Premier League side, Nottingham Forest are showing a late ‘interest’ in forward Andre Ayew.
The Ghana skipper is currently a free agent after leaving Qatari side, Al Sadd. He and the Qatari side agreed to terminate his contract on mutual consent, with the official announcement made on Sunday, January 29.
Andre made the move to Al Sadd from Swansea City back in 2021.
Ayew featured 29 times for Al Sadd since joining them in 2021, scoring 18 goals and providing two assists.
During his stay in Qatar, the Ghana international also won two trophies with the club, the Qatar Stars League at the end of the 2021/22 season and the Emir of Qatar Cup in 2021.
The 33-year-old veteran has bags of experience in the top flight having previously carried out spells at West Ham United and the Welsh outfit, and there’s a chance that he could be staging a comeback, with five clubs now firmly in the race for his signature.
With the transfer window set to end tonight, multiple reports in the UK suggest that the 2009 U-20 World Cup will head to Nottingham Forest.
He has also been linked to Everton and Southampton.
Andre Ayew has previously worked with Steve Cooper at Swansea City.
Ghana Premier League, Hearts of Oak have completed the signing of Cameroonian forward, Diego Albert Eonde
Diego has been one of the most sought-after wingers in the Zimbabwean elite league and scored 12 goals in 17 games for his club, Platinum FC.
The 24-year-old penned a three-and-a-half-year deal with the Phobians.
Diego is expected to hit the ground running with the Phobians hoping to clinch this season’s Premier League title having exited the FA Cup already after losing to Dreams FC in Accra.
Hearts of Oak meanwhile, will face Legon Cities in the matchday 15 games on Wednesday.
According to the Auditor General’s Report, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) did not follow its monthly payment schedule, which contributed to the outstanding debt as of December 31, 2022.
Meanwhile, at PAC’s Public hearing, Mr Kofi Dzamesi, the Chief Executive Officer, Bui Power Authority, said efforts were being made to recover the money.
“I think that what the auditors say is very true, and we are taking steps to ensure that ECG pays us. But it’s becoming very difficult,” he said.
Mr Dzamesi told the Committee that he was happy with how Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy, asked the Ministry of Finance to go to the Ministry’s aid when the need arose.
“So, we will continue this negotiation and with the support of our minister, I think we will be able to handle this matter. But it’s a problem,” he said.
Members of PAC, therefore, recommended to the Finance Ministry to ensure that ECG settled its debt to Bui and the Volta River Authority.
The representatives of the player and officials of Great Olympics have been in talks since last week over a possible move.
Today, Great Olympics have confirmed that a deal has been reached to secure the services of Jindo Morishita.
The club has hence officially unveiled the forward in a short post on its social media.
Jindo Morishita, 27, in the past played for Ghanaian outfit Ebusua Dwarfs. He was part of the squad of the team that suffered relegation from the Ghana Premier League in 2019.
Jindo Morishita is excited after joining Great Olympics and is keen to help the team.
She stormed Snapchat and Instagram with a long post highlighting her grief and some videos of them together.
Identified as Ayanle Husein, a young Muslim,Fantana disclosed that they had been dating for a long time.
In her post, she also emphasized how inseparable they were despite their religious differences.
Unclear what led to his demise, a ‘heartbroken’Fantana‘s post read;
“Ayanle Hussein, my love. I can’t believe they took you away from me. My angel on earth, I am so broken. I cried and cried. I love you so much. You made me a better person; you thought me so much and believed in me. I’m sorry they did this to you. we loved each other so much. From day one, we were inseparable.
“I’m going to miss praying with you on FaceTime, whiles you taught me about the Quran and I taught you about the Bible. I am going to miss your advice and how you never let me give up but always want me to be better,” parts of her post read.
She also disclosed their many plans that will be left unfulfilled.
“We had so many plans. I was going to make you move to Potomac just so you could support me when I audition In the Real Housewives of Potomac. You supported everything I do even If It doesn’t make sense,” she stated.
However, until his demise, the ‘And so what’ crooner had kept her partner away from the limelight.
Lack of educational facilities remains a challenge in many part of the country.
On January 24, 2023, eight students who were among 20 students crossing one part of the Volta Lake to another in order to get to school drowned.
School children in Tapa Abotoase and its surrounding communities in the Biakoye District also risk their lives daily by crossing the river to access education in the bigger communities.
This is due to the lack of schools in some of the communities. The situation becomes risky because of the unavailability of a bridge across the river.
School children are on daily basis packed in the canoes like sardines because according to them, they are not supposed to pay for the canoe.
This sometimes makes the canoe capsize due to the large number of children that are loaded on board to save cost and time for the boat owners.
Many school children have lost their lives due to the practice of overcrowding on the canoes and boats used in transporting the school children, a situation which has put a lot of pressure on the parents of the children and some concerned citizens in the area.
The school children wish that the situation is changed by the authorities in order to help them have easy access to education without having to always risk their lives by crossing the river on daily basis.
The school children who have high hopes and ambitions of becoming responsible adults in the future, have appealed to the government to help construct at least a bridge across the river and also construct schools in the various communities to help them become great leaders.
“We also want to become responsible and great leaders in the future and we can only do this by having access to good education in a sound environment, but right now, we are hapless as we always have to cross this river to school,“ a student lamented.
A philanthropist, Mr Vincent Kaledzi who has over the years given help to the residents through his foundation, Xornametor Foundation noted that there is an urgent need for the government to be swift in addressing the situation in the area.
Mr Vincent Kaledzi with a stool name, Torgbui Xornametor lamented how the children have to endure harsh conditions in crossing the river, thereby always risking their lives in pursuit of quality education.
Mr Kaledzi wants the situation to be addressed urgently to improve education in the area.
“There is the urgent need for government to consider paying more attention to the educational needs of the people in these deprived communities,” Mr Vincent Kaledzi said.
Parents and residents in the area lamented having to watch their children go to school in an overcrowded canoe every day, a situation they say is alarming and they fear losing their children as has happened to other parents in the past.
The residents want action from the appropriate authorities as soon as possible to avoid more calamities in the communities and also avoid children becoming dropouts in the most populated fishing communities.
The Assemblyman for the area, David Kotoka bemoaned how many lives have been lost as a result of the crossing, especially without life jackets and congestion on the canoe.
David Kotoka noted that there were many times the residents called him to help rescue people from drowning and the most terrifying one is when they have to remove bodies drowned in the river – a situation which has been a big worry to them.
He has however appealed to the authorities to do something about the situation.
The Biakoye District Chief Executive, Millicent Kabuki Carboo in an interview reiterated government’s commitment to making sure that the educational needs of the people are met.
Millicent Kabuki Carboo said something is being done about the situation.
North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has made a passionate request to the government to end the protocol system in the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
Mr Ablakwa’s call comes in reaction to The Fourth Estate documentary, “School placement for Sale”, which chronicled how some individuals sold the school placement slot to some category ‘A’ schools for as much as GHC20,000.
In an interview on JoyNews’ AM Show on Tuesday, the legislator said, the only sure way to deal with the problem is to abolish the protocol system.
According to him, there is no need for such a system, adding that placement into Senior High Schools should be merit-based.
“There is absolutely no reason that this should happen. When we [NDC] were at the Ministry, we announced no protocol and Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman was very passionate about it.
“When you create protocol systems that is where it leads to. We must abolish protocol and let everything be based on merit. Remove the window for human interface. We say we are doing a computerised system, so let it be computerised.
But explaining the need for such a system on GTV’s Breakfast show on Monday, the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum said for the past years, there has been a special protocol in the school selection placement system for key stakeholders like chiefs, churches and old students who contribute to the development of the various secondary schools and in some cases, founders of the schools.
He stressed, however, that the Ministry will not accept any thing that would undermine the protocol aspect of the school placement system.
“The Church- Presbyterian Church, how do I tell the Moderator that the School that you founded and continue to fund and provide resources, and you want five or 10 students to go there I won’t allow you?
“So it is a system that we came to inherit. Unfortunately, people are using dubious means to get access to something that has been set aside for these key supporters of education in the country, it has to be stopped and that is why I embrace the documentary,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry says measures have been put in place to prevent fraud in the school placement system as it warns parents and guardians against aiding the fraudsters.
Afia Schwarzenegger’s contempt case has finally been adjudicated! The court sat on the case today, January 31st 2023 to settle the case.
Afia Schwarzenegger has been fined GHC 60,000 for contempt of court.
As part of the judgement, she has been banned from social media for 2 good years!
She is supposed to stay off social media after settling her GHC 60,000 fine.
According to reports, Afia is currently in police custody as she is yet to pay the GHC 60,000.
Mr Chairman Wontumi sued Afia Schwarzenegger for contempt of court months ago after she dragged him on live TV.
