TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Ghana will give priority to its trading relations with other nations

    Ghana will give priority to its trading relations with other nations

    Michael Okyere-Baafi, a deputy minister of commerce and industry, has emphasized the necessity for the nation to consciously prioritize trade and investment cooperation with other nations.

    He asserted that doing this would bring in more foreign direct investments (FDIs) and increase the number of firms that would generate more domestic revenue through the payment of taxes.

    The decision was made by Mr. Okyere-Baafi at the third Malta-Ghana Business Forum in Accra.

    Forum

    The forum was organised by the Government of Malta in collaboration with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GNCCI), Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) and the European Chamber of Commerce in Ghana.

    It provided the platform for representatives from both countries to enhance relations and promote business partnerships.

    Mr Okyere-Baafi said despite the impressive strides made over the past decades, it was still evident that Ghana-Malta trade and investment were still below their respective potential.

    He explained that both countries have enjoyed longstanding, cordial and strong bonds of friendship and cooperation based on shared values and priorities.

    “Indeed, Malta is currently one of Ghana’s strategic bilateral partners.

    Ghana is also increasingly becoming home to several Maltese businesses in West Africa,” he added.

    He said tremendous opportunities existed for trade and investment in various sectors of the country and urged prospective investors to consider strategic cooperation for effective optimisation of opportunities available under the Government’s flagships programmes, such as the One-District-One Factory, development of strategic anchor industries, SME development through the promotion of Joint ventures between Ghana and Malta and the development of industrial parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZ).

    Business registration

    The Deputy Chief Executive of GIPC, Yaw Amoateng Afriyie, urged Ghanaian entrepreneurs to register their businesses with the centre to enable them to benefit from similar incentives as their foreign counterparts.

    According to him, the present economic challenges in the country should not be a barrier for them to do so.

    “We are currently embarking on IMF programme and we are expecting the staff approval hopefully in the next few weeks.

    When that staff approval comes we believe that the confidence among our investor community will have enormous cascading impact for investments in Ghana,” he said.

    Accelerating business opportunities

    For her part the Chairperson for TradeMalta, Elizabeth Barbaro Sant, said Malta was working hand-in-hand with the Ghanaian government to stimulate investment, accelerate business opportunities, facilitate cross-border trade and align efforts with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

    She said there were countless opportunities for a partnership that would drive socio-economic growth for both countries.

    Ms Sant noted that 25 major Maltese companies were expected in Ghana this week to explore business opportunities.

    The companies, she said, would dig deep into the incentives and infrastructure available to support their investment.

    They will also engage with officials in their respective sectors and get introduced to the potential local partners in the country.

    “With our shared goals and complementary strengths, we are confident that our nations can form a powerful partnership that will drive socio-economic growth for both of us.

    Together, we can fuel Ghana’s economic transformation and open new doors for Maltese businesses to invest in Ghana’s thriving ecosystem,” she said.

  • SET PLUS SES Ghana names a new CEO

    SET PLUS SES Ghana names a new CEO

    Adelaide Ahovy Abbiw-Williams has been named CEO of Ghana’s premium high-definition (HD) satellite transmission service provider SES HD PLUS, and her appointment is effective as of January 1, 2023.

    Prior to her appointment, Mrs. Abbiw-Williams launched HD+ in Ghana, where she was successful in making HD+ the go-to option for high-quality TV viewing experiences within Ghana’s free-to-air satellite TV broadcasting business.

    Her career has included a variety of commercial positions with global corporations like SES, Vodafone, Nestle, and Diageo in Africa’s Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), manufacturing, telecommunications, mobile financial services, and satellite broadcasting sectors.

    She succeeds Theodore Asampong who will now oversee SES’s broader video business in the West and Central African region.

    Commenting on the appointment, the Chairman of the SES HD PLUS Board, Wilfried Urner, said, “Adelaide made an impression on the board with her drive, intellect, and professionalism.

    “She has made a tremendous impact during her time at SES HD PLUS to date, and we have no doubt she will continue this momentum as our new CEO.”

    He said her extensive FMCG and telecommunications background and commercially driven approach to business was expected to  help SES HD PLUS develop strategic alliances as well as expand on the success built over the past two years and take us into our next phase of growth and innovation.

    She vowed to make HD plus a top notch entity in the country and vowed to extend it’s tentacles in the country.

    “I am delighted to take on the CEO role of a business with considerable ambition. SES HD PLUS is a group of innovative, talented, and creative professionals who care about delivering quality TV viewing experiences to over 130,000 homes across Ghana. Our goal is to grow the number of homes watching HD+ across the country,” she noted.

  • God will punish you; bad man – NDC Chairman attacks Asiedu Nketia

    God will punish you; bad man – NDC Chairman attacks Asiedu Nketia

    National Democratic Congress (NDC) constituency chairman for Tamale South, Alhaji Abdul Rauf, has descended on the National Chairman of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, following the changes made to the Minority leadership in parliament.

    To him, the party failed to consult members and national executives before reshuffling; a situation he says does not augur well for the party.

    He is, therefore, asking the party to rescind its decision or face their wrath.

    Although the decision is coming from the national executive body of the party, Alhaji Rauf has blamed Mr Nketia for the development.

    According to him, he supported Mr Nketia’s bid to become chairman and so wondered why he has been unfair to Northerners.

    “We were warned that Asiedu Nketia will destroy the party if he becomes the national chairman, and the changes he has made clearly show. I know that Asiedu Nketia dislikes Northerners and this development proves that indeed he dislikes us,” he noted.

    Alhaji Rauf was speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso NsemWednesday following the party’s decision to change its leadership in Parliament.

    Meanwhile, Mr Nketia said the election 2024 will be fought on the economy and thus the party had the obligation to put its best foot forward.

    He said the party’s campaign message ahead of the polls will be heavy on the economy, hence the decision to reshuffle its leadership in Parliament.

    But chairman Rauf has said that he and his constituents will not accept the decision of the national executive to replace Mr Iddrisu.

  • 91 NDC MPs sign petition to reinstate Minority Leadership

    91 NDC MPs sign petition to reinstate Minority Leadership

    91 Members of Parliament on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have signed a petition demanding for reinstatement of Honourables Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak as Minority Leader and Minority Whip.

    The petition which started with 11 Core MPs signing this morning grew to 25, to 49 and 62 before recent update indicates 91 MPs out of 137 have so far signed.

    More Members are expected to sign the petition which presents a challenge to the legitimacy of Cassiel Ato Forson, Kwame Agbodza and Emmanuel Armah Buah as new leaders to replace the deposed Haruna Iddrisu, Muntaka Mubarak and James Avedzi.

    So far almost all NDC MPs hailing from all the 5 Northern Regions as well as MPs from Western, Central, Ashanti Region, Greater Accra, Bono East and Ahafo have so far signed.

    A couple of NDC MPs from Volta Region who signed petition say they did so because they believe Avedzi James should continue instead of the New Armah Buah.

    The few hold outs who are yet to sign the petition are mostly Volta Region MPs due to a disagreement within their caucus.

    This move comes after it was revealed NDC 2020 Flagbearer and former President John Mahama rejected the move to change the leadership.

    Journalist Kwesi Pratt revealed Mahama asked that the decision stalls.

    “The former president did not endorse this,” he revealed based on his impression from conversations he had with top echelon of the party.

    “I have spoken to many people, and from what I’m told, unless those who spoke to me are a bunch of bloody liars and so on, the former president did not appear to be very happy about this arrangement,” Mr. Pratt said on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Wednesday.

  • AmCham Ghana requests a method of revenue mobilization that is beneficial to business

    AmCham Ghana requests a method of revenue mobilization that is beneficial to business

    In order to preserve the operations of businesses in the nation, Simon Madjie, the Executive Secretary of AmCham Ghana, has urged the Ghana Tax Authority (GRA) to adopt a business-friendly approach to revenue mobilization.

    The Chamber supports the government’s efforts to raise domestic revenue, but it would like the Ghana Revenue Authority to take a more business-friendly approach when putting its revenue mobilization plans into practice.

    “This is crucial to avoid scaring away current investors because some of the actions may negatively affect their capitalization.
    The country’s economic resurgence depends on the ease of doing business, he said.

    Mr Madjie who made the call in his new year welcome message, said his outfit was hopeful for a successful year although the chamber was not oblivious of the country’s current economic situation with a projected Gross Domestic Product (GPD) growth rate of 2.9 per cent.

    He said the chamber has charted such a course before, and was assertive that its members have the resilience to weather the storm. 

    Mr Madjie added that the pushback to the government’s  GH₵137.3 billion debt restructuring program by affected parties, was causing some economic uncertainties. 

    However, AmCham remained confident that further dialogue will result in all issues being resolved amicably for the country to begin the process of recovery. 

    “The Chamber has also noticed the reversal of the benchmark value on imports. As much as we appreciate the effort, we want to urge the authorities to follow the principles of “transaction value” and the other procedures of valuation provided under the WTO’s Customs Valuation Agreement. We believe this will provide some predictability and help minimise the cost of importation.

    “The Chamber will continue with our efforts in advocating for a business-friendly environment,” he assured.

  • Africa needs the AfCFTA to be fully operationalized -Yofi Grant

    Africa needs the AfCFTA to be fully operationalized -Yofi Grant

    According to Yofi Grant, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), the interruption in the global supply chain caused by the conflict in Russia and Ukraine offers Africa a big opportunity.

    However, he claimed that if the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement is not completely operationalized, this potential cannot be taken advantage of.

    At the first Annual Assembly of Africa Investment Promotion Agencies, Mr. Grant gave a speech.

    Three years after the AfCFTA was launched, no meaningful trade has yet happened under the agreement due to the inability of some countries to submit their tariff schedules.

    When fully operationalised, AfCFTA is expected to create a market of about 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of almost $4 trillion.

  • Meet the Oxford-trained finance expert Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson

    Meet the Oxford-trained finance expert Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson

    Here is a brief profile of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson the newly elevated leader of the Minority Caucus in parliament.

