Ground three of the seven-point vote of censure hearing against embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta was up for hearing on Day Two (November 17) of Parliament’s ad hoc committee sitting.
The ground read: “Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.”
To assist the committee, witnesses were called from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, GNPC, to explain matters, especially with the deposition of oil funds into specific accounts.
It emerged that the Finance Minister was not in any way connected to the receipt or transfer of any funds from GNPC’s Jubilee Oil Holdings Limited, JOHL, into any account.
“I need to understand this, in all of this, what relates to the Finance Minister in terms of the allegations made against him?” KT Hammond asked.
The GNPC witness responded: “As far as JOHL is concerned, the Finance Minister is not responsible for the revenues… obviously, we have to at the end of the day, submit our financials and GRA, and have to pay whatever assessed tax that we have to pay.”
“I don’t think the Finance Minister has any direct control,” Deputy Chief Executive (CEO) of the GNPC in charge of Commerce, Strategy and Business Development, Joseph Dadzie stressed.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has partly blamed the late passage of the electronic transaction levy (E-levy) for the prevailing economic challenges.
According to him, the delay in passing the tax policy impacted the confidence of the international community in the economy which led to loss of investors.
Appearing before the Parliament’s Adhoc Committee on Friday, Mr Ofori-Atta said the delayed passage of the e-levy also contributed to the ensuing downgrade in Ghana’s sovereign credit rating in January 2022, “which resulted in Ghana not being able to issue its Eurobonds it traditionally does in the first quarter.”
Mr. Ofori-Atta said the Minority frustrated the efforts to raise revenue through the levy to support the financial stability of the economy.
“We saw the dire consequences when the House for months refused to pass the major revenue generation item introduced by this government to support the fiscal stability of the economy.
“Sadly the Minority Leader when this government was compelled to approach the Fund (IMF) this year, triumphantly took credit for frustrating governments efforts to meet its half-year revenue,” he said.
Ghana’s economy is currently under pressure, which has resulted in a high cost of living and what some have described as ‘galloping inflation.’
The country’s currency is also volatile in relation to the US dollar and other major trading currencies worldwide.
But the Finance Minister said the e-levy was borne “out of this heightened need to mobilise resources sufficient for managing the preeminent challenges of our time, physical consolidation, debt sustainability and reduce the unemployment.”
It would be recalled that the passage of the e-levy which requires 1.5% on all electronic transfers met stiff opposition from the Minority Group in Parliament.
It was however rolled out by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on May 1, after the E-levy Bill was passed by Parliament and subsequently assented to by President Akufo-Addo.
Meanwhile, the Finance Minister has apologised to Ghanaians for the hardship being suffered in recent times.
According to him, the brunt borne by the populace due to the ongoing economic turmoil is unfortunate.
“Let me use this opportunity to say to the Ghanaian people what I believe, with courage, every Finance Minister around the world may wish to say to their people now. I am truly sorry,” he told the committee.
The Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) must ensure that the $100 million of Ghana’s oil money that was transferred to an overseas account is immediately reimbursed to the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF), the Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Dr John Kwakye, has said.
“The question is whether the $100 million belongs to Ghana or not. If it does, then GNPC can’t keep it outside BoG custody. The Ministry of Finance, BoG and GRA must ensure that the money is promptly transferred to the PHF held by BoG”, Dr Kwakye noted.
On Thursday, 17 November 2022, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Commerce, Strategy and Business Strategy of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Mr Joseph Dadzie, told the ad hoc parliamentary committee hearing allegations of reckless mismanagement of the economy and conflict of interest against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta that the president’s cousin did nothing wrong as far as the payment of the $100 million of Ghana’s oil revenue to an offshore account is concerned instead of into the petroleum holding fund.
Mr Dadzie told the committee: “JOHL [Jubilee Oil Holding Limited] is a 100 per cent subsidiary of GNPC”, noting: “We believe it is a company registered under the Companies Act and, obviously, the terms and conditions, the constitution of JHOL, is governed by the Companies Act, and, for that reason, 100 per cent of the revenue cannot be put into the Petroleum Holding Fund.”
Earlier, the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) had insisted on the same day that the petroleum receipts that were paid into a different account other than the petroleum holding fund, flouted the laws of Ghana.
PIAC Vice Chair Abdul Nasir Alfa Mohammed said: “We explored all the laws, in our opinion, that border around this issue and we still came to an independent opinion, which we stand by on any day, that those revenues ought to have formed part of the petroleum revenues of Ghana and ought to have been deposited in the petroleum holding fund and not in any other account”.
“So, for us, it was contrary to law for that money to have been deposited in any accounts, if at all”, Dr Mohammed said on Thursday, 17 November 2022.
The PHF is held offshore at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the Bank of Ghana Petroleum Holding Fund Account.
The gross receipts into the Petroleum Holding Fund are made up of the following:
Royalties from oil and gas, surface rentals and other receipts from petroleum operations and sale or export of petroleum;
Receipts from direct and indirect participation in petroleum operations by the government;
Corporate income taxes from upstream and midstream petroleum companies;
Any amount payable by the national oil company as corporate income tax, royalty, dividends, or any other amount due in accordance with the laws of Ghana;
Any amount received by government such as capital gains tax derived from the sale of ownership of exploration, development and production rights;
Production and signature bonuses and additional oil entitlements.
In September this year, the minority caucus in parliament noted with “serious concern” the “inability or refusal of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led government” to account for over $100 million of oil funds that accrued to the state coffers concerning petroleum lifting in the first quarter of 2022.
In a statement dated Thursday, 29 September 2022, signed by Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, the ranking member of the mines and energy committee of parliament, the caucus said: “The decision by the current NPP government to transfer revenues accruing from about 944,164 bbls of crude lifting in the Jubilee and TEN fields to a company established in a safe haven (outside Ghana) without parliamentary approval, amounts to a gross violation of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815) and Public Financial Management Act (Act 921)”.
“We have become aware that following the acquisition of a 7-per cent interest in the Occidental (Oxy) transaction in respect of the Jubilee and TEN fields by the government, ostensibly for GNPC in 2021, the Minister of Finance has clandestinely ceded the shares to an offshore company known as JOHL (a company set-up in the Cayman Islands) in a very surreptitious and opaque manner”, the statement said.
The minority said it is “very much alarmed” that contrary to requirements of the PRMA, revenues accruing from the nation’s oil fields “are not being paid into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF), which has been confirmed in the 2022 semi-annual report on petroleum receipts by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC)”.
“As if this is not enough, the report further reveals that Capital Gains Tax was not assessed and collected by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the sale of the 7% interest by Anadarko in the Jubilee and TEN fields in 2021”.
“This NPP government is proving by the day, that the nation’s oil resources cannot be entrusted in their care because not long ago, the PIAC, under the chairmanship of Dr Steve Manteaw, accused them over their inability to account for about GHȼ2 billion of Ghana’s oil cash for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 fiscal years”, the minority added.
It said this is “surely another ‘Agyapa’ deal in the making and we, as a minority, will not sit aloof for this government to raid the national purse, especially at a time when the nation is struggling to raise much-needed revenues for critical expenditure”, noted the caucus.
The minority demanded that the Minister of Finance and the government, “with immediate effect, repatriate all such illegal transfer payments back into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF)”.
“Failure to comply with our ultimatum will compel the Minority to use the necessary parliamentary processes to haul the Minister of Finance to parliament for possible censure”.
However, the Chairman of the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, said no $100 million oil money due Ghana was missing.
According to him, the money was used to settle upfront, a loan taken from the ministry of finance by GNPC Subsidiaries, to acquire a seven per cent stake in the TEN and Jubilee oil fields on behalf of the state.
In his view, therefore, even though administrative processes may not have been followed, in terms of lodging the money in the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF), no harm was done to the state by the upfront payment of the loan taken by GNPC Subsidiaries using that quantum of petroleum receipts.
Mr Atta Akyea told Kofi Oppong Asamoah on Class91.3FM’s breakfast show on Friday, 30 September 2020: “Well, I think it’s a storm in a teacup because sometimes the impression is being given that the money has been spirited away”.
According to him, “there’s a whole debate, as to whether or not some money should be lodged in the petroleum holding fund, so, it’s an interpretation and accounting”.
The former minister of Works and Housing said his crosschecks show that “there was an opinion from the attorney general to the effect that they needn’t place the money in that account for the simple reason that there’s a seven-per cent equity acquisition in the TEN and Jubilee fields by GNPC Subsidiary and they didn’t have the money so the ministry of finance borrowed them the money so they do this acquisition; they are trying to improve the governmental stakes in these petroleum blocks”.
“When they [GNPC Subsidiaries] took the loan, they were unable to pay, so, they used the petroleum receipts due them to settle it, so, the ministry of finance took the money and paid for the loan upfront”, Mr Atta Akyea explained.
“The whole problem is simple: that the sheer fact that the money was not lodged in the PHF does not mean the money has been spirited away or stolen. … It’s all a balancing account but when push it to the political dimension that some money has been spirited away, it leaves much to be desired”, he added.
He said: “The sum of money, if you look at it, is equal to the seven per cent equity stake that the government, through GNPC Subsidiary has acquired. Let’s look at it from that perspective. So, when somebody is using his ingenuity to confer advantage and benefit to Ghana, ultimately, how can that be a problem?”
“And if the money was not so lodged in the PHF but it is shown that, indeed, the shares have been acquired, and the shares have been paid for, how can that be anything to undermine this country, financially?” he wondered.
He continued: “Are we looking at the substance or the form? The sheer fact that the money was not lodged in the account but the money has been applied as it can be applied in the share acquisition to the benefit of Ghana”.
Mr Atta Akyea, who is the MP for Akim Abuakwa South in the Eastern Region, said: “My concern, with the greatest of respect, is that even if administrative processes were not followed, is there any disadvantage to Ghana when seven per cent shares have been acquired in the TEN and Jubilee fields?”
“That is the point of the matter. If administrative procedures were not followed, has it caused any financial loss to the state or it has helped us financially because if we are not careful, anything becomes political and propaganda”.