Afia chose to roast Chairman Wontumi on the United Showbiz program as she discussed their romantic relationship with host, Nana Ama McBrown and other panellists including A Plus, Mr Logic, Arnold Asamoah and others.
Unhappy Chairman Wontumi dragged Afia Schwarzenegger, McBrown, Mr Logic and A-Plus to court for contempt as the case was already in court.
McBrown, A Plus and Mr Logic were all fined GHC 60, 000 each but Afia Schwarzenegger was sentenced as she missed court proceedings.
Her jail sentence was revoked after she publicly apologised to the court.
Finally, the case is settled; she has been fined GHC60,000 and banned from social media for 2 years
Former Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, is predicting chaos ahead of Parliament’s first sitting this year. His prediction follows the reshuffle of NDC leadership in Parliament.
He said that the military and police must be deployed to Parliament on February 7, 2023, when the House resumes its sittings.
According to him, it is likely there will be chaos in the House because of the change in the leadership of the minority caucus.
Speaking in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Obiri Boahen added that there might be chaos because some of the leaders who have changed have not indicated that they are stepping down and their supporters are running riot.
“… soldiers must be sent to Parliament when the House resumes on the 7th. The number of police and soldiers sent there should be like deployment for a war… Supporters of Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka are very adamant that they are still the leaders of the minority and are determined to cause trouble if there are attempts to replace them.
“Something is going to happen when parliament resumes on the 7th (of February). Because the supporters of Haruna Iddrisu will not agree for someone else to be in his chair and Ato Forson is also determined to take the position of majority leader.
“I not happy about this… but some African politicians learn history but don’t learn from the lessons of history. The Swedru declaration led to the NDC losing power and the NPP coming to power. And this reshuffle done by the NDC will either make or break them,” he said in Twi.
Meanwhile, the National Executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is expected to meet the party’s Members of Parliament (MPs) on the appointment of their new leadership, on Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
According to the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Kwetey, the executives will be meeting with the minority caucus to explain their decision, after which a confirmation of the new parliamentary leadership will be made.
The change in the leadership of the minority caucus of Parliament has led to some confusion in the NDC, with some members of the party, including some Members of Parliament, saying that the party’s parliamentarians should have been consulted before the move.
The NDC leadership has appointed the former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, as the minority leader in the 8th Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic. He replaced the MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu.
According to the NDC, Kofi Armah Buah, MP for Ellembele, will take over as the Deputy Minority Leader.
While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu, will replace Asawase MP Muntaka Mohammed as the Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Whip.
Some MPs of the party have petitioned its National Executive Committee (NEC) to suspend the appointment of the new leadership of the party in Parliament.
The NDC MPs, including Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka (MP for Asawase), Dominic Ayine (MP for Bolgatanga East), and Cletus Avoka (MP for Zebilla), who are calling for the suspension, argue that the appointment was not made by any of the party’s decision-making structures but was imposed by just a few people.
Contrary to claims that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is divided following the reshuffle of its Leadership in Parliament, National Chairman for the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, says the party is united.
According to him, the reactions being seen as a result of the reshuffle are normal and should be expected after any change, citinewsroom.com reports.
He added that the majority of NDC faithful have accepted the change in the party’s parliamentary leadership.
“The NDC is not fragmented at all; it’s still a very united party. The truth about every decision is that every change comes along with new gainers, so you will definitely have some reactions.
“But the change has been welcomed by the majority of NDC members across the country, I guess even here [UK]. The reshuffle has brought some new excitement on the front of NDC,” Asiedu Nketiah is quoted to have said while addressing NDC supporters in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The national chairman also explained that the party’s change in parliamentary leadership was long overdue.
“This leadership ought to have been reshuffled around March 2021. I explained to Ghanaians that, because of our court case, we didn’t feel like proceeding with that work. And I indicated clearly that it was a work in progress and that somewhere along the line, we will come out to indicate to Ghanaians who our next leadership will be.
“And so I’m surprised that people were surprised about the move. In fact, we were running late for the changes,” he added
The change in the leadership of the minority caucus of Parliament has led to some confusion in the NDC, with some members of the party, including some Members of Parliament, saying that the party’s parliamentarians should have been consulted before the move.
The NDC leadership has appointed the former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, as the minority leader in the 8th Parliament of Ghana’s Fourth Republic. He replaced the MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu.
According to the NDC, Kofi Armah Buah, MP for Ellembele, will take over as the Deputy Minority Leader.
While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu, will replace Asawase MP Muntaka Mohammed as the Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First Deputy Minority Whip, while Comfort Doyo Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is the Second Deputy Minority Whip.
Some MPs of the party have petitioned its National Executive Committee (NEC) to suspend the appointment of the new leadership of the party in Parliament.
The NDC MPs, including Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka (MP for Asawase), Dominic Ayine (MP for Bolgatanga East), and Cletus Avoka (MP for Zebilla), who are calling for the suspension, argue that the appointment was not made by any of the party’s decision-making structures but was imposed by just a few people.
An estimated US$ 8.3 million in monthly revenue is lost through corrupt practices at the country’s seaports.
This sum amounts to almost US$ 50 million every six months and US$ 100 million each year, according to Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. The losses, he said, are due in part to deception by some importers who, with the aid of some rogue officials, deliberately and wrongly declare the contents of imported containers.
“In an attempt to lessen corruption at the various ports, the country initiated a port paperless system (PPS) in 2017 that allows for a transparent clearing system,” he said.
He however said there remains a lot to be done to attain a fully corruption-free port.
“There is therefore a compelling need for maritime sector stakeholders across the continent to formalise actions to combat bribery and corruption, by collaborating and encouraging all stakeholders in the ship/shore interface to ensure compliance with national and international laws prohibiting corruption,” Dr Bawumia advised.
Dr Bawumia said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe, at a Regional Maritime Stakeholders’ Workshop in Accra.
With Port Tema controlling 70 percent of the country’s seaborne trade and Takoradi Port handling the export of minerals mainly from mines situated in the Western part of the country, Dr Bawumia maintains that challenges such as bureaucracy and delays in clearing goods have been minimised through the PPS
Meanwhile, maritime stakeholders have expressed concern that the inability to fully tackle corruption at the various ports could have far-reaching consequences which would be detrimental to shipping operations within the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tom Norring, disclosed that Denmark has been assisting countries in the sub-region to build a robust, corruption-free shipping industry.
“Denmark has always been a strong player in the maritime sector globally and in the West African region. We have always encouraged transparency in the sector, as Denmark is a country that frowns on corruption. The Danish maritime industry is known for its efficiency, and we have helped to replicate some of its technologies in the region,” he said.
Ambassador Norring said the African Continental Free Trade Area presents a historic opportunity to boost intra-African trade through the maritime industry, and thus further reap the sector’s benefits.
The Regional Maritime Stakeholder Workshop on Global Good Practice in Vessel Clearance was organised by the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network; Convention of Business Integrity-Nigeria; the Danish government and the Ghana Maritime Authority.
Founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party, Akua Donkor, has disclosed that she has entered a covenant with God to deal with former president John Dramani Mahama.
According to Akua Donkor, she enthusiastically supported the former president during the 2012 general elections, but afterwards, the latter colluded with the then-electoral commissioner, Madam Charlotte Osei to crush her goal of becoming president of the country in the 2016 elections.
Speaking in an interview with Rainbow Radio, Akua Donkor stated that until after her death, the former president who is also aspiring to be the NDC’s flagbearer for the 2024 elections will never hold office as president in the country again due to the terms and nature of her covenant with God.
”I went into a covenant with God never to peddle falsehood, so whatever I am saying here today represents nothing but the truth. I prayed and asked God to deal with him (Mahama) for taking me through such pain.
“I supported his campaign in 2012 and helped him win power, but in 2016, he instructed the EC to disqualify me. I then prayed and asked God to deal with him. That prayer worked, and that was why he lost. He will not win the 2024 polls. As long as I am alive, Mahama will never be elected President.”
The Ghana Association of Bankers and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana met with the Council at its first meeting, which was held on January 25, 2023.
The purpose of the conference was to assist the Council in providing the appropriate recommendations to the authorities regarding actions to lessen the effect of these financial difficulties on bondholders.
This has been necessitated by the urgency and importance of the Government Domestic Debt Exchange programme for a successful conclusion of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In a statement issued on January 27, 2023, the Council assured the public that, in line with its maill continuously engage relevant institutions and groups and make recommendations to the authorities.
These engagements were held to bring the Council to terms with the realities so as to make better and informed recommendations to the appropriate authorities. The exemption of pension funds from the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme was an outcome of such meetings held.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shahab Mahboubian, an orthopedic surgeon in his 40s who specializes in limb-lengthening surgeries at his private practice, Height Lengthening, in Burbank, California. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I love what I do. I see my height-lengthening patients as my kids, and I get to watch them grow. After surgery, some of them are actually taller than me — I’m 5-foot-9 — putting them above the national average.
