The Deputy C.E.O for Ghana Forestry Commission, Hon. Iddrisu Musah Superior has advised the NPP Constituency delegates not to fall to tricks towards the upcoming constituency elections which starts today.

The former Temale Mayor aspiring to be the next NPP General Secretary has advised the electors not allowed to be influenced by power, money or feel intimidated.

In a post cited on Facebook, he said the delegates should not fall to scam or emotional blackmail but rather elect party faithfuls who are loyal, selfless, discipline and hardworking to Great NPP the party.

According to hm, the 2024 general elections will be tricky, crucial and difficult. Therefore the NPP party must assemble the most appropriate various constituencies to anchor the efforts in the local organization to win 2024 elections.

Source: www.ghanapublisher.com

The Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) problems in Ghana are very challenging, especially as they become intensified and difficult to solve day-by-day. Currently, ASM activities have seriously affected the lands and waterbodies in fourteen (14) out of the sixteen (16) regions in Ghana. Surprisingly, the actual causes of the menace are poorly understood by the government, hence focusing on unnecessary expenditures that do not yield any significant outcome since 2017.

Lots of the country’s farmlands have been destroyed by illegal mining operations and waterbodies silted, polluted and contaminated with dangerous chemicals like mercury, cyanide, lead and arsenic. These have led to skyrocketing costs of water treatments for human consumption. Also, there are lots of water-borne and grievous diseases such as typhoid, hepatitis, trachoma, ulcer, cancer, kidney diseases, lung diseases, liver damage, polio, among others.

Ghana is dominated by two main mining sectors, including the Large-Scale Mining (LSM) and Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM). The operations involved in the ASM sector include (i) Legal or Licensed Small-Scale Mining (ii) Illegal or Unregulated Mining, popularly known in the local parlance as “Galamsey” and (iii) Newly Established Community Mining. The only two regions without ASM operations are Greater Accra and Volta.

Unfortunately, all the three categories of ASM activities lead to uncontrolled land degradations and water pollutions. Although a number of research works have been completed and published, none of them have detailed the number of regions affected by ASM operations. The regions in Ghana with some major cities that ASM operations are prevalent are the following:

1. Ashanti Region: Obuasi, Adansi Akrokerri, Adansi Akrofuom, Amansie, Manso Nkwanta,
Manso Adubia, Agroyesum, Esaase Bontefufuom, Ntobroso, Diewuoso, Aduaneyede,
Gyimiso, Mampamhwe, Patakro, Fomena, etc.
2. Western Region: Tarkwa, Prestea, Bogoso, Asankragua, Wassa Akropong, Wassa Japa,
Mpohor, Damang, Nkroful, Teleku Bukazo, Anhwiaa, Axim, Ewereko, Daboase, Atieku-
Akyempim, etc.
3. Western North Region: Aowin, Bibiani, Enchi, Sefwi Bekwai, Sefwi Wiawso, Sefwi
Akontombra, Suaman, etc.

4. Eastern Region: Adeiso, Akwatia, Anyinam, Akyem Asunafo, Akwaboaso, Akroful,
Awerenare, Kwabeng, Kyebi, Kibi, Oda, Ofoase-Ayirebi, Osino, New Abirem, Nkatieso, etc.
5. Central Region: Dunkwa, Ayanfuri, Assin Asaman, Assin Fosu, etc.
6. Ahafo Region: Duayaw Nkwanta, Kenyasi, Ntotroso, Yamfo, etc.
7. Bono Region: Dormaa, Kyeremasu, Wamfie, etc.
8. Bono East Region: Donkoro Nkwanta, Kintampo, Nkoranza, etc.
9. Savannah Region: Banada Nkwanta, Dollar Power (Border town), Ntereso, etc.
10. Upper West Region: Lawra, Cherikpong, Tanchara, Sissala East, etc.
11. Upper East Region: Talensi, Bolga, etc.
12. North East Region: Nanguma, Mamprugu, etc.
13. Northern Region: Bole, Bamboi, Dakurpe, Tinga, etc
14. Oti Region: Worawora (Alluvial mining)

Ghana is an undisputed mining hub, ranked first (1 st ) in gold production across Africa and sixth (6th) in the world. The ASM operations contribute to 30% to 40% of gold produced in Ghana. It is a lucrative venture that has provided millions of jobs for the youth and supported the local economics of the respective communities. The high unemployment rate and the continuous global demand for minerals, particularly precious metals have led to the massive youth participation in the sector.

Presently, the detrimental effects of ASM operations far outweigh the economic and social justifications provided by the sector. However, the problems can be resolved and ASM can become a critical state revenue generation sector, if the government engages the services of mining professionals with the requisite knowledge and experience to systematically and comprehensively tackle the real problems from technical point of view. Pragmatic measures need to be put in place immediately to address this issue of national concern.

The fight against galamsey has become the usual political rhetoric with no reasonable action taken. Referring to the Minerals and Mining Act 2006, Act 703, Section 83 (a), only Ghanaian citizens can acquire license to operate ASM. The big question is; why are foreign nationals currently engaging in ASM activities in the country? Amazingly, some of the traditional leaders release lands to foreigners to operate illegal mining, including nationals from China, India, Turkey, Senegal, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Sierra Leone, etc.

