TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet among Six top coaches shortlisted for Black Stars coach job

    Belgian trainer Tom Saintfiet is among the six coaches shortlisted for the vacant Black Stars coaching job.

    After the exit of Otto Addo, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has shortlisted six top coaches for the vacant job with Saintfiet no exception.

    The Black Stars is currently without a substantive coach following the exit of Germany-based gaffer Otto Addo after Ghana’s early exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Otto Addo announced his departure from the Black Stars after defeat to Uruguay, which derailed the four-time African champions chances of progressing to the knockout phase of the biggest soccer mundial.

    Footballghana.com understands that six top coaches are up for the vacant Black Stars job with George Boateng and Chris Hughton who served under Otto Addo being included.

    Tom Saintfiet, who is currently the head coach of the Gambian national team is a key contender for the Black Stars job.

    The 49-year-old qualified the country for their first Africa Cup of Nation qualification in 2021, leading them to a quarter-final finish.

    He has extensive experience in African football, having taken over as Namibia’s head coach in 2008.

    Since then, he has led Zimbabwe, Malawi, Togo, Ethiopia, and now The Gambia. The Belgian has also worked in Nigeria as a technical advisor.

    Serbian trainer Dragan Stojković is among the list of coaches selected for the Black Stars coaching job.

     

    The 57-year-old is currently the head coach of the Serbian national team and will hope to land the Black Stars job

    Chris Hughton and George Boateng who has already worked with the Black Stars faces a stiff competition from World-class coaches like Thomas Tuchel and Paulo Bento.

    Both Thomas Tuchel and Paulo Bento are without a job following their exit from Chelsea and South Korea respectively.

    The German trainer was shown the exit door at Chelsea over an unimpressive performance whiles the Portuguese coach stepped down after South Korea were booted out of the World Cup in Round of 16.

    He led the Serbian team to the 2022 World Cup but were unable to booted out of the tournament along the line.

    The Ghana FA is expected to name a new coach for the national team, knowing very well that there is an AFCON qualifier games set for March 2023.

    The Black Stars were eliminated after the first round of the tournament following a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay.

    After defeating South Korea in their second group game, the Black Stars needed a draw or win against Uruguay to advance to the last 16 stage.

    But the team failed to negotiate for points against their ‘enemies’ Uruguay.

    Ghana made a strong start to the game, but fell apart after captain Andre Ayew missed a penalty in the 21st minute, a repeat of what happened in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

  • Otumfuo unhappy with how Kumasi is choked with “kiosks and containers”

    The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has bemoaned the lack of proper planning for the capital town of the Ashanti Region, Kumasi.

    According to him, local authorities have allowed residents to put up kiosks and containers at almost every corner of the city.

    Addressing chiefs and local authorities in the Ashanti Region in a video shared by Opemsuo Radio, which was sighted by GhanaWeb, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II urged planners in the region not to allow kiosks to be erected at every place just because they provide people with employment.

    “The issue of the kiosks the Bantahene is talking about is the truth. The assembly members have allowed them to put kiosks everywhere. Today, there are kiosks everywhere.

     

    “There are even kiosks on the pavement that pedestrians are supposed to use. We cannot develop a city this way. But I believe that moving forward we should meet all the town planners and district planners and ask them about the spatial planning they are to do.

    “They have to tell us which parts of Kumasi are for car parks and which parts are for stores so that we will all know which parts of the city we cannot put kiosks in. If people say that is the source of their livelihood but their actions are destroying the city, they should not be allowed,” he said in Twi.

    The monarch added that if people are allowed to put up kiosks and containers anywhere, they will very soon be erecting kiosks in front of the houses of other people.

  • 2022 World Cup: Morocco file protest against referee in semi-final loss to France

    Morocco’s national football association (FMRF) has complained to FIFA over the refereeing following their World Cup semifinal loss to France.

    WHAT HAPPENED? Morocco believe they should have been awarded a penalty when Sofiane Boufal went down in the box in the first half, but referee Cesar Ramos booked the winger for a foul on Theo Hernandez instead. They were also upset about the refusal to act when Selim Amallah was brought down in the second half.

    WHAT THEY SAID: The FMRF said in a statement confirming their complaint: “The FMRF has written to the relevant body to review the refereeing decisions that deprived the Moroccan team of two penalties that were indisputable in the view of several refereeing specialists. The FMRF was equally astonished that the video assistant referee (VAR) did not react to these situations.”

    THE BIGGER PICTURE: The decisions may have proved crucial for Morocco as they went crashing out of the World Cup, losing 2-0 due to goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani.

    WHAT NEXT FOR MOROCCO? After their semi-final loss, Morocco will take on Croatia on Saturday to decide who finishes third in the competition.

  • 2022 World Cup: Why Lionel Messi missed Argentina training ahead of match with France

    Prior to the World Cup final match versus France on Wednesday, December 15, 2022, Argentina captain Lionel Messi was absent from the Albiceleste practice.

    According to earlier rumors, the Paris Saint-Germain superstar missed group training because of a minor knock.

    However, a training ground report by Ghanaian Sports journalist, Samuel Kusi Appiah, suggests Messi is not injured as he trained at the gym together with Angel Di Maria.

    According to Appiah, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni gave his first team a rest while the reserves engaged in intense training.

    Despite the rest, the first team players turned up for the session but did not engage in it.

    Argentina will hold another training session on Friday, December 16, 2022, in preparation for the final.

    Argentina and France have both won the World Cup twice, and the winner of the match on Sunday, December 18 will take their total to three.

  • GFA to name new Black Stars coach next week – Report

    The Ghana Football Association is set to announce the new Black Stars coach by Friday, December 23, 2022, Angel TV has reported.

    The Black Stars’ coaching role became vacant following the resignation of coach Otto Addo after Ghana’s group-stage elimination from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

    “Me & my family are happy in Germany. I said I would step down after the World Cup even if we’re world champions after the tournament.”

    “I’ve resigned from my role as Ghana coach,” Otto Addo told the press in his post-match after Ghana’s 2-0 defeat to Uruguay while announcing his exit.

    Many names have been thrown out in the air, but according to Angel TV, the GFA will name someone in Otto Addo‘s technical team as the substantive coach of the Black Stars.

     

    The report said that GFA is now considering its options but will most likely choose between George Boateng and former Brighton and Hove Albion coach, Chris Hughton.

    Otto Addo supervised 12 games as the head coach of the Black Stars since he was appointed as the interim manager to lead the team for the FIFA World Cup playoffs against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in March 2022.

    He won three out of the 12 games, lost five, and drew the remaining four matches, which include the doubleheader against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

    Despite leading the Black Stars for less than a year, Otto Addo will also go down in history as the first Ghanaian to have featured in the FIFA World Cup as a coach and a player.

  • R. Kelly’s Team say singer’s master recordings were stolen, thieves allegedly demanded $160,000

    Earlier this year, R. Kelly’s team reported the theft of 300 to 500 of his master recordings that the culprits later allegedly demanded money for, per TMZ.

    Back in February, a man named Keith Calbert called police to report the theft of the disgraced Chicago’s recordings from an Illinois storage facility. He said the recordings were valued millions of dollars, but he also told authorities that two roadies had moved the masters to California sometime in 2021. When he asked one of them to return the material, the alleged thief demanded $160,000 to return them. Police investigated the incident, but it’s unclear why it took Kelly’s team nine months to report it.

    The theft could potentially be linked the release of R. Kelly’s I Admit It album, which was pulled from streaming services just hours after its release. According to his attorney Jennifer Bonjean, the record was not authorized by his team.

    “It’s stolen music,” attorney Jennifer Bonjean told The Hollywood Reporter last week. “A police report was filed some time ago because his masters were stolen, but there’s not much of an appetite to investigate these things. People have had access to his intellectual property rights that they are attempting to profit off of, but unfortunately that does not include Mr. Kelly.”

    In the statement she provided, she noted that Kelly had his studio equipment seized by authorities and his masters were believed to be “missing.” She noted that the “music is somewhere out there, but who has it and who has profited off it—we don’t know entirely.”

    Kelly is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.

     

    Source: Complex.com

  • Average Rent in Canada rises over $2,000 for the First Time

    For the first time, the national rent average for all types of property in Canada soared over $2,000 in November, marking a 2.5 per cent rise from October, according to a report from Rentals.ca

    Renters in 2022 are paying approximately $224 more this year than they were in 2021, marking a 12.4 per cent increase.

    Rent was highest in Vancouver, where the average price for a one-bedroom apartment was $2,633. A two-bedroom apartment cost nearly $1,000 more per month.

    Toronto ranked second with an average price of $2,532 for a one-bedroom, while the two-bedrooms cost on average $3,347.

    Meanwhile, Montreal clocked in at 23rd place with the average rent being $1,572 for a one-bedroom. A two-bedroom apartment in Montreal cost approximately $2,072.

    Seven of the top 10 most expensive cities to live in are in Ontario, while British Columbia had the remaining three.

    Atlantic Canada represented the fastest-growing rental market in Canada, according to the report with a 31.8 per cent rise in rental rates as of November. Halifax ranked 13th in the list of most expensive cities to live in.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Tyler Perry reflects on his past suicide attempts while remembering Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss

    Tyler Perry is speaking candidly about past suicide attempts in hopes of helping those who are struggling. On Wednesday, Perry paid tribute to Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head Tuesday.

    “I’ve only met [Boss] a couple of times, and he always full of life and seemed like such a light,” Perry said in an Instagram video before detailing times when he was in a dark place.

    “I just wanted to take you back to a time in my life where I tried to commit suicide, a couple of times. Because it was so dark, I didn’t think it would get any better,” Perry candidly shared. “I had endured so much pain, so much abuse, sexual abuse. It was all so hard to just move through I thought the only way to make this better, this pain to go away, was to end my life. Had any of those attempts happened, I would have missed the best part of my life.”

    The famed director and filmmaker encouraged his followers that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that he emerged “the happiest I’ve ever been.”