I grew up in LA and got my medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. Then I spent six years in New York doing my residency at Long Island’s Peninsula Hospital and completing my limb-lengthening fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery. I’ve been practicing for 13 years, including two years at my current office in Burbank, California.
As a child, I loved working with my hands and was always taking things apart and putting them back together
I especially enjoyed working with tools like screwdrivers, hammers, and drills, but the human body especially fascinated me. The only field in medicine that uses all of these tools is orthopedic surgery, so it seemed like the right fit.
I specialized in limb-lengthening surgery specifically because I wanted to do something that was different from everybody else. I also wanted to help a portion of the population that didn’t have access to services that correct deformities and limb-length discrepancies. It’s a difficult field to get into because orthopedic-surgery programs are very competitive, and there aren’t many fellowships or training facilities for limb lengthening, but I found the challenge very gratifying.
In the beginning of my career, I mostly focused on surgeries that correct deformities from prior traumas or birth
Kids sometimes get hurt and end up with leg-length discrepancies. Others are born with leg-length discrepancies or bow-legged and knock-kneed deformities. I had a young lady who came to me with a knock-kneed deformity when she was 16 years old. Seven or eight years later, she came back with her own child who was having orthopedic problems after a car accident. It was very memorable to treat her as a child then have her come back to make sure her own child was OK — fortunately, she was.
Surgery helps patients with these deformities or injuries walk better and participate more fully in activities like sports, but my practice has since evolved. Now the people who reach out to me seem more interested in cosmetic limb-lengthening — or leg surgery to increase height — so that’s the direction that my practice has taken, though I still see a small percentage of patients to correct deformities.
The idea of being taller fascinates people
I get about 20 emails a day asking about limb-lengthening procedures and up to 40 when one of our posts goes viral on TikTok or Instagram. The general population believes that whatever height you grow to is your final height, but that’s not the case — a lengthening procedure provides an opportunity to become taller.
People mostly ask the price of the surgery, how soon they can return to work or get back to playing sports, and how long they’ll be in a wheelchair or using a walker. They want to know how the procedure will affect their lives. We also get some international patients who ask us how to get a visa if they come from elsewhere. We can’t do that for them, but we try to guide them on where to go.
The surgery is quite expensive — it can cost anywhere from $75,000 to $90,000, depending on exactly what the patient wants to do — and insurance does not cover it if it’s cosmetic. People that undergo limb-lengthening surgery are from all walks of life, and many used COVID lockdowns to recover post-surgery.
For the most part, it’s men who want the procedure
Most men who come to me complain that they’re not taken seriously or that they’re made fun of. Plenty of patients say that they don’t get attention from women, while others say they’ve been passed over for career opportunities because of their height.
When I talk to these same patients after height-lengthening surgery, they feel like they’re on the same playing field with everyone else. They’re happier, they have a lot more confidence, and they feel like they’re able to conquer a lot more than before.
I would say 80% to 85% of my cosmetic limb-lengthening patients are men, and 15% to 20% are women. A lot of our patients are entrepreneurs, in the military, or work in tech. I’ve performed height-lengthening surgery on individuals ranging from 16 to 65 years old. I’ve had twins, siblings, and even a father and son who’ve undergone the procedure.
All of them are unique in their own ways. Some have gained as little as four centimeters, while others have gained up to 16 centimeters, or about six inches.
I’ve had a few transgender men as patients
As they transition, some patients want to have more masculine features, including being taller.
One of my patients was very hesitant to tell me about their transition — I guess because of bad experiences they’d had with other physicians for things they wanted to do, including gender-affirmation surgery. I figured it out, based on anatomy and X-rays, and told them the best thing to do is be honest. Once I gained their trust and let them know that their experience is nothing abnormal, they felt a lot more comfortable with me.
Like most other cosmetic surgeries, I don’t think an additional psychiatric evaluation is necessary before getting the procedure, unless the patient is seeing a psychiatrist or feels they need one.
I turn away some people, either because they don’t have enough muscle flexibility or because they have unrealistic goals
As we lengthen the bone, the surrounding soft tissue, such as the muscles, tendons, veins, arteries, and nerves, will also lengthen. Hence, the more flexibility a person has, the easier it will be to lengthen the bone against the surrounding soft tissues. As long as a person is healthy and active, and doesn’t have any bone disease, they should be fit for the surgery.
There are some people who want to be a foot taller and I’m like, “That’s not going to happen.” The maximum amount I can add to someone’s height for cosmetic reasons is about 6 inches in two separate surgeries at least three or four weeks apart. For most patients undergoing one surgery, the max we can add is just over three inches.
We do the surgery through a minimally invasive process
We make small incisions, and then we put in guidewires and use X-rays to make sure everything is being placed accurately on the bone. Then we surgically cut the bone and put a rod — also known as a Precice nail — that’s about 10 to 13 inches long and one-third to half-an-inch wide into the middle of the bone, where the marrow is. Then we put in screws to stabilize the nail.
After surgery, we start the lengthening process using a magnetic machine that communicates with the nail, or rod, that’s now inside the bone. The machine turns tiny gears that are inside the nail to lengthen the space between the segments of the bone, 1 millimeter at a time. When we lengthen really slowly over time, the patient’s body creates new bone and it fills in the gaps. It’s amazing, right?
All my patients leave one millimeter taller because we test the nail during surgery to make sure it’s functioning properly. A patient will typically spend two to three days in the hospital to recover, then lengthen their legs at home by about 1 millimeter a day. It’s actually fairly painless because it’s such a small amount at a time.
If a patient’s job requires them to sit for long periods of time, they can get back to work as soon as two weeks. It takes anywhere from six to eight months to a year to do activities that require being on your feet, such as labor-intensive work and competitive sports.
My caseload was on the higher end during 2020. Now, it’s about the same as it was in 2019.
In a year, I do anywhere from 30 to 40 cases. When everyone was dealing with COVID-19 at home and not doing things, it was a good time to have the surgery and recover.
An orthopedic surgeon can make $250,000 to $2 million a year. Some make more than that, but it really depends on how business-minded you are and what other things — like investing or getting involved with orthopedic products — you’re doing outside of seeing patients.
Doctors in all specialties are not making what they did 20 years ago. Insurance reimbursements keep getting lower every year as expenses get higher. It’s a challenge for everybody. You’ve got to be smart and have some business sense to make a good living.
Every day that I wake up and go to work, I feel like it’s a new opportunity for me to do good and help people.
When a patient comes in for a limb-lengthening consultation, I talk to them about why they want to get it done
We discuss whether their goals are achievable and which surgery would be best for them — either working on the femur bones in the high parts of the legs or the tibias and fibulas in the lower part of the legs. Then I make the proper measurements for the implants and make sure the patient’s fully ready for their surgery.
Before surgery, I meet the patient at the hospital, say hello, then get them pumped up and ready to go for the procedures. Before surgery, one of my favorite traditions is to play the song “Ten Feet Tall” by Afrojack on my phone as we’re walking to the OR suite. It always gets them pumped up for their surgery.
Though I’ve done limb-lengthening surgeries hundreds of times, I still get a little nervous. But when I actually start the surgery, all of that goes away.
Every job has its stresses, and mine is no different
There are times when we run into some difficulty, such as blood clots or compartment syndrome, which is when a patient bleeds a lot into the muscle. This problem can damage muscles and nearby nerves. I’ve also had a couple of patients who didn’t grow good bone during their lengthening, but after making several adjustments to the lengthening rate — and even using stem cells — we were able to help the bone grow nice and strong.
As an orthopedic surgeon, I’m constantly dealing with patients who come into the office upset and in pain, and my job is to make them feel better. I’m like their coach or cheerleader when they’re down on themselves. People talk about this surgery so much — it’s all over social media and forums. After I do these surgeries, I want my patients to be happy and encourage others to trust me and get good results.
When cosmetic surgeries started to gain popularity, people criticized it. The same is true for height-lengthening procedures.
There will always be people who have their opinions about changing what God has given us. But as more people realize that this surgery exists and as it becomes more popular, the level of criticism will decrease. There are colleagues who may bad-mouth you, but as long as they do good work, doctors, for the most part, have respect for one another.
In general, people see you for how you treat them, but you can’t make everybody happy. There will always be people who have complications or continue to have pain despite a perfect surgery. So you have to be able to relate to patients as well as peers.
It’s definitely not easy to do what I do. I have my own practice with my own staff, and sometimes it’s very difficult to balance patient care and business aspects. But as I get older and become more experienced, I think I’m able to handle those stresses better. In the end, you have to treat people with respect and always maintain open lines of communication.
Are you a surgeon or healthcare worker with a story to tell? Email mlogan@insider.com.
