Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman dies

The film and theatre world is mourning the death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman at his home in New York. He was 46.

His body was found after a friend called emergency services. Police say he apparently died of a drug overdose.
Many fellow actors have been paying tribute to him.
Hoffmann made his name in the 1990s in films including Boogie Nights and the Big Lebowski, before winning the best actor Oscar for his 2005 portrayal of writer Truman Capote.
'Extraordinary talent'

Kevin Costner and John Hurt are among those who have paid tribute

Throughout his career Hoffman featured in independent films as well as Hollywood blockbusters such as Mission Impossible III.
His latest role was in the Hunger Games series of films.
Hoffman's family called his death "tragic and sudden".
"We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Phil and appreciate the outpouring of love and support we have received from everyone," they said in a statement on Sunday.
British actor John Hurt, who starred alongside Hoffman in the 2003 drama Owning Mahowny, said the news had hit him "very hard".
                               

Tom Hanks said: "This is a horrible day for those who worked ‎with Philip. He was a giant talent. Our hearts are open for his family."

"Dear Philip, a beautiful beautiful soul," tweeted actor Jim Carrey.
"For the most sensitive among us the noise can be too much. Bless your heart."
As well as films, he also starred in Broadway plays and was nominated for two Tony Awards.

Who chairs NPP for 2016?

In all the primaries leading to the national delegates conference of the New Patriotic Party on March 1, 2014, one can predict that the position of the national chairman of the party would be fiercely contested.

With barely 29 days to the close to 6,000-delegate conference, the sheer weight of such an array of formidable ensemble of party heavyweights contesting the national chairmanship is a clear signal that the party intends to leave nothing to chance come the 2016 elections.

The political anxiety within the NPP surged to the fore on Wednesday, when five prominent members of the party picked their nomination forms to contest the national chairmanship position of the party on their own strength and merit.

They are incumbent National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, first National Vice Chairman, Mr Fred Oware, a former first National  Vice Chairman of the party, Mr Stephen Ntim, Mr Paul Afoko and Prof. Mike Oquaye Snr, all high profile members of the party.

Battle lines

With the battle lines drawn for the national chairmanship contest, all the aspirants have intensified their campaigns to win the hearts and minds of delegates who would decide who heads the NPP national secretariat.

The aspirants, in separate chats with the Daily Graphic, all pledged not to lend themselves to any perceived faction and are determined to work hard to help the NPP to annex political power in 2016.

Nevertheless, while the aspirants have played down the issue of factions or alliance within the party and insisted on competing on their own accord, political pundits have linked many of the aspirants to one or another faction in the party.

Aspirants

Mr Obetsebi Lamptey is trumpeting his track record and experience within the politics of the NPP. Among other things, he is also drawing his strength from the vital role he played during the eight-months of the 2012 election petition trial at the Supreme Court.

The NPP incumbent chairman, the 2012 presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his running mate Dr Mahamadu Bawumia were the three petitioners in the Supreme Court seeking the annulment of 3,931,339 votes cast in 10,119 polling stations across the country because of what they termed gross and widespread irregularities of over-voting, persons voting without undergoing biometric verification, some presiding officers not signing pink sheets (statement of poll and declaration of results form for the office of President) and some pink sheets having duplicate serial numbers.

Mr Paul Afoko, who is deeply rooted in party traditions and has attained a high profile party status from northern Ghana, told the Daily Graphic that he was an independent-minded person who would work in the total interest of the party.

Many political watchers have argued that it was time the NPP kept faith with members from the northern part of the country who aspired to contest national offices. That, they believed, would give the party a new image and brand.

In their view, Mr Afoko represented such a fresh change and breather if given the chance to chair the party.

Mr Afoko said the party needed rebranding to correct the perception by its political opponents that it was as an elitist and ethnic-based party. Such rebranding,if done well, will woo more members to wrest power from the ruling National Democratic Congress in the 2016 general election.

