TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Textile stamp policy to begin November 1

    As of November 1, 2022, retailers of textiles will need to affix stamps to their goods to confirm the validity of the textiles made in Ghana, imported into Ghana, and sold there.

    The initiative will be coordinated by the Ghana Revenue Authority in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

    At the introduction, Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Minister of Trade and Industry, emphasized that the tax stamp was not a brand-new tax but rather a government initiative to boost the profitability of the sector.

    He said they intended to regulate the importation and illicit trading of products to ensure that the right taxes and duties were paid.

    Mr Kyerematen said it formed part of the Ministry’s policy initiatives to revamp and restructure the textiles industry as they introduced a new import management system to ensure fabrics imported were subjected to the payment of appropriate taxes.

    The Minister said they were also designating entry points for the importation of textiles at Tema, Takoradi and Aflao.

    “We are poised to revamp the textile industry via these new measures being rolled out to make the industry vibrant and more profitable as it was some years back,” he added.

    The Minister said they had been engaging the stakeholders, especially the traders, on the initiative since 2018 and entreated them to comply with the tax stamps directive by ensuring that their products had the tax stamps on them.

    Madam Christiana Laryea, National President of the Textiles Traders Association, commended the Ministry for the initiative and promised that the association would support them to revamp the sector.

    She, however, appealed to the Ministry to continue to engage and sensitise the traders on the initiative for them to fully comply.

    Textiles already in stock before the implementation period will have a blue stamp, whereas textiles manufactured locally will have a green stamp and red stamp for those imported.

    The Ministry and the GRA will constitute a task force to ensure that dealers in textiles adhere to the initiative.

  • Bulldog is a complete wizard and evil man – Powerful Prophet reveals

    After Bulldog expressed concern that Shatta Wale’s new album would not be as successful as Black Sherif, the two engaged in a verbal sparring match.

    Bulldog (real name Lawrence Nana Asiamah Hanson) claims that upcoming albums by Sarkodie (‘Jamz’) and Shatta Wale (‘Gift of God’) won’t have the same level of streaming success as Black Sherif’s (‘The Villain I Never Was’).

    He went on Hitz FM and said that Shatta and Sarkodie would not have as many listeners as the ‘Kweku The Traveller’ singer since they are not registered to a major international record company.

    However, Shatta Wale did not like the comment and answered in a foul manner.

    “Eeerrrhhh if Blacko’s album will do better than us kwraaa, we like, and we hear …at the end of the day Ghana wins … F**lish people …”

    He went on to further attack Bulldog saying, “all be money matter – you too find something to do and stop that nonsense… MAKE MONEY in your own way.”

    Reacting to the ongoing brouhaha from the camp of Shatta Wale and Bulldog, a self-styled man of God in the person of Evangelist Suro Nyame preaching in the streets of Kumasi didn’t hesitate to label Bulldog as wizard and evil for hating on Shatta.

    Source: ghbase.com

     

     

     

  • PnB Rock’s girlfriend pens heartbreaking post about rapper’s death: ‘My man saved my life’

    PnB Rock’s girlfriend has shared heartbreaking details on the rapper’s final moments.

    Stephanie Sibounheuang took to Instagram on Thursday to post a lengthy message about the loss she and her family endured. The post came about a month after PnB Rock was fatally shot during a robbery at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ’N Waffles in Los Angeles, where he and Sibounheuang had gone for lunch.

    “I am 100% not ok. If I wasn’t spiritual, I could kill my self (but then I’ll go to hell and my man not there),” she wrote.

    “My man saved my life, throwing me under that table. I’m not supposed to be here, but bc of him, I am. No one would be able to handle this. TBH, I can’t even handle this.”

    Sibounheuang, who shared a two-year-old daughter with the late rapper, recalled the moments that unfolded after the shooting, like being escorted out of the restaurant, forced into a police car, and placed in an interrogation room, completely unaware that her boyfriend had been pronounced dead.

    “I felt this time in my relationship everything was finally perfect for our family,” she continued.

    “My man had gave himself to GOD. Did a complete 360. He was loyal. He was patient. He was teachable and a teacher. I was finally letting the past go, and letting him show up as his changed self. My last day with u. I told you ‘I know you my husband. I know you my soulmate.’

    Source: Complex.com

  • No need comparing official inflation figures to that of Prof Hanke – GSS explains

    Ghanaians have been advised not to compare the inflationary data from the Statistical Services with that of well-known US Professor Steve Hanke by the government statistician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim.

    Prof. Steve Hanke, a social media star for his evaluation of numerous economies, has frequently charged that the government conceals the nation’s actual inflation rate.

    Prof. Annim, speaking to the media at the October briefing on the country’s inflation, maintains that the CPI approach used by the Statistical Service is preferable than Prof. Hanke’s Purchasing Price Parity Module and in line with worldwide practice (PPPM).

    Prof. Annim added that Mr. Hanke’s PPPM is only based on the exchange rate.

    “Steve Hanke’s approach is not based on consumer price index, Steve Hanke’s approach is based on the purchasing power parity,” he reiterated.

    “Underlying the purchasing power parity is the assumption that price differences between two countries is only the exchange rate.

    “The key difference here is that the CPI approach necessarily requires that you collect data on three variables: prices, quantities and the expenditure weight of these items, and this is at sharp variance with Steve Hanke’s purchasing power parity,” Prof. Annim explained.

    “The premise of the computation both from a data point of view and a scope of data point of view are not the same, so we need not make an attempt to compare that,” he cautioned.

    According to him, Steve Hanke’s approach does not put into consideration the importance of items that people consume.

    He also revealed that the Statistical Service will stick to the CPI method as it remains the true reflection of inflation.