In order to solve the problem, the fundamental mining engineering procedures applied in the large-scale mining sector to extract minerals from the ground, need to be integrated into the ASM sector to bridge the gap between the two sectors, in terms of minimal degradation. Politicization of the fight against galamsey will continuously urge the problem to remain standstill without any obvious positive outcome but practical guidance from a strong mining team can help in addressing the issues.

To address the challenges, the following outlined holistic approach can be considered and executed correctly: (1) Strategizing to avoid concession encroachment (2) Proper land acquisition (3) Rightful registration plan (4) Legitimate, expedited and decentralized permitting process (5) Development of standard operating procedures (6) Establishment of standardized mining regulations (7) Introduction of pollution-free mining strategy (8) Development of corruption-free tax collection system (9) Effective monitoring and (10) Indiscriminate law enforcement.

Implementation of these suggestions can help ensure environmentally-friendly small-scale mining operations. Also, it can yield significant results in sustained economic growth, lucrative employment opportunities, poverty alleviation and important source of tax revenue generation across the mineral wealth regions in Ghana. The onus lies on the government to act, as the nation loses a minimum of $250 million each year from the ASM sector.

Solomon Owusu, PhD | Mining Consultant | Colorado, USA | Email: oaksolo@yahoo.com

Source: www.ghanapublisher.com

Mike Tyson was seen repeatedly a punching a fellow passenger on a flight from San Francisco to Florida on Wednesday night, leaving the man with a bloody forehead.

Cell phone footage, obtained by TMZ, shows the former heavyweight champion smacking an allegedly over-eager fan seated directly behind him.

That man initially had a cordial exchange with Tyson, according to TMZ. A witness says the man and a friend greeted the 55-year-old boxing legend as they boarded the plane and even got their picture taken with Tyson.

Tyson soon grew tired of engaging with the fan and reportedly asked him to be quiet.

When the man continued talking, Tyson then stood, turned, and threw several punches to the man’s face and forehead.

‘Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey Mike, come on, stop that,’ a witness is heard saying on the cell phone footage.

Another video from the flight shows the aftermath of the incident, with the man sporting traces of blood on his forehead.

‘My boy just got beat up by Mike Tyson,’ said the man shooting the video. ‘Yeah, he got f***ed up. Just trying to ask for an autograph. I don’t know what happened.’

The victim reportedly received medical attention and went to the police over the incident, but there has been no word yet if Tyson is being investigated.

DailyMail.com has reached out to spokespeople for Tyson and JetBlue but has yet to receive a response from either.

The incident took place after Tyson recently shared a bizarre theory while high on marijuana during a recent podcast.

During Friday’s installment of The Joe Rogan Experience, a stoned Tyson said he ‘really believes’ that the rich abduct vagrants to chase and hunt them on large private estates, unbeknownst to the uninitiated 99 percent.

After the pair smoked weed – appearing to light up two separate joints while sitting across from each other – Tyson told Rogan that ‘whatever you think a human did to another human being – it happened. Whatever it is, it happened.’

‘Somewhere in history?’ Rogan asked.

‘Yeah, and sometimes these special camps and stuff it happens,’ Tyson continued. ‘These people own these thousands of acres and nothing grows on ’em.’

‘Right, weird ranches where people do rituals and s***,’ Rogan encouraged.

‘Might want to hunt a motherf*****,’ Tyson said.

‘That’s not outside the realm of possibility!’ Rogan replied, shocked.

‘I know, that’s why I’m throwing it at you,’ Tyson said.

‘I guarantee you there’s been someone, somewhere in the world who paid someone to hunt a person,’ Rogan said. ‘I guarantee you that’s happened!’

Tyson is rumored to be working on an exhibition fight with YouTuber Jake Paul, but the two sides have yet to finalize anything. In January The Sun reported the two were nearing a deal for a bout that could be worth upwards of $50 million.

‘Mike and Jake are on board for an exhibition bout in Las Vegas,’ a business associate of Tyson’s told The Sun.

‘A verbal deal has been struck to get it on, but like all forms of sports business, now it’s all about the contracts and money split.

‘Mike is looking for a certain figure to get into the ring with a profit share guarantee.

‘Jake obviously has that on his mind but is keen to show the world that stepping into the ring with a man once called, ”the baddest man on the planet,” takes his boxing career to the next level.’

Obviously it’s the 30-year age difference that would make this potential bout unique.

‘This fight bridges the gap between old school boxing fans and the new generation of followers,’ the source told The Sun.

The 30-year age gap aside, Tyson (50-6-2) holds a considerable advantage in experience having fought in 58 professional bouts against actual boxers.

Paul, on the other hand, is 5-0 against another YouTuber, former NBA star Nate Robinson, and MMA fighters Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, the latter of whom was knocked out in their rematch last month.

Unlike those, though, this would be an exhibition fight, in which knockdowns — let alone any knockouts — are quite rare.

The Sun’s source believes the bout can generate as much as much as £36million ($49 million) between live and pay per view broadcasts.

