Tottenham expressed interest in signing Alessandro Bastoni during the previous transfer window, but the defender is happy with his decision to stay at Inter.
As Simone Inzaghi’s team narrowly missed defending the Scudetto previous season, Bastoni made 31 Serie A appearances and helped the team record eight shutouts.
The 23-year-old’s form and ability to carry the ball out of defence has attracted plenty of admirers, with Tottenham – led by Bastoni’s former Nerazzurri boss Antonio Conte – reportedly among them.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Bastoni revealed Spurs made concrete attempts to lure him to the Premier League, saying: “There was some contact, but I’m happy I stayed at Inter.”
Inter have disappointed so far this season and entered the World Cup break sitting fifth in Serie A, 11 points behind runaway leaders Napoli after 15 games.
However, Bastoni believes Inzaghi’s men must aim high when club football resumes in the coming weeks, adding: “We are aware of the strength and values of this team.
“Our goal is to always go all the way in all the competitions in which we participate. That’s why the disappointment would be great if we were to win nothing.”
Ghana’s newly introduced domestic debt exchange programme may have a considerable impact on about eight banks in the country, according to the Ghana Stock Exchange’s November 2022 fixed income market.
These financial institutions are said to be heavily exposed to Ghanaian government securities, particularly bonds.
The banks whose names have been withheld, according to the November 2022 Ghana Fixed Income Market report, collectively owned roughly 83.91% of the debt market share.
Per the reports, these eight banks (four international and four local) traded a sizable amount of bonds and bills on the bond market in the month of November 2022.
However, it has been projected that, depending on the size of their balance sheet, the debt exchange programme could have an impact on their liquidity situation.
Dept Restructuring Project
As part of its conditions to receive support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Akufo-Addo government has introduced a debt restructuring programme to salvage Ghana’s dwindling economy.
Debt restructuring entails a government or institution refinancing its current debt commitments in order to avoid defaulting on its obligations or declaring bankruptcy.
Under the new programme, which took effect on Tuesday, December 1, 2022, domestic bondholders are required to exchange their current bonds for a new set of four bonds maturing in 2027, 2029, 2032, and 2037.
This means that bondholders will not be able to receive any interest in 2023.
According to the Finance Minister, the annual coupon on all of these new bonds will be set at 0% in 2023, 5% in 2024, and 10% from 2025 until maturity.
Shafik’s wife, Asma,who is from Algeria has delivered their first child two and half years after their wedding.
Asma took to her Instagram page to break the good news on Thursday, December 8, 2022.
The first photo had her showing a part of the newborn baby’s face. In her caption, she thanked God for giving her such a blessing. From the caption, Asma put to bed on November 29.
After getting into a heated dispute with Portugal’s head coach during their final World Cup group match against South Korea, Ronaldo was benched by Fernando Santos.
The 37-year-old’s absence was not felt against Switzerland, however, as Portugal won 6-1, with Goncalo Ramos replacing Ronaldo and scoring a stunning hat-trick.
Santos will surely stick with the same team again when his side take on Morocco in the quarter-finals, but Regragui would prefer that to be the case.
“I don’t know if Ronaldo will start. I hope he won’t,” Regragui said. “As a coach, I know he’s one of the best players in history. I’d be delighted if he didn’t play.
“But we’re not going to focus on Portugal. They’re hungry, they also want to get into the history books.
“We’re going to have more supporters in the stadium, and we can do it.”
Throughout his pre-match news conference on Friday, Regragui outlined his ambition to make history, with Morocco already enjoying their best run at a World Cup.
Discussing pre-tournament predictions that had Morocco failing in the group stage, he said: “They all thought they knew who was going to win the World Cup. We are here, too.
“Our players are hungry. We’re not satisfied with what we’ve done so far.”
Bobrisky has been buried under heaps of insults for claiming recently he experienced cramps and might be expecting his monthly menstruation in consonance with her crossdressing and occasional transgender cloak of identity he has taken upon himself.
The socialite and self-professed Barbie, who has always identified as a woman, posted on his Instagram page to express his regret about feeling pain during his regular monthly period.
While some people have shown sympathy for him, others have claimed that the crossdresser is ridiculing the pride of women.
He had previously claimed that he has been eating a lot of sugary things because of the agony he is suffering.
His post did not impress his followers, causing of them to put him on the blast for being fake;
a_ceejay wrote: “This guy mocks the pride of womanhood and some women see it as a joke.”
fashion_magicblog wrote: ” This fake keeping up with female life that bob is doing he is really trying ,is it that he removes his nails when he get home everyday..this must be stressful on his path”
nnenna_blinks_ wrote: “Bobby there is a limit to this your bullshit. Period cramps isn’t something to make fun with”
The future of DC Studios is unknown and up in the air, but according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, actor Jason Momoa’s future in the DCU might feature a lot of change.
In an extensive report from THR, the future of the DC Universe is said to remain in flux, with new co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran looking to make some huge changes.
Chief among them, according to the report, is to have no more Aquaman films and instead use Jason Momoa in another role — as the DC antihero Lobo.
The report notes that Momoa could potentially wrap up playing the underwater hero after he stars as Aquaman in the upcoming sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which releases on December 25, 2023.
After that, Momoa could transition to the character of Lobo, a foul-mouthed alien that works as an interstellar mercenary and bounty hunter.
While Lobo has not been utilized much in any live-action properties, his outsider character does fit with the type of characters Gunn has worked with in past comic book films, including the members of the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Suicide Squad.
Speaking to the report, Gunn wouldn’t confirm what was or wasn’t true, but did say that some of what was on it was true, some wasn’t, and some it was “half-true,” while some just hasn’t been decided yet by the creative duo.
At the end of his tweet thread, Gunn said that he couldn’t share much more on the future of the DCU, as they still have much more to think about as they figure out how to move forward.
In a series of tweets on Thursday, Gunn noted that he was well aware that he was entering into a “fractious environment” when he and Peter Safran took over DC Studios. Gunn also said that there would be an “unavoidable transitional period” as the duo came together to form the next ten years of stories for Warner Bros. Discovery.
Prior to the World Cup, the 18-year-old made an impressive transition into the Red Devils’ starting lineup by scoring his first club goal in a 2-1 overtime victory over Fulham.
Spanish outlet Revelo suggest the Argentine has caught Real Madrid’s eye, with the European champions keen to add him to their ranks.
With wonderkids such as Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde already thriving at the Bernabeu, Los Blancos chiefs believe Garnacho could be their next star in the making.
The winger’s current contract expires next summer and United are already in talks to tie down their academy prospect to an extension.
Garnacho was born in the Spanish capital and spent five years at Atletico Madrid before switching to Old Trafford in 2020.
Real have been busy in the hunt for exciting future prospects, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that a deal to sign Brazilian wonderkid Endrick is verbally agreed.
Marca say the club have decided against moving for AC Milan forward Rafael Leao or PSV Eindhoven star Cody Gakpo.
That will hand United a boost in landing Netherlands star Gakpo, 23, who is their top target after an impressive World Cup campaign.
In most open marriage proposals, it’s the men who get humiliated but it seems the tables have turned.
A new video that has received mixed reactions from social media users captured the moment a man lost his cool after his girlfriend firmly said “No” to his marriage proposal.
Apparently, the man was expecting a ‘YES’ for an answer but he got shocked after the lady turned him down.
His heart got shattered and his emotions got stirred up forcing him to get physical and lose control of himself.
The lady in the video can be heard saying, “I can’t accept your proposal.”
The man in turn replied – ‘How can you tell me no; no for what?’
He suddenly became infuriated and started to physically assault the lady. If not for the timely intervention of the people around, things would have gotten bloody..
SAFF President Yasser Almisehal and GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku put pen to paper in a signing ceremony held at Saudi House in Doha on Thursday, December 8, 2022.
The agreement aims to develop strong relations between the two Federations to help the promotion, growth and success of football at all levels.