    He is an Oxford-trained Ghanaian MP who is in his fourth term and a highly accomplished professional with over two decades of experience.

    He has a PhD in Finance from KNUST, a Master of Science in Taxation from the University of Oxford, UK, a Master of Science degree in Economics also from KNUST, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from London South Bank University.

    Dr. Forson is also a chartered accountant and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Ghana.

    His professional career has been marked by influential roles in Ghana’s public sector, including as Deputy Minister for Finance from April 2013 to January 2017, a member of Ghana’s Economic Management Team, a Board of Director of the Bank of Ghana, a Board of Ghana Cocoa Board, and Ghana’s Alternate Governor at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

    His expertise was also brought to light when he chaired the Committee that implemented the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System Reforms (GIFMIS).

    In 2008, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam Constituency in the Central Region. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to better the lives of his constituents.

    He has championed many initiatives related to quality education, health care, job creation, and poverty alleviation.

    As a ranking member of the finance committee, he led many crusades to protect the public purse including the rejection of the obnoxious Electronic Transfer Levy and the infamous Agyapa deal.

    Throughout his career, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has been a strong advocate of good governance, transparency, and accountability.

    He is widely respected in the Central region and across Ghana for his dedication to the service of his country and his constituents.

  • I hate my biological father with so much passion – Asantewaa

    I hate my biological father with so much passion – Asantewaa

    Ghanaian TikToker  Asantewaa has gone all out to pour her heart out in her latest post.

    The actress and socialite have established that she resents her biological father and as such is the worst thing that has happened to her life.

    She made these remarks on her WhatsApp status she uploaded moments ago. An emotional Asantewaa also accused her father wants to take away her life.

    In another Whatsapp status post, the socialite pleaded with her manager to bury her just beside her late mother if she dies because her father is after her life.

    Asantewaa did not disclose the reasons for her father’s alleged attack on her life.

    However, she affirmed that her father is responsible for her death in case we wake up to read in the news that she is no more.

  • GRA is asked to take a business-friendly stance in order to increase revenue

    GRA is asked to take a business-friendly stance in order to increase revenue

    GRA is asked to take a business-friendly stance in order to increase revenue.

    In its quest to mobilise more domestic revenue to meet its annual target, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has adopted measures to ensure that all eligible taxpayers do so.

    Nevertheless, a number of business associations and groups are criticizing the revenue collection agency’s strategy, claiming that, despite agreeing with GRA’s goal of collecting money owed to the state, the strategy is counterproductive and needs to be revised.

    Simon Madjie, the executive secretary of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Ghana, has urged the GRA to choose a method of revenue mobilization that is favourable to business in order to safeguard the operations of companies in the country.

    “The chamber supports the government’s domestic revenue mobilisation efforts but would ask the Ghana Revenue Authority to adopt a more business-friendly approach to the implementation of government policies on revenue mobilisation. 

    “This is imperative in order not to scare away existing investors, as some of the actions can adversely impact their capitalisation.

    Maintaining the ease of doing business is vital to the country’s economic recovery,” he said.

    Mr Madjie, who made the call in his Facebook post, said his outfit was hopeful of a successful year although the chamber was not oblivious of the country’s current economic situation with a projected gross domestic product (GPD) growth rate of 2.9 per cent.

    He said the chamber had charted such course before and was assertive that its members had the resilience to weather the storm. 

    Mr Madjie added that the pushback to the government’s GH¢137.3 billion debt restructuring programme by affected parties was causing some economic uncertainties. 

    However, AmCham remained confident that further dialogue would result in all issues being resolved amicably for the country to begin the process of recovery.  

    “The chamber has also noticed the reversal of the benchmark value on imports.

    As much as we appreciate the effort, we want to urge the authorities to follow the principles of “transaction value” and the other procedures of valuation provided under the WTO’s Customs Valuation Agreement.

    “We believe this will provide some predictability and help minimise the cost of importation. 

    “The chamber will continue with our efforts in advocating for a business-friendly environment,” he assured.

  • If I’m dead by morning, arrest my biological father – Asantewaa

    If I’m dead by morning, arrest my biological father – Asantewaa

    Controversial Ghanaian Tiktok star, Asantewaa has stirred a controversy after calling for the arrest of her biological father.

    Asantewaa has said her biological father should be arrested if Ghanaians hear she is dead by morning.

    She went on to say that the worst thing that ever happened to her in this life is her biological father, and she hates him with passion!

    Asantewaa noted that she is not ready to talk about her frustration so concerned people shouldn’t bother asking her.

    According to her, she just needed to write that publicly for the sake of her mental health.

    Asantewaa has currently sparked controversy online as fans try to input meaning into her text.

    No one really knows the problem Asantewaa has with her father. The talented actress has kept her dad in the shadows whilst she flaunts Actor Koo Fori as her father.

    Recently, it was disclosed that Koo Fori is not Asantewaa’s biological father but Asantewaa has refused to talk about her father.

    The only thing she has managed to say is that she suffered through life because her father abandoned her.

  • The Finance Ministry creates guidelines for spending in an emergency

    The Finance Ministry creates guidelines for spending in an emergency

    In order to offer the government with administrative procedures during emergencies like the COVID-19 epidemic, the Ministry of Finance is creating an Emergency Expenditure Management Guideline.

    This is done in order to guarantee adherence to pertinent Public Financial Management standards while also delivering prompt pandemic responses.

    Following the Auditor General’s recommendations in its report on the Government’s COVID-19 Expenditure for the period of March 2020 to June 2022, the Emergency Expenditure Management Guideline is being created.

    The ministry in a press release said it would continue to apply its best efforts to enforce and enhance expenditure management and accountability to ensure proper utilization of tax revenue to the full benefit of citizens, using established budgetary and accountability systems.

    The ministry also commended the Auditor General on the publication of the report which was commissioned by the Minister of Finance on July 14, 2022 and timely release of the Audit report.

    “The audit report confirms total resources mobilized for the COVID-19 response over the period March 2020 to June 2022 at GH¢21,844,189,185.24. As indicated in the report, the funds mobilized were to address the following two key interventions; finance direct COVID-19 intervention expenditures; and support the funding gap in the budget which was occasioned by the pandemic.

    “Hence, as reported on page 11, paragraph 31 of the report, the 53.8 per cent and 46.2 per cent spent on direct COVID-19 interventions and for general budget support respectively were consistent with the mandate approved by Parliament,” the release highlighted.

    It further noted that the ministry coordinated the mobilization and disbursement of funds for the COVID-19 responses by Government in accordance with the Public Financial Management Act, to ensure timely release of funds to save lives, livelihoods, and property.

    “The Ministry welcomes the Auditor General’s report and wishes to assure the public that, steps are being taken to address all issues.

    Some of the interventions being pursued include meetings to engage with the implementing Agencies to evaluate actions taken to implement the audit recommendations in the audit report.

  • Paris Hilton is now a mom, welcoming Baby Boy with husband Carter Reum

    Paris Hilton is now a mom, welcoming Baby Boy with husband Carter Reum

    Paris Hilton is officially a parent. The celebrity and her husband Carter Reum revealed on Tuesday that they welcomed their newborn son via a surrogate mother.

    “It’s always been my dream to be a mother and I’m so happy that Carter and I found each other,” Hilton, 41, told People. “We are so excited to start our family together and our hearts are exploding with love for our baby boy.”

    Paris shared a photo of her baby’s hand on Instagram, writing, “You are already loved beyond words.”

    Sending congratulations in the comments were Kim Kardashian, Chrissy Teigen, Demi Lovato, Heidi Klum, Elle Fanning, and many more.

    Hilton and Reum—a 41-year-old entrepreneur who started the venture capital firm M13—got married in November 2021. Their wedding and the lead-up were documented on Peacock’s Paris in Love series.

    Earlier that year, Hilton denied pregnancy rumors on her podcast, saying, “I am not pregnant, not yet. I am waiting till after the wedding. … I can’t wait to have children in 2022.”

    The heiress’ and reality TV pioneer has her new book Paris: The Memoir coming March 14.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Mike Tyson faces $5 million lawsuit for allegedly raping woman in early 1990s

    Mike Tyson faces $5 million lawsuit for allegedly raping woman in early 1990s

    Mike Tyson is looking at a $5 million lawsuit after the former heavyweight boxing champion was accused of violently raping a woman in a limo in the early 1990s.

    According to an affidavit filed in Albany County, New York, the alleged victim said she met Tyson at a nightclub and was invited into his limousine. She was under the assumption he would take her and another individual to a party. While driving to the location of the party, Tyson attempted to kiss the victim, which she denied, before he allegedly raped her.

    “I met Mike Tyson in the early 1990s at a dance club called Septembers,” the affidavit read. “My friend and I were hanging out with him and his limousine driver. Tyson told us about a party and asked us to join him. My friend was going to drop off her car and Tyson said he would pick her up in the limousine.”

    “He then pulled my pants off and violently raped me,” the lawsuit stated. “As a result of Tyson’s rape, I suffered and continue to suffer from physical, psychological, and emotional injury.”

    The charges were filed under New York’s new Adult Survivors Act, which gives survivors of sexual abuse a one-year window to file complaints that would otherwise be prevented by the statute of limitations.

    The unidentified victim is seeking $5 million in damages, as she has “been unable to maintain and/or develop healthy relationships with men or anyone in general” and has “experienced extreme emotional suffering including but not limited to nightmares, panic attacks and flashbacks.” 

    Back in February 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape in Indianapolis. He was sentenced to six years in prison and was released on parole after three years.

    Source: Complex.com

  • She’s done everything before but now wants dignity – Lady attacks Nana Ama McBrown

    She’s done everything before but now wants dignity – Lady attacks Nana Ama McBrown

    A controversial Ghanaian Tiktoker has attacked Actress Nana Ama McBrown over her UTV job.