Barcelona have a last minute signing up their sleeve. The Catalans have gone against the clock to sign LA Galaxy right-back Julian Araujo. The Catalans are hoping to persuade the MLS outfit before the transfer window comes to a close.
Last minute surprise in the transfer window. ‘Relevo’ reports that Barcelona are working against the clock to get Mexican player Julian Araujo on loan on the final day of the transfer window.
Barcelona have been monitoring the LA Galaxy right-back, who he has a contract with until 2025. But it is not until know when the Catalans have gone after the 21 year-old Mexican international.
According to the cited media outlet, Barca are working against the clock to persuade the MLS side to loan out Julian Araujo with an option to buy.
Although the young defender would join the club as a B team player, he would automatically be available for Xavi Hernandez, who could count on him at any moment to give him his first debut whenever he wants.
With such an attractive offer ahead of him and the possibility of playing for Barca at the Camp Nou, the young Mexican full-back, whose progression is spectacular at the MLS, is reportedly very happy to move to European football and join one of the best clubs on the planet.
Araujo, as a professional footballer, has only played in the USA. He came through the LA Galaxy academy and broke into the first team in the 2018-19 season at the age of just 8. Since then, he has played 109 competitive matches, he has scored two goals and provided 14 assists.
So far this season in the MLS, the Mexico international has played a total of 40 competitive matches, 35 of them as a starter and these are his best stats throughout his career as a professional. That has led to clubs across the world showing interest in his signing.
“According to the 1992 Constitution of Ghana international financial transactions require the approval of Parliament,” he stated at a public forum in London, adding “it does not matter that the Gold for Oil deal is a batter trade.”
Speaking in response to a question at the forum, attended by members of the UK & Ireland Chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), President Mahama cited the Sinohydro agreement that exchanges the country’s bauxite for infrastructure development by China as a classic example of batter trade.
The former President noted that the deal is currently shrouded in complete secrecy with only government officials who are involved in the transaction knowing the details, describing the development as unacceptable.
“There is a complete lack of transparency about the transaction, and that is one of the major problems with this government. They hide everything and do as they please”, he noted.
Mr. Mahama believes with parliamentary scrutiny, Ghanaians will have value for money in the gold for oil deal and also know the beneficial owners behind the transaction.
Ghana Premier League side, Medeama SC could be banned by the world football governing body, FIFA if the club refuses to comply with a directive to pay up what it owes to former striker Amed Toure.
This is after the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber ordered the Tarkwa-based club to pay GHS101,500 to the Ivorian striker.
The amount is the player’s outstanding remuneration and also compensation for breach of contract.
Medeama SC in 2021 parted ways with the former Asante Kotoko striker after he spent a short stay in Tarkwa.
Following the latest order from the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber, Medeama has the next 45 days to pay the aforementioned amount or face a transfer ban.
The decision by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber has been duly communicated to Medeama SC with the club now considering its options at the table.
Sources have reported that the club will pay the money to avoid the transfer ban.
Ghanaian socialite Afia Schwarzenegger has been asked by the Tema High Court to pay GH¢60,000 instead of a jail sentence, during her contempt case hearing today, January 31, 2023.
In an exclusive interview with Maurice Ampaw, Charman Wontumi’s lawyer, he disclosed that her sentence also includes being barred from social media banter for two years, GhanaWeb can confirm.
She is being held by the Tema High Court at the moment, and the court has ordered that she be freed after the full amount of the assigned funds has been paid.
As earlier reported by GhanaWeb, Afia was charged with contempt of court in her case involving famous Ghanaian politician, Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi.
Although she was sentenced to a 10-day prison for contempt of court back in 2022, she did not serve.
Her lawyers on December 20, 2022, moved a motion on notice for a variation of the sentence.
The Tema High Court will on Tuesday, January 17, render a verdict that will determine her fate.
Meanwhile, Afia has shared an emotional post in remembrance of her late father who passed away last year at the age of 83.
“Dada, it’s been a year you left me. Am I doing good…Naaa just existing,” she stated in her IG post on January 17, 2023.
In an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s morning program “Kokrokoo,” Mr. Senyo Hosi emphasized the utter failure of the President’s “Planting for Food and Jobs” policy, which was intended to boost the agricultural industry.
“After all these years, show me one agriculture sector that has been well-structured. It’s zero,” he exclaimed.
“How much irrigated fields do we have? Have we invested in our irrigated fields to march our needs as a country? But when you look at the billions we have spent on this Planting for Food and Jobs which we can’t see any particular thing that’s sustaining the industry. I think that it’s a failed project. It’s a totally failed project.”
Mr. Senyo Hosi asked the government to concentrate more of her efforts on improving the agric sector which he believes is the country’s engine of progress.
“We have the capacity to progressively grow and then eventually fully supply Ghana. It’s possible for us to feed our own self,” he stated.
Popular Ghanaian YouTuber, Kwadwo Sheldon, has unilaterally ended his feud with dancehall musician, Shatta Wale.
Earlier on Twitter, Shatta called for the arrest of Kwadwo Sheldon after what started as a banter, turned into a heated exchange on the social media platform.
The dancehall artiste premised his ‘call for arrest’ on what he described as the persistent insults and disrespect being hurled at him by the content creator.
“… you still have guts to talk to me anyhow you want,” he wrote in one of his rants.
Shatta, who has alleged being cyberbullied by Kwadwo Sheldon, took to Twitter to draw the police’s attention.
He also vowed to take the law into his own hands If Sheldon’s disrespect persists.
“Ghana police what this boy is doing on the internet is called cyberbullying and if you pretend not to see this one too then I will beat him properly so I can be arrested
“GHANA POLICE KWADZO SHELDON IS DISTURBING MY PEACE … AYOOO.”
But Kwadwo Sheldon after repeated fightbacks responded to Shatta’s rants and has vowed never to associate himself with anything that has got to do with him.
Sheldon established that it is the last time he will ever create content off the dancehall artiste.
“And this is the last time I Dey say or create any content about him! I’m done! Enough of this nonsense! I’m out,” his tweet read.
Background
Kwadwo Sheldon and Shatta Wale’s fight started during the Meek Mill-Jubilee house saga.
Sheldon lambasted Shatta Wale for describing all who criticized Meek Mill and the president as villagers.
Kwadwo Sheldon has since ‘picked on’ Shatta the least chance he gets and he often tackles the dancehall artiste on his YouTube channel where he monetizes the content.
Groups of secondhand dealers that rely on the importation of goods into the nation for their livelihood have largely opposed the proposal. They also claim that the choice will have an effect on the livelihoods of around 20,000 persons involved in the value chain of used electrical appliances.
However, according to a statement from the Energy Commission, the prohibition is necessary to save Ghana from turning into a landfill for old and subpar equipment.
“The ban is to protect the environment and safeguard the health of citizens from air pollution caused by increased power generation and to protect the consumer from purchasing unsuitable appliances and the payment of unnecessarily high electricity bills,” a statement issued by the Commission said.
Meanwhile, some of the products banned from importation and sale by the Energy Commission include Television sets, Rice cookers, and washing machines among others.
See the full list of items prohibited from importation and sale below:
Nigerian hit record producer Pheelz, born Phillip Kayode Moses, has openly asked Ghanaian Reggae/Dancehall superstar Shatta Wale for a collaboration.
Pheelz, in his request, expressed the belief that a collaboration with Shatta Wale will be a hit.
Monday, January 30, 2023, Jay Foley, the lead presenter on 3Music’s Culture Daily TV programme disclosed Pheelz’s desire via a video tweeted on his handle; @jayfoley2131.
“Yo, Shatta, link up, link up,” Pheelz said, captured looking into Jay’s selfie camera. “We have to make a hit.”
The 3Music Culture Daily team erupted in applause.
“I feel like Shatta Wale and I can create some damage in this country,” Pheelz said in another video from the interview shared by Shatta Wale on his Twitter timeline. “I feel like I can create a vibe with Shatta Wale that will bang.” He kept knocking his left palm with his right fist.
The ‘On God’ hitmaker captioned the video with the exclamation: “Can’t music be beautiful like this in Ghana!!! Aaaaawwwww!!! [blue and red heart emojis].”
Tagging Pheelz’s handle, he nodded to his request saying: “Bro, let’s do this [fire emojis]. It’s an African [thing].” He concluded with some fire, Nigeria and Ghana flag emojis.
In 2022, Pheelz scored two viral hits: the international ‘Finesse’ featuring Bnxn and ‘Electricity’ featuring Davido.
His first offering in 2023, is a solo piece titled ‘Stand By You’.
It is reported Pheelz has production credit on the ‘Missionary’ joint album by American Hiphop legends Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg.
According to the GRA, a number of taxpayers have failed to file their returns through the authority’s certified invoicing system thus dwindling the revenue collection for the state.