It provides a framework for collaboration across all areas of the game, from grassroots to elite football, including youth and women’s football. SAFF is committed to hosting both the Ghanaian men and women national teams for matches and training camps as well as exchanges for key experts across areas related to coaching, refereeing or administrative matters.
“We’re excited to establish this MoU with the Ghana Football Association and create this partnership moving forward,” said President Al Misehal.
“The quality and talent in Ghanaian football is known across the world and we at SAFF are keen to work closely together to allow our youngsters to gain valuable playing experience while benefiting from their key insights and strengths. We look forward to working together in a meaningful manner and open up mutually beneficial opportunities.” he added.
Commenting on the new partnership, Ghana Football Association President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku commented:
“Ghana has a longstanding relationship with Saudi Arabia and it is only right that we expand this level of cooperation to football – an area that unites people”.
“Our brothers at the SAFF led by President Yasser Al Misehal have clearly demonstrated their desire to strengthen their football to reach the highest level and we also have the sam
The Federation is investing across player pathways, competitions, women’s football, technology, workforce, hosting and governance.
Over the last three years, women’s football in Saudi Arabia experienced unprecedented investment in areas such as grassroots player development, competitions, coaching, refereeing and governance. As a result, SAFF expressed their interest to bid for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, established the first women’s national team last year followed by the inaugural women’s football league and girls’ schools league.
The men’s national team’s 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign was capped by a historic 2-1 win over Argentina.
Ghana also made a record 4th FIFA World Cup appearance in Qatar where the Black Stars were housed in Group H – Ghana lost to Portugal (3-2) and Uruguay (2-0) but registered a 3-2 win over South Korea in a tough encounter.
e vision so it is essential for us to partner in various areas of the game to achieve our aims and objectives.” President Simeon-Okraku added.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the fastest growing countries in world sport with football at its heart. Over 80% of the country’s 35 million population play, follow and attend football. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has been implementing an ambitious strategy to grow the sport across the Kingdom and become one of the top 20 best football nations.
This would ensure energy security on the continent and speed up intra-African commerce in oil and gas.
The announcement was made in Accra during the Africa Energy and Infrastructure Forum and Awards.
In order to debate solutions to some of Africa’s major energy concerns, local content, and private sector and industry titans gathered on a single platform, policymakers, the private sector, and stakeholders.
According to the African Development Bank, Africa needs a minimum of 10 billion dollars annually in the next 10 years to help address energy infrastructure gaps.
Speaking at the forum, the Special Advisor to the South African Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Mr. Sello Helepi, said South Africa is working to replace fossil fuels with gas in the transportation sector.
He said to solve energy poverty, African states must work together.
“We believe that it is important that the refinery should not just recover oil, refine it and trade with it and send it away. The refining capacity on the continent is not at an optimal level, where we need it to be,” he explained.
The Minister of State at the Presidency, Mrs. Freda Prempeh, called for harmonisation of efforts in the sub-region to accelerate energy trade.
Minister of State at the Presidency, Mrs. Freda Prempeh
Mrs. Prempeh said, “disparities in the organisation of the sector and the diversity of regulations, there is a strong need for harmonization to create a coherent stable and attractive framework in the sub-region. Member States are still far from allowing free trade provided for in the ECOWAS Energy protocol. Uncertainty about the adequate degree of openness to competition at the National level.”
African Leadership Magazine Group Managing Editor, Kingsley Okeke said the forum “is the only way we can encourage local content, the only way we can drive those conversations to people and look inward and say do we have the resources? How do we as Africans develop our resources and not subject our resources to the West?”
Awards were presented to stakeholders for their contribution to the development of the energy sector.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has assured Ghanaians that it will help the country restore its macroeconomic stability, increase growth, and bring relief to the people.
A statement released by the Fund’s mission chief for Ghana, Stéphane Roudet, before the team visited Accra stated, “the IMF remains fully committed to helping Ghana restore macroeconomic stability, bring relief to Ghanaians in this time of crisis, and lay the foundation for more inclusive growth.”
An IMF team is expected to be in Ghana from December 1 to 13, 2022, to continue discussions with Ghanaian economic managers about the country’s post-COVID economic growth programme as well as policies and reforms that could be supported by a new IMF loan.
Stéphane Roudet noted that his team has had productive discussions with Ghanaian authorities over the last few months and looks forward to continuing engagement in Accra.
Despite an increasingly challenging external environment, Ghana’s fiscal and debt vulnerabilities worsened fast, according to the IMF website.
Ghana’s public debt increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and investors were weary as the government’s efforts to maintain debt sustainability seemed inadequate.
As this led to a downgrade in Ghana’s credit rating, the withdrawal of non-resident investors from the domestic bond market and eventually Ghana’s inability to access international capital markets became a reality.
As a result of these adverse developments, further aggravated by price and supply-chain shocks from the war in Ukraine, the exchange rate depreciated additionally, inflation increased to 40.4 percent in October, putting foreign exchange reserves under pressure.
This then compelled the government to request assistance from the IMF.
On September 26, 2022, the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana commenced discussions with the IMF for an IMF-supported programme. A key prerequisite for a programme is confirmation that Ghana’s debt is on a sustainable path; this will require a comprehensive Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA), which is currently ongoing.
An IMF-supported programme would assist Ghana in restoring macroeconomic stability and ensuring debt sustainability, while protecting its most vulnerable citizens.
It would help develop the conditions for inclusive and sustainable growth and also create jobs for Ghanaians.
The programme also aims at strengthening policy credibility, reducing exchange rate pressures, and providing additional sources of financing.
“The Fund’s various lending instruments are tailored to different types of balance of payments needs and the specific circumstances of a member country,” the information noted.
According to the statement, the previous arrangement with Ghana was a three-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) from 2015-2018, which was extended to April 2019.
The Fund has stopped short of commenting on the final form the latest financing programme will take, since negotiations are ongoing.
“The IMF Executive Board will decide the level of access (credit amount) and the final programme design,” the fund said.
The Fund also noted that “Specifically, in the fiscal sector, an important policy objective would be to increase revenue, critical for debt sustainability, while safeguarding spending on health, education, and social protections.”
Meanwhile, the Fund is discussing with Ghanaian authorities the type of IMF facility that best fits the financial needs of Ghana.
Government has set up a Financial Stability Fund (FSF) to ensure the impact of its debt exchange programme on financial institutions is minimised.
The Fund, with a target of GH¢15 billion, will ensure financial institutions can easily convert their assets into ready cash so they are able to meet their obligations to their clients.
The Fund is only accessible to banks, pension funds, insurance companies, fund managers, and collective investment schemes that are fully participating in the domestic debt exchange.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, on December 4, informed Ghanaians of the government’s decision to set up a Financial Stability Fund.
This is after he announced that the government would be undertaking a debt restructuring programme following a debt sustainability analysis as part of the conditions for receiving economic support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
A Financial Stability Council indicated that the Bank of Ghana would manage the fund under unique operational guidelines being developed.
As part of its role, the Council will provide advice and oversee the use of the Fund, ensure accounting treatment, and provide regulatory tools.
According to the Council, potential impacts on debt exchange from financial sector stress tests have been conducted by the relevant financial sector regulators.
However, “regulators will assess impacts on a regular basis and quickly address evolving risks in order to safeguard financial stability.”
The measures will be reviewed continuously and recalibrated as needed to ensure maximum effectiveness in safeguarding the stability of the financial system and the protection of deposits, pensions, policyholders’ funds, and investor funds/assets.
The Domestic Debt Exchange programme, is an invitation for the voluntary exchange of approximately GH¢137 billion of the domestic notes and bonds of the Republic, including E.S.L.A. and Daakye bonds, for a package of new bonds to be issued by the Republic.
The Exchange excludes Treasury Bills in totality, and notes and bonds held by individuals.
