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ECOWAS Court Dismisses Shatta Wale’s Discrimination Claim Against Ghanaian Gaming Commission

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ECOWAS Court Dismisses Shatta Wale’s Discrimination Claim Against Ghanaian Gaming Commission

The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has delivered its judgment in Case No. ECW/CCJ/APP/25/24, Charles Nii Armah Mensah v. Republic of Ghana and Gaming Commission, dismissing the discrimination claim brought by the award-winning Ghanaian musician known professionally as Shatta Wale.

The Court on Friday ruled against the Applicant, citing his failure to provide sufficient evidence of differential treatment, lack of proof regarding correspondence with the gaming company in question, and failure to disclose the identity of the gaming company central to the case.

Mr. Charles Nii Armah Mensah, an award-winning musician, recording artist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist known professionally as Shatta Wale, alleged that his right to non-discrimination was violated when he was prevented from securing an endorsement deal with a gaming company in Ghana.

The Applicant claimed that his established social status and professional achievements had earned him recognition and endorsement opportunities for various products and services within and outside Ghana. However, he alleged that a potential endorsement deal was terminated because of Guideline VII of Ghana’s Advertising Guidelines, which prohibits gaming “operators from using celebrities in their advertisements to entice the general public to gamble.”

Mr. Mensah contended that this restriction based on his celebrity status constituted discrimination and violated his rights guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international legal instruments.

The Respondent, the Republic of Ghana, denied the Applicant’s claims and challenged the Court’s competence to determine a case seeking to repeal or revoke national legislation. Ghana requested that the Applicant provide evidence of other celebrities engaged in similar advertisements who received different treatment. The Respondent maintained that no celebrities of the Applicant’s status were permitted to engage in such advertisements in Ghana, and examples cited by the Applicant involved celebrities engaged by other countries with different legal frameworks.

In its judgment, the Court observed that:
The Applicant failed to provide proof of any correspondence or oral evidence of interaction with the unidentified gaming company, or of any order from the Respondent to the gaming company to discontinue discussions with the Applicant.

The Applicant did not present credible evidence demonstrating different treatment of other celebrities engaged in similar advertisements that would amount to discrimination.

The Court was being asked to grant relief with implications for a critical but unidentified third party (the gaming company), which contradicts the rules of admissibility of the Court.

The Court, in its ruling, declared it has jurisdiction over the application and the application admissible but dismissed the case in its entirety as lacking merit.

The judgment was rendered by a panel comprising: Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves (Presiding Judge),
Hon. Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma (Member), Hon. Justice Dupe Atoki (Member and Judge Rapporteur)

ECOWAS Court Dismisses Shatta Wale’s Discrimination Claim Against Ghanaian Gaming Commission

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We Share in Your Loss: Senator Oluremi Tinubu Visits Adamawa State Over Flood Disaster, Donates ₦500 Million, Food Items, and Launches Entrepreneur Support Fund

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We Share in Your Loss: Senator Oluremi Tinubu Visits Adamawa State Over Flood Disaster, Donates ₦500 Million, Food Items, and Launches Entrepreneur Support Fund

By: Our Reporter

The flood disaster which occurred in Sabon Pegi, Shagari Phase 2, Lakare, and other settlements in Yola South affected one hundred and eighty thousand (180,000) households and claimed twenty-nine (29) lives. Sources of livelihood were also destroyed by the disaster.

First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, disclosed that the loss suffered by the people of Adamawa State is shared by the nation.

Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Nana Shettima, who visited Yola, the Adamawa State capital, to sympathize with Governor Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Fintiri, the Government, and the people of Adamawa, she offered her deepest condolences over the tragedy.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu said:

“I pray that Almighty God comforts the bereaved families, heals the injured, and strengthens all those affected. May God grant eternal rest to the souls of the departed.”

The First Lady added:

“I wish to announce that the Governing Council of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) has approved the donation of ₦500 million to flood victims in the state to help them rebuild and heal. We are also donating 100 bales of Ankara fabrics.”

In addition to this support during the flood relief effort, the RHI Women Economic Empowerment Programme, in conjunction with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, is distributing ₦50,000 each to fifty thousand (50,000) women entrepreneurs in Adamawa, as well as in the other thirty-six (36) states, to help recapitalize their businesses.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, represented by the Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa George Farauta, expressed gratitude to the First Lady and the Renewed Hope Initiative for the generous assistance, which she said had given the state confidence in overcoming the challenges caused by the flood disaster. The Deputy Governor stated that the quick intervention of the Adamawa State Government had cushioned the effect on affected communities and that, with this donation from RHI, the healing process would be fast-tracked.

Food items under the Social Investment Scheme of RHI were presented to the Government of Adamawa State for distribution. The RHI Food Outreach Programme, which addresses the immediate needs of beneficiaries, mostly persons living with disabilities, is aimed at ensuring that the vulnerable have access to nutritious food and that their dignity is preserved.

Dr. Ubon Udoh of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), one of the industrialists supporting the programme, said they share the same ideology with RHI of giving succour to the less privileged, hence their partnership.

We Share in Your Loss: Senator Oluremi Tinubu Visits Adamawa State Over Flood Disaster, Donates ₦500 Million, Food Items, and Launches Entrepreneur Support Fund

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Two farmers killed, others injured in Gombe–Bauchi border attack

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Two farmers killed, others injured in Gombe–Bauchi border attack

By: Zagazola Makama

Two farmers have been killed and two others injured following an attack by suspected armed men at Luse-Janje bush, located within the Bauchi State grazing reserve, police in Gombe have confirmed.

Sources confirmed the attack to Zagazola noting that the incident occurred on Monday, Aug. 4. around 3:10 p.m.

The sources said four farmers, Ali Jauro, 50, Isah Garba, and two others, all of the same address, were cultivating their farmland when about 20 armed men surrounded and attacked them with machetes, bows and arrows, and sticks.

“Ali Jauro and Isah Garba sustained multiple cuts to the head and were later confirmed dead, while the other two sustained varying degrees of injuries,” the sources said.

The victims were rushed to the Primary Health Centre in Malala, and the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the public mortuary.

The surviving victims named Adamu Sankace, Adamu Maidawa, and one Oshe all of Garin Alhaji Wada village via Darazo LGA, Bauchi State as being among the attackers.

Efforts are ongoing to trace and apprehend the suspects by the authorities.#

Two farmers killed, others injured in Gombe–Bauchi border attack

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Six injured as troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA repel bandit attack in Katsina

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Six injured as troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA repel bandit attack in Katsina

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA, in collaboration with the police, vigilantes and Community Watch Corps (C-Watch), repelled a bandit attack on Tashar Gemu and Unguwar Gambo villages in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The attack occurred at about 7:30 p.m. on Monday. During the confrontation, six residents sustained varying degrees of injuries, while one later died at the hospital, police authorities said.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the hoodlums, who invaded the villages in large numbers, were engaged in a fierce gun battle by a combined team of security operatives under Operation FANSAN YANMA.

He said the assailants were subdued and forced to retreat into the surrounding bush.

“The injured victims include Sani Umar, Shamsu Isah, Usman Rabiu, Adamu Amadu, and Isah Abdullahi, the sources said.

“All six victims were rushed to the General Hospital in Malumfashi for medical attention, where Sani Umar was later confirmed dead by a medical doctor.” He added

He said security patrols have been intensified in the area to forestall further attacks and to apprehend the fleeing assailants.

Six injured as troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA repel bandit attack in Katsina

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