Pete Davidson makes an appearance in the latest episode of Hulu’s The Kardashians, revealing the gloves-focused manner in which Kim Kardashian turned down his attempt at getting her number at the 2021 Met Gala.
The episode in question, titled “It’s Met Monday,” focuses on the larger Kardashian-Jenner family’s journey to the red carpet for this year’s edition of the fundraising event. While Davidson and Kardashian did indeed appear at the 2022 edition of the gala, they have since brought their expectedly well-publicized relationship to an end.
“Remember when I asked for your number at the last Met and you pretended that you couldn’t get with me because you had gloves on?” Davidson is seen telling Kardashian in the latest episode, which provides additional behind-the-scenes insight into the evening’s Marilyn Monroe tribute.
In response, Davidson was urged to simply ask again due to the absence of gloves this time around.
“Sure, I will,” Davidson said. “It was actually the nicest excuse ever. I knew it was, like, an excuse but I remember being in the car and being like, ‘Wow. She knows how to, like, make someone feel really good about themselves.’ I was like, I thought that was really sweet.”
Later on in the episode, which also features a fair amount of Blac Chyna defamation trial talk, Davidson made a timely reference to the power of a certain Nickelodeon ceremony.
“I wanted us to be getting slimed at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. But you know, to each his own,” he joked.
The annual general meeting of the Association of Customs House Agents of Ghana (ACHAG) was conducted this year to review performance, take stock, and make future plans for the customs house industry.
The topic of this year’s AGM was how stakeholders might help the state meet its income goals despite current economic difficulties.
The Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Suspense Regimes, Emmanuel Ohene said in addition to the rolling out of the e-auction regime, the Division will introduce several initiatives and automated processes that will enhance trade and maximize revenue collection.
The Deputy Commissioner said “we have so far piloted three auctions on the system and when we are satisfied with the process it will be fully implemented at all our customs locations. The post-clearance audit module and the reschedule module have also been deployed and are in use. There are several other processes in the testing phase and once they all pass the user acceptance test they will be deployed.”
The President of ACHAG however lamented the current economic challenges having severe effects on the shipping business.
He appealed to policymakers and government “to form a very close alliance with the various stakeholders, especially GRA. By this, I mean policymakers should give consideration to proposals for these seasoned customs officers. I am highly confident issues like the introduction of the unpopular CTN, the uncertainties surrounding discounts on goods, variations in the benchmark policies, auctions of goods and vehicles, the hullaballoos surrounding the exit of GCNet, and the coming in of ICUMS could have been better managed. All these create unnecessary tensions, lack of confidence in government, and uncertainties within the business community.”
Dr. Obeng urged the Ministry of Transport to exercise its prerogative of sanctioning the industry. He impressed upon government to ensure shipping lines lump all administration charges as a one-off payment part of the freight charges.
He said this will take away the surprises that accompany certain administrative charges consignees pay during the clearance of goods in Ghana.
Christmas is in a few days and you probably looking for somewhere you can experience the entire essence of yuletide.
US-based Ghanaian musician, Fritz Oakley, together with some friends has promised an amazing time with the annual musical show dubbed Christmas with Oakley and Friends.
According to the organiser Fritz, the event which has been running successfully for 3 consecutive years aims at giving patrons at home and abroad the best of Christmas memories through song ministrations by talented artists across the US.
In a yet-to-be-aired episode of E Vibes: USA edition, the former RnB male vocalist told Becky “This year’s event is scheduled to take place at the Schomberg Theatre New York On the 17th of December and it’s nothing you’ve experienced before so go get your tickets and come and let’s make your Christmas a wonderful one” he told JoyNews’ Becky.
Fritz Oakley formally an R&B singer made a 360 music career turn to gospel music.
At age 19, he began his musical career when he emerged as the winner of the maiden edition of the Voice Factory music reality show in 2009.
Fritz is currently pursuing banking in the U.S and is the founder of the Christmas with Oakley and friends event.
E Vibes show strives to evoke memories through the setting of the interview and their rise, the memories they made on their way to the top with the hope that their unique stories will help shape the younger generation.
E Vibes is different from your regular day-to-day interviews. This show is carefully designed to provide some quality time with selected personalities
This endeavor, according to Captain James Richmond Quayson, Harbour Master of the Port of Takoradi, is in line with the GPHA’s initiatives to facilitate and secure ship traffic within the port’s jurisdiction.
“The navigator is not expected to have any doubts about this.
Until recently, the navigators have securely berthed in the port using their local expertise and the assistance of our pilots.
However, these buoys will now guarantee that the captains are informed during their transit into and out of the port, according to Capt. Quayson.
Concurrently, management of the Port of Takoradi has embarked on a series of community engagements with fisher folk in the fishing communities around the Port.
The sensitization exercise which has taken place in Ngyiresia, Nkotompo, Poasi “New York” and the ABS Fishing Harbour in Sekondi, was necessary to educate the fisher folk on why and how to keep a safe distance from the buoys when within the Port’s vicinity.
The Harbour Master at the Port of Takoradi also encouraged the fisher folk living around the Port’s vicinity to desist from the temptation of engaging in criminal activities such as small theft and stowaway.
After teasing her first EP since her 2016 debut ‘Afraba’ with the singles ‘In The Clouds’ and ‘Circus,’ Adomaa has finally released her new 7-track EP ‘Becoming Adomaa.’
The project takes us on a deep dive through her journey as an artist, from the days of her youtube mashups and the success that brought, to her painful hiatus and now eventual comeback to music.
The music is a blend of alternative genres that showcase her vocal ability and growth as a singer, as well as her flair for the theatrical, with lyrics that are introspective and metaphorical, affirming her identity as a storyteller and actor.
While there are no features on Becoming Adomaa, this is her most collaborative project yet, with input from various talents such as artist-producer Reynolds The Gentleman, her genius engineer-arranger brother Tronomie, and the incredible singer-songwriter David Addo Gyan, to mention a few.
Like the last song on the EP says, Adomaa is beginning again and wants her listeners to come along with her on this journey:
“This time I do it on my terms, my way. No more trying to do everything under the sun to make another hit. I’m not a mainstream artist, I never was. I’m Jazz, I’m Soul, I’m Blues, I’m R&B, I’m Gospel, all mixed with my African elements and sonic influences. I’m Adomaa. It’s time to make the music I should’ve been making from the very start.”
If the President does not promptly fire him, they have threatened to boycott the upcoming 2023 budget presentation as well as all Finance Ministry activities.
You might remember that on Tuesday, October 25, more than 80 MPs held a press conference to call for the dismissal of Charles Adu Boahen and Ken Ofori-Atta from their respective positions.
Charles Adu Boahen has since been sacked by President Akufo-Addo after a latest investigative piece by ace Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas implicated him.
Majority call
Subsequently, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu indicated that the call for the Finance Minister to be axed is from the entire Majority caucus.
“Even though the issue started with a group of 80-plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the decision of that group. So it is no longer the cause of the 80-plus group. It is the agenda for the entire caucus,” Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told Journalists in Parliament.
However, the NPP MPs seem to have changed their minds about allowing the Finance Minister to present the budget statement. They want Ken Ofori-Atta gone immediately.
No Turning Back
The Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Andy Appiah-Kubi, who doubles as Spokesperson for the group speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ said, “we are not only going to boycott the budget presentation, we are also not going to be part of any business done through him and that is our position now”.
“Yes, we are not part of the vote of censure . . . we want him gone, but by using a better approach and that is what we’re doing . . . indeed we agreed to the President’s request to wait but analyzing various public statements, especially from Ofori-Atta, it shows disrespect. It gives the impression that the President has no plan to dismiss him even after the budget presentation and so we’ve changed our mind; his dismissal should be now,” he insisted.
The Asante Akyem North MP has further assured that they won’t change their stand even if the President calls for another meeting.
“I can assure you that our current position won’t be changed,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Finance Minister is now facing a vote of censure from the Minority side of Parliament.
Kumasi-based gospel artise, Samuel Opoku, popularly known as ‘Brother Sammy’, has revealed the trick that influenced colleague singer, Diana Asamoah, to accept his proposal.
Speaking in an interview with Roselyn Felli on Prime Morning, he said what convinced Diana to say ‘yes’, was when he complimented her cuteness.
Narrating the incident, Brother Sammy said when Diana heard the compliment, she was wowed; and that made her embrace his request for them to get married.
According to him, the singer had never received such a compliment before and therefore when it fell from his lips, she obliged for them to settle down as husband and wife.
‘I told her that she’s cute, and she said ‘waow’”, Brother Sammy recounted on Wednesday.
He also added, his presence in Diana Asamoah’s life is what has triggered the Evangelist’s recent fashionable looks, which has gotten tongues wagging on social media.
According to reports, the two are set to get married on 24th December, this year.
Meanwhile, Brother Sammy’, has urged single suitors to exercise patience and not to rush into marriage.
According to him, marriage is a complex enterprise, and therefore the need for prospective entrants to take their time and make good judgments.
