The evil that spouses do haunts them generations on

The year 2011 has been filled with its share of sudden and surprising divorces in the entertainment and political world, but this split may take the cake.
A 99-year-old Italian man filed for divorce from his 96-year-old wife of 77 years after he found letters from an affair she had 60 years earlier (i.e.in 1951).
The man, identified in court papers as Antonio C., discovered the letters exchanged between his wife and a former flame in an old chest of drawers days before Christmas 2011. He confronted his wife, Rosa C., who reportedly admitted to the affair, and tried to convince him to stick with their marriage.
But despite the nearly eight decades that they spent building a life together, a scorned Antonio C., moved ahead with the divorce. (Guess he never heard of "let bygones be bygones.") The letters were the latest woes in the couple's long marriage during which they had five kids, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild together.
Originally from Sardinia, Antonio C. reportedly met Rosa C. in the 1930s while he served as part of the Italian Carabinieri in her native Naples. The Italian press pointed to the couple's southern blood as the catalyst for the breakup.
Once Antonio and Rosa C.'s divorce is finalized, they will become the oldest divorcees taking the title from  Brits Bertie and Jessie Wood, both aged 98, who called it quits in 2009 after 36 years of marriage.  

How true is the Greek mythology that "when Apollo punished King Midas by giving him donkey ears, only the king and his barber knew? Unable to keep a secret, the barber dug a hole, whispered into it, "King Midas has donkey ears," and filled the hole. But plants sprouted from the hole, and with each passing breeze, shared the king's secret". Indeed, the evil that spouses do lives generations with them and not after them.

Charm/Juju in election victories and aftermath GH style

A spiritualist at Sefwi Anwianso in the Western Region, Mallam Katanka has threatened to kill eight current sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) for failing to honour their promises to him.

According to Mallam Katanka, the said legislators sought his assistance during the 2008 parliamentary elections to win power to represent constituents in their respective constituencies.

He noted that in line with the conditions to spiritually assist the said legislators, it was agreed that after winning their bids, the MPs would show appreciation by presenting an assortment of gifts including money.

The sensational fetish priest said though the said MPs were successful in their contests, they had failed to honour their promises three years after they assumed office.

Speaking to Ash Fm, a Kumasi-based radio station, on Wednesday, Mallam Katanka gave a two-week ultimatum to the said honourable members to honour their part of the agreement or he would strike them dead.

When asked to disclose the identities of the said MPs, the traditional worshipper refused, stressing that he would do so if the MPs declined to comply with the two-week ultimatum.

He however stated that the said MPs were from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and that the NDC MPs were more than that of the NPP.

Dilating further, Mallam Katanka revealed that most of the said MPs who sought his spiritual intervention were from the Western Region, whereas the others hailed from Brong Ahafo.

The dreaded fetish priest also declined to disclose the kind of gift and amount of money the said MPs agreed to give him.

He said he would make full disclosure of what the MPs were supposed to give him after striking them dead for being disobedient.

Mallam Katanka pointed out that his coming to the media with the issue was not geared towards getting cheap popularity but to give a clear signal to the MPs involved so that they could be reminded of their responsibilities to him.

Again he stated that he did not want a situation whereby the public would accuse him of being wicked when the said MPs die, hence his decision to bring the matter into the public domain.

He said, as a traditional worshipper, he was not like God who forgives people that violate promises made to Him.

Mills incurs $165,000 presidential jet parking charges in USA

The Ghana presidential jet “Falcon 900EX Easy” during the 28-days holiday stay by the president of Ghana John Evan Atta Mills, at New York and other parts in USA accrued $165,420 charges for airport or aerodrome facilities and air route navigation facilities within the period of Nov & Dec 2011.

It's a known fact that the charges for landing an aircraft other than airship at Government Airports/Aerodromes, parking and housing charges in USA is quite exorbitant. Many people have questioned the sense in flying a presidential jet to America, flying around and parking for over 28 days for annual holidays other than a US government invites who could receive some VIP discount for foreign government officials. One could have thought an annual holiday without a large family should have equally patronised any reputable commercial flights for such occasion.

According to the Global Business Travel Journal “it is unfathomable for a president from a third world country (Ghana) which depends largely on donors for budget support to embark on annual holidays to America for such period using the country's Presidential Jet, knowing that the parking charges for each 24 hours period or part thereof shall be 35% of the landing charges when parking period exceeds 6 hours”.

Though, others could also argue from many angles that the Falcon 900EX which flies 4,550 nautical miles nonstop, as the fastest in its class has all the necessary features for the comfortability and security of president. With its classic trijet engine design, the 900EX can use small airports at high altitudes, even on hot days. It's the most versatile aircraft and also one of the safest given its ability to fly slower on approach than its twinjet competitors.