  • Residents complain Toronto Intersection smells: ‘You have to keep your windows closed on a bad day’

    Toronto residents living near the intersection of King Street West and Strachan Avenue are complaining about a lingering foul stench.

    “It smells like sewage,” said Ann Riness, who lives nearby, to a CBC Toronto reporter. “It’s definitely tough to live here. You have to keep your windows closed on a bad day.”

    The longtime resident added the smell first came up over a year ago.

    Among the many comparisons, the word “poop” floated around often to describe what people were smelling. Another resident likened the stench to rotten eggs and sulphur.

    The strong odour is only one facet of Toronto’s alleged lack of upkeep.

    A separate CBC article noted that certain parts of the city have been falling apart. They listed scattered construction debris, numerous potholes, overflowing garbage, and broken water fountains as recurring problems they’d see across Toronto.

    While the city itself has claimed these are isolated and temporary issues, its citizens disagree.


    “You walk […] in New York City years ago and it was disgusting. Now are looking [at Toronto] the same way,” said Alistair Francois to CBC reporters outside of Toronto’s city hall.

    There’s a municipal election set for Toronto on Oct. 24.

    Source: Complex.com

  • We’re committed to reducing carbon footprint in Ghana – Energy Minister

    Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Ghana’s Minister of Energy, has emphasized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-commitment Addo’s to increasing investment in renewable energy sources and lowering Ghana’s carbon footprint.

    The Minister made the remarks as the Special Guest at the COP 27-Global Student Pre-Summit Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 in Accra, which was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

    This year’s Pre-Summit has the subject “Climate Change and its Impact on Education” as its theme.

    The three-day event is a precursor to the main event; the 27th Session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27), which will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, from 6th to 18th November, 2022.

    The Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjuor, who chaired the function noted in his remarks that, COP27 will create a platform for the renewal of solidarity among countries to deliver on the landmark Paris agreement for the good of people and the planet.

    The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in a speech read on her behalf by the Director of the Multilateral Bureau of the Ministry, Mrs. Joyce Asamoah Koranteng, expressed the Ministry’s gratitude to the All-African Student Union (AASU) and the Global Students Forum (GSF) for convening the Summit which highlights one of the most pressing issues confronting the world today.

    She indicated Ghana’s readiness to advocate change until the world is free from insecurities and discomfort caused by climate change.

    The Summit was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, members of the diplomatic community, and student bodies.

    The participating students and young people are from various parts of the world including Honduras, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, the UK, Pakistan, Latvia, the USA, Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya among others.

  • Tenant who was facing eviction charged with murdering Landlord and hiding remains in freezer

    An Illinois woman was arrested this week in connection to the death of Frances Walker, a 69-year-old landlord whose remains were found in a freezer.

    According to Law & Crime, authorities arrested 36-year-old Sandra Kolalou on Monday, just hours after Walker’s dismembered body was discovered in the far North Side of Chicago.

    Kalalou was reportedly renting a room in Walker’s West Ridge home when the murder took place. Police say they believe the attack occurred in Walker’s bedroom at approximately 2:30 a.m.., when other tenants reported hearing the landlord screaming.

    Residents claimed they tried to make contact with Walker multiple times throughout the day, but never received a direct response. Though they received text messages from Walker’s phone—allegedly sent by Kolalou—the tenants became suspicious and alerted authorities.

    Officers arrived at the home at around 7 p.m. later that day and found Kalalou leaving the home and getting into a tow truck that she allegedly ordered using Walker’s credit card.

    The Chicago Police Department say the woman refused to speak to officers and instructed the tow truck driver to take her to pick up her car in Foster Beach. However, before the driver took off, he gave his contact information to the other tenants, just in case something went wrong.

    Source: Complex.com

  • 11 killed, dozens injured in bus explosion

    At least 11 people died in central Mali when a bus hit an explosive device on the road between Bandiagara and Goundaka.

    Many others were seriously injured.

    A jihadist insurgency in the West African country has claimed thousands of lives and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.

    A report by the UN mission in Mali (Minusma) found that mines and improvised explosive devices had caused more than 70 deaths by the end of August this year.

    It said most of the victims were soldiers – but a quarter are civilians.

    Source: BBC

  • Congratulate the dollar, it has humiliated you beyond recognition – Omane Boamah to Bawumia

    Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, a former minister of communications, has criticized Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the persistent devaluation of the Cedi versus the US Dollar.

    He poked fun at the Vice President on Facebook on October 13 by saying that the US dollar should be receiving his congrats instead.

    According to him, this is because the dollar’s overwhelming domination over the local currency has rendered the Vice President a laughing stock.

    Dr. Omane Boamah wrote: “Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia must be sending massive congratulations to the dollar. The dollar has humiliated him beyond recognition.”

    The Vice President together with the then-candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ahead of the 2016 elections berated the National Democratic Congress over what they said was the depreciation of the Ghana Cedi against major trading currencies.

    The duo indicated that they will implement policies and measures to curb the free fall of the Cedi when voted into office.

    Upon assumption of office, however, the Cedi has largely lost more ground against the dollar, only intermittently stabilizing against the dollar.

    It will be recalled that in 2017, Vice President Bawumia while giving an account of the first 100 days in office of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, indicated that they have been able to “arrest” the fall of the Ghana Cedi against the Dollar.

    But in recent times, the Cedi has fast depreciated crossing GH₵11.00 against the US dollar on the forex market. The situation has contributed partly in the surge in prices of goods and services as traders lament that without an increment, the exchange rate will erode their profit.

  • Court drops charges against Nigeria separatist leader

    Nigeria’s Appeal Court has dropped all charges against separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu after ruling that he had been illegally arrested abroad.

    The court also ruled that his extradition had been illegal.

    The ruling by a panel of three judges is seen as a major blow to the government which had detained Mr Kanu on various treason and terrorism-related charges.

    He leads the banned indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) group.

