A statement by the Authority copied to citifmonline.com said the bridge will remain closed for the next 30 days.

The Public Relations Officer for Ghana Highways Authority, Diana Seade, in a Citi News interview said motorists can use two other alternative routes during the period.

“This is to enable the bridge maintenance unit of the Ghana Highways Authority carry out major repair works on the bridge. The closure starts on Monday, 19th of March and ends on Thursday 17th of April 2018. Alternative routes are available from Bawku-Mognori into Burkina Faso and Missiga–Polmakom–Cinkasse–Burkina Faso.

The Authority apologized for any inconvenience the development may cause to commuters.

The bridge, plays an important role for transportation to and from Burkina Faso, and is one of the major entry and exit points for commercial goods to and from Burkina Faso.

It’s closure may have a negative effect on trade between the two countries especially as it appears to be shorter and most desired compared to the alternative routes.

In 2007, the bridge collapsed after a downpour, forcing the then government to immediately repair it.

Some six years later, in 2016, the bridge began to deteriorate again, forcing the government to restrict its use to light-weight vehicles.

It was however repaired later to enable heavy-duty vehicles use it.

The Highways Authority is seeking to maintain and repair worn-out portions of the bridge to prevent it from collapse.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Blaise Campaore overthrew his former ally, Thomas Sankara on October 15, 1987, a coup d’état that resulted in the death of the latter. Since then he had won elections from 1991 until 2010 – a total of four terms.

It’s no mere coincidence that after borrowing ideas from several other writers, Lord Acton, the 19th century  British politician came to a conclusion that: “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men”.

From October 28 to 31, 2014, Burkinabes took to the streets of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso and other parts of the country to express their disagreement about the will of the people that had been manipulated in the past and was then about to be manipulated to extend a twenty-seven year rule to only God knows when.

The sovereign power of every nation emanates from the people. It’s unlawful that, that sovereign power is twisted to satisfy the whims and caprices of a few people who are bent on remaining in power or keeping their kith and kin in power. The silence of the people is what bolsters the action of those who manipulate the constitution.

If Burkinabes had sat down in silence and watched, Blaise Campaore and his cohorts would still have been in the helm of affairs. This action is what has encouraged Togolese to rise to the occasion and ensure that the wrong that was done in the past be corrected and then prevent a possible manipulation of the will of the people. No wonder one of the protesters on the streets of Lome, the capital of Togo, had a placard which had this inscription: “dictatorship feeds on silence and inactivity”.

Until recently, people power was not popular in Africa until it brought down the governments of Hosni Mubarak of Egypt as well as Zine Ben Ali of Tunisia. Blaise Campaore never expected that the powerful wind of people power would blow him out of Burkina Faso.

Faure Gnassingbe Eyadema is the latest to be faced with people power. Over the last couple of months the streets of Togo have been bristling with demonstrators who are demanding that the President, Faure Gnassingbe Eyadema steps down.  The chickens have come home to roost. Faure Gnassingbe Eyadema has been in power since 2005 and is in his third term.

As Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Faure Gnassingbe must take cognisance of the fact that the whole world is watching every move of his. It’s clear that Faure Gnassingbe and most leaders in the sub-region and on the continent have not learnt that,  the sovereign will of the people can never be taken from them.

The rise against Faure Gnassingbe is a slap in the face of those who voted him into the position of Chairperson of ECOWAS. It shows that the leaders of the sub-region don’t consider the democratic credentials of those they make a Chairperson. Isn’t it sad? The situation in Togo needs immediate attention. It’s imperative that the Heads of State in the sub-region map out diplomatic strategies to bring an end to the unfortunate events in Togo. The protestors are asking for some reforms. There’s the need to look at their demands and meet it. Togolese have been silent for the last fifty years. Isn’t that enough reason to look into the matter and address it?

A constitutional amendment that ends up keeping a government or its kith and kin in power is akin to dictatorship and an affront to good governance.

–

By: Alex Blege

The writer is a freelance journalist. [email protected]/[email protected]

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The former Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak goalkeeper, who also played for ASFA Yennega of Burkina Faso, passed away in Bobo Dioulasso at the age of 37 after a long illness.

He will be buried in his hometown, Banfora early today [Saturday] per Islamic conventions.

Following his return from Ghana where he spent a large part of his career, Abdoulaye Soulama was out of football and stayed in his hometown in Banfora before losing his life in Bobo-Dioulasso where he was receiving medical care.

The former first-choice goalie for the senior national team of Burkina Faso, The Stallions, had been hospitalized at the beginning of the year at the Banfora Regional Hospital.