    She has denigrated Mcbrown as the host of the United Showbiz show and called Fadda Dickson and Dr Osei Kwame Despite to shut down the program.

    In a video that is trending online, the unidentified lady threw her weight behind Shatta Wale over his frivolous attack on McBrown.

    According to her, the show must be shut down so Nana Ama McBrown can go back to her concert.

    She claimed McBrown had done a whole lot of things but she is now striving to protect her dignity.

    She went on to advise the management of UTV to hire lawyers to take up court cases from the station.

    She noted that no guest should be allowed to face the court personally on the program in an attempt to give them content.

    This comes after Shatta Wale dragged Nana Ama McBrown for being unprofessional.

    Shatta Wale, out of nowhere, attacked McBrown, called her unprofessional and asked Dr Osei Kwame Despite to sack her and employed well-trained graduates.

  • The driver ‘who killed my daughter’ is still walking free – Ebony’s father calls for justice

    The driver ‘who killed my daughter’ is still walking free – Ebony’s father calls for justice

    The father of the late dancehall artiste Ebony Reigns, Nana Opoku Kwarteng, has debunked the story that the driver in the middle of his daughter’s death has been charged.

    Some news portals over the weekend reported that the driver, Okoh Pinehas Chartey, has been charged for the late Ebony’s death.

    Reacting to the news, Nana Opoku Kwarteng, in a phone-in interview with Emmanuel Agyeman(Braa Emma) on Onua FM Anigye Mmre entertainment show, denied the assertion. He also indicated that the issue hasn’t been arranged before the court yet.

    “The issue has not yet been to court, and I have not heard anything of the sort,” he said.

    He further alleges that the driver didn’t a driver’s license at the time of the accident. However, nothing has been done about it.

    “Some time back, radio personality Adakabre Frimpong Manso told me that the guy was driving without a driver’s license, and I have not heard anything concerning that development,” he concluded.

    Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng, known on stage as Ebony Reigns, was a Ghanaian dancehall/Afrobeats artist popular for her hit songs Poison, Maame Hwe, Kupe and more. She was discovered by Bullet, formerly of Ruff n Smooth fame.

    Ebony Reigns died in a traffic collision on 8 February 2018, returning from Sunyani to Accra after a visit to her mother. Her assistant and longtime friend, Franklina Yaa Nkansah Kuri, and soldier, Atsu Vondee, were also killed in the fatal accident. The only survivor of the crash was the driver. Ebony died eight days before her 21st birthday.

  • The government will create a special package for businesses looking to benefit from the AfCFTA

    The government will create a special package for businesses looking to benefit from the AfCFTA

    According to Herbert Krapa, deputy minister in charge of international trade, the Ministry of Trade and Industry is now gathering information that will allow it to create a unique package for businesses looking to benefit from the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

    When the package was ready, he said it will be submitted to the Cabinet for approval before being approved by Parliament as well.

    Among other things, he said the package would look at areas such as cost of power, cost of credit, and cost of infrastructure.

    Speaking in an interview with the Graphic Business on the sidelines of the 1st Annual General Assembly Meeting of the African Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs), Mr Krapa said the move is aimed at making Ghanaian companies more competitive on the continent.

    “We are paying attention to some of these things so that we will be able to take full advantage of the AfCFTA agreement,” he stated.

    At the closing ceremony of the recently held New Year School and Annual Conference which was held on AfCFTA, the organisers came out with a communique which was to be presented to the government.

    The communique contained policy recommendations that could help Ghana reap the full benefits of the agreement.

    On top of the recommendations was a plea to the government to develop a special interest rate regime for companies who seek to take advantage of AfCFTA.

    When fully operational, the AfCFTA agreement is expected to create a market size of 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of $4 trillion.

  • Shatta Wale never made me; I was rather part of his rise – Achipalago clarifies

    Shatta Wale never made me; I was rather part of his rise – Achipalago clarifies

    Famous Ghanaian social media commentator and singer, Archipalago has detailed his role in the rise of Shatta Wale’s music career despite the claim the latter rather shot him to fame.

    Archipalago has hammered his contribution to two of Shatta Wale’s hit songs titled ‘Kakai’ and ‘Bie Gya’.

    His terms which he was famed for using inspired Shatta, he claimed. The musician after reaching out to Archipalago informed him of plans of capitalizing on his terms.

    To this effect, Archipalago is standing up against the claim that he rather benefited from the Dancehall musician due to their association.

    “What they say is just stories. I will never accept that claim, why on earth? Never in my life. Can Shatta Wale make me?

    “I was part of Shatta’s rise. After the release of ‘Dancehall King’, his next hit was ‘Kakai’ and I played my role, and I promoted the song. After ‘Kakai’ he released ‘Bie Gya’ and that was my term. My name was in that song and I equally promoted it. Shatta Wale saw what I was doing on social media and hit me up in my DM…at that time, I was making waves. He saw my impact and hit me up…after our meeting in Ghana, he told me that he was going to use my name in his song, shortly after, he released ‘Kakai’,” Archipalago disclosed in an interview with radio presenter, Fiifi Pratt on Kingdom FM.

    He further alleged that Shatta Wale owes him some monies for his use of his popular slang despite giving him 400 dollars some years ago.

    He however noted that there is no bad blood between them as they continue to keep in touch

  • Stop funding initiatives that lack dedication and completion

    Stop funding initiatives that lack dedication and completion

    Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the ranking member of the health committee in parliament, has urged the government to halt funding additional projects it is launching nationwide.

    He claims that the administration has not demonstrated a commitment to finishing these projects by the declared deadline.

    Mr. Akandoh claimed that the nation’s economic decline was a result of money being poured into both ongoing and abandoned projects.

    In an interview with journalists, Mr Mintah Akandoh said, “all what the government does is to go around pushing money on starting new projects to score political points. It has not even shown commitment to completing the project.”

    During a visit to the proposed site for the construction of a hospital for the Adeiso community in the Upper West Akyim District of the Eastern Region, he said works were yet to be commenced on some projects under government’s Agenda 111 project.

    Meanwhile, it would be recalled that the Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah, in August last year said overnment will terminate the contract of contractors who fail to complete the Agenda 111 project within the stipulated time.

    He indicated that contractors must ensure that the timelines spelt out in the contract were met.

    Speaking in an interview, Dr Anthony Nsiah noted that government has provided at least 10% of the resources needed for contractors to commence work.

    This, he said, will help these contractors to work very fast to meet their deadlines.

    “We (government) will not shy away from cancelling or terminating any contract which is not going very well,” he said.

    “This is a project where we have at least given at least 10 percent mobilization to all the contractors who have started work and I believe they should start mobilizations to get enough materials and work very fast,” he added.

    Agenda 111 project falls under government’s plan to build 111 districts and regional hospitals across the country.

    An amount of $100 million was set aside for the commencement funding for the project.

  • ‘OV slept with one of our beatmakers, did ‘things’ with some BHIM girls’ – Ayisha Modi

    ‘OV slept with one of our beatmakers, did ‘things’ with some BHIM girls’ – Ayisha Modi

    Controversial Ghanaian socialite cum music investor, Ayisha Modi, has responded to some allegations levelled against her by Stonebwoy’s former protégé, OV.

    Earlier in an interview with NYDJ, OV refuted Ayisha’s claims of being the one who first introduced her (OV) to Stonebwoy.

    She also established that Ayisha Modi paraded herself as Stonebwoy’s manager, but it was all a facade.

    OV also averred that Ayisha Modi fueled her fallout with Stonebwoy by spewing a lot of lies about her.

    “Someone referred me to Ayisha Modi and said she was Stone’s manager. So I texted her, and she even told me that I was very good and that she will take me to Stonebwoy blabla. I never heard from her again until I entered into the competition. I also heard that she was there at the finale, but I didn’t see her. I had never seen her before, and she wasn’t backstage to talk to me. After a while, she got my sister’s number and texted them. The day I was supposed to meet Stonebwoy, she appeared. So, it looked as though she was the one who took me there. So then Black Cedi posted my video, and then I realized that he was the actual manager. That woman is a liar. Stonebwoy told me that he doesn’t know anything. He said he doesn’t know about any managerial arrangement with her,” she told BM Africa.

    But responding to the allegations in her latest interview with Kwaku Manu, Ayisha Modi has insisted that she was responsible for OV and Stonebwoy’s first meeting.

    Ayisha claims that OV’s exit was due to some bad habits she exhibited while she was still in the camp.

    “Don’t come to me seeking help and later be ungrateful. The moment you do that, your fire will quench. Don’t replace good with evil. She didn’t offend me, she has offended God. After winning the MTN Hitmaker, she inboxed me herself. She was always sending me stuff to show to Stonebwoy; I did not mind her, but behind closed doors, I was working things out. During the finals, I chattered a bus, organized BHIM Natives to go and cheer her on. We were the ones who voted massively for her. So when you do something and I confront you about it, there’s nothing wrong with it. I took you to Stonebwoy, but you became very close to Blakk Cedi. Things happened in the camp, yet you were still following Blakk Cedi. You were even sleeping with one of the beatmakers, I won’t mention names. She has been living a double life. She was engaging in a lot of bad stuff with the BHIM girls. I’m not talking about smoking; I mean she did things with the BHIM girls. I hope you get what I mean.

    “Things happened to an extent Stonebwoy called me one day and asked if I investigated the girl I brought. I called both the boys and the girls she was doing the things with, and they all confirmed. Then people at radio stations started calling me to ask whether OV takes her bath before coming for interviews. They have complained that she often has this strong stench. I have reported the incidents to her mother severally,” she stated.

    Counting the several efforts Stonebwoy put in place just to make OV comfortable during her stay at the label, Ayisha recounted;

    “What did Stonebwoy didn’t do for her? Ask her? He even rented an apartment for her. I went to a shop with Stonebwoy, and he was picking out clothes that weren’t Louisa’s size. I asked, and he told me he was buying them for one of her daughters. In few days time, I saw OV rocking the clothes in some pictures she shared on Instagram. I asked Stone if OV was the one she spent over $600 to buy clothes for and he confirmed,” she added.