Speaking ahead of an exercise to arrest business owners who have defaulted in the payments of their VAT, the Commissioner of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) of the authority Edward Appenteng Gyamerah said they will continually embark on such swoops to ensure that companies do the needful.
Ghana captain Andre Ayew has emerged as a transfer target for five English Premier League clubs, according to Footballghana.
Andre Ayew is currently a free agent after terminating his contract with Qatari champions Al Sadd on Sunday.
It is said some European clubs have made contact with Andre Ayew in a bid to secure his services before transfer deadline day.
UK tabloid, 90min reports that five Premier League clubs are interested in Ayew as they seek to strengthen their squad before the closure of the January window.
Ayew is said to be on the radar of West Ham United, Bournemouth, Southampton, Everton and Nottingham Forest
The Ghana international is set to make a return to the Premier League if he manages to seal a move with the aforementioned clubs.
Ayew has already had stints in the Premier League, featuring for Swansea City and West Ham United.
The Ghanaian attacker scored 21 goals in 89 appearances in the English top-flight.
According to him, many items that people consider to be assets are actually liabilities, and this situation needs to change.
He defined an asset simply as “everything that gives you money, whereas a liability is anything that takes your money.”
He added, “If you buy something that doesn’t generate profit to you, then it’s a burden not an asset,” during a counseling session with registered couples for the impending 2023 Happy FM Mass Wedding. You should use caution while making purchases since if they result in a profit, they constitute an asset.
Citing an example, he mentioned that if he buys an expensive phone and it’s doesn’t give him anything in return, it’s a liability but if he’s a photographer or one learning or working with the phone, it becomes an asset because he’s making gains from using it.
“We need to know the distinction between both and know how to use them accordingly. As individuals, I believe you need to get to the stage where your assets outweigh your liability because whether we like it or not, you’ll come across liabilities but try and make sure your asset is more than that,” he charged.
The investment consultant added that it is advisable to also consider where you are and find out which asset you are comfortable with and can build for yourself.
The deceased, Shadrach Arloo, is the brother of popular gospel musician, Perpetual Didier, who spoke on Adom FM about his brother’s demise.
The incident is reported to have occurred on Monday, January 30, 2023.
Narrating the harrowing incident on Adom FM, Perpetual said her brother was expected to travel to Germany today Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
According to her, the deceased had gone to the mall to buy some items he was expected to carry along with him to his host sister in Germany.
Upon getting to the West Hill Mall, however, the police officer stationed there demanded to search the bag containing the money, eyewitness accounts have suggested.
Shadrach, according to the accounts, refused to allow the officer to search him thereby resulting in a scuffle during which the police officer reportedly shocked him with a taser to incapacitate him.
Shadrach was said to have died from the shock and the brutalities suffered.
According to Perpetual Didier, the case has been reported at Kasoa SCC Police station while the body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue.
She added that the family will leave no stone unturned in demanding justice for the late
The Bank of Ghana (BoG) noted in its first Summary of Economic Financial Data of the year, which was released following the 110th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, that while some indicators, such as total assets, credit, and interest incomes, increased last year compared to the year before, others, such as profitability and Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR), decreased.
The data showed that the total assets of the industry increased throughout the year, reaching GH¢200billion at the end of June and peaking with GH¢249.9billion and GH¢250.6billion in October and November respectively.
Its total investments also contracted by 4.8 percent to GH¢79.2billion in December 2022, compared to 29 percent annual growth in 2021.
“This is due to banks rebalancing asset portfolios in response to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme,” said central bank Governor Dr Ernest Addison at a press briefing following the MPC meeting.
He added that the sector is broadly reflective of the current macroeconomic conditions, with the rising cost of credit due to inflationary pressures and revaluation-driven balance sheet performance.
Unsurprisingly, banks’ profitability levels took a nosedive – attributed to mark-to-market losses on investments, higher impairments on loans and rising operating costs. Post-tax profit stood at GH¢3.9billion at the end of December 2022, a contraction of 18.9 percent year-on-year compared to 12.3 percent growth in 2021.
Another area of obvious stress was seen in CAR for the industry, which declined to 16.6 percent in December 2022 but remained above the prudential regulatory minimum of 13 percent. The sector’s profitability indicators, such as return on equity and return-on-assets, also declined.
Also, post-tax profit stood at GH¢3.9billion at the end of December 2022, a contraction of 18.9 percent year-on-year compared to 12.3 percent growth in 2021.
On the positive side, the non-performing loans (NPLs) ratio improved to 14.8 percent in December 2022 compared to 15.2 percent in December 2021.
This improvement, the Governor explains, is attributable to high credit growth relative to the increased stock of NPLs.
Total deposits meanwhile reached GH¢157.9billion, with a growth of 30.4 percent in 2022 compared to 16.6 percent in 2021, in the face of upward adjustments to the industry’s Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR). Credit also continued on an upward trajectory, recording a 30.2 percent increase to GH¢70billion in December 2022 from GH¢53.8billion a year before.
In addition, there was growth in new loans and advances in 2022 of GH¢53.7billion, reflecting an annual growth of 47.5 percent, compared with a growth of 6.8 percent in 2021.
Despite the decline in profitability, the industry’s operating income increased by 30.9 percent, due to a rise in net fees and commissions and net interest income. Operating expenses however rose by 32.2 percent and provisions increased sharply by 184 percent, contributing to the decline in profit before tax.
Analysis
These developments come on the back of an otherwise turbulent year in 2022 when banks were subject to a number of regulatory actions aimed at curbing the hydra-headed forces of foreign exchange speculation and consequent currency depreciation, inflation and increased domestic borrowing by the government.
A key instrument deployed by the BoG was the sudden 400 basis points (bps) upward adjustment to the CRR – above the pre-pandemic level of 10 percent to 12 percent.
Following the conclusion of an emergency meeting of the apex bank’s MPC in September 2022, the CRR was further hiked by 300 bps – albeit in a phased manner – end of November 2022.
Banks, which hold approximately a third of the nation’s domestic debt, are set for a more muted performance in 2023 on account of the impending DDEP.
The failure of the Ministry of Agriculture and other governmental organizations to work with the private sector to create food sufficiency has angered economic analyst Senyo Hosi.
“The thing is not rocket science, it is like seeking to have five children in five years. You need to know that it takes nine months to give birth to a child so you will have to know that you need five years if you have one wife, and you will also need to have five wives if you want to do it in a year.
“It is simple, I don’t know how to break it down. It is not difficult but you must have love and a heart for what you are doing,” he said.
“It is all part of my frustrations with this country, people are more interested in procurements because it is what they rely on to steal. Because of that, people are not interested in the actual work that will help the country. That is our challenge,” he added.
“You want one million metric tonnes (of rice) and you know that your yield in this country is 3.4 metric tonnes per hectare. But here is the case the government has secured zero lands for the private sector.
“You don’t even sit with the private sector to plan, meanwhile you don’t have funding. So how do you do the work?” he questioned.
Ghana relies heavily on imports to meet its demand for food items such as rice and poultry.
However, the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo under its flagship Planting for Food and Jobs says it has done creditably well in growing the country’s agric sector.
But speaking on Kokrokoo on Monday, January 30, 2023, Senyo Hosi described the policy as a complete failure.
“How much irrigated fields do we have? Have we invested in our irrigated fields to match our needs as a country? But when you look at the billions we have spent on this Planting for Food and Jobs, which we can’t see any particular thing that’s sustaining the industry. I think that it’s a failed project. It’s a totally failed project,” he stressed.
This information was made public when representatives of Bui Power appeared before the Public Accounts Committee, which was reviewing the Auditor General’s Report on the Public Accounts of Ghana-Public Boards, Corporations, and Other Statutory Institutions for the year ending December 31, 2020.
“We have a huge problem with the collection of our receivables. ECG’s indebtedness to Bui Power stood at $386 million as at the end of 2019. And, it is now $614 million,” he stated.
The congressman claims in a letter to the governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison, that the initiative will actually hinder bank expansion as the government sees the need to restructure Ghana’s mounting debt.
He was concerned that the banks would experience capitalization and liquidity issues as a result of their inability to secure timely and appropriate coupon payments from their bondholder, the Ghanaian government.
Mahama Ayariga further concluded that the policy and strategic options chosen by the Finance Minister enables the illegal and unconstitutional expropriation of the private property of the present owners of domestic private banks and possibly, private international banks operating in the country.
“I call for the mobilization of the available intellectual competencies and political forces to defend the bona fides property rights of owners of private banks in Ghana. Not to do so with a sense of urgency will constitute the greatest dereliction of duty of our political class and the collapse of present owners of these banks and the takeover of these banking interests similar to what was orchestrated in the PDS saga and the intended ‘Agyapa’ deal, will capriciously, unlawfully and criminally transfer enormous wealth and concentrate it in the hands of those who might enjoy the patronage of the Minister of Finance.”