The new set of four bonds matures in 2027, 2029, 2032 and 2037.
Bonds in 2024 will attract an annual coupon of 5%, and that of 2025 will provide 10% interest until maturity, however, bonds in 2023 will attract no interest.
The minority in parliament’s censure motion against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Attahas failed.
This was after the minority group made up of 136 Members of Parliament cast a secret ballot on Thursday, December 8, 2022, to determine the fate of Mr Ofori-Atta despite the majority’s absence.
The Majority group, including the 80 MPs who wanted the Minister out of office, walked out before the voting began.
Osei Kyei Mensah-Mensah, the majority leader, who organized the walkout, claimed the majority side could not participate in a procedure that is politically driven and without foundation.
Speaking to the Speaker, Mr Mensah-Bonsu said the motion filed by the Minority group to oust the Finance Minister was made in poor faith and was meant to cast a dent on the hard-earned reputation of Ken Ofori-Atta.
As a result, the minority was not able to meet the constitutional threshold of two-thirds members of parliament to strip Mr Ofori-Atta of his post.
Article 81 (1) of the 1992 Constitution states that before the legislative arm of government can impeach a Minister of state, “Parliament may, by a resolution supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the members of Parliament, pass a vote of censure on a Minister of State.”
The minority group, with the exception of MP Assin North, who is battling a dual citizenship court case, has 136 MPs, while the majority in parliament has 138 MPs, including an independent candidate.
This means that the minority needed support from at least 48 MPs on the majority side to reach the two-thirds threshold to impeach Ken Ofori-Atta.
The Speaker, Alban Bagbin passing his ruling after the ad hoc committee submitted their report to the House said, “following the terms of Article 82 (1) the vote is accordingly lost.”
Responding to the ruling, the minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu expressed his disappointment stating that the walkout by the majority members was a statement of their nonchalant attitude towards the plight of Ghanaians.
Speaking on the floor of parliament, Mr Iddrisu said, “if they had not walked out and honoured their first promise, they would have been saving this country. So Mr Speaker this will be your contribution, we will remember you. But for the majority walk out, we leave them to the Ghanaian people to know who stood form with them in times of hardships and need that they abandoned them because they simply do not care.”
Background
The Minority in Parliament filed a censure motion against Mr Ken Ofori-Atta on October 25, 2022,
The minority group, among others, accused the Finance Minister of acting outside the powers of the office and largely blamed him for the country’s current economic woes.
Following a heated debate in Parliament over the vote of censure, Speaker Alban Bagbin instituted an ad hoc committee to be co-chaired by MP for Bolga East, Dominic Ayine and Adansi-Asokwa legislator, Kobina Tahir Hammond to look into the matter.
The committee was given a seven working day timeframe to probe and provide a report to the house.
The committee was however unable to meet the deadline and asked for an extension.
On November 29, the committee presented the report to Parliament, but failed to provide a recommendation to the House on the censure motion against Mr Ofori-Atta.
K.T. Hammond, however, stated that the committee has exonerated the Finance Minister of any wrongdoing.
But in a sharp rebuttal, Dr Dominic Ayine, who was also a co-chair of the ad-hoc committee, asserted that the committee had evidence that incriminate the finance minister.
He went on to say that the NPP members of the committee vehemently opposed the facts presented to the committee “and because of that you’ll notice that in terms of its substantive content, the report does not have real findings of fact definite findings of fact as well as recommendations.”
National Secretary of the University Teachers Association of Ghana, Dr. Asare Asante-Annor in a media engagement explained that “ our money should not be touched, pensions of our members and Ghanaians should not be affected because these are monies that they have legitimately contributed for their entire working lives”.
Any attempt by the government to touch the pension fund, according to UTAG, would be met with strong opposition from the organization’s members.
The government launched the Debt Exchange Programme on Monday, December 5, 2022, as part of measures to reduce the country’s debt burden.
During the launch, the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Attanoted that debt sustainability analysis conducted so far shows indisputably that Ghana’s public debt was unsustainable, hence the need to take some structural and fiscal reforms.
Dr Annor also called on the government to share the burden of the restructuring programme by reducing its size and expenditure.
On his part, this is where the sharing of burdens begins.
“We also ask the government to go ahead with measures that will also control their expenditure. We have a lot of local resources that we believe we should make efficient use of. We have also talked about reducing the size of government significantly so that we know that we all share the burden,” the secretary noted.
A critical review of some government flagship programmes, according to Dr Annor, would also go a long way toward sustaining and restoring our capacity to service debt.
A number of groups, such as the Ghana Medical Association, the National Association of Graduate Teachers, and the Trade Union Congress, have already expressed their displeasure and voiced their rejection of the debt exchange programme.
They believe it would be injurious to the interests of contributors to pension schemes.
Ghana’s domestic debt exchange programme was launched on Monday to put the country’s debt on a sustainable path.
The government would exchange its current domestic bonds for a group of four new ones that would mature in 2027, 2029, 2032, and 2037 as part of the programme, which runs from 2023 to 2037.
The annual coupon on all of the coupons would be set to 0% in 2023, 5% in 2024, and 10% in 2025 until maturity as part of the exchange.
This comes at a time when Ghana is facing a tough economic crisis amid an increasingly difficult global economic environment and the shock from the unpopular Russia-Ukraine war.
As a result, the government has requested financial assistance from the IMF to help with fiscal and debt sustainability.
Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, wants betting shops near educational institutions to be closed down to discourage minors from using them.
The establishment of betting centres near schools is prohibited by state law.
The Gaming Act 2006 (Act 721) emphasises that betting centres are expected to operate 100 metres away from schools, churches, mosques, and other social facilities.
However, some gaming centres are spotted around educational institutions across the country.
Following this, the Education Minister, visited the headquarters of the Gaming Commission of Ghana on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, to deliberate on the way forward regarding the sanitization sanitising the space for the sake of minors.
During his visit, the minister urged the commission to ensure the strict enforcement of the gaming laws.
He called for stringent measures to be taken against gaming facilities that violate the laws, particularly, those established very close to schools.
He, however, commended the Commission for its role in controlling operations in the industry. He further implored the Commission to critically examine the location of betting centres in the country, especially near schools.
On how both institutions (i.e the Education Ministry and the Gaming Commission) can work together to prevent schoolchildren from engaging in gaming activities, Dr Adutwum declared his willingness to collaborate with the Commission to ensure this.
The Minister also appealed to the Commission to consider assisting people with betting addictions so they could move out of the addiction.
The Education Minister called on all stakeholders in the country to help protect the youth of the country, who are preparing to take over the leadership of the country.
As part of the procedures to remove them from its Register, the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) has stated that it will publish the list of 2,584 dormant and defaulted Companies.
The ORC states that the action is a part of the second phase of a clean-up initiative that started at the beginning of the year and resulted in the removal of over 2,700 dormant and defaulted companies from the Companies Register in accordance with the Companies Act 2019 (Act 992) for failing to submit their annual returns and amendments to the Office.
He pointed out that the clean-up exercise had become necessary to sanitise the industry and therefore called on companies to file their annual returns before December 31, 2022 to avoid being taken off.
“All Company entities namely; Private/Public Companies Limited by Shares, Private/Public Companies Limited by Guarantee (Schools, Associations, Churches, Foundations, Unions, Civil Society Organizations, Fun Clubs, NGO’s, etc.) are to file their Annual Returns together with their Financial Statement with the ORC at a cost of GH¢50.00 or in default pay a penalty of GH¢500.00 in addition to fees own in arrears. I am therefore urging all Company official to file their Annual Returns before 31st December, 2022 to avoid being struck off from the Companies Register”.
Nicholas Ofori further said the companies earmarked to be struck off would be made inactive in the e-Register application and therefore cannot be electronically accessed.