    Back in December 2020, Perry opened up about his 26-year-old nephew Gavin Porter, who died in prison while serving a 20-year sentence for killing his father. In the lengthy statement, the Why Did I Get Married? star reflected on how the situation impacted his family.

    “A few years ago my nephew committed a heinous crime—he shot his biological father and killed him just feet away from my sister over a senseless argument. The murder shook our entire family to its core,” the statement read. “Despite his horrible act, before he went to prison I went to see him in the local jail. I assured him that we all still loved him, but it was important to all of us, including his mother, that he was punished for this horrific crime that he had committed.”

    This came after Perry’s family called for a second autopsy report on Porter. Per TMZ, Porter was reportedly in solitary confinement after getting into a fight with another inmate. A few hours later, guards found him hanging in his cell.

    Source: Complex.com

  • A dollar is trading at GH8 – BoG

    The United States Dollar is trading at about GH8 per the Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana as of Thursday, December 15.

    The pound and euro are trading at a little over GH9.80 pesewas and GH8.52 pesewas respectively.

    A look at the forex bureaus show the dollar is being bought at a rate of GH9.00 and sold at GH10.50.

    Per data from Afriswap Bureau De Change, a pound sterling is being bought at a rate of GH11.00 and sold at a rate of GH13.00.

    A Euro, on the other hand, is being bought at a rate of 9.30 and sold at a rate of 11.50.

    For more than two weeks, the cedi has shown some growth against major trading currencies, particularly the dollar.

    Director of Research at the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Philip Abradu-Otoo, has attributed the appreciation of the local currency to the monetary policy implemented by the Central Bank, a reduction in imports and Ghana’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    Some experts believe the cedi will continue to enjoy some appreciation.

     

     

  • Ghana FA shortlists coaches for vacant Black Stars job

    The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has shortlisted six top coaches for the vacant Black Stars coaching job.

    The Black Stars is currently without a substantive coach following the exit of Germany-based gaffer Otto Addo after Ghana’s early exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Otto Addo announced his departure from the Black Stars after defeat to Uruguay, which derailed the four-time African champions chances of progressing to the knockout phase of the biggest soccer mundial.

    Footballghana.com understands that six top coaches are up for the vacant Black Stars job with George Boateng and Chris Hughton who served under Otto Addo being included.

    The duo faces a stiff competition from World-class coaches like Thomas Tuchel and Paulo Bento.

    Both Thomas Tuchel and Paulo Bento are without a job following their exit from Chelsea and South Korea respectively.

    The German trainer was shown the exit door at Chelsea over an unimpressive performance whiles the Portuguese coach stepped down after South Korea were booted out of the World Cup in Round of 16.

    Meanwhile, Belgium coach Tom Saintfiet is among the six coaches shortlisted for the Black Stars job.

    The 49-year-old is currently the manager of the Gambia national team. He qualified the country for their first Africa Cup of Nation qualification in 2021, leading them to a quarter-final finish.

     

    Serbian trainer Dragan Stojković is also a key contender for the Black Stars coaching job.

    The 57-year-old is currently the head coach of the Serbian national team and will hope to land the Black Stars job.

    He led the Serbian team to the 2022 World Cup but were unable to booted out of  the tournament along the line.

    The Ghana FA is expected to name a new coach for the national team, knowing very well that there is an AFCON qualifier games set for March 2023.

    The Black Stars were eliminated after the first round of the tournament following a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay.

    After defeating South Korea in their second group game, the Black Stars needed a draw or win against Uruguay to advance to the last 16 stage.

    But the team failed to negotiate for points against their ‘enemies’ Uruguay.

    Ghana made a strong start to the game, but fell apart after captain Andre Ayew missed a penalty in the 21st minute, a repeat of what happened in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

  • Demand for local rice soars despite price hikes

    In contrast to other goods, demand for local rice is still skyrocketing on the market, despite the current shortage and price increases in the Northern region.

    The northern sector of the rice trade is flourishing as a result of the great demand for local rice, and the majority of young people are currently profiting from it.

    Although the lack of combine harvesters continues to be a challenge for most farmers, observations by the B&FT at various processing centers in the Tamale Metropolis and Sagnerigu Municipality show that the region’s rainfall pattern helped the farmers record a bumper crop.

    Also, the cost of inputs has resulted in increments of the price – as well as for tractor services for production activities.

    A rice processor, Memunatu Iddrisu – who works with Lowlandi Rice Processing Centre, told B&FT that the demand for local rice has been high due to the campaign by government and stakeholders.

    “We used to sell less than ten bags a day, but the campaign and current situation have encouraged high demand so that we are able to sell more than 20 bags a day. The situation has exerted pressure on us to demand more hands in order to process the commodity,” she said.

    Indeed, the Department of Agriculture and Savannah Zone Agriculture Productivity Improvement Project (SAPIP) have been engaging farmers in those municipalities, while supporting them in gaining access to finance and tractor services.

    The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer at the Department of Agriculture-Tamale, Felix Oteng Dwaah, told B&FT that the Department engaged the services of Agricultural Extension Agents in the region to assist farmers on best agronomic practices.

    The hike in price

    At the processing centre in Tamale, the price of an Olonka of 5kg has increased to GH¢30 from GH¢15; 12.5kg has increased to GH¢70 from GH¢40; and 25kg has increased to GH¢150/300 from GH¢100 based on the variety.

    On the market, it ranges between GH¢80 to GH¢100 for 5kg and GH¢300 to GH¢400 for 25kg.

    At Fumbisi in the Sandema district of the Upper East Region, a hub of rice production, 5kg of local rice goes for GH¢80 while 25kg goes for GH¢350.

  • George Boateng shortlisted for Black stars coach job

    After Otto Addo resigned from the position following the Black Stars‘ elimination from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, George Boateng, a former junior coach for Aston Villa, has been shortlisted for the Ghana position.

    Boateng was a member of the technical crew that orchestrated Ghana’s entry into the world championship, but he was unable to advance to the following round of the competition.

    Ghana finished bottom of Group H with three points after losing to Portugal and Uruguay, having beaten South Korea in between.

    Footballghana understands that coach Boateng who is a deputy Ghana coach is considered for the vacant role and is likely to succeed Otto Addo.

    The 47-year-old left his role at Aston Villa in order to focus on his role with the Black Stars in the build up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

     

    He showed great passion for the job as he wanted to serve his country of birth, even though he represented the Netherlands internationally, making four appearances.

    Boateng started his managerial career in Malaysian as head coach of Kelantan FA in 2014. After inconsistent results, he was moved to the Technical Director position in 2015 before he eventually left his post as technical director of Kelantan on 11 May 2015 in order to work as coach or manager again.

    In 2018, Boateng signed as Under 13’s head coach at Championship club Blackburn Rovers where he coached different age groups at the academy.

    However, one year later, it was announced that Boateng had left Rovers to take up a position as Aston Villa Under-18 Professional Development Coach.

    In 2020, he was promoted to become the Professional Development Coach of the under 23 squad at Aston Villa. He left the role two years later to join Ghana on a permanent basis ahead of the World Cup.

    He was named new assistant coach of Ghana in May, however his contract will expire at the end of December.

  • 2022/23 GPL: Match officials for week nine announced

    The Ghana Premier League returns on Monday, December 19, 2022 after the 2o22 FIFA World Cup break.

    The Referees Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced match Officials for matchweek nine.

    Below are the match officials:

    REFEREES, VENUES & OTHER OFFICIALS
    DATE: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022MATCH: KOTOKU ROYALS FC VS LEGON CITIES FC

    VENUE: CAPE COAST STADIUM

    REFEREE: NYAABILE MAHAMUDU IBRAHIM

    ASSISTANTS: MUMUNI FUSEINI & GEORGE OWUSU AMPONSEM

    4TH REFEREE: ALI MUSAH

    MATCH COMMISSIONER: TASEMBEDO OUSMANE

    VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: LUKEMAN AYINDE

    GFA CAMERAMAN: EMMANUEL OSEI
    DATE:  WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022MATCH: BECHEM UNITED VS TAMALE CITY

    VENUE: NANA FOSU GYEABOUR PARK

    REFEREE: CHARLES BULU

    ASSISTANTS: JASPER ADENYO & ADAM ALHAJI MUTTAWAKIL

    4TH REFEREE: MAALE IMGREDE IREME

    MATCH COMMISSIONER: THOMAS NUNOO

    VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: PRINCE AGYEMANG

    GFA CAMERAMAN: PAUL EGBENYA

     
    DATE: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022MATCH: KARELA FC VS MEDEAMA SC

    VENUE: CAM PARK, AIYINASE

    REFEREE: FRANKLIN AKUMATEY

    ASSISTANTS: ALEX OSAM & HENRY ESSEL

    4TH REFEREE: CLEMENT K. NKUAH

    MATCH COMMISSIONER: WILLIAM QUAYE

    VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: STEPHEN APAKA QUAICOE

    GFA CAMERAMAN: ISHMAEL ODARTEY MILLS
    DATE: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2022MATCH: NSOATREMAN FC VS HEARTS OF OAK SC