He added: “My joy is that no money has been lost to the state yet because we have gained. If there are any tax implications on this transition then they should be called upon to pay the tax”.
Organized Labour has called on the Government to collaborate with the various unions and stakeholders in the nation’s economic mix to amicably address the economic challenges confronting the economy.
Inflation for the month of October reached a bumpy 40.4 percent with producer price inflation also jumping from 45.6 percent to 65.25 percent, pushing the cost of living for Ghanaians higher, thus resulting in a massive pressure for the dismissal of the Finance Minster.
Organized Labour and individuals have since been proposing measures that include; inter-sectoral collaborations and tax cuts to bring relief to Ghanaians.
The Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress Ghana (TUC), Dr. Yaw Baah said workers and the Government must come together to understand the current economic situation and work to resolve it.
Dr. Baah called for sectoral collaborations after the government announced a new minimum wage of 10 percent to GH¢14.88 effective January 1, 2023, from the GH¢12.53 on Wednesday, November 16.
“In the last few months, we have had situations where inflation is going up. We should all work together to ensure we are out of this; workers, employers, and government. And we are hoping 2023 will be a better year than 2022.”
He added that conditions in the economy won’t change should the minimum wage be increased without proper collaboration and consultation between industry, employers, employees, and the government.
“It is on this note that I would like to appeal to all of us to work together to get out of this. It doesn’t matter how much you offer your employees, how much the government will offer employees, and how much employers will offer employees, it will still not take us home.”
The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, says there were attempts by party bigwigs to halt Asiedu Nketia’s decision to unseat him.
In a yet-to-air interview on Adom TV, he told host, Daakyehene Nana Yaw Asante, that the party’s 2020 flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, and other prominent NDC figures made efforts to stop the contest between himself and the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia.
According to him, even though the move by Asiedu Nketiato unseat him is politically incorrect; the efforts to talk him out of the decision proved futile.
“As far I’m concerned, Asiedu Nketia’s decision to contest me was not necessary. This move is a wrong move. It is not a politically correct decision. And there were moves by the Council of Elders. His Excellency, John Dramani Mahamahimself made moves to stop it”, he said in a trailer to the yet-to-air interview.
The interview will be aired on Saturday, November 19 at 10:00pm on Adom TV‘s weekend current affairs programme, Sɛdea Ɛteɛ Nie.
Meanwhile, ahead of the airing of the interview, some supporters of the NDC have expressed disgust over some comments by the party’s National Chairman.
In the yet-to-air interview, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo, said elements within his own party are behind a leaked audio tape, based on which he is currently standing trial.
The embattled NDC Chairman said the leaked audio is an evidence of how cruel the NDC can be when they want to destroy one of their own.
Substantiating his claims, he said the in-house traitors secretly recorded his comments in a closed door meeting and leaked the recording to the New Patriotic Party for him to be prosecuted.
According to him, he has been to court on seventy separate occasions as a result of the internally orchestrated treachery.
“When NDC wants to disgrace you, they first tag you as anti-Mahama. My own party folks recorded me at a meeting that I held with the party, with the people and went to sell the recording to the NPP, for which reason I’m standing trial. I’ve been to court 70 times”, he stated in a trailer to the yet to air interview.
In addition to tagging an individual as anti-Mahama, he said some elements within the party can travel all length to cause disaffection for someone they do not like.
But according to his critics, his sentiments are unnecessary, as they will wreak more havoc for himself and the party at large.
Others have however sympathized with him, and expressed solidarity with him in relation to the alleged treachery claims.
In their view, the revelations by the NDC Chairman is understandably from a place of pain, and therefore he should not be chastised.
Currently, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo’s role as the NDC’s National Chairman is being threatened by the decision of the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia to unseat him.
In what has been described as the main contest in the party’s upcoming national delegates election, Mr. Asiedu Nketia is frantically taking steps to take control of the party as National Chairman ahead of the 2024 general election.
The upcoming national delegates conference will take place on 10th December, 2022 in the Ashanti Regional capital of Kumasi.
Eligible party delegates will elect a new crop of executives to man the affairs of the party at the national level for the next four years.
His brother Denzil Smith appeared in a video post on the singer’s Instagram early Thursday where he confirmed the tragic news of his death. “Today regretfully I have to announce that my brother has passed away this morning from respiratory failure after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis,” Smith wrote.
“My brother was very excited to see a lot of you create challenges for his latest released single #Twerkoholic part 2 while he was in the ICU, it really brought him a big smile to his face.”
Denzil shared a lengthy message on his own Instagram, claiming he can still feel his presence while also acknowledging that he’s at peace knowing B. Smyth is no longer suffering.
Smyth rocketed to stardom with the release of “Twerkaholic” in 2014. He dropped a follow-up to the hit song last month. The singer has collaborated with LightSkinKeisha for “Ride Good,” and 2 Chainz on “Leggo.”
He also enlisted the help of Young Thug and Rick Ross on “Creep” and “Might Cuff U,” respectively.
President of Food and Beverages Association of Ghana, Samuel Aggrey, has reacted to the Bank of Ghana’s announcement on withdrawing forex support to importers of rice, poultry, toothpick, vegetable oil, pasta, fruit juice, ceramic tiles among other non-critical items.
The central bank said the new policy forms part of measures to fight the depreciation of the local currency – cedi.
Speaking on this new development on Starr News, Mr Aggrey wondered who advised government to take such a decision.
He said the new policy was not the best.
Samuel Aggrey stated that Ghana cannot produce enough of the aforementioned items for Ghanaians’ perusal.
“The announcement made by the Bank of Ghana is not the best, we cannot even tell who is advising the government on such a policy. Because the very things that we seek to stop importing are something that we cannot raise enough for the country,” he said.
“Therefore, if we try to put a stop to it then we are going to make other people poorer and food scarcity will set in. With what they have said, come next year it will be very difficult for importers to bring in these products to substitute the shortage that may come in,” Mr Aggrey added.
Ofori-Atta hinted that all the administration had attempted to accomplish had been intended to improve people’s lives when he appeared before the ad hoc committee of Parliament considering the censure resolution presented against him.
He also gave the committee his word that he would be honest in his comments in order to help them discover the truth.
He claimed that the motion made derogatory remarks about his character and integrity and committed to work to present Ghanaians with a fair picture of the situation.
“Hon Co-Chairs, during the course of my remarks this morning, you can expect forthrightness. The proponents’ motion of censure has accused me of many things and includes some very disparaging remarks and attacks on my person and integrity,” he said.
“I am certain that Ghanaians will have a more balanced view of the events that led us here as I take the opportunity to speak to the matters raised,” he said.
He was hopeful that the “truth” would help dispel any unfounded doubts about his motives, competence, and character.
He, therefore, apologized to Ghanaians for the current hardships they are experiencing.
“Before I proceed with my detailed responses, I would like to make a personal comment to the Ghanaian people: Since the Akufo-Addo government came into office in 2017, everything we have sought to do was aimed at making the lives of the people better.
“We have been focused on this vision to improve lives and in the first four years, our efforts were leading to a realization of the vision,” he said.
He added, “…Let me use this opportunity to say to the Ghanaian people what I believe, with courage, every Finance Minister around the world may wish to say to his people now: I am truly sorry.”
He continued his opening remarks by outlining the achievements of the government prior to global events that have torpedoed the development agenda.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has denied allegations that he did not get authorisation to spend funds on the National Cathedral project.
According to him, the construction of the project was 100 percent owned and funded by the state contrary to impressions that it was the project of President Nana Addo Dakwa Akufo Addo.
He told the Adhoc Committee of Parliament hearing the censure motion to remove him, that expenditures in respect of the National Cathedral were made from the Contingency Vote under the “Other Government Obligations” vote.
The finance minister said the spending was done from that in line with the practice before his tenure.
“I have copies of several payments from the Contingency Vote dating back to 2015 to share,” he said.
“The National Cathedral is 100% owned by the State and is not the President’s Cathedral as described by the Proponents.
“Indeed, the Attorney General issued an opinion on January 6, 2022, that the National Cathedral is a state-owned company limited by guarantee, under the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board,” Mr Ofori-Atta said.
“In conclusion, Co-Chairs, all the payments made for the National Cathedral were lawfully done and from the Contingency Vote under the ‘Other Government Obligations’ vote and not from the Contingency Fund as alleged by the Proponents,” he added.
According to him, the change in expenditure pattern will ease the pressure on the cedi as goods would be patronized from local manufacturers.
He called on Ghanaians to invest in local businesses to enhance their production capacity for exports.
Appearing before the ad hoc committee in parliament on Friday, November 18, 2022, Ken Ofori-Atta said, “It is time to have honest conversations on the patterns of expenditure as a people, our preference for imported goods which require foreign exchange that we do not earn enough of implies our cedi will continue to be under pressure.”
“It has become clear that we cannot continue in a business usual mode, we have to significantly change our consumption patterns and support investments in local capacity for production and export,” he added.
The cedi has in recent times depreciated against major trading currencies.
In a Bloomberg report, it makes the total loss of the cedi in 2022 almost 52%, the highest recorded in 22 years.
The free fall of the cedi now places the currency at the 148 position of worst performing currencies in the world.
Meanwhile, on the interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana, the cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 13.0991 and a selling price of 13.1123.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 15.4216 and a selling price of 15.4462
Organised Labour has proposed a 60 percent increment in base pay for the year 2023 as they begin negotiations with the government.
In a letter signed by TUC General Secretary, Dr. Yaw Baah and Isaac Bampoe Addo, Chairman of the forum of Public Sector Workers, Organised Labour cited the rising inflation and the 15% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) granted on the National Daily Minimum Wage as grounds for their proposal.
“Due to the inflationary trends and the fact that 15% COLA has been granted on the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMw). We humbly propose that a 60% increase on the 2022 Base Pay should be considered,” a portion of the letter read.
According to Organised Labour, a huge gap has been created between the National Daily Minimum Wage and the Base Pay as a result of accepting COLA instead of normal salary increase and granting increases in the National Daily Minimum Wage.
