Good morning. Welcome to a summary of Friday morning's top local and international news stories.

GHS clarifies mandatory Covid vaccination directive

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has moved to clarify the mandatory Covid-19 vaccination directive, following simmering controversy from a section of the public.

Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye, said at a press briefing on Thursday, December 16, 2021 that the effective date for that mandatory vaccinations will be made by the Minister in January next year.

“Persons who are likely to be affected are all health workers who should be vaccinated. All security personnel should be vaccinated, all staff and students from tertiary and secondary schools should be vaccinated, all government workers are affected, and all commercial drivers are affected and to encourage them that’s why we are providing vaccines,” he said.

Manasseh Azure, Suleman Briamah sued for defaming Bishop Dag Heward-Mills

The Church, in its statement of claim, held that Manasseh, an Editor, together with Suleman Braimah, Executive Director of Media Foundation for West Africa, Edwin Appiah, a co-editor and the Media Foundation for West Africa, an entity, had among others, published articles, one, titled "Darkness in A Lighthouse" allegedly seeking to launch a scathing and disparaging attack on the Church and its founder, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills.

Mandatory Covid vaccination: Sammy Gyamfi intensifies opposition, requests info from FDA, GHS and MoH

As part of his personal campaign against the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination, National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, has requested information from the FDA, Ghana Health Service and Ministry of Health under the Right to Information Act.

He wants information on approval status, reported adverse events and conditions of authorisation of COVID-19 vaccines.

He is demanding answers from the FDA on whether the several vaccines being used for the vaccination exercise were approved by Authority.

“Information on whether or not the Food and Drugs Authority has registered or approved the Sputnik V (Gam-COVID- Vac), the Covishield, the COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen (Ad26.COV2.S), the Pfizer BioNTech’s Comirnarty (BNT162B2), Modema’s Spikevax (mRNA 1273) and the Vaxzevira (AZD1222) for use in Ghana, in accordance with section 118 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851),” demanded in a letter to the FDA.

This is how Speaker Bagbin proposes to end 2022 budget impasse

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has brought finality to the ongoing stalemate between the Minority and Majority in Parliament on the 2022 budget, setting three steps to be taken by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

He has proposed to the Finance Minister to submit a revised 2022 Budget for consideration and adoption by the House to end the impasse.

He proposed the following when he returned to the House after a two-week medical review in Dubai:

• The Minister responsible for Finance comes before the House with an amended statement of the Budget with the said modifications and concessions.
• These modifications and concessions will then be adopted by the House and the revised document with the estimates will stand committed to the various Committees of Parliament.

“I am aware the Committees have begun consideration of the estimates. It would thus be their responsibility to reconcile the revised estimates with what they have hitherto considered and submit a report for the consideration of the House,” he stated.

Bagbin accuses Joe Wise of misconduct

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin says the First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu 'might have' indulged in misconduct tantamount to insubordination in his absence.

The Speaker said this in reaction to the decision of the First Deputy Speaker to preside over proceedings to overturn his earlier ruling rejecting the 2022 budget statement.

During proceedings in Parliament on Thursday, December 16, he said “Who am I to say my deputy, the First Deputy Speaker, the Honorable member for Bekwai Constituency, Honorable Joseph Osei Owusu, Joewise, he might have indulged in an act of misconduct tantamount to insubordination?”

Full text: Speaker Alban Bagbin's address to Parliament after returning from medical review

Formal Statement by the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, on the rejection or rescission of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government.

Newspaper headlines: Friday, December 17, 2021

Click here for the front pages of some of Ghana's newspapers today.

DR Congo declares end of latest Ebola outbreak

The latest Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been declared over.

Health Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani made the declaration after 42 days without any new infections,

Six people died out of the 11 people who were infected in this latest outbreak.