 5th Century. In 2006 it was incorporated into the new Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703). Across the mining communities, however, emerged the practice of gathering gold grains from mining tailings which has become famously known as Galamsey- to wit (gather them and sell). It all began in the Prestea GoldFields Ltd and has since taken on criminal and devastating consequences. The financial implications are also telling. In 2016 alone, an estimated $2.3 billion worth of gold left the shores of Ghana.
Curious Find
It is exactly because of the social, environmental and financial impact of illegal mining on the country that the news of the suspected biggest nugget of gold found would be of interest to DUBAWA. However, attempts to locate the exact pit where the suspected nugget was dug have been fruitless. Media reports suggest it was dug in a pit in the Ashanti Region. Attempts to also locate the miners who dug out the nugget have also not yielded any fruits. But can a nugget that size be dug in a galamsey pit?
What are the experts saying?
An interview with a Geologist, Mawuli Senyo Akpanya, revealed that what is being suggested to be the largest nugget of gold is pyrite or quartz, a hard mineral material usually used in the production of watches and other materials.
Based on his analysis of the video, he determined that the quartz has mingled with gold in the mining area, which lends to the goldish look of the mineral. Mr Akpanya explained that the quartz mineral can mingle with other minerals, which is the case of the viral video, and with further scrutiny of the footage, he concluded that it is indeed quartz that has mingled with a small amount of gold around it.
He added that “seven people cannot lift such “a” volume of nugget of gold.” He stated that it could be a pathfinder for gold. Mr Apkanya noted that if it was indeed gold, they would not bring “it” into the public domain but would rather parcel and hide it for their parochial interest.
The National Communication Director for Small Scale Miners, Abdul Razak Alhassan, after carefully examining the video, also confirmed that the claim that the nugget of gold is a rock that is being pulled under the gravel where they have placed the Changfang, a caterpillar machine used for mining. He thus advised the public to disregard the information being circulated that the largest nugget of gold had been found in the country. In a response to a question on the procedure involved when such nuggets are found in the country, the National Communication Director for Small Scale Miners disclosed that discovering gold by miners is purely business and it is not announced in the public domain.
He said, “What usually happens when you find gold as a miner is that you either sell it in its raw form or you refine it. It really has nothing to do with either the public or the Minerals Commission.” The Minerals Commission, according to him, plays a supervisory role and does not interfere in the business of miners. However, Mr Razak quickly stressed the importance of miners setting their records straight and declaring their assets to the Minerals Commission. This will help them to tax the money miners accrue from their mining businesses. Mr Razak Alhassan further revealed that quantifying the amount of gold claimed to be found by the illegal miners will cost billions of dollars since one gram of gold found is even quantified as five hundred or six hundred Ghana Cedis. He, however, noted that over the past years this amount of gold has never been discovered in the country. Rockseekers.com, a website dedicated to sharing knowledge about rocks and minerals, founded by geologist Don Gerig, has an article on “6 Rocks That Contain Gold”, which lists quartz as one such. According to the article, “Quartz is classically aligned with gold. Most hard rock deposits appear to occur in quartz, and gold-in-quartz has even taken on a life of its own.” The article further states that the correct term for quartz that contains gold is auriferous quartz.
Conclusion
Upon online investigation and experts’ opinion, the claimed nugget of gold seen in the viral video has been established as a rock even though its type has not been determined.
This report was produced under the Department of Communication Studies and DUBAWA’s project aimed at improving fact-checking competency and practice among Ghanaian media organizations with support from UNESCO IPDC.
On Oct. 7, 2017, there was a devastating gas explosion at the Mansco gas station at Atomic Junction, Madina, Accra. Seven people died with scores of people injured. Find other reports of the incident here, here and here.
The president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, on Sept. 21, 2020, ordered the rollout of the cylinder recirculation model after visiting the disaster site.
The Cylinder Recirculation Model seeks to ensure the refilling of cylinders in a safer way as well as reduce accidents at gas filling points in communal and residential areas. The cylinders are inspected and maintained to the best safety standards.
Under the CRM, it is the responsibility of LPG marketing companies to ensure that cylinders are in the best condition before it is handed over to customers. This includes checking for dents and replacing valves to avoid leakages.
How does it work?
The CRM distribution system is designed such that a registered customer brings an empty cylinder to an exchange point in return for a filled cylinder. The empty cylinder is taken to a bottling facility, filled and returned to be picked up by other customers.
Different sizes of cylinders will be available to meet the needs of various customers.
Customers will have to register with a national identification card or other forms of identification to be eligible for the CRM system.