Mr Afoko, an oil magnate, real estate developer and farmer, said he would initiate a “New Plan for Power” architecture by introducing systems and far-reaching structures to invigorate the party.

He pledged to close the gap between the party and its rank and forge partnership with all, especially through structures that broadened the political space for easy engagement.

According to Mr Oware, his key objective was to bring to the leadership of the party unique abilities to pull everyone to the centre.

That, he explained, would mean strengthening, energising and resourcing the entire party structure, particularly at the constituency and polling-station levels to function effectively.

For the past four years, the first vice national chairman said he had actively raised resources and logistics for the party, having travelled to every corner of the country pursuing the party’s interest.

“The experience and contacts made in the electoral industry is too valuable to allow them to go to waste,” he told the Daily Graphic.

On what he was bringing to bear on the fortunes of the party, Mr Oware declared, “I bring to NPP a pair of safe, matured and experienced hands that everyone can trust. I am open and shall give access and hearing to the grass roots but would continue to be firm in the interest of the party.”

Mr Ntim, who contested the National chairmanship in 2005 and lost to Mr Peter Mac Manu, is a dye-in-the-wool NPP member. He also pointed out his requisite experience to steer the affairs of the party to win power in 2016.

He noted that the forthcoming elections was an intra-party contest, and that when it was over, all the contestants would have to come together to work in tandem to ensure victory for the party in the 2016 elections.

Mr Ntim said he would also strive to ensure that the politics of insult was eradicated within the party, and work with leaders of the other political parties in an effort to stamp out that culture of insult in the  body politic of the country.

Mr Ntim, a system engineer, said the hallmark of his administration would be the infusion of technology such as Internet  into the activities of the party to prevent any underhand technological manoeuvres from any quarters that could potentially affect their chances of winning the 2016 elections.

With Prof. Ocquaye, an astute NPP politician and former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, enriching the lineup at the last minute, an exciting contest is anticipated.

Road Map

Already, the party has rolled out a road map for party elections which would be climaxed with the election of the party’s presidential candidate for the 2016 election later this year.

The party opened nominations on Monday, January 27, 2014 for persons interested in contesting the positions.

Forty-six members of the party picked nomination forms at the close of nomination on January 29, 2014.

Positions being contested

The 10 positions up for grabs at the national level include the national chairman, first, second and third national vice chairpersons, general secretary, national organiser, national women’s organiser, national treasurer, national youth organiser and Nasara co-ordinator.

From  February 7 to 10, all the aspirants are expected to file their nomination forms for vetting to take place from February 12 and 13.

March 1, 2014, will be the election day in all the 10 regions of Ghana.

Other national executive members would be appointed to complement the work of the elected national officers in a strategic way to prosecute the party’s political agenda.

The party successfully conducted its polling station, constituency and regional elections on Saturday, January, 25, 2014.

Electoral College

The close to 6000 delegates list for the national elections include all the party’s parliamentarians, all national executive committee members, all constituency executive Committee members, 15 members of Council of Elders, 12 delegates from external branches,members of National Council, one TESCON representative each from recognised tertiary institutions,and all living founder members of the party.

11-Year-old installed chief linguist

An 11-year-old primary four pupil of Adomanu Roman Catholic Primary School has been installed chief linguist at a well-attended ceremony at Adansi Adomanu in the Adansi-North District of Ashanti.

His stool name is Nana Akyina Kwarteng II.

Known in private life as Yaw Kwarteng by his parents and Christian Adjapong by his schoolmates, the new chief  linguist succeeded  Nana Takyi,  who was installed at  the  age of  14 but passed on a year ago after  serving  for  38 years  as  Adomanuhene’s  chief   linguist.

It  was  a memorable occasion at  the  Adomanu  palace  as a large  crowd, made up  of chiefs, old men and women and schoolchildren, witnessed  the  teenager swearing the  oath of  allegiance to the Adomanuhene, Nana  Asirifi Asare II.