The group said currently, the 2022 daily Base Pay on the 2022 Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) is 16.26% below the 2022 daily minimum wage.
“In order to close the gap and restore the 10% point with respect to the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW), the daily Base Pay for 2023 should be GH¢l4.88 plus 10% which is GH¢16.37,” Organised Labour said.
They, therefore, want the annual Base Pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) for 2023 to be increased to GH¢5,303.23 from the current GH¢3,672.84.
Organised Labour further contended that the government ought to have increased the annual increment of 1.7% on the Single Spine Salary Structure to 2% in 2012.
This, they said has not happened since 2012 and want the government to implement that next year.
“However, over the years, our plea to adjust the 1.7% step increment (annual increment) to a 2% step increment has fallen on deaf ears. The Organized Labour can no longer wait for the implementation of the 2% step increment,” they stated.
The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Friday, November 18, 2022, appeared before an 8-member committee ad hoc committee of Parliament hearing a vote of censure motion against him.
The minister as part of his appearance gave a response to five out of the 7 grounds levelled against him by the minority in parliament who are the proponents of the motion.
The allegations against the minister among other things include fiscal recklessness, conflict of interest and the mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy.
The West African powerhouse are making their fourth appearance at the biggest soccer mundial having featured in 2006, 2010 and 2014 tournament.
Ghana is returning to the global tournament after missing out in Russia 2018, where France emerged as winners.
The four-time African Champions has been housed in Group H against European powerhouse, Portugal, two-time World Champions, Uruguay and Asian giants South Korea.
Ghana who will be staying at the five-star luxury Double Tree by Hilton hotel will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24.
Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.
Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.
The Importers and Exporters Association is warning of possible food shortages and a further surge in food inflation in the coming days.
The warning comes on the back of the announcement by the Bank of Ghana to cease the supply of forex for the importation of some commodities in accordance with President Akufo-Addo’s directive in his Address to the Nation on the Economy delivered on Sunday, 30th October 2022.
A message from the Central Bank to commercial banks stated that: “in accordance with the president’s directive, issued in his recent address to the nation on the Ghanaian economy on Sunday 30 October 2022, the Bank of Ghana will no longer provide FX support for the imports of rice, poultry, vegetable oils, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, ceramic tiles, and other non-critical goods.”
But the Importers and Exporters Association warns that the directive if implemented will have dire consequences on the supply of food and other basic supplies in the country.
Sounding the word of caution, the Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, Samson Asaki Awingobit, said Ghana currently doesn’t have the capacity to enforce the directive to the latter without expected shortages.
“I can tell you that within the shortest possible time, we will see an uprise in prices of these commodities [rice, poultry, vegetable oils, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, ceramic tiles] especially if the Bank of Ghana goes ahead to implement this policy to the latter.”
He elaborated that “what it means is that those who have these stocks in their warehouses, they will hoard them and by January, we will begin to see some shortages because the Commercial Bank will not have the forex to satisfy the market and so if the Bank of Ghana will not come in to help them, what it means is that only a few people will be able to raise these monies to go and bring these things.”
Kano Computing has joined the long list of companies that have cut ties with Kanye West.
The London-based startup reached new heights last year after announcing the roll out of Stem Player, an audio remixing device that allows users to customize recordings. The hardware launched in August 2021, in conjunction with the release of West’s Donda album. Several months later, Kano confirmed it had agreed to release West’s Donda 2 project exclusively on Stem Player—a move that propelled Kano’s upward trajectory.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Kano’s West deal proved to be quite successful. The company reportedly sold more than 100,000 units in the initial drop, with each device selling for $200. However, the startup’s association with the polarizing rapper has recently become a liability, as West continues to face widespread backlash over his anti-Semitic remarks. In addition to repeatedly espousing anti-Jewish tropes on social media, he also vowed to go “death con 3” on the Jewish community. The remarks not only hurt West’s public image, it also ruined his business relationships.
Kano CEO and co-founder Alex Klein told the Times he’s express his concerns directly with West, but was met with pushback.
“[West] tried to call me racist when I gently told him that attacking a whole race of people wasn’t good for him or Stem,” said Klein, who confirmed Kano has cut all business ties with West. “I asked Kanye not to take the path he’s on. We’ve told him that we’re unable to work together while he’s putting out racial conspiracy theories. There’s no deal in place.”
Klein also revealed Kano is now dealing with licensing lawsuits stemming from Donda and Donda 2 tracks. The Times points to the songs “Flowers” and “Life of the Party,” which reportedly include unauthorized samples. Kano addressed the complaints in a statement, claiming Kanye and Yeezy promised to only provide music with “all intellectual property rights, licenses and consents.”
Despite West’s controversies, Klein told the Times that West’s music will likely be associated with Stem Player “for some time.”
However, he and his team are now working on a “Ye-free” version of the device that will be open to all artists.
The CEO said he hopes the upcoming editions will help “deepen people’s understanding of what they love.”
Prof. Abotsi said that Chapter 21, Article 268 requires parliamentary clearance for all transactions involving the issuance of minerals exploitation rights during a presentation on the topic “Development and Constitutionalism: Building a Trusteeship that Works and Benefits Citizens” on Tuesday in Accra.
According to Prof. Abotsi, the 1992 Constitution’s purpose with this article was to strengthen constitutional trusteeship, which is based on the notion that the people who are subject to constitutional governance are the source of that power.
“The winner takes all approach have proved impossible to deal with where the winning party see themselves as rightful beneficiaries of not only power but trapping of authority and access to state resources,” Prof. Abotsi said.
Similarly, Prof. Abotsi bemoaned the poor performance of government agencies such as the Lands Commission, Fisheries Commission and Forestry Commission in whose hands the regulation of natural resources were entrusted due to agency capture by individuals and groups.
“The issue of agency capture has equally impacted the oversight of parliament. In fact, the problem may even be worse in the case of the legislative body given the very nature of the organ, its representative mandate and ostensible legitimacy of parliamentary lobbies,” Prof. Abotsi said.
He therefore made some recommendations to ensure that constitutional trusteeship was enhanced including the streamlining of government’s role as the watchdog over the use of the country’s natural resources and making parliament an approving entity rather than a ratification chamber.
Making parliament an approving entity, Prof. Abotsi said stood in spite of Article 181 of the 1992 Constitution which required that no deal entered into by the Government of Ghana (GoG) shall be entered into without parliamentary approval.
“The requirement of a simple majority approval such as contained under Article 181 and 268 is apt to lead to fragmentation of behaviour on the part of parliament,” he said.
“The record accordingly shows that the requirement of simple majority has been easily scalable and has resulted in the approval of obnoxious policies and questionable deals in the past. Enhancing this requirement to a higher threshold two-thirds majority approval would lead to higher scrutiny of projects as the need for votes across political lines will necessarily compel greater audit of deals presented,” Prof. Abotsi added.
The Electricity Company of Ghana has begun the installation of smart prepaid meters for clients within its prepaid metering areas in the Volta Region.
About 5,000 units of smart meters have already been installed in the Ho and Hohoe Municipalities.
The smart prepaid meters are compliant with the new Meter Management System (MMS) which allows customers to purchase prepaid credit online, without visiting vending points.
The system also allows the company to monitor the meters remotely, and identify any interference or illegality when the meters are tampered with.
The Volta Regional Communications Officer of ECG, Benjamin Antwi, explained that the initiative is in line with the power distribution company’s objective of providing quality services to its customers.
“As a company, we want to make Volta Region, a hub of excellent customer service and we believe providing convenience for our customers will help us achieve this vision.
Power supply in the Volta Region has improved significantly and introducing these smart meters in the Region will further ensure that our customers are satisfied with our services”, he said.
He added that a Customer Interface Unit has been attached to the meter to allow customers to access information on energy purchased and consumed from the comfort of their homes.
Other devices added to the meter include; a user manual, a USB cord to charge the Customer Interface Unit and a battery to power the Interface Unit.
“After the meter is installed for the customer, the customer can decide to purchase prepaid credit from the comfort of his or her premises or visit the ECG Office. When going to the ECG Office to purchase credit, the customer can decide to go with the Customer Interface Unit or without it since the important information needed to purchase credit is the meter number.
After purchasing the credit, the smart meter is remotely recharged before the customer leaves the premises. In the event that the meter fails to recharge remotely due to network error, a token is generated for the customer. The customer will key in the 20-digit token number on the Customer Interface Unit and the smart meter will be recharged”, he explained.
Mr. Antwi bemoaned how illegal connections by some customers affect the revenue generated by the company, and prevents it from undertaking projects that will inure to the benefit of customers.
He warned customers against perpetuating any illegality by tampering with the smart meter, adding that the metering device has a feature to detect any illegal connection.
“The meter records every activity and we can see it from our office, including tampering with the meter. When you try tampering with the meter, the meter will go off and you cannot buy credit to recharge your meter until you come to our office. When apprehended, you will be surcharged”, he warned.
Mr. Antwi concluded by calling on the public to act as whistleblowers – to help ECG curb illegal connections – by reporting people who would engage in any illegality at any ECG office or call the national task force via 0551444011.
“There is a 6% commission of any amount we recoup as an incentive for anyone who gives us reliable information to unearth any illegality”, he added.
A Florida judge has awarded Gabby Petito’s family $3 million in the wrongful deathlawsuit they filed against Brian Laundrie’s estate in May.
The suit had alleged that Brian Laundrie’s parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, were aware their son murdered Petito after she had gone missing during a road trip in August 2021. The family will likely receive far less from Laundrie’s estate, but Petito’s family said they intend to donate every penny to the Gabby Petito Foundation, which is a charity created in their daughter’s memory.
Petito’s family additionally filed a civil lawsuit against Laundrie’s estate citing similar allegations, and they’re additionally suing the Moab Police Department over what they viewed as an insufficient response to their daughter’s disappearance.
The latter filing claims the police didn’t thoroughly investigate Laundrie during their encounters with him, and that authorities made him out to be the victim rather than Petito. The family accuses the police of “egregiously misinterpreting” the incident, and that their case is a “vehicle for systemic change and a reckoning about how the police enforce the State’s domestic abuse laws.”