“The effects of being stricken off the Companies Register is not great and therefore all companies must file their Annual Returns and comply with all directives of the Registrar of Companies as required by the Companies Act 992”
The ORC PRO added that external or foreign companies are required to submit their “Group Account’ with the Office of the Registrar of Companies at a cost of US$690.00 or in default pay US$750.00 in addition to fees owe in arrears.
“Sole Proprietorships and Partnerships should renew their businesses at a cost of GH¢30.00 and GH¢ 60.00 respectively. However, Partnership in default would pay a penalty of GH¢500.00 in addition to fees owed in arrears,” he noted.
Mr. Ofori also indicated that Sole Proprietorship businesses can now pay for their business renewal with their mobile money wallet using the Ghana.Gov payment platform.
He however advised the public to remain vigilant against fraudsters who use the name of the Office to defraud clients by directing them to send Mobile Money (MoMo) to a certain number to renew their businesses for them.
He cautioned that the ORC has not authorized any person or agent to transact business on its behalf and called on the public to report such activities to the Office.
In the wake of the current economic crisis, the Tax Justice Coalition Ghana has proposed a better way the government can rake in more revenue for the state.
The coalition wants the government to leverage the property tax, since it believes this is a better way of raising more revenue for the state than the proposed 2.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) increment.
Justifying this call on the government, the chairman of the group, Vitus Azeem, noted that “we are talking about tax on income, property and wealth, for example, when you drive to East Legon, you look at the roads, we are not talking about the beautiful, expensive houses over there. But the roads they have built over there, with taxes of all Ghanaians, are better than the roads in Kasoa”.
“So those people should be paying more than those people in Kasoa. They are in a better position to pay than those in Kasoa, because they are enjoying better benefits than the rest of us, so they must be made to pay more. The point is, let’s concentrate on property income and property taxes,” Chairman of the Tax Justice Coalition Ghana said.
Government intends to raise VAT by 2.5% as part of measures towards economic recovery. This, if approved by Parliament, will take effect from January 2023.
However, the coalition has expressed concern over this mode of raising revenue, stating that if Parliament approves the proposed VAT rate, it will only compound the hardships of the ordinary Ghanaian, especially the marginalised in society.
According to them, this will not work well to the benefit of the ordinary Ghanaian.
The current standard rate of VAT is 12.5%. If the proposed rate is approved, the standard VAT will shoot up to 15%. This will affect the prices of products on the market and make them more expensive.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)says it would not rescind its decision prohibiting celebrities and influencers from advertising alcoholic beverages in the country.
Justifying its decision, Head of the FDA’s Tobacco and Substance Abuse Department, Dr Olivia Boateng, asserted that the ban is a part of attempts to safeguard children from being lured into alcoholism.
According to her, “evidence has it that when celebrities advertised these brands, the young ones are lured or motivated into using these things.”
The directive which was issued in 2015 spelt out some punitive measures against those who flout go against it.
Failure to adhere to the order, according to the FDA, will attract a 15-year jail term and a fine of about GH¢7,500.
This, however, did not sit well with a lot of celebrities in the country.
Many people in the creative art industry, including Wendy Shay, Shatta Wale, Brother Sammy, Kuami Eugene, and Camidoh, chastised the authority for its decision.
Subsequently, FDA was hauled to the Supreme Court by an artiste manager and music publisher, Mark Darlington Osae over its directive on the non-advertisement or promotion of alcoholic beverages by celebrities.
According to him, the directive is discriminatory and does not augur well for the economic status of these individuals.
He explained that being unable to advertise for these companies robs celebrities of potential streams of income. In the writ issued on November 11, Mr Darlington Osae argued that the regulation is inconsistent with and in contravention of articles 17(1) and 17 (2) of the 1992 Constitution.
Articles 17(1) and 17 (2) of the 1992 Constitution states that: All persons shall be equal before the law. A person shall not be discriminated against on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.
As such, Mr Osae prayed to the apex court to render unconstitutional the guidelines of the FDA.
Responding to Mr Osae’s argument, Dr Olivia Boateng said it is high time celebrities consider the health effects on young people who look up to them rather than just their financial rewards.
“Celebrities are only thinking about the financial gains but on a larger scale, our public health issues should rise above that,” Dr Boateng stated.
Kwesi Fabin, who was in charge of the team but couldn’t get them to qualify for the 2023 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, will be replaced by Osei-Fosu.
The Black Starlets of Ghana have failed to qualify for the U-17 AFCON for the second time in a row, after failing in 2019.
However, the former Medeama SC boss will lead the side for upcoming international qualifiers in 2023 according to media reports.
Osei-Fosu was a member of the four local coaches that joined the Black Stars technical team for an attachment during the country’s participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
He has previously worked at Liberty Professionals, AshantiGold SC, Eleven Wonders and Medeama SC.
While more than half of consumers use apps to help them manage their finances, new research suggests that most don’t understand how much of their financial data is being collected and how it’s being used.
Researchers learned that not only are consumers largely unaware of the data privacy implications of using such apps, but some would avoid using financial apps if they had a better understanding of them.
In their quest to handle money-related tasks, a sizable portion of consumers — 54% — have used a financial app in the past year, the study found. Most of them — 70% — said they were confident that their information is safe and private. Yet only 11% of financial app users surveyed said they had read and understood their apps’ terms and conditions.
That leaves a lot of room for misunderstandings, and the survey revealed a lack of awareness in several key areas:
Only 19% of app users knew that some apps use third parties to access their bank information.
Only 21% of app users knew that financial apps can access their data until they revoke their bank account credentials.
21% of app users said they don’t know how non-bank financial apps use their data.
The survey also suggests that, with a greater understanding, some consumers may be less inclined to use financial apps. Consumers were particularly uncomfortable with the idea of sharing their bank account usernames and passwords with an app, with 68% of respondents expressing discomfort with providing that information. Also, 62% said they were uncomfortable about sharing their bank account numbers.
Once survey respondents received more information about how financial apps accessed their information, 53% said they were less likely to use the apps. However, younger consumers were more likely to overlook security and privacy concerns.
Only 47% of consumers between ages 18 and 34 said they would be less likely to use financial apps due to these concerns, compared to 57% of consumers between ages 35 and 44 and 63% of consumers age 45 and over.
While financial apps can add convenience to your money management efforts, it’s important to take precautions to keep your data safe. Not only should you read all the fine print about how apps will use your data, but make sure you understand the implications of linking your bank account to various online services and apps.
Also, take steps to limit your risk, such as tracking bank account activity and regularly changing your passwords.
Ghanaian Real Estate Mogul, Nana Kwame Bediako now known as Freedom Jacob Caesar has been accused of photoshopping himself into pictures..
In the video, Freedom was captured in photos with some very important personalities including the President of Ghana, H.E Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, and the FIFA President Gianni Infantino..
Some of the comments accused the Real Estate guru of photoshopping himself into some photos of some very important personalities.
In the photo that he was captured beside Nana Akufo-Addo, checks by some Twitter followers show that Freedom was photoshopped into the photo, as the original photo shows only the President.
He literally photoshopped himself beside the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo
Freedom has since been called a “fraud” by some Twitter users.
On Wednesday, the PSL team hosted Gyan and the SuperSport panel of expert analysts at their Village in Naturena.
It was a 7-4 victory for the Chiefs legends and Gyan, who scored for SuperSport, dubbed the Soweto giants as one of the biggest in the continent.
“It was a fun game to be part of and I was happy to score some goals. Some of the legends still have it,” the former Sunderland striker told the club’s official website.
“And it was great to be at the Kaizer Chiefs Village, the club is one of the biggest clubs in Africa and the experience and the facilities were perfect. I wish Kaizer Chiefs all the best in the future and thank them for hosting us so warmly.”
Gyan is the all-time leading goalscorer for the Black Stars with 51 goals. He represented Ghana at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.
With six goals, he is the top African goalscorer in the history of the World Cup. Gyan has also represented Ghana at the 2004 Summer Olympics and in seven Africa Cup of Nations in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, helping them finish in third-place in 2008 and runner-up in 2010 and 2015
Osei-Asare, the MP for Atiwa East who also spoke on the GTV Breakfast Show, argued that her government had not taken on too much debt.
She claimed, “We have not exceeded the financing that Parliament has approved for us.
According to her, the budget and appropriation are the guidelines for government expenditure and the government has always managed to spend within the deficit financing.
At the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, Ghana held Nigeria to a 1-1 draw in the 2022 World Cup final play-offs to secure qualification for the grand tournament.
The first leg in Kumasi ended goalless and goals from Thomas Partey and William Troost-Ekong ensured the return game also ended all square to leave the tie at 1-1 on aggregate after 180 minutes, but the Black Stars claimed the ticket to Qatar 2022 on the away goals rule.
“It is funny because that season, the away goals rule had been scrapped everywhere. I don’t know why they didn’t do it in Africa…I have no clue.”
“Until this day, I don’t understand,” Balogun told The Beautiful Game.
Black Stars crashed out of the World Cup after finishing bottom of Group H with three points.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has refuted reports that NDC MPs on the Ken Ofori-Atta Vote of Censure Committee were paid sitting allowance.
Mr Ablakwa is a member of the ad hoc committee set up by Speaker Alban Bagbin to investigate the allegations made by the Minority in Parliament against the minister.
According to a Facebook post he made on Thursday, the NDC MPs on the committee worked for free because they prioritise Ghana in their endeavours.
“It’s been a patriotic duty. Ignore baseless claims that our side took sitting allowances; we served pro bono,” he wrote.
Other NDC MPs that served on the committee are the MP for Bolga East, Dominic Ayine, who was co-chair, Korle Klottey MP, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings and Emmanuel Ahiaku, the MP for Okaikoi North.
The NPP MPs who were on the committee are Adansi-Asokwa legislator, Kobina Tahir Hammond, who is also a co-chair, Okaikwei Central MP, Yaw Boamah, Asante-Akim Central legislator, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, and Sekondi MP, Egyapa Mercer.
Parliament on Thursday debated the censure motion moved against the minister.
This comes after the ad hoc committee interrogated the minister, some institutions, and minority MPs; and subsequently filed its report to the House.
The vote of censure against Mr Ofori-Atta is pursuant to Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution.
According to the Minority, the Finance Minister lacks the ability to steer the affairs of the economy, thus should be replaced.
Prior to the Minority’s censure motion, some NPP MPs called on the President to relieve the minister of his duties.
They later suspended their request after President Akfuo-Addo asked that Mr Ofori-Atta be made to complete Ghana’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and present the 2023 budget statement, before he possibly resigned.
The minister presented the 2023 budget statement to Parliament, on November 24, but is yet to conclude engagements with the IMF.
Although the censure motion in parliament has been dismissed, many await the president’s response following the minority’s vote of no confidence in the Finance Minister.
He, thus, has admonished chiefs and landowners to desist from the unlawful acts of selling illicitly acquired lands and selling the same piece of land more than once.
Speaking during the maiden edition of the National Land Conference held in Accra, on December 7, 2022, the President lamented over the country’s lands, which have been seized by clans, skins, stools, and families, emphasising that the situation has stunted development.
Proposing a solution to the menace, he called for a new land administration model to be developed.
“Unfortunately, in our urban areas, the customary lands system has been the bane of most of our problems such as the double sale of lands, wrongful sale of lands by people without capacity, multiple claims to lands by different stools, skins, clans or families among others. We must take a critical look at our land administration and develop a model that works for us,” the President said during the maiden edition of the National Land Conference in Accra, on December 7, 2022.
He further touched on the issue of land guards, who have been a nuisance on many lands, and expressed optimism that the implementation of the new Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036) will eradicate the trend of land guards harassing landowners.
“But laws, in themselves, do not resolve problems. It is their application and effective implementation that yield the requisite results. That is why this conference, which brings together diverse people from different sectors to deliberate on the nexus between land and socio-economic development, is so crucial”.
“Fortunately, the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), provides a strong foundation for fashioning out a workable and efficient land administration. The Act has far-reaching provisions which, if implemented, will go a long way to build the effective land administration we desire,” Nana Akufo-Addo said.
The President argued that if land paperwork must be processed manually, the nation cannot provide effective land administration, and he asked the Lands Commission to move quickly on the digitization of the land.
“We cannot deliver an efficient land administration if documents on land have to be processed manually. We must, therefore, expedite action on the digitisation process, and ensure that the Commission goes fully digital. As you go into technical discussions, it is my hope that this will be key on your agenda”.
He further noted that the Land Act, “addresses the challenges associated with boundary demarcation, and clarifies rights and interests in land, and persons with capacity to alienate land.
“It provides stringent jail terms for various offences related to lands, such as landguardism, falsification of records and fraudulent transactions in land administration”.
In a rather disappointing turn of events, award-winning Ghanaian musician, Kofi Kinaata has canceled the 2022 edition of his annual outdoor musical event ‘Made in Taadi Concert’.
In a press release on Thursday, December 8, 2022, the artiste indicated that contrary to the expectations of fans that the concert will come off this year and their determination as a team to also entertain these fans this December has been overrun by circumstances beyond their control.
The musician added thay even though the concert will not come off, his fans should expect that he will entertain them during the yuletide season because he has been booked for various top shows.
The statement went on to apologize to all fans of Kofi Kinaata and the general public for the unfortunate turn of events and wished everyone a better year ahead.
This was expected to be the fifth edition of the ‘Made in Taadi’ event and like the previous years or has been organized, it was slated for the eve of Christmas, December 24, in Takoradi in the Western Region.
Ghana’s longest standing and most vibrant music group R2Beesis back with a big bang.
Virtually a year after releasing their much acclaimed album Back 2 Basics which debuted at number one on Apple Music and several charts across the continent, the cousins are here with a new single.
Titled Su Mo Mi, the duo does what it does best on a groovy Amapiano influenced beat produced by renowned in house producer Killbeatz.
Su Mo Mi which translates to Love Me is a Ga word (language spoken by southern people of Ghana). It’s a love song that calls on the partner to give him some love if she really loves him.
Typical of Mugeez, the smooth voiced crooner makes it easy for music lovers as he delivers extraordinarily with a catchy sing along hook.
Omar Sterling on the other best represents himself as a singjay delivering excellently on the new single.
Su Mo Mi comes few months after the duo tapped new music star Gyakie for Need Your Love. Su Mo Mi is a feel good song which should get party goers jiggy on the dance floor as it brings lovers closer to each other as well.
Following a rocky start to the 2022–23 Ghana Premier League season, Boadu and the Rainbow Club parted ways amicably. Since then, he has been without a club.
He was part of the four local coaches that joined the Black Stars for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for an attachment.
According to multiple media reports, the former Medeama SC boss will replace Abdul-Karim Zito as the new Black Satellites coach.
Boadu burst onto the scene after winning five major trophies with the Phobians after his two and half years stay with the club.
Speaking to the media about future road projects his ministry plans to undertake, Mr Amoako-Attah stated that the government has not been able to generate the expected revenue from road tolls to meet road infrastructure objectives due to low toll collection returns.
“We were paying the lowest toll in the whole world, while we wanted excellent and good roads. For a whole year, we were getting an average of GH¢78 million. If you deduct salaries and whatever from it, how much is left? Depending on the ground condition, that amount of money cannot even build 10 km of road,” he said.
Prior to a directive banning their collection in November 2021, road tolls were 50 pesewas or GH¢1 nationwide.
According to the Roads Minister, motorists must be willing to pay more if they want to travel on good roads.
“If we want good roads, then we must be prepared to pay more. We will no longer be paying fifty pesewas and one cedi. Tolls are even more expensive abroad,” Mr Amoako-Attah added.
He however did not reveal the exact amount to be charged.
The new road toll rate can only be implemented after the approval of the 2023 budget statement and economic policy currently before Parliament.
When the government announced its decision to cease the collection of road tolls, the minority disapproved of its plan.
Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah, however, argued that the collection of the toll was inequitable and inefficient because it affected just a particular group of individuals and could not bring in the needed revenue.
“The rich were enjoying the road toll and the poor were paying more. So we thought it should be scrapped and put it on something that can cover everybody. The whole year, Ghana was getting GH78 million from road toll,” he said.
Last year, while presenting the 2022 budget statement, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta revealed that the government will implement a new tax measure, the Electronic Transaction Levy (e-levy), in place of road tolls, the proceeds of which will be used for road construction.
However, the government appears to have made a U-turn, as Mr Ofori-Atta announced the return of road tolls in some specific locations due to the government failing to meet its target with the e-levy at the current rate of 1.5%.
He made this known while delivering the mid-year budget review, as well as the 2023 budget statement, two weeks ago.
For about a year, toll booths have not been operational.
Its return expected next year is to come with some upgrades. Mr Amoako Atta says the mode of collection will be electronic.
“We are going to build a modern express way, which will come with tolling facilities, but those tolling facilities will be electronic tolling facilities. If it has to come, it will be done electronically,” he stated.
This is expected to address the heavy traffic congestion caused by slow attendance by the attendants.
Meanwhile, the Toll Workers’ Union has opposed the use of advanced technology, arguing that it would render most of its members jobless, and thus the government and the union will have to engage.
“We could have the one that will need the involvement of workers, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that they are paying physical cash to workers, but they will be there to assist in one way or the other,” General Secretary for the union, Edward Duncan, said.
The 19-year-old represented his nation at the international competition in Qatar and took part in Ghana’s defeat to Uruguay in the group’s final match.
In the matchup with the two-time world winners, Issahaku came off the bench to make his World Cup debut.
Black Stars crashed out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after finishing bottom of Group H with three points.
He joined his teammates at Sporting as they prepare for the second phase of the 2022/23 season which commences after the World Cup.
Fatawu Issahaku has made six appearances for Sporting this season however he’s yet to find the back of the net.
He joined the Portuguese giants in April 2022 on a five year contract with a release clause of 60 million euros.
Prior to signing officially, Issahaku had been at the club since February and had been training with the U-23 side.
The 44 automobiles and 13 general items that were auctioned off through the Integrated Customs Management System’s electronic auction (e-auction) platform contributed to the sum, which represented a total income increase of 41 percent (ICUMS).
Through ICUMS, Ghana’s single window electronic customs trade and revenue mobilization platform, traders are able to participate in the auction process online and submit their bids in the open.
The 44 automobiles and 13 general items that were auctioned off through the Integrated Customs Management System’s electronic auction (e-auction) platform contributed to the sum, which represented a total income increase of 41 percent (ICUMS).
Through ICUMS, Ghana’s single window electronic customs trade and revenue mobilization platform, traders are able to participate in the auction process online and submit their bids in the open.
The company feels that in the medium to long term, the ratio must decrease to at least the 60 percent criterion after reviewing the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy.
The company noted that the present total domestic debt, which is equal to 100% of GDP, is fairly concerning and calls for serious efforts and measures to bring the amount down to manageable levels.
“It is important to note that the increasing domestic debt limits the amount of credit available to private businesses as banks tend to lend more to the government, which is considered much lower in terms of risk profile as compared to the private sector. This ultimately results in higher lending rates for private sector businesses to compensate for their higher default risk”, Deloitte explained.
It further called on government to reduce its dependence on the domestic debt market through pragmatic and innovative revenue generation measures.
The firm further said government must also adopt effective measures to boost the country’s foreign exchange reserves and stabilise exchange rates in a bid to reduce the external debt accumulation resulting from local currency’s depreciation.
“Commercial banks should also be incentivized to increase lending to the private sector,” Deloitte said in its review.
It noted that government could however channel the cash retained to other policies aimed at boosting local production and economic development.
In all, Deloitte said the debt exchange programme will also culminate in reduction of interest payments and overall improved cash flows in the short to medium term.
Doreen Copson has been on top form for Hasaacas Ladies in the month of October, featuring in all four games. She scored four goals and won the NASCO player of the match award once.
Gloria Fosua (Thunder Queens)
Gloria Fosua has been solid in midfield for Thunder Queens. She featured in all four matches, netted four goals and made one assist in the month of October. She also won the NASCO Player of the match award twice.
Linda Owusu Ansah (Supreme Ladies)
Linda Owusu Ansah scored three goals and made one assist in the month of October. She has featured in all four games for her side and and won the NASCO Player of the match award once.
Stella Nyamekye (Dreamz Ladies)
Stella Nyamekye held the midfield of Dreamz Ladies together, featured in all four matches in the Month of October. She scored four goals also won the NASCO player of the match twice.
Winner of the player of the month for February will take home a 32inch NASCO Television set and a trophy.
Additional cash prize will be awarded to the player of the Month from title sponsors Malta Guinness.
State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) has pledged to implement measures to improve the nation’s State-Owned Enterprises’ overall subpar performance (SOEs).
Edward Boateng, the Director General of SIGA, expressed confidence in his and his team’s ability to turn Ghana’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) into successful businesses.
On December 8, 2022, he made this statement during the State of the Agencies Report, a regular interaction platform developed by SIGA in partnership with the Information Ministry.
He revealed that SOEs currently account for 5 per cent of Ghana’s gross domestic product (GDP), far less than the 30 per cent required of the sector, which prompted SIGA to implement appropriate measures to improve SOE performance and increase government returns.
“At SIGA, we are dedicated to boosting the economy by transforming SOE operations through the enforcement of good corporate governance, effective monitoring and oversight. We should be able to leverage these steps to create Ghana’s economic superhighways,” he said.
This accounts for 51 per cent of all SOEs in the country.
Furthermore, ambassador Boateng stated that SIGA had begun the 2023 Performance Contract Negotiation Processes with Specified Entities (SEs).
The Performance Contract is intended to provide SEs with a benchmark against which their performance can be measured.
He explained that as the Performance Contract Processes are signed, SIGA will prioritise projects and initiatives that will increase productivity and efficiency, create job opportunities for youth, generate wealth, and yield dividends for the state.
In view of this, Mr Boateng urged the media to highlight the accomplishments of high-performing SEs and indicated SIGA’s readiness to train their personnel in specific sectors.
The engagement was attended by representatives from SIGA, the Ministry of Information, and the media.
SIGA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, launched the State of the Agencies Report initiative with the goal of educating and promoting transparency and accountability by informing the public about the activities and projects of Specified Entities.
Luis Enrique resigned as manager of the team, following Spain’s shocking World Cup loss to Morocco in the World Cup’s last-16.
The 52-year-old took over in 2018 and led Spain to the semifinals of Euro 2020.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said a “new project” should start but did not put a time frame on when a new boss would be announced.
“We would like to thank Luis Enrique and his entire coaching staff,” the RFEF said in a statement.
The former Spain midfielder stepped away from his role for a short period in 2019 because his late daughter had been diagnosed with bone cancer, before returning for the side’s impressive Euros run in the tournament that was delayed by a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Spain were knocked out of the Euros by eventual champions Italy after their semi-final went to a penalty shootout.
They thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 in their opening group game of the World Cup but their possession-based game saw them accused of being “boring” as they drew 1-1 with Germany and lost 2-1 to Japan.
On Tuesday, Spain were held to a goalless draw by Morocco before again losing a penalty shootout as they were knocked out.
He said that this number is unprecedented due to the “greatest World Cup group stage ever.”
Gianni Infantino told London-based Sky Sports News that over 51,000 people on average are in Qatar for the tournament.
“It is very promising with the remaining of the World Cup. The matches have been of very great quality in beautiful stadia.
“However, as well the public who was there was incredible, over 51,000 people on average record-breaking figures. On TV we have already had over 2 billion viewers which is really incredible,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports News.
The Head of the world governing football body noted that two-and-a-half million people are roaming the streets of Dohar, Qatar and a few hundred thousand attending games at stadiums every day to support their teams.
“The tournament has been filled with incredible excitement and great goals,” Infantino stated.
Matches for the quarter-final stages of the tournament will begin on Friday with Croatia facing Brazil at 3pm GMT, and Netherlands battling it out with Argentina on the same day later in the evening.
Portugal will play Morocco on Saturday. France will also come up against England at 7pm on the same day.
10 important sectors have been identified by the government for development in order to support Ghana’s economic progress and prosperity.
The sectors have investments as the engine of growth with the concentration on foreign exchange and foreign direct investment (FDIs) through export promotion.
The purpose of the meeting, titled “GFZA: Championing Export-led Industrial Growth in the Context of AfCFTA and World Trade,” was to examine ways to strengthen the Authority’s operations and deal with issues facing businesses operating in free zones.
The forum also put across policies that that would positively impact the operations of the enterprises.
Mr Kyerematen, in his address said the Agro, Petrochemical, Bauxite and Aluminum, Iron and Steel, Automotive Assembly and Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical industries and Industrial Chemical were the sectors.
The rest were Garments and Textile, Manufacturing of Electronic and Electrical Appliances and the Manufacturing of Machinery and Equipment industries.
Key areas to be developed under the agro industry would be oil palm, rice processing, poultry, fruits and juices with value addition being the driving force.
He said the garments and textiles industry was yet to be fully harnessed as done in Bangladesh with a 30 US$ billion earnings from export yearly.
Ghana is one of the few countries ( Senegal, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania) with volumes of industrial salts and with a capacity to mine three million tons annually.
Ghana could serve as a huge market for the petrochemical industry, however, she is mining less than 150, 000 tons.
“We want to rebuild our economy with these strategic sectors which we believe can diversify our economy away from cocoa and gold,” he said.
He said: “There is the need to promote exports as a nation now more than ever. I invite both foreign and domestic investment community to look at these sectors.”
Ghana urgently needs to access the Fund due to the current economic difficulties, claims auditing and accountancy firm Deloitte Ghana.
“Based on history, the fund may force government to boost income which may be in the form of new taxes, which is likely to worsen the misery of Ghanaians especially within this current economic situation,” the business stated in its evaluation of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy.
“Some conditionalities may require government to implement expenditure cutting measures including halting new employment and ongoing and new capital projects in the public sector,” Deloitte Ghana added.
Dr. James Rajamani, group CEO of Kingdom Exim and chairman of the IATC for Central and West Africa, has welcomed the first group of eminent foreign investors to Ghana.
In a speech to the media, Dr. James Rajamani remarked that “Kingdom Exim Group is glad to host the Business delegation from USA and India to explore business potential in Agriculture and Allied Sector to benefit the farmers, women and youth in the rural regions.”
The Managing Director of the Kingdom Exim Group and the Director of International Protocol for the IATC Dr. Immanuel Rajamani affirms the primary objective of the visit by the IATC- Kingdom Exim Group facilitated investors was to explore the Ghanaian Agro and Technology industry by establishing the right synergy.
Mr. G. V . Krishna, Trade Commissioner for the IATC, Ghana and leader of the delegation from India and the United States of America praised Ghana for positioning the the country to be attractive to investors.
Mr. Venkatesh Babu Vadkamudi and Mr. Srinivas Naidu Pavuluri from dFarm Inc USA will be offering their technology, market place supply chain software to Kingdom Exim Group and implement international trade which will benefit all the stake holders taking local products to Global reach.
Dr. G R Chintala Former Chairman of NABARD, DFI from India and Dr. Prasad Rao Pasam Chairman & MD of Evergreen Energy Enterprises India Private Limited and Advisor to dFarm Inc will be sharing the holistic approach to help the rural communities of Ghana with skill development, capacity building, setting up processing units of cashew like cashew apple wine, cashew shell oil and oil palm plantations and processing units and other agro produce processing offering one stop agro support services and market linkage through various interventions.
Having strong local partner like Kingdom Exim Group and support from the Government and international funding agencies are very important components to generate better income opportunities for rural communities through Collectivization of farmers and setting up Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Self Help Group (SHG)women entrepreneurs and involving rural youth with employment and entrepreneurial opportunities said Dr. G R Chintala.
We look forward for a excellent bilateral trade relationship said Trade Commissioner Mr. GV Krishna, accompanying the delegation.
Ghanaian actor, Yaw Dabo, said people who insult him would probably treat him better if he was a member of their family.
Speaking on Accra FM, the actor noted that these people need to remember, God created him the way he is for a reason.
“For those who insult me, maybe I am better than you. If I were in your family and I called you to do something for me, you probably would run to get it done. I would probably send you to get chairs if a funeral came home.
“To the person insulting me, should there be a funeral in your house, the wealthiest person will make you carry the coffin. Look, I always say, before you insult someone, you need to look at yourself before rubbishing them,” he advised.
Furthermore, he acknowledged that if he had been average-built, he wouldn’t have reached where he is today in life.
“Not everything you see with your eyes; you can talk about. This is advice to netizens who sit behind their phones and laptops to talk trash about other people.
“Not everything you see is as it seems. God had a reason for creating me this way, maybe if I were like you, I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am now, but then, since God created me this way, I am better than you,” he added.
Having faced many criticisms, the actor mentioned that he watches what he says about other people while quoting a bible verse to back his claim.
“I watch my mouth when saying things about other people. The Bible advises that men lock their mouths with padlocks because it could get them in trouble.
“The mouth can put you in trouble and this may lead you to say something ill about someone and later look for them to apologise but won’t find them,” he expressed.
Ghanaian music act DJ Azonto guesting on CTV’s Class Showbiz, Tuesday, December 6, 2022, has revealed two ways in which Shatta Wale is an inspiration.
He had been asked about what led to the transition from disk jockeying to being a recording artiste.
“I’m even surprised God gave me the voice to do music, because I don’t really have a good voice for singing,” he confessed.
“But [observing] Shatta Wale and a host of others, I’ve noticed music is not necessarily about a [good singing] voice,”
Clarifying that he seeks not to disrespect the ShattaMovement (SM) leader, he saluted: “He’s my senior man.”
Following Sammy Flex’s lead, he mimicked Ghanaian star King Ayisoba performing, to underscore his point of one not needing a conventionally good voice to be a successful music act.
“The truth is difficult to say,” he calmed down after laughing.
“People like Shatta Wale inspired me to know that you can also make it. You know Shatta Wale is full of inspiration. I always say if following Shatta Wale, the only disadvantage is you may become [puffed up and] disrespectful, in the sense that he gives you so much motivation it becomes clear that it’s simply God at work and no one else,” he returned to the place of the Reggae/Dancehall superstar in his professional life.
“It’s true. You know why?” the ‘Fa No Fom’ hitmaker endeavoured to explain what he meant by following Shatta Wale may lead one to become arrogant and disrespectful.
“I’ve stopped befriending some bloggers and some presenters because they frustrate and make the work too difficult at times,” he said. “Excuse me to say, they always want you to give them money.”
“It’s as if you are indebted to them forever and ever,” he rubbed his beard. “Sammy, can we do this work successfully with this attitude?”
He admitted that media personalities “are promoting us, and every worker deserves to earn their fair due. If I go for an engagement and see the producer of show and give them money, it’s fine, and in this world, if you want to be given you give, but don’t make giving [a matter of force and extortion] and threaten to stop playing our music if we don’t comply.”
At this point, he asked rhetorically if media personalities and radio DJs are paid for playing foreign songs “like ‘Buga’.”