“This could disorient our democracy and potentially destabilize our politics. The history of the recent banking sector “cleanup” remains fresh in our memory,” the lawmaker concluded.
As part of efforts to secure an IMF bailout and address the country’s unsustainable debt situation, government launched the DDEP inviting bondholders to voluntarily exchange approximately GH¢137 billion domestic notes and bonds of the Republic including ESLA and Daakye for a package of new bonds.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has given further explanations as to how a project whose initial cost was GH¢1,435,728.99 was executed for GH¢7,967,886.57.
The contract for the rehabilitation of Adu Lodge Guest House, which is a presidential lodge facility, was awarded to International Development Resources on March 15, 2007.
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Friday, January 20, 2023, the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry, Ambassador Ramses Joseph, said the project was revisited in March 2019 and, upon the request of the consultant, was re-valued at GH¢7,967,886.57 for the same contractor to execute.
He had attributed the delay in project execution to the ill health of the contractor.
But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the explanation offered by the Acting Director was “inaccurate”.
“The Ministry wishes to state for the record that the delay in getting the project completed had been occasioned by a number of factors, including the redesign and delayed release of funds, delayed certification, and delayed payment of those certificates issued to the contractor by AESL.
“As a result of the delay, the contract sum increased in correlation to increased inflation and currency depreciation, impacting adversely on material costs,” the Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
The ministry’s statement also gave a detailed account of the project.
The initial scope of work included: refurbishment of Block A; refurbishment of Block B; refurbishment of Block C; external works; electrical installation works; 2 boys’ quarters structures; a security gatehouse; a swimming pool; fire detection installation; and an air-conditioning system.
After it was redesigned, the following was included: Construction of a laundry block; construction of a conference block; construction of a kitchen block; construction of a pool house; a generator platform; a water storage tank and platform; borehole drilling and treatment; VOIP intercom and data networking; installation of a fitted kitchen; and close circuit television.
Find the Ministry’s full statement below
REJOINDER: “MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPENDS 7.9 MILLION CEDIS ON A 1.4 MILLION CEDIS PROJECT BECAUSE THE CONTRACTOR FELL ILL – CHIEF DIRECTOR”
While noting that the submission was inaccurate, the Ministry takes the opportunity to apprise the public about the extent of work and details of events that led to the delay and increased cost between the years 2007 and 2021.
Adu Lodge is a presidential lodge facility that consists of 3 buildings that were used to host various sizes of high-level delegations with the primary objective of saving the taxpayer’s avoidable expenses. This was the function of the Adu Lodge facility for decades until it was closed, originally for rebuilding and later revised for renovation.
The original award to Messrs International Development Resources (IDR) on 15th March 2007 by the Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL) was to demolish the originally existing 3 buildings that constituted the Lodge, at the time, and construct a new building of twelve (12) bedroom at a contract sum of Fourteen Billion.
Three Hundred and Fifty-Seven Million, Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy old Ghana cedis (14,357,289.77), equivalent to One Million, Four Hundred and Thirty-Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Twenty-Eight new Ghana Cedis, Ninety-Eight Pesewas (GH01,435.728.98) after the redenomination of the Cedi in July 2007.
The contract sum was, however, revised in October 2011 to an amount of Four Million, Four
Hundred and Thirty-Two Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty-Eight Ghana Cedis, Seventy pesewas
(GH4,432,558.70). This time, the project had been reviewed to rather renovate the existing facilities and build additional ones for expansion and to create room for other ancillary facilities.
The revised bill of Quantities from AESL covered the under-listed works:
• Refurbishment of Block A
• Refurbishment of Block B
• Refurbishment of Block C
• External works
• Electrical installation works
• 2 Boys Quarters structures
• Security gatehouse
• Swimming pool
• Fire detection installation
• Air-conditioning system
Unfortunately, the project stalled completely from the period 2009 to 2017 mainly due to the inability of the contractor to continue to pre-finance the project as a result of the lack of reimbursement for expenditure already incurred. Indeed, the bank accounts of IDR were garnisheed for its inability to pay back bank loans the company had taken to prefinance the project on schedule.
On her assumption of office in the year 2017, Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration called for the review of the contract which was later re-awarded to save the country the already invested funds and put the facility to its originally intended use.
The Ministry, therefore, invited Public Works Department (PWD) Prestige to take over the supervision of the project in December 2017, after 6 years of inactivity. This necessitated the need to revisit, ascertain and revise the outstanding works on the project.
PWD Prestige’s assessment revealed that the value of outstanding works from details above was Five Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighteen Ghana Cedis, Ninety-Six pesewas (GH¢5,875,318.96) per the prevailing market prices as of 16th January 2018.
Not long after this, a site meeting was held, and it was decided that there was a need to include other works which did not form part of the initial Bills of Quantities. The Department was, once again, tasked to review the Bill of Quantities on 170 January. 2019 taking into consideration, the outstanding works including the new structures.
The General Summary of the works amounted to Eight Million, Three Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Sixty-Three Cedis, Twenty-Three Pesewas (GH¢8,330,063.23). Newly measured works that were added to the existing project comprised the following:
• Construction of a Laundry block
• Construction of a Conference Block
• Construction of a kitchen block
• Construction of a pool house
• Generator platform
• Water storage tank and platform
• Borehole drilling and treatment VOIP intercom and data networking
• Installation of fitted kitchen
• Close Circuit Television
The Ministry duly obtained the procedural approval of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and transmitted same to the PWD. Prestige to enable the revival of the project. It is worth noting that the PPA, while granting the approval, directed that the Fifteen (15) % of the Contingency sum be reduced to Ten (10) %.
This brought about a reduction of the proposed contract sum to Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty-Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Six Ghana Cedis Fifty-Seven Pesewas (GH¢7,967.886.57) as the new contract sum.
The above-listed and reviewed works were duly completed and handed over to the Ministry in October. 2021. Payment of work done was honoured at various stages until completion with the exception of the retention amount of One Hundred and Fifty-Five Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty-Eight Ghana Cedis. Ninety-Three pesewas (0E10155,338.93).
Throughout the lifespan of the project, Sixteen Interim Payment Certificates were raised. Five out of the Sixteen were valued and raised by AESL and the remaining 11 by PWD Prestige after taking over the project.
The Ministry wishes to state on record that, the delay in getting the project completed had been occasioned by a number of factors, including the redesign and delayed release of funds, delayed certification, and delayed payment of those certificates issued to the contractor by AESL As a result of the delay, the contract sum increased in correlation to increased inflation and currency depreciation impacting adversely on material cost.
While the Ministry seeks to assure the general public of every effort to sustain the prudent management of resources entrusted to it by the people of Ghana, it also hopes that the foregoing clears any misunderstanding that resulted from the submission made to the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.
National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia very certainly supports Haruna Iddrisu, the former minority leader, to win the Tamale South party nomination.
Asiedu Nketiah said the four-time Member of Parliament (MP) had become so powerful in his constituency that it would even be surprising if he is contested at all when the primaries are held later this year.
“The outgone Minority Leader, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, he is so powerful in his constituency, he is almost always not contested at all. I have my doubts whether anybody will contest him,” Asiedu Nketiah told party faithful during a meeting in London last week.
The one-time General Secretary was addressing concerns that the January 23 changes to the party’s leadership in Parliament was going to affect some of the replaced leaders at the upcoming primaries.
“They will not be impacted by the changes, one of the ousted persons, Dr. Avedzi (former deputy Minority Leader) is not going to Parliament again,” he explained.
On the case of Mohammed Muntaka-Mubarak, Asiedu Nketiah said despite recent challenge he was facing, “we didn’t think that this change will affect his fortune one way or the other and so we felt this is the best time to undertake these changes.”
He stressed that the advantages of expedition outweighed the concerns that were being raised about the timing.
NDC rings changes in parliamentary leadership
The NDC, through its General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, wrote to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to announce the replacement of three members: the Minority Leader, the deputy Minority Leader, and the Minority Chief Whip.
The NDC picked Ato Forson to replace Haruna Iddrisu as leader of the Minority Caucus.
Other changes included Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembele, who is the new deputy Minority Chief Whip.
While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Adaklu, will replace Asawase MP Muntaka Mohammed as the Chief Whip.
Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda, has been maintained as the First deputy Minority Chief Whip, while Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP for Ada, is also retained as second deputy Minority Chief Whip.
This sum amounts to almost US$50million every six months and US$100million each year, according to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. The losses, he said, are due in part to deception by some importers who, with the aid of some rogue officials, deliberately and wrongly declare contents of imported containers.
“In an attempt to lessen corruption at the various ports, the country initiated a port paperless system (PPS) in 2017 that allows for a transparent clearing system,” he said.
