Latest news with #Ghanaians
Morocco World
a day ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Ghanaians Can Now Travel to Morocco Without Traditional Visa
Doha – Ghanaian citizens no longer need to obtain traditional visas to enter Morocco, following a new bilateral agreement between the two African countries. The landmark policy change, which takes immediate effect, replaces embassy appointments with an online travel authorization system promising approvals within 24 hours. Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the development during his two-day working visit to Rabat. 'This is one of the key agreements reached with the Moroccan Foreign Minister during my two-day working visit,' Ablakwa stated. The minister shared the news on his official social media pages on Friday, explaining that Ghanaians can now travel to Morocco using an electronic authorization system. Moroccan officials confirmed the immediate implementation of the Electronic Travel Authorization to Morocco (ETAM) system for Ghanaian citizens. 'We've agreed to make mobility easier for our citizens,' Ablakwa said during a press briefing with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita. 'Although there is already a direct air link between Ghana and Morocco, the visa has been the main barrier to trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchange. Now, with this new measure, that barrier is lifted.' The visa waiver policy aims to significantly enhance trade, boost tourism, and deepen interpersonal connections between the two countries. Existing direct flights operated by Royal Air Maroc will be increased to support this new agreement, potentially establishing daily connections between Casablanca and Accra. 'This will significantly boost tourism and trade, especially since Morocco is a very popular destination,' Ablakwa added. In their joint statement, both ministers affirmed their commitment to promoting tourism, trade, and economic development. They also revealed intentions to finalize a complete visa exemption agreement for holders of ordinary passports in the future. Beyond facilitating travel, the diplomatic engagement produced a seismic shift in Ghana's foreign policy. During the same visit, Ghana formally terminated its recognition of 'SADR,' the paper state proclaimed by the separatist Polisario Front, which it had supported since 1979. Ghana now fully backs Morocco's autonomy proposal for Western Sahara, describing it as 'the only realistic and sustainable basis for a mutually acceptable solution' to the regional dispute. The ministerial meetings yielded several additional cooperation agreements. Both countries signed a memorandum of understanding on political consultations to enhance diplomatic coordination. Morocco pledged to increase scholarships for Ghanaian students from 90 to 140 annually across various disciplines through the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI). 'This is excellent news for us,' Ablakwa remarked. 'Our universities will also welcome Moroccan students, particularly those interested in English-language programs and African studies. We'll soon have a specific agreement in place to facilitate this academic cooperation.' Economic collaboration featured prominently in discussions, with plans for a joint business forum focusing on fertilizer supply—a strategic sector given Ghana's annual import bill of over $3 billion in agricultural products. Both countries will deepen cooperation in agriculture and food security, with special attention to Ghana's cocoa sector. 'Ghana currently spends nearly $3 billion annually on food imports. Our new President is committed to reversing that trend,' said Ablakwa. 'Morocco's expertise in agriculture, agri-food, and fertilizer production gives it a clear advantage. Moroccan experts will soon collaborate with their Ghanaian counterparts to determine the best fertilizer type for our needs.' Transportation links also received attention during Ablakwa's meeting with Morocco's Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdessamad Kayouh. Both parties discussed opportunities in air connectivity, maritime transport, and logistics. Ablakwa mentioned that President John Mahama hopes to make a state visit to Morocco soon, reciprocating King Mohammed VI's 2017 visit to Accra, during which 25 bilateral agreements were signed across key sectors. 'The borders in Africa must not be allowed to divide us—they can be bridges of connectivity. Diplomacy must make meaningful impact in the lives of the people we serve,' Ablakwa concluded. The current agreement builds on earlier discussions between the two countries. In March, Ablakwa met with Morocco's Ambassador to Ghana, Imane Ouaadil, where they initially agreed to introduce a visa waiver for travelers from both countries. This development goes in line with Ghana's broader visa liberalization policy. In January, then-President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the removal of visa requirements for all African passport holders effective January 1, making Ghana the fifth African country to implement such a policy after Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia, and Benin. Morocco and Ghana have steadily strengthened their bilateral relations in recent years. In January, Morocco was represented at Ghana's presidential inauguration, with Moroccan officials participating in the ceremony that saw President John Mahama take office. The two countries position their engagement as a model for strengthening intra-African partnerships.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Waste Wars: Read an exclusive excerpt from the book by Alexander Clapp
Your first cell phone, the VCR player you gave away after the advent of the DVD, the DVD player you donated to Goodwill after the arrival of Blu-ray, the Blu-ray player you never used, the college laptop you tossed away because it was ransacked by viruses—it all may very well have passed through Agbogbloshie, submitted to the stroke of a hammer and shucked of its valuables, the last chapter of a journey (What did happen to your childhood Game Boy?) You've probably never paused to contemplate in the first place. Photos of Agbogbloshie are invariably enlisted to demonstrate Ghana's grim fate as one of the world's greatest recipients of Western electronic waste. But the reality is more complicated and, in certain respects, darker. For Ghana was never meant to turn out like this. It was never supposed to become a dumping ground for foreigners' unwanted electronics. And contrary to many descriptions of Agbogbloshie, not a single country or company on Earth ships, or has ever shipped, broken phones or busted televisions to the place as a matter of policy. No, none of this arrives in Ghana as waste per se. What foreigners do send—and this is not merely legal but incentivized by global institutions such as the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund—are old electronics they claim do work. When recycling firms or waste brokers in countries like Canada or Germany ship millions of broken cell phones or ceiling fans to Ghana, it's probable they may not think they are outsourcing pollution to West Africa. They may really believe they're bestowing the tools of enlightenment and progress upon a poor corner of the world's poorest continent. How did any of this start happening? How did Ghana—a country that scarcely possessed a functioning computer a generation ago—emerge as the recipient of thousands of tons of busted electronics and appliances every year? ...None of this was getting 'dumped' in Ghana. It had been shipped for the purpose of getting purchased by Ghanaians. Dozens of containers packed with thousands of electronic devices of one sort or another reach Tema every day. Some are sent by waste brokers in Western countries who specialize in collecting secondhand electronics from recycling centers or dumps; others are donated by hospitals, universities, NGOs; others are sent by expatriate Ghanaians who, during the famine and tribal conflicts of the 1990s, relocated to the great metropolises of the north—London, New York, Toronto—and now wander their streets in search of old appliances piled on sidewalks that they can ship to relatives who work the street bazaars of Accra back home. untested electronics, meaning cell phones and TVs that have been imported from Europe or the United States but are not necessarily guaranteed to work. A TV at twenty bucks instead of forty? A consignment of desktop computers at five hundred dollars instead of a thousand? Most Ghanaian vendors are willing to take the risk…. The point of Agbogbloshie is not just to be a destination for 'condemned' phones—not to be a 'dump' in the conventional sense—but to separate and extract as much of these inner materials as possible, as quickly and cheaply as possible. It is difficult work. Beyond the long-term health consequences of operating a great scrapyard in the midst of sixty thousand people with negligible access to healthcare, there are reminders all over Agbogbloshie of the dangers of shucking and hammering broken electronics for ten hours a day. The slum is full of hands missing fingers, feet shorn of toes, limbs pocked with burns, and the occasional one-eyed dismantler. (Excerpted with permission from Waste Wars: The Wild Afterlife of Your Trash by Alexander Clapp, published by Little Brown & Co; February 2025)
MTV Lebanon
4 days ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Interpol issues red notice for Ghana's fugitive ex-minister
Ghana's former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been placed on Interpol's Red Notice list for allegedly using public office for personal gain. This comes after Ghanaian prosecutors declared him a wanted person as well as a fugitive from justice, as he was outside the country, over his alleged involvement in several corruption cases when he was in government. A Red Notice is not an arrest warrant but a request to police worldwide to detain someone pending extradition. Ofori-Atta, who is said to be out of the country for medical reasons, has not commented on the allegations, but he has said he has been unlawfully treated. The 65-year-old has been accused of causing financial losses to the state. The allegations include questions over procurement procedures in the building of a controversial national cathedral, which remains a hole in the ground despite the alleged spending of $58m (£46.6m) of government money. Ofori-Atta's lawyers had offered to represent him but the state prosecutor said they could not respond to criminal charges on behalf of their client. In February, Ofori-Atta appealed to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to remove his name from the wanted list and provided a definite return date in May. State prosecutor Kissi Agyabeng accepted Ofori-Atta's assurance and subsequently took his name off the wanted list. But in March Ofori-Atta filed a lawsuit, claiming unlawful treatment and requesting removal of related content from the OSP's social media platforms. Early this month, Ofori-Atta was re-declared a wanted person and a fugitive from justice after failing to appear before an investigative panel. Agyebeng subsequently formally initiated the Red Notice request, seeking international help in tracking down the former official, local media reported. "We want him here physically, and we insist on it. A suspect in a criminal investigation does not pick and choose how the investigative body conducts its investigations," Agyebeng said. In the Red Notice released on late Thursday, Interpol said Ofori-Atta is wanted on charges of "using public office for profit". He was finance minister from January 2017 to February 2024, when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was in power. The NPP lost last December's elections to the National Democratic Congress. President John Mahama, who was inaugurated in January, went on to establish an investigative committee known as Operation Recover All Loot. The committee has received over 200 complaints of corruption, amounting to more than $20bn in recoverable funds. Mahama has directed the attorney general and minister of justice to launch investigations into these allegations, stating that Ghana will no longer be a safe haven for corruption. However, some Ghanaians have criticised him for discontinuing cases against his former allies on trial.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Interpol issues red notice for Ghana's fugitive ex-minister