    Ipob is campaigning for the creation of an independent state in south-eastern Nigeria.

    Mr Kanu – who holds a UK passport – fled Nigeria in 2017 before he was seized and brought back in 2021.

    His 2021 arrest abroad was illegal because extradition protocol was not followed, the court said.

    Kenya has not commented on whether it played a role in Mr Kanu’s deportation to Nigeria.

    The Appeal Court also ruled the Federal High Court did not have the jurisdiction to try Mr Kanu.

    He initially faced 15 charges, but eight had previously been dropped.

    He was originally arrested in 2015 but he fled Nigeria in 2017 while out on bail. He had previously denied any wrongdoing.

    Ipob wants a group of states in the south-east of the country, largely inhabited by members of the Igbo ethnic group, to break away from Nigeria and form an independent nation called Biafra.

    In 1967 Igbo leaders declared independence for the state of Biafra, but after a civil war, which led to the deaths of up to a million people, the secessionist rebellion was defeated.

    But the idea of Biafra has never gone away and despite the arrests of his members, Mr Kanu’s movement has seen a recent swell in its numbers.

    Source: BBC

  • Why Leonardo DiCaprio has been called as a witness in Pras Michel’s money laundering trial

    Leonardo DiCaprio is among 72 witnesses being prepped as part of Fugees member Pras Michel’s money laundering trial.

    Per a report from Politico, an extensive list of witnesses is being prepared for the trial, in which Michel is facing federal charges of conspiracy and falsifying records as part of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal. DiCaprio’s 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street, which was directed by Martin Scorsese, was allegedly partially funded by money fraudulently acquired from 1MDB.

    The 47-year-old actor previously gave secret testimony to a Washington, D.C. grand jury for his reported involvement in the scandal in 2019. It’s possible that he could answer questions about the alleged connection between the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and 1MDB, which was systematically embezzled of millions by multiple perpetrators, but chiefly by alleged mastermind Jho Low.

    Michel allegedly had ties to Jho Low, who has been accused of stealing a total of $4.5 billion. Authorities have asserted that Michel transferred a significant amount of funds from Low into the 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign.


    In 2019, Michel pleaded not guilty to the charges, but he was hit with further charges in June 2021 after he allegedly engaged in a back channel campaign to pressure the Trump administration to drop its investigation into Low and 1MDB.

    It’s that The Fugees were forced to cancel their reunion tour due to the federal charges.

    Source: Complex.com

  • China fines Kenya Sh1.31bn for defaulting on SGR loans

    Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta praised the Group of Seven (G7) countries’ decision to invite finance ministers from several African countries to a summit in Washington, DC, as “very historic.”

    Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union make up the G7, an informal alliance of the seven most developed economies in the world.

    For the crucial meeting, this group summoned the finance ministers of Senegal, Togo, Zambia, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Chad, Tunisia, and Morocco, as well as from South Africa.

    It was reported by Accra-based 3news that the G7 instructed the World Bank to provide financial support to Ghana and other African countries who were at the meeting.

    This financial support, according to the report, is to enable the African countries to deal with the impact of the economic crisis caused by force majeures.

    “It was actually quite a historic meeting because for the first time the G7 has called African Finance Ministers to deliberate on the crisis that they see.

    “…these are exogenous factors that have really (affected), even their own economies (and) put it under serious stress and are, therefore, looking for ways in which they can add to the capital needs to make sure that things do not deteriorate. So countries such as Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, and Morocco were there,” Ken Ofori-Atta said as quoted by 3news.

    He added “The empathy is clear, the need to [introduce] something new and therefore, their interest in encouraging the World Bank to find more resources, tapping into the private sector so that they will stabilize where things are going.

    “They have reduced growth rate to 2.7 percent expecting a grim and difficult period, they don’t want to make sure that things deteriorate from liquidly to insolvency to chaos.”

    The meeting brings together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organizations and academia to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.

  • Our songs are still the best – Kofi Nti

    Highlife musician Kofi Nti has said that although their songs are old, they are still the best because of the quality of the lyrics.

    According to Kofi Nti, although the new songs in the system are good, none of them come close to the old songs in terms of lyrics and quality instrumentation. He explained that the comparison between these two songs (old and new) is like comparing oranges to melons.

    Speaking in an interview with Graphic showbiz, the Rakia hitmaker described the old songs are “evergreen”. He eulogized some old musicians who made the music industry very solid. Kofi Nti mentioned the likes of Ofori Amponsah, KK Fosu, Nana Agyeman, Kontihene, and others.

     

    “It is no surprise songs from our time and before us are always evergreen. In fact, I miss our days when the likes of Ofori Amponsah, KK Fosu, Nana Agyemang, and Kontihene among others were performing wonders with their songs. When you play an old song today, you will realize it has all the elements that make a song unique and although songs of today are not bad, I just believe our rock and are much better,”.

    Touching on what he misses during ‘his days’, Kofi Nti revealed, “I miss when myself, Ofori Amponsah, Barosky were all over the place entertaining Ghanaians with our music. We played at almost every show at that time and it was a good feeling”.

    Commenting on staying relevant as a musician, Kofi Nti said, “it is not easy for an artiste to remain relevant for years. Musicians such as Okyeame Kwame, Daddy Lumba, Kojo Antwi etc have managed to do it and I can only commend them. It takes a genius to do that and they have done a good job of that”.

    source: www.ghbase.com

  • Dome-Kitase road project ahead of schedule – Contractor

    The Executive Chairman of First Sky Construction Limited, Eric Seedy Kutortse, has given an assurance that his company will complete the Dome-Kitase Road Rehabilitation Project under 20 months.

    That, he said, was because the construction of the 23-kilometre stretch, which commenced in July this year and scheduled to be completed in two years, was already about 30 per cent completed.

