News
Birthday on a ship!
Kutsoati (middle) being assisted by other military
officers onboard to cut the birthday cake.
Birthday celebrations have undoubtedly been idolised as special days by many people and celebrated to mark their days of entry into this world.
It is usually characterised by different forms of celebrations, partying, gifting and well wishes from loved ones including colleagues, family members and friends.
As special as it may be to the celebrant, some are usually planned and even preceded by pre-birthday photo-shoot and a symbolic celebration to mark the day.
But different situations may alter that popularly adopted way of birthday celebrations for some people and one of such was the birthday of a Ghana Navy Officer, Lieutenant Commander Frederick Kutsoati.
Lt. Cdr Kutsoati had to celebrate his birthday on a Navy Ship for the second time since he joined the Ghana Navy 16 years ago not because he chose to, but was rather unable to decouple the two birthdays from duty calls.
His birthday fell on March 20 during a four-day national assignment onboard a Ghana Navy Ship (GNS) Volta to the Equator on March 19-24 which obviously captured his day of birth.
The four-day national assignment by the Navy of the Ghana Armed Forces dubbed ‘Exercise Sea Lion 2024’ was to test the endurance and combat readiness of selected navy ships; GNS Volta and Ankobra in the company of a United States (US) Navy Ship.
Speaking to The Spectator newspaper onboard GNS Volta, after celebrating his birthday almost at the Equator, Lt. Cdr Kutsoati said he was privileged to have celebrated his birthday onboard a warship for the second time with the first one in 2010 onboard an American Navy Ship on a rescue course also to the Equator.
According to him, it was fascinating and intriguing to combine a national assignment with such an equally important day in his life though away from home and his close family.
For the reason of not just a celebration onboard a ship but during a 340 nautical miles voyage to the center of the world, Lt. Cdr. Kutsoati described it as rare privilege as such open birthday celebration during a voyage to the center of the earth was pertinent to only the Naval arm of the Ghana Armed Forces.
As a logistics officer, Lt. Cdr kutsoati acknowledged the Captain of GNS Volta Ship, Lt Cdr Samuel Sabbah Sarbah for the opportunity to celebrate his birthday onboard the ship clarifying that, such privileges were usually the preserve of officers of the organic unit to the Ship.
He used the opportunity to encourage all stakeholders including the citizenry to support the work of the Navy to safeguard the country’s territorial waters while also securing the nation’s maritime domain.
From Ken Afedzi, Tema
News
Criminal and Seditious Libel Law was repealed in 2001 yet we still face harassment – NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the government for what it calls a return to the “culture of silence” in Ghana, despite the repeal of the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law more than two decades ago.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the party said the arrest and detention of its Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye, for allegedly insulting the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was the latest sign of political intimidation.
According to the NPP, eight months into President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, state security had been “weaponised” not to fight illegal mining or protect citizens, but to intimidate and punish dissenting voices.
The party said insecurity in areas such as Bawku, Nkwanta and Gbeniyiri in the Savannah Region had claimed more than 32 lives and displaced over 50,000 people, yet the police and national security were more focused on arresting opposition supporters and social media users for their posts.
The NPP noted that Ghana abolished the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001 under President John Agyekum Kufuor to protect free speech and media freedoms.
It described the recent arrests of opposition members as an erosion of those democratic gains.
The party said it did not condone insults or vulgar language in public discourse but stressed that anyone who felt defamed should seek redress through civil defamation suits, not criminal prosecution.
It also accused the government of undermining the judiciary by “weaponising” it against political opponents, citing the removal of the Chief Justice.
“The growing climate of intimidation and criminalisation of speech is a serious assault on Ghana’s democracy,” the statement signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong said.
The NPP called on all Ghanaians to resist what it described as a return to tyranny and pledged to roll out a series of actions to protect the country’s democratic gains.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NIA opens Premium Centres to register children
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has started registering Ghanaian children aged between six and 14 years at all its Premium Centres across the country.
The Authority says the exercise is part of its duty to register every Ghanaian, both at home and abroad, so that all citizens can have a secure and verifiable national identity.
It explained in a statement issued today that the registration will help build a complete and inclusive National Identity Register (NIR) that captures every Ghanaian from childhood.
According to the NIA, the fee for first-time registration at Premium Centres is GHS 310, which is the approved charge for premium services.
The Authority said the requirements are the same as for applicants aged 15 years and above.
It affirmed that Parents or legal guardians were required to present either a valid Ghanaian passport of the child, the original copy of the child’s birth certificate, or be a Ghana Card holder who can vouch for the child.
The NIA also announced that from Monday, September 15, 2025, its online registration and booking system will be extended to the remaining 11 Premium Centres nationwide.
This it said will allow parents and guardians to schedule appointments more conveniently and avoid delays at the centres.
It further stated that information on the issuance of Ghana Cards for children aged six to 14 years who had already registered will be shared later.
In the coming weeks, the Authority plans to extend this registration service to all NIA District Offices to make it easier for more people to access the service.
By: Jacob Aggrey