Customers will initially pay for the cost of the cylinder and the gas. Subsequently, they will pay for the gas only.
The bottling companies
Under the model, the NPA has authorised some petroleum marketing companies to distribute filled cylinders of LPG.The initiative will be implemented in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions for now.
In a press briefing, Mr Perry Okudzeto, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at NPA stated that four bottling facilities are ready to operate.
This includes both Goil Bottling Plants in Tema and Kumasi as well as the Blue Ocean and Newgas facilities.
Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company, Spintex, APPEB Cylinder Manufacturing Company, Awutu Senya, and SIGMA Cylinder Manufacturing Company, Accra will be producing the needed cylinders for the rollout nationwide.
When does it start?
The NPA has authorised bottling plants to fill cylinders and sell them to customers/public at exchange points effective Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. The CRM will also run simultaneously with the current refilling stations for three years till it is perfected and implemented fully.
Claim: An online news portal is alleging that the Ghanaian Second Lady, Samira Bawumia, has apologised to Ex-President John Mahama for “insulting” him in the heat of the 2016 General Elections.
Verdict: False! Aides at the Office of both the Second Lady and the Vice President of Ghana have told DUBAWA the report is false. “It’s a BIG lie,” Baako Abdul Wakeel, an aide at the Office of the Vice President said. Also, a search by DUBAWA showed none of the reputable media organisations in Ghana has published the report despite its potential impact on the campaign of the governing NPP.
Full Text
An online news portal claims the Second Lady of Ghana, Samira Bawumia has apologised to former President John Dramani Mahama over some comments she made in the heat of the 2016 General Elections.
Ms Bawumia was one of the strong opposition voices critical of the regime of the Ex-Ghanaian leader in 2016.
Her comments here, and here on campaign platforms did not spare Mr Mahama and his appointees over some policy decisions of the government.
“I just returned from the North and people in President Mahama’s hometown (Gonja) cannot get water to drink, yet he has erected billboards all over the country,” Accra-based Peace FM reported Ms Bawumia as saying on Oct. 11, 2016.
The Ex-Ghanaian leader reportedly hit back days later in a report filed by Accra-based Daily Guide newspaper saying:
“You [Samira] don’t understand the technical reasons why the people are still without pipe-borne water; you can’t think far.”
However, nearly six years after the exchanges, an online news portal claims the Second Lady has apologised for her comments in 2016.
“I apologise for insulting President Mahama before the 2016 election; he is a respected leader, and I ask him to forgive me, it won’t happen again,” the online news portal’s account on X (formerly Twitter) attributed the message to the Second Lady.
Data available on X showed the post made on Oct. 12, 2023, has been viewed 36,456 times, shared 84 times, liked 275 times, and received 121 comments.
DUBAWA decided to verify the claim due to its virality and the controversy it has generated so far.
Verification
DUBAWA first decided to contact the online platform by asking them to provide evidence and the source of their report. However, it has since not responded to messages sent.
A screenshot of the inquiry made by DUBAWA
Subsequently, aides to both the Second Lady and Vice President of Ghana have told DUBAWA that the report making the rounds on X (formerly Twitter) is false.
Baako Abdul Wakeel, an aide at the Office of the Vice President, described the claim as a “BIG lie.”
He said Ms Bawumia would not make such a statement because her comments in 2016 reflected the situation on the ground.
The Second Lady had told Accra-based Asaase Radio in 2020 that she did not insult the ex-Ghanaian leader.
“All we were saying is that he didn’t do his job as was expected. Politics is not about insults and that is why I say we take what we are doing seriously. I’m proud of what my government has done in the last three and a half years.”
Also, a special aide to the Ghanaian Second Lady, Kwame Twum, told DUBAWA the report is fake.
A screenshot of DUBAWA’s interaction with Kwame Twum, Esq
Further, a Google keyword search conducted by DUBAWA showed none of the reputable media organisations in Ghana has published the report, considering its potential impact on the campaign of the governing New Patriotic Party.
It can, therefore, not be proven that the Ghanaian Second Lady has apologised to Mr Mahama over her comments in 2016.
Conclusion
Ms Bawumia has maintained in 2020 that she did not insult ex-President John Mahama in 2016. Therefore, reports that she has apologised to the ex-Ghanaian leader for her “insults” are false.
A report by Accra-based GHOne Television suggesting that the Ghana Revenue Authority is introducing a new tax to be charged on some Ghanaians has sparked conversations online.
GHOne TV’s report indicated that the Revenue Authority has planned to tax bloggers, brand influencers, and Master of Ceremonies (MCs).