Speaking on Prime Morning, he described marriage as a ‘cage’, which has posed a lot of problems for many people.
Admonishing the public, he added that he would even prefer child birth to getting married.
“Marriage is cool, but the advice I’ll give to everybody is, don’t rush into marriage. Marriage is a cage. Don’t rush into marriage., because some people have married and they’re dying.
“Marriage has killed many people. As for me I love children more than marriage. Giving birth is better than getting married.
Because if you fall ill today, your child will be by your side. But your spouse can neglect you in times of illness and go for another partner”, he said on Wednesday.
After emerging on the scene about a decade ago, Brother Sammy, as he is affectionately called is now known for his soul-stirring Twi tunes; which always endears him to his audience.
The Kumasi-based singer was mentored by the late Prophet Seth Frimpong, who assisted him on his path to stardom in Ghana.
In the budding stages of his career, he also worked with other notable names in the local gospel industry like Ernest Opoku and Oware Junior.
The Producer Price Index (PPI) for October 2022 rose to 65.2% up from the 45.9% recorded in September.
The report from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) indicates that between October 2021 and October 2022, year-on-year, the PPI increased by 65.1%, representing a 19.3 percentage points increase in producer inflation relative to the rate recorded in September 2022: 45.9%.
The month-on-month change in the PPI between September and October 2022 was 15.4%.
“Mining and quarrying (86.4%), manufacturing (73.1%), transport and storage (71.4%) recorded the highest rates, while information and communication activity recorded the lowest rate of 1.4% in October 2022,” the GSS report released on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 said.
The European Union (EU) climate policy chief Frans Timmermans told the COP27 summit in Sharm El-Sheikh on Wednesday that the bloc and four member countries will provide more than one billion euros for climate adaptation in Africa.
He added that the four members are France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark and that other countries could join.
The sum is a starting point, he said.
Timmermans also said the EU will provide 60 million euros for loss and damage and will present ideas today on how to take loss and damage negotiations forward.
No fewer than 154 countries signed the UNFCCC in June 1992, agreeing to combat harmful human impacts on the climate.
Since then, COP meetings have been held (almost) annually to discuss how exactly that should be achieved, and monitor what progress has been made.
At COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, many were shut out due to vaccine inequity, travel restrictions, and high costs.
Those who did manage to attend had to navigate a range of logistical issues which plagued the conference, from massive queues to a shortage of entrance permits.
Combating the devastating effects of climate change requires mobilizing governments, corporations, finance, and civil society.
And so, at COP27, currently ongoing, public and private sector leaders have united in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, to seek solutions alongside BCG, the exclusive COP27 consulting partner.
Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta is undoubtedly Ghana’s most talked about politician. The demand for his dismissal increases by the day amid an economic crunch he is accused of presiding over.
Ofori-Atta was nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and was subsequently passed by Parliament after a vetting process. This was his only legal route to the position of Minister.
The way out of that office rests on himself (via resignation), on the president (dismissal) and on Parliament (via a vote of censure).
The first two processes would seem easier but they don’t seem like the easiest way out. Ofori-Atta has refused to resign and the president insists he has done and continues to do a good job of managing the economy hence repelling calls for his dismissal.
Parliament, however, is officially and unofficially piling on the pressure to have Ofori-Atta removed. Per GhanaWeb’s count, over 230 MPs (the entire Minority bloc and an anti-Ofori-Atta bloc in the Majority Group) are currently asking that the Minister be removed from office.
It so happens that the route they are using is different but the end goal is for the embattled minister to exit the Ministry of Finance.
All 137 Members of Parliament from the Minority Caucus signed a vote of censure motion seeking his removal. That motion has birthed an 8-member ad hoc committee that is sitting on the matter.
137 from the Minority Caucus plus the 98 NPP MPs brings the number of lawmakers seeking Ofori-Atta’s exit to 235 out of a House of 275 members.
Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North in the Ashanti Region and leader of the ‘Ken Must Go’ MPs in an interview on November 15, 2022, on the PM Express programme on JoyNews, Appiah-Kubi stated:
“Our position has not changed and we still believe Ken Ofori-Atta must go. We will not do the President’s business through Ken Ofori-Atta. Any other person that comes, we will deal with them.”
The embattled Minister is currently the subject of a vote of censure and is appearing before an ad hoc committee of Parliament to have his say on seven grounds brought against him by the minority Caucus.
“The process through the vote of censure will come back to the President with a prayer that he relieves him of his duties. The onus is on the President to sack him or for the Minister to resign. There is nothing personal in our call for his sack. We are not afraid to be victimized,” he added.
Highlife musician Akwaboah has released a music video for his Black Stars theme song titled Bring Back the Love.
The song was released in September in support of Ghana’s participation at the Fifa 2022 World Cup and also for tournaments beyond the World Cup.
The nostalgic video is shot using the iconic Independence Square as a prominent backdrop with a throwback to 1957 Independence and Kwame Nkrumah.
Football fans on Osu Oxford Street can also be seen dancing to the song which has already been streamed close to a million times across digital platforms.
Akwaboah in a recent tweet to a fan intimated that he will be dropping banger after banger from now till December 2023.
This is surely good news for fans of good music who are eagerly anticipating the release of Akwaboah’s Lighthouse album next year.
The Ffia Qatar 2022 World Cup begins on Sunday 20th November 2022 and the Black Stars play their first game against Portugal on 24th November 2022.
Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a founding member of the New Patriotic Party, has wondered why President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hesitant to dismiss Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, despite calls from NPP lawmakers.
According to him, this can be interpreted to mean that, the finance minister is sitting on some rot the president trusts that he is the only who can fully protect.
He noted that a new minister might expose what the president and the finance minister are hiding from Ghanaians.
Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM, the former soldier added his voice to the numerous calls for the dismissal of the minister.
He said, after the minister had bragged that Ghana is a sovereign nation and it is capable of managing its own affairs and does not need any external help, he would have resigned the very day Ghana decided to seek support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“So you ask yourself, why is he still there? When a person is in position and the populace says ‘we’ve had enough of you, go away’ and still he wants to be there, the simple thing that should come to the mind of any ordinary Ghanaian is that he is sitting on the rot. When he’s not there, we’ll see how massive that rot is,” Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe explained.
When asked who Ofori-Atta is covering up for, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said, “Who is the appointing authority of this country? And has the President approved of his removal?
“The President should have asked him to go away. Here we have a situation where even an ordinary person in the streets says, ‘Ofori Atta must leave’.”
As compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 13.0742 and a selling price of 13.0872. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 14.35 and sold at a rate of 14.95.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 15.5617 and a selling price of 15.5799 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 15.5334 and a selling price of 15.5503.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 16.40 and sold at a rate of 17.00.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 13.5969 and a selling price of 13.6105 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 13.5497 and a selling price of 13.5623.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 14.30 and sold at a rate of 14.90.
At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.65 and sold at a rate of 1.10.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 33.8271 and a selling price of 33.8806 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 33.9717 and a selling price of 33.9722.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 17.00 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 21.00.
For the CFA, it is trading at a buying price of 48.1949 and a selling price of 48.9062. At a forex bureau in Accra, CFA is being bought at a rate of 19.70 CFA for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 23.50 CFA for every 1 Cedi.
The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas has shot up in recent times. The Institute of Energy Security and the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers projected an increase in the price of the commodity in the second pricing window in November which started on November 16, 2022.
“The Institute for Energy Security (IES) recognizes the significant jump in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) on the international market as well as the marginal stability in the local currency and predicts that the price of the commodity on the local market will rise by roughly 4%,” a statement by the IES said.
With the nature of LPG, the LPG Marketers Association fear a 25% decline in the consumption of the product by the close of 2022.
He calls on the government to reduce those taxes adding that “the use of LPG will decline by about 25%” due to the price–sensitive nature of the good.
He was quoted by citibusinessnews reports.
A kilogram of LPG has increased by almost 10% according to checks by GhanaWeb at some pumps.
Kumi however added that the price increase will continue until an intervention happens.
“We are advocating for government to ensure that LPG is affordable …. we are calling on the government to remove taxes from the commodity. We believe LPG must be tax-free,” he said.
Lydia Forson has gotten netizens talking with a post she shared on social media about Africans’ roles during the colonial era.
According to the actress on Twitter, people will someday come to realize why leaders plan to keep their subordinates poor.
She added that only racist people hurriedly shift blame when it comes to poor leadership and governance.
“We don’t talk enough about the role Africans played in the slave trade, only because racists will jump at anything to shift blame.
“But someday we’re going to have, to understand why our leaders keep us in poverty. There are many who benefit from our underdevelopment, many!” she said.
We don’t talk enough about the role Africans played in the slave trade, only because racist will jump at ANYTHING to shift blame.
But someday we’re going to have to, to understand why our leaders keep us in poverty.
There are many who benefit from our underdevelopment, MANY!
Her post somehow got netizens who shared her sentiments to react and share their views.
In some social media reactions, a user said, “Africans always blame their woes and misfortune on external occurrences or events ignoring the part they played in the outcome.