    VENUE:  NANA KONAMANSAH I PARK

    REFEREE: DR. IMORO OSMAN

    ASSISTANTS: STEPHEN BALANGUENA & ISAAC ASANTE

    4TH REFEREE: JACOB ADUNTERA

    MATCH COMMISSIONER: MARK KODUA

    VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: MASAWUDU ISSAH

    LIVE ON STARTIMES
    DATE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2022MATCH: ACCRA LIONS FC VS FC SAMARTEX

    VENUE: WAFA PARK, SOGAKOPE

    REFEREE: MAXWELL HANSON

    ASSISTANTS: ISAAC NYAMEKYE & EMMANUEL ARKAIFIE

    4TH REFEREE: ANDREWS AWURISA

    MATCH COMMISSIONER: ANDREWS TAMAKLOE

    VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: TILDA ACORLOR

    LIVE ON STARTIMES
    DATE: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022MATCH: DREAMS FC VS KING FAISAL FC

    VENUE: THEATRE OF DREAMS, DAWU

    REFEREE: ROBERT MUSEY

    ASSISTANTS: KWESI BROBBEY & SETH ABLETOR

    4TH REFEREE: MARTINS AKUDZI

    MATCH COMMISSIONER: ADJIRI BARNOR

    VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: DELALI PHRANK AWUTEY

    GFA CAMERAMAN:
    DATE: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2022MATCH:  GREAT OLYMPICS VS ADUANA FC

    VENUE: WAFA PARK, SOGAKOPE

    REFEREE: RUSTUM GAMELI SENORGBE

    ASSISTANTS: THEOPHILUS AKUGRE & ROBERT ADUKO SUNDAY

    4TH REFEREE: FOSTER BASTIOURS

    MATCH COMMISSIONER: ALEXANDER AZAMETI

    VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: TILDA ACORLOR

    GFA CAMERAMAN: EMMANUEL KPAB
    DATE: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022MATCH: ASANTE KOTOKO SC VS BEREKUM CHELSEA FC

    VENUE: BABA YARA STADIUM

    REFEREE: GEORGE M. VORMAWOR

    ASSISTANTS: ALHASSAN ABDULAI GRUUGUU & JAMES OSAFO

    4TH REFEREE: LAUD NETTEY

    MATCH COMMISSIONER: FELIX ADJETEY SOWAH

    VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: NATHANIEL GYASI

    LIVE ON STARTIMES
    DATE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2022MATCH: BIBIANI GOLDSTARS VS RTU

    VENUE: DUNS PARK, BIBIANI

    REFEREE: JULIAN NUNOO

    ASSISTANTS: FRANCIS BONDZIE ARTHUR & GABRIEL BOATENG

    4TH REFEREE: MAXWELL OWUSU

    MATCH COMMISSIONER: AYOO LUKE

    VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: SETH ADJEI

    GFA CAMERAMAN: ISAAC NYARKO

  • Net worth of second-richest person in Nigeria surpasses $8.1 billion – Report

    The increase in the value of the shares of Abdul Samad Rabiu, a billionaire industrialist from Nigeria, does not appear to be slowing down after recently surpassing the $7 billion threshold.

    The second-richest person in Nigeria and one of the richest business people on the African continent is Rabiu. He makes his income via publicly traded companies on the Nigerian Exchange.

    As a result of a rise in the stock prices of his publicly traded cement company, BUA Cement Plc, and his recently consolidated food empire, BUA Foods Plc, Rabiu’s net worth has reportedly topped $8.1 billion, according to Forbes.

    His net worth has been on the rise since Jan. 5 when shares of his consolidated food conglomerate, BUA Foods Plc were listed on the Nigerian Exchange on Jan. 5, a move that saw his wealth figures leap from $4.9 billion to $7 billion barely 48 hours after the listing.

    Recently, his net worth rose by $800 million from $7.3 billion on Dec. 9 to $8.1 billion at the time of drafting this report, driven majorly by the stock market performance of his cement business.

    According to data retrieved from the Nigerian Exchange, BUA Cement shares have increased from N77 ($0.1725) to N97.75 ($0.219) at the time of writing this report. This double-digit increase can be attributed to the cement company’s strong financial performance this year, as investors and shareholders continue to accumulate stakes in the company.

    While other cement companies struggled to match their 2022 results, BUA Cement reported a 12.3-percent increase in profit during the first nine months of its 2022 fiscal year, from N65.9 billion ($145 million) in the same period in 2021 to N74 billion ($168.4 million), as cement sales increased by double digits.

    During the period under review, the leading cement manufacturer opened a 3-million-metric-tonne cement factory in Sokoto, a state in northwestern Nigeria, as part of its expansion plans to meet the country’s growing cement demand as well as regional exports to other countries.

  • Deputy Gender Minister designate denies allegation of conflict of interest in purchase of sanitisers

    The Deputy Minister for Gender and Social Protection nominee, Francisca Oteng-Mensah has refuted claims that she engaged in conflict of interest in the procurement of sanitisers during the peak of Covid-19 pandemic.

    The Kwabre East MP was accused of using her influence as the Board Chairperson of the National Youth Authority (NYA) in 2020 to lead the board in approving the procurement of sanitisers from a company in which she is a director and shareholder.

    Ms Oteng-Mensah was alleged to have supervised the board to pay GH¢700,000 to Adonko Company – a subsidiary of the Angel Group of Companies which manufactured hand sanitisers at the onset of Covid-19.

    The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is currently investigating allegations of conflict of interest against the Deputy Gender Minister-designate.

    However, appearing before the Appointment Committee of Parliament on Thursday, Ms. Oteng-Mensah said she is not guilty of the allegations of conflict of interest made against her.

    According to her, she did not have any idea that the NYA Board was working towards purchasing sanitisers from Adonko Company.

    Therefore, she hoped CHRAJ which is a competent body will clear her of any wrongdoing.

    “As the Chairperson, I was not a member of the Entity Tender Committee and so I wasn’t on the committee at that time. Also, I had no idea they were purchasing from Adonko Company Limited at that time.

    “It got to a time when we were at the peak of Covid-19 season. In fact, if we all recall, getting access to sanitisers was a huge challenge and so everybody including members of Parliament were struggling to go anywhere that they could get sanitisers to give to their people,” she told the Committee.

    The Kwabre MP further explained that the Committee did not only procure sanitisers from Adonko Company Limited but from other companies as well.

    “At that point, in that state of emergency, nothing of that sort came to me and so I find it difficult to accept that there is any conflict of interest. It was afterwards that I got to know that they even purchased some number of sanitisers from Adonko Company Limited. And they didn’t just purchase from Adonko Company Limited, per my checks, they also purchased from other companies,” she said.

    Meanwhile, she admitted that her father is the owner of Adonko Company Limited and she is a shareholder.

    “…it has to do with the fact that my father owns Adonko Company Limited and I’m also a shareholder of the company,” she told the Committee.

    What led to the allegation

    A resident of Nima in Accra, Ismail Mohammed, on January 21, 2021, therefore, petitioned the anti-graft institution to look into the conduct of the MP, insisting the NYA’s ¢3 million expenses on a Covid-19 campaign in 2020 had elements of impropriety.

    The NYA board’s approval of the expenditure on March 31, 2020, came at a time the country had recorded more than 150 cases of COVID-19 and was girding its loins to confront the pandemic.

    Fourteen out of the 15 board members of the institution were in the Zoom meeting to approve the amount. That meeting had the board chairperson, Francisca Oteng Mensah; the CEO, Sylvester Tetteh; and a Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Secretariat, Henry Nana Boakye, in attendance.

    Minutes of the board’s virtual meeting on that day show the CEO presented management’s proposal for GH₵3 million for a campaign to support the government’s fight against COVID-19.

    Three board members, Joshua Makubu, now the Oti Regional Minister; Henry Nana Boakye, now the New Patriotic Party’s National Organiser; and Theodora Williams Anti, now the Acting Executive Director Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA), supported the management’s proposal.

    This paved the way for the Board Chairperson to call for a voice vote on the matter.

    “Majority of the members voted for the approval of ¢3 million for management to undertake various activities towards the fight against Covid-19, with no indication of dissension,” the minutes said.

    However, a member of the board, Emmanuel Yao Dormenya, suggested that “management should submit a budget to the finance committee for scrutiny.”

    Ms Oteng-Mensah shot the idea down.

    “The Chairman in view of the exigency of the request directed the CEO to present regular updates on the activities on the board’s page and a comprehensive report to the board on the outcomes of the lined-up activities under the programme during the subsequent meeting,” the board minutes indicated.

    The petitioner alleged that by superintending the meeting to approve the Covid-19 campaign, Ms Oteng-Mensah had violated Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 7 of the NYA Act.

    Source: myjoyonline

  • GUTA commends BoG for cedi’s performance

    The Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA) has applauded efforts of the fiscal and monetary authorities in the development, highlighting its predicted influence on the businesses of its members, given the cedi’s exceptional performance versus its key trading partners, particularly the US dollar.

    The local currency had had a difficult year when compared to the US dollar, losing about 60% of its value by mid-November, when it was trading at just over GH15 for one US dollar.

    However, over the course of the past week – following announcement of the domestic debt exchange programme terms, the staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a sustained campaign by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to sanitise the foreign exchange (FX) space – the cedi has been on an upward trajectory, closing trading on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at GH¢9.3 = US$1, according to the BoG; almost halving the peak year-to-date depreciation.

    Commenting on the welcome development, GUTA in a communique stated that it “wishes to appreciate the efforts being made by government and the Bank of Ghana to stabilise the cedi”.

    “We urge government to continue with more efforts to sustain the programme and bring relief to the business community. We hope to see further and continuous appreciation of the cedi, and envisage that the economy will turn around in the shortest possible time,” added the statement signed by GUTA president Dr. Joseph Obeng.

    Appeal to members

    With the cedi’s rally expected to be maintained in the near-term, as US dollars hitherto hoarded by speculators begin to flood the market, the Association appealed for its members to make adjustments to retail prices.

    “As the value of the cedi begins to appreciate, GUTA wishes to appeal for members of the business community to also adjust prices of goods and services accordingly so as to make the consuming public feel the impact of this positive trend,” GUTA said.

    This comes as inflation for November accelerated to an almost three-decade high at 50.3 percent, beating market expectations.

    BoG’s efforts

    The central bank, in response to artificial depreciation of the cedi, undertook a number of measures to remedy the situation – some of which have come into effect, with others still being rolled out.

    At the conclusion of an emergency meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee in August, the BoG announced that it was “working collaboratively with the mining firms, international oil companies and their bankers to purchase all foreign exchange arising from the voluntary repatriation of export proceeds from mining, and oil and gas companies”.

    In October, the apex bank met with directors of banks and the Association of Forex Bureau Operators – cautioning the latter to comply with the Forex Bureau Act and warning them to stop setting forward rates, which had led to rate speculation and unneeded market panic; both of which contributed to the local currency’s rapid fall.

