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Akufo-Addo never rented any private jet for domestic trips – Nitiwul

The former Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, has refuted claims that former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo used private jets for domestic travel during his tenure.

Nitiwul’s remarks come in response to allegations made by the Majority Chief Whip Kwame Governs Agbodza who accused former President Akufo-Addo of renting private jets for his travels.

Speaking during a parliamentary debate on January 22, 2025, regarding President John Dramani Mahama’s use of his brother’s private jet, Nitiwul clarified that while the former president Akufo-Addo occasionally used private jets for international travel beyond West Africa, such instances were limited, citing Emirates as an example.

“I’m not here to do propaganda. I want to say that former President Akufo-Addo has travelled on numerous occasions in the Emirates. On some of the occasions, he went with Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, former minister for Road and Highways, you can verify from him.

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“It’s on record. I’m aware former President Akufo-Addo has travelled to the UK with British Airways, and Qatar Airways on numerous occasions. I’m just giving this information to Parliament and the House, and for it to enter the Hansard that former President Akufo-Addo has travelled on commercial aircraft several times, not once.

“Former President Akufo-Addo never rented any private jet to travel within the country, outside West Africa, yes, but in the country no.”

He also refuted claims that the former President did not use the official presidential aircraft.

“Former President Akufo-Addo has been using it for the last 8 months ever since it was returned from France.”

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Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Acting Spokesperson to President John Dramani Mahama, defended the President’s use of a private jet owned by his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official trips to Senegal and The Gambia.

Responding to public criticism, Kwakye Ofosu clarified that the private jet has been available to President Mahama even before the 2024 general elections.

He emphasized that this arrangement incurs no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer, as the jet was made available for the trips without charge.

Kwakye Ofosu also revealed that the official presidential aircraft is currently under review by the Communications Squadron, the Air Force unit responsible for its operation, hence the private jet use.

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Source: Citinewsroom

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Ghana-Colombia strengthens ties through diplomatic engagement

In an important diplomatic engagement, the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Daniel Garces Carabali paid a courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, at his office in Accra to discuss some key areas of collaboration.

The meeting focused on pressing issues, including security, decongestion of Ghana’s prisons, prison reform programmes, training programmes, improving the welfare of prisoners and enhancing disaster management in the country.

The courtesy call underscores the growing bilateral ties between Ghana and Colombia, building on previous engagements, such as the visit of the Colombian Vice President to Ghana in 2023.

The meeting demonstrates the commitment of both nations to fostering cooperation and addressing shared challenges.

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Ghana to host African Catholic Journalists from August 10

The Union Catholique Africaine de la Presse (UCAP), also known as the African Catholic Union of the Press, in collaboration with the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners-Ghana (CAMP-G), is set to host its prestigious Triennial Congress from August 10 to 17 August, 2025.

The programme would be held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Legon, Accra, Ghana.

This landmark event, the most significant gathering of Catholic journalists in Africa, will bring together media professionals, researchers, and experts in digital technology from across the continent and beyond.

The theme for the Congress is: “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”

Congress Highlights

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The UCAP Congress 2025 will feature discussions and deliberations on critical issues arising from or related to integral human development, particularly within the framework of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

 Some of the key sub-themes to be addressed include:Corporate Social Responsibility in Managing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Values, Deploying AI in Eco-friendly Business Start-ups in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges, Technology and the Reprogramming of Social Reality, Distortion of Reality in Social and Digital Media, Ecological Education and Action Against Unsustainable Exploitation of Natural Resources, and Media and the Promotion of the Recommendations of the Synod on Synodality in Africa.

Participants will include media professionals from both ecclesiastical and lay organisations, media researchers and academics, representatives from the Vatican, government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the digital technology sector.

Objectives of the Congress

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The primary goal of this Congress is to strengthen the capacities of media professionals and educate the public on the necessity of preserving human values amid rapid technological progress. Specific objectives include; Training 100 media practitioners in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, with a focus on balancing innovation and human values.

This will include promoting ethics and bioethics in technical research and technological innovations through media.

Advocating for human values such as respect for life, human dignity, charity, solidarity, and human rights and assessing the impact of technological progress to better understand the challenges, risks, and opportunities presented by AI will be part of the objectives.

UCAP is a continental organisation dedicated to promoting communication within the Catholic Church and its partners in Africa. With a mission to foster spiritual growth, collaboration, and responsible journalism, UCAP works to spread the Gospel, uphold human values, and support developmental initiatives across Africa and beyond.

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UCAP is an independent, autonomous, non-political, and non-profit organisation comprising African Catholic journalists, communicators, academics, researchers, and institutions in various media fields.

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