It is also unquestionable that the state-of-the-art flight deck of Falcon 900EX offers pilots an uncompromising capability to monitor and control the progression of the flight while the spacious, custom-crafted cabin offers passengers the intransigent capability to perform at peak levels while en route.

But since all airport flight charges depend on the Maximum Land Weight (MLW) and Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW), one should taken into consideration the length of stay in USA and the weight of Ghana Presidential Jet with the Take-Off Weight of 49,000bl (22,226Kg) and the Landing Weight of 44,500lb (20,185Kg), not forgetting the security charges, parking and housing charges.

Recently, Airports in America have manipulated landing fees to encourage airlines to fly fewer planes or schedule landings for off-peak times or even less-busy airports, hence, the need for considering such charge when flying to US airports for long stay.

Credit: Antoinete Bruce
Senior Consultant – Global Travels Journals Network

Sammy Tugar scores to celebrate his testimonial

From L-R: Ex-prez JJ Rawlings, Sammy Tugar & Nana Osei Tutu II

Samuel Osei-Kuffour marked his testimonial with a goal as his select side rolled back the years despite losing 6-5 to a Black Stars select team at the Baba Yara Stadium on Friday.
The 35-year-old defender scored from the spot in the first half for the 'Friends of Kuffour' as he celebrated over 15 year's professional service to the game.
Ex-Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor joined the Asantehene, Otumfour Osei-Tutu II and Ghana Football Association President, Kwesi Nyantakyi to bid farewell to the Kuffour, a three-time Ghana Footballer of the Year.

After two goals by Samuel Inkoom was ruled out for offside, the ex-defender Kuffour claimed the spotlight when he opened scoring from the spot after Isaac Vorsah had fouled George Weah in the box.
The lead lasted barely two minutes when Andre Ayew's goal-bound shot was helped in by a sliding Kuffour.
Derek Boateng doubled the scoring for the Black Stars select beating former Ivorian goalkeeper Alain Guame.
Jordan Ayew then extended the lead, making it 3-1.
The 'Friends of Kuffour' team pulled one back before halftime through former Black Stars captain C.K Akunnor before Inkoom scored.
Back from recess, Kuffour swapped sides to take his place in the Black Stars side.
Laryea Kingston scored for Kuffour's side from a free-kick just two minutes into the second half.
But that spurred on the energetic Black Stars side,who scored twice on the bounce through Sulley Muntari and John Mensah in the 60th and 63rd minutes, making it 6-3.
Abdoulaye Traore reduced the deficit for the retired players when he converted a spot kick. Traore scored again to set up a great finish but the Black Stars held .
With an impressive attendance, Kuffour did the lap of honour, bringing the curtain down to colourful playing career.

Front row L-R: Stephen Appiah, Samuel Inkoom, 

Samuel Osei Kuffour & Andre Dede Ayew

He spent a successful period with Bayen Munich from 1993 to 2005 and won everything there is in club football from the Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup.
Kuffour was named by CAF as one of the 30 best African footballers of all time and was twice, 1999 and 2001, runner-up in the Africa footballer of the year award.
He featured for Torino, Bayern Munich, AS Roma, Livorno and Ajax during his playing career.
Credit: Ghanafa.org

Job for the boys outspends its budget by 133.3%

This is only another way of finding jobs for footsoldiers of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) so some people are crying in Ghana. They say greatest worry and concern is if only the whole exercise won't end up gathering dust at the book shelves of Castle library. They wonder and are asking if any good thing will come out of the whole exercise as a bitter pill is forced down the throat of Ghanaian taxpayer to swallow the pain of feeding p/NDC foot-soldiers and apparatchiks. It appears there is nothing Ghanaians for the time being can do except to await and bid their thumb power come December 8, 2012. This is nothing more than chop chop business and it is very very unfortunate situation but be as it may, this just one of the happenings and going-ons in our beloved land of our birth.