Nana Asirifi  Asare  advised  the  new  chief linguist  to take  keen interest in his education,  as  well as  his “ new position  as chief linguist”.

The Adomanuhene stressed that “at  your tender  age,  you should  not  take  pride  in  your  traditional  position  to the  neglect of your academic pursuit”.

Nana Asirifi Asare gave  the fullest  assurance  that Nananom  would  join  hands with  his parents  to sponsor  his education to the height  that he wanted to reach.

He,  however, warned Nana Akyina Kwarteng II  not to be following  any sub chief  to a function of which he  was not aware because “you are my chief linguist  and not to any sub chief”.

Nana Akyina Kwarteng II in a short message thanked the traditional leaders for the honour done him and pledged to serve the chiefs and people with devotion.

‘Miracle’ borehole water sells at Ghc10/gallon

Hundreds of people from all walks of life are trooping to Adomfe, a small town in the Asante Akyem South District in the Ashanti Region, to fetch water from a borehole which is believed to heal all manner of illnesses.

They are not perturbed by any cost – be it money, distance or long queues for hours and days – to fetch the water for their personal use and for their relatives and friends, far and near.

One gallon (popularly called Kufuor gallon) of the borehole water is being sold for GH¢10 to visitors and GH¢1 to community members.

And when the Daily Graphic visited Adomfe last Friday, a day reserved for visitors to fetch the water, there were long queues of people carrying gallons.

The atmosphere was one of mixed feeling, with people who were fortunate to fetch the water wearing smiles on their faces, while anxiety was written on the faces of those yet to have their turn.

News about the healing potency of the Adomfe borehole water has even gone beyond the shores of Ghana, as some Ghanaians living abroad call their relations back home to go fetch the water for their ailing relatives.

Some residents of Adomfe are said to be doing brisk business, fetching and selling the borehole water to visitors.

The Daily Graphic learnt that some pastors had visited the borehole site, while other prominent people had also sent emissaries to fetch the water for them.

Testimony
The only proof of the healing power of the borehole water lies in the testimonies of people who have used it.

“This water is very good. I have used some already and it’s good; that is why I’ve come for more,” an elderly woman told the Daily Graphic, as she carried a gallon of the borehole water on her head with broad smiles on her face.

Madam Yaa Fosu Hemaa was waiting patiently for her turn to fetch the water after joining the queue for more than five hours before the visit of the Daily Graphic.

“I have an ear problem and after putting some of the water into my ear, I felt an improvement in my condition. So I’ve come to fetch more of the water,” she said.

In another instance, a man was said to have testified that his wife could not take seed again nine years after giving birth to their only child, but after drinking the borehole water, she had become pregnant.

The power of these testimonies had lured Madam Akua Comfort from Ohene Nkwanta at Konongo-Odumase to Adomfe with a ‘Kufuor gallon’ to fetch the water for her ailing mother who is stricken with waist pain and swollen legs.

“I have a heart problem and so I’ll also drink some of the water,” she added.

However, one woman the Daily Graphic spoke to in town was not enthused about the borehole water because after drinking it, she said “I did not see anything.”

Background
The borehole was sunk in September 2008, but, according to Mr Wilberforce Obeng Anane, popularly called WO Anane, the people abandoned it for five years.

That was because they did not find the water suitable for cooking and, when they used it for washing and bathing, the soap did not lather.

He said he later learnt that the borehole water was hard water, hence the inability of soap to lather when the water was used for bathing and washing.

Mr Anane, who is the Financial Secretary of the Water and Sanitation Committee at Adomfe, said having read about hard water from the science notes of his nephew in junior high school and also done further research into it, he discovered the health benefits of the water and started proclaiming same to the people.

He said following the promotion of the water, some people tried it and immediately many of them started giving testimonies of its healing potency against diabetes, heart diseases, abnormal menstrual cycle and other sicknesses.

What is hard water?
According to scientists, water is considered to be hard when it has relatively high levels of calcium and magnesium and other metals.