“We’re the cause of our own problems. For instance, taking money from some foreigners to pave way for them to adventure into heinous activities.”
Another added, “True, there is a place in Ghana where it is a taboo to talk about the involvement of the locals in the slave trade.”
“It is only he that cannot find a solution to a problem, that blames his past for his failures but a problem-solving mind worries not of who or what caused the problem, rather ponders daily and find a solution. America was colonised but I’m yet to hear them mention it in a conversation,” a third added.
The dollar is currently selling at GH¢14.95 as of today, November 17, 2022.
His comments come after the National Tripartite Committee (NTC) increased the minimum wage to GH¢ 14.88 from the earlier GH¢13.53.
Dr. Kwakye in a Twitter post on November 17, 2022, wrote: “It’s unconscionable for Govt to pay anybody GHc14.88 (equivalent to US$1.00) a day. It shows the failure of economic management.”
The determination was based on Section 113 (1) (a) of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
At the end of the meeting, it was concluded that beginning January 1, 2023, the minimum wage would be pegged at GH¢14.88, an increase in the NDMW by 10% over the 2022 NDMW.
“In determining the 2023 NDMW, the NTC took into account the current economic challenges, cost of living, sustainability of businesses and desirability of attaining a higher level of employment, as well as the need for rapid restoration of macroeconomic stability,” a statement by the Committee read.
Ghana’s current inflation stands at 40.4% as of October 2022. This has depleted the purchasing power of most Ghanaians as they have de-cried the stagnant nature of salaries.
It’s unconscionable for Govt to pay anybody GHc14.88 (equivalent to US$1.00) a day. It’s shows failure of economic management.
— J. K. Kwakye (@JohnKwabenaKwa1) November 17, 202
Like most companies, technology companies this year have also been hit with the global economic crisis which many experts say is fuelled by the Russian-Ukraine war and the impact of covid 19.
This has resulted in massive layoffs across the sector with a total of 1138 layoffs at tech companies globally, affecting 182,605 people, according to TrueUps tech layoff tracker.
Below is a list of top tech giants that have announced job cuts this year or embarked on massive layoffs.
It didn’t take long for Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk to lay off almost half of the company’s staff. This was just a week after officially closing the acquisition process to take over the company.
“…the Nov. 4 layoffs only affected “15% of our Trust & Safety organization (as opposed to approximately 50% cuts company-wide), with our front-line moderation staff experiencing the least impact.” Twitter’s then-head of content moderation, Yoel Roth said.
These job cuts also affected the company’s only African office in Ghana’s capital, Accra. According to reports, employees were fired with the exception of one.
While these layoffs represent the biggest workforce cull Twitter has seen, it’s not the first time this year the company has sought to slim down its employee base. After initially implementing a hiring freeze, in July 2022 the company went on to lay off 30% of its talent acquisition team.
Amazon
On Tuesday (November 15), the company notified regional authorities in California that it would lay off about 260 workers at various facilities that employ data scientists, software engineers, and other corporate workers. Those job cuts would be effective beginning on Jan. 17, 2023.
Amazon would not specify how many more layoffs may be in the works beyond the ones confirmed through California’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, also known as WARN, which requires companies to provide 60 days’ notice if they have 75 or more full-time or part-time workers. Amazon employs more than 1.5 million workers globally, primarily made up of hourly workers.
The online retail giant, like other tech and social media giants, saw sizable profits during the COVID-19 pandemic, as homebound shoppers purchased more items online. But revenue growth slowed as the worst of the pandemic eased and consumers relied less on e-commerce.
Netflix
In June this year, Netflix announced it laid off 300 employees in the second round of job cuts after losing subscribers for the first time in more than a decade.
The cuts amounted to about 4% of the streaming giant’s workforce and mostly affected US employees. They came after the company cut 150 jobs last month.
“While we continue to invest significantly in the business, we made these adjustments so that our costs are growing in line with our slower revenue growth,” Netflix said in a statement.
Netflix said in February it had lost 200,000 subscribers globally at the start of 2022, and projected a decline of 2 million users in the upcoming quarter.
The company blamed the drop on a range of factors, including increased competition, the economy, the war in Ukraine, and the large number of people who share their accounts with non-paying households.
Facebook
On Wednesday, November 9, the CEO of Facebook’s parent Meta, Mark Zuckerberg announced the company is laying off 11,000 people, about 13% of its workforce, as it contends with faltering revenue and broader tech industry woes.
Zuckerberg said that he had made the decision to hire aggressively, anticipating rapid growth even after the pandemic lockdowns ended.
“Unfortunately, this did not play out the way I expected,” Zuckerberg said in a statement. “Not only has online commerce returned to prior trends, but the macroeconomic downturn, increased competition, and ads signal loss have caused our revenue to be much lower than I’d expected. I got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that.”
Meta, like other social media companies, enjoyed a financial boost during the pandemic lockdown era because more people stayed home and scrolled on their phones and computers. But as the lockdowns ended and people started going outside again, revenue growth began to falter.
Tesla
In June 2022, Elon Musk confirmed that the salaried workforce at Tesla Inc. would be cut by about 10% over the next three months, but said the overall reduction in the electric-car maker’s headcount would only be some 3.5% as hourly staff numbers are still expected to grow.
“We grew very fast on the salaried side,” Musk said in an interview with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait at the Qatar Economic Forum on Tuesday. “A year from now, I think our headcount will be higher” in salaried and hourly workers, but for now the reduction will be 3% to 3.5%, he said in a report by Bloomberg.
The comments brought more clarity to the situation with Tesla’s staffing, after Musk made varied internal and public statements about reductions over the past month.
Airline operators have received training in cutting-edge technology that supports safety in Ghana’s aviation sector ahead of the implementation of the Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) initiative, which is mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in January 2023.
As a result of this endeavor, newly constructed aircraft will henceforth be subject to the GADSS standard for the distress tracking component.
Tragedies like the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines 370 and Air France 447 have brought to light shortcomings in the current air navigation system that have made it difficult to quickly identify and locate planes in difficulty.
These restrictions made it very difficult to conduct successful search and rescue missions and recovery operations.
At the training session’s opening by Star Navigation Group, the Acting Commissioner of the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB Ghana), Akwasi Agyeibi Prempeh, mentioned that the training will ensure a revolution of the aviation sector’s traditional investigation and prevention techniques to a more modern technological approach – which will ultimately alter the practice of aircraft safety from a reactive enterprise to a proactive endeavour.
According to the ICAO Concept of Operations, the GADSS will address all phases of flight under all circumstances, including distress. This GADSS will maintain an up‐to‐date record of the aircraft’s progress; and in case of a crash, forced landing or ditching, the location of survivors, the aircraft and recoverable flight data.
ICAO has identified that the current effectiveness of alerting search and rescue services could be enhanced by developing and implementing the GADSS.
To comply with the mandate, aircraft with a maximum take-off weight over 27,000 kg (60,000 lbs) with an airworthiness certificate issued will have to autonomously transmit position information once every minute or less when an aircraft is in distress.
The Ag. Commissioner noted that aircraft investigation remains a process of gathering factual evidence and analysing it to unfold the set of factors which contributed to cause an aircraft accident or incident. Safety recommendations are then published to prevent such failures from recurring.
“To revolutionise aircraft investigations, the process or methodology needs to be deeply challenged,” he said.
“We are aware that the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (regulator), the Ghana Airports Company Limited (aerodrome operator) and the Airline Operators are embracing emerging aviation technologies to become more effective and efficient in their operations.
“Currently, international airline operators are operating with bigger and wider body aircraft, and domestic airline operators have also increased their frequencies across the regional airports. The AIB and GCAA have collaborated to set up a safety reporting portal as a more expedient mode of communicating and accessing information,” he said.
The young and growing artiste announced a High School Tour about a month ago and has backed it up with positive action.
Phaize is billed to perform on Saturday, November 19 at the 50th anniversary of New Juaben Senior High School in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The award-winning artiste took to his social media platform to announce the commencement of his High School Tour after laying his father to rest some weeks ago.
“Back on the road after laying my beloved dad to rest. Juaben Senior High School @50 anniversary this Saturday, we’re coming,” he posted on his Facebook timeline.
Phaize has consistently produced good songs and quality videos to complement his good works. He was also nominated at this year’s 3Music Awards as the breakthrough act from the Ashanti Region.
The ‘Asakaa’ hitmaker was recently in the news for saying he has not been receiving the love he gives back to his colleague musicians and some industry players in the Ashanti Region.
According to him, he openly supports works released by his friend musicians but they do not repeat the same when he drops a project.
Phaize has lyrically coined the current economic unrest into a song titled ‘Metu Afri Ghana’. This song summarizes the honest cry of the average Ghanaian youth; seeking greener pastures abroad.
On Sunday, Equatorial Guinea will hold elections in which the world’s longest-standing president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, will seek to extend his 43-year authoritarian rule, marked by alleged rights abuses and corruption.
The West African oil-producing nation of about 1.5 million people has had only two presidents since independence from Spain in 1968; Obiang and his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema who he removed in a coup in 1979.
