News
Celebrate mothers, they are special
Tomorrow, Sunday, May 12, is a day dedicated in honour of mothers and is celebrated in countries throughout the world.
Ghana is not an exception to this wonderful day, as individuals, families and friends use the occasion to express their admiration for their mothers for the wonderful contribution to their lives.
It is in this spirit that multiple award-winning Ghanaian gospel musician, Empress Gifty expressed the need to celebrate mothers for their special roles.
According to her, mothers will always be special because they were instrumental in raising children and societies.
Speaking to The Spectator ahead of this year’s Mother’s Day celebration, the gospel musician said, “What makes Mother’s Day so special for me is that they are very inspirational. They are people we look up to. They go through a lot for our sake and even when we are matured, they would still be there for us.”
According to the ‘Aseda’ hitmaker, her mother, Evangelist Agnes Annan, affectionately called Maame Fante was one person everyone would love to have as a mother.
“So I see Mother’s Day as an opportunity for us to say thank you in a special way to our mothers. It is a moment for us to honour them and let them know how special they are in our lives.”
“My mother had stood in the gap for me on many occasions, which is why I hold her in high esteem. I believe it is same for many others. These women are very dear to our lives,” she said.
Consequently, she asserted that “I wouldn’t have been this successful in my career without my mother’s constant advice, prayers, and guidance.”
“My mother has received a lot of ‘bullets’ for me, it is because of me my mother was divorced, and I told myself, I will never be separated from her and ensure everything that makes a mother happy would be provided,” she revealed
According to her, the significance of Mother’s Day cannot be overemphasised, considering the mothers’ contribution on the lives of their children.
Empress Gifty said it was unfortunate some people attempt to play down on the day’s significance due to one reason or the other but advised all and sundry to use the opportunity to honour every person that has played a motherly role in his or her life before.
She also advised mothers to forgive their children or whoever wronged them to avoid generational curses.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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Criminal and Seditious Libel Law was repealed in 2001 yet we still face harassment – NPP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
