TIG Post

Author: Abigail Ampofo

  • Nigeria’s headline inflation accelerates to 18.60% in June

    Nigeria’s inflation rate has continued to soar, accelerating to 18.60% in June according to the latest Consumer Price Index report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

    According to the CPI report which was seen by Business Insider Africa, the inflation rate increased by 1.82% month-on-month, jumping past the 17.71% that was reported in May.

    “In June 2022, the inflation rate increased to 18.60 percent on a year-on-year basis. This is 0.84 percent points higher compared to the rate recorded in June 2021, which is 17.75 percent. This means that the headline inflation rate increased in the month of June 2022 when compared to the same month in the previous year (i.e., June 2021). Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yielded the Headline index,” said a part of the report.

    The report further revealed that food inflation accelerated to 20.6% in June 2022 from 19.5% in May 2022. The jump was due mainly to increases in the prices of different staples and essential food items.

    “The composite food index rose to 20.60 percent in June 2022 on a year-on-year basis; the rate of changes in average price level declined by 1.23 percent compared to 21.83 percent in June 2021. The rate of changes in food prices compared to the same period last year was higher due to higher foods prices volatility caused by COVID 19. This rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of Bread and cereals, Food products Potatoes, yam, and other tubers, Meat, Fish, Oil and fat, and Wine.”

    Urban inflation also rose to 19.09% in June, marking a 0.74% increase when compared to 18.35% that was recorded in June 2021. Similarly, rural inflation rose to 18.13% in June, marking a 0.97% increase compared to 17.16% recorded in June 2021.

    Like most African countries, Nigeria has been grappling with an inflation problem that keeps getting worse, exacerbated by many unfavorable internal and external factors. Some of these factors include the ongoing war in Ukraine and the forex crisis. Earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that these factors are pushing many African countries to the brink of economic collapse.

    Source: africabusinessinsider.com

  • How Mahama dealt with inadequate textbooks in basic schools

    Formal education builds competitive approach and gives unique experiences which boost the confidence of children and expand their circle of knowledge. There are a few billionaires like Bill Gates, Ritesh Agarwal, and Gautam Adani who achieved success without having a college degree, but education played a crucial role in laying the foundation for their success.

    The basic knowledge and experiences gained are what allowed the wider picture to emerge in their later life. It is against this background that President John Dramani Mahama saw the need to invest in the development of children at the basic level of education in Ghana.

    In 2013, the Mahama-led government distributed 12.5 million English, Mathematics, and Science textbooks to public basic schools. This enabled Ghana to exceed the universal textbook-pupil ratio of three textbooks for one pupil.

    By the time President John Dramani Mahama was leaving office, Ghana’s textbook-to-pupil ratio stood at 4:1 (four textbooks for one pupil.) Before this achievement, three pupils used to share one textbook.

    Besides, 1,437,500 readers, 6,900 teaching manuals, and 9,200 teaching guides were distributed to facilitate teaching and learning.

    Aside this, President Mahama made many other unprecedented interventions to improve basic education in the country.

    For instance, about two million pupils were supplied with free school uniforms from 2010 to 2016.

    Also, a total of 854,040 BECE candidates benefited from the payment of BECE subsidies.

    The total coverage of the School Feeding Programme was increased from 441,189 children to 1,693,000 children. It was fully funded by the Government of Ghana after the Dutch Government withdrew its funding.

    To improve ICT education, 60,000 free laptops were distributed to Basic School pupils in all the then ten regions, under the Basic School Computerization Program. Furthermore, 50,000 basic school teachers across the country benefited
    from ICT training.

    To further consolidate these gains and offer more opportunities for Ghanaian school children, the following interventions were made:

    Ten thousand free locally produced school sandals were distributed to pupils in selected deprived districts.

    Under the unequaled Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) Resit Policy, one thousand, one hundred and eighty-one (1,181) candidates had the chance to resit their BECE as private candidates in February 2015. These were persons who, but for this golden opportunity would have had their education terminated at the Junior High School level.

    Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8 of the Bible said: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think of these things.”

    In a similar vein, I want you to think of the above-mentioned achievements of President Mahama at the basic level of education in Ghana: whether they are true; whether they are honest; whether they are just; whether they are praiseworthy, and whether they are of good report.

    Source: ghanaweb.com

  • Charles Osei Asibey elected as Vice President of World Armwrestling Federation

    Ghana Armwrestling President, Charles Osei Asibey, has become Vice President of the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), a first by any Ghanaian in sports administration, after being elected President of the Armwrestling Federation of Africa (AFA) in Lagos, Nigeria.

    He overwhelmingly beat his contender, Samuel Jackson, President of Nigeria Armwrestling Federation at his home grounds by a whopping 73 percent of total votes.