The 80-year-old Obiang, always elected with more than 90 percent of votes in polls international observers have questioned, is vying for a sixth term against two other candidates: Andres Esono Ondo and Buenaventura Monsuy Asumu.
Parliamentary and local elections will be held at the same time.
Oil and gas production accounts for about three-quarters of revenues in the OPEC member state. But output has dwindled in recent years to about 93,000 barrels per day (bpd), from about 160,000 bpd in 2015 due to maturing fields.
Although the tiny Gulf of Guinea nation has seen major investments in infrastructure, critics say under Obiang, oil wealth has lined the pockets of his entourage, who flash luxury lifestyles while most of the population live in poverty.
Obiang is also accused of muzzling dissent and freedom of expression. The government has denied the accusations.
Protests are mostly forbidden, media is heavily controlled, and it is not uncommon for political opponents to be arbitrarily arrested and tortured, rights groups say.
Intimidation has increased in the run-up to the polls, activists say, with authorities targeting civil society groups and critics of the regime.
In September, security forces raided the headquarters of a banned opposition party – the only one with a seat in parliament – and detained at least 100 of its members.
“Whatever It Takes”
Repression before the vote has offset efforts by Obiang to improve his image abroad, the latest seen in a move to abolish the death penalty earlier this year.
“He is washing his face in front of the international community,” said Amnesty International’s Senior Campaigner for West Africa Marta Colomer.
Alleged corruption has also tainted Obiang’s tenure despite several pledges to increase transparency.
His son, Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, who observers see as a potential successor, was convicted for embezzlement by a French court in 2020.
Assets that foreign powers say he bought with ill-gotten gains include a crystal-covered glove worn by Michael Jackson, an armoured Rolls-Royce limousine and a yacht.
Both father and son have consistently denied wrongdoing.
If re-elected, Obiang will face new challenges. The economy was hit by COVID-19 and although the war in Ukraine has boosted demand for non-Russian oil it has also brought a sharp rise in food prices.
“The opposition does not stand a chance,” Alicante said. “He is going to do whatever it takes not to leave power.”
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalization, is urging Ghanaian “techpreneurs” to be at the forefront of efforts to drive the digital economy’s contribution to growth of the country’s GDP as the pace of introduction for new technologies accelerates, creating change in societal outcomes beyond the scope of existing norms and laws.
In order for this to occur, a cooperative regulatory framework must be created, she added, so that technology-related services that cross different industries are subject to the necessary, coordinated oversight where several regulators are engaged.
Following adoption of the ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) policy in 2003, Ghana developed several legislative reforms and a supportive regulatory environment; leading to investments in and adoption of technologies for various sectors of the economy. These initiatives began the country’s preparation for the digital economy, with its attendant opportunities and risks.
And over the last few decades, the policy and infrastructure-related reforms – with telecom services as the main driver – unlocked economic pathways by leveraging the mobile phone as a tool for connectivity, information services and digital financial services.
“These developments have led to the advancement of a local tech entrepreneurial ecosystem, related skills development, digital government platforms and the explosion of data and other emerging technologies – such as Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Data Analytics, IoT, blockchain metaverse and quantum computing,” Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful stated.
It is therefore vital to take cognisance of these developments, and set a new policy and strategic direction for the contemporary realities of the digital economy and evolving fourth industrial revolution (4IR), she added.
“Ultimately,” she said, “this new policy must address the issue of how to increase the digital economy’s contribution to the growth of our national GDP: addressing priorities such as job-creation and unlocking value in high-potential sectors while strengthening inclusion, safeguarding national interests and national security, and augmenting efficiency in public service delivery.”
New policy’s vision
Continuing, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful said this policy seeks to establish an open, secure, hyper-connected and inclusive digital economy that unleashes the innovative genius of digital entrepreneurs across various sectors; creating sustainable jobs for the youth, enabling efficient delivery of government services, and positioning Ghana as a regional digital hub.
In the fifth and final rolling-out phase of the ICT4AD 2003 policy which applies from 2019 – 2022, the focus shifts to “sustaining economic development and growth toward improving national prosperity and global competitiveness”.
“As we look backward at what we have achieved so far in ICT development outcomes and set forth a future path, we are also influenced by lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic – reflected in the GhanaCARES programme’s focus on fast-track digitisation to achieve economic transformation,” Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful said.
She said government’s commitment to delivering seamless and efficient digital governance for citizens is reflected in the Ghana Integrated Digital Transformation (GIDT) Blueprint and its recommendation on anchoring digital government transformation on a robust Common National Digital Architecture (CNDA).
“The vision places firm sights on the next stage of digitalisation via harnessing technologies such as big data analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance precision in decision-making, and to deliver targetted outcomes including enhancing domestic revenue mobilisation,” she said.
She added: “Ultimately, this policy’s vision speaks to leadership, focus and empowerment in the evolving digital economy; through building capabilities and capacity in harnessing emerging technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to drive national economic transformation”.
The choice of Ghana to host the AfCFTA secretariat boosted the country’s chances for its economy and enterprises in a variety of ways. Ghana is the best place to invest in Africa due to its stability, democratic reputation, and abundance of investment opportunities.
At the Power Energy Ghana Exhibition opening, the High Commissioner said: “I’d like to extend an invitation for everyone to move beyond trading and into local manufacturing, as the AfCFTA will make your business prospects available not only to the Ghanaian market but also the entire regional market for Africa”.
With the ultimate goal of uniting African nations to establish a single market, the AfCFTA is expected to do away with tariffs on 90 percent of the items produced on the continent as well as other non-tariff restrictions.
In order to construct the greatest trading bloc in the world, it will link 1.3 billion people in the 55 African countries which collectively have a market worth over US$3trillion. The AfCFTA will elevate an estimated 30 million people out of extreme poverty and increase intra-African commerce by 52 percent. It will also increase exports from Africa by US$560billion.
“Companies in this expo could consider expanding operations of their enterprises in Ghana after this event; which would put them at a significant advantage, given the enormous possibility brought on by AfCFTA,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how we can deepen our business and economic relations,” he added.
According to Debmalya Banerjee, Regional Director of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, in an interview with the B&FT, Indian companies would first start investing in the nation through commerce, followed by the construction of factories. However, this will depend on the nation’s macroeconomic conditions.
“Investment can only begin after one or two years, once enterprises have had time to learn about the Ghanaian market. Of course, we’ll consider the macroeconomic aspects affecting the nation. Currently, trade is where Indian companies will need to increase their confidence in doing business with their Ghanaian counterparts, which should be frictionless in nature.
“This would result in a significant number of Indians opening factories in Ghana and the creation of jobs. Businesses will undoubtedly make investments and create factories, but the journey must begin with exploration and commerc – which is what we have done today,” the official said.
Power Energy Ghana Exhibition
The Power Energy Ghana Exhibition – a complete international exhibition of the power energy electrical sector – is expected to bring together manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, dealers and distributors of power electrical energy equipment, gadgets and products, including transformers, wires, solar panels, battery inverters and generators, to everything in the electrical industry of the West African region in Ghana.
This will host close to 100 exhibitors in the expo from India, Turkey, Nigeria, Italy, UAE, UK, France, Ghana and other countries, and 4,000+ visitors from Ghana and West Africa.
League Champions Asante Kotoko conceded a second half goal to draw 1-1 with Legon Cities in their betPawa Premier League Match Day 7 encounter at the Baba Yara Sports stadium on Wednesday. The Porcupine Warriors came into the game with a rich vein of form having won their two previous games against Samartex FC and Medeama SC and looked poised to continue their winning run.
The Champions scored in the first half through Steven Mukwala in the 13th minute. The Ugandan attacker was in a good position to score but was brought down in the box as the referee rightly pointed to the spot for a penalty in favour of Asante Kotoko.
The reds took charge of the game from then and created a number of decent but profligacy in front of goal did them more harm as they went into the break with a slim lead.
Back from recess, Legon Cities attacked through the channels and were instantly rewarded with a goal in the 49th minute through Mohammed Sadat.
The two teams began to tread cautiously with the host pushing for the second goal. In the 73rd minute, Mohammed Suleman came up with a massive goal line clearance to deny Asante Kotoko from taking the lead for the second time. The host piled pressure for the remaining minutes of the exchanges but Legon Cities defended gallantly to snatch a point from their host.
Dr. Zanetor Agyemang Rawlings, a member of the ad hoc committee from the Minority side of parliament, has requested that members of the committee adhere to the established procedures for the committee’s meeting.
The MP claims that KT Hammond and other members’ interruptions are preventing the proceedings from moving further.
“Co-Chair, normally when we sit in a committee, you must actually address the chair and have permission from the chair before you speak. I think it’s unfair that we just keep interjecting. We ask questions and we don’t let the witness continue and we keep interjecting without seeking permission to have the opportunity to interrupt. We are creating too much of an issue with that,” she said during the sitting.
The second sitting of the ad hoc committee probing the allegations in a vote of a censure motion against the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has commenced today November 17, 2022.
The Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) have appeared before the committee of Parliament.
Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.
However, the Finance Minister is expected to appear before the committee on November 18, 2022.
After serving +450k customers and disbursing more than 2 million loans, Fido launched its new app, packed with new features and boasting a bold new pink look. The new Fido App is faster, easier to use, and more secure. Customers will continue benefiting from instant access to cash, to start a business, pay tuition, or simply handle whatever life throws their way.
Fido Score, the latest innovation, shifts power back to the people by empowering them to build and maintain a digital financial track record. Based on this score, personalized offers are matched to customers’ needs and abilities. Fido Score also educates customers on actions they can take to improve their score thereby unlocking improved offerings.
As the Fido product ecosystem evolves, so does the Fido brand. “The black and yellow colors that served us for many years made room for a vibrant, bold, color palette with pink at its core. We’ve also created a new logo, imagery, and communication style that reflects our corporate personality: young, bold, and transparent” said Alon Eitan, Fido’s CEO.
“We’re on a mission to empower individuals and entrepreneurs to take charge of their future. Fido Score is an important step towards that. Now our customers can create their own digital financial identity, and reap the benefits of being visible to the financial system”, he added.
Getting the New Fido App is straightforward. Just download the Fido App from the Google Play Store, register your details to create your account, and follow all the needed guidelines to apply for your first loan successfully. Your Fido Score feature will be calculated after completing your first loan and with every action you take on the Fido app.
Fraud disclaimer:
You can only get Fido Loans through the Fido App on Google Play Store.
Fido will never ask you for money before giving you a loan.
Fido does not have any agents.
The Fido facebook page is verified with a blue checkmark.
If you’re in doubt, reach out to Fido support.
Black Stars captain Andre Ayew now stands alone as the most capped player for Ghana after making his 110th appearance against Switzerland on Thursday.
The 2009 U-20 World Cup winner featured when the Black Stars inflicted a 2-0 win over the European country in a pre-World Cup friendly in Abu Dhabi.
The Al Sadd star lasted the entire duration and did not disappoint. The 32-year-old, on the other hand, showed no signs of fatigue, covering a lot of ground as he supported the defence whenever Switzerland attacked.
Ayew completed 89% of his passes (25/28), attempted two long balls that were both perfect, and won three ground duels as well as two aerial duels.
He also made two clearances and one crucial tackle, preventing Xherdan Shaqiri from firing from the edge of the box
The match was Ayew’s 110th appearance for the Black Stars making him the outright most-capped player for the four-time African champions.
He has surpassed the legendary Asamoah Gyan who made 109 appearances for Ghana between 2003 and 2019.
Ayew debuted for Black Stars in 2007, then went on to captain the U20 team to win African Youth Championship and the World Cup in 2009.
He has scored 23 goals making him the seventh all-time top scorer for the Black Stars and the highest by any active Black Stars player.
PIAC Vice Chair Abdul Nasir Alfa Mohammed testified before the ad hoc parliamentary committee investigating allegations of conflict of interest and careless economic mismanagement against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. He 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 been deposited as part of Ghana’s petroleum revenues.
“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 Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF) was established under Section 2 of the PRMA, as the designated public fund at the Bank of Ghana to receive and disburse petroleum revenue due the Republic of Ghana.
The PHF is held offshore at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the Bank of Ghana Petroleum Holding Fund Account.
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”.
He claims that through the scholarship secretariat, this innovation will provide a platform for the distribution of the appropriate human resource to meet the needs of Ghanaians who have received training abroad.
“Work culture and language barriers associated with foreign business will be minimize with the availability of people trained from these countries to promote a healthy working environment for productivity.”
“The experience and skills acquired by numerous Ghanaians on scholarship across the globe will be harnessed to the benefit of Ghana,” he said.
He further noted that the tremendous support Ghana receives from other countries to train Ghanaians offers the country an opportunity to coordinate its human capital for effective deployment.
He added that this will also help the country earn foreign exchange and transfer technology for local industries.
He stressed the importance of the cooperation between institutions of state to drive policies for the socioeconomic development of Ghana.
The labour bank is an institution where workers who are willing to work can get registered, allowing employers to get workers from the pool of data it has.
It is a key strategic resource to institutions for the identification and utilization of the right human resource, making significant impact towards corporate objectives.
It also offers the labour market well-trained personnel, appropriate and tailored to meet the demands of the industry to achieve effectiveness and efficiency.
Unknown NLA staff members demolished certain lotto kiosks, which were largely built of wood.
A man in a military uniform was seen in a video smashing the building’s windows and doors with a weapon.
CLAAG claims that some security personnel have also harassed and detained some lotto agents and writers.
Prior to the demolition, CRAAG said it had written to the NLA to discuss matters affecting the operations of its members which includes the order by the Authority for members of the Ghana Lotto Operators Association to pay a 20% Commission to its writers. However, Kwaku Duah Tawiah said the NLA has not acknowledged the letter.
Hence by this action, “we are convinced that the NLA had a predetermined plan to frustrate us and prefers to tread the course of collision rather than to jaw-jaw.”
The executive secretary noted that the action by the “NPP government through the board and management of NLA is rather insensitive and obnoxious.”
Tawiah condemning the action by the NLA assured that his outfit
will explore every legitimate means at its disposal to have the s matter resolved.
He also called for members to remain calm and be “law-abiding as leadership activates the various processes.”
Lotto Kiosk Demolition New
Operators of the Lotto Association have expressed disappointment with the demolition of structures belonging to members as ordered by the NLA.
He claimed that the increase is not particularly noteworthy because of the depreciation of the cedi.
According to Sulemana, the minimum wage in 2021 was $2.07, and $2.24 in 2022.
According to the dollar rate, he continued, the rise in the minimum wage for 2023 represents a 50% depreciation because $2.24 is equal to GH31.36.
On his Twitter page, he wrote: “June 2021 Minimum Wage GH₵ 12.53 = $2.07
Jan 2022 Minimum wage GH₵ 13.53 = $2.24
Jan 2023 Minimum Wage GH₵ 14.88 = $1.06
Jan 2022 Minimum wage in GHC now = GHC31.36”
The National Tripartite Committee (NTC) has increased the minimum wage to GH¢ 14.88 from the earlier GH¢13.53.
The increase follows the conclusion of negotiations on the determination of the 2023 National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW) at its meeting held on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, in Accra.
The determination was based on Section 113 (1) (a) of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
At the end of the meeting, it was concluded that beginning January 1, 2023, the minimum wage would be pegged at GH¢14.88, an increase in the NDMW by 10% over the 2022 NDMW.
This, they noted, was strongly influenced by the current economic crisis. “In determining the 2023 NDMW, the NTC took into account the current economic challenges, cost of living, sustainability of businesses and desirability of attaining a higher level of employment, as well as the need for rapid restoration of macroeconomic stability,” a statement by the Committee read.
Ghana’s current inflation stands at 40.4% as of October 2022.
Members of Parliament chosen by the leaders of both parties in the House made up the 8-member ad hoc committee.
The finance minister is scheduled to return before the committee on November 18, 2022, following the first meeting on November 15.
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) will, however, appear before the parliamentary committee.
Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.
The committee is expected to submit a report within 7 days.
The Labour Act of 2003’s Section 113(1)(a) served as the negotiation’s foundation (Act 651).
Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labor Relations, has stated that any institution that violates the 2023 national daily minimum wage will be dealt with in line with the law. This follows the marginal increase in the minimum wage.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, the minister said, “Any establishment, institution or organization that flout the 2023 national daily minimum wage shall be sanctioned in accordance with the law.”
He noted that the 10% increment in the minimum wage will take effect from January 1, 2023.
Throwing more light on factors that led to the 10% increment, the Employment and Labour Minister said the committee took into consideration the current economic challenges, high cost of living, sustainability of businesses and desirability of attaining higher levels of employment.
“The committee concluded on the need to increase the national daily minimum wage by 10 per cent over the 2022 national daily minimum wage which translates into new national daily minimum wage of GH¢14.88 pesewas and a cost of living allowance of 15 per cent over the 2023 national daily minimum wage,” Baffour-Awuah said.
Social media users, on the other hand, have been discussing their dissatisfaction with the development since since the new wage was announced.
Comparing Ghana’s rate to other countries like France, the UK, US, and Germany, Ghana’s rate is substantially very low.
In France, the national minimum wage is $10.71 per hour, UK is $11.43 per hour $10.59 per hour in Germany, $7.25 per hour in the US, and GH¢14.88 ($1.06) per day in Ghana.
Citizens are however calling on the government to act in order to relieve the burden off Ghanaians.
The tripartite committee noted that the increase was strongly influenced by the current economic crisis.
“In determining the 2023 NDMW, the NTC took into account the current economic challenges, cost of living, sustainability of businesses and desirability of attaining a higher level of employment, as well as the need for rapid restoration of macroeconomic stability,” a statement by the Committee read.