    This was followed by the revocation of the licences of two forex bureaus in Accra for breaching provisions in the Forex Bureau Act as well as the arrest of at least 70 illegal black market FX operators.

    Following President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s address to the nation, the Bank, in November, announced that it will no longer provide forex support for the import of some commodities, primarily rice, poultry, vegetable oils, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, and ceramic tiles.

  • World Cup 2022: Morocco’s journey is a miracle by all standard – Didier Drogba

    Didier Drogba, a former international for the Ivory Coast, says he is happy to be an African in light of Morocco‘s amazing World Cup performance in Qatar in 2022.

    After defeating Portugal 1-0 in the quarterfinals, The Atlas Lios became the first African team to advance to the semifinals of the international championship.

    However, their run ended with a 2-0 defeat to the holders France on Wednesday.

    “The Moroccan national team’s career is a miracle by all standards. I am proud as an African of the Atlas Lions,” the former Chelsea striker said.

     

    Prior to Morocco’s historic campaign, only Cameroon (in 1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) had ever progressed to the World Cup quarter-finals for Africa.

    Morocco will face Croatia in Saturday’s third-placed playoff at the Khalifa International Stadium.

    The Atlas Lions lost 2-0 to holders France while Zlatko Dalic’s side were well beaten by Argentina in their semi-final clash on Tuesday.

    The two countries have already met at the tournament, playing out a goalless draw in their Group F opener.

  • Twitter suspends reporters from WashPost, NYT, others who wrote about Elon Musk

    Twitter suddenly suspended a host of the nation’s preeminent tech journalists on Thursday, many of whom have reported about billionaire Elon Musk’s chaotic leadership at the social media giant in recent weeks.

    The accounts for The New York Times’ Ryan Mac, The Washington Post’s Drew Harwell, CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, Mashable’s Matt Binder and independent journalist Aaron Rupar all disappeared Thursday evening, as did several others.

    All of those reporters have reported deeply about Musk’s $44 billion takeover of Twitter, the fallout after he laid off half of its employees and the company’s decision to ban, then un-ban, then re-ban an account that tracked Musk’s private plane flights.

    Aaron Rupar told NBC’s Ben Collins he had “no idea” why the suspension happened. Other suspensions rolled in later in the evening, including for political commentator Keith Olbermann.

    A message on the accounts simply says they have been suspended for violating Twitter’s rules.

    Mac, writing from a secondary account on Twitter, said he was given “no warning” before the suspension and has not been contacted in any way by the company.

    “I report on Twitter, Elon Musk and his companies,” Mac wrote. “And I will continue to do so.”

    Twitter’s head of trust and safety, Ella Irwin, told the Verge the company wouldn’t comment on any specific suspensions but did say “we will suspend any accounts that violate our privacy policies and put other users at risk.”

    “We don’t make exceptions to this policy for journalists or any other accounts,” Irwin said, pointing to Twitter’s updated policy of sharing “live location information.”

    Twitter has already been drastically reshaped since Musk formally took ownership of the company in October. He has disbanded teams that address hate speech and civil rights abuses and demanded that the company update policies on the fly to target accounts and critics that irk him.

    The New York Times reported this week that Musk and his advisers have been looking at stiffing former employees of severance pay in an effort to cut costs. Twitter also hasn’t paid rent for its San Francisco headquarters, or for many of its other global offices, in weeks, hoping to renegotiate lease terms.

    Source: Huffpost

  • GUTA asks Ghanaians to be measured in their expectations

    President of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA), Dr. Joseph Obeng, has called on the general public to be measured in their expectations concerning the prices of goods on the market.

    According to him, while the depreciation of the cedi had drastically affected the price of goods, the cedi’s appreciation now would not immediately reflect in the prices of goods.

    He explained that just as traders had lost huge chunks of their capital during the depreciation, the sudden appreciation of the cedi has also led to traders losing large portions of their capital due to the reason that they had stored their capital in dollars during the depreciation.

    He noted that the sudden appreciation of the cedi has eroded the value of their dollar-stored capital thus to regain some of that capital back, traders would be selling their goods at a reasonable price to customers.

    “That’s why I’m still emphasizing that our expectations should be measured. That we should not think that it will go proportionately like the way the currency has. In that case, the consuming public is not being fair to us. We are showing good faith and we are telling our members to strike a reasonable pricing because about 70% of us have lost our capital.

    “Even though the dollar is going down, it means that where are you going to get your money because you have already changed it and now the cedi has appreciated against the dollar that you stored your value in even though you’ve used it to purchase the goods by the time the goods come you’ve lost in disguise,” he said.

    He has urged importers to take opportunity of the appreciating cedi and buy the dollar now that it is cheaper.

    “And so that’s why we’re saying that whoever is having goods now should strike the necessary averages and be able to sell at this time so that they can buy the dollar as it is cheaper now. They can get even more dollars and help themselves,” he said.

    Source: Myjoyonline.com

  • World Cup 2022: We’ll attempt to secure third place – Morocco coach Regragui

    Walid Regragui, the coach of Morocco, has set his eyes on defeating Croatia in the third-place playoff game on Saturday at the Khalifa International Stadium.

    The Atlas Lions fell to the defending champions France 2-0, and Zlatko Dalic’s team was soundly defeated by Argentina in their semifinal matchup on Tuesday.

    The two countries have already met at the tournament, playing out a goalless draw in their Group F opener.

    “It will be difficult on a mental level. I will give opportunities to those who did not play and we will try to clinch third place,” Regragui, born in France to Moroccan parents, said.

    “The important thing is that we presented a good look to our team and that football in Morocco is not far from the top level.”

    Morocco made history becoming the first African side to reach the semifinals of a FIFA World Cup, following their 1-0 win over Portugal at the quarter finals.

    Prior to their historic campaign, only Cameroon (in 1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) had ever progressed to the World Cup quarter-finals for Africa.

  • Railways Ministry gets ₵618.2 million for 2023 fiscal year

    Parliament has approved GH₵618.2 million for the Ministry of Railways Development to run its programmes and activities for the year 2023.

    The Ministry’s budgetary allocation for the financial year has seen a significant increase over the 2022 figure of GHS530.6 million, showing a 16.5 per cent increase.

    Within the year under review, a total amount of GHS475.3 million was released with GHS419.96 million expended by the Ministry as at September 2022.

    As regards the programmes and outlook for 2023, the Ministry in 2023 would continue to develop local human resources and technical capacity for the maintenance of the railway system.

    This would be done by organising workshops and equipping the youth through practical hands-on training to create jobs and wealth to support the growth of the economy.

    In 2023, the construction of the 22km Kojokrom-Manso section of the Western Railway Line and the 97.97km of the Tema-Mpakadan Line are expected to be completed and operationalised, being the first standard gauge railway line in Ghana.

    Mr John-Peter Amewu, the Minister of Railways Development in moving the Motion on Wednesday, said the Ministry was working very hard to stop the encroachment on railway lands.

    He noted that in the short to medium term, there was the possibility of linking the Western Railway Line, which was 35 to 40 per cent complete, to the Boankra Inland Port.

    The Eastern Line, had, however, seen no improvement.

    “On the completion of the Western Line, there is the possibility that we may move on through the Port of Takoradi to the Boankra Inland Port,” Mr Amewu said.

    “So, that is what we are doing while looking to the long term of completing the Eastern Railway Line.”

    Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport, who seconded the Motion, said the Committee noted the challenges of the Ministry with encroachment on lands earmarked for railway projects.

    He said those challenges had financial implications since the Government had to compensate those encroachers when projects were being undertaken to get the right of way on its own land, which delayed the work.

    Mr Osei, who is also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru, said the Committee was concerned about the Ministry’s ability to take the necessary steps to  protect all earmarked lands and properties from encroachment.

    The Committee was informed about illegal mining (galamsey) activities, which were causing damage to railway infrastructure resulting in huge financial losses.

    Mr Osei said the Ministry would require an estimated two million dollars to reclaim lands destroyed as a result of illegal mining activities.

    He urged the Ministry to collaborate with the National Security and Lands and Natural Resources ministries, through Operation Halt, to curb the activities of galamsey operators.

    Touching on the Boankra Integrated Logistics Terminal, the Chairman said there was the need for a railway line from Boankra to be extended to the Tema Port to facilitate the transportation of heavy goods to the inland Port.

    Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority Leader in Parliament, said Ghana must prioritise its railway development and ensure that adequate resources were allocated towards achieving that to improve the general transportation of persons and goods.

    He suggested that with the annual amount that Parliament approves every year, the House should take a position and allocate $200 million for the next five years for anyone who would want to come and build the railway system.

    Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the NPP Majority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, said it was time for massive investment in the railway sector to make it more vibrant.

    Mr Governs Kwame Agbodza, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Roads and Transport Committee, and MP for Adaklu, urged the ruling NPP Government to give credit to the opposition NDC for initiating some development projects while it was in office, such as the Tema-Npakanda Railway Line.

    Source: myjoyonline

  • Cars burnt beyond recognition in 2 separate accidents

    In a horrifying tragedy at Gomoa Dominase in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region, two cars have burned beyond repair.

    The collision between a Benz and a Toyota V8 Land Cruiser happened on Thursday in the afternoon.

    Occupants of the vehicle, however, escaped unhurt.

    The first vehicle is said to have caught fire at the onion Market on the Kasoa Cape Coast Highway while the other car also got burnt at Gomoa Dominase Junction.

    In an interview with Adom News, a driver of one of the vehicles, Ato Yorson said he lost GHS 4,000 and his wine to the accident.

    The cause, according to him, is, however, yet to be determined, adding he is still in shock as to how the vehicle caught fire.

    With the intervention of the Winneba Municipal Fire officers led by Anthony Nyarko the fire was doused but there was nothing for the occupants to salvage.

  • It’s fantastic to see Thomas Partey back – Arsenal manager

    Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has welcomed Ghana international Thomas Partey back into his squad.