“The Ghana Revenue Authority, as part of its revenue mobilization drive, has announced its intention to tax the earnings of bloggers, brand influencers, and Master of Ceremonies. This comes after the Authority observed the huge cash flow in the sector and urged players in the industry to voluntarily register and honor its civic responsibility,” the media organisation said in their report.
A news card developed by GHOne to amplify the news item
Many Internet users have reacted to the report, since it was published. For instance, the Bloggers Association of Ghana, in a press statement, expressed worry that they may be double taxed. Other users on social media have questioned the move.
Is this a new tax?
“There is nothing like a new policy to tax influencers and bloggers. GRA has not issued any statement to that effect,” Samuel Amoah, a Data Analyst and the Public Relations Officer for GRA told DUBAWA Ghana.
He described reports that suggested that the GRA was introducing a new tax as misleading.
In providing further explanation on the matter, the GRA, says that the country’s income tax law mandates all income earners to file their taxes.
“All income earners are subject to Income Tax including Bloggers, Brand Influencers, MCs, Content Creators, etc,” the Authority said in an online post.
What is Income tax?
It is a tax charged on an individual’s total income (income from employment, business, and investment). According to the GRA, sole proprietors, persons in a partnership, and people who earn income above GHC 402.00 per month are to pay income tax.
Tax Evasion
There have been several complaints about some income-earning groups not filing their taxes.
At the 2021 Ghana Bar Conference in the Upper East Regional capital Bolgatanga, President Nana Akufo-Addo, admonished members of the legal fraternity to honor their tax obligations.
He said it was ‘embarrassing’ that lawyers were among a tall list of professionals who were flouting the country’s tax laws.
“It is embarrassing that lawyers are often on top of the list of those who flout our tax laws and use their expertise to avoid paying taxes. They appear to think that being members of the learned professions puts them above compliance with everyday civic duties like paying taxes”, Akufo-Addo said.
Currently, the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio is quoted to be 13%, according to the 2023 Budget Statement (Pg. 63). This figure is below the minimum desirable tax-to-GDP ratio of 15% recommended by the World Bank.
The Finance Ministry and the Revenue Authority are targeting to increase the rate to 18% in the medium term.
These three are the Excise Duty and Excise Tax Stamp (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the Income Tax (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2022, and the Growth and Sustainability Levy Bill, 2022.
Claim: Social media users have claimed the Larabanga Mosque near Damongo, within the West Gonja District of the Savannah Region in Ghana has collapsed.
Verdict: False. The reported collapse actually occurred at a mosque with a similar architectural style located in Bole, within the Savannah Region. Using Google maps we found out that the collapse actually happened in Bole and not Larabanaga.
Full Text
Pictures depicting a collapsed mosque have rapidly circulated across various social media platforms, notably X users including @fiifiiadinkra, @officiallordy. These images have been attributed the Larabanga Mosque in the town of Larabanga, near Damongo, within the West Gonja District of the Savannah Region in Ghana. The mosque is believed to be the oldest mosque in Ghana.
With the purported collapse, backlashes have been directed at the Ministry of Tourism and Industry, criticising their failure to ensure regular maintenance, which is believed to have contributed to the mosque’s collapse.
Additionally, some users have linked the incident to a heavy downpour that occurred on September 24, 2023, causing flooding and property damage. These claims on social media have gained traction, amassing over 1,000 likes and retweets in total.
In response to these developments, DUBAWA investigated the veracity of the claims regarding the mosque’s collapse.
Verification
We used Google Maps to ascertain that the mosque that had collapsed is the one located in Bole, rather than the Larabanga mosque as previously claimed.
During our investigation, we employed a minaret featured in the viral photograph as a reference point to confirm the authenticity of the mosque’s collapse.
In a photograph taken in 2018 by William Huan, before the incident that occurred in 2023, we observed that the same minaret seen in the viral image was also present in the image captured by William Huan.
“We have also heard on the news that the Larabanga mosque had collapsed, but it is not true. One can see the mosque is still there. The collapsed one is a similar one in Bole and not this one”. Mr. Bashiru said.
Has the Larabanga Mosque collapsed before?
Yes, in 2002, the mosque experienced a collapse. This unfortunate event occurred in the aftermath of a destructive storm that year, which unveiled severe internal damage to the structure.
Subsequently, this disaster drew the attention of conservationists, leading to the inclusion of the mosque on the World Monuments Watch list.
This development created an opportunity for the World Monuments Fund to support the restoration efforts, involving the removal of cement from the building’s walls and replacing it with a traditional mud-based plaster.
