His Royal Majesty Buipewura Jinapor II, President of Buipe Traditional Council and Vice President of Ghana’s National House of Chiefs, announced a groundbreaking tourism partnership between Harlem and Northern Ghana during the 2025 Harlem Tourism Board’s Tourism and Hospitality Conference on Thursday 14th August 2025 in the United States of America.

Speaking at the Harlem Renaissance Marriott, the traditional leader whose speech was read on his behalf by Dr. Abutu Kapori unveiled the Harlem–Northern Ghana Partnership, a collaborative initiative designed to foster cultural exchange, promote sustainable tourism, and create economic opportunities spanning both sides of the Atlantic.

Dr. Abutu Kapori speaking on behalf of Buipewura Jinapor II emphasized the deep historical ties between Harlem and Ghana, particularly Northern Ghana. He noted that the African Burial Ground in nearby Manhattan serves as the final resting place for many enslaved Africans who began their tragic journey at the Salaga Slave Market in the Gonja Kingdom of the Savannah Region which was once the largest slave market in Northern Ghana during the 18th century.

“Their spirits remind us of the unbreakable bond between Africa and its diaspora, a bond we are here to strengthen today,” the traditional leader said, after revealing he had visited these sacred sites during his New York visit.

Buipewura Jinapor II also highlighted Harlem’s significance in Ghanaian history, noting that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, lived in Harlem during his time in the United States, where he encountered influential figures like W.E.B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey who shaped his pan-Africanist ideals.

Central to the partnership is the Cultural Oneness Festival, organized by The Taste Of Afrika Limited and launched in 2023 with over 2,500 attendees. Buipewura Jinapor II extended a warm invitation to the 2025 edition scheduled for December in Tamale and other parts of Northern Ghana.

The festival will feature a Grand Durbar of Chiefs, Fusion performances blending traditional and contemporary arts, “The Strength of the Strands” fashion show highlighting Northern Ghana’s designers, The vibrant Amaraba Street Carnival, Curated tours of historic sites including the 1421-built Larabanga Mosque and Mole National Park

The partnership involves key stakeholders including the Harlem Tourism Board, The Taste Of Afrika Limited, the African Tourism Board, Ghana Tourism Authority, Northern Development Authority, and the National Commission on Culture.

Harlem Tourism Board President Mr William Anthony Rogers, who has been given a chieftaincy title by Buipewura Jinapor II as Manwulewura attended the 2024 festival, and was quoted as saying, “This was my first trip to Ghana, but it will definitely not be my last,” reflecting the transformative impact of the cultural exchange.

During his speech, Buipewura Jinapor II also announced that the JIRAJINAPOR FOUNDATION is prepared to partner and collaborate with all stakeholders in this cultural tourism initiative.

The traditional leader called upon governments, private sector organizations, development partners, and individuals to join the transformative journey, emphasizing that the partnership seeks to create pathways for the African Diaspora to reconnect with their roots through cultural exchanges, educational programs, and business opportunities.

“Today, we are creating a future where Harlem and Northern Ghana stand hand in hand, united by culture, driven by purpose, and bound by love,” Buipewura Jinapor II concluded, bringing greetings from Ghana’s H.E President John Dramani Mahama and other traditional leaders.

The announcement comes as the world celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance, with the partnership aiming to build on the legacy of cultural luminaries who shaped both communities’ rich heritage.

In a show of respect, the Harlem Tourism Board has handed over the key to Harlem to His Majesty Buipewura Jinapor II, a symbolic gesture of partnership or friendship between the Harlem Tourism Board and His Majesty Buipewura Jinapor II, as a traditional leader or monarch from another region.

Given the Harlem Tourism Board’s recent collaborations with African regions, including Senegal and Ghana, for tourism development, this gesture signifies a new partnership and agreement between Harlem and  Northern Ghana.

The 2025 Cultural Oneness Festival is scheduled for December in Tamale and other parts of Northern Ghana, with Harlem’s artists, entrepreneurs, and cultural ambassadors invited to participate in this cross-continental celebration.