The Kentos Music Band with the blessing of the Ministry of Youth and Sports has released the official cheer song for the Black Stars. Dubbed “Osey” the song is to whip up support for the Stars ahead of the games at Qatar, which commences on November 20. It will be the Stars official song for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Kentos Band wrote and arranged the beautiful composition – a simple and catchy melody admonishing the Black Stars to bring the much-coveted trophy home. Although Kentos Band is usually known for its electrifying live performances, this project allows them to explore much more and contribute to a national cause. This equally adds to the band’s weight of excellence in contemporary African music. What makes the project special is the quality of Kentos Band to incorporate the brass band music into contemporary styles, which they achieved with “Osey.”
The entire project includes the song and a video featuring legendary former Black Star players like Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari, John Mensah, Asamoah Gyan, Laryea Kingston, John Paintsil and Derrick Boateng, and is sponsored by Torrid Global Limited. As an oil marketing company operating in Ghana, this offers Torrid the opportunity to support a worthy social cause. The support from Torrid Global reflects the organisation’s commitment to corporate social activities that contribute to national unity and patriotism. Equally, the contribution of the former Black Stars is a strong factor in reiterating the purpose of the project which is aimed at supporting the team they used to play for.
Kentos Band believes that “Osey” would indeed be the sound with which fans cheer the stars in this World Cup season.
At the launch of the official song and Music Video, the Minister of Youth & Sports, Hon. Mustapha Ussif, admonished Ghanaians to cheer the Stars on to bring the coveted trophy home as admonished in the cheer song.
Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu bagged his first goal for Ghana in their 2-0 win over Switzerland in Abu Dhabi in an international friendly.
Salisu headed in from close range to the top right corner following a corner in the 69th minute of the game to give Black Stars a 1-0 lead before Antoine Semenyo doubled the lead four minutes later.
The friendly concludes Black Stars’ 2022 World Cup preparation in Abu Dhabi before travelling to Qatar for the World Cup.
Black Stars. who are the lowest-ranked team at the tournament have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.
Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place between November 20 and December 18, 2022.
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 looking to make it out of the group stage.
Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu bagged his first goal for Ghana in their 2-0 win over Switzerland in Abu Dhabi in an international friendly.
Salisu headed in from close range to the top right corner following a corner in the 69th minute of the game to give Black Stars a 1-0 lead before Antoine Semenyo doubled the lead four minutes later.
The friendly concludes Black Stars‘ 2022 World Cup preparation in Abu Dhabi before travelling to Qatar for the World Cup.
Black Stars. who are the lowest-ranked team at the tournament have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.
Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place between November 20 and December 18, 2022.
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 looking to make it out of the group stage.
Watch Mohammed Salisu’s debut goal for Ghana against Switzerland below:
🇬🇭Mohammed Salisu scores his first goal in a Black Stars jersey✔
The Black Stars of Ghana outplayed and scored two goals on Thursday morning in the friendly match against Switzerland.
The Ghana national team as part of preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup engaged the Swiss in a pre-world cup friendly match today in Abu Dhabi.
In a game played at the Zayed Sports City Stadium, there were lots of action in the first half as Ghana dominated play.
Unfortunately, the team failed to convert the chances that were created and had to settle for a draw at the break.
In the second half, Switzerland had a brighter start and caused a lot of trouble for the defense of Ghana.
However, thanks to a strong display from the Black Stars, the team held on for as long as they needed to.
Following a number of changes at the hour mark, Ghana regained control of the game and continued to dominate.
In the 69th minute, Mohammed Salisu scored his first Ghana goal to give the Black Stars a deserved lead.
Five minutes later, Bristol City attacker Antoine Semenyo pounced on a loose ball in the six-yard box of the Swiss and fired a shot from close range that found the back of the net.
Eventually, the Black Stars cruised to a 2-0 win to wrap up their training camp in Abu Dhabi in style.
The Black Stars will now prepare to fly out to Qatar to prepare for the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, November 20.
The African side will not be in action until Thursday, November 24, 2022.
Speaking to B&FT during a meeting at the Food and Agriculture Ministry, former senator Schilz, who had led a delegation into the nation, said: “The current ongoing global crisis calls for countries, including Ghana, to focus more on domestic food production to guard against high imports that are being disrupted by recent shocks in the global food supply chain.”
The meeting was part of a working visit to Ghana to identify and establish pathways for collaborations, investments, training and knowledge-sharing exchange programmes between Ghana and the State of Nebraska, with a major focus on agriculture.
“The most important thing is that we are willing to facilitate collaborations which will create a win-win situation for farmers and agribusinesses in Ghana and Nebraska,” Schilz indicated.
During discussions, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Yaw Frimpong Addo, underscored the need for Ghana and the State of Nebraska to collaborate in many areas of the agriculture chain; including agro-processing, value addition, livestock production, energy, land use and the natural resources sector.
“This visit by Schilz and his team from Nebraska Strategies of the USA is timely, just at the time Ghana is seeking such collaborations to deepen agriculture production in many sectors of the industry,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Schilz said Nebraska Strategies will offer invitations to policymakers, farmers and agribusinesses to its Negri-VAD agriculture event in the USA next year.
Director, Animal Production Directorate-MoFA, Edwin Bekoe, called on the visitors to deepen collaborations in the animal production sector, as numerous opportunities are currently present.
“Ghana currently imports US$400million worth of dairy products each year, and the ministry would welcome any positive collaboration that accrues to the benefit of both partners,” he disclosed.
Mr. Bekoe said frozen chicken imports – which has become a major topic for discussion in the last couple of weeks – also has huge market potential, as MoFA is keen on facilitating any collaboration that augments domestic production to curb the rising imports.
Just like dairy and others, Ghana’s frozen chicken import bill is currently valued at US$600million each year, per data from the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers.
“They won’t realize the revenues they projected, so they can’t fulfill the commitments they have made. In the end, the deficit will be more than expected based on their estimates, and growth won’t materialize,” he said.
You will not experience the progress you are referring to if you do not spend money on your expenditures.
Former Deputy Finance Minister, Kwaku Ricketts-Hagan has admonished Ghanaians to brace themselves for the worst economic and living conditions ever experienced in the history of Ghana with the 2018 budget statement presented by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on November 15.
According to him, the Akufo-Addo-led government has very few prospects of achieving their set targets, particularly with regard to revenue generation, which he attributed to their projected policies and plans for the economy.
Inability to generate enough funds he explained, will lead to a situation where they are unable to invest in expenditure without which they can’t foster growth and development in the country.
“They will not realise the revenues they talked about, therefore they can’t fund the promises they have made, in the end what will happen is that, the deficit will be bigger against the projections they are giving, the growth is not going to come. If you don’t spend money on your expenditure to get the growth, you are not going to get the growth that you are talking about,” he stated.
“This government will tell you what you want to hear, in the end, they will do nothing… Things will be worse than it is next year, ask yourself whether you are better off now than you were last year and if the answer is no, please brace yourself, next year could be worse than this year.”
His comments come following Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta’s presentation of the 2018 budget in Parliament on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.
The budget themed: “Putting Ghana back to work”, according to Mr. Ofori-Atta, will stabilize the economy and offer relief including reducing electricity tariffs to make the private sector truly competitive and create more employment.
Former Ghana international George Owu has urged coach Otto Addo to trust Abdul Manaf Nurudeen and make him the first-choice goalkeeper for the Black Stars at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Nurudeen, who plays for KAS Eupen will be competing for the No.1 spot with Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Danlad Ibrahim and Lawrence Ati-Zigi of St Gallen.
Ghana’s first choice and second choice shot-stoppers Joseph Wollacot and Richard Ofori have been ruled out of the tournament due to injuries.
Manaf put up an impressive display for Ghana during their penalty shootouts win over Chile in the 2022 Kirin Cup in June, saving three penalties.
“It’s unfortunate that Richard Ofori and Joseph Wollacot will miss out [of the World Cup] because they have the experience,” George Owu told Nhyira FM.
“Danlad is a young goalkeeper who has been in the youth sides, the local Black Stars but he needs to be monitored for some time to learn more.
“But if you look at the other two goalkeepers [Manaf & Ati Zigi], I think Manaf can do it because when given the opportunity in Japan, he proved it and Ati Zigi has been a bit on and off.
“I think he [Manaf Nurudeen] built his confidence at the Kirin tournament and the players and the coaches had trust in him as well.
“Though he was on a standby, if he’s back in the team now, why can’t he keep the post for Ghana?” He asked.
Ghana’s President, Akufo-Addo, has been working with other African presidents during this year’s United Nations (UNFCCC) 27th Conference of the Parties (COP 27) in Egypt to pressure rich countries that pollute the most to release the $100 billion in climate finance promised to poor countries to help them green their economies and better adapt to climate change.
However, the emphasis on a quick delivery of billions of dollars to African economies raises concerns about accountability, transparency, and the standard of governance, both as support for helping Africa adapt to the unavoidable effects of climate change and as reparations for loss and harm.
In the past, substantial amounts of funding for development in Africa have been squandered due to mismanagement, bad policy design, and corruption.
How can we keep the nascent field of “climate finance” from falling victim to outdated prejudices?
Furthermore, African leaders are also busily using the climate talks to convince rich nations to continue investing in the continent’s fossil fuels, which they see as necessary to expand economies and boost electricity access. However, decades of investment in oil and gas have generally failed to deliver cheap and reliable electricity supply to Africa’s poorest consumers due to poor strategic choices, policy incoherence and outright corruption.
To probe these challenges, confusions and contradictions, a group of African think tanks and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) convened by the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) and the IMANI Center for Policy & Education (IMANI) held deliberations on the virtual sidelines of COP 27 on 9th November 2022. At the event, the partners launched a series of case studies intending to show how corruption, mismanagement and onerous offtake terms, have blunted the strategic flexibility of African governments by saddling them with mounting debts and poor response choices, in a time when rising energy costs are fuelling a cost of living crisis across the continent.
The first case study is presented in this short brief. It looks at Tema LNG Terminal (Tema LNG), a project led by Helios Investment Partners to import LNG into Ghana, supported by multiple development finance institutions.
The project was expected to start operations in 2020 but as at November 2022, it is still not online. Ghana’s national oil company, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), is committed to pursuing the project, despite officials admitting there is no demand for the gas. There are now serious doubts about the feasibility of the project even in 2023, or ever.
Tema LNG poses a major risk to the already strained finances of GNPC. Calculations by ACEP and IMANI suggest GNPC could be paying between $790 million – $1.357 billion a year (based on average 2022 Brent crude prices) for gas the country doesn’t need.
Whilst GNPC has contracted gas from the Tema LNG Terminal Company (TLTC) at more than $13/MMBtu in the current oil price environment, it is bound by regulation to on-sell the gas at $5.99/MMbtu to most power utilities in Ghana. Prices are even lower for opaquely-selected “strategic industries,” which pay just $4.2/MMBTU for the gas. GNPC has even signed a contract to sell gas for as low as $2.79/MMBtu to Genser Energy Limited, an off-grid power supplier to Ghanaian gold mines, with plans for a further reduction to $1.72/MMBTU, on dubious pipeline-barter grounds.
Moreover, origins of the Tema LNG project in perverse bid-rigging and attendant procurement irregularities have heightened the corruption risk associated with the project.
Tema LNG is just one example of how mismanaged investments in gas and power capital projects in Ghana are financially crippling the country and failing to deliver affordable or reliable energy to consumers. Ghana’s power sector arrears, already in the billions of dollars, continue to mount. In November 2020, the ex-head of Ghana’s Energy Commission estimated that the country was paying a combined $1.2bn annually for excess power capacity and gas supply it does not use.
These costly investments in oil and gas have been backed by the international community. Development finance institutions have spent at least US$2.8bn in direct project finance to support the development of upstream and downstream fossil fuel projects in Ghana since 2010. Meanwhile, Ghana’s vast renewable energy potential has generally been overlooked.
Ghana’s modern renewable generation capacity remains negligible, at less than 1% in 2020. This is despite renewable energy sources, such as solar, now being the cheapest form of energy in many parts of Africa, according to the International Energy Agency. Solar and similar renewable energy sources are in fact set to outcompete all other sources continent-wide by 2030.
In light of all the above, the Alliance of policy think tanks advocating for good governance to drive green growth in Africa proposes the following:
1. A public release of all contracts, agreements, restated/amended agreements and constructive understandings entered into by GNPC, TLTC and all other actors connected in any commercial sense to the Tema LNG project.
2. An immediate suspension of the Tema LNG project and a standstill arrangement in respect of all obligations of the Ghanaian state concerning the project.
3. A complete renegotiation of the financial and commercial terms of the project to better reflect the current strategic situation in the global and domestic energy markets.
4. A halt to further funding and financing for the project, particularly from DFIs, MDBs and international development agencies until a sound ESG framework is in place.
5. An upgrade to the governance of the project and others like it by instituting a credible stakeholder participatory model and set of consultative practices.
Good morning and welcome to the live text commentary for the international friendly match between Ghana and Switzerland.
The Black Stars are facing off with their Swiss counterpart this morning in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in what will be the final game before the national team moves to Qatar.
Ahead of kick-off at 10:00 am, Ghana ahead coach Otto Addo has named his starting eleven for the clash.
The team has goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi in the post and will be protected by a defense that includes Tariq Lamptey, Baba Rahman, Daniel Amartey, and Salisu Mohammed.
RC Lens midfielder Abdul Salis Samed is in the starting eleven alongside Belgium-based Elisha Owusu.
Andre Ayew is also starting with his brother Jordan Ayew while Hearts of Oak star Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has been handed his maiden start for the Black Stars.
Ghana is using this morning’s friendly to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which starts on Sunday, November 20.
The Black Stars are hoping to put up a good performance to inspire confidence ahead of the start of the mundial.
Checkout the Black Stars’ starting eleven for the Switzerland friendly below:
We are just 10 minutes away from kick-off.
1′ We are off at the Zayed Sports City. The teams are on the pitch and the game has kicked off.
3′ Switzerland applies early pressure after a slow start from both countries.
4′ A very open game but players are being cautious.
5′ Lawrence Ati-Zigi with some poor goalkeeping but is fortunate there is no Swiss player to bounce on his poor save.
7′ A great attacking play by the Swiss creates a good opening for Vargas. His effort is poor as Ghana wins a goal kick.
8′ Daniel Afriyie Barnieh makes a very good run and latches onto a through ball. He fires a shot at goal but is easily saved.
10′ After a slow start to the first half, Ghana has now come in strong and currently dominating proceedings. Meanwhile, Switzerland have earned a corner kick against the run of play. The resulting kick is cleared by the Ghana defense.
11′ OFFSIDE: Andre Ayew is through on goal but the referee blows for an offside. That was close.
13′ So far so good for this new-look Black Stars. The team is however yet to really threaten the Swiss goal.
15′ This has been a very lively 15 minutes for the Black Stars.
18′ The tempo of the game is now slower. Both sets of players playing with caution to avoid injuries.
20′ Ghana wins a free-kick in a dangerous area. Jordan Ayew attempts to find Inaki Williams but is unsuccessful.
21′ The Swiss break and immediately gets a corner on the other end of the pitch. It is well-taken by Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi comes out to punch the ball to safety.
23′ Jordan Ayew with a very good turn and fires a shot at goal. It’s an easy save for the Swiss goalkeeper.
27′ Ghana continues to enjoy the lion’s share of possession. Unfortunately, still no goals.
28′ Lawrence Ati-Zigi anticipates a through ball and dives on the carpet to make a timely interception. Smart goalkeeping.
30′ We have done half an hour in this international friendly.
32′ Black Stars conceded pressure through a good clearance from Baba Rahman after pressure from the Swiss attack. Corner is taken but Lawrence Ati-Zigi saves.
34′ Tariq Lamptey fires a shot from distance. His effort is unfortunately off target. Goal kick to Switzerland.
37′ Ghana continuously dominates play but no goal to show for it.
40′ We are into the final five minutes of the game.
43′ CLOSE!! Mohammed Salisu comes close to scoring. The defender latches onto an inviting free-kick from Jordan Ayew but is unable to direct his effort at goal.
45′ No injury time as the referee blows for halftime.
Second half:
46′ We are back underway for the second 45 minutes.
47′ A very lively start to the second half. Ghana and Switzerland come close to scoring in a matter of seconds.
74’ And there’s number two! Antoine Semenyo with a sweet volley to double the lead 😍
The moniker “Agyenkwa Budget,” which is Akan for “Savior,” was given to the 2022 budget.
At the end of his speech before parliament, Ken Ofori-Atta said, “Mr. Speaker, I present to you the Agyenkwa Budget.”
The introduction of a 1.75% e-transaction tax, Mobile Money and bank transfers, the elimination of road tolls, and the allocation of GHC 1 billion to promote young entrepreneurs are some important aspects of the 2022 budget.
Though not much detail was given about the name, it projects that the 2022 budget does not add up to the hardships of Ghanaians.
While speaking on the floor of parliament on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, Ofori-Atta pointed out that the burdens of Ghanaians have been reduced since the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) took over from former president John Dramani Mahama.
“Mr. Speaker, I present to you the Agyenkwa Budget,” Ken Ofori-Atta said to conclude his presentation in parliament.
Some highlights of the 2022 budget are the introduction of a 1.75% tax on e-transactions; Mobile Money and bank transfers, the scrapping of road tolls, and the setting aside of GHC1billion to support young entrepreneurs.
Other initiatives introduced in the presentation are the YouStart Initiative to curb youth unemployment in Ghana and the government’s Development Bank Ghana receiving an operational license to commence work.
The hub is projected to have a US$60 billion export value and provide 680,000 jobs for the populace.
The hub would be a significant growth pole for the country, according to Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, who made this statement at the Minister’s briefing dubbed: “The State of the Region Report” on Wednesday in Accra.
According to the Minister, the Government’s goal to make the Region the center for oil and gas operations was consistent with the petroleum enclave.