    “What we are doing currently is that we are improving the vertical alignment of the road by cutting to formation, and once that is done, the project will be almost 30 per cent completed.

    “So per our programme, by the end of this month we will cut the entire road to formation,” he added.

    Mr Kutortse gave the assurance when the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, visited the project site as part of his routine inspection of ongoing road projects in the country.

    The minister was accompanied by the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong, and some senior officials and engineers from the ministry, the Ghana Highway Authority, the Department of Feeder Roads and chief executives of some municipal/district assemblies who had jurisdiction over the project area.

    Mr Kutortse said the company was determined to provide good, quality road infrastructure to accelerate the socio-economic development of the area and the country as a whole in spite of working ahead of time.

    Commendation  Mr Amoako-Atta said he was impressed with the progress of work, and lauded First Sky Limited for the company’s seriousness towards the project.

    “I like what I have seen, and from the briefings that I have had from all the engineers up to the Chief Director who have the technical eye, the construction is according to specifications,” he said.

    “It was supposed to be completed in 24 months, but it is in capable hands, our own and one of the best in the country, so I trust him,” he added.

    He encouraged the company to prioritise the safety of its workers and motorists during the construction process to avoid any incidents.

    Project scope

    The GH¢195 million project, which will cover 23 kilometres, begins from the Dome Roundabout in the Greater Accra Region, through Berekuso and ends in Kitase, both in the Eastern Region.

    It includes a 16.3km two-lane single carriageway with asphaltic concrete surfacing; a 2.8km asphaltic concrete surfacing dual carriageway arterial with auxiliary lanes on both sides for drop off/pick up; and a one-km two-lane single carriageway for Ashesi University, also with asphaltic concrete surfacing.

    Part of the Ofankor-Nsawam road under construction

    The stretch will connect the Accra-Kumasi Road to the Accra-Aburi-Koforidua Road, and provide an alternate route for road users between Accra and Aburi.

    Mr Amoako-Atta also visited the Ofankor-Nsawam Road Rehabilitation Project where he expressed satisfaction with the current state of the project.

    The scheduled works on the 33.4 km stretch, which forms part of the Accra-Kumasi road network, is expected to last two years, ending in July 2024.

    The project being undertaken by Messrs Maripoma Enterprise Limited for GH¢341.48 million will consist of the reconstruction of the existing asphaltic concrete pavement and about nine pedestrian crossing facilities, and four interchanges at Amasaman, Kpobiman, Medie and Nsawam Junction with streetlights.

    The road — currently a two-lane dual carriageway — is being expanded to a three-lane dual carriageway, with service lanes. It will also have adequate drainage structures, traffic signs and road markings.

    Some structures and buildings affected by the project have been marked for demolition.

    Mr Amoako-Atta took time to engage with owners of such structures, and assured them of adequate compensation in due course.

    Source: Graphiconline

  • Akon admits his brother performed as his double when he couldn’t make a show

    Akon admitted that he used to employ his brother Abou ‘Bu’ Thiam as his double when he couldn’t make it to a show.

    In an interview on The Morning Hustle, the singer and entrepreneur was asked about T-Pain’s claims earlier this year that he used Bu as a double. “Let me clear some things up so we all know,” he said with a smile around the 20:50 minute-mark of the interview, which can be seen above. “Bu was my double. He was my double. This was before internet. If you saw Abou in one place and you saw me, you couldn’t tell the difference.”

    Akon confirmed that Bu actually started out as his hype man when he first started touring, but eventually he had to start passing on shows that would pay a lot of money because he didn’t have the time. “I was like, ‘Man, all this money I’m leaving on the table,’” he continued. “We cannot leave all this money on the table.” He said he even sent his brother to perform at a Hot 97-hosted show at one point. Asked if Bu can sing, he simply replied, “No.”

    Around the time they did this, Akon noted that the only way people could tell the difference between them is that Bu would wear hats and he wouldn’t.

    Akon later joked that his brother Omar did the same thing, but without his permission. “That was probably the funnest part of our lives,” he recalled.

    Rumors have circulated that Akon had Bu perform as his double for a while, but the claim got more traction earlier this year when T-Pain casually spoke about it during a livestream.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Microsoft to train five million Nigerians – Minister

    Nigeria’s government has signed an agreement with US technology giant Microsoft to train five million people in digital technology.

    Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami said the agreement would boost “job creation and economic development”.

    Prof Pantami described the initiative as “amazing and also very huge”.

    He told the BBC it would start immediately, and run for five years.

    The deal was signed on the sidelines of an IT exhibition in Dubai on Wednesday, with a Microsoft representative saying the company was willing to work with the Nigerian government to provide “economic opportunities” for young people.

    Microsoft and the government have been in talks for more than a year about the project.

    Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and biggest economy.

    It has a largely young population of more than 200 million. But unemployment is high and the education sector is struggling. The government says it is trying to make the economy digitally oriented.

    Prof Pantami also said that Nigeria would continue to provide an “enabling environment” for Microsoft and other companies to operate in the country by ensuring that regulatory measures were “developmental and flexible”.

    ;

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • ‘Quite historic’ – Ofori-Atta on G7 directive to World Bank

    The Group of Seven (G7) countries invited finance ministers from several African countries to a summit in Washington, DC, a move that the country’s finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, called “very significant.”

    The G7 is an informal alliance of the seven most developed economies in the world, namely: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union.

    For the crucial meeting, this group summoned the finance ministers of South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Zambia, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Chad, Tunisia, and Morocco.

    It was reported by Accra-based 3news that the G7 instructed the World Bank to provide financial support to Ghana and other African countries who were at the meeting.

    This financial support, according to the report, is to enable the African countries to deal with the impact of the economic crisis caused by force majeures.