    Background

    After spending about 6 months with the Burniton Music Record label, OV was allegedly sacked by Stonebwoy from his camp through a text message.

    During that period, Stonebwoy’s former manager Black Sidi and singer Kelvynboy were also sent packing.

    OV established that she hasn’t been herself since the shocking termination of her contract, and it appears that she has lost her drive.

    According to the ‘Want me’ crooner, the termination of the contract affected her so badly that her music career took a nosedive and pushed her into depression.

    This was because she signed a contract with the music label for 5 years but she spent only 6 months with them.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • I have spent more than GHC70,000 in three weeks since I got to Ghana – Achipalago

    I have spent more than GHC70,000 in three weeks since I got to Ghana – Achipalago

    Ghanaian-American-based musician cum socialite, Achipalago has said that since arriving in Ghana over three weeks ago, he has spent more than 70,000 cedis.

    Speaking with blogger Sammy Kay, the socialite lamented the country’s difficulties, noting that he occasionally gets to exchange his dollars for cedis worth nothing.

    “The country is in serious crisis because once you change money, it’s gone. When you change the dollar, and go out, before you come home, you would have spent about GHC5000 and over.

    “I have been in Ghana for close to three weeks. Also, it’s not every day you get to spend GHC5000, there are days when you will spend GHC3000 or GHC2000, and I have spent more than GHC70,000, converting GHC70,000 to dollars,” he said.

    Achipalago joins a long list of netizens who have criticized the country’s high cost of living since protests were conducted last year, and calls for the resignation of Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, were on the rise.

    Though the ruling party has pledged to mend the economy even after the deal with the International Monetary Fund is signed, many Ghanaians are yet to see any significant changes in the economy as the new year has begun.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • I entertain myself with cyberbullies; they never get to me – Medikal

    I entertain myself with cyberbullies; they never get to me – Medikal

    Rapper Medikal has disclosed that he has grown a tough skin from the continuous attacks on social media as well as fake news about his personal life.

    According to the award-winning rapper who is slow to respond to cyberbullies, it is better not to give reverence to messages and posts designed to hurt one’s feelings.

    “Sometimes I rant but nothing changes. Cyberbullying never gets to me. I rather entertain myself with it. I just laugh when I come across such news. When am bored I just type Medikal and read and search what people are saying about me,” he disclosed in an interview with media personality, Abeiku Santana.

    Also speaking on the widespread of fake news packaged to dent his reputation, Medikal, called out news portals and blogs that fabricate stories about him.

    The rapper also narrated how he sometimes laughs over the purported stories sold to readers as the truth.

    “Sometimes you just have to ignore such stories. It is very unfortunate that some big blogs in Ghana release fake news, sometimes I wonder. It is unfortunate that you can’t really do something about it,” he lamented.

  • Shatta Wale, Tracy Sarkcess, other celebrities that have reacted to Samini-Sarkodie feud

    Shatta Wale, Tracy Sarkcess, other celebrities that have reacted to Samini-Sarkodie feud

    Social media, particularly Twitter, has been buzzing with Ghanaian musicians Samini and Sarkodie topping trends successively after the former leveled some accusations against the latter.

    Comments from a displeased Samini whiles detailing some ‘unfair’ encounters with Sarkodie have since stirred massive reactions from scores of netizens including some celebrities.

    The likes of Shatta Wale, Eno Barony, Archipalago, Kwadwo Sheldon, Sarkodie’s wife Tracy Sarkcess, and others have responded to viral tweets and videos of Samini’s outbursts and Sarkodie’s apology which erupted online.

    Earlier in a couple of rants on Twitter and an extended version in a radio interview, the Reggae/Dancehall legend called out Sarkodie over what he described as the incessant habit of deliberately ignoring business deals and phone calls from him.

    Samini on Twitter on January 23, 2023, expressed concern over Sarkodie’s snub over a feature.

    “Not sure I’ll need a verse from sark but if he ever does need one, I’m not interested and that’s facts. He knows this himself…)y3 Alo sometimes and I don’t play that. Yes or no be problem for am so e go slow you and your project go dull …, he did it to me on burning EP,” He wrote in response to a fan during a ‘Question and Answer’ session on Twitter.

    He hit harder at Sarkodie during a phone-in interview with Andy Dosty where the former was also present.

    “This whole thing started on Twitter last night when I asked fans to ask me questions, they would want me to answer. One of them came with the question about whether or not I will work again with Sark. So I said point blank that I don’t think I’ll need a verse from Sark and if he ever does need one, I’m not going to ever do it. I know the person is a Sark and a Samini fan and want to see us collaborate. I have a few instances where Sark has disrespected me but I didn’t bring it in public. But how Sark fans have risen on Twitter and disrespecting me is crazy. At 41, I don’t have to let anyone feel special in their corner. When Sark sent love rocks, I did it under 24 hours and sent it to him.

    “Another time, he sent another when I was in South Africa, I did it and sent him the verse. When he sends me a WhatsApp message, it doesn’t takes me more than five minutes to respond. Because I did more than one features for him and he decided to put one out, I felt he could also return a favour so I hit him up over a song. I sent him three songs and he chose one. I told him it’s the last single on the EP. We spoke in April and I was supposed to release the song in May. that was the last time I heard from him and anytime I send him a message, there’s a blue tick. Sarkodie did not try for me. He did not try for me and he knows it. Sark you are my small boy. Sark was one one the boys that said in his raps that he wants to blow up and become like Samini. Ask him. My guy, don’t play,” he fumed.

    Samini’s comments stirred controversy on social media with a section of fans describing him as feeling entitled.

    Sarkodie’s response, however, shot the reactions up further.

    “I’m saying sorry not because everything you are saying is true. I treat things differently from how people will treat things. I wouldn’t call it pain because I don’t care. Everybody has something happening to them so. There are thousands of people out there who will also say I don’t hesitate to work with them. I told Bullgod. Sometimes you listen to a song and you don’t hear yourself in it so you’re trying so hard to find time to do it. I’m saying sorry for how he feels. If he says he feel like that then sorry,” Sarkodie said.

  • Review DDEP to prevent the collapse of the banking system – Dr. Kwabena Duffuor

    Review DDEP to prevent the collapse of the banking system – Dr. Kwabena Duffuor

    To prevent the financial industry from collapsing, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, a former finance minister, has asked for a review of the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Program.

    He contends that in order to ensure the program is sustainable and does not undermine advancements made in the financial sector, the government must reevaluate the plan and engage fully.

    The former finance minister, who is running for flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, expressed worry about the participation of shareholders in the DDEP during an interview with Accra-based JoyNews.

    “You cannot deal with my caretaker when I have not been consulted. At the end of the day, it will fall on me the shareholder, so there is the need for them to be part of the broad consultations to express their views.” “If you don’t manage the domestic debt exchange programme properly, the financial sector will be weakened in such a way that it won’t be able to perform the role that it is supposed to perform” he explained.

    He added that various made by stakeholders for government to have a round table discussion with private entities to come up with solutions will help in the successful implementation of the programme but if government continued on its current path, the financial sector will be put in harm’s way.

    Dr Duffuor however charged Ghanaians to treat the matter with all seriousness and speak up to protect the country from the dire consequences the debt exchange programme will bring in the near future.

    He explained that government’s decision to include insurance claims might cause problems for financial institutions since they would have to look elsewhere for monies to pay their clients.

    He said the bond of GH¢1.7 billion was very huge for example and the premiums they collect are now in the government bonds.

    Dr Duffuor further expressed concern about the already dwindling confidence in government instruments and cautioned that if the debt exchange programme in its current state was not reviewed, there will be no motivation to buy treasury bills in the near future.

  • Ignorance ne gyimie y3 mo d3! Ayisha Modi reacts to Ghanaians over claim of killing 200 old women

    Ignorance ne gyimie y3 mo d3! Ayisha Modi reacts to Ghanaians over claim of killing 200 old women

    Popular socialite, Ayisha Modi, has gone nuclear on Ghanaians over viral reports that she admitted to killing over 200 old American women through her job as an assisted living nurse in the United States.

    A visibly angry Ayisha rained unprintable insults on Ghanaians, describing them as full of ignorance and stupidity.

    She said she’s now understood why Ghana will never prosper no matter our leader because the citizens are too stupid.

    Modi’s anger seemed from some commentary on the news surrounding her comments passed on Kofi TV.

    During the interview, she bragged about working with people getting to the end of their life.

    She said she is licensed to inject such people with morphine which helps their transition to death.

    Modi said she’s ‘killed’ over 200 people this way.

    The comments have caused outrage and Modi appears unhappy about that.

  • Guyana artiste Kaiya pays courtesy call on Ghana Tourism Authority

    Guyana artiste Kaiya pays courtesy call on Ghana Tourism Authority

    Guyanese artiste, Kaiya, has paid an official visit to the offices of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in Accra together with her management team, LINMART Media Solutions, led by the CEO, Nii Amarh Amarteifio.

    The artiste who is in Ghana for the second time, was received by the Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Akwei Agyeman and his lieutenants, including Socrates Safo, on January 24, 2023.

    The Chief Executive Officer of GTA, Nana Kwesi Agyemang, welcomed Kaiya and the team and appreciated her for choosing to come to Ghana. He opined that there are lots of opportunities here in Ghana for those in the diaspora to come and explore.

    Nana Agyemang added that the historic link between Africa and those in the Diaspora can never be discounted as their roots are here in Africa.

    Kaiya for her part, complemented what she has seen and experienced in Ghana, as she believes she is from Ghana.

    She expressed her delight in everything she has seen here, and according to her, there is no difference between what we have here and what Guyana and the Caribbean have.

    Kaiya is in Ghana to promote her music as well as do some collaborations with a couple of the top Ghanaian musicians.

    She is billed for a collaboration with Samini before she leaves.