Officers had encountered the couple on Aug. 12, 2021, and found Petito crying with visible cuts on her face and arm. The police merely said they stay apart for the night. Petito died by strangulation in Wyoming a few days later, and Brian, who police later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, seemed to confess to the crime in a journal entry.
“We feel profound sympathy for the Petito and Schmidt families and the painful loss they have endured,” the city of Moab told TMZ. “At the same time, it is clear that Moab City Police Department officers are not responsible for Gabrielle Petito’s eventual murder.”
The Electricity Company of Ghana has begun the installation of smart prepaid meters for clients within its prepaid metering areas in the Volta Region.
About 5,000 units of smart meters have already been installed in the Ho and Hohoe Municipalities.
The smart prepaid meters are compliant with the new Meter Management System (MMS) which allows customers to purchase prepaid credit online, without visiting vending points.
The system also allows the company to monitor the meters remotely, and identify any interference or illegality when the meters are tampered with.
The Volta Regional Communications Officer of ECG, Benjamin Antwi, explained that the initiative is in line with the power distribution company’s objective of providing quality services to its customers.
“As a company, we want to make Volta Region, a hub of excellent customer service and we believe providing convenience for our customers will help us achieve this vision.
Power supply in the Volta Region has improved significantly and introducing these smart meters in the Region will further ensure that our customers are satisfied with our services”, he said.
He added that a Customer Interface Unit has been attached to the meter to allow customers to access information on energy purchased and consumed from the comfort of their homes.
Other devices added to the meter include; a user manual, a USB cord to charge the Customer Interface Unit and a battery to power the Interface Unit.
“After the meter is installed for the customer, the customer can decide to purchase prepaid credit from the comfort of his or her premises or visit the ECG Office. When going to the ECG Office to purchase credit, the customer can decide to go with the Customer Interface Unit or without it since the important information needed to purchase credit is the meter number.
After purchasing the credit, the smart meter is remotely recharged before the customer leaves the premises. In the event that the meter fails to recharge remotely due to network error, a token is generated for the customer. The customer will key in the 20-digit token number on the Customer Interface Unit and the smart meter will be recharged”, he explained.
Mr. Antwi bemoaned how illegal connections by some customers affect the revenue generated by the company, and prevents it from undertaking projects that will inure to the benefit of customers.
He warned customers against perpetuating any illegality by tampering with the smart meter, adding that the metering device has a feature to detect any illegal connection.
“The meter records every activity and we can see it from our office, including tampering with the meter. When you try tampering with the meter, the meter will go off and you cannot buy credit to recharge your meter until you come to our office. When apprehended, you will be surcharged”, he warned.
Mr. Antwi concluded by calling on the public to act as whistleblowers – to help ECG curb illegal connections – by reporting people who would engage in any illegality at any ECG office or call the national task force via 0551444011.
“There is a 6% commission of any amount we recoup as an incentive for anyone who gives us reliable information to unearth any illegality”, he added.
The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Friday, November 18, 2022, appeared before an 8-member committee ad hoc committee of Parliament hearing a vote of censure motion against him.
The minister as part of his appearance gave a response to five out of the 7 grounds levelled against him by the minority in parliament who are the proponents of the motion.
The allegations against the minister among other things include fiscal recklessness, conflict of interest and the mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy.
A basic school teacher has allegedly murdered three of his children after a misunderstanding with his wife in the Akatsi North District of the Volta region.
The teacher, known as Mr Dordoye, is reported to have deliberately drowned the three children in a well after his wife packed out, leaving behind the children following a disagreement between them.
The bodies of the three children have been retrieved from the well, while Mr. Dordoye is reported to be in the grips of the police assisting investigation.
Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers in the Akatsi North District, Prosper Agbeli, narrating the incident to Citi News said Mr Dordoye after killing his children went shouting and announcing to the neighbours that he had killed his children.
“The man had an argument with his wife, and the wife decided to take the little boy away, leaving the three other children behind. In the night, the man decided to drown the three children by putting them in a well. After that, he decided to shout that he had killed his children,” Mr Agbeli said.
“I have never misreported data to Parliament. It is completely not true,” he said.
This was in response to Ground Four of allegations contained in the minority’s censure motion seeking the removal of the Minister.
“I have served the country with integrity and honesty,” he told the Ad hoc committee on Friday, insisting there has been greater accountability in the management of the public purse.
He continued: “I want to state that I have not been reckless in the management of the fiscal operations of the government.”
At least 7 grounds were originally tabled as the basis for the removal of the Finance Minister in the House, but the ad hoc committee has struck out two remaining five.
Ghanaian sensational artiste Black Sherif and Nigerian musician Burna Boy have connected in London ahead of his show at “KOKO,” a venue for musicians to perform today.
In a post that was shared on blogger Zionfelix’s page on Instagram, the two artistes who have called themselves brothers before their ‘Second Sermon Remix’ collaboration looked dapper and sharp.
They were dressed in the British style, with the self-proclaimed “Giant of Africa” dressed in a black suit with a tie and matching shoes.
Blacko, on the other hand, wore a winter jacket, which he paired with nicely ironed celery and mint-coloured trousers, matched with a neatly polished shoe.
The two posed for two different pictures while flashing infectious smiles.
Meanwhile, Black Sherif is set to perform today, November 18, 2022, at KOKO in London, following the artiste’s breakthrough in the music industry.
His performance will feature notable DJ Semtex and Narx, who will be special guests to grace the occasion.
According to him, he has complied with laid down regulations in his role as the Finance Minister.
The country’s economy has been hit by rising interest payments and elevated debt levels, increasing inflation and fast depreciation of the cedi.
This has triggered calls for his resignation by both the Minority and Majority caucus in Parliament.
But addressing the Adhoc Committee of Parliament hearing the censure motion brought against him, Mr. Ofori-Attasaid his efforts despite the global pressures on the economy has been to protect the public purse.
“Hon Co-Chairs, the ground of recklessness presupposes that I have not been guided by the laid-down regulations. I want to state that I have not been reckless in the management of the fiscal operations of the government.
“Rather, our strenuous efforts to protect the public purse is what has helped this government to have achieved much, much more than any government over a similar period in virtually all sectors, including education, health, social welfare, policing, security in general, roads, railways, agriculture, industrialisation, tourism, digitization, and funding for anti-corruption institutions,” he explained.
The Finance Minister also said all expenditures by his administration received parliamentary approval.
“On all those occasions, I received approval as Parliament subsequently passed Appropriations Bills for all those budgets. Every key expenditure made has been supported by this House”.
He also lamented about the delay in the passage of the Electronic Transaction Levy, which according to him negatively impacted on the fiscal state of the economy
“Indeed, we all saw the dire consequences when the House, for months, refused to pass a major revenue generation item introduced by this government to support the fiscal stability of the economy”.
The Bank of Ghana has withdrawn foreign exchange support to customers for the importation of certain non-critical or essential goods.
According to reports, the withdrawal of the FX support for the importation of these non-essential goods took effect in the past three weeks.
The goods affected include rice, poultry, vegetable oils, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water and ceramic tiles.
An electronic message from the Bank of Ghana stated that, “in accordance with the President’s directive issued at his recent address to the nation on the Ghanaian economy, on Sunday 30th October 2022, the Bank of Ghana will no longer provide FX support for the imports of rice, poultry, vegetable oils, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, ceramic tiles and other non-critical goods. Please be advised and act accordingly”.
Speaking on Atinka TV‘s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Prof John Osei Bobbie said, “In the short term, everyone will suffer. It will not be surprising that the prices of these goods will shoot up. However, in the long term, Ghanaians stand to benefit because Ghanaians have called for this for a long time.”
Touching on the support by the government, he said although individuals import their own goods, the government supports them by making provision for the acquisition of the dollars they can use to import those goods.
Aside from that, Prof John Osei Bobbie said the government supports the importers with certification to authenticate their business.
He explained that at the onset of the pandemic and later the Russia-Ukraine war, the gains from over three years of fiscal rectitude were reversed because of efforts to protect lives and livelihoods.
Addressing the Parliamentary Ad-hoc Committee on the censure motion against him, Ofori-Atta pointed out that the Akufo-Addo administration inherited a bad economy but improved all the indicators.
According to him, “it is important to note that through our leadership and commitment to turning around the economy from its state in 2016, we made great strides and remarkable progress in the years before the pandemic, and the records attest to this.”
He added that at the close of 2016, an assessment of the economy revealed a limited fiscal space with a fiscal deficit of 6.5%; a distressed financial sector recording a 17.3% non-performing loan ratio, a derailed IMF-ECF program, and reduced economic output (GDP growth-3.4%).
Also, inflation was 15.4% at the end of 2016; the Monetary Policy rate (interest rate) was 25.5% at the end of December 2016; Limited capital expenditure to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and ‘Dumsor’ which had decimated local industry and strongly impeded national productivity;
He stated that inflation came down significantly from 15.4% to 7.9% at the end of 2019 and remained in single digits till the pandemic hit in March 2020.
“The fiscal deficit, which was about 6.5%, was brought down to under 5% by the end of 2019,” he said, adding that exchange rate depreciation was significantly reduced to under 5% in 2017 and averaged 8.7 percent between 2017 and 2019.
He said the government reduced interest rates in line with declining inflation expectations, while the monetary policy rate declined from 25.5% at the end of December 2016 to 16% at the end of 2019.
He also said that the average lending rate for the same period declined from 31.70% to 23.7%.
The finance minister further noted that the government “directly spent GH¢25 billion to save the banking and SDI sectors, protecting the near collapse of the financial sector; saving close to 5,400 direct jobs and 12,000 indirect jobs, and ensuring that 4.6 million depositors were protected.”
According to him, the government also implemented comprehensive reforms across the energy sector.
He attributed Ghana’s successful completion and exit from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Credit Facility (ECF) bailout program in April 2019 to “good economic management” by his government.
To ensure the irreversibility of the macroeconomic gains, he said the government has introduced a number of measures, including the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018 (Act 982) to cap the fiscal deficit at 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and ensure maintenance of a positive primary balance.