    “It was actually quite a historic meeting because for the first time the G7 has called African Finance Ministers to deliberate on the crisis that they see.

    “…these are exogenous factors that have really (affected), even their own economies (and) put it under serious stress and are, therefore, looking for ways in which they can add to the capital needs to make sure that things do not deteriorate. So countries such as Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, and Morocco were there,” Ken Ofori-Atta said as quoted by 3news.

    He added “The empathy is clear, the need to [introduce] something new and therefore, their interest in encouraging the World Bank to find more resources, tapping into the private sector so that they will stabilize where things are going.

    “They have reduced growth rate to 2.7 percent expecting a grim and difficult period, they don’t want to make sure that things deteriorate from liquidly to insolvency to chaos.”

    The meeting brings together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organizations and academia to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.

  • ‘Blood Quantum’ filmmaker Jeff Barnaby dies of cancer at 46

    Mi’kmaw filmmaker Jeff Barnaby, who received critical acclaim for his films Rhymes for Young Ghouls and Blood Quantum, has died at 46 after a year-long battle with cancer.

    The writer-director was considered a visionary in modern Indigenous cinema.

    He brought to light the horrors of Canada’s residential school system in his 2013 debut Rhymes for Young Ghouls.

    In 2019, he won six Canadian Screen Awards for his follow-up Blood Quantum, a horror film 13 years in the making about a zombie outbreak on a Mi’kmaq reserve.

     His colleagues in the Canadian film industry shared their condolences on social media.

    Source: Complex.com

  • I’ll challenge judgement on NAPO’s defamation suit – Sammy Gyamfi

    The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is set to challenge a High Court’s judgement in a defamation case brought against him by Energy Minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh.

    The High Court, Accra, General Jurisdiction 12, presided over by Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah found that Sammy Gyamfi defamed the Energy Minister at a press conference in June 2019 when he said that “Seidu Yakubu, suspected of being involved in the kidnapping of the 2 Canadian girls in the year 2019, is the errand boy of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.”

    The court awarded damages of GH¢500,000 in favour of Dr. Opoku Prempeh.

    It also ordered Mr. Gyamfi to publish a retraction and an apology.

    The NDC Communications Officer in reacting to the judgement said the High Court erred as its decision is contrary to the evidence that was put before the court.

    “More importantly, I hold the view that the court’s decision to totally disregard the testimony of my witness, DW1, Mafus Jibril who testified that the said Seidu Mba was in fact the errand boy of Plaintiff and was in his company when he (DW1) was attacked in Manhyia sometime in 2012, constitutes a grave miscarriage of justice,” he wrote on his social media page.

    Mr. Gyamfi indicated that his lawyers will be filing a “notice of appeal and an application for a stay of execution to challenge the decision of the High Court forthwith. It’s my hope that justice will be served.”

    “It is worthy of note, that this is only the decision of the court of the first instance and not final. I am determined to pursue this matter to its logical conclusion,” he added.

    Source: Citinews

  • Louis Vuitton’s ‘200 trunks, 200 visionaries’ arrives in New York

    Louis Vuitton’s “200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries” exhibition is landing in New York City.

    The traveling exhibit launched more than a year ago in celebration of its eponymous founder’s bicentennial birthday. It debuted on Aug. 4, 2021 at the Vuitton family home in Asnières-sur-Seine, France before heading to Marina Bay in Singapore and Los Angeles. The Manhattan event, which will mark the final stop, will kick off this week at the iconic Barneys New York building on Madison Avenue, where visitors can honor the fashion house’s legacy.

    Spanning four floors, the exhibit displays 200 trunks designed by 200 visionaries who were tasked with putting their own spin on the timeless LV staple. Brands and figures like Supreme, Gloria Steinem, BTS, Pat McGrath, Nigo, and Fornasetti customized pieces that have been featured in the exhibit.

    In addition to the reworked collection of trunks, the NYC iteration will also see the reopening of the restaurant Freds. The Manhattan eatery, renamed Freds x Louis, will offer fare by its original chef, Mark Strausman.

    The event will also include the basement Residency, where LV’s in-house visual image studio team—the brains behind the “Louis 200” project—will provide “an unprecedented insight into their work and artistic process.”

    Source: Complex.com

  • I get upset when people with no light, small credit disrespect me – Sonnie Badu

    Sonnie Badu has dared social media trolls to come and face him in person to tell him to his face what they say about him on social media.

    According to the US-based Ghanaian gospel musician, he gets upset when people with no light at home insult him on social media whilst they have little data on their phones as well.

    The outspoken Gospel minister during a radio interview said “what upsets me is, sometimes, a type and kind of people who just had a little credit on their phone, no light at home and they have the audacity to push a word, to disrespect you“.

    Sharing his thoughts on how people disrespect him on social media, he continued that “then it’s like a whole host of houseflies jump on what they said on me“. According to Sonnie Badu, he wishes the trolls are brave to do it better in his face if they are not afraid than hiding behind social media.

    Speaking during an interview with Hammer Nti on Pure FM, he said “I normally say if you are a brave man come and stand in front of me and say what you want to say because I’m not afraid to say that”.

    “However, those who are higher tinkers will always understand what I’m saying because I’m not afraid to speak my mind,” he added

    Source: Pulse.comgh

  • Adopt proactive, inclusive approach towards Africa – Ofori-Atta pleads with G7

    Ghana’s finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, emphasized the advancements made as part of the G-20 Compact with Africa.

    The minister emphasized the need for a more proactive and inclusive approach when speaking at the Group of Seven (G7) conference in Washington, DC on October 12, 2022, which was a part of the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings.

    Ofori-Atta asked for more clarity about the G20 common framework and the necessity of more engagement between G7 and African Finance Ministers to develop creative and cooperative solutions in respect to the public debt levels of African nations.

