Category: National

Alhaji Abubarkar Sadique, the Sunyani West Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has emphasised the importance of unity among aspirants and their supporters leading to the Party's upcoming primaries on Saturday, January 27 this year. He said a united front was crucial for the Party to gather the necessary support to face their opponents in the Election 2024 to win both the presidential and parliamentary seat convincingly. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Odumase in the Sunyani West Municipality of Bono Region, Alhaji Sadique stated that it was essential for all members and supporters to exhibit dedication and work harder for the Party's success before, during and after the primaries. He reminded aspirants and their followers 'the primaries are an internal election' and therefore cautioned against engaging in dirty campaigns of speaking ill and spreading lies about fellow aspirants to gain political advantage. Alhaji Sadique said such trend and mode of campaigning would not bode well for the Party, explaining that any insults hurled at each other during the primaries would impede reconciliation afterwards, but opponents would exploit those divisions against the elected candidate. He, therefore, called for a clean campaign among aspirants, emphasising that the approach must rather foster a stronger bond and unity within the Party after the primaries. In the forthcoming primaries, Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the current Member of Parliament for Sunyani West, would be challenged by two new entrants, Lawyer Amma Frimpomaa and Mubarik Abdullah Ciessey. It is anticipated that more than 1,200 delegates would participate in the voting process. Source: Ghana News Agency

Amnesty International called on Tuesday for the immediate release of journalist Zied El Heni who has been detained since December 28 for 'insulting' a Tunisian government minister on a radio show. "Tunisian authorities persist in their chilling disregard for freedom of expression by punishing yet another person simply for criticising government officials," Amnesty International's Tunisia Research and Advocacy Advisor Fida Hammemi said in an Amnesty International press release issued Tuesday. Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Zied El Heni and drop all charges against him, she added. Amnesty Interantional further indicated that El Heni's detention under Article 24 of Decree Law 54 is "a draconian cybercrime decree-law that grants the authorities wide-ranging powers to crackdown on freedom of expression," adding that the General Prosecutor had charged El-Heni on January 1 under Article 86 of the Telecommunications Code for "using the telecommunications network to insult others ", which is punishable by up to two years of imprisonment and a fine. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The Northern Regional Communications Bureau of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has organised an end-of-year party for its social media communicators. The event, held in Tamale, served as a platform for networking and strategising to enhance the Party's communication efforts leading up to the December 7 elections with a focus on winning power. Key figures present at the event included Mr Mohammed Abdul Salam, Regional Secretary, Mr Mumuni Beliver Likpalmor, Youth Organiser, and Mr Sulemana Mohammed, Communications Officer. Also, present were some Parliamentary Nominees such as Dr Osman Tahidu Damba for the Tolon Constituency, Hajj Misbahu Adam Mahama for Mion Constituency, and Mohammed Yussif Malimali for Gushegu Constituency. Dr Seidu Fitter, NDC Communications Officer for Tolon Constituency and Lead Organiser of the event, in an address, emphasised the significance of effective social media communication in influencing voters, who might not attend traditional political rallies. He said presentin g party ideologies and policies persuasively on social media could resonate with neutrals in the electoral system. He expressed the broader goal of governance beyond winning elections, stating 'It's not only about winning power. It's also about how you govern. So, when you are able to communicate well on social media, the neutrals, who are the chunk majority in the system, can go by your party ideologies and vote for you.' Mr Sulemana Mohammed, Northern Regional Communications Officer, NDC, urged the Party's social media communicators to prioritise accuracy and fact-checking in their content creation. He emphasised that 'In trying to be the first to bring the news, do not compromise accuracy. It is good to be the first to bring the news, but you have to be accurate in the dissemination of your information.' Source: Ghana News Agency

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Nabil Ammar, had a meeting, Tuesday in Tunis, with Dijana Ivancic, who handed him a copy of her credentials as the new Serbian ambassador to Tunisia. The minister expressed his department's readiness to do everything possible to facilitate her mission in Tunisia, reads a press release of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The meeting focused on boosting bilateral cooperation in areas of common interest. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

A postage stamp celebrating diplomatic relations between Tunisia and China will be issued on Wednesday. The move is designed to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, the Tunisian Post said on Tuesday. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse