News
Two groups support Moses Bentum…but he still needs help
Following The Spectator’s publication on the plight of six-year-old Moses Bentum who is unable to attend school due to his facial deformity, two groups have moved in to offer some financial support.
They are members of the 2004 Year Group of the Accra Training College (ATRACO) and social group ‘XXVI Planners’ based in Madina who have donated a total amount of GH¢ 2,000 to support his medical bills.
Both donations were to pay for an MRI scan which according to his mother, Ms. Felicia Setuagbe, would among others determine the extent of damage done to his head and how much would be needed for the two surgeries he has to undergo to correct his face.
The rest of the money would also take care of some initial expenses and his upkeep in readiness for the process ahead.
The Group Leader of the 2004 ATRACO year group, Ms Vivian Adegbedu, said as teachers who handled children, they were sad to hear that Moses couldn’t go to school because of his condition hence their decision to support him with their widow’s mite to enable him to join his friends in school and also live a happy life, after surgery.
A Representative of the XXVI Planners, Xorlali Tettey, also said they were touched by the plight of the boy and as parents, they felt the need to do the little they could to support Moses and his mother in such challenging times.
Moses’ mother, Ms. Setuagbe, expressed appreciation to both groups and asked for God’s blessings for them.
She, however, asked that the group should return to support them when the bill for the two surgeries Moses has to undergo is given by the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital so that her son could live a normal life.
She further called on public spirited persons to help her son who was diagnosed of brain tumour months after delivery to smile because his situation had always made him sad, timid and shy.
Moses was diagnosed of a brain tumour in his childhood and has undergone surgery three years ago in India to stop further growth of the the tumour. Currently, he needs two more surgeries to put his face in shape.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has opened applications for members interested in contesting as its parliamentary candidates in the 2028 general elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, the party said interested members must declare their intention to contest between Sunday, November 1, and Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
According to the statement signed by the party’s Communications Director, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, prospective candidates must complete an online form within the specified period.
The party said a non-refundable application fee of GH¢5,000 would be charged to each prospective candidate.
It added that all applicants would undergo vetting and screening to determine their eligibility to contest on the party’s ticket.
The NPP announced plans to organise capacity-building workshops for prospective candidates in December 2026. The workshops will be held across the Northern, Middle and Southern zones, with details of the venues to be announced later.
The party stressed that the guidelines would apply to all prospective candidates, including sitting NPP Members of Parliament who wish to contest again.
It further warned aspirants against starting campaign activities following the opening of the application process.
According to the statement, the existing directive prohibiting campaign activities remains in force until the party gives official clearance.
It cautioned that anyone who violates the directive would face appropriate sanctions under the party’s constitution and regulations.
The NPP said the process was designed to promote fairness, transparency and equal opportunities for all aspirants as it prepares to select candidates for all 276 constituencies ahead of the 2028 elections.
It urged prospective candidates to follow the guidelines and conduct themselves with discipline and respect for one another throughout the process.
The party said its broader objective was to strengthen unity within its ranks and rebuild public confidence ahead of the 2028 general elections.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
eputy Foreign Minister accompanies Veep to Shanghai to champion Global South reform, industrial drive
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, accompanied Vice-President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang on a successful working visit to Shanghai, China, from 15th to 19th October 2026, at the invitation of the East China Normal University (ECNU).
The highlight of the visit was the 2026 Global South Academic Forum held on 17th October, which brought together over 200 scholars, policymakers, political party leaders and media professionals from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, under the theme “Global South Political Parties: Governance and Modernisation.”
In her keynote address, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang asserted that political independence is only truly the beginning, stating that “winning political power and governing effectively are related but not the same responsibility.” She called for stronger South-South cooperation, multilateralism and reform of the global financial architecture to end debt traps, ensure fair risk assessments and promote climate policies that respect different national circumstances.
On 18th October, she addressed a business forum with Chinese investors, linking Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy policy to industrialization. Warning that training youth without factories creates unemployment, she appealed for factories to be established in Ghana to serve the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market, with priority on value addition in cocoa processing, shea butter, cashew, coconut and timber.
On October 19, Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Kojo Bonsu, hosted a dinner at the Shangri-La for the Vice-President, attended by members of the Ghanaian community and business leaders, who praised the thorough preparation by the Ghana Embassy staff for the visit.
Throughout the trip, Mr. Quayson coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to align the engagements with Ghana’s jobs and transformation agenda.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