    “With the intent of creating an enabling environment for private capital seeking rewarding growth investments, Ghana signed up to the G20 Compact with Africa (CWA) country in June 2017.

    “Since then, we have gradually tackled the structural challenges which have inhibited our drive towards becoming Africa’s investment hub through the implementation of targeted interventions,” Ken Ofori-Atta stated at the meeting.

    The Ministers were joined by a select group of African countries including South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Zambia, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Chad, Tunisia and Morocco to discuss current challenges being faced across advanced and frontier economies.

  • Jack Harlow’s at his best when at his most intimate

    “I go by the name of Jack Harlow,” Harlow said as he walked onto the Brooklyn Steel stage, addressing a crowd of fans who knew exactly who he was.

    It’s a Wednesday night, one of the colder nights of the fall season, and fans are making their way into the live music venue for “American Express Presents Louisville by Jack Harlow,” an intimate concert with Kentucky’s star of the moment. The exclusive concert marks a weeklong member card celebration of events and experiences.

    Up until tonight’s show, Jack Harlow had been performing for sold out arenas on his Come Home The Kids Miss You Tour. In fact, just a week ago, on October 7, Harlow performed a sold out show at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, which has around 19,000 seats. And this coming Friday, the rapper will head to Miami’s FPL Solar Amphitheatre which holds 8,500 seats.

    To sell out, let alone play in front of thousands of screaming fans is a dream come true for any artist, but especially one as new as Jack Harlow. But for this show, at his most intimate—performing at avenue with a capacity of just 1800—Jack Harlow shined the brightest.

    Making my way into the venue, I was immediately transported into Harlow world. Despite Harlow’s rising starpower, the event’s aesthetic portrayed a more humble vibe. All aspects of the event paid homage to the rapper’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Close to the entrance was a table of exclusive merch that included a 5-piece collection of shirts, hoodies, and crossbody bags designed by Louisville illustrator Bri Browers and allowed each fan to customize them with vintage -inspired iron on patches. Waiters also walked around, offering small plates of food inspired by Harlow’s favorite Vincenzo’s, such as fettuccine alfredo. The bar served a selection of Kentucky craft cocktails (the Louie Lemonade was a personal favorite).

    Inside the concert hall, fans gathered in front of the stage as a DJ spun some of the hottest tunes in the city (“Munch” by Ice Spice was a particularly big hit with the crowd). Then, a little after 30 minutes of the DJ set, it was time for the main show.

    Jack Harlow appeared from backstage with a cool and suave demeanor as the crowd roared with excitement. He very quickly captivated fans’ attention as he ran through his early hits, including “Route 66,” “I Wanna See Some Ass,” and “Way Out.” His set was mostly dedicated to his sophomore album, Come Home the Kids Miss You, though, from which he spun big crowd pleasers like “First Class,” “Dua Lipa,” and “Churchill Downs.”

    One of the greatest surprises came when Kentucky’s own Bryson Tiller joined Harlow on stage to perform their single “Luv Is Dro.” Harlow even graciously allowed Tiller space to perform “Sorry Not Sorry” from his highly acclaimed album, Trapsoul.

    The crowd knew every word to every song that was played, but what was more impressive than the crowd’s memorization skills, was how at ease Harlow appeared to be on stage. Harlow may be in a position in his career to sell out arenas and stadiums, but he shines the most when he is in front of a small audience. The small venue setting allowed him to interact with his fans on a more personal level, touching hands, and pointing at blushing girls in the audience. He was also able to take control of the whole stage. It was easy for him to get to both ends without running back and forth as he would most likely do in a larger venue. This allowed him to dance, be silly, and show a little more of his swagger.

    The intimate concert setting isn’t something we get to see from artists once they reach arena level. It’s something an established artist only comes back to for a “B-Sides” performance or an exclusive show. Jack Harlow is at an interesting point in his career where he’s reached this level quicker than some of his classmates, but he’s not quite on the same level as the big dogs of the genre.

    In the digital streaming era, there is a constant race to the finish line, with less emphasis on artist development. But if Jack Harlow’s intimate show proves anything, it is that all newer artists can benefit from playing in small venues as a better way to perfect their approach to performing and connect with the people that made them famous.

    Early on in the show Jack Harlow told fans, “I’ve always wanted to be a legend like Weezy, or Young Jeezy, or Kanyeezy.” Of course, those are huge, damn-near impossible shoes to fill. But Jack Harlow has a better chance of getting there after putting in more performances like this.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Ken Ofori-Atta meets UK counterpart Kwasi Kwarteng in US

    Ghana’s finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is in the USA for the annual IMF and World Bank meetings and the Group of Seven (G7) meeting with finance ministers from other African nations.

    The conference, according to Ofori-Atta, was “very historic because the G7 convened African Finance Ministers for the first time to discuss the situation that they see.”

    “…these are exogenous factors that have really (impacted), even their own economies (and) put it under serious stress and are, therefore, looking for ways in which they can add to the capital needs to make sure that things do not deteriorate. So countries such as Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, and Morocco were there,” he said as quoted by 3news.

    This is not the only historic moment of the ongoing meeting in Washington DC as Ken Ofori-Atta also met for the first time, Kwasi Kwarteng, the British-born Ghanaian who is the current the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that is the UK’s Finance Minister.

    In some of the photos circulating on social media, Ofori-Atta is seen sitting next to Kwarteng and having a tête-à-tête.

    Kwasi Kwarteng’s appointment made him the first Black to ascend to such a position regarded as only second to the Prime Minister’s office in UK political circles.

    Before his new role as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Conservative MP for Spelthorne was the Business secretary under Boris Johnson’s government.

    As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the British of Ghanaian descent is responsible for raising revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling public spending. He has overall responsibility for the work of the treasury.

