This week’s JoyNews File had key topics which trended during the week and it included issues surrounding the controversial Comprehensive Sexuality Education which has been resisted by many in the country.
The issue of the yet to be introduced Comprehensive Sexuality in Ghanaian schools have also generated a nationwide outcry as many stakeholders have cautioned government to reject the guideline document.
Although Education Minister, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has indicated that the government has not approved the CSE document for use by teachers in basic schools, his earlier submissions of same in the beginning of the year contradicts his claims.
The effects of the deportation of Aisha Huang, known by Ghanaians as Galamsey Queen was delved into by the panelists.
The Chinese national, on December 18, 2018, was deported via an Ethiopian Airways flight after government said she had been living in Ghana with forged travel documents.
Ms. Huang who was described as "untouchable" on some media platforms, was charged with undertaking small-scale mining operations, contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, (Act 703).
She was also charged with providing mine support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, contrary to Section 59 and 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act; and also charged with illegal employment of foreign nationals (in breach of section 24 of the Immigration Act and regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations).
Her deportation meant the state discontinued the trial against her.
Justifying why the state had to deport the Chinese national, the Senior Minister, addressing some concerns of Ghanaians in the diaspora at a town hall meeting on April 18, 2019, revealed that, “Putting [Aisha Huang] in jail in Ghana is not going to solve your money problem. It is not going to make you happy or me happy.”
But fast forward to September 20, 2019, president Nana Akufo-Addo, contradicting what his minister said, has confessed his government's decision to deport Miss Huang was a mistake.
Host of Newsfile Samson Anyenini Lardi empanels Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Malik Kweku Baako, Vice-Chair of the Communications Committee of Parliament, Andrew Mercer, Lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe as well as the convener of the Media Coalition against Galamsey Ken Ashigbey on the issues.
Watch a playback of the discussion on JoyNews here:
