According to President Akufo-Addo, out of this amount, “we are spending $1.2 million – i.e. GHc5 million, for the rehabilitation of the water system of Nalerigu, $1.1 million for rehabilitation of the water system for Gambaga, and $1.3 for the rehabilitation of the water system at Walewale. All of these works will begin before the end of this year.”

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Friday, when he paid a courtesy call on the overlord of Mamprugu land, the Nayiri, Naa Bohogu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga, at the commencement of his 3-day tour of the Northern Region.

On the extension of electricity, President Akufo-Addo bemoaned the fact that the Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions have the least coverage of electricity in Ghana.

“My government is determined to rectify that. Between this year and next year, 447 communities are going to have electricity extended to them in the Northern Region, and this includes communities in East Mamprusi.”

Whilst assuring them of the construction of 5 major roads in Mamprugu land, President Akufo-Addo also indicated that, the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama, MP, is determined to continue the reform of local government in the country, to take into account developments of population and the economy.

“She has decided that she is going to re-designate 6 districts as municipalities. East Mamprusi and West Mamprusi are going to be Municipalities, and no longer districts. Two new districts are also going to be created in the Northern Region – Nanton and Yunyoo,” he said.

Touching on the issues of Dagbon and Bimbilla, President Akufo-Addo told the Nayiri that “as the eldest son of Naa Gbewaa, you have a particular responsibility in the matter.”

The President, thus, appealed to the Nayiri, as one of the three eminent Chiefs – Otumfuo Asantehene, the Yagbonwura and yourself – who are working on bringing lasting peace to Dagbon, “to intensify your efforts and work even harder to make sure that, at this year’s Damba Festival, in Yendi, we will have a new Ya Naa presiding over the festival.”

He reiterated the commitment of his government to “give maximum support for whatever formula and efforts the three eminent Chiefs, of which you are one, bring about to resolve the issue in Dagbon. We will give you full support to make sure that the negotiations and understandings come to a fruitful conclusion.”

President Akufo-Addo, in concluding, appealed for the support of all Ghanaians, as he works to put the country onto the path of progress and prosperity.

“I need the support of all of you, whether you voted for me or did not, whether you have supported my party or have not supported my party. In the period of my mandate, I will need your support so that together we can rebuild Ghana and let the Black Star shine and shine again.”

–

Credit: Flagstaff House

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Their Spokesperson, Abubakari Shani made the declaration at a news conference in Walewale, home constituency of the NPP’s vice Presidential candidate, Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia.

According to them, the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) has neglected the area for far too long.

They mentioned the area’s deplorable road network and youth unemployment among other concerns as some of the NDC’s failed campaign promises.

They claimed the NPP led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo can be trusted to solve Mamprugu land’s developmental deficit.

They served notice of organizing a grand Durbar in Walewale to galvanize enough support for the NPP in Mamprugu land.

Below is their statement.
PRESS CONFERENCE BY MAMPRUGU YOUTH CHIEFS (NA-ACHI NADIMA) ASSOCIATION (12th November, 2016.)
Good morning to all the invited media houses present here, invited guest, ladies and gentlemen.

I bring you greetings from the people of Mamprugu especially the youth of our land. We have invited you here to express our dissatisfaction towards the NDC government for neglecting the people of Mamprugu in the distribution of the national cake.

We have been working closely with our chiefs, kingsand development partners in Mamprugu for over the last two decades, we have also been working with development agencies in Mamprugu and other parts of the country where our people have gone to settle.

Over the past 8years, the NDC government has continuously neglected the five (5) constituencies in the four (4) districts of Mamprugu. Most of our roads are still in a very poor and deplorable state, the most noticeable roads such as Bindi to Bunkrugu road, Walewale to langbinsi road, Nalerigu to Gbintiri road, Nakpanduri to Nasuani road, Nakapduri to Bawku road,Walewale to yagbaroad ,Nasia to Janga road, Walewale to Wungu and many others.
Our clinics and hospitals are in a sorry state, farmers in our land are increasingly getting worse off because the increased burdens of fertilizer for farming and school fees for their children.