    The G7 is made of an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies; namely: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States of America and European Union.

    This group invited finance ministers from South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Zambia, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Chad, Tunisia and Morocco for the all-important meeting.

    The meeting with the African Financial Ministers brings together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organizations and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.

  • Wendy Shay announces new release date for her ‘Enigma’ EP

    Award-winning musician, Wendy Shay, has announced a new release date for her much-anticipated ‘Enigma’ EP.

    The original release date, as revealed earlier by the Rufftown Records-signed songstress, was Friday, October 21, 2022.

    However, Rufftown Records and Wendy Shay have decided to push the release of the ‘Enigma’ EP to November 11, 2022.

    Wendy Shay will release the first single off the EP on Friday, October 21, 2022, to tease her fans and give music lovers an insight into what they should expect on the full EP.

    Wendy Shay has released two songs so far in 2022. ‘Survivor’, the first single she released in 2022, is a song that talks about how she survived a major heartbreak from her ex-lover and is without any doubt chalking a lot of successes ever since its release.

    It has topped many music charts and recorded over 70 million total streams on various music streaming platforms, including the popular video viewing and sharing platform, YouTube.

    Wendy Shay stepped up her A-game for the year with the release of the much-talked-about song titled ‘Warning’.

    The hot jam has fast become a street anthem for a lot of music lovers, especially ladies who associate with the lyrics Wendy Shay passionately sings about in the song.

    Wendy Shay with Rufftown Records has a conviction that all their fans and music lovers across the world will be blown away when her first EP is finally released on November 11, 2022.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Wendy Shay (@wendyshayofficial)

    Source: Pulse.comgh

  • Forex Bureaus sell $1 at GH¢11.85, BoG GH¢10.71 as at October 14

    Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.

     

    On the Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana on, October 14, 2022, the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 10.7061 and a selling price of 10.7169.

    As compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 9.7871 and a selling price of 9.7969. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 11.65 and sold at a rate of 11.85.

    Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 10.8373 and a selling price of 10.8501 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 10.8373 and a selling price of 10.8501.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 12.30 and sold at a rate of 12.80.

    The Euro is trading at a buying price of 10.4653 and a selling price of 10.4767 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 9.5005 and a selling price of 9.5109.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 10.83 and sold at a rate of 11.15.

    The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.5854 and a selling price of 0.5859 compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 0.5356 and a selling price of 0.5360.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.45 and sold at a rate of 0.80.

    The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 41.0773 and a selling price of 41.1707 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 44.9602 and a selling price of 45.0378.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 13.00 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 15.50.

     

  • Issa Rae points to Ezra Miller situation as example of Hollywood continuing to ‘Protect Offenders’

    Issa Rae didn’t hold back in her interview with Elle, calling out Hollywood for shielding dangerous individuals, one reportedly being Ezra Miller.

    “While I don’t support people jumping to immediate conclusions and I think it’s entirely fair for investigations to happen, I think it’s extremely important to, like the mantra says, ‘Listen to women,’” Rae said. “I’m gonna be real, the stuff that’s happening with Ezra Miller is, to me, a microcosm of Hollywood. There’s this person who’s a repeat offender, who’s been behaving atrociously, and as opposed to shutting them down and shutting the production down, there’s an effort to save the movie and them.”

    Miller was arrested twice in Hawaii earlier this year. They were charged with disorderly conduct and harassment following altercations with multiple people, and charged with second-degree assault one month later for allegedly throwing a chair at a woman and leaving a half-inch scar on her forehead.

    Miller has also been charged with felony burglary stemming from an accusation that they stole several bottles of alcohol from a Vermont residence when no one was home. Then, of course, there’s the report that a mother and her three children were living on Miller’s Vermont farm, which has been described as “chaotic” and “unsafe.”

    Despite the onslaught of bad press surrounding Miller, Warner Bros. continued to push forward with The Flash. Miller issued an apology in August, and had a “very positive meeting” with studio executives which ultimately kept the DC tentpole on track for a June 2023 release.

    “That is a clear example of the lengths that Hollywood will go to to save itself and to protect offenders,” Rae continued. “So, don’t do that, and women may be able to thrive. They won’t have to live in fear of keeping silent because it’ll ruin their careers. It’s just a constant pattern of abuse that’ll only persist if Hollywood continues to insist on being this way.”

    By specifically mentioning the Miller situation, Issa singled out Warner Bros., the same company that signed her to an eight-figure film and television deal last year. Read her full Elle cover story here.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Constitutional amendment required to make 6yr secondary education feasible – MP

    The Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Peter Nortsu Kotoe says government’s decision to introduce a six-year secondary education policy by next year can only materialize if the constitution is amended.

    He argues that the constitution spells that the country must have three levels of education which are basic, secondary and tertiary.

    The Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has announced that government would pilot the six-year education system in 2023 by merging some junior high schools and some senior high schools under one management.

    Speaking to Citi News, the Akatsi North legislator noted that government must reconsider the decision.

    “The Minister I am sure has forgotten about the levels of education in the constitution, and he cannot on his own without the amendment of the constitution change the system”, he stressed.

    Source:Citinews

  • Solution to Ghana’s economic problems not in Washington – IEA

    The government has come under fire from Dr. John Kwabena Kwakye, senior economist and director of research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), for traveling to Washington to meet with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and represent the Group of Seven (G7) African Finance Ministers.

    The government delegation from the Finance Ministry was led by Ken Ofori-Atta, who made a suggestion that they would remain beyond the conference to complete Ghana’s negotiations with the Fund.

    According to him, the team extending their time will enable them to make some fair decisions.

    “We still are working through and as you know we are staying beyond the Fund, the World Bank meetings through, maybe, the 20th, so we will continue with the Mission and the work. We pray that that may give us enough time to be able to come to some fair decisions on the outlook.