Ghana's former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been placed on Interpol's Red Notice list for allegedly using public office for personal gain. This comes after Ghanaian prosecutors declared him a wanted person as well as a fugitive from justice, as he was outside the country, over his alleged involvement in several corruption cases when he was in government. A Red Notice is not an arrest warrant but a request to police worldwide to detain someone pending extradition. Ofori-Atta, who is said to be out of the country for medical reasons, has not commented on the allegations, but he has said he has been unlawfully treated. The 65-year-old has been accused of causing financial losses to the state. The allegations include questions over procurement procedures in the building of a controversial national cathedral, which remains a hole in the ground despite the alleged spending of $58m (£46.6m) of government money. Ofori-Atta's lawyers had offered to represent him but the state prosecutor said they could not respond to criminal charges on behalf of their client. Reporter who sued MP and won $18m hopeful he will pocket the money In February, Ofori-Atta appealed to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to remove his name from the wanted list and provided a definite return date in May. State prosecutor Kissi Agyabeng accepted Ofori-Atta's assurance and subsequently took his name off the wanted list. But in March Ofori-Atta filed a lawsuit, claiming unlawful treatment and requesting removal of related content from the OSP's social media platforms. Early this month, Ofori-Atta was re-declared a wanted person and a fugitive from justice after failing to appear before an investigative panel. Agyebeng subsequently formally initiated the Red Notice request, seeking international help in tracking down the former official, local media reported. "We want him here physically, and we insist on it. A suspect in a criminal investigation does not pick and choose how the investigative body conducts its investigations," Agyebeng said. In the Red Notice released on late Thursday, Interpol said Ofori-Atta is wanted on charges of "using public office for profit". He was finance minister from January 2017 to February 2024, when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was in power. The NPP lost last December's elections to the National Democratic Congress. President John Mahama, who was inaugurated in January, went on to establish an investigative committee known as Operation Recover All Loot. The committee has received over 200 complaints of corruption, amounting to more than $20bn in recoverable funds. Mahama has directed the attorney general and minister of justice to launch investigations into these allegations, stating that Ghana will no longer be a safe haven for corruption. However, some Ghanaians have criticised him for discontinuing cases against his former allies on trial. Can Ghana's new president meet the voters' high expectations? The Maths Queen with a quantum mission to mentor girls Why some Ghanaians are fighting in insurgency-hit Burkina Faso Ghana wants more for its cashews, but it's a tough nut to crack Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Interpol issues red notice for Ghana's fugitive ex-minister
Ghana's former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been placed on Interpol's Red Notice list for allegedly using public office for personal gain. This comes after Ghanaian prosecutors declared him a wanted person as well as a fugitive from justice, as he was outside the country, over his alleged involvement in several corruption cases when he was in government. A Red Notice is not an arrest warrant but a request to police worldwide to detain someone pending extradition. Ofori-Atta, who is said to be out of the country for medical reasons, has not commented on the allegations, but he has said he has been unlawfully treated. The 65-year-old has been accused of causing financial losses to the state. The allegations include questions over procurement procedures in the building of a controversial national cathedral, which remains a hole in the ground despite the alleged spending of $58m (£46.6m) of government money. Ofori-Atta's lawyers had offered to represent him but the state prosecutor said they could not respond to criminal charges on behalf of their client. Reporter who sued MP and won $18m hopeful he will pocket the money In February, Ofori-Atta appealed to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to remove his name from the wanted list and provided a definite return date in May. State prosecutor Kissi Agyabeng accepted Ofori-Atta's assurance and subsequently took his name off the wanted list. But in March Ofori-Atta filed a lawsuit, claiming unlawful treatment and requesting removal of related content from the OSP's social media platforms. Early this month, Ofori-Atta was re-declared a wanted person and a fugitive from justice after failing to appear before an investigative panel. Agyebeng subsequently formally initiated the Red Notice request, seeking international help in tracking down the former official, local media reported. "We want him here physically, and we insist on it. A suspect in a criminal investigation does not pick and choose how the investigative body conducts its investigations," Agyebeng said. In the Red Notice released on late Thursday, Interpol said Ofori-Atta is wanted on charges of "using public office for profit". He was finance minister from January 2017 to February 2024, when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was in power. The NPP lost last December's elections to the National Democratic Congress. President John Mahama, who was inaugurated in January, went on to establish an investigative committee known as Operation Recover All Loot. The committee has received over 200 complaints of corruption, amounting to more than $20bn in recoverable funds. Mahama has directed the attorney general and minister of justice to launch investigations into these allegations, stating that Ghana will no longer be a safe haven for corruption. However, some Ghanaians have criticised him for discontinuing cases against his former allies on trial. Can Ghana's new president meet the voters' high expectations? The Maths Queen with a quantum mission to mentor girls Why some Ghanaians are fighting in insurgency-hit Burkina Faso Ghana wants more for its cashews, but it's a tough nut to crack Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