    She is currently in Ghana, shooting two of her music videos for her songs Love Portion and So Nice.

    Since her arrival in Ghana a week ago, she has been on several radio stations to promote her songs and will soon commence her TV promotional tour.

    She is billed to perform at Jamrock Pub at East Legon this Friday.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Role models are getting divorced, why should I marry? – Actor asks

    Role models are getting divorced, why should I marry? – Actor asks

    Nigerian actor, Charles Okocha, popularly known as Igwe 2pac, has stated that he does not see himself walking down the aisle as marriages do not last these days.

    According to the father of two, he is only focused on being a good father to his son and daughter.

    He added that most marriages that he admired and deemed exemplary have all crashed or ended up in a divorce, so he sees no point in taking the bold step.

    His words, “I have two beautiful kids; a son and a daughter. At this time I am just focused on taking care of my adorable kids and that’s it, and that’s enough. They are my kids and they keep me motivated.

    “The truth is I have never been married in my life and I am a happy man. You and I know what is going on these days, you see a couple married for a couple of years and next, they are divorced.

    “People you see as role models are getting divorced and when you see them you are like what is going on? These are people you have been looking up to and now they are divorced, how then do you want me to get into this marriage thing?” he quizzed in an interview with Punchng monitored by MyNigeria.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Moesha Buduong sets record straight about CNN interview

    Moesha Buduong sets record straight about CNN interview

    Ghanaian socialite and actress, Moesha Buduong has said the media in Ghana misconstrued her interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour some years back.

    In the said interview, Moesha Boduong stated that the only way for a lady like herself to survive in Ghana is to date a man who can take care of her even if he is a married man.

    The video then generated a lot of fury among Ghanaians. The Media discussion about the video got everyone talking about Moesha Buduong. She was stereotyped, criticised and lambasted from that period.

    Years on, the new Moesha Buduong has clarified what she really said and meant in that interview.

    In an interview with Sammy Kay, Moesha explained that she never said that she was dating married men for money.

    According to her, what she said during that interview was, she was in a serious relationship with a married man. She indicated she loved him dearly.

    She said: “I never sat on TV to say I was dating married men for money. I was in a serious relationship with a married man that I loved and I was talking about the reasons why women date married men and how I loved this married man.”

    The actress further continued by saying she spoke about reasons why young ladies date married men.

    Yet, the media twisted her words and made her look so bad in the eyes of the public.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • GRA must strive to increase tax to GDP ratio – Ofori-Atta

    GRA must strive to increase tax to GDP ratio – Ofori-Atta

    Finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has asked the Ghana Revenue Authority to ensure that the country collects more taxes to close the gap between Ghana’s GDP and tax ratio.

    The minister commended the Authority for achieving more than its revenue target for 2022 by over GH¢3 billion.

    Ofori-Atta thus noted that the GRA would have to do more to close the revenue gap and ensure that leakages are reduced.

    “I think they did well and we will expect more of such. They surprised us last year by giving more than the target and I think it’s a good trajectory. But the concern is how to raise the ratio so that more can be mobilized,” he was quoted by myjoyonline.com

    He added that “When you look at the GDP [Gross Domestic Product] as against our tax proportion and what others are taking in the sub-region, we’re still far behind. And more is expected of us whether the Ministry of Finance or the Ghana Revenue Authority,” he said at the inauguration of the Tax Appeals board.

    Ghana’s economy has come under intense financial difficulties as its expenditure continually exceeds its revenue.

    The country’s current debt-to-GDP ratio stands at over 100%, a situation that has resulted in the default of the country on its debt payments.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • My mother has never watched any of my movies – Yvonne Nelson reveals

    My mother has never watched any of my movies – Yvonne Nelson reveals

    Many successful people have families that stand as support pillars, but this is not the case for Yvonne Nelson.

    The actress revealed for the first time that her family, especially her mother, has never watched any of her movies since she began her career in 2007.

    She detailed that her mother has never been interested in any of her movies; those she featured in and the ones she produced herself.

    “You know African mothers; they see entertainers as the unserious ones. So since I started she has never watched any of my movies before, not even one. It bothers me but I haven’t had the conversation with her. Even with the movies I produced she has never been at the premiers or watched them before,” she revealed in an interview on Onua FM.

    According to her, the situation is so serious that should her movies pop up on any TV channel, she is sure, without a doubt, Madam Margaret Gaddy will change the channel.

    Yvonne Nelson revealed her mother has an interest in other movies, especially soap operas but the situation is not the same for her movies because her mother simply does not believe in her talent.

    Even when the 37-year-old actress made a move to have her mother watch her movies together, they did not watch beyond a single scene, she noted.

    “Even when I get awards, they do not even mind, same with my two siblings. When I was banned in 2010, I was very depressed and wouldn’t even go out of my room and they still did not care. They are simply uninterested.”

    Yvonne said she believes her mother’s identity as a preacher is a contributing factor, as well as some of the sensitive roles she plays.

    However, she is calling those who believe in her talent to gather at the Silverbird Cinema on February 10 to watch her latest self-produced movie, Kotoka.

  • Fuel from gold for oil policy serves only 20% of Ghana’s market – BoG

    Fuel from gold for oil policy serves only 20% of Ghana’s market – BoG

    The Head of financial markets at the Bank of Ghana, Stephen Opata, has confirmed that the first consignment from the gold for oil policy is already being sold to the bulk oil distributing companies.

    He noted that even though the prices are lower than the ex-pump prices, the impact will not be felt since it is just about 20% of the country’s market neds.

    “The product was cleared from the ports today and I know that BOST has started selling. This is just 20% of our market needs from the numbers I have seen the prices are better than what is at the ex-pump prices right now.

    “Because this is just 20 percent of our needs, it will not make that much impact as it would if we were to be doing 100 percent of our diesel needs,” he was quoted by myjoyonline.com.

    The first consignment of the oil from the gold for oil policy arrived in Ghana on Monday, January 16, 2023.

    The 41,000 metric tons of oil from the United Arab Emirates was however discharged to Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST).

    The move is part of the government’s efforts to curb high fuel prices and the lack of enough dollars to purchase oil from the international market.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Tems makes history as she scores first Oscar nomination

    Tems makes history as she scores first Oscar nomination

    Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems has secured her first Oscar nomination.

    She made history as the first Nigerian musician to be nominated for an Acadamy Award.

    Tems is nominated for her co-writing Lift Me Up for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie.

    The song released in October 2022, was nominated for Best Original Song.

    She was nominated alongside Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson and Rihanna who also have songwriting credits on Lift Me Up.

    Also nominated for the Best Original Song is Applause from Tell It Like a Woman, Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick and Naatu Naatu from RRR.

    This is the latest accolade for Tems who has been shortlisted for a Golden Globe and Grammy in recent months.

  • 3 shortlisted for Ghana Minister of the Year award

    3 shortlisted for Ghana Minister of the Year award

    The Board of Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours has shortlisted three Ministers of State who will be vying for Ghana’s Minister of the Year award for 2021 and 2022.

    They are Hon. John Alan Kyerematen, Former Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Dr. Owusu Akoto Afriyie, Former Minister of Food and Agriculture and Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister for Energy.

    The three will be vying for the coveted and enviable crown as Ghana’s Best Minister of the years 2021 and 2022.

    This is the 3rd edition of award which is put together by Ghana’s biggest event organising company, Big Events Ghana.

    The event in its third edition will be held in February at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra.

    The event which will award and celebrate only five of the over hundred and twenty ministers of state is seen as very competitive and honourable.

    The Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours celebrate the most competent, most hard-working and most influential minister of state in the Republic of Ghana who has excelled in their mandate as Ghana’s best minister of state.

    The event will be aired live on three of Ghana’s top television networks, UTV, TV3 and Adom TV.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • This is not the time to make a nobody somebody – Cletus Avoka on Ato Forson’s elevation

    This is not the time to make a nobody somebody – Cletus Avoka on Ato Forson’s elevation

    The Member of Parliament for Zebilla East, Cletus Apul Avoka, has raised concerns about the timing of the NDC’s leadership reshuffle in parliament.

    According to him, the party should have galvanized the party for the fight against the NPP to win the 2024 elections instead of making heroes out of nonentities.

    His remarks come after the party decided to replace Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu with Cassiel Ato Forson, MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam.

    The party also replaced Deputy Minority Leader James Klutse Avedzi with Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle.

    Speaking on Citi TV the lawmaker said, “this is not the time to make nobody a somebody, this is not the time to make nobody a somebody, this is the time to galvanise all of us to fight the NPP so that we can win elections not to make heroes out of nonentities, this is not the time,” Citi newsroom quoted.

    Aside from Cletus Avoka, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central also raised concerns about the party’s failure to involve the caucus in the leadership reshuffle.

    According to Murtala Mohamed, the leadership reshuffle has caught everyone off guard, including those who are taking on new responsibilities.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Ablakwa calls out GRA, Passport Office, others over silence on ‘Rev Kusi Boateng multiple documents’

    Ablakwa calls out GRA, Passport Office, others over silence on ‘Rev Kusi Boateng multiple documents’

    The Member of Parliament (MP) of North Tongu has called out some state institutions for their silence over the issue of Rev Victor Kusi Boateng, the founder and leader of Power Chapel International, illegally having multiple statutory documents under different names.

    Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said that the state agencies that Rev Kusi Boateng scammed to illegally acquire multiple documents including the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Registrar Generals Department, Passport Office and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), must explain to Ghanaians how the blunders happened.

    In a Citi TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb, the MP posited that these agencies should be conducting internal investigations to find out how they issued the same person with multiple documents under different names.

    “All these institutions should be issuing statements by now (and) carrying out investigations. How is it that they are (so quiet)? Is it that they are complicit?

    “How did they take advantage of them so easily. GRA, Registrar General Department, Passport Office, DVLA. How did this happen?” he queried.

    The MP in his latest corruption exposé on the National Cathedral made some allegations against Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, who is the secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana.