    The elective congress was conducted and supervised by the Secretary General of the World Armwrestling Federation, Mircea Simionescu Simicel at the Media Center of the National Stadium in Surelere, Lagos.

    The WAF scribe congratulated Charles Osei Asibey and the delegates for a peaceful election and urged all parties to come together and work for the development and growth of the sport on the continent.

    President Charles Osei Asibey during his inaugural speech thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and assured them of his commitment to the growth of the sport.

    He seized the opportunity to invite all present to be part of the Africa Championship to be hosted in Ghana next year as well as the Africa Games also to be hosted by Ghana in 2023.

    He pledged to promote, encourage participation, seek funding, create competitions, and make arm wrestling the Sport of choice in Africa.

    He also said he would embark on the promotion and development of arm wrestling by engaging the media, training the trainers, encouraging participation at all levels, and building the capacity of athletes across Africa.

    “I pledge to serve Africa Armwrestling with dedication, selflessness, sponsorships, bridging the continental gap and enhancing the sporting brand with quality whilst working with the people and for the people,” he said.

    Charles Osei Asibey is a broadcast journalist with almost 30yrs years of working experience in the industry having worked with Radio Gold, Groove FM now Adom FM, Peace FM, Happy FM, Radio 360, and Asempa FM having contributed writing for Graphic Sports, Ghanaweb and other online portals.

    Currently, the founder and President of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation, he doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of Legaci101 Limited, a sports marketing, and event company, United Media Consult, a PR and Media Management company, and 3C Ventures Ltd, a company responsible for General Services.

    Charles is the General Secretary of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana, former Communications Director of the Ghana Olympic Committee, and has served on the board of several sports Federations.

    Source: ghanaweb.com

  • Chief builds TVET centre to train youth

    In a bid to promote Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and make the youth employable at Akwasiso, a mining community in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region, the chief of the area has built a multi-purpose vocational center to train at least 100 females in various trades and save them from indulging in social vices.

    For a start, the chief, Nana Kwakye Gyimah Yeboah II, has recruited 41 females, mainly school dropouts and young mothers to undergo training in hairdressing and dressmaking.

    The facility is also to serve as a practical training center for TVET students within the catchment area to build their capacities with employable skills.

    Plans are also afoot to introduce some male-dominated programs including plumbing to engage some male youth.

    Subsequently, a mining firm, Asanko Gold, has lent a helping hand with the provision of industrial sewing machines, tabletop sewing machines, hair driers, and accessories valued at hundreds of Ghana cedis.

    Already the company has built similar facilities at Manso Nkran and Bontefufuo in the Amansie South and West districts of the region respectively training about 500 youth.

    Stakeholder engagement and external relations of Asanko, Jerry John Dua, said the training of the youth was to make them competitive in getting employment in the mines.

    He said the chief’s initiative tied into the vision and policy of the mines in reducing unemployment in its catchment areas.

    The chief, Nana Yeboah II, called for more collaboration between the mine and the communities to duplicate such facilities to save the youth in indulging in unacceptable behaviors.

    He said 61 females initially applied to be trained but only 41 showed up to begin the first phase with the hope of achieving its targets in the coming years.

    Source: graphiconline.com

  • You can eat cassava or yam grown at gold mining sites; metal content of soil pose low risk

    There have been concerns over the consumption of root tubers like cassava, yam, and cocoyam found at gold mining sites.

    This is because many believe heavy metals have the potential to be harmful to human health.

    But news from scientists at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in the Chemistry Department has allayed such fears.

    In a study published in 2022 in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, root tubers were found to be safe for consumption as the scientists concluded the metals posed less risk.

    The presence of metal contaminants in agricultural soils and subsequent uptake by food crops can pose serious human health risks.

    In this study, the scientists assessed the levels of toxic metals like arsenic, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, and zinc in soils and some edible root tuber crops from two gold mining and two non-mining communities in Ghana to evaluate the potential human health risks associated with exposure to these metals.

    They sought to evaluate the potential human health risks associated with exposure to these metals.

    The concentrations of the metals in 154 soil and edible root tuber samples were then analyzed. The scientists found the levels of the metals were generally higher in the gold mining communities than in the non-mining communities.

    The contamination indices indicated low to moderate contamination of the soil and food crops. Bio accessibility for the metals varied from 1.7% (Fe) to 62.3 (Mn),” lead scientist. Prof. Godfred Darko said.

    They however concluded the levels of metals in the root tubers posed a low risk to humans.

    “Overall, the risks posed by the metals upon consumption of the tubers were low,” he emphasized.

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • GNPC kicks off Saltpond field decommissioning project

    The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has officially commenced the decommissioning of the Mr. Louie Platform in the Saltpond Oil Field which is estimated to last 12 months.