Ofori-Atta pointed to the passage of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (LI 2378) to strengthen regulation of the Public Financial Management System, and the establishment of the two Social Partnership Programmes with Labour and Faith-Based Organisations, among others which shows strong momentum and optimism towards Ghana Beyond Aid agenda at the end of 2019.
TUTAG last week threatened to embark on industrial action if the government fails to honour the Codified Conditions of Service of members, which have been outstanding since 2016.
In a statement issued on Friday, November 18, TUTAG said issues raised in an earlier letter addressed to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and copied to the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission have since not received any attention from the aforementioned government agencies.
“TUTAG views the inaction by these agencies as an indication that the concerns expressed in our letter have not been treated with the seriousness they deserve.”
“In view of all these, and upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action which takes immediate effect.”
Below is the full statement by TUTAG
We refer to our letter on the subject “NEW RATE OF FUEL ALLOWANCE FOR MEMBERS OF UTAG AND TUTAG” with reference number TUTAG/GTEC/02 dated 26th September 2022, addressed to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and copied to the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.
We wish to state that issues raised in the above letter have since not received any attention from the
aforementioned government agencies. TUTAG views the inaction by these agencies as an indication that the concerns expressed in our letter have not been treated with the seriousness they deserve.
We also refer to the NLC’s directive of 2nd September 2022 under the subject “RE: IN THE MATTER
OF NOTIFICATION OF INTENDED STRIKE ACTION BY TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY TEACHERS’ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (TUTAG)” with reference number NLC/TUTAG/2022/21 which was in relation to TUTAG’s demand for the implementation of the negotiated internally generated fund-related conditions of service.
The directive reads: “That the Minister of Finance (MOF) is hereby directed to ensure payment in January 2023 and should also ensure that it issues the necessary letters to the various University Councils within a reasonable time to make budgetary provisions in the budget to take care of payments on the effective date.
Even though January 2023 is less than two months away, and most universities are done with budget preparations for 2023, the Minister of Finance has still not issued the letter as directed by the NLC. It is important to state that a certain letter (electronic version), supposedly written by the FWSC, was shown to the President at NLC, the content of the said letter was in sharp contrast with the negotiations done with the Governing Councils of the various universities. Indeed, our checks from the listed recipients indicate that the said defective letter had not
even been received.
Further, reference is made to issues raised in our letter under the subject “NOTIFICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION” with reference number TUTAG/NLC/02 dated 10th October 2022, some of which have still not been resolved by the government agencies.
In view of all these, and upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action which takes immediate effect.
Black Stars captain Andre Ayew has tipped Portugal as favorites OF Group H at the 2022 World Cup, where Ghana has been placed.
The Black Stars who are returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018 has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
Ghana will open their campaign with a clash against former European champions Portugal before taking on South Korea and Uruguay in subsequent games.
Speaking to FIFA plus, the Al Sadd star tipped Portugal to qualify from the group considering their squad in depth.
“Portugal are up there among the favourites and their quality stands out. Not to mention having one of the best players in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo.
“It promises to be a momentous occasion and we have to live up to what people expect. We will fight and give our all on the pitch.
“Korea Republic also have a very strong and solid team, who all know each other well. It’s a very tough group. I think the teams are more or less on a par, apart from Portugal, who are favourites,” he told FIFA plus
The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.
Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.
Organised Labour, which made the proposal on behalf of public sector workers, cited the current rise in inflation and the 15 per cent Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) on the National Daily Minimum Wage as the basis for the increment.
It made the proposal for the consideration of the government through the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, and called on the Government to ensure that the step increment of 1.7 per cent on the Single Spine Salary Structure, as moved to two per cent in 2012 was implemented.
“Due to the inflationary trends and the fact that 15 per cent Cost of Living Allowance has been granted on the National Daily Minimum Wage. We humbly propose that a 60 per cent increase on the 2022 Base Pay should be considered,” it said.
It said originally, the daily base pay (Level 1, Step 1) was 10 per cent above the national daily minimum wage, but a gap had been created over the years because it accepted COLA instead of normal salary increase.
It said currently, the 2022 daily base pay on the 2022 Single Spine Salary Structure was 16.26 per cent below the 2022 national daily minimum wage and required a 10 per cent increment to GHS16.37 to close the existing gap.
Organised Labour, therefore, called for the 2022 annual base pay on the single spine salary structure of GHS3,672.84 to be increased to GHS5,303.23 for 2023 to halt the erosion in the salary levels for its members.
The Government this week increased the national minimum wage by 10 per cent, from GHS13. 53 to GHS14. 88.
The implementation is expected to start January next year.
A cross section of public sector workers expressed misgivings about the increment, describing it as woefully inadequate in view of the rising cost of living.
Brendan Fraser won’t be attending next year’s Golden Globes after accusing Philip Berk, the former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, of groping him at a lunch in Beverly Hills in 2013.
In an interview with GQ, the Canadian-American actor responded to a question asking him if he would go to the awards if he were to be invited.
“I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” Fraser said. “No, I will not participate. It’s because of the history that I have with them. And my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that.”
After confirming the accusation against Berk in a previous GQ interview, Fraser explained how that moment was one of the reasons why he disappeared from Hollywood. Before he secluded himself, Fraser was one of the most popular actors, appearing in box-office hits like The Mummy series and George of the Jungle.
Fraser recalled receiving an apology letter from Berk in 2018 that admitted “no wrongdoing.”
“If the HFPA did attempt to make amends, according to rules of engagement, it would be my responsibility to take a look at it and make a determination at that time, if that became the situation,” Frasier said. “And it would have to be, I don’t know, what’s the word I’m looking for… sincere ? I would want some gesture of making medicine out of poison somehow.”
Fraser is currently promoting his upcoming A24 movie The Whale, where he plays a 270 kg man who tries to rebuild his relationship with his teenage daughter. The movie is slated to release on Dec. 9, 2022.
Ghanaian singer Jacqueline Acheampong, popularly known as Songbird Gyakie, caught the attention of many Ghanaians after she the release of her “Forever” song.The daughter of the legendary Nana Acheampong under the guidance of her label, Flip The Music, has definitely made her a viable bet for a promising global sensation.
The Afrofusion singer has moved away from her father’s shadow and created a legacy of her own. Since 2020, after her song Forever went viral, she has been on a mission to make history.
Songbird, Gyakie has occasionally put Ghana on the map several times through her hard work and talent.
The last two years have been a rollercoaster for Gyakie. Her smash hit, “Forever,” topped charts in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya. It became the most Shazamed song at one point, and it went to number one on Billboard’s Top Triller Global. In March 2021, she inked a deal with Sony Music and RCA, UK. Just last month, she was featured in the Grammy Herbal Tea session.
Below are all the times, Gyakie achieved a feat no Ghanaian musician or female musician had previously achieved.
1. Deal With Sony Music
Months after the release of her song Forever, Gyakie inked a deal with the international record label, Sony Music. She became the first Ghanaian to be signed to the label.
HUGE welcome to insanely talented and gorgeous @Gyakie_ who has recently joined the RCA UK family ❤️
Gyakie made history as the first African woman to be featured on Spotify Equal, a global music program as a part of its commitment to advancing gender equity in music launched in 2021.
“I am deeply honoured to be the first African woman to be partner with @Spotify @SpotifySA for Equal. This is huge for so many women across the continent and the entire globe…”
In September 2022, VEVO UK DSCVR released a performance of Gyakie’s song Far Away from her My Diary EP, making her the first Ghanaian artiste to perform on the platform.
Gyakie thrilled her fans with amazing renditions of her song and Samini’s Where My Baby Dey during an episode of the Apple Music Home Session, making her the first Ghanaian to appear on the series.
Hi 😊 Checkout my Apple Music home session where I put the soul in the music. Live renditions always speaks to my inner self and I’ll want to share the same experience with you. Dive in and Enjoy 💛https://t.co/GOMkle8Fe1pic.twitter.com/SBJ8AGD4YR
Gyakie was the only Ghanaian act billed to perform at the MTV Base, YouTube African Day Concert. The top global event saw performances from other African acts.
.@Gyakie_ representing for the mother land 🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🔥🔥🔥 Exactly 5pm the Queen wil be performing. Show live on YouTube / MTV Base Tv on Dstv pic.twitter.com/HcbH5jXBFb
After her single Forever and her Seed EP sold over 40,000 units in South Africa, Gyakie became the first Ghanaian to receive double platinum certification in the Southern African country.
7.Named in YouTube’s Black Voices Class of 2023
The songbird was the only Ghanaian female artiste to be named amongst a myriad of Black Creators from all parts of the world.
50 Cent has a habit of getting under people’s skin. And he appears to be quite proud of that.
The hip-hop mogul took to Instagram on Thursday to share an old clip from 2007’s Screamfest show at Madison Square Garden. The event was co-headlined by T.I. and Ciara, and included appearances by some of music’s biggest stars. We’re talking everyone from Jay-Z and Kanye West to Diddy and Swizz Beatz to Wyclef Jean and Mopp Deep.
At one point during the show, T.I. and Hov invited Kanye to join them on stage. Just moments after diving into “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” the trio is seemingly caught off guard by the G-Unit boss, who jogs a few laps around the stage. A visibly annoyed Hov briefly interrupts the performance to tell 50 to scram.
“You can get down, n***a,” Hov says. “You can get down. It’s all good.”
“This a real special moment, ain’t it?” Tip adds.
50 was clearly amused by the incident then, and appears to be equally amused now. He joked about the moment on Instagram while addressing the constant downplaying of his achievements.
“This is why they say I only had one album. I made them so uncomfortable,” he wrote Thursday. “I’m working on being a better person. LOL.”
50 and Jay have had a rocky relationship for more than two decades. Fif recently took aim at Hov over their 2022 Super Bowl Half Time performance. Drink Champs host N.O.R.E. suggested Jay begrudgingly allowed 50’s participation, as Eminem allegedly threatened to pull out of the gig if 50 didn’t perform.
Fif respond to the report on social media, questioning why Em—who signed 50 to his Shady Records imprint—would have to put up a fight for 50’s involvement.
“Why would he have to say that should be the question?” 50 captioned a screenshot of the report. “N.O.R.E. Your big homie is running around trying to look like a gay painter. LOL.”
The Astoria, Oregon based home featured in The Goonies has gone up for sale for $1.65 million following an extensive restoration effort.
The four-bedroom property featured prominently in the 1985 adventure comedy classic, as the home of the titular group of friends, portrayed by then child actors Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, and Ke Huy Quan among others. The site has notably attracted fans from across the country to visit ever since its release, but now one lucky (and rich) fan could call it their own home.
“We’ve heard from fans and we’re talking to real estate agents and buyers who have been pre-approved for a mortgage,” said Jordan Miller of John L. Scott Real Estate, per Oregon Live. Homeowner Sanid Preston purchased the property in 2001, and has welcomed in fans for visits prior to the restoration efforts. When some fans failed to be respectful and pulled off pieces of wallpaper, she decided to close the 1896-constructed home to visitors outside of the annual Goonies Day tours.
“My client is looking for a buyer who will love the property as much as she has for 21 years,” added Miller. “It’s up to the new owner to make it look like the movie if that’s their joy or keep the upgrades and restoration befitting one of the oldest houses in the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains.”
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes was found guilty of defrauding investors 10 months ago.
Her company was once valued at $9bn (£7.5bn). It’s now a byword for corporate fraud.
Holmes, 38, claimed the start-up could diagnose hundreds of diseases with just a few drops of blood. That wasn’t true.
In January a jury concluded she had deliberately misled investors. She was convicted of four counts of wire fraud – with a maximum sentence of 20 years.
However, it has taken an eternity to get this point – sentencing.
Her legal team is arguing for 18 months of house arrest.
The prosecution wants her to serve 15 years in prison and to pay back the best part of a billion dollars to investors.
The judge has a big decision to make. Silicon Valley executives will be watching with interest. Founders rarely end up getting convicted of fraud.
What happens to Holmes will be seen as a test case. Does corporate fraud in Silicon Valley end up with a slap on the wrist? Or does it mean serious jail time?
We are about to find out.
Image caption, Her lawyers submitted school papers showing Holmes saying she tries “to do right”
Elizabeth Holmes’ long wait for a verdict is unusual. In part it’s because her former business partner, and lover, Sunny Balwani, was tried after her.
The trial was separated after Holmes claimed Balwani had been controlling – and even accused him of sexual assault. Balwani has vehemently denied the accusations.
In the summer, Balwani was also found guilty of fraud. The judge will hand out his punishment in December.
Holmes’ sentencing was supposed to happen last month.
However, in a bizarre twist the defence team claimed a key witness – former Theranos lab director Adam Rosendorff – had visited Holmes’ partner Billie Evans.
Image caption,
Snapshots show Holmes enjoying her freedom since her conviction in June
Mr Evans claimed an apparently repentant Rosendorff had said that prosecutors had “tried to make everyone look bad” and felt “he had done something wrong”.
But when questioned in a hastily put-together hearing, Mr Rosendorff told the judge he stood by his original testimony.
A new date for sentencing was given – 18 November.
Since her conviction, the last months appear to have been filled with family fun – with Holmes embracing her freedom.
Pictures supplied to the court by Mr Evans show trips skiing and to the Grand Canyon. Baby baths and pyjama days.
Dozens of letters have been submitted vouching for Holmes’ character.
Among them is one from Cory Booker, a US Senator for New Jersey, who wrote to the judge.
The Democrat said they’d bonded over vegan food at a dinner six years before she was charged with fraud, and they had remained friends. He appealed for clemency.
The defence has even submitted a school Q&A – in which a young Holmes says she always tries “to do right”.
It’s a theme her legal team comes back to time and time again, that she was trying to help people, that her intentions were good.
The prosecution, though, is calling for a tough sentence for “one of the most substantial white collar offenses Silicon Valley or any other District has seen”.
They say the idea that Holmes has been unfairly victimised is plain wrong.
The prosecution is also asking Holmes to pay $803m in restitution to investors.
“She preyed on hopes of her investors”, Assistant US Attorney Robert Leach said.
One investor was Eileen Lepera. A Silicon Valley secretary, she says her boss told her to invest in Theranos, tipping it as the next Apple. She put a chunk of her life savings in, only to lose everything.
“I think she should do some prison time,” she says.
“A normal person just doesn’t do that to another person. When they know that [fraud] is happening, they stop immediately.”
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) board of directors has approved an equity investment of US$20 million in Evolution Fund III.
Evolution Fund III is a pan-African private equity trust dedicated to clean and sustainable energy in the wake of heightened global advocacy on tackling climate change.
An equity investment is money that is invested in a company by purchasing shares of that company in the stock market.
This fund seeks to mobilize about US$400 million into renewable energy and resource-efficiency assets across sub-Saharan Africa over a decade.
Inspired Evolution Investment Management is a well-established fund manager with nearly two decades of experience and a specialty in the investment advisory business dedicated to clean energy infrastructure-type development and project finance investments, as well as energy and resource efficiency growth investments.
More than US$310 million has been invested in renewable energy projects in African countries by the company.
Through its predecessor funds, the fund manager has given grants to 21 renewable energy projects with a total generation capacity of 2 GW.
EVIII intends to broaden its geographical and technological scope to include North Africa as well as several sub-Saharan African countries, and to decentralise energy business models as a critical component of climate mitigation and energy transition.
Through the Bank’s support, 2,162 MW of renewable power generation capacity will be installed, 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 will be reduced, and green and sustainable growth will be achieved across Africa by creating 2,480 full-time jobs, adding to the track record of Evolution Funds I and II, which created 1,309 jobs, with 22% being women.
Vice President Kevin Kariuki of the AfDB’s Power, Energy, Climate Change, and Green Growth Complex intimated that, in addition to boosting its renewable energy portfolio, the bank intends to boost private investment in renewable and efficient energy sources.
According to him, “the Evolution Fund III is well placed to invest much-needed capital in long-term, low-carbon, and climate-resilient development pathways towards achieving a just, net-zero future for African countries.”
The Bank’s investment in Evolution Fund III aligns with its High Five objectives: quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency, and freedom, particularly “Light Up and Power Africa” under its New Deal on Energy for Africa.
Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy & Regulations, Wale Shonibare, believes that developing a private equity fund for renewable energy in Africa will assist regional member countries in meeting their Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions obligations.
Co-Managing Partner at Inspired Evolution, Christopher Clarke, said, “AfDB has been a consistent supporter of Inspired Evolution since 2010, and this third capital commitment evidences our trusted partnership that has been established in the delivery of the AfDB climate goals for Africa.”
Adding to this, Wayne Keast, Co-Managing Partner at Inspired Evolution, mentioned that, “The AfDB’s investment validates our track record and sophisticated investment management approach to expediting Africa’s clean energy transition.”
Hundreds of mourners have thronged Asokore-Mampong durbar grounds for the funeral and burial service for the late legendary Journalist, Stephen Yeboah Afari Ketekyew, known publicly as Mmrantehene or Man 88, who died on Saturday, September 17, 2022, at the age of 70.
The burial and final funeral rites of the broadcast journalist was held yesterday(Thursday) in his hometown, Asokore Mampong, in the Ashanti region.
In attendance were Hon Kyei Mensah Bonsu; the minister in charge of government business, MMDCES; Chiefs.
Others were members of the various media houses across the country, his former employers, family, friends, and the general public.
Grief
The atmosphere was one of grief, as many mourners shed tears as they filed past the remains laid in a royal state in a coffin.
Red and black colours dominated the premises. Many others were in customized cloth made for the late Journalist.
The love Band treated the mourners to great tunes and drives with artists like Mama Esther, Shadrack, Akua Afriyie, and many others.
Tributes were read by the widow, children, family, and Sompa Tv (Teraone Media), among others.
Teraone Media eulogizes him
In a glowing tribute, the general manager of Teraone Media, operators of Sompaonline.com, Sompa Tv/Fm, Mr. Collins Amo-Poku said: “Talk of wisdom and knowledge of radio and one of the people whose name would be on the lips of every Ghanaian would be Mmrantehene Yeboah Afari Ketekyew Barima.
Indeed, the outpouring of grief by many Ghanaians following the news of his death is an appreciation of the impact his journalistic work had on successive generations of Ghanaians. He was one of Ghana’s media icons and undoubtedly, a legendary broadcaster whose radio humor transcended our regional borders.”
The general manager said the late Nana Akwamuhene believed in the vision for the transformation of the Teraone media brand and assisted him tremendously on countless occasions.
For that, Mr. Collins Amo-Poku said, he and the Teraone media would remain eternally grateful to the departed broadcast journalist.
His was a life well-lived, and he will be sorely missed by all who had the opportunity and privilege of knowing and meeting him,’’ he concluded.
Nana Asokore Mamponghene’s praises
In his tribute, the chief of Asokore Mampong, Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah praised Nana Akwamuhene for his immense contribution to the growth of the Asokore Mampong community over the years, especially his linguistic role in the establishment of a solid custodian of the Asokore Mampong stool land.
Wreaths were laid by the Teraone Media and People of Ghana, the widow, children, family, church, and traditional authorities.
Profile
Born in 1952 to Agya Afari known as Agya Kwadwo Krah and Eno Atwemaa Mansah, Mmrantehene started his early education at L/A middle at Tano Odumase.
He worked at a state construction corporation before becoming the Town Development Council Committee secretary.
He then proceeded to work with Otec Fm as a newscaster and the host of Awarepa Y3 Anibere.
He then moved to Fox Fm and to New Mercury where he became the general manager and host of a socio-political morning show. A few years later, he returned to Fox Fm as the programs manager and Sompa Fm under the Teraone media.
He established himself as an iconic figure in the media industry, and the humor and passion he worked with made him stand up among his competitors.
Mmrantehene before his demise was married to Mrs. Harriet Afari Yeboah, leaving behind 17 children and over 25 grandchildren.
The Producer Price Inflation (PPI), which tracks the average change over time in the prices that domestic producers receive for their goods and services, increased to 65.2% in October.
This indicates what might be anticipated in terms of consumer inflation in November, as it was higher than the 45.6% observed in September.
The rate reflects a 19.3 percentage point rise.
The industrial sector, which reported the highest producer price inflation rate year over year of 75.6%, up from the 54.5% recorded in September, was a major contributor to the increase in the October rate.
With 23%, the building industry came in second. However, this statistic reflected a decrease from the rate of 25.1% in September.
The lowest producer inflation rate, 10%, was seen in the services sector industrial industry
In a press release yesterday in Accra, the Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, stated that among the industrial sectors, the Mining and Quarrying sub-sector had the highest year-over-year producer price inflation rate of 86.4%, followed by the Manufacturing sub-sector with a rate of 73.1%.
The inflation rate for electricity and gas was 33.7% in October 2022, up 10% from the rate of 23.7% in September. The lowest PPI was 15.7% for the water supply, sewerage, and waste management sub-sector.
The extraction of petroleum and natural gas registered the highest inflation in the mining and quarrying subsector at 103.7%, up 29 percentage points from the rate of 79.2% in September.
The least inflationary service sector was mining, at a rate of 26.2%.
Three of the 23 key categories in the manufacturing sub-sector had inflation rates in October 2022 that were higher than the 73.1 percent average for the industry.
The largest inflation rate was reported in the production of soft beverages, refined petroleum products, and nuclear fuel at 148.3%, followed by the production of computer,
Additionally the water collection, treatment, and supply industries saw the highest inflation in the water supply subsector at 19.7%, while material recovery in waste collection, treatment, and disposal activities registered 10.8%.
Under the construction sector, buildings had the largest producer price inflation rate year over year in the construction sector (71.8%), followed by the civil engineering sub-sector (5.4%).
The lowest producer inflation rate, at 6%, was seen in the specialized construction sector.
The transport and storage subsector of the services sector had an increase in producer price inflation to 71.4% from 27.34% in September, which was the highest rate year over year.
The lodging and food sub-sector came in second place with 42.1%.
The lowest producer inflation rate from year to year was 1.4% in the information and communication subsector.
The average change over time in selling prices of products and services as paid for by domestic producers is measured by the Producer Price Index (PPI).
Factory gate prices, which are the costs businesses put on their goods, are the prices that are gathered to calculate PPI.
These costs do not include government subsidies, sales and excise taxes, or any expenses borne by customers and other intermediaries.
The spotlight has been put on Mr. Akwasi Boadi, popularly known in Ghanaian showbiz circles as ‘Akrobeto’ as he marks his 60th birthday today.
The ‘ever green’, bubbly actor has successfully carved a niche for himself in the Ghanaian entertainment space as a consummate entertainer.
Transitioning from stage comedy with the likes of Bob Okala and then as one of the pioneers of Kumawood and then finally into the media space, Akrobeto has over the years contributed his quota to the entertainment industry.
Leveraging his talent as a comic actor, Akrobeto’s transition into the media space has projected him further as he has gathered a large fanbase locally and worldwide with his popular ‘Real News’ show on UTV.
As the legend marks his 60th birthday today November 18, 2022, let’s take a look at some of his popular videos below.
Accidentally leaving your smartphone behind at home is one thing, but leaving it at an airport shortly before you’re about to board a flight is quite another.
A Southwest Airlines passenger found themselves in this unfortunate predicament after forgetting their phone in a gate area at Long Beach Airport in Los Angeles.
By the time a customer taking a separate flight spotted it and notified the crew, boarding had already finished and the aircraft had been pushed back.
However, staff on the ground quickly worked together to ensure the phone was safely returned to its owner.
In a video shared by the Dallas-based airline on November 13, a pilot is seen leaning out of the cockpit window in a bid to retrieve it from ramp workers on the ground.
When our Employees at @LGBairport noticed a Customer’s phone left behind in a gate area after a flight that was already boarded and pushed back from the gate, they didn’t hesitate. #WorldKindnessDaypic.twitter.com/cf3gJy8Nmy
While one staff member makes an unsuccessful attempt to jump up and hand it to the pilot, a second ramp worker steps in and manages to get it to him.
According to Chris Perry, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines, the passenger who discovered the phone had been chatting to its owner shortly beforehand, so was able to let the crew know the flight they were traveling on.
When the operations agents realized the flight in question was already fully boarded, they got in touch with the captain.
“The captain immediately suggested that the ramp agents on the ground try to jump the phone up to him so he could return it to the customer,” Perry, told CNN via email. “The rest was captured on video!”
Although the owner of the phone has not been unidentified, we think it’s safe to assume that they were hugely grateful for the gesture.
The video was posted on World Kindness Day, an international holiday formed to promote kindness throughout the world, alongside a message using the hashtag #WorldKindnessDay. It’s unclear when the footage was taken.
It comes after Turkish traveler Rumeysa Gelgi, the world’s tallest living woman, shared a heartwarming post from her plane journey from Turkey to San Francisco, which was made possible when Turkish Airlines removed several seats so that she could rest comfortably on a stretcher during the 13-hour trip in September.
The Ghanaian cedi’s continuous depreciation has alarmed members of the Korea Importers Association of Ghana.
As such, the association is requesting a drastic reduction in import duties, since they claim that their firms are crumbling due to the devaluing cedi and excessive duties.
Speaking at a press briefing, the general secretary of the Korea Importers Association, Dumenu George, disclosed that their business had been badly impacted by the duplication of duties and additional fees on duty.
These factors, he says, delay the clearing of goods at the ports.
Mr Dumenu also claimed that clearing agents who are overworked and unable to meet deadlines cause demurrage.
He suggested that in order to speed up the clearing of products, importers should instead make payments directly to banks using unique codes.
“In order to solve this problem, the importers should be given a code and made to pay their duties directly to the banks and take their pay-in slips, which are authenticated by the banks, to facilitate their clearing of goods on a timely basis.”
He also lamented about the Customs Amendment, which places age limitations on some selected vehicles imported into the country.
In 2020, Ghana’s Parliament passed the Customs (Amendment) Bill that bans the importation of accident- and salvage-damaged motor vehicles into the country.
The banned vehicles include those that have been destroyed, wrecked, or physically damaged by collision, fire, water, or other occurrences, as well as specified vehicles that are over 10 years old.
The Act, he says, will affect trading activities in the country.
Mr Dumenu suggested that “the policy in respect of these heavy duty cars is suspended until such time that these cars are assembled in Ghana.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Standards Authority has announced that beginning January 1, 2023, all used vehicles imported into Ghana shall be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Conformance (CoC) from an approved body.
The West African powerhouse defeated Switzerland 2-0 in a pre-World Cup friendly on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at the ZSC Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Goals from Mohammed Salisu and Antoine Semenyo gave Ghana the deserving win over their European opponents as they head to the 2022 World Cup in high spirits.
Southampton defender, Mohammed Salisu scored the first goal of the match with a header from a corner kick effected by Daniel Kofi Kyereh.
The goal which was the first goal of the defender inspired Ghana to another goal when striker Antoine Semenyo volleyed home from close range.
Barnieh was handed his first Black Stars start and excelled against the European country.
Speaking after the game, Barnieh asserted the win against Switzerland will boost the team’s morale ahead of the mundial in the Asian country.
“I would like to thank Ghanaian fans in Abu Dhabi for the support. The win against Switzerland will boost our morale, we have started well and this is all part of the World Cup games because Switzerland will also be participating in the tournament” he said.
Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.
Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.
Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.
The Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, says elements within his own party are behind his leaked audio tape, based on which he is currently standing trial.
Speaking in a yet-to-air exclusive interview on Adom TV, the embattled Chairman told host, Daakyehene Nana Yaw Asante, that the leaked audio is an evidence of how cruel the NDC can be when they want to destroy one of their own.
Substantiating his claims, he said the in-house traitors secretly recorded his comments in a closed door meeting and leaked the recording to the New Patriotic Party for him to be prosecuted.
According to him, he has been to court on seventy separate occasions as a result of the internally orchestrated treachery.
“When NDC wants to disgrace you, they first tag you as anti-Mahama. My own party folks recorded me at a meeting that I held with the party, with the people and went to sell the recording to the NPP, for which reason I’m standing trial. I’ve been to court 70 times”, he stated in a trailer to the yet to air interview.
In addition to tagging an individual as anti-Mahama, he said some elements within the party can travel all length to cause disaffection for someone they do not like.
The interview will be aired on Saturday, November 19 at 10:00pm on Adom TV’s weekend current affairs programme, Sɛdea Ɛteɛ Nie.
Meanwhile, ahead of the airing of the interview, some supporters of the NDC have expressed disgust over the comments of the party’s National Chairman.
According to his critics, his sentiments are unnecessary, as they will wreak more havoc for himself and the party at large.
Others have however sympathized with him, and expressed solidarity with the alleged treachery he was subjected to.
In their view, the revelations by the NDC Chairman is understandably from a place of pain, and therefore he should not be chastised.
Currently, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo’s role as the NDC’s National Chairman is also being threatened by the decision of the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia to unseat him.
In what has been described as the mainstay of the party’s upcoming national delegates election, Mr. Asiedu Nketia is frantically taking steps to take control of the party as National Chairman ahead of the 2024 general election.
Touching on this development, Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo stated in the yet-to-air interview that, the move by Asiedu Nketia to unseat him is politically inexpedient.
According to him, notable personalities within the party, including the party’s Council of Elders and the NDC’s 2020 flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, all made efforts to prevent the contest, but to no avail.
The upcoming national delegates conference will however take place on 10th December, 2022, in the Ashanti Regional capital of Kumasi.
Eligible party delegates will elect a new crop of executives to man the affairs of the party at the national level for the next four years.
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has revealed that 1.2 million children in the country between the ages of four to seven are not attending schools.
The statistics are contained in the Statistical Services’ monthly release for November 2022 from the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC).