    In an earlier revelation about the National Cathedral, Okudzeto Ablakwa said that a whopping GH¢2.6 million was dished out to a company named JNS Talent Centre Limited.

    In his latest exposé, Ablakwa said that further investigations into the alleged payment led to the discovery of one Kwabena Adu Gyamfi as a director of JNS Talent Centre.

    Having confirmed the identities of two out of three directors of the centre, Ablakwa dug deeper in a bid to discover the identity of the third director, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

    According to his findings, citing a number of statutory documents including passports, Tax Identification Numbers and driver’s licenses, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi was the same as Reverend Kusi Boateng, who has allegedly been operating under the pseudonym Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • A-G’s report: Delayed, abandoned, equipped but unused projects amount to over GH¢200 million

    A-G’s report: Delayed, abandoned, equipped but unused projects amount to over GH¢200 million

    The Auditor General’s report on the management of the COVID-19 expenditure has revealed that delayed projects, abandoned projects, and equipped but not in use projects that were to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic costs over GH¢200 million.

    The report showed that equipped Isolation Centres that are not in use are valued at GH¢29,173,260, projects that were to be completed in 6 months and had not been completed after 30 months were valued at GH¢158,072,331 whiles projects that have been abandoned cost GH¢15,000,000.

    “During our verification and inspection of projects in November 2022, we noted that three treatment, isolation, and holding centers completed at a total cost of GH¢29,173,259.90 was yet to be put to use,” parts of the report read.

    See a breakdown of the centres below:

    The Auditor General however noted that if the completed facilities are not put to use as early as possible, they could deteriorate, and the investment will go down the drain.

    The delayed projects were attributed to funding constraints and general economic challenges which contractors complain of having a negative effect on their operations.

    However, a delay in the completion of the project could increase the contract price due to fluctuations which would adversely impact the achievement of project objectives.

    The report also noted that the COVID-19 management team put in place measures in strengthening containment, isolation, and treatment including leasing, renting and refurbishing designated facilities and centres to contain and treat infected cases on time.

    However, it was observed that Makro Structures Limited was awarded a contract on 11 May 2020 for the design, construction, and equipment of Nalerigu treatment and holding centre in North East Region, at a cost of GH¢15,000,000 out of which an advance mobilisation of GH¢4,500,000 constituting 30 percent of the contract had been paid from GoG sources. The construction was to be completed in October 2022.

    “We noted that the contractor, upon commencing construction in October 2021 undertook civil works up to 10 percent and abandoned the site in December 2021, three months after possessing the site,” the report noted.

    Source: Ghanaweb

    See photos below:

  • Minority Leadership: We consulted John Mahama, others – Fifi Kwetey clarifies

    Minority Leadership: We consulted John Mahama, others – Fifi Kwetey clarifies

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has explained that in deciding to change the leadership of the party in parliament, they consulted the former president, John Dramani Mahama.

    Describing it as an apt decision that would inure to the long-term benefits of the NDC party, Fifi Kwetey said that contrary to claims that some key persons were not consulted over the decision, they actually did.

    According to a report by myjoyonline.com, the NDC General Secretary explained that John Mahama was informed and he is aware of why there was the need to make those changes.

    “This decision was taken after wide consultation. If you look at the apex leadership of the party, that consultation was done. In terms of parliamentary, the group that is widely consulted, that consultation has been done.”

    “What needed to be done about this reshuffling was done and the people duly consulted. All the key leaders have been consulted. The former President, Mahama was consulted and his views were duly reflected. The new and old leaders were informed and consulted,” he said.

    In a release signed by Fifi Fiavi Kwetey on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, it stated the new changes that had been made to the leadership of the Minority in parliament.

    Replacing Haruna Iddrisu, who has been Minority Leader since 2017, the NDC named Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, while Mohmammed-Mubarak Muntaka, who was the Minority Chief Whip, has been replaced by Kwame Governs Agbodza.

    Emmanual Armah Kofi Buah will now be the new Deputy Minority Leader, replacing James Klutse Avedzi.

    Source: ghanaweb

  • Mike Tyson faces $5 million lawsuit for allegedly raping woman in early 1990s

    Mike Tyson faces $5 million lawsuit for allegedly raping woman in early 1990s

    Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is looking at a $5 million lawsuit after being accused of violently raping a woman in a limo in the early 1990s.

    According to an affidavit filed in Albany County, New York, the alleged victim said she met Tyson at a nightclub and was invited into his limousine.

    She was under the assumption he would take her and another individual to a party. While driving to the location of the party, Tyson attempted to kiss the victim, which she denied, before he allegedly raped her.

    “I met Mike Tyson in the early 1990s at a dance club called Septembers,” the affidavit read. “My friend and I were hanging out with him and his limousine driver. Tyson told us about a party and asked us to join him. My friend was going to drop off her car and Tyson said he would pick her up in the limousine.”

    “He then pulled my pants off and violently raped me,” the lawsuit stated. “As a result of Tyson’s rape, I suffered and continue to suffer from physical, psychological, and emotional injury.”

    The charges were filed under New York’s new Adult Survivors Act, which gives survivors of sexual abuse a one-year window to file complaints that would otherwise be prevented by the statute of limitations.

    The unidentified victim is seeking $5 million in damages, as she has “been unable to maintain and/or develop healthy relationships with men or anyone in general” and has “experienced extreme emotional suffering including but not limited to nightmares, panic attacks and flashbacks.”

    Back in February 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape in Indianapolis. He was sentenced to six years in prison and was released on parole after three years.

  • My married man was good to me – Moesha apologises for ‘disgracing’ boyfriend

    My married man was good to me – Moesha apologises for ‘disgracing’ boyfriend

    Socialite Moesha Boduong expressed regret over her utterances that suggested that her married ‘sugar daddy’ did not treat her well.

    Detailing events that led to her psychotic episode on the Delay Show, Moesha admitted that it began with hallucinations after she took a drink laced with some opioids.

    She revealed that after that episode, she started hearing a voice directing her to sell her furniture and car, burn her money, and preach at the uncompleted building.

    According to her, God asked her to go and preach to the youth, but she rues some of the things she said because “it was not her story”.

    Moesha disclosed that her biggest regret was saying things that painted her ex-boyfriend, who was married to another, in a bad light. She said: “When I went there, I told God to take control over my life and speak through me. Watching that video, I’m even sad.

    “Everything I said at the uncompleted building was not my story. I never went through any bad relationship with any married man. He was everything, and he was good to me. I was happily driving a Range Rover. I was happy travelling all over the world.”

    Continuing to seek contrition, Moesha praised her former lover for his generosity while accounting for all the goodies she received from him.

    “I don’t know how I found myself speaking ill of a relationship that made me a different person. He made me fall in love with him. I felt special, and he was special in my life. He changed my life. I don’t know why I had to go and preach there to make the world think I was not a happy person,” Moesha revealed.

  • Political parties determine parliamentary leadership, not MPs – Inusah Fuseini

    Political parties determine parliamentary leadership, not MPs – Inusah Fuseini

    Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has said that the national executives of the party did no wrong in replacing the leadership of their parliamentarians.

    According to him, the NDC national executives are not mandated to consult their Members of Parliament before choosing their leadership.

    Speaking in a JoyNews interview monitored by GhanaWeb, on Tuesday (January 24), Inusah said that he was an MP for a decade and at no point did the party’s leadership consult them before changing their leaders.

    He added that the outgoing minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, was chosen by the party to be the minority leader without any consultation.

    “I have been in parliament long enough to say on authority that not at any point was the minority leadership of parliament or the majority leadership of parliament selected by the Members of Parliament or in the selection process those members consulted.

    “I went to parliament in 2006, so I met the current Speaker (of Parliament), who was doing his second term as the minority leader. I was there when we won election 2008 and tell me which Members of Parliament were consulted before the front beach of the majority was chosen.

    “Or which Member of Parliament was consulted before the front beach of the minority then, the NPP, was chosen. I was in Parliament when we lost the election in 2016 and form the minority in 2017… no minority Member of Parliament was consulted when Haruna Iddrusi’s team was chosen as the leadership of the minority in Parliament,” he said.

    He also said that the national executives of the NDC are not mandated by the party’s constitution to consult their MPs when making decisions on their leadership.

    He added that the Standing Orders of the Parliament do not state that MPs must take part in choosing their leadership.

    Inusah Fuseini, a former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, noted that even though he is surprised by the replacement of Haruna Iddrisu, he supports the party’s decision.

    Inusah Fuseini’s remarks come after some members of the NDC, including his successor, the current MP for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, criticised the party’s national executive for changing their parliamentary leadership without consulting MPs.

    According to Murtala, the party cannot choose the parliamentary leadership without consulting them.

    “Someone should tell some of the national executives that, they cannot choose our parliamentary leadership without consulting the caucus,” he wrote on Facebook.

    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.

    According to the NDC, Kofi Armah Buah, MP for Ellembele, will take over as the Deputy Minority leader.

    While Kwame Governs Agbodza, MP for Abaklu, he 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.

    This was contained in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, from the National Democratic Congress dated January 23, 2023.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • I have spent more than GH¢70,000 in three weeks since I got to Ghana – Achipalago

    I have spent more than GH¢70,000 in three weeks since I got to Ghana – Achipalago

    Ghanaian-American-based musician cum socialite, Achipalago has said that since arriving in Ghana over three weeks ago, he has spent more than 70,000 cedis.

    Speaking with blogger Sammy Kay, the socialite lamented the country’s difficulties, noting that he occasionally gets to exchange his dollars for cedis worth nothing.

    “The country is in serious crisis because once you change money, it’s gone. When you change the dollar, and go out, before you come home, you would have spent about GH¢5000 and over.

    “I have been in Ghana for close to three weeks. Also, it’s not every day you get to spend GH¢5000, there are days when you will spend GH¢3000 or GH¢2000, and I have spent more than GH¢70,000, converting GH¢70,000 to dollars,” he said.