    The Black Stars midfielder joined his Gunners teammates in Dubai last week after Ghana exited the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

    On Tuesday, Thomas Partey played 45 minutes and helped Arsenal to beat AC Milan in the Dubai Super Cup.

    Speaking after the game, Mikel Arteta disclosed that Thomas Partey is disappointed Ghana could not go far in the tournament.

    The Arsenal manager also said he is happy that after resting for a few days, Thomas Partey has rejoined his squad.

     

    “He played a lot and he was disappointed by the way he had to leave the World Cup but it happens to every nation that they are out.

    “It takes a few days to reset and to focus on the team.

    “The good thing we have is that everybody has been showing that they are desperate to get back as quick as possible. It was really good to have those two back today playing some minutes,” Mikel Arteta said.

    Thomas Partey is expected to be in action for Arsenal on Saturday when the side takes on Juventus in another friendly match.

  • Africa should learn from China, let’s earn our respect – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo believes Africa must work hard on its development paradigms if it will be respected in the comity of nations.

    In his view, there is no amount of talk that can change the African narrative except hard work is put in to change the status quo if Africa is to tell her own story.

    He cited the case of China as a perfect example of how a country can earn respect in the comity of nations. “I hear a lot about the need to change the narrative and tell our own good stories. As the saying goes, ‘nothing succeeds as success.’

    “If we work at it, if we stop being beggars and spend Africa’s money inside the continent, Africa will not need to ask for respect from anyone. We would get the respect we deserve,” he told a gathering involving some of his peers at the just-ended US-African Leaders’ summit in Washington DC.

     

    He cited how over 30 years ago, an American Ivy League varsity offered Mandarin for years without takers, yet today the course has packed halls. “It is not because of ease but because position of China has changed.

    “Thirty years, twenty years ago, China was no where near where it is today, China does not ask anyone for respect now, she does not need it. Let us make our continent the prosperous and joyful place it should be and the respect will follow,” he concluded to applause.

    His call for Africa to stop begging the West in the same speech has drawn lot of chatter especially on social media with a group of people calling him out for making such a statement in a week Ghana received bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

  • Trailer driver narrowly escapes death as vehicle carrying spare parts capsize

    A trailer truck driver narrowly escaped death on Thursday, December 15, 2022, after his vehicle overturned in an accident on the Accra-Nsawam road.

    According to eyewitnesses, the driver whose name has been withheld, was transporting spare parts from Kumasi to Tema.

    However, in an attempt to turn and use the road heading towards Dzorwulu when he got to the Achimota overpass, he veered off the road, causing the vehicle to lose its balance, and subsequently capsised.
    The incident resulted in a heavy traffic congestion.

    Fortunately, the driver escaped unscathed despite being quite traumatized.

    The incident also resulted in heavy traffic on the road.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

     

  • I begged to perform at shows in 2021 – Iyanya

    Afropop singer, Iyanya has revealed that in December 2021, he had to beg to perform at events.

    In a post on Twitter, the singer says that last year was not a favourable year for him, adding that he had only had one paid show to perform at.

    Because he wanted to remain in the public eye, Iyanya noted that he begged to perform at some shows. The ‘Kukere’ hitmaker said he was given the opportunity to offer his services at two shows for free.

    A year later, Iyanya says the narrative has completely changed for him. He has been booked for more than 20 shows.

    “I wake up every day to alerts for shows, haven’t had this kind of busy December since 2017. 20+ shows in one month. God Thank you,” he wrote.

    He thanked fans who have stuck with him through everything and streamed his music.

    “God Bless you. There’s got to be more and I promise 2023 will be a better year for everyone who has supported me this year. We will definitely have a great 2023,” Iyanya added.

  • I can imagine how hard suicide victims must have fought to stay happy – Lydia Forson

    In a shocking piece of news that broke the internet, a popular American dancer, tWitch, was found dead in a hotel from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

    Following the dancer’s passing, Lydia Forson posted on Twitter her reflections on what she thinks every time she learns about someone who has committed suicide.

    She said that she can envision how difficult it must be for cheerful individuals to maintain their optimism each day of their life, as well as how lonely it must have been for them.

    “Every time I read about suicide all I can think of is how hard the person must have fought to stay happy and how alone they must have felt.

    “Sending light to everyone going through it mentally, it’s not easy,” she tweeted on December 14, 2022.

    Stephen Boss, also known by his stage as DJ tWitch, was said to have died on December 14, 2022, at a Los Angeles hotel. Media outlets report that he reportedly killed himself and was declared dead at the scene.

    According to TMZ, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who gained notoriety on the Ellen DeGeneres program’s wife, Allison Holker hurried to an LAPD station on Tuesday, distraught at her husband’s apparent departure from the house without his car.

    His wife alerted the authorities because that was uncharacteristic of him, and shortly after that, emergency medical services were called to a hotel in Los Angeles.

    Stephen was discovered at the same hotel, seemingly dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

  • Trending photo of school child who sent bowl of fufu to Our Day

    Our Day is a local phrase in Ghana that is used to describe the closing party organized in basic schools at the end of each term.

    Pupils view these days as special as they are usually given special treatment by their parents, who supply them with food and drinks.

    They put on the best clothes, go to school earlier than usual, and sometimes dance their feet off.

    These parties actually signify an end to a term where they would be allowed to stay home, help their parents and have rest.

    However, when you happen to go to “Our Day” with an unconventional dish like fufu, you will most certainly end up on the news.

    That is how a school kid went viral after a picture of him eating Fufu and picking his teeth with his left hand went viral.

    Aside from the fact that he was eating fufu, which was way different from his colleagues, who were mostly eating rice dishes, the boy’s appreciative disposition has earned him social media endearment.

     

  • My house in Accra costs ₵500,000 — 28-year-old young billionaire, Kojo Forex reveals

    Kojo Forex, a 28-year-old forex trader from Ghana, has offered his followers an insight into the process that went into the building of his posh mansion which he claimed cost him ₵500,000.

    In a recent video posted to his YouTube account, Kojo gave advice to young people who wish to construct their own homes, warning them to exercise caution or run the risk of being taken advantage of.

    Kojo cautioned builders to exercise additional caution when hiring construction contractors in a video he posted on his YouTube channel since many undervalue the cost of materials.

    The YouTuber claimed that his ideal home includes two halls, two kitchens, a game room, and a swimming pool.

     

  • Your ‘Hallelujah’ over the Cedi appreciation doesnt make sense – DKB tells Prince David Osei

    Ghanaian actor, Prince David Osei and comedian, Derrick Kobina Bonney, have clashed over the actor’s comment over appreciation of the cedi against the dollar.

    For the past few days, the Ghanaian local has been appreciating against the American dollar. As of Tuesday, December 13, 2022, the US dollar depreciated, thereby, trading against the cedi at a buying rate of 11.4943 and a selling price of 11.5058.

    A few weeks ago, the dollar was initially selling at GHC14.000. Taunting this as a good sign that Ghanaian economy is getting back on track, the actor took to Twitter to express excitement over the development.

    “Hallelujah the Cedi is appreciating remarkably. 9.56ghc to a 1$. The economy is gradually getting back on track!! Now we need to see the effect in our daily lives, goods and services.. God bless ????????,” the actor tweeted.

    However, DKB argues that the development isn’t worth celebrating since it hasn’t affected prices of goods and services are still stagnant.

    “A reducing exchange rate with no correlating reduction on food prices and fuel prices is useless,” DKB said as a reply to the actor’s post and that graduated into an exchange between Prince David Osei and DKB.

    “So would you have preferred the cedi went up to 20ghc per $ before the end of the year? We know we have issues as a country but let’s be hopeful for the small changes we seeing?” Prince David Osei told DKB and it did not end there.

    DKB in his response jabbed Prince David Osei for still been bias towards to NPP government.

    “You have no option but to celebrate small victories because you have committed to them and you owe allegiance. I don’t owe allegiance to any party, I talk for Ghanaians. Until prices reduce and cash burden on us goes down, we won’t celebrate any damn small Victories! Tueh!” DKB said.

  • Tell Ghanaians road toll cancellation was an error; KSM tells gov’t

    Road Tolls in Ghana have been cancelled in November 2021 as part of the policy measures announced by the government under the 2022 Budget.

    However, the government has reintroduced it. Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta announced the reintroduction in the 2023 budget presented to Parliament as one of the revenue measures to make money for Ghana’s needs.

    In the eyes of Kwaku Sintim-Misa, this move by the government only proves the people in charge are disorganized and clueless of what they are up to.

    “So, basically, I thought that the whole thing was muddled with confusion. Number one, it shouldn’t have been canceled at all; number two, they just decided to bring it back. Why are you bringing it back?” he said.

    In an interview with GhanaWeb, KSM added that the reason the government is reintroducing road tolls should be adequately explained.

    “Are you bringing it back because you made a mistake canceling it in the first place? So just address Ghanaian people and tell us, ‘Listen, Ghanaian people, it was an error canceling this thing, we made a mistake and are trying to reverse it. We’re going to bring it back and when we bring it back we are going to make it more digital, we are going to do this, we are going to do that, to improve it,” KSM said.

    KSM fuerher lambasted the government for initially cancelling of the road tolls. “To cancel paying road tolls in Ghana, I thought it was very unfortunate, especially if you’re going to use the road tolls to actually help improve the state of roads, then you need to collect road tolls even if Ghanaians will not understand the importance of road tolls. This is where you can come out and state clearly that we need to improve our road tolls. We need a road coming from Accra to Kumasi, these things don’t just happen,” he said.

    “They come from the tolls that we pay. Even if they thought that road tolls were not as effective and it was not collecting as much, then we need to sit down and actually come up with a strategy of how best we can get the road tolls to work. Because there is no question in my mind that they (road tolls) are needed, especially in a country that is economically harder with raising revenue,” KSM emphasized.

