News
Mohammed Dauda launches maiden book titled ‘Chattel’
Playwright Mr Mohammed Dauda launched his maiden book in Accra last Sunday. Titled Chattel, the 196 page book when disjoined simply means ‘Chat’ and ‘Tell’.
The book speaks about slavery and emancipation in the late Fifteenth Century where Aggrey Tandoh, a prince of a kingdom, defies the orders of his father by freeing the slaves.
Aggrey dreams of travelling abroad in his pursuit of freedom. Along the line, he falls in love with a slave and, because of his choices; his royal status is stripped, affecting his chances of travelling abroad.
Speaking about what prompted him to put down such piece, Dauda said that in one way or the other, “there are numerous trials which people encountered in their lives hence such a piece.”
He noted that the play was dedicated to the souls that perished and the families that broke through slavery. He, therefore, extended his gratitude to Mr Prince Mensah, President of the Ghana Writer’s Marathon, for giving him the opportunity to have his work published.
This was his first official publication aside others on various social media platforms.
Some of the audience, graced the occasion by performing excerpts of the play as well as poetry recitals.
Mr. Dauda is a teacher and a writer. His writing skills and style are widely sought after. Enthralling, outstanding, thought-provoking and creative are the traits that define him.
He has successfully published articles, short stories and poems on social media and online portals (notable one being the Publisher Online).
The playwright informed his fans to keep their fingers crossed and expect more of his works.
Chattel sells at GH¢60 cedis.
By Yunusah Essandoh
National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executive Committee member and Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Member, Wonder Victor Kutor, has described calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as premature and unjustified.
He argued that there was no evidence to establish that the minister had committed any wrongdoing to warrant such demands.
Speaking on Joy News in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kutor questioned what had changed to justify the growing calls for the minister to step down.
He recalled that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had earlier indicated that the opposition was not accusing Mr Ablakwa of any wrongdoing.
Mr Kutor, therefore, challenged those demanding the minister’s resignation to provide fresh evidence to support their position.
“The call for the Minister to resign is premature, it is untenable. There is no evidence. I mean, what has he done wrong?” he questioned.
He added that documents, including boarding passes, airline receipts and flight manifests relating to the minister’s return journey, had been provided.
Mr Kutor expressed concern that the calls for Mr Ablakwa’s resignation could discourage young politicians from speaking out against corruption and advocating transparency.
According to him, politicians should not be targeted or maligned for demanding accountability, warning that such treatment could create the impression that speaking against corruption could later become a liability when one is appointed to public office.
He maintained that calling for accountability and transparency should not be used as grounds to target public officials without evidence of wrongdoing.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana will host the Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTAC) 2026 alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026 in Accra from December 9 to 12, 2026.
On the back of these programmes, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on corporate Ghana, the media and the general public to support the initiative through partnerships, sponsorships and active participation.
The events, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will bring together stakeholders to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage, strengthen the creative economy, promote industrial skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