The high unemployment of our resourceful youth in our Kingdom has become a worry all households and threat to the security of our kingdom. The cement factory in Gbangu-daa that was supposed to commence in 2009 has been abandoned by the NDC government.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we cannot conclude on the disappointment from NDC government without mentioning the rape and brutalities that was meted out to the people of Nakapduri and Nalerigu in 2013 and 2009 respectively. You would recall that the victims who were raped and had their properties destroyed by the military were not compensated by government.

On the backdrop of all these instances, we the Youth chiefs with membership of About 200 youth chiefs have come to a conclusion that the NDC is not a party that has Mamprugu at heart, Mamprugu is not in the priority list of NDC even though our people have voted for them on several elections.

Friends from the media, we the youth chiefs are interested in a party that will come and solve our problems in Mamprugu.

We need a party that will come in 2017 and create jobs for our unemployed graduates. We are convinced that if Dr. Bawumia and NPP come into power, the plight of our people will be met.

We are throwing our support behind Dr. Bawumia and NPP because, when the NPP was in power, they were able to do numerous developmental projects in our land created many opportunities for our youth, most of whom were appointed into high positions in government and so therefore we are throwing our 100% support behind the NPP and Dr. Bawumia in this year’s election.

We are also calling upon the youth chiefs in the Northern region especially the Dagbon and Nanung Kingdoms to rally behind our competent brother who will help bring development and reduce high rate of poverty in our region. We are of the view that if he gets the nod, the name of Naa Gbewaa will rise again.

We also want to use this opportunity to advise our youth groups in Mamprugu to stay away from politicians who intent to use them to cause violence during the election period.
As you all may be aware, our Kingdom is one of the most peaceful Kingdom in the country and we implore you to be decent in the campaign season.
We also want to call on all politicians to desist from making comments that has tendency of causing trouble in our land.

We wish the NPP a very triumphant victory in the 7th December polls. We will campaign for NPP to come and save our people from the suffering under this government.

Thank you very much for coming.
Long live Ghana
Long live Mamprugu
Long live Mamprugu youth chiefs

CHIEF SUMANI IDDI
(PRESIDENT)
………SIGNED . ……….
CHIEF TAHIRU SEIDU
……SIGNED…………..
(ORGANIZER)
CHIEF ABUBAKARI MUMUNI
……..SIGNED………
(SCRETARY)
Mr Abubakari Shani (P. R.O)
……….SIGNED………….

–

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The video, which was leaked to US celebrity website TMZ, showed Solange lashing out at Jay Z in a lift after the Met Gala on 5 May.

“Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred,” said a joint statement.

“They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family.”

The hotel employee who leaked the footage has been identified and dismissed, it emerged on Thursday.

New York’s Standard Hotel said it was “shocked and disappointed” by the leak and said it would it would hand over “all available information to criminal authorities”.

The employee was dismissed for “breaching the security policies of the hotel and recording the confidential CCTV video,” it added.

The three-minute video shows Solange – herself an R&B singer – enter the lift with Jay Z, Beyonce and their entourage.

She then confronts the rapper, whose wife stands by without interfering.

A bodyguard holds Solange back, although she again tries to kick Jay Z. There is no audio on the recording.

The full statement was released by the family to the Associated Press.

It reads: “As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident.

“But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it. Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred.

“They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family.

“The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behaviour throughout that evening are simply false.

“At the end of the day, families have problems and we’re no different. We love each other and above all we are family. We’ve put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same.”

Source: BBC

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The video, which was first published by US celebrity website TMZ, showed Beyonce’s sister lashing out in a lift after the Met Gala on 5 May.

A security guard intervened in the apparent altercation. There is no audio on the recording.

The Standard Hotel said it was “shocked and disappointed” by the leak and had identified the person responsible.

The employee was fired for “breaching the security polices of the hotel and recording the confidential CCTV video”.

The hotel added it would turn over “all available information to criminal authorities”.

Representatives for Jay Z, Beyonce and Solange have made no comment on the video.

Source: BBC

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A statement from its owners confirmed that they were looking into how footage from one of its lifts was released.

“We are shocked and disappointed that there was a breach of our security system and confidentiality we count on providing our guests,” it said.

Beyonce’s management has declined to comment on the TMZ story so far.

The video was released by celebrity gossip site TMZ.

The footage appears to show Solange trying to kick and hit Jay Z in front of Beyonce. A security guard is then seen restraining her.