  • Asake crowned the Audiomack Artist of the Year 2022

    Known by a feminine Yoruba name, “Asake” is not the given name of Nigeria’s latest musical revelation—but the name of his mother. “Ololade mi Asake” (Asake my beloved), is, as a result, both a wholesome preamble to the pack of hit songs delivered by Ahmed Ololade in 2022 and his calling card on a track. Newly minted as a signee to legendary Nigerian rapper Olamide’s YBNL label in January, the celebratory “Omo Ope,” featuring Olamide himself, introduced Asake’s spirited persona to Nigerian listeners.

    His debut EP Ololade Asake arrived in February, and with it continued Asake’s ascent through the suggestive “Sungba.” The fuji-amapiano fusion attracted Burna Boy to hop on a remix in March, Re-Upped in April by Audiomack. The cosign from Burna Boy elevated Asake to another plane, and stamped him as Nigeria’s first big breakout of 2022. It was a lofty achievement at the time, but more was to come.

    Asake’s tone centers on using his journey as a case study for overcoming the struggles of young Nigerians. Prior to this year’s breakthrough, he spent many years toiling in the entertainment space. During his time at Obafemi Awolowo University, he was part of a set of renowned creators on campus who would find later success, such as Fireboy DML, Blaqbonez, Cheque, and more. So when he sings, “I just blow but omo I know my set” on his June single “Peace Be Unto You (PBUY),” it comes from a place of prolonged yearning, and persistence in the face of despair.

    “PALAZZO,” with Nigerian DJ Spinall, was the next rabbit to emerge from Asake’s hat. Almost a month before its official drop in May, both artists posted snippets of the song in a style becoming signature to Asake on social media to a rousing reception. By the time the single was officially out, it seemed like streaming and local radio charts were waiting for it to take its place at the top, which it did.

    Asake’s achievements quickly became a blur: “PBUY,” “Bandana” with Fireboy DML, a deal with independent juggernaut EMPIRE, “Terminator.” In September, Asake released his debut album Mr. Money With The Vibe, a 30-minute bombardment of party-starters. Making its debut at No. 66 on the Billboard 200, Mr. Money With The Vibe set the record as the highest-charting debut album from a Nigerian artist ever. The album has over 330 million streams on Audiomack, just two full months after release.

    This year, Asake redefined what it means to be a breakout artist. Amidst an explosion of amapiano, and West African music’s continued global rise, Asake has conquered cross-cultural fusion like no one else, to the point of putting South African music heavyweights on notice. Asake’s blend of fuji music, Afrobeats, and amapiano combined with his anthemic choral vocals speaks to the global need for triumph, and reflects his worldwide takeover. Hearing his music at the clubs and kickbacks, and seeing him in major magazines, it’s easy to think Asake’s lightning ascent is at least partly staged. More truthfully, the artist seized a Promethean fire, arriving right as the world was ready to open itself up to dance.

  • New Land Act must go with strategy for implementation – Nana Yirrah

    The Executive Director of COLANDEF, Nana Ama Yirrah, has stated that if efforts are not taken to draw up an implementation strategy to ensure it solves current gaps, the new Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036) will only add to the pile of already existing legislation in the land tenure system.

    She noted that, in order to do this, a multi-stakeholder platform that can cooperate with the government will also be required.
    This and other measures are anticipated to ensure that the Act is applied in a way that supports a secured land tenure.

    Speaking in an interview on the margins of the National Land Conference in Accra, Madam Yirrah emphasized the need of not letting the work put into passing the Land Act go in vain.

    The land tenure system in its present form, she contended, is dire – especially given that it does not guarantee the security of rights for many categories of land users. The development has led to many people, notably at the local level, facing risk of dispossession regardless of their interest or occupation of lands.

    Furthermore, she recognised that about 80 percent of land in the country is under the authority of traditional leaders, demonstrating their critical role in the country’s land sector.

    Given this, Nana Ama Yirrah maintained that it is important to seek their involvement in the formulation of policies and interventions for the land system.

    Also, she pointed out that the weak coordination between the different sector agencies is a bane for the country’s land sector.

    “As a result of this, one has to personally facilitate the needed harmonisation for the services being sought or risk the penalties thereof if incapable,” she observed.

    But the new Land Act, 2020, Act 1036 – a consolidation of several Land Acts and improvement of contemporary issues which hitherto were not catered for – according to Nana Ama Yirrah now gives legal recognition for all the different types of customary land rights.

    It is in line with this that she reiterated the need for education and sensitisation on provisions in the Act, and supportive institutional and regulatory arrangements for its implementation.

    The National Land Conference was organised by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in collaboration with the Lands Commission, Department of Land Economy of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and COLANDEF.

    It was held under the theme ‘Leveraging National Land Policy, Legislation and Institutional Capacity toward Sustainable Socio-Economic Development’.

    Participants were drawn from academia, civil society, the chieftaincy system, public and private sector land professionals and government representatives.

    At the end of the 4-day conference, the stakeholders issued a communique, among other resolutions, proposed for setting up a monitoring platform.

    COLANDEF, which is one of the key organisers, has been a leading voice in the land sector for several years. Its vision is to contribute in a land sector transformation agenda whereby security of tenure is the norm for all land-rights holders.

  • Accra Sports Stadium was abandoned in a horrible shape after a failed Wizkid musical performance

    After the disastrous Wizkid musical performance show over the weekend, the Accra Sports Stadium, which serves as the home field for three Ghana Premier League clubs, has been left in a deplorable shape.

    The National Sports Authority [NSA] rented the facility to Live Hub for the organization of that flopped concert while the 2022/23 Ghana Premier League was on break.

    However, the facility is now in a terrible state with materials used to mount the stage are left on the pitch.

    The state facility, which was already in bad taste before the league went on break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup now looks worse.

    Meanwhile, the Premier League resumes on Monday at the various stadia.

     

    The Accra Sports Stadium serves as the home venue of three Ghana Premier League clubs, namely Hearts of Oak, Great Olympics, and Accra Lions FC.

    According to multiple media reports, Hearts of Oak are expected to play their home games at the Cape Coast Stadium.

    Accra Lions will move from Accra to Sogakope while Great Olympics will move to Dawu to use the Theatre of Dreams.

    Division League teams are also expected to switch venue as well.

    The team are expected to return to the Accra Sports Stadium in February next year.

  • VRA receives trash skimmer vessels for removal of aquatic weeds at Kpong Dam

    The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has given the Volta River Authority (VRA) two trash skimmer boats to help with the removal of aquatic weeds at the Kpong Dam’s Headpond.

    Following a facility tour to see the equipment in action on the Headpond of the Kpong generating station, Mr. Ben Arhin Sankey, Director, Environment and Sustainable Development, VRA, praised GMA for the gesture.

    The Authority, according to him, has a mandate to produce electricity from the Volta River and to lessen any unintended negative effects on impacted populations and the environment.

    He said since the appearance of aquatic weeds on the Volta River, VRA had implemented several actions to ensure their management and control, including mechanical control, chemical control, biological control, and manual weed harvesting.

    Mr Sackey said the VRA had received help from several state institutions whose responsibilities have a bearing on managing inland waters and the environment.

    He stated that two transport barges and two weed harvesters were handed over to VRA by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2012 as the first in a series of supports to help with the weed harvesting on the Kpong Headpond.

    The EPA’s weed harvesters, he said, had reached the end of their useful lives, and there was a need for the new trash skimmer vessels to control the menace of aquatic weeds on the Volta River.

    He said the presence of the weeds on the Headpond had affected the free flow of water and led to the shutting down of the turbines .

    The acquisition of the vessels, he said, would help ensure efficient free flow of the water and generate the needed power for the country.

    He said VRA was having discussions with companies about turning the waste into manure for agricultural activities and generating power as well.

    Captain William Thompson, Director in charge of Inspection and Survey at GMA, expressed satisfaction about the collaboration to ensure that water bodies were free from filth.

    He said prior to the tour, the two Authorities signed a Memorandum of Understanding to hand over the vessels to aid in the efficient removal of weeds at the river.

  • Afriyie Barnieh must not rush to leave Hearts of Oak – Prince Tagoe

    Prince Tagoe, a former forward for Ghana, maintains that Daniel Afriyie Barnieh shouldn’t rush into leaving Hearts of Oak for another team.

    The most well-known player on the domestic scene is the former Rahimo forward, who has played for Ghana’s Under-20 team, Black Meteors, Black Galaxies, and the Black Stars.

    The 21-year-old Ghana international whose current contract expire on December 17 is being chased by a host of clubs abroad.

    Barnieh is struggling to agree a new contract at the club as he nears the expiration of his contract at Hearts of Oak.

    The World Cup star has been discussing his future with the Ghanaian giants for the past one year but there is yet to be a major breakthrough in the negotiations.

     

    At the moment, it is said talks have reached a stalemate and it is likely the forward will leave the Phobians when his contract expires on December 17.

    Citing himself as an example having rejected an offer from Paris Saint Germain in 2016, the former Ghana striker entreated Barnieh not to rush to leave Hearts of Oak.

    “I rejected an offer from PSG in 2006 to complete a season at Hearts of Oak and I was the top-scorer,” Prince Tagoe told Accra based Angel FM.

    “I moved to Saudi Arabia for €2m the following year and had good offers from Europe. Afriyie Barnieh shouldn’t rush to leave Hearts of Oak.”

  • Dr. Kwaku Oteng escorts daughter to face parliament

    Francisca Oteng Mensah, daughter of Dr. Kwaku Oteng, faced the Appointments Committee of Parliament, on Thursday, December 15, 2022, to be vetted for the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection position.

    The Kwabere East MP is part of the two nominees elected by president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after he revoked the appointment of Sarah Adwoa Safo, who has been absent from work for an extended period.

    Francisca Oteng’s father, who doubles as the Angel Group of Companies founder, was clad in all-white apparel and seated right behind her daughter during the hearing.

    He led the delegation of a team who thronged the venue to support his daughter, who currently stands as the youngest serving MP in the Eight Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

    President Akufo-Addo also nominated the Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, and MP for Walewale, Lariba Zuweira Abudu as Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection following Adwoa Safo’s exit.