He however said there remains a lot to be done to attain a fully corruption-free port.
“There is therefore a compelling need for maritime sector stakeholders across the continent to formalise actions to combat bribery and corruption, by collaborating and encouraging all stakeholders in the ship/shore interface to ensure compliance with national and international laws prohibiting corruption,” Dr. Bawumia advised.
With Port Tema controlling 70 percent of the country’s seaborne trade and Takoradi Port handling the export of minerals mainly from mines situated in the Western part of the country, Dr. Bawumia maintains that challenges such as bureaucracy and delays in clearing goods have been minimised through the PPS
Meanwhile, maritime stakeholders have expressed concern that the inability to fully tackle corruption at the various ports could have far-reaching consequences which would be detrimental to shipping operations within the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tom Norring, disclosed that Denmark has been assisting countries in the sub-region to build a robust, corruption-free shipping industry.
“Denmark has always been a strong player in the maritime sector globally and in the West African region. We have always encouraged transparency in the sector, as Denmark is a country that frowns on corruption. The Danish maritime industry is known for its efficiency, and we have helped to replicate some of its technologies in the region,” he said.
Ambassador Norring said the African Continental Free Trade Area presents a historic opportunity to boost intra-African trade through the maritime industry, and thus further reap the sector’s benefits.
The Regional Maritime Stakeholder Workshop on Global Good Practice in Vessel Clearance was organised by the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network; Convention of Business Integrity-Nigeria; the Danish government and Ghana Maritime Authority
As compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 10.7946 and a selling price of 10.8054. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 12.20 and sold at a rate of 12.80.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 13.3560 and a selling price of 13.3705 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 13.3691 and a selling price of 13.3846.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 11.7519 and a selling price of 11.7636 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 11.7324 and a selling price of 11.7450.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 12.70 and sold at a rate of 13.60.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.6212 and a selling price of 0.6218 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 0.6277 and a selling price of 0.6283.
At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.50 and sold at a rate of 1.10.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 42.6328 and a selling price of 42.7189 as compared to yesterday’s trading at a buying price of 42.6296 and a selling price of 42.7241.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 14.50 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 19.50.
Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.
He believes that FinTechs have a critical role to play in improving the lives of a segment of the population which are unbanked and underserved although they are experiencing formal fund transfers and payments through mobile money.
Speaking at the Ghana Fintechs Award 2022 in Accra, Dr Addison commended the efforts made by FinTechs over the years toward increasing financial inclusion and empowering persons economically.
“However, access to savings, credit, and investment remains a challenge. People must be able to save to take care of future needs, invest and access credit to meet pressing needs or seize opportunities to expand their businesses,” he noted.
Touching on the gender dimension of financial inclusion, Dr Addison noted that although there has been a reduction in the gender gap in account ownership across developing countries, the latest 2021 Global Findex Report, paints a deeply concerning picture which needs to be addressed.
“Women dominate the micro, small and medium-size enterprise segment which constitutes about 90 percent of businesses in Ghana. Consequently, the gender gap has far-reaching implications for output growth, employment generation, societal welfare, and economic and financial empowerment.”
“This is without a doubt, a fertile ground for FinTech intervention that promises very high dividends. Several types of businesses including agriculture, manufacturing, distribution, transportation, retail, and wholesale are represented in this category and require user-centric solutions to make any meaningful impact,” the BoG Governor explained.
Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Ernest Addison, has said the Bank of Ghana and the Ministry of Finance will commit to zero financing of the budget in 2023 and beyond.
According to him, the move forms part of prudent macroeconomic policies which are expected to trigger a disinflation path and downward trends in the policy rate.
Speaking at the 60th-anniversary launch of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG), Dr Ernest Addison, explained the move will further restore the country’s reserve buffers to at least 3 months of imports cover by the end-2025.
“Monetary financing of the government deficit, which was pursued to prevent domestic defaults arising from systemic auction failures during 2022 will end under the programme,” he stated.
“With inflation currently at 54.1 percent, tight monetary policies are expected to contain the persistent price shocks in the economy and ease inflationary pressures,” Dr Addison added.
The BoG Governor however noted that all these projections hinge strongly on the successful attainment of an IMF programme.
“The core objective of the DDEP is to harness the fiscal consolidation agenda and its successful implementation is expected to improve the debt metrics, complement the current monetary policy stance, and reset the economy to macroeconomic stability,” he concluded.
Ghanaian rapper, Amerado Burner has announced his enrolment in Ghana’s premier university, the University of Ghana, Legon.
Taking to his Twitter page on Monday, January 1, 2023, the 2022 3Music Awards Rapper of the Year winner said he has enrolled into the school as a first-year student.
He, however, did not disclose any further details about his new academic journey.
Derrick Sarfo Kantanka known by the stage name Amerado is a Ghanaian rapper from Kumasi. He rose to fame for his rap music in Ghana in 2018.
Amerado was born and raised in Ejisu, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He attended KNUST Senior High School for his senior high school education.
He started his career when he was discovered by Azee Ntwene in 2015 as he emerged third at the Solid FM Freestyle Show to join fellow rapper Strongman Burner at MicBurnerz Music.
He was summoned to feature on the GH Youth All-Stars hosted by Mix Master Garzy to compose the official peace song for the 2016 general elections held in Ghana.
In 2017, Amerado released his lead single “I AM” which announced his presence in the music industry in Ghana. The song was rated 3rd in the Top 10 Ghanaian songs of January 2017 listed by Pulse Ghana.
He released his first EP titled Rapmare under the MicBurnerz Music label in November 2017. He was called up later in 2018 to feature on the most talked about hip hop song ‘Biibi Ba’ by Sarkodie.
The song was nominated for the Best Hiphop Song and Best Edited Video at the 2019 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
On 1 October 2020, the founding father of the popular music genre hiplife, Reggie Rockstone took to his Twitter page to announce Amerado as one of the best rappers to ever come from Ghana.
He won the 2022 3Music Award Rapper of the Year beating stiff competition from several heavyweights.
In late 2022, Amerdo released his studio album titled GINA. Prior to the album, he released an EP also titled Patience.
High life singer Kwabena Kwabena, last Friday, grabbed an opportunity to celebrate his idol, the legendary king of traditional high life music, Agya Koo Nimo, during the latter’s birthday.
Agya Koo Nimo, turned 92 years on Friday January 27, and in honoring the life of a living legend, Kwabena Kwabena together with his team, embarked on a trip to Agya Koo Nimo’s residence in Kumasi to spice up the birthday celebration, aimed to leave a long-lasting impression on the mind of the celebrant.
Legendary Agya Koonimo
Kwabena Kwabena among other things, presented a birthday cake designed in the form of a guitar, an instrument which the legendary Agya Koo Nimo is known for over decades.
Kwabena Kkwabena presenting a box of cake to Agya Koonimo
Agya Koo Nimo is undoubtedly one of the strongest pillars and a trailblazer of Ghanaian traditional music and highlife music in general. He has toured the world with his music and won various awards, while being revered for his immense contribution to folk music.
Kwabena Kwabena who has in many ways been inspired by his idol, Agya Koo Nimo, will once again host his annual Vitamilk Love Night concert at the National Theater this year on February 11, powered by Joy Entertainment and produced by Image Bureau.
As usual, the Vitamilk Love Night concert with Kwabena Kwabena will churn out lots of great music, love and give aways. It promises to be even more special with the introduction of special packages for a couple to win a holiday trip to Dubai while another couple wins a cruise ship holiday treat. All these goodies are accessible by purchasing tickets to enter the raffle draw.
An African American lady has shared how she was endlessly pampered by her boyfriend only for him to end up impregnating another woman.
In a video making the rounds online, the young lady narrated how her relationship ended after her loving and caring boyfriend cheated on her and got caught in the process.
She revealed that he pampered her from the very first month they started dating and treated her to numerous romantic gestures.
According to the woman, her man named Caleb gave her the very first bible she owns during their one-month dating anniversary.
The boyfriend used to send her messages daily, reassuring her of his love and how special she was to him and the world.
He also gave her flowers every week and planned regular romantic dates, however, despite all these, he still got another woman pregnant.
The lady who works at a restaurant said the woman her man impregnated called her when she was at work and that was how she found out he has another girlfriend.
She totally got heartbroken after hearing the news but she did not delay before breaking up with him for her mental peace.
According to Norvan reports, the economist stated that the current high-interest rates on treasury bills show that the government is desperate to borrow more to fund its “profligate lifestyle”.
“I would advise that investors should be extremely cautious in investing in T-Bills as the government is likely to include it in the domestic debt exchange programme, although the Finance Minister says it won’t. And also, the rates on the T-Bills have gone crazy, they are not sustainable.