Abease, August 21, 2025 – In what has been described as a historic and unprecedented moment, the Omanhene and President of Abease Traditional Council, Obrenpong Kru Takyi II, has successfully resolved a 42-year-old family dispute that has plagued the Pramaso Clan of Abease.

The dispute, which involved the Bosomase and Tutuase families, began in 1983 over the rightful custodianship of the Komfourkrom Odikro Stool. For decades, the matter remained unsettled despite earlier interventions by two former Paramount Chiefs of Abease, Nana Takyi Afari and Nana Kokrokoo Nyumakwa, of blessed memory as well as a mediation ruling by the Bono Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs on 12th May, 1983, which affirmed the Tutuase family as the legitimate custodians of the Odikro Stool of Komfourkrom while assigning the Bosomase family the role of the Bosomase/fetish shrine. Despite the 1983 resolution, the dispute persisted, causing deep divisions within the clan and hampering community development efforts in Komfourkrom.

Addressing both families at a special gathering in Abease on Thursday, August 21, 2025, Obrenpong Kru Takyi II emphasized that his decision was driven by a deep desire to restore peace, unity, and love within the Pramaso Clan.
“A leader does not sit aloof for conflict to destroy his home. This dispute has given me sleepless nights because I know the important role the Pramaso Clan plays in our traditional setup. Komfourkrom is a fast-developing community, but the lack of unity among its elders has held it back. I plead with you to accept my verdict for the sake of peace and the future of your children,” the Omanhene stated.

Delivering his final ruling, Obrenpong Kru Takyi II declared that: The Tutuase family shall henceforth remain the legitimate family for the Komfourkrom Odikro Stool and its Obapanin. A new stool shall be created for the Bosomase family, which will serve the Abease Paramount Stool to ensure lasting peace and unity.
He further cautioned both families not to view the verdict as a victory for one side over the other, but rather as a victory for all of Abease Traditional Area.

In reaction, the Abusuapanin (family head) of the Tutuase family, Mr. Asua Kwame, wholeheartedly accepted the verdict, thanking the Omanhene for his wisdom and fatherly intervention. He extended a hand of reconciliation to the Bosomase family, stressing that they are “one people with a shared heritage.”
On his part, Mr. Kofi Kesse, Abusuapanin of the Bosomase family, also expressed gratitude to the Omanhene, describing the ruling as a long-awaited relief. He assured their Tutuase brothers of their readiness to live in peace, stating, “We are the same people and will continue to live together as one.”

Adding his voice, the Gyasehene of Abease Traditional Council, Nana Kwabena Kru, who hails from the Bosomase family, said the dispute had long divided their people, but the Omanhene’s ruling has finally brought closure. “Today, I will have a sound sleep,” he remarked joyfully, while also commending the Council of Chiefs for their support in bringing a lasting solution to the Pramaso Clan.

The settlement of this long-standing conflict has been hailed by many in Abease as a historic milestone and a true demonstration to Obrenpong Kru Takyi II’s vision of promoting peace, unity, and development in the traditional area.

By: Iddrisu Adam Afuli
Registrar, Abease Traditional Council

A businessman, identified as Haruna, was on Monday shot in the neck by suspected armed robbers on the Damongo-Sor-Buipe road.

The deceased who is of Fulani extraction was allegedly shot en route to Damongo from Buipe where he went to transact business.

The suspects numbering four and purported also to be of the same race, went away with his bag containing unspecified amount of money.

He was rushed to the St. Anne’s hospital in Damongo for medical attention but was pronounced dead on arrival by medics.

Residents, family and close associates of the deceased have since been thrown into a state of shock and grief.

Mortal remains of the victim of the barbaric act has been deposited at the hospital’s morgue awaiting investigation.

The gang of four left his passenger unscathed with many questioning the rational behind their decision.

As at the time of filing this story, concrete reason for the gruesome killing of the deceased remained scanty.

Meanwhile, a statement is yet to be issued on the matter by the police in Damongo.

More Soon.