  • Former Dreams FC coach Ignatius Osei Fosu explains his departure from club

    Former Dreams FC coach, Ignatius Osei-Fosu has explained why he exited the club ahead of the resumption of the Ghana Premier League.

    The former Eleven Wonders gaffer Osei-Fosu who was part of the local coaches selected for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar parted ways with the Still Believe lads this week.

    Before the World Cup break, Osei Fosu managed 2 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeat from eight matches.

    The Still Believe lads are currently in the relegation drop, occupying 16th position with 8 points.

    Explaining why he has left the club, Osei Fosu said, “I’m leaving Dreams FC due to inconsistency because I left the team to the World Cup, and I will be going to Europe in January to learn more about coaching so I will not be consistent for the club,” he said in an interview.

    “We both agreed on it and decided that Zito continue his good job with the club as he was doing when he took over during the World Cup campaign,” he added.

    The former Medeama coach is expected to travel to Europe in January for an upgrade of his coaching.

    Experienced coach Abdul Karim Zito is expected to take over when the league resumes.

  • Ussif Mustapha has failed as a Sports Minister – Nana Fitz

    Veteran football administrator Nana Fitz believes Ussif Mustapha has failed in discharging ghis duties following the Black Stars exit from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    The Black Stars were eliminated after the first round of the tournament following a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay.

    After defeating South Korea in their second group game, the Black Stars needed a draw or win against Uruguay to advance to the last 16 stage.

    But the team failed to negotiate for points against their ‘enemies’ Uruguay.

    Ghana made a strong start to the game, but fell apart after captain Andre Ayew missed a penalty in the 21st minute, a repeat of what happened in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

     

    In an interview, Nana Fitz asserted the Sports Minister has failed and for that matter, needs to answer some questions on the floor of Parliament.

    “Let’s us training people because we know that four years from today we are going to the World Cup. let’s start preparing now. I don’t hate anyone, the minister has failed and he needs to answer some questions”

    “It’s about time we introduce certain laws in other sectors into football because when Police or minister does something wrong, he is being interdicted. Football rules is not bigger than the rules of this country, we should forget about FIFA”

    The Black Stars will now shift attention to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers set to begin in earnest.

    The four-time African champions sit top of Group D with four points from the first two games of the qualifiers.

  • LilWin warns Ghana boys not to make any attempt as he outdoors first daughter

    Actor LilWin is filled with joy over the birth of his first daughter with his current wife, Maame Serwaa.

    The new mother in a series of TikTok videos announced that they had welcomed their third child together who is a girl.

    The popular Ghanaian actor who is a father to five sons in an Instagram post on Thursday, December 15 officially confirmed the latest addition to their family with a warning to all men.

    “Ghana boys don’t try because am mad,” read the cation of a video that captured LilWin’s precious baby.

    In May this year, LilWin shared photos from his customary marriage with Maame Serwaa.

    Check out the video below:

  • BetPawa begins construction of Park at Prampram

    Ghana Premier League title sponsor betPawa has began the Construction of a park at the Ghamaman Center of Excellence in Prampram.

    Following their sponsorship of the Ghana Premier League, betPawa, the league’s headline sponsor, plans to invest in Ghanaian soccer for the following three seasons, including building the betPawa Park.

    The facility would include a standard FIFA pitch capable of hosting matches, a changing room, VIP stand and a sitting capacity.

    It would be recalled that President Simeon-Okraku and shareholder Oluwatosin Ajibade cut the sod for the construction of the pitch during the GA Annual

    Congress.

     

    The betPawa Park is part of the newly approved master plan for the GFA Technical Centre, which will boast of a mini stadium to host international matches, a hotel facility, administration block, Beach Soccer and Futsal pitches and several natural and artificial football training pitches.

    The master plan for the GFA Technical Centre was presented at Congress after the football family was informed that the land has been secured legally by the GFA after years of non-ownership.

    The Ghana Football Association in August 2022, announced betPawa as the headline sponsor of the Ghana Premier League for the next three seasons.

  • I am not gay, stop chasing me – BBNaija Cross slams men chasing him for sex

    Cross Okonkwo, whose showbiz moniker is Cross has slammed men chasing him for sex and consequently issued a strong warning to them to leave him alone.

    The BBNaija star resorted to social media to express his frustration about being pursued sex by Nigerian men who think he is gay.

    Cross pleaded with gay men to stop bothering him for sex because he “loves women because he is straight as fvck” after opening up about being contacted by a man at his sister’s wedding.

    Cross further disclosed that males in Nigeria enjoy sending him intimate and repulsive images and videos of themselves.

    Because there are so many naked Nigerian men there, he claims he doesn’t read his direct messages.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Sabi Radio (@sabiradio)

    He shared his message in the form of the footage shared below by Instablog9ja;

    Cross was born in the Nigerian state of Kano. He hails from Oba, Idemili South in the state of Anambra. He is Ezego’s child.

    He has four brothers and two sisters. Due to the anguish surrounding his father’s passing, his family was forced to seek sanctuary abroad when he passed away.

    Uju Grace Okonkwo, his mother, is a Canadian evangelist and pastor who works out of the Holy Ghost School Training Program.

  • There is no justification for transport fares to stay high – COPEC

    According to Duncan Amoah, the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), with the current decreases in fuel costs, commercial transport providers must act in good faith and lower their pricing.

    He said that during the first pricing window, which begins on December 16, 2022, fuel costs might drop to GHC 15.00.

    The millions of Ghanaians who are looking on our commercial transport companies to demonstrate good faith with them during these trying times can count on us to use your platform to our advantage.

    “The last time commercial transport fares were adjusted; you were looking at fuel prices hovering around GH¢13.00. Then they did the 19% [hike in transport fares], then we jumped to GH¢16.00, diesel went up to about GH¢23.00, and then they [transport operators] came back to add another 20%, which escalated transport fares completely,” he is quoted by citinewsroom.com

    Duncan Amoah explained that fuel prices are expected to reduce by almost GH¢8, a huge jump from what previously was.

    “At this point, diesel is not doing too badly, there has been some GH¢5 reduction, if you add what we are expecting on Friday, it will come to about GH¢15. From GH¢23 to GH¢15, GH¢8 is such a jump. We will be utterly disappointed if any of the commercial transport operators from Friday continue to make excuses that they have made losses in recent times that, so they are not going to reduce transport fares,” he added.

    COPEC however said it will engage transport operators on the need to reduce transport fares.

    “This will not be just a radio conversation; we will take steps equally to approach them to explain to them the need to drop the very high transport fares that Ghanaians are currently being charged.

    “Because if your fuel has done almost 30% to 40% drop, in the line of good faith and proper public interest arguments for any of the transport operators including the VVIP to reduce transport fares forthwith. We will expect that the kind of relief cedi is throwing to the economy currently, the kind of international benchmarks are throwing at fuel consumers. The commercial ‘trotro’ operators will not go to sleep on this and make excuses because there will be no justification for them to continue to charge high prices,” he said.

  • Men don’t want to propose to me because I’m a single mother

    A single mother from Nigeria has lamented that men ignore don’t look her way for romantic relationships because she has a child.

    She claims that any man that comes her way decides to stay away from her because he does not want to take care of someone else’s children.

    She sadly wrote: “Will be 35 next year and still not married because I have a child. Any man that comes my way says he can’t cater for what is not his.”

    Reacting to this, @lenaopk1 advised: “My dear don’t worry. Gods time is the best. A better man will come and he will love u and your child like his own.”

    In reaction, @pashafrank765 said: “If u are serious come to me a child is not for one person a child is blessing for every one those judging you that way are wrong.”

    @Abubakari Rahinat683 wrote: “The right man and God-fearing man will locate you and there’s no hurry in life. Allah is planning a special gift for you.”

    @alhassanmahafuz12 wrote: “Allah will provide you your heart desire.”

     

  • Access to digital tools for women and girls key for career development – Ursula Owusu-Ekuful

    Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, minister of communications and digitalization, has lauded the advantages of embracing emerging and digital trends as a method for professional advancement and development, particularly among women and girls.

    According to her, having access to digital technology can help women and girls feel more confident about themselves, get more involved in their communities, and become more aware of their legal rights.

    Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said expanding access to digital tools can enable flexible working hours from either the home or the office, allowing women to effectively combine their caregiving roles and careers. She was speaking at the closing ceremony of the “Seeds for the Future” event organized by Huawei Ghana.

    “I also believe that if we better understood the role of technology and the opportunities therein and find a better way to communicate it to our young girls, whiles at the same time showcasing female role models in the field, we stand a better chance of churning out more and more technology-focused young women. This has been our underlying principle and finds expression in our girl-focused initiatives,” the Minister noted.

    “As we continue to rely more and more on ICT in all aspects of our lives and government continues to invest heavily in ICT infrastructure, it is essential that we prioritize cybersecurity and take steps to prevent and manage security threats as a way of protecting our investments,” Ursula Owusu-Ekuful added.

    She further encouraged investments toward the development of experts and talents to ensure that systems and networks are secure and resilient while protecting individuals, businesses, and society.

    “The government considers cybersecurity as an important component of the entire digital transformation agenda and has therefore taken deliberate steps to ensure that we are all protected,” she added.

    The Communications and Digitalisation Minister, however, commended this year’s all-girls cohort of the ‘Seeds for Future’ progam adding that the initiative has over the years developed a strong talent foundation for Ghana, particularly among young women.

    She also expressed gratitude to Huawei Ghana for their relentless support, outcomes and achievement under the program.

    Meanwhile, Managing Director of Huawei Ghana, Tommy Liang in his remarks said over the past weeks, a group of 50 talented women and girls from various universities across the country have benefited from the ICT-focused initiative.

    “While in the program, these students received training in cutting-edge ICT technologies such as 5G, AI, Big Data, Cell Site Design, AR and VR. They also had the chance to be mentored by professionals during the Tech4Good program, and they created solutions to developmental challenges,” he recounted.

    Mr. Liang further encouraged female participation in the program which he believes can empower and inspire them to pursue careers in the male-dominated field of ICT.