“The media should simply support [local musicians],” he stressed.
“This is why I say if you follow Shatta Wale too much, he’ll inspire you to the extend that you’d not respect some people because [you’d notice even when they sideline or blacklist you], by God’s working, you still succeed,” DJ Azonto asserted.
He also revealed his first song ‘Choices’ though a flop, “because no one knew me then,” was better than Sarkodie and Criss Waddle’s.
Social media users have described a recent Facebook post made by legendary Ghanaian Highlife singer, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, better known as Daddy Lumbaas a subtle clap back at businessman, Mr Manfred following his accusations against the singer and songwriter.
As earlier reported, the CEO of Joy Industries Limited in a viral video requested that Daddy Lumba returns a customized vehicle he gave him years ago adding that the musician owes him some money.
Mr Manfred described artistes who once benefited financially from his company as ingrates adding that most of them have turned their backs on him.
Mr Manfred singled out Daddy Lumba among the many and he failed to honour an agreement they once had.
“Even Daddy Lumba owes us. The money we gave Daddy Lumba and also customized a Tundra for him. Tell him to return our car. He had shows at which he was supposed to perform but failed to do so, not even half the show. Our money and car are with him. Today, they have turned their backs on us,” said Mr Manfred.
Although Daddy Lumba is yet to officially respond to the allegations levelled against him, a Facebook post dated December 8, has caught the attention of many.
“Ofon Na Edi Asɛm Fo” the singer wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday evening.
The Twi phrase translates in English as “fools spew gibberish”
Earlier this week, Daddy Lumba announced that he was preparing to release a Christmas song. It is however not certain whether or not his latest post is actually the song title or a missile fired at his accuser.
A real estate firm, Waterstone Realty Limited, has sued the Lands Commission for unlawfully demolishing its office complex to make way for the construction of the National Cathedral.
According to the company, it was forced to vacate from the multi-purpose building adjacent the Physicians and Surgeons complex at Ridge with a short notice from the the Lands commission
Waterstone Realty Ltd disclosed that in a letter signed by the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John-Peter Amewu, there was a promise to relocate them after the demolition..
However, after four years since its office complex was razed down, the government has failed to honour its side of the bargain.
Government’s alleged action, according to Waterstone has negatively impacted its business.
Recounting some financial loss the company has had to endure, Waterstone Realty revealed that it had to refund $54,000 to a tenant who had rented the office space for $84,000 per year, due to the demolition exercise.
As a result, the aggrieved real estate company, in its writ of summons, has requested a whopping amount of USD$4,721,000.00 being the market value of the two-storey multipurpose building complex at the time of compulsory possession and demolition by the defendants
It also wants the court to ask “the defendants to pay the plaintiff the sum of USD$995,508.52 being the difference in terms of the established market value of the plaintiff’s property on the land being the sum USD$4,721,000.00 and the actual value of the property as of May 2018 when the defendant repossessed the property being the value of the two-storey multipurpose building”.
The Lands Commission is also to pay the sum of $54,000 for loss of rent, general damages, and costs, including the cost of engaging solicitors.
Finally, Waterstone wants the above listed sums to be paid with interest beginning from the first day of June 2018.
Meanwhile, work on the construction of the national cathedral has been halted due to insufficient funds.
Prior to their round of 16 matchup against Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Morocco‘s head coach Walid Regragui revealed that his team spent four days developing a gameplan.
After a scoreless draw, the Atlas Lions shocked Spain 3-0 in a shootout to go to the World Cup quarterfinals.
After 120 minutes, there was no way to separate the two teams, and Spain’s three penalties—two of which were beautifully saved by goalie Bounou—were all missed.
That left Hakimi to win it for the North Africans with his nerveless spot-kick and spark jubilant scenes in the stands at the Education City Stadium.
“We had agreed not to take possession, not out of fear,” he said.
“Nobody had managed to steal the ball from them, so I accepted not having the ball, I’m not a magician. We worked for four days on this gameplan.”
Morocco are the last African side following the exit of African champions Senegal, Ghana, Tunisia and Cameroon and also the only remaining Arab team left in the tournament.
Times are difficult, but as representatives of the people, it would be wise to learn from the Executive branch of government, which has been suffering a 30% wage cut since early this year, according to the Leader, who is also the MP for Suame.
“Mr. Speaker, perhaps as Members of Parliament, just as the Executive has done, maybe we could also, even though these are difficult period for all of us…
“We could also utilize the opportunity and also show some example by sacrificing anything between 10 and 15% of our salaries to demonstrate to fellow Ghanaians that we are with them in these difficult moments,” he suggested.
He also proposed that with the funds, Parliament could use the youth to build toilets at designated points monthly.
Ghana is currently facing economic headwinds with a domestic debt programme facing opposition from stakeholders – largely from institutional bondholders.
Government is hoping to close a deal on debt restructuring at home in order to be able to access an International Monetary Fund (IMF) facility to support the failing economy.
Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta on December 6 announced that government was restructuring bonds held by institutional investors, putting them into four groups stretching 15 years. With interest also spread in four tranches in four years.
The Domestic Debt Exchange programme as it is called has faced some stiff opposition from major professional groups and workers union in the country.
Elon Musk has responded to rumors that Twitter had converted workplace space into sleeping quarters, criticizing claims that San Francisco police may be looking into such developments.
According to a Forbes report on Monday, employees were met this week with what the publication’s sources billed as “modest bedrooms featuring unmade mattresses, drab curtains and giant conference-room telepresence monitors.” The report noted this setup marked a noticeable improvement in comparison to the sleeping bag-esque environment previously documented on social media, perhaps most prominently in the widely shared tweet below from last month.
More recently, regional Bay Area outlet KQED reported that city building inspector officials were launching an investigation, as did the Washington Post. The latter cited a Department of Building Inspection spokesperson as stating the intention of such an inquiry is to ensure a space is being “used as intended,” adding that “no one is above the law.”
In a response shared to Twitter, which has made headlines in recent months for no longer enforcing a COVID-19 misinformation policy and for firing a slew of workers, Musk framed the situation as “providing beds for tired employees” before very Republicanishly trying to steer the conversation toward fentanyl. He also tagged San Francisco Mayor London Breed in the post.
Image via Twitter
Complex has reached out to reps for San Francisco’s Department of Building Inspection for additional comment. This story may be updated. As for reaching out to Twitter, there’s seemingly no point in doing that anymore.
Meanwhile, Musk’s brain-computer interface company Neuralink has been reported to be facing a federal investigation over alleged Animal Welfare Act violations.
Roddy Ricch and producer 30 Roc have been sued for alleged copyrightinfringement lawsuit over the rapper’s breakout hit “The Box,” Rolling Stone reports.
In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan on Tuesday, musician Greg Perry has alleged that Roddy’s track rips off elements of his 1975 song “Come On Down.” In the 18-page complaint, Perry accused Ricch and his record label of using “a complete duplication” of portions of “Come On Down” in the track. Specifically, the violin during the opening of Perry’s track is referenced in the suit as being used in “The Box” without permission.
“Expert musicology analysis confirms that the ascending minor scale played by violin at the opening of ‘Come On Down’ is a distinctive musical element which recurs a total of six times throughout the song,” reads the suit. “Comparative analysis of the beat, lyrics, hook, rhythmic structure, metrical placement, and narrative context by a musicology expert demonstrates clearly and convincingly that ‘The Box’ is an unauthorized duplication and infringement of certain elements of ‘Come On Down.’”
“Come On Down” was also sampled in Jeezy’s “Wordplay” and Yo Gotti’s “I Remember,” which the filing also highlighted. “The use of the distinctive compositional elements of ‘Come On Down’ have remained so popular in both the R&B and rap community that access to the composition is firmly established,” the documents read.
“The Box” released back in December 2019 upon the arrival of Roddy’s debut album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial.
It picked up three Grammy nominations, and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