    “I can tell you that the Fund staff is very motivated, which is good and we are 24/7, so the combination of their own enthusiasm, our clarity on the work that has been done to fulfil the President’s promise. If you look at the turnout of discussion for this annual meeting clearly, the world is recognizing that something different has to be done,” Ken Ofori-Atta said as quoted by Accra-based 3news.

    But Dr. Kwakye is of the view that staying longer in Washington DC would not solve the current economic problems the country is facing.

    He said, the long stay in the States will only make our economic situation uncertain and panic in the markets will prevail.

    “Our policymakers need to be reminded that the solution to our economic crisis lies here at home and not in Washington. The more they look up to Washington, the longer the uncertainty and panic in the markets will prevail,” Dr. John K. Kwakye tweeted.

    The G7 is made of an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies; namely: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States of America and European Union.

    This group invited finance ministers from South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Zambia, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Chad, Tunisia and Morocco for the all-important meeting.

    The meeting with the African Financial Ministers brings together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organizations and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.

  • Police arrest two armed robbers, one other shot in the Ashanti Region

    The Ashanti Regional Police Command, through a specialised intelligence operation, on 13th October 2022 arrested two armed robbers and shot dead one other at Asuofua Asamang in the Ashanti Region.

    The deceased, who was later identified as Issaka Muniru was shot when he attempted to fire at the Police during the operation. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival.

    The Police also succeeded in arresting two of his accomplices, Kwaku Boateng alias Form Noede and Kojo Gyamfi.

    The two are currently in Police custody and will be put before the court to face justice.

    Police retrieved a Smith & Wesson SD40 VE pistol which was used to fire at the officers, and thirteen (13) rounds of live ammunition.

    The deceased, Issaka Muniru and his robbery syndicate have been involved in a series of robberies within the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs for years.

    Before his demise, Issaka Muniru was standing trial with three other accomplices, Ernest Agyei Badu, Rider and MBY at the Nkawie Circuit Court for robbing one Pastor Emmanuel Barfour Awuah of Abuakwa Abakomadi at gun point on 26th May, 2021, and making away with his two (2) gold wrist watches, mobile phones and an unspecified  amount of money.

    The deceased was granted bail by the court but he jumped the bail and a bench warrant was therefore issued for his arrest. His accomplices are still attending trial at the court.

    In another robbery where Issaka Muniru, now deceased, was named as the gang leader, three other members of his gang, Charles Kojo Fosu, Yaw Anim and Paul Osafo were arrested by the police but he managed to escape. The three suspects have since been remanded into prison custody.

    The Police have assured the public that the Service will continue to carry out its constitutional mandate of protecting life and property and maintaining law and order even at the peril of their lives.

    It commended the team that worked on the operation for their dedication.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Nicki Minaj responds after “Super Freaky Girl” reportedly booted from Grammy rap categories

    Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” doesn’t qualify as a rap record—at least, that’s what the Recording Academy seems to believe.

    According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Trinidadian-born artist submitted the track to various hip-hop categories for the 2023 Grammy Awards; however, a source claimed the Academy pulled the track from rap consideration after determining it was better suited for Best Pop Solo Performance. As THR points out, the move is particularly notable as “Super Freaky Girl” has dominated the rap charts since it debuted at No. 1 back in August.

    In addition to spending eight weeks atop Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart, it also garnered more than 3 million Spotify streams following its release, marking the biggest debut for a solo female hip-hop record in the platform’s history.

    The insider said the decision was primarily based on the playful, poppy of the song, which samples Rick James’ iconic 1981 hit “Super Freak.” THR writes that there have been other tracks with “rap elements” that have competed for pop awards. These include Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts,” Doja Cat’s “Say So,” and Post Malone’s “Better Now.”


    Nicki addressed the report in an Instagram Live stream, claiming the move was unfair and inconsistent.

    “Super Freaky Girl,’ where I only rapped on the song, was removed out of the rap categories at the Grammys and put in pop,” she told viewers. “[Drake’s] ‘Hotline Bling’ won Best Rap Song and Best Rap Sung [Performance].”

  • Delegation in Washington to stay behind to conclude IMF negotiations – Ofori-Atta

    According to Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, Ghana’s delegation to the Group of Seven (G7) conference with African finance ministers in the US would remain after the summit to wrap up negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, before returning to Ghana.

    He believes that by giving the group more time, they would be able to reach some reasonable judgments.

    We will continue with the Mission and the Work since, as you are aware, we are remaining past the Fund and World Bank meetings through, possibly, the 20th.
    We hope it will allow us enough time to make some fair decisions about the future.

    “I can tell you that the Fund staff is very motivated, which is good and we are 24/7, so the combination of their own enthusiasm and our clarity on the work that has been done to fulfil the President’s promise. If you look at the turnout of discussions for this annual meeting clearly, the world is recognizing that something different has to be done,” Ken Ofori-Atta said as quoted by Accra-based 3news.

    Meanwhile, it’s been reported that the G7 during the meeting asked the World Bank to provide financial support to Ghana and other African countries to enable them to deal with the impact of the economic crisis caused by force majeure.

    The G7 is made of an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies; namely: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States of America and European Union.

    This group invited finance ministers from South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Zambia, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Chad, Tunisia and Morocco for the all-important meeting.

    The meeting with the African Financial Ministers brings together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organizations and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.

  • GFA’s sacrifices and investment yielding right result – Kurt Okraku reveals

    President of the Ghana Football Association Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku says the undiluted investment and energy that was channeled into the development of Women’s football is yielding the right result.Speaking at the Launch of the 2022/23 Malta Guinness Women’s Premier League on Wednesday, President Simeon-Okraku commended Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited for taking bold steps to invest in the game.

    The multinational company is investing a whopping