It’s thought the incident happened after the three had attended the Met Gala Ball last week in New York and a party at the hotel afterwards.

The hotel added: “We are investigating with the utmost urgency the circumstances surrounding the situation and, as is our customary practice, will discipline the individuals involved to our fullest capacity.”

The Standard, High Line, is an 18-storey boutique hotel located in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.

The chain also has hotels in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, Florida.

Newsbeat has contacted Jay Z’s management but so far no-one has returned the emails.

Solange is Beyonce’s younger sister and is a singer-songwriter in her own right.

The 27-year-old recently performed at Coachella music festival in the US, where Beyonce joined her on stage for a surprise guest appearance.

Jay Z, 44, and Beyonce, 32, married in 2008.

They start their US co-headlining On the Run Tour in Miami on 25 June.

Source: BBC

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The 27-year-old was caught on surveillance camera lashing out wildly at her brother-in-law, 44, with both her arms and her legs, while her sister stood beside them looking curiously impassive.

The famous family was in an elevator descending from a soiree that followed the annual fashion fest at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The seemingly unprovoked attack plays out in footage obtained by TMZ.

Solange can clearly be seen kicking and swinging violently at Jay Z, the father of her two-year-old niece, Blue Ivy, after the trio step into the elevator.

According to TMZ sources, Solange was screaming at her family member when the fight erupted and can be seen in the footage mouthing what appears to be a diatribe at the hip hop legend.

In the footage, a man who looks to be a bodyguard tries to hold Solange back but she manages to reign blows on the rapper several times, and even hits him with her purse.

During the frenzied altercation, Jay Z grabs her stiletto clad foot to block a kick but never attempts to retaliate.

Beyonce seems sanguine throughout, and appears to be trying to calm her sister down.. . at one point she pragmatically removes the long train of her own dress from the fray.

The bodyguard can also be seen pushing the emergency stop button in the elevator at the 12th floor, no doubt stop the fight spilling out in front of photographers.

Solange has admitted to issues with drugs in the past, and cancelled her European tour last year amidst rumours of usage… according to Radar Online.

In February, 2009, she tweeted about ending up in the hospital after a Nyquil overdose.

‘I don’t even smoke weed that often, but I’m finding I can’t remember things,’ she revealed on Twitter on Septemer 1 the same year.

Solange and the music mogul have been close for over a decade, with Jay Z – real name Shawn Carter – taking a big brother style role to the fledgling star after he started dating her sister.

Beyonce and Jay Z were famously friends first but started a relationship way back in 2001, they then married in 2008.

Mrs Carter is extremely close to her younger sibling, and made a surprise appearance at Coachella this year to support Solange’s set at the California music festival.

Solange regulaly accompanies the couple to events like the Met Gala and the Grammy Awards.

Always in Beyonce’s shadow despite her own immense talent, Solange had a few stints in Destiny’s Child, before signing with her father’s Mathew’s Music World Entertainment label; he and he girls’ mother Tina had quit their jobs to focus on their eldest child’s career.

But it paid off for Solange initially, too, as her her first studio album Solo Star – released when she was just 16 in 2003 – was a quiet success.

Just a year later, however, she married Daniel Smith, and after giving birth to their son Daniel Julez J. Smith Jr, moved to Idaho, where she occupied herself with writing music for her sister and ex Destiny’s Child stars Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.

But she missed the buzz of performing herself and after divorcing Smith in 2007, Solange threw herself back into the fray moving to Los Angeles so she could begin to start recording her own material.

It paid off as her second album, Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, hit No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and garnered positive reviews.

She set up her own label, Saint Records, and recorded the album, True, in 2012 and has plans for a follow up later this year.

While no Beyonce, Solange is recognised as fashion icon and her Motown songwriting roots are respected throughout the industry.

The family was rocked when the girls’ mother Tina filed for divorce from Mathew, who was then still Beyonce’s manager, after it emerged he’d fathered a child during an extra-marital affair with Alexsandra Wright.

The Crazy in Love singer singer later ended her business relationship with her father, and neither sister attended his wedding to Gena Avery last year.

As a family unit, they’ve still remained strong it had seemed, with Solange mentioning frequently in interviews that her son and baby Blue are more like siblings than cousins.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

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