  • The cedi appreciating the dollar pains me – Ameyaw Debrah

    Ghanaian blogger Ameyaw Debrah confessed that he felt pained about the sudden good turn of the local currency against major trading currencies.

    His confession comes on the back of the rapid rise of the dollar against the cedi recently.

    The dollar which was almost buying a selling at GHC15 is now only fetching a little above GHC9.00.

    As a result, Ameyaw Debrah has intimated that it would not help his plans if the Cedi continues to appreciate against the dollar.

    In a tweet, that sort of communicated the silent pain of several Ghanaians, Ameyaw Debrah said he wished the exchange rate was as ‘bad’ as it was some few weeks ago.

    I just saw an article that says $1 is now around 9ghc, and I must confess that even though I’m patriotic, i am pained. I’m expecting some payments in dollars, and I had calculated it to be at least 13ghc .

  • Government implements policies to complement work of Auditor-General – Bawumia

    Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has stated that the government is still steadfastly devoted to the fight against corruption and would continue to offer the assistance and logistics required for the organizations responsible for crime prevention, detection, and prosecution.

    The Akufo-Addo government has made a persistent, aggressive push in the fight against corruption by passing laws, tightening those that already exist, introducing greater digitalization in governance and the use of public funds, while increasing resources allocated to the fight. The Vice President made this statement on Monday, December 12, 2022, at the 2nd Annual District Auditors’ Conference.

    “On assuming office, corruption was prevalent in many areas such as the DVLA, where one had to pay a bribe to ‘goro boys’ in order to get a drivers licence; same thing at the Passport Office; Customs and other officers were having a field day at the ports; it was difficult renewing ones NHIS, and for some reason, dockets kept getting ‘missing’ at the courts,”he said.

    “There was inadequate funding for anti-corruption agencies; the Right to Information Law had not been passed; there was no legal backing for a beneficial assets register; and no law on Witness Protection.

    “But since 2017, we have taken a number of far-reaching steps in the fight against corruption, including the implementation of a digitization agenda to disrupt corruption in the public sector.

    “We have also passed a number of key laws, including the Witness Protection Act, 2018 (Act 959), the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2018 (Act 959), the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2019 (Act 989), and the Companies Act, 2019, (Act 992). Which provides a framework for enacting a beneficial ownership register,” Dr Bawumia explained.

    “To further boost the fight against corruption, deficits in logistics and personnel of law enforcement agencies, especially the Ghana Police Service, and other accountability institutions, are being addressed,” he emphasized.

    “For instance, since 2017, Government has increased budgetary allocations to all the accountability institutions of State, including Parliament of Ghana, the Judiciary, CHRAJ, EOCO, the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, the Auditor General, the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Ghana Police Service,” Dr Bawumia stated in Accra.

    While commending the Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, the Board of the Audit Service and staff of the Service for the “very good work being done”, Vice President Bawumia reminded the District Auditors and their colleagues across the country that when corrupt activities such as financial improprieties such as misappropriation of funds, payroll fraud, and contract and procurement irregularities take place, the expectation of the taxpayers is that the public officials who commit these financial crimes would be sanctioned according to law.

    One of the functions of the Auditor-General which can combat these financial malpractices is disallowance of any item of expenditure which is contrary to law and surcharge the amount of any expenditure disallowed.

    “The public, and, in particular the Civil Society Organisations have expressed dissatisfaction that the Auditor-General has not performed this critical function effectively. I am informed that the District Auditors will use greater part of this conference to discuss this very important topical issue of disallowance and surcharge. I expect these discussions to produce outcomes to inform the processes for disallowances and surcharges.”

    “Nevertheless, let me assure the Auditor-General and Members of the Audit Service Board that in the same spirit of cooperation, The Government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will continue to provide the necessary support to the Audit Service to ensure that it operates independently as the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana mandates.”

  • Be tactful on how $3 billion IMF support will be disbursed – Prof Ebo Turkson to government

    A Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Ghana, Professor Ebo Turkson has urged government to be tactful on how the $3 billion support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be disbursed once the money hits Ghana‘s account.

    Professor Ebo Turkson believes it will be prudent for the government to invest the monies into productive sectors of the economy to spur growth.

    Speaking on the Kumasi-based OTEC 102.9 FM’s breakfast show “Nyansapo”, on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, Professor Turkson said the government needs to channel the monies into sectors that will become profitable to keep revenue streams flowing to take care of the country’s needs.

    He has therefore warned government not to use any of the IMF money to pay public sector workers.

    Ghana IMF Deal

    Ghana has agreed a $3bn loan with the IMF, moving the nation closer to a deal with creditors that would stabilize its economy and finances after a year of turmoil.

    The loan, which would provide funding for three years, is a staff-level agreement between the fund and Ghanaian authorities. It must now be approved by IMF management and its executive board. Stéphane Roudet, the IMF’s head of mission to Ghana, said on Tuesday at a press briefing that the board would only approve the loan if Ghana restructures its debt with its private sector and foreign government creditors.

    Investor confidence

    Professor Ebo Turkson has however described the announcement by Ghana and the IMF, as timely as it will boost investor confidence.

    He opined, that the IMF program, will also help slow down the depreciation of the cedi and the rising inflation.

    The economist further noted that the deal would come as a huge relief to the economy which had come under pressure in recent times.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • ICC confirms conviction of Ugandan rebel chief Ongwen

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday upheld the conviction for war crimes and crimes against humanity of Dominic Ongwen, a Ugandan child soldier who became a top commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

    “The appeals chamber rejects all the grounds of appeal presented by the defence and unanimously confirms the decision on the guilt of Mr Ongwen,” said presiding judge Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, adding that the court would rule later on Thursday on the rebel leader’s appeal against his 25-year prison sentence.

    Dominic Ongwen, abducted on his way to school at the age of nine by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), led by fugitive Joseph Kony, was convicted last year of murder, rape and sexual slavery in northern Uganda in the early 2000s.

    The ICC does not know the exact age of Dominic Ongwen, who appears to be in his 40s.

    He had appealed against his conviction and sentence at the ICC, based in The Hague, six years after his trial began.

    Founded in Uganda in the 1980s by former choirboy Joseph Kony to establish a Ten Commandments regime, the LRA terrorised large areas of central Africa for 30 years, kidnapping children, maiming civilians on a massive scale and enslaving women.

    “The appeals chamber wishes to recognise the extreme suffering endured by the victims of Dominic Ongwen’s crimes during the period covered by the charges,” the judge said.

     

     

    Ongwen’s lawyers had argued earlier this year that his conviction and sentence should be quashed because he was himself a victim of the LRA as a child soldier.

    “Dominic Ongwen was, and still is, a child,” his lawyer Krispus Ayena Odongo told the court in February, adding that his client still believed he was “possessed” by the spirit of Joseph Kony.

    The ICC prosecutor recently asked judges to confirm the charges against Joseph Kony, who has been on the run for more than 17 years, so that once captured, his trial can take place as soon as possible.

    – Scapegoat’ –

    The LRA is responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 people and the abduction of 60,000 children, turning boys into docile soldiers and girls into sex slaves.

    Mr Ongwen was found guilty of 61 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including forced pregnancy – a first for the ICC – but also murder, rape, sexual slavery and conscripting child soldiers.

    At first instance, the ICC found that Mr Ongwen was not mentally ill, despite his abduction and brutality at the hands of the LRA and that the “White Ant” – his nom de guerre – had personally ordered the massacre of civilians in refugee camps between 2002 and 2005.

    The defence had appealed on more than 100 grounds, including that Mr Ongwen was a “scapegoat” for the rebel movement.

    “The judgment is full of errors based on law, fact and procedure,” lawyer Krispus Ayena Odongo said in court documents.

    Joseph Kony should be in the dock, as he was the one who decided on the distribution of women and children as sex slaves, the defence argued.

  • 2.5 % increase in VAT will worsen cost of doing business – GUTA

    The planned 2.5 percent increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) in the 2023 budget, according to Dr. Joseph Obeng, President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), will make it even more difficult to conduct business in the nation.

    According to him, a number of enterprises are presently failing as a result of the ports’ total phase-out of the benchmark value system, so when the tax is passed by parliament, prices for goods and services would soar to astronomical heights.

    “Cost of doing business in the country had become very expensive in the country,” he said. “The monetary policy rate had increased about five times this year, as well as the lending rate, which is also around 42 percent.

    Dr Obeng said this December, 14 at the 2nd anniversary of the David Douglas Leadership Awards and launch of the Legends House magazine in Accra.

    This year’s award on the theme “The role of leadership in nation development” honoured about 30 stakeholders for their tremendous achievement in areas of corporate governance, industry, commerce, and media among others.

    Dr Obeng appealed to Members of Parliament to rescind the increment to help reduce the financial burden on the public.

    He said the exchange rate of the dollar which stood at GHC6.2 at the beginning of the year, was now around GHC15.2, a situation he said, had contributed significantly to the collapse of businesses.

    “For Instance, if a trader’s capital used to be GH₡620,000 and able to buy $100,000 now that trader is only able to buy $45,000; meaning the trader’s capital had eroded by 60 percent,” he said.

    The Charge d’ Affairs at the Liberia Embassy in Ghana, Mr Alieu M. Massaquol, said Africa could be a major player in the decision-making processes of international politics, provided leaders design strategic engagement for sustainable development and restoration of self-awareness.

    He said the Russian invasion of Ukraine which had contributed to the economic hardship in some African countries, should compel African leaders to combine their resources in order to restore the economic situation in the continent.

    “It is time to get rid of what is foreign and take what is African. It is time to lay a solid foundation for self-awareness and specify our objectives for development.

    We must understand that abandoning our heritage is a curse on generations to come, let’s rise up and build Africa together,” Mr Massaquol said.

    The Founder of the David Douglas Leadership Awards, Mr David Douglas Tengey, said the award scheme would continue to put consorted actions together to improve the living standard of the youth through programmes such as training, coaching, and mentoring.