    Achipalago joins a long list of netizens who have criticized the country’s high cost of living since protests were conducted last year, and calls for the resignation of Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, were on the rise.

    Though the ruling party has pledged to mend the economy even after the deal with the International Monetary Fund is signed, many Ghanaians are yet to see any significant changes in the economy as the new year has begun.

  • “I’m still ready to forgive you” – Side chick to First Atlantic Bank CFO

    “I’m still ready to forgive you” – Side chick to First Atlantic Bank CFO

    The story keeps coming. This story of infidelity is not the first and certainly would not be the last.

    On social media right now, The Story of First Atlantic Bank CFO and his side chick Deborah is trending across all platforms.

    WhatsApp chats between the lovers have also been made public exposing a lot between them during when they were having an affair.

    A lot has gone on in the past few days since the story was first shared on Twitter.

    Well, in another old video circulating on Twitter, the Side Chick who sued the First Atlantic Bank CFO, Deborah Adablah has sent a message to the Banker on how to make amends.

    According to Debby in a self-recorded video on August 16th 2022, she is still ready to forgive Mr Nimako if he makes up his mind to call her adding that he (Nimako) shouldn’t allow his ego to push him away.

    Explaining that there’s no shame in having an affair after all they are not the first people to warm themselves in the bed outside of marriage.

    This video which probably was a video sent to Mr Nimako’s Dm during their love day has resurfaced amid the sue that has fast garnered massive attention on the internet.

  • Students of Krobea Asante TVET apologise for vandalizing school properties

    Students of Krobea Asante TVET apologise for vandalizing school properties

    Some students of Krobea Asante Technical Vocational School in the Sekyere East District of the Ashanti Region have rendered an apology to their tutors and the public for vandalizing school properties.

    The students have pleaded with the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC), and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to allow them back to school.

    The school was shut down temporarily by REGSEC after students went on rampage on Sunday destroying school properties including six vehicles.

    The students caused a power outage and broke into the storerooms of the school and scattered food items.

    The students have since been sent home with authorities finding solutions to the problem

    Speaking to OTEC News Jacob Agyenim Boateng, on January 24, 2023, some female students of the school said they were worried the situation may affect their future.

    While condemning the acts of their male colleagues, the students have appealed to authorities in the region to help re-open the facility for them to continue their education.

    “Like any unqualified apology, the first step is to acknowledge that you were wrong. Then all you have to do is look in that person’s face and say we are truly sorry for what happened and we hope our teachers and the public will forgive us”.

    “We would like to render an unqualified apology to all especially our tutors for the inconveniences caused by the excesses of the protest that resulted in the destruction of school properties and the consequential closure of the school”.

    “We are grateful to all relevant stakeholders for the steps taken already to restore calm in the school, but we are still pleading with them to save our educational career,” they added.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • 20 things you should never wear to work

    20 things you should never wear to work

    Fashion is all about self-expression. The fine print to this has to do with staying true to your personal style while still maintaining a pulse on what is and isn’t situationally appropriate. When it comes to the workplace, regardless of how casual the atmosphere, there are some general style rules that every professional should keep in mind. So take notes and be prepared to scale back on those fashion statements at your daily grind as we run down the 20 things you should never wear to work.

    Young woman wears shorts and a crop top

    Crop tops

    A bare midriff has no business in the workplace. There’s just no work environment where an exposed belly button is going to get you anywhere other than the HR office for a lesson in workplace-appropriate attire.

    The right job may be all the motivation you need to get going on the right work-wardrobe.

    Smiling woman sits on a couch wearing black leggings

    Leggings

    Comfy, cute and a staple in most wardrobes, leggings are the easiest go-to when you don’t know what to wear for an easy off-duty look. “Off-duty” being the operative term here, as leggings just won’t fly as part of a professional ensemble. Opt for sleek trousers, or, in the case of a super casual workplace scenario, slim-fit dark-wash denim.

    Sheer pink blouse on a hanger

    Sheer clothing

    If your undergarments are visible beneath your outfit, you can bet this is one look that’s not going to fly at work. No one expects you to hide those killer curves all day, but dressing for success is all about letting your work be the thing that shines through, not that sparkly bra.

    Celebrities may be loving the sheer outfit trend, but remember, there’s a time and a place for everything.

    Woman wearing a short dress works over a cabinet in an office

    Sky-high hemlines

    Whoever said, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it” wasn’t implying you strut those bare legs around the office. Save the leggy skirts and mini dresses for when you clock out.

    Woman struggles to zip up the back of her fitted dress

    Second-skin pieces

    Not only are you compromising your level of comfort, but skin-tight clothing may signal a lack of situational awareness and professionalism to colleagues and clients. It’s possible to flatter your shape without opting for clothing that clings to every curve for dear life.

    Smiling woman holds up clothing with print design

    Distracting prints

    It can be challenging enough to draw focus toward your work without the added visual distraction of a dizzying print. Stick to flattering colours in solids or larger, neat prints to ensure your wardrobe doesn’t end up talking over you.

    Woman in a short dress puts on high-heeled shoes

    Sky-high heels

    Spare the loud click-clacking through the office, and avoid taking an embarrassing spill by rocking heels you can actually walk in at the office. A kitten to mid-heel will still flatter any outfit, without sacrificing your comfort, or sense of balance.

    Back of woman’s t-shirt which reads, “CHOOSE LOVE”

    Clothing with slogans or graphics

    Save your political views, favourite sports teams, mottos to live by and funky graphics for your downtime and keep it strictly business in the workplace. YOLO may be your jam, but that shouldn’t be the message emblazoned across your shirt as you walk into that 9AM meeting.

    Woman sits on a stool wearing a blue sweater and distressed denim

    Distressed denim

    It should come as no surprise that torn, fringed, ill-fitting and just generally distressed denim is a no-no in the office. Not only is it too casual for any professional environment, it tends to reflect a lack of effort, which can negatively impact the perception of you in the workplace.

    Woman sitting outdoors wears a trenchcoat, black pants and sneaker shoes

    Sneakers

    Trendy or not, sneakers are rarely an acceptable form of footwear at work. Save your kicks for out-of-office hours, and instead look to sleek loafers or cute close-toe flats for no-heel option from 9-5.

    Hands covered in bright jewellery

    Distracting jewellery

    From oversized hoop earrings to flashy diamond rings, anything that might be considered a “statement accessory” should probably be ruled out of your workplace wardrobe. Not only is it distracting to hear someone coming before you see them, thanks to those clanging stacked bangles, it also comes across as juvenile and potentially a little tacky.

    Woman wears a sweatshirt

    Sweats

    For obvious reasons — don’t roll out of bed and into the office. Just don’t do it. Put on some real clothes and save your sweats for home time.

    Getty Images

    Woman wears bright-coloured clothing

    Neon

    Stand out at work for the right reasons, not because you’re dressed like a highlighter.

    These are the most popular nail polish colours of all-time.

    Woman wears a shoulder-baring shirt

    Cold-shoulder tops

    Unless you’re looking to get the cold-shoulder from your colleagues and higher-ups, save this shoulder-baring trend for your off-duty wardrobe.

    Woman wears workout clothing while walking outdoors

    Workout clothes

    This one’s simple — before you wear workout clothes to work, ask yourself this question: “Do I work at a gym?” If the answer is no, get changed and get real about adulting. That muscle tee and those yoga pants just aren’t going to cut it as work-wear.

    Getty Images

    Woman looks down at a coffee stain on her t-shirt

    Stained clothing

    Workplace or not, clean clothes are a sign of attention to detail and just general “grownup” effort. Do your laundry, wear clean, wrinkle-free clothing, repeat.

    Woman in glasses wears a sequin dress

    Sequins and sparkles

    Save the flashy pieces for your next girl’s night — the office is no place to make a sparkly statement.

    Bright green nails

    Distracting nails

    From extra long nails to bizarre shapes, colours and designs, your hands can make an impression. Make sure it’s the right one with neat, reasonably-coloured nails that aren’t long enough to frighten anyone about to shake your hand.

    Woman wears a short-sleeved shirt and sunglasses

    Sunglasses

    This one goes for any indoor space where you aren’t exposed to direct natural light. If you’re indoors and they aren’t prescription, take them off before your coworkers think you’re hiding a hangover.

    Woman tries on a hat in front of a mirror

    Hats

    Just like any formal setting, hats are a no-no in the office. Aside from being too casual an accessory to rock at work, it’s also generally considered disrespectful to keep your hat on when dealing with fellow co-workers, clients and higher-ups.

  • DDEP: Take your principal, 5% coupon and stay away from government bonds – Economist

    DDEP: Take your principal, 5% coupon and stay away from government bonds – Economist

    A chartered economist is advising individual bondholders to accept the government’s decision to pay them a five percent coupon on the maturity of their bonds by the end of 2023.

    Mr Bernard Oduro Takyi gave this advice in an interview on the mid-day news on Accra 100.5 FM on Tuesday, January 24, 2023.

    According to him, this is the best deal ever offered by the government since the announcement of the implementation of the Domestic Debt Exchange (DDE) programme.

    The Government of Ghana on Monday, January 23, 2023, together with the Ghana Association of Banks (GAB), made “significant progress” on the terms of the participation of banks in the domestic debt exchange programme (DDEP).

    This agreement, according to a statement jointly signed by the two parties, “encompasses final improvements to the terms of the DDEP.”

    It includes “an agreement to pay a 5% coupon for 2023 and a single coupon rate for each of the 12 new bonds resulting in an effective coupon rate of 9%, clarity on the operational framework and terms of access to the Ghana Financial Stability Fund (GFSF) and the removal or amendment of all clauses in the Exchange Memorandum that empowers the Republic to, at its sole discretion, vary the terms of the Exchange.”

    According to him, this deal with the Association of Banks is the best deal possible under the current economic situation.

    This is better than the earlier zero coupons announced by the government, he stressed

    He argued that a five percent coupon is the best deal for the bondholders and further commended the government for reviewing its stance on the payment of zero coupons.