About  Abdoulaye Soulama 

Born on November 29, 1979, Abdoulaye Soulama, began his first steps in football at the Comoé Sports Union (USCO) in Banfora.

He has also moved to clubs such as the Sports Association of Bobo-Dioulasso Officials (ASFB) and ASFA Yennenga.

His last club was Accra’s Heart of Oak, which he joined after leaving Asante Kotoko of Kumasi (Ghana), where he was also the captain.

Soulama spent seven years with Kotoko. He was integral as Porcupine Warriors dominated the Ghana premier league, winning the title four times in seven seasons.

He had a tour in Algeria (CA Batan) before spending two years at the Turkish club Denezilispor where he played 25 games in two years.

The third choice goalkeeper at the 1998 African Cup of Nations (CAN) in Burkina Faso, Abdoulaye Soulama, won the silver medal at the 2013 CAN in South Africa under coach Paul Put.

Abdoulaye Soulama is part of the legends of the great goalkeepers that Burkina Faso has known.

Last April, his brother lost his life following a car accident after he had lost a sister while serving his country at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
–
Source:Burkina24.com

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Witnesses were quoted as saying that three gunmen opened fire on customers seated outside a restaurant.

Security forces killed three attackers, but some people are still trapped in the building, Communication Minister Remis Dandjinou says.

A jihadist attack on a cafe nearby left 30 people dead in January last year.

There are fears that the attack is the work of one of the affiliates of al-Qaeda that are active in the Sahel region, the BBC’s Alex Duval Smith reports.

Mr Dandjinou said it was unclear how many assailants had been involved.

“They are confined to one part of the building they attacked. Security and elite forces are conducting an operation,” he said on television.

The shooting began shortly after 21:00 (21:00 GMT) on Sunday on Ouagadougou’s busy Kwame Nkrumah Avenue.

The Aziz Istanbul Restaurant appears to have been at the centre of the shooting.

“The attack claimed 17 victims, their nationalities are yet to be confirmed, and eight injured,” said a government statement quoted by the AFP news agency.

A hospital in the city said that one of those killed was Turkish.

The attack is similar to one in January 2016, when gunmen targeted the Splendid Hotel and the Cappuccino restaurant, only 200m further along Kwame Nkrumah Avenue from the scene of the latest attack.

Over 170 people were taken hostage and 30 were killed. Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for that attack.

Burkina Faso is part of the Sahel region, which includes Mali where Islamist groups have been active since 2012.

–

Source: BBC

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Organised Labour, on July 24, embarked on a nationwide demonstration to protest what they call the poor economic conditions in the country.

Various groups and associations, including the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Association joined in the protest a week ago.

However, speaking to Citi news, Austin Gamey said that the protest could have been averted if the Tripartite Committee had focused on the job it was supposed to do.

“There was no tripartite meeting purposefully called to discuss economic issues of importance to all of us,” he said.

“The meetings that were called, discussed only the setting up of a national daily minimum wage… a microcosm of the things that are supposed to be discussed.”

He believes that the Committee “should stay focused, in future, on the mandate that has been given to all of them.”

Mr. Gamey however, admitted that some of the issues raised by the protesters were legitimate  and that the government is working to address them.

According to him, “a Tripartite Committee meeting is being convened to enable them talk about  economic issues.”

Mr. Gamey believes that “this is how the parties involved should have engaged [before the protest].”

“I think it’s a step in the right direction to address some of the concerns and with the involvement of all of them, that will be a solution, at least in part”

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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A press statement signed by the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Kofi Asamoah noted that “ organized labour informs workers of Ghana and the general public that the announced nationwide demonstrations come off as planned, tomorrow; Thursday July 24, 2014”

While calling on all industries, employers and Ghanaians feeling the pinch of the situation to support and join the demonstration, Mr. Asamoah further instructed “workers in the Greater Accra region to converge on the Obra Spot, Kwame Nkrumah Circle at 6:30am, on Thursday July 24, 2014.”

Various groups and associations including the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Association among others have already declared their support for Organized Labour’s strike on Thursday.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, the deputy General Secretary of the GMA, Mr. Justice Yankson said the Association will join the demonstration to protest government’s failure to pay them their compensation.

“Government has failed to pay us compensation and it also failed to even negotiate with us, “ he said.

Mr. Yankson believes that Organised Labour’s demonstration will compel “government to appreciate the suffering the ordinary worker is going through.”