“Investing in T-Bills is investing in a government that is desperate, the government should be reining in expenditure and not be borrowing more. Let’s not help fund their profligate nature and fiscal indiscipline,” he was quoted by norvanreports.com.
He intimated that Treasury bills have become the government’s main source of borrowing.
“Government is now borrowing strictly for consumption and not for anything productive that can pay for debts by itself. And by the way, T-Bills are supposed to be used to solve short-term financing challenges and not a main source of financing. The government must learn to live within its means.
“The interest rates on T-Bills are unsustainable and with the way things are going, it will crash as it has done before,” he stated.
Ghana international Tariq Lamptey provided an assist in Brighton and Hove Albion’s win against Liverpool at the Amex Stadium on Sunday.
Lamptey put up a splendid performance as Brighton knocked out the Reds after a 2-1 win in the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
The defender was handed a starting role and assisted one of his outfit’s two goals before he was subbed off at the 90th minute mark for Jan Paul van Hecke.
The visitors shot into the lead through Harvey Elliott in the 30th minute mark but Brighton equalized through Lewis Dunk with an assist from Tariq Lamptey in the 39th minute.
Ibrahima Konate survived a free kick and red card after seeming to elbow the back of Alexis MacAllister’s head with the Argentine sprinting through on goal, and Fabinho similarly escaped additional punishment after catching Ferguson’s Achilles with a terrible challenge.
In the dying embers of the game, the home team grabbed the match-winner through Kaoru Mitoma.
Tariq Lamptey 22, has made two appearances in the Emirates FA Cup this season.
According to the association, the commission without any stakeholder engagements has gone ahead to get Parliament to pass a blanket ban on the importation of second-hand goods into the country.
Mr Daniel Asare, president of the CSHDA made this accusation while discussing the commission’s ban on second-hand goods on the Ghana Yensom morning show on Accra 100.5 FM hosted by Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman on Monday, January 30, 2023.
He argued that the regulatory commission instead of finding pragmatic ways of having the importation of the second goods regulated is hiding behind an erroneous claim that second goods do not conform with standards.
He stressed that many of the second-hand goods are not obsolete equipment.
“Many of the products we sell are products that have been replaced by the users in the country of origin,” he said.
“So someone is using a 3k television (TV) and replacing them with a 4k TV and so if the 3k item is imported into Ghana [it] becomes obsolete?” he wondered.
He challenged the electronic regulatory commission to develop a better explanation for the ban on second-hand goods.
“The government had not created any jobs for the teeming unemployed youth and yet the existing ones too you want to ban it?” he asked rhetorically.
On his part, the Assistant Manager in charge of Energy Efficiency at the Energy Commission, Hubert Nso Zan, contested the claims of the leadership of the association.
He added that most goods imported into the country have not met the Minimum Performance Standard test.
He explained that items sold on United Kingdom’s market as second-hand goods were items that were brand new and met standards.
“Obsolete items are not sold in the European Union zone as second-hand goods,” he corrected.
The third accused person in the case in which some 14 persons are standing trial for the murder of the late Major Maxwell Mahama, Kofi Nyame, has told the High Court in Accra that he stoned the late military officer.
Nyame, also known as Abortion said even though he threw a stone at the young soldier he was drunk and couldn’t tell if the stone hit him or not.
Kofi Nyame while being led by his lawyer to open his defence told the court in his evidence in chief that the security situation at Denkyira Obuasi before the May 29, 2017, incident was “very bad.”
He said he was attacked, robbed of his valuables and money and that experience made him “felt pained” when he got to the scene leading to him throwing a stone.
Narrating his side of the story to the High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Mariama Owusu, a Justice of the Supreme Court sitting was an additional responsibility as a High Court judge said, he felt troubled when his attention was drawn by one Agya Koo that the man they had killed was a soldier.
Security at Denkyira Obuasi very bad
Kofi Nyame said, before he was arrested by the military officers he lived at Denkyira Obuasi where he worked as a farmer and also sells diesel.
He told the court that before the incident of May 29, 2017 , the security situation at Denkyira Obuasi was “very bad” and that “there was no police station in the town.”
According to him, he used to work at night -buying diesel and on one evenings, he was attacked, and “my valuables and little money I have were taken away.”
Unfortunate May 29
He said in the morning of unfortunate May 29, 2017, which was a Sunday, “I worked throughout in the night and the next day that was Monday, I was very tired so went to sleep.”
He said while sleeping , “I heard loud noise on my door amidst calling of my name and I came out from my room which is close to the roadside. And I opened the door, I saw a lady by name, sister Ataa.”
The said Sister Ataa, he said “told me that she had discovered that somebody said to be an armed robber had been beaten.
He said because “I lived by the roadside, I saw a lot of crowd on the road and I realised “no vehicle was coming and no vehicle was going because of the crowd.”
Abortion told the court that, “I also joined the crowd and saw members of the unit committee and suggested to them that if the person was arrested then they should send him to the police. But, the members of the committee told me “I am not the one to tell them how to do their job.”
The third accused told the court that, “after saying that to me it made me stoodby, but then, I saw that the crowd was beating a certain man so when I approached the scene I saw that what they wanted to do had already been done.”
I stoned him, but I was drunk
The accused told the court that when he remembered “what I encountered the previous time, …I felt pained. And I threw a stone at him.”
“By then I was quite drunk and because of that I cannot tell for certain if I hit him with the stone or not then after I went to sleep,” Kofi Nyame told the court.
Agya Koo’s call
He added that “I came back home to sleep and I was sleeping when I got a call from a Agya Koo, asking me to see him at where I buy my diesel.”
He told the court that, “when I went to see Agya Koo, we had a chat and he told me that he will give me money for diesel but then we did not know that the deceased was an army officer.”
He said, “Agya Koo countered money and gave it to me with some gallons. When I was about to leave, I saw that TiKwa had come to park a motorbike behind us around 3pm.
He told the court that, the said TiKwa told Agya Koo that “if it was not for him, the people of Denkyira Obuasi would not have been able to apprehend the deceased.”
Agya Koo, then told TiKwa not to park his motorbike where he sells the diesel so that members of Denkyira Obuasi will not come after him.
We didn’t know he was a military officer
He told the court that “all these while, the people of Denkyira Obuasi did not know that the person they were hitting with the stones, sticks and shot was a military officer.“
Kofi Nyame told the court that,” after 4pm, I came back home. But, at about 5pm I had a call from Agya Koo again and he told me to bring back the money he had just given me.”
“I returned his money to him and returned home. That was when Agya Koo called and told me that the deceased was soldier and because I was troubled, I went to drink again,” he told the court.
Asked to tell the court who TiKwa is he said, “TiKwa was the one who said he shot at the deceased (Major Mahama),” but “Now I can’t tell the exact location of TiKwa.”
Foolish man come out
Abortion told the court that, “when I returned home to sleep my younger sibling called me but I did not pay any attention to his call.”
He said the younger sibling then told me that the people in the town are running away.
“I went out and saw that people were boarding vehicles and motorbikes to leave the town so I asked myself was it because the man was a military officer that was why Agya Koo asked to return the money he has given me earlier?
At this point he said, “…I went back to sleep. Whilst sleeping at about 2:30am to 3a, I heard a loud noise on my door and when I enquired about the people, I heard somebody said “foolish man come out.”
He explained that, “When I got up to unlock the door they (military officers) pulled me out and in the process I fell and one of them hits me with the butt of a gun on my forehead.”
He said they held him and “dragged me into the back of their pickup.”
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reported that Kofi Nyame mounted the witness box to open his defence after Bernard Asamoah, the 2nd Accused closed his case after cross examination by the prosecution.
The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Mariama Owusu, a Justice of the Supreme Court sitting as an additional High Court judge has adjourned proceedings to February 13 for continuation.
Manhyia North MP, Akwasi Konadu, has appealed to residents of Krofrom to assist police to bring justice in the murder of Kwabena Azure, a resident of the Krofrom community.
Speaking to David Akuetteh on Luv-In-The-Morning on Luv FM,on Monday, the MP charged residents to assist the Police with information to help arrest the perpetrators to prevent further reprisal attacks.
“The reprisal attacks will continue if we fail to give information to the Police to get these criminals arrested,” he said.
Kwabena Azure was subjected to several machete slashes by unknown assailants and died upon arrival at the hospital.
Some armed men, suspected to be friends of the deceased, allegedly looted and set a five-bedroom house on fire in what is believed to be a revenge attack.
While describing the violent acts as horrendous, Akwasi Konadu assured residents of his support in resolving the impasse as soon as possible to eliminate fear and panic in the community.
He said residents should boldly name the perpetrators without fear of being attacked.
“I want to assure any resident in Krofrom that nothing will happen to him or her if they come forward with information,” he assured.
The MP further entreated all residents of Krofrom to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity they witness to the Police.
The Police have also indicated that investigations are still ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators.