    Being the first decommissioning project of its kind in Ghana, GNPC, the lead contractor, as well as other relevant stakeholders, have demonstrated their readiness to work hand-in-hand to ensure the success of the project.

    Having obtained the majority of the statutory approvals and key permits, GNPC will provide both financial and technical support to fully execute the year-long project.

    Oil field

    The Mr. Louie Platform (commissioned in 1970) has reached the end of its operational life and is deteriorating.

    GNPC has, therefore, engaged Hans & Co. Limited [a wholly Ghanaian- owned Company] to lead a consortium of industry experts in undertaking the project on a turnkey basis.

    The release noted that the project would be supported by a project management consultancy firm to ensure that all aspects of the decommissioning, including well plugging and abandonment, and topside removal, are performed with strict adherence to Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental (HSSE) protocol.

    Ensuring marine ecosystem

    In a release, the Chief Executive Officer of the GNPC, Opoku-Ahweneeh Danquah said the decommissioning of the first oil platform in Ghana was necessary to ensure that the marine ecosystem around the Saltpond area was returned to its pre-license condition.

    With several oil and gas platforms expected to be decommissioned in the future, he said the GNPC personnel would gain additional hands-on technical capabilities by collaborating with other experienced industry experts during this exercise.

    The CEO further noted that the field decommissioning process was preceded by pre-planning and a feasibility study that was endorsed by the Ministry of Energy.

    “While we continue to work to meet all the technical and safety requirements, the corporation is also enhancing its social license to operate by continuously holding stakeholder and community engagements in coastal communities where the project is taking place.

    “This is to sensitize fisherfolk about the importance and the need to observe safety measures and stay away from the restricted zone. We have also supported the traditional authorities to perform all the necessary customary rites for the project to kick off,” he stated in the release.

    Mr. Danquah expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum Commission, Ghana Maritime Authority, National Security, Environmental Protection Agency, and other key stakeholders whose representatives were present at the kick-off for their support in ensuring that the project took off successfully.

    Source: graphic online

  • Fees and Charges Bill, 2022 passed

    Parliament has passed the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2022, which seeks to regularize the fees being charged by some public service institutions.

    The bill is also expected to review existing fees, impose new ones and provide for an annual adjustment of fees and charges levied by ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in line with prevailing economic conditions.

    Among other things, it will also establish a single schedule of all fees and charges for the delivery of goods and services rendered by the MDAs to the public.

    This forms part of the revenue measures outlined in the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government for the 2022 financial year.

    The proposed adjustments of some of the fees and charges are expected to contribute significantly to meeting the revenue targets outlined in the budget for the 2022 fiscal year.

    Background

    In 2018, Parliament passed the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2018 (Act 983) which transferred the authority to determine fees and charges under an enactment to the minister responsible for finance.

    Act 983 also mandates MDAs to conduct an annual review of the administrative efficiency of collection, the accuracy of past estimates, and the relevance of fees and charges to current economic conditions.

    Additionally, the Public Financial Management Regulation, 2019(L.I 2378) directs a Principal Spending Officer responsible for collecting various types of fees and charges to conduct an annual review of the administrative efficiency of past estimates and the relevance of rates, fees, and charges and submit proposals through the minister responsible for finance to Parliament for approval.

    The two enactments, therefore, mandate MDAs to adjust regular basis fees and charges collected for the delivery of goods and services to the public to keep pace with the current economic trends.

    This new bill is to ensure a regular review of the fees and charges levied by the MDA, avoid a steep increase arising from long periods without review, bridge the growing gap between the cost of service delivery and approved fees and simplify the process for review of fees and charges to a single submission to Parliament as part of the annual budget.

    Observation

    Per a report submitted on the bill, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Kwaku Kwarteng, said the committee noted during its deliberations that a number of government agencies and institutions responsible for the collection of non-tax revenues on behalf of the government failed to lodge revenues collected in gross in contravention of Section 46 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).

    The report said many of the subvented agencies either retained part or paid the entire revenues collected directly into their operational accounts from which disbursements were made.

    “Again, some institutions also collect revenues on the table or over the counter after which it is lodged into their operational accounts and disbursed directly in contravention of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016. The committee noted with concern that the practice does not give the Minister of Finance a complete or comprehensive view of the total revenue (non-tax) generated by all state agencies in each fiscal year,” he said.

    Additionally, the practice could expose public funds to abuse and embezzlement by collecting officers, the committee observed.

    “The committee, therefore, recommends that the Ministry of Finance should take immediate steps to ensure that all institutions captured in the Second Schedule of the bill collect their revenues through a designated commercial bank or through the Ghana.gov platform from which the funds collected are transferred in gross into the respective holding accounts at Bank of Ghana,” the report said.

    Source: Graphic online