He further dismissed claims that the protest was politically motivated, adding that Ghanaian “workers are only exercising their democratic rights “enshrined in the Constitution.

“We are using the tools as enshrined in our laws, we are not pundits, and we have not taken up arms or anything…”

“ We just want to draw government’s attention so it will fix our problems for us. We elected government to fix our problems and that is why we are calling on government to ensure that things are done appropriately, “ he explained.

Click on link to read statement issued by the GMA

GMA on organised Labour demo

Meanwhile the GMA has said it will keep some staff on duty at various hospitals across the country as they join Organised Labour in their protest.

Speaking to Citi News, the General Secretary of the GMA, Mr. Frank Serebour said “ we will be on the hunt to identify every single emergency case that will come”

The decision, he said, is to avoid any “inconveniences.”

“If you have any problem that you think that  is an emergency you will get a doctor to attend to you,” Mr Serebour stated.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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Organised Labour has said it will  embark on a one-day protest on Thursday, 24 July, 2014 to express its displeasure over what they describe as unfavorable economic conditions.

A statement issued by the CGRG noted the group “is fully in support of the declaration by Organised Labour and urges all concerned Ghanaians to join the protest on Thursday, July 24, 2014.

“Let us come out in our numbers, clad in red, and join members of Organised Labour in this all-important fight for a Better Ghana. In doing so, let us exhibit the utmost respect for the law and conduct a peaceful demonstration.”

It further noted that “the one-day national protest affirms the numerous demands by CGRG to the government to be fiscally responsible, monetarily wise whilst focusing on time bound actions to bring the Ghanaian economy back on track and to aggressively pursue steps to punish non-performing, inept and corrupt officials. Certainly Ghana deserves better than what we are currently experiencing.”

Speaking on Eyewitness News, the President of CGRG, Mr. George  Anti said various groups will continue to use demonstrations and protestations to press home their home demands since government had shown “that is the only language it understands.”

Mr. Anti  tasked government to perform the tasks assigned to it saying “Indeed, what we seek is not a solution to problems that have propped up. We are not looking for knee jerk reactions, neither are we looking for short term solutions.

“What we are saying is that we are looking for a firm commitment by government to deal with the challenges and the problems that government itself has largely inflicted on itself and on Ghanaians.”

According to him, Ghana is facing major challenges because government has failed to implement useful suggestions made by various stakeholders.

He therefore emphasized the need for “government to be pushed to action” since the “rhetoric” in the country had become too evident to tackle.”

Another group, the Coalition of Concerned Teachers(CCT) of Ghana have instructed their employees to stay out of work on the said day.

A statement issued by the group tasked fellow teachers to “rise and demand their share of the national cake that is being shared to wrong hands.”

It further noted the group is planning to organize an unending strike to protest the poor economic conditions.

Speaking in an interview with Richard Dela Sky, the Communications Director of CCT,  King Ali Awudi said the decision has become necessary because, “ the salaries of teachers do not increase accordingly with the increment in utility tariffs” and other deliverables.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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According to the Labour Analyst, the protest will grind the economy to a halt and threaten the peace of the nation.

Organized labour at a press conference on Friday declared a one-day national protest and asked all workers to boycott work on Thursday, 24th July, 2014.

But speaking to Citi News, Mr. Gamey disagreed with the institution’s decision and advised it to rather consider the repercussion of their intended action.

“What if during the demonstration they are sent to the hospital and the doctors are not able to attend to them on time who killed them?” he quizzed.

He therefore asked the institution to rather dialogue with government instead.

“..From a professional perspective, I think there is a wise way  to enable the social partners get together and talk because if you don’t talk you don’t get any solution to anything…” Mr. Gamey said.

Meanwhile, the Railway Workers Union has threatened to halt services on passenger trains from Monday July 21 if government fails to address their concerns.

The Railway Workers Union is expected to meet the Ministry of Transport on Sunday to discuss its decision.

The meeting which will be the second in less than a week is to address the Union’s concerns over their salary revision which they say has been unduly delayed.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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Government in a letter dated June 20  informed Organised Labour of a board set up to manage the pension scheme.

But Organised Labour is insisting the sub unions under them manage their own pension scheme with the required boards set by their unions.

In an interview with Citi News, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers GNAT, Johnny Akpakli said they will resist any imposition from government.

“We will resist this particular issue if government does not rescind its decision.”

According to Mr. Akpakli, government has failed to consider and understand the concerns of Organized Labour.

“We want the monies to be sent to our own pension charge because it is our own constitution; it is not government’s constitution,” Mr. Akpakli said.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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