    He quickly warned the individual bondholders to take their principal and coupon, and henceforth shy away from all government bonds.

    “Make no mistake by further rolling over the principal in government bonds because investment in bonds is not lucrative like it used to be. Bonds under this government are nothing to write home about for bondholders to roll over,” Mr Oduro Takyi cautioned.

    He said it is only a “madman” who will reinvest in government bonds after this melee.

  • Kejetia market: Let’s end ECG’s monopoly because it renders them ineffective – NPP

    Kejetia market: Let’s end ECG’s monopoly because it renders them ineffective – NPP

    The governing New Patriotic Party (NPPDirector )’s of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, is advocating for the dissolution of the monopoly held by Ghana’s power distribution firm, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

    He contends that ECG’s organization’s monopoly renders it ineffective.

    He promoted the idea of individual meters and argued against ECG’s insistence on using a bulk meter to serve more than 7000 consumers.

    The NPP’s Director of Communications registered his displeasure in a tweet dated January 24, 2023, in reaction to astronomical electricity bills emanating from the Kejetia market in the Ashanti Region.

    The tweet reads: ‘’I stand with Kejetia traders. The monopoly of ECG makes it inefficient.

    “Traders at the Kumasi City Mall and other malls have their separate meters.

    “It does not make business sense for ECG to insist on servicing 7000 customers with one bulk meter.”

    The Communications Director’s tweet came on the back of a story published by Classfmonline.com on Friday, January 20, 2023.

    Read the story below:

    More traders at the Kumasi Kejetia Market in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region are contemplating closing their shops due to high electricity bills.

    Already a number of them have closed their shops in the market space because of high electricity bills.

    Some of the traders say they cannot continue to pay such exorbitant bills and for that reason, they have no option but to close their shops.

    A trader told Class 91.3 FM’s Elisha Adarkwah that he paid as much as GH¢977 to settle an electricity bill for September 2022 and has no option but to lock the shops and leave the market if things do not change any time soon.

    The traders noted that things will get out of hand as the electricity tariffs have been adjusted upwards by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC).

    According to them, they have fought on several occasions for separate meters but the Management and the Board of the market have refused to grant them their wish.

    They have, therefore, called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to intervene.

    According to them, the president must help prevail on the management of the market to give them separate meters else their businesses will collapse.

    The Chairman of the Federation of Kumasi Traders, Nana Akwasi Prempeh, has also called on the management of the market to do the needful by allowing traders to manage their electricity bills by granting them separate meters.

  • Ofori-Atta is going nowhere – Dr Assibey-Yeboah

    Ofori-Atta is going nowhere – Dr Assibey-Yeboah

    Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, has said that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will never fire Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    According to Dr Assibey-Yeboah, the president will not sack Ofori-Atta because he does not think he (Ofori-Atta) has failed, contrary to the assertions of some members of the NPP, including the party’s parliamentarians.

    Speaking in an interview on Adom TV, monitored by GhanaWeb, on Tuesday, the ex-NPP MP added that Ofori-Atta is also not going to resign because the policies he implemented were on behalf of the president and decisions of the cabinet.

    “The president says Ken is doing a fantastic job. He says he is doing an excellent job. He also never said he would fire him (Ofori-Atta) during the revolt by the NPP MPs, he told them to let him finish the IMF negotiations so that they could revisit the issue.

    “… He (Ofori-Atta) is not going anywhere. He is not going to resign; why should he resign? The guy is doing an excellent job, according to the president.

    “The finance minister represents the president. The other time I held one of the MPs saying that they told Ofori-Atta to reduce the E-Levy to 1.5 percent but he did not listen so he should be sacked. The budget is the president’s budget and the cabinet met to determine the E-levy rate. Is this a basis for Ofori-Atta to resign or be sacked,” he said in Twi.

    Dr. Assibey-Yeboah, a former chairman of Parliament’s Finance Committee, also stated that he has information indicating that the position of Minister of State in Charge of Finance, which became vacant following the firing of Charles Adu Boahene, will be filled within the week.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • DDEP: Vulnerable individuals run the danger of losing interest in investing -Alan Kyerematen

    DDEP: Vulnerable individuals run the danger of losing interest in investing -Alan Kyerematen

    New Patriotic Party (NPP) hopeful Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen has advised the government against adding specific bondholders in the Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP).

    If the government decides to include individual bondholders, he claims that vulnerable people would lose their “appetite and willingness” to save, and he adds that this would be a disastrous development for the nation.

    Since they are investing their money in secured securities rather than hiding it under their mattresses, when people buy bonds, they are essentially saving money.

    “If we touch the investments from these vulnerable groups, we are also making them lose the appetize and the desire for saving and that is the most dangerous thing that could happen to a country,” myjoyonline quoted the aspiring flagbearer.

    He added that having a debate about including individual bondholders scheme is creating a platform for very serious negative discourse.

    “In my view, having a debate about including individual bondholders and those involved in this collective scheme is creating a platform for very serious negative discourse which could potentially create both domestic and international problems for us,” he said.

    Meanwhile, convener of the Individual Bondholders forum, Senyo Hosi, In a statement on January 24, 2023, commended the government for reaching an agreement with the government.

    The government of Ghana and the Ghana Association of Banks announced that an agreement had been reached to make some amendments to the terms of the domestic debt exchange programme.

    The amendment includes an agreement to pay a 5% coupon rate for each of the twelve new bonds, resulting in an effective coupon rate of 9%.

    It also added “the removal or amendment of all clauses in the Exchange Memorandum that empower the Republic to at its sole discretion, vary the terms of the exchange.”

    The individual bondholders stated that “with the banks onboarding the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, the government is set to reach its 80% target.”

    “The development reaffirms the need for government to exclude individual Bondholders, including individuals and Collective Investment Schemes (CIS), who account for less than 11% of the eligible bonds. Unlike the banks and other institutions who are set to benefit from various regulatory incentives, Individual Bondholders have no fallback nor incentives and will be condemned to shackled penury,” parts of the statement read.

  • I will never take money from a player – Maxwell Konadu

    I will never take money from a player – Maxwell Konadu

    Legon Cities head coach Maxwell Konadu has stated that he is content with what he has and will never ask players for money.

    There have been several reports about coaches asking players for money to be included in call ups or team selections.

    But Mr. Konadu speaking to Peace FM said he has never been to the house of any player until Black Stars captain Andre Ayew recently invited him to his house.

    “The opportunity I got that Kwesi Appiah gave me I didn’t go begging any player that give me one cedis or two cedis we are not so rich but we respect ourselves. Because the level they are playing we have also played there before. So this is not the time to go to a player to beg. The players I don’t know where they live in Accra,”  he said.

    “The last time I went to Dede all these years the last time I went to Dede is recently he came home and made one of his guys to call me and he told me I should come and look at where he stays and also converse. I have been to his house once I don’t know where the players live even in Accra. I live a private life this makes a lot of players respect you,” he added.

    “You will hear in public this person collects money from players point the Black Stars players from the least to the greatest tell them that if Maxwell has collected money from you before. Ask anybody anywhere to take money from a player you will never get me because I respect myself the little that I have I am happy,”

    “When we are there with them in camp bonuses and everything when they get theirs and I get mine the small portion I manage it myself very well so I will say that collecting money whether its Black Stars, local Black Stars, Meteors wherever even club football you won’t get me,” he ended

  • Ken Ofori-Atta will never be let go – Dr. Assibey-Yeboah

    Ken Ofori-Atta will never be let go – Dr. Assibey-Yeboah

    According to Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah, a former member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won’t ever oust Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    In contrast to claims made by some NPP members, including some of the party’s lawmakers, Dr. Assibey-Yeboah claims that the president will not fire Ofori-Atta because he does not believe that he (Ofori-Atta) has failed.

    The ex-NPP MP said, “Ofori-Atta is also not going to quit since the policies he enacted were on behalf of the president and decisions of the cabinet,” in an interview with Adom TV that GhanaWeb caught on Tuesday.

    “The president says Ken is doing a fantastic job. He says he is doing an excellent job. He also never said he would fire him (Ofori-Atta) during the revolt by the NPP MPs, he told them to let him finish the IMF negotiations so that they could revisit the issue.

    “… He (Ofori-Atta) is not going anywhere. He is not going to resign; why should he resign? The guy is doing an excellent job, according to the president.

    “The finance minister represents the president. The other time I held one of the MPs saying that they told Ofori-Atta to reduce the E-Levy to 1.5 percent but he did not listen so he should be sacked. The budget is the president’s budget and the cabinet met to determine the E-levy rate. Is this a basis for Ofori-Atta to resign or be sacked,” he said in Twi.

    Dr. Assibey-Yeboah, a former chairman of Parliament’s Finance Committee, also stated that he has information indicating that the position of Minister of State in Charge of Finance, which became vacant following the firing of Charles Adu Boahene, will be filled within the week.

  • Attacker Kelvin Andoh joins Libyan club Al Soqour Tobruk

    Attacker Kelvin Andoh joins Libyan club Al Soqour Tobruk

    Libyan top-flight club Al Soqour Tobruk has officially announced the signing of attacker Kelvin Andoh.

    After clearing his medical a few days ago, the former Karela United FC forward has agreed to a one-year deal with Al Suqoor.

    The 27-year-old left Karela when his contract with them ran out and now joins the Libyan team on a free transfer.

    Before departing for the Libyan top flight, Kelvin Andoh participated in 6 matches of the Ghana Premier League’s 2022–23 season, recording 1 goal and 1 assist.

    The former Asante Kotoko player joined Karela in August 2021 and made 35 appearances in Ghana’s top division over the course of two seasons, scoring 8 goals in the process.

    With Wa All Stars in 2016, Kelvin Andoh won the Ghana Premier League championship, and he was a key contributor to the team’s success.

    Al Soqour Tobruk is 5th on the Libyan Premier League table with 12 points after nine games. The red and black will play Al Nasr in their next game.