Some of the key infrastructure expected in the hub include jetties, storage tanks, refineries, liquefied natural gas facilities, power and fertilizer plants.
Residential and commercial areas, security and emergency response area, waste management centre, water treatment plant and light to medium industrial area were the other facilities expected to be constructed in the hub.
The Minister, for instance, mentioned the tier-three PTC interchange in Takoradi, which was 58 percent completed and expected to be ready in July next year.
The Takoradi Central Market Re-development Project, which was 68 percent completed at an estimated cost of 48 million euros and would be ready in February 2024.
The government, he said, had constructed an automated oil jetty at the Takoradi Port, created a modern container terminal at the Port, began the construction of a Forward Operating Base at Ezinlibo to enable the military to protect the country’s petroleum installations and respond swiftly to any security emergency.
It had also completed fishing harbour and landing beaches in Axim and Dixcove respectively, with facilities such as fish markets, net mending places, cold rooms, warehouses, day care centres, administration blocks and power rooms.
The 25-million-dollar Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) operational headquarters was also progressing steadily.
On Free Senior High School Policy, Mr Darko-Mensah observed that the policy had increased school enrolment by 483 percent from 13,310 in 2017 to 63,631 beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, a total of 104 educational facilities, comprising classroom blocks, dormitories, dining halls and ICT centres had been completed in the Region since 2017 to date.
Under the government’s “One-District, One-Factory” flagship programme, a total of 48 companies were approved to receive support out of which seven were operational thus creating direct and indirect jobs for the people.
The Regional Minister stated that the sea defense projects at Amanful-Kuma, Adjoa, Funkoe and Aboadze had been completed, thereby protecting the coastline communities from the devastation of the high tidal waves.
Of the 68 road contracts awarded for bitumen surfacing constituting 1,104 kilometres only 152 kilometres were constructed.
He mentioned other critical trunk roads in the Region that were being constructed including the 63km Agona-Nkwanta-Tarkwa road, which was 18 per cent completed. The 60km Tarkwa-Damang road had been completed while the dualisation of the Paa Grant road through to SECO was ongoing.
The Minister announced that of the 1,959 km of the roads being worked on in the Region only 250km had been done and, thus, expressed grave concerns about the lackadaisical attitudes of some of the contractors.
In view of that, Mr Darko-Mensah said he had recommended the termination of some of the road contracts and reward them to new contractors.
Former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan has expressed his excitement after finally acquiring his UEFA B Coaching License.
Gyan’s dreams of becoming a coach in future is gradually taking shape. He was first pictured taking a Football Association of Wales (FAW) residential coaching course with a number of other former and current players in June.
‘Your new UEFA License Coach is here ❤️⚽️, thanks to all who made it possible & a special one to the Wales FA , this is just the beginning . January 2023 Coaching Clinic loading 🙏🏿” he posted on is twitter.
The 36-year-old was in class for the six-day programme organized by the Football Association of Wales.
It was a residential course for those who had experience of playing or coaching within the professional game.
Gyan excelled and after five months and has been awarded for his hard work, meaning he is qualified to take on a coaching job.
He is currently without a club since leaving Legon Cities where he made just five appearances in the 2020/21 season.
He last played for the Black Stars at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
Gyan is the all-time leading goalscorer of Ghana, with 51 goals and is also the top African goalscorer in the history of the World Cup with six goals.
Your new UEFA License Coach is here ❤️⚽️, thanks to all who made it possible & a special one to the Wales FA , this is just the beginning . January 2023 Coaching Clinic loading 🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/ultjaj6VwV
Currently, only 20% of the power Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) purchases from Independent Power Producers is paid for through the Cash Waterfall Mechanism (CWM) (IPPs).
The unpaid balance of the remaining 80% keeps growing, going from US$996 million in September 2022 to US$1.2 billion in October.
By allocating the profits from electricity sales proportionately among the relevant energy sector participants involved in the value chain of the electricity supply, the CWM aims to pay off debt associated with the power sector.
After initially proving to be relatively cost-effective in controlling the sector’s debt in the past, the mechanism, according to the Chamber of Independent Power Producers, Distributors and Bulk Consumers (CIPDiB), is increasingly becoming unavailing, as it is unable to pay for 80 percent of the power IPPs sell to the ECG.
“The Cash Waterfall Mechanism pays only 20 percent of our delivered energy invoices,” laments the Chamber’s Chief Executive Officer, Elikplim Apetorgbor.
The remaining 80 percent, he noted, keeps adding to the arrears which stood at US$1.2billion at October ending.
He explained that the ECG’s inability to effectively collect revenue from consumers inevitably renders the CWM unsuccessful; hence the need for more enduring solutions to address the sector’s huge indebtedness.
The ECG, the country’s main power utility, buys electricity from IPPs and others, and distributes it to consumers in southern parts of the country.
For instance, its annual losses – technical and system – are about 30 percent of its revenue: far above the regulator’s allowable loss margin of 23 percent.
As a result, the company loses around GH¢3.2billion yearly, according to Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.
“The Cash Waterfall Mechanism was meant to provide a transparent and fair formula in the disbursement of any revenue that ECG rakes in. It will interest you to know that we lost the transparency objective. The last time the Cash Waterfall Mechanism Committee shared a report with us was in the first quarter of 2021,” Mr. Apetorgbor said.
ECG thinks otherwise
The ECG, when contacted concerning the claims by IPPs, denied that the CWM currently pays for 20 percent of the power it buys from generation firms.
Its Managing Director, Samuel Dubik Mahama, told the B&FT that about 73 percent of what his company buys from the IPPs was being paid for and not 20 percent.
Broken promise
Sensing that the CWM alone would not be enough in curbing power sector-related debt, the government through the 2022 budget announced a novel fund, dubbed Delta Fund, to clear outstanding payments to IPPs.
However, a year on the Chamber, which is the official mouthpiece for the IPPs, said nothing has since been heard concerning the said fund.
“We have been promised Delta Fund to pay up the outstanding. To date, no company has received any payment from such Delta Fund, if it exists,” Mr. Apetorgbor stated.
Impact of arrears on loan commitments
According to the Chamber’s CEO, some IPPs have defaulted on their loan commitments as they struggle to receive reasonable payments for the power they sell to ECG.
Explaining further, Mr. Apetorgbor said: “The danger is that most of us are in loan repayment default”.
This, coupled with rapid depreciation of the cedi and inflation, he bemoaned, is adversely affecting their operations.
If nothing unexpected happens, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) will begin enforcing the rule that all used automobiles imported into the nation must have a current Certificate of Conformance (CoC) from an authorized entity as of January 1, 2023.
The vehicle’s Certificate of Conformity (COC) is proof that it met all technical requirements for EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval at the time of manufacture (EC-WVTA).
A car that has a COC has been homologated, and this certificate is recognized in the relevant jurisdiction.
This means that a vehicle owner can register a specific car with a COC.
The GSA states in a press statement copied to the B&FT: “The public – and more specifically, importers of used vehicles – must ensure that beginning 1st January 2023, all such cars shall be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Conformance (CoC) from an approved body”.
The GSA indicated that the directive is in line with the Customs (Amendment) Act 2020, Section 61 of Act 891 amended and related legislation.
Accordingly, the Authority explained that enforcement of this aspect of the law will ensure improved safety, quality and asset value of used vehicles imported into Ghana, while sustaining the value chain of the used vehicle industry.
The statement noted that an updated list of approved inspection bodies and licenced used vehicle dealerships with contact details will be provided on the Authority’s website.
“The Authority wishes to take this opportunity to remind all importers and assemblers of new vehicles to register with the Authority and ensure that vehicle models imported or assembled are homologated (certified) by the Authority, in line with the relevant Ghana Standards for new vehicles of categories M1 (Passenger cars and SUVs), M2 (Minibuses) and N1 (Pickups and cargo vans,” the statement said.
The statement further states that new vehicles of models not homologated (certified) by the Authority shall not be permitted importation from 1st January 2023.
Hearts of Oak head coach Slavko Matic has announced his 20-man squad for their Ghana Premier League match week seven encounter against Accra Lions on Thursday.
Coach Matic has dropped goalkeeper Eric Ofori Antwi, Yassan Ouatching and Daniel Kodie from the squad.
Richard Attah returns to the team after sitting on the sidelines in the cub’s last three matches, replacing Eric Ofori Antwi.
Daniel Afriyie Barnieh will miss the game due to his involvement with the Black Stars in Abu Dhabi after making the final World Cup squad.
The Phobians will be looking to return to winning ways after drawing goalless with Karela United at the Accra Sports Satdium.
Accra Lions, on the other hand, have yet to lose a game since their opening day defeat to Kotoku Royals at the Cape Coast stadium.
Below is Hearts of Oak’s 20-man squad for the game.
Goalkeepers: Richard Attah GK (30), Richmond Ayi GK (26)
Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (22) , Fatawu Mohammed (2), Dennis Korsah (27), Rashid Okine (12) ,Mohammed Alhassan (15), Robert Addo Sowah (14), Konadu Yiadom (5)