GSS made this revelation ahead of World Children’s Day celebrated on November 20th.
According to the Service, almost one million children of the school-going age out of the 1.2 million figure have never attended school.
It added that Savannah Region has the highest record of “43.2 per cent of children who have never attended school.”
GSS also disclosed that over a quarter of a million children between five and seven years “have difficulty in performing activities in at least one of the following domains: sight, hearing, physical (walking or climbing stairs), intellectual (remembering or concentrating), self-care, and speech.”
It also reported that 5,976 children in the country are living without shelter.
The report stated that Greater Accra Region has the highest percentage of 43.6 which is keenly followed by the Ashanti Region with 15.7% and Eastern Region with 5.4%.
He claimed that would contribute to increasing local industry capacity, as well as local productivity and income production in the nation.
At a seminar on the 2023 budget statement and economic strategy hosted by the Ghana Employers’ Association, Mr. Frimpong made this statement.
According to him, local businesses that are financially well-positioned to grow will produce enough cash for the government to use for national development.
“If we can do that, we will be able to solve over 60 per cent of our economic challenges. This will save us a lot of pressure from the current forex challenges we face,” he added.
He said the government needed to improve its revenue collection and mobilisation, saying, the only way was to effectively digitalise the process.
He also called on government to review the benchmark value policy to cover goods that were not produced locally.
Mr Kenneth Koomson, Deputy Secretary General, Ghana Federation of Labour, said the Government needed to subsidise the high cost of utility, especially fuel.
He cautioned government against the introduction of new taxes or measures that already burdened the ordinary person, urging it to provide tax cuts and exemptions for businesses to thrive.
“Government needs to protect local business through these measures to enable them to survive the current economic turbulence and provide jobs to the teeming youth,” he added.
Mr Koomson said the 2023 budget should be more “realistic” and responsive to the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.
Salima Mukansanga, one of the three female referees who will officiate at a men’s World Cup for the first time, said they have been chosen for the tournament in Qatar not simply based on their gender but because they deserve the chance.
Rwanda’s Mukansanga, Yamashita Yoshimi of Japan and Frenchwoman Stephanie Frappart along with three female assistant referees have been selected for the World Cup, which begins on Sunday.
“We are here because we deserve to be here. Back at our confederation, or back at home it is another level, so this is the biggest level of football,” Mukansanga told reporters in Doha on Friday.
“So being here means we deserve to be here, it’s not a change or because we are women.”
Assistant referee Kathryn Nesbitt of the United States said they feel welcome.
“We feel like we are one referee team here, no difference man or woman,” she said.
Efforts to curb the importation of foreign products and promote the consumption of locally produced commodities are underway, as the Bank of Ghana has withdrawn foreign exchange support for the importation of what it describes as “non-essential” goods.
These goods include rice, vegetable oils, poultry, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water and ceramic tiles, etc.
This policy has been touted as one that will help reduce the country’s exposure to imports, since it will go a long way to reduce the high rate of imports of these products.
On several occasions, experts have advised the government to reduce importation because they believe Ghana’s high import rate has been a key contributor to the current economic crisis.
Former President, John Mahama, for instance, counselled the ruling government while delivering a lecture at the University of Professional Studies (UPSA), to cut down on importation of goods to save the depreciating Ghana cedi and redeem the economy.
The development will also subsequently reduce the high demand for US dollars and other major foreign currencies, and consequently slow down the rapid depreciation of the cedi.
The Central Bank announced the new measure through an electronic message disseminated to other banks in the country.
It is in line with a directive issued by the president while delivering an address on the Ghanaian economy, on October 30, 2022.
The President mentioned that the Bank of Ghana will no longer provide FX support for the imports of “rice, poultry, vegetable oils, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, ceramic tiles and other non-critical goods.”
Although it was recently announced by the Bank of Ghana, reports indicate that the withdrawal took effect about three weeks ago.
According to research by the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF), more than 600,000 tonnes of frozen chicken were imported into the country in 2021.
The data, sourced from the European Union (EU), indicated that 569 million pieces of frozen chicken were imported into the country last year, translating into $600 million.
This represented 98% of the chicken consumed in the country.
Also, in 2018, President of Association Ghana Industry, Dr. Yaw Adu Gyamfi, disclosed that GHC 18 million worth of toothpicks were imported from China into the country in 2017 for its hospitality industry. This figure, he said, was recorded from January 2017 to December 2017.
He claims that he has not taken any funds out of the fund.
On November 18, 2022, the minister testified before the ad hoc committee, saying, “I say with both humility and confidence that I have not violated the constitution in making payments to support the construction of the National Cathedral of Ghana.
To make payments for the National Cathedral, I have not taken any money from the contingency fund.
“Expenditures in respect of the National Cathedral were made from the contingency vault under the other government obligations vault as has been the practice before my tenure.
“I have several copies of payments from the contingency vault dating back to 2015 to share.
“Honourable co-chairs as Finance Minister I am fully aware of the approval procedures for use of the contingency funds and I have not breached its requirements,” he added.
Fitch Solutions, a leading provider of credit ratings, has maintained that Ghana will reach a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) no sooner than the first quarter of 2023.
In its latest paper on “Division within Ghana’s Ruling Party to Weigh on Political Stability,” Fitch noted that its projected timeline remains unchanged irrespective of who leads Ghana’s negotiation with the Fund.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is leading Ghana’s delegation, but for some Ghanaians, his presence could mar the country’s negotiation process, thus calling for his removal.
However, for Fitch, “a change of finance minister would most likely not impact the timeline of IMF negotiations, and we would retain our view that a staff-level agreement will be reached in Q123 [quarter 1, 2023]”.
Fitch further added that Mr Ofori-Atta “would take a more accommodating approach towards negotiations with the Fund,” although he previously remained opposed to an IMF bailout.
The Finance Minister faces possible impeachment because the Parliamentary Minority has filed and moved a motion of censure against him.
They argue that Mr Ofori-Atta has, among other things; made unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund, illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, misreported economic data to Parliament, and mismanaged the economy, leading to the depreciation of the Ghana cedi.
President Akufo-Addo, on the other hand, has blocked calls urging the dismissal of the finance minister.
He is optimistic that Mr Ofori-Atta will be able to take Ghana out of its economic woes.
To the critics of his minister, President Akufo-Addo has entreated that Mr Ofori-Atta be allowed to conclude Ghana’s discussions with the IMF as well as present the 2023 budget statement to Parliament.
The claims brought against the Finance Minister by the Minority in Parliament to have him removed from office, according to Ken Ofori-Atta, are without merit.
The claims made by the proponents do not have “weight for censure,” according to Ken Ofori-Atta, who also went on to refute them. He made this statement to the Adhoc Committee considering the censure petition.
The finance minister denied the claim that economic data had been purposefully misreported to Parliament.
“Since I became president in 2017, I have served the nation with honesty and integrity.
The accurate reporting of public finances has significantly improved under my direction at the Ministry of Finance.
He added that, “Today, under President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians are enjoying greater accountability and transparency in the management of the public purse than any other period under the Fourth Republic.”
He said since 2017, the government has complied with the reporting provisions in the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921), including Budget Implementation report, Fiscal Reports, Public Debt Report, Petroleum Revenue Management Reports, ESLA report, etc.
On the issue of not including the financial sector clean-up cost and the energy sector IPP payments in the deficit, the Finance Minister said contrary to the position of others, they were clearly stated.
“I want to emphasize, with the Budget document as evidence, that these payments were reflected in the fiscal framework. Energy sector IPP payments were treated as “amortisation” and the non-cash financial sector clean-up payments were reflected in the “memo item” (Refer to Appendix 2A of the Fiscal Tables in the relevant Annual Budget),” the minister said.
Meanwhile, in May 2020, Dr Albert Touna Mama, the former country representative of the IMF speaking on Joy FM’s News File Programme said there was no misrepresentation of data by the government as was being alleged.
Dr Touna Mama said government was not the one that presented the figures that the IMF published in its statements.
He explained that the difference in figures was as a result of a difference in the methodology of calculation, adding that the figure in fiscal deficit in their statement was a figure they generated themselves from the data government presented to them, having added financial and energy sector payments in line with their methodology, which is different from government’s methodology.
Lawrence Nana Asiamah Hanson, popularly known as ‘Bullgod’, has said he has no plans of redrawing his defamation lawsuit against his former artiste, Shatta Wale. According to Bullgod, the court case will never be withdrawn, even if Shatta Wale apologises.
This was his response during an interview on Joy Prime where he was asked if he will consider an apology from Shatta Wale and drop the lawsuit.
“No, I won’t. It is beyond me and it is beyond him now. I have been there before; I have been in that space before. I went through a lot and I didn’t go through it alone. I went through it with my family. I did almost a month in cells. My wife grew as lean as an HIV patient, she went through a lot because of me. We already have our challenges cos already I dey disturb her a lot and now this. So, if I have the power to stop her suffering, especially with this case, I will,” Bullgod told the host.
Bullgod earlier revealed the motivation behind his lawsuit against Dancehall artist Shatta Wale
Speaking in an interview with Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz, Bullgod highlighted that Shatta Wale had made some defamatory comments against him. He stressed that the lawsuit is simply to put things right and also to clear his name off all the wrong accusations.
“I am doing this for my kids and my wife. No one suffered than my wife”,They are not the ones asking me to sue but they were the ones who suffered a lot when I was behind bars. Nobody suffered more than my wife especially. When I got out of cells after one month, she was looking like a broomstick. Slim, drained. She never slept.
Bulldog added, while stating further reasons behind the decision to drag to court, Shatta Wale, whom he had very close working relations with.
“I have suffered a lot from that case and I am still suffering from that case”, he painfully revealed, adding that he seeks to put the matter to bed with the lawsuit against Shatta Wale.
The decision follows a social media post on November 2, in which Shatta Wale wrote, “Bulldog, since you are bringing out secrets, you will tell Ghanaians what happen to Fenicks (sic) murder!! And I am not joking about this time!!”.
The ‘My Level’-hitmaker made other wild allegations that did not sit well with his former manager.