Tyson previously speculated about another exhibition following his split decision draw against retired boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. in 2020. At the time, he thought he’d be back in the ring in February, but it now looks to be taking place later in 2022.

‘I am going to have a return fight in February and we are pretty skeptical about the opponent but it will be a really stimulating opponent,’ Tyson told the Sun.

According to Tyson, the money for fighting one of the well-known Paul or his brother Logan would be too much to refuse.

‘That is the fight for the money,’ Tyson said in 2021. ‘Those are the money-making fights, those guys got 35 million people to watch.

‘Hell, I would fight them,’ he continued. ‘They would fight me. That would make a lot of money.

‘Hundred million dollars, they do anything, they don’t mind getting beat up for a hundred million dollars.’

While a win over Tyson would be Paul’s first against a legitimate boxer, it might not impress those within the sport.

Even aside from his age, Tyson’s reputation as the scariest man in boxing was laid to rest since 1990, when he was knocked out by James ‘Buster’ Douglas in Tokyo.

Prior to that, things were considerably different for Tyson, who was once so scared of killing his opponents in the ring that he often needed to have sex with groupies before fights to take the edge off his rage, his former bodyguard and chauffeur has claimed.

‘He had to get laid to disengage some of the strength he had,’ Rudy Gonzalez told The Sun in November. ‘So I had girls tucked away in bathrooms and changing rooms.

‘Sometimes he’d go in with them for a minute, bang the s*** out of them, snap his neck and say: ”Okay this guy is going to live tonight.”’

The strategy may have worked. Tyson, now 55, never did kill anyone in the ring, although he bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997, leading to a disqualification in their infamous rematch.

As Gonzalez explained, the ritual of pre-fight sex was born out of the heavyweight champion’s fear of killing another boxer.

‘His biggest fear was that he would kill someone in that ring,’ Gonzalez said. ‘He knew he could do it.

‘It is no exaggeration to say Mike was like a train hitting these guys. Having sex was his way of disengaging that power and loosening up a bit.’

In addition to rage and sex, Tyson’s pre-fight routine was also defined by intense anxiety and sorrow.

‘He had an anxiety problem where he would be in despair with anxiety of not feeling good enough or not wanting to screw it up,’ Gonzalez said.

‘Mike had the fear that if he screwed this up, he would end up back in his old neighborhood or be locked up.’

And Tyson had reason to fear his former life.

Abandoned by his father at birth, and orphaned at 16 when his mother passed away, Tyson grew up in Brooklyn’s rough Brownsville neighborhood in the 1970s and had the physical and emotional scars to prove it.

According to several accounts, Tyson was targeted for his short stature and his lisp at a young age, and he responded by getting arrested 38 times by age 13.

He was eventually enrolled at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York, where a corrections officer named Bobby Stewart introduced him to boxing and legendary trainer Cus D’Amato, who would become Tyson’s legal guardian.

Tyson would soon become the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history by beating Trevor Berbick in 1986 at age 20.

But his aside from his prodigious power (44 of his 50 career wins ended by knockout), Tyson will also be remembered for disappointments inside and outside the ring.

He steamrolled over lesser opponents in the late 1980s, but his one-year marriage to actress Robin Givens ended with allegations of abuse against Tyson.

In 1990, in what was thought to be a warmup fight for his much-anticipated bout with Holyfield, Tyson was stunned by Douglas, a 40-to-1 underdog.

Douglas would promptly lose his titles to Holyfield, rendering a rematch pointless, but Tyson got back on the winning track with three straight knockouts and a unanimous decision victory over Donovan Ruddock in their rematch.

However, before Tyson could step into the ring with Holyfield, he would be accused and convicted of raping an 18-year-old beauty pageant contestant in an Indianapolis hotel room.

He would return to the ring in 1995, but Tyson was never the same.

After winning four easy bouts upon his release, Tyson would go 5-5 over the remainder of his career, including two losses to Holyfield and a knockout defeat to Lennox Lewis. His career ended in 2005 with a an embarrassing loss to unheralded Kevin McBride.

In retirement, Tyson has changed his public persona, launching a one-man show in 2013 in which he discussed his often traumatic upbringing and adult life. He’s also started charities for children from broken homes, appeared in movies, such as The Hangover series, and is now a cannabis entrepreneur.

He’s also opened up about past drug use, which he said centered on cocaine, but also included the venom from a poisonous toad that he said actually left him legally dead for a brief moment.

‘In my trips I’ve seen that death is beautiful,’ Tyson told the New York Post recently. ‘Life and death both have to be beautiful, but death has a bad rep. The toad has taught me that I’m not going to be here forever. There’s an expiration date.

‘I did it as a dare,’ Tyson sad of ingesting the psychedelic. ‘I was doing heavy drugs like cocaine, so why not? It’s another dimension. Before I did the toad, I was a wreck. The toughest opponent I ever faced was myself. I had low self-esteem. People with big egos often have low self-esteem. We use our ego to subsidize that. The toad strips the ego.’

A year ago, Tyson stepped into the ring for an exhibition against former multi-weight division title-winner Roy Jones Jr. The WBC unofficially called the bout a draw.