Water is referred to as hard because it requires more soap for a good lather, making it harder to clean with than soft water, which, unlike hard water, contains few of calcium and magnesium and other metal cations.

Scientists say hard water is not harmful to human health. Rather, it has many health benefits when compared to soft water because calcium and magnesium are considered essential nutrients required in diet to maintain healthy body functions.

“Calcium is a critical component of bone, and has many positive effects on the body, as well as the prevention of serious life-threatening and painful ailments like osteoporosis, kidney stones, hypertension, stroke, obesity  and coronary artery disease,” according to information from a website on chemistry: http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu.

“Magnesium also has positive health effects because inadequate amounts of magnesium in the body increase the risks for health problems, such as hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, coronary heart disease, and diabetes mellitus.

“Studies done on the health effects of hard and soft water have shown that people who drink greater amounts of soft water have much higher incidences of heart disease, as well as higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels and faster heart rates, than those who drink mostly hard water,” it added.

Scramble for Adomfe hard water
The source of hard water at Adomfe is believed to be rocks beneath the ground on which the borehole was sunk.

In view of the high patronage, the managers of the boreholes have scheduled days on which visitors and community members are allowed to fetch the water.

The borehole is opened to visitors on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, while the community members are given access on the remaining days – Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Upon arrival, one has to register and wait for his or her turn to be served according to the numbering on the registration list in an orderly arrangement supervised by Mr Anane.

However, Mr Anane gives room for what he termed as “consideration” to people with special needs, such as the aged and the sick, who are served earlier than their position on the registration list.

Some of the community members complained that whereas they were restricted to the number of gallons with which they could fetch the water, visitors were allowed to fetch as many as they could.

Business
Meanwhile, some community members are cashing in on the situation by fetching the water at a low cost of GH¢1 and selling it to visitors at GH¢10.

But there are concerns about dubious business practices, as some people allegedly mix the borehole water with tap water for sale to unsuspecting visitors.

The Gyaasehene of Adomfe, Nana Boakye Yiadom, advised visitors to endeavour to fetch the water from the borehole in order not to fall prey to such fraudsters.

He appealed to the government to support the community with a big water tank in order to ensure that people, especially those who travelled long distances to the place, could fetch the water in good time.

Commercial drivers plying routes from Adomfe to Konongo and other surrounding towns are also making brisk business, given the increased human traffic to and from Adomfe.

Komla Dumor’s body arrives home today

The body of Komla Afeke Dumor, who passed away in London on January 18  2014, will arrive in Ghana on Monday February 3, 2014, the family has stated.

Komla’s body will be formally received by the Paramount Chief of Aflao Traditional Area, Togbe Amenya Fiti V, a delegation of chiefs from Aflao where Komla is a youth development chief, clergy from the Roman Catholic Church, as well as members of Komla’s family.

A statement signed by the Dumor family spokesperson, Esther Cobbah, however, indicates that "arrangements to enable the public be part of this return home of the body of Komla Dumor will be announced in due course."

Also, media houses hoping to cover the arrival of the body of the ace broadcaster would have to secure accreditation by visiting www.komla-dumor.com or calling 0303 932 383, for further instructions.

A funeral service was held  for the BBC TV presenter and former host of Joy FM's Super Morning Show by the BBC in London.

The service was held at London’s St Martin-in-the-field Church, Trafalgar Square on Saturday February 1.

The service was attended by family, friends and colleagues of the late broadcaster.

Chief Executive of Multimedia Group Limited, Kwasi Twum, was represented by the Chief Operating Officer of MultiTV, Klaus Von Backustein, at the service.

A foundation has been set up to honour the legacy Komla Dumor by his family.

The 'Komla Dumor Memorial Foundation' is aimed at sustaining the legacy of the "Boss Player" by pursuing plans he had for promoting the ideals that he stood and worked for.

The foundation will also seek to promote excellence in journalism, with particular emphasis on broadcast journalism, and initiate programmes for the development of African youth as well as the education of children, including his own three children, the statement said.