By – Sir Hamza Apowda
(The Begger’s Voice)
0544402029

Ghana is on the brink, and gradually tiptoeing to the edge of a cliff. The country is collectively defying the dictates of Goal 6 of the SDG’sti ensure clean and portable water for all. Her rivers are being poisoned; forest cover has disappeared without notice; and our future is being mortgaged for quick-blood money.

The fight against galamsey menace is no longer a choice, it is about survival. And this must be national concern to all irrespective of our differences in political persuasions.

On August 6, 2025, a tragedy befell Ghana. We were thrown into a state of mourning. A military helicopter carrying senior government officials and some military men on duty to the launch of a government project dabbed, “Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Program.” Unfortunately, the aircraft crashed in the Ashanti Region, killing all eight on board. This was not just an accident, but a national warning that the galamsey crisis has reached a point where delay is no longer an option.

Galamsey is no longer the deep-pit mining neither is it the once upon a time sand-collection activity from used mining sites for further processing. What started as ordinary digging by villagers has now turned into highly destructive operations backed by powerful financiers in deep, protected forest zones and forbidden riverbeds.

Forests are being devoured at an alarming rate, rivers are poisoned with mercury, and farmlands are being wiped out. Rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra and some parts of the white volta lake, once the pride of our agricultural and ecological communities, are now unsafe for farming, drinking and survival of the wildlife. The health risks are just as serious as a genocide. Mercury exposure damages the brain and nerves, causing deformities in newly born babes, stagnant pits drown unsuspecting victims, and polluted water spreads deadly disease.

The economic cost to the state is unreasonably unbearable. Ghana loses billions of cedis each year through gold smuggling and unpaid taxes. Farmers see their harvests shrink or their lands seized. Even water treatment plants spend far more money just to treat water for domestic use. Galamsey may give short term gains to a few, but it is robbing the nation off its long term wealth and prosperity.

The danger is that this avoidable menace has fast turned into a security threat. Experts warn that extremist groups from the Sahel are eyeing Ghana’s gold trade as a source of funding. In places like Mali and Burkina Faso, these groups already use natural resources to finance insurgents and their activities. If galamsey proceeds fall into their hands, Ghana will not only make do with polluted rivers and destroyed farmlands, but also armed conflict funded on our soil with proceeds from our own natural resources.

Up until now, the state’s response has not measured up. Task forces such as “Operation Vanguard” gave temporary relief but failed to stop the financiers and political actors behind illegal mining from even getting worse in their illegalities. “Community mining” project was poorly supervised and the outcomes are the repeated the mistakes just as galamsey. Alternative livelihood programmes, though well-intentioned, could not compete with the quick profits of mining because they lacked steady markets and reliable income.

His Excellency John Dramani Mahama and his cabinet ought to, as a matter of urgency:

1) Restore trust in enforcement; the fight must target not only those in the pits but also the big men and women who finance this illegality.

2) Repeal L.I. 2462; this regulation, which allows mining in rivers and forest reserves under certain conditions, undermines the government’s own campaign. Its repeal will send a strong signal that no mining is acceptable in such protected areas.

3) Protect the environment with real safeguards; establish strict buffer zones around rivers, demand reclamation bonds from miners, and phase out mercury completely.

4) Provide workable alternatives program; skills training must be linked to guaranteed markets, irrigation projects and food security plans so that young people can earn a steady living without turning back to galamsey.

Above all, the President and the government must be firm and ruthless in this fight. Words and diplomacy will not solve the crisis. The networks that profit from illegal mining must be broken. Transparency must guide every step, with monthly publication of data on prosecutions, illegal sites, and water quality so citizens can see real progress.

In the end, galamsey is no longer just an environmental or economic issue, it is now a question of Ghana’s sovereignty, survival, and security. The August 6 tragedy should not fade into another round of empty speeches. It must be remembered as the point when Ghana chose to act
The most befitting tribute to the lives lost is not ceremonial mourning but decisive reforms, firm enforcement, open accountability, and the immediate repeal of L.I. 2462. Anything less would betray their sacrifice and endanger Ghana’s future.