President Mills receiving Constitutional Review report

I plead your indulgence for being boring if you think so or appear to be lost regarding what I am talking about. I am lamenting about the report carried by Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) that the nine-member Constitutional Review Commission set up by President overspent its budget by a whooping 133.3% ($3.6m) over their allocated budget. The Constitution Review Commission says it spent $6.3m including logistics support from the government before coming out with its report. Addressing journalists at the Castle after presenting the report to President Mills, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr Raymond Atuguba said it received a budget of $ 2.7m from government. This he explained had to be increased to enable it to expand the consultative processes by including Ghanaians in the Diaspora.
He said the figure still remains the lowest if compared to constitutional amendment processes in other African countries.
The good people of Ghana demand the breakdown of the amount spent especially in view of the fact that the Commission over blew its budget by 133.3% from $2.7m to $6.3. This gives a difference of $3.6m more above its original budgetary allocation. This is absurd and very outrageous. I believe the Constitutional Review Commission itself needs to be reviewed and nothing short of that will be acceptable to the good people of Ghana. You can be sure a greater chunk of this amount went into sitting allowances and per diems (tea and pure water). We wait patiently for the breakdown which should be clearly itemised and not given as lump sums.

Ghana’s Debt Reaches GH¢23.4bn

Ghana’s debt escalated to an all time high of GH¢23.4 billion at the end of November 2011, indicating an increase of 39.2 percent over the end of December 2010 level.
The amount is equivalent to 43.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and indicates government’s appetite for borrowing, both locally and externally.
According to the latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) report ending December 2011, domestic debt was estimated at GH¢11.7 billion at the end of November 201, while the external debt stock was estimated at $7.6 billion, an increase of 21.7 percent over the December 2011 level. The $3 billion Chinese loan is however excluded.
Though some economists and policy think tanks have expressed concern about the rate at which government was borrowing, Governor Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur, who made reference to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessment of the Ghanaian economy, said there was no problem with the rate at which government was borrowing.
Briefing the press yesterday on developments in the economy during the last quarter of the year, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, said the Bank of Ghana’s Composite Index of Economic Activity (CIEA) indicates a continued momentum in economic activity.
“The CIEA recorded a growth of 6.4 per cent between August and October 2011. On a year-on-year basis, the CIEA posted a growth of 18 percent. The increase was reflected in growth in all the indicators of the Index,” he added.
With regards to the relative instability of the local currency, particularly in the last six weeks against the U.S dollar, the Governor assured all and sundry that the Central Bank has been intervening in the market on hour and daily basis to strengthen the Ghana cedi against the dollar.
CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE learnt that $50 million has been injected into the market by the Bank of Ghana this week to prevent the Ghana Cedi from falling.
On fiscal developments, total revenue and grants from January to November 2011 increased to GH¢9.3 billion from GH¢6.4 billion recorded for the same period in 2010.
Total expenditure, excluding foreign financed capital expenditure for the first 11 months of 2011, amounted to GH¢11.5 billion compared to GH¢8.2 billion a year ago. Wages and salaries and related expenditures totaled GH¢4.5 billion.

However, total expenditure, excluding foreign financed capital expenditure for the first 11 months of 2011, amounted to GH¢11.5 billion compared to GH¢8.2 billion a year ago. Wages and salaries and related expenditures alone totaled GH¢4.5 billion.
On some macroeconomic indicators, the balance of trade data showed provisional deficit of$2.6 billion for the first 11 months of 2011 compared with $2.4 billion for the corresponding period in 2010.
Total merchandise imports since the beginning of 2011 amounted to $14.4 billion, representing an annual growth of 49.9 per cent while total merchandise exports increased to $11.8 billion in 2011, representing a growth of 64.7 per cent over the value for the same period in 2010. This was driven by gold and cocoa prices with a boost from crude oil.
The Gross International Reserves of the Bank of Ghana stood at $4.8 billion as at the end of September 2011 compared to $4.7 billion in December 2010.
…Policy Rate Remains At 12.5%
The Bank of Ghana’s Policy Rate, the rate at which it lends to the banks and financial intermediaries, remained at 12.5 percent confirming assertions by analysts that it will be maintained for another period.
“While upside risks remain, the slowdown in the global economy, low foreign inflation, weak domestic business and consumer confidence as well as tight credit conditions for SMEs are expected to exert a moderating effect in the outlook,” Mr. Amissah Arthur said.
Interest rates broadly went down throughout the year. On the money market, the 91-day and 182-day Treasury bill rates declined to 9.6 and 10.8 per cent respectively in November 2011 from 12.3 and 12.7 per cent respectively in December 2010.
The rates on the 1-year note also declined by 140 basis points from the beginning of the year to 11.3 per cent in November 2011, while the 2-year fixed note rates went down by 60 basis points to 12.1 per cent over the same period.
The average three-month deposit rate of commercial banks fell to 7.8 per cent in November 2011 from 10.5 percent in December 2010. Similarly, average savings deposit rate also declined to 4.4 per cent from 5.9 per cent over the same period.
Average base rate within the banking industry declined to 22.8 per cent in November 2011 from 25.8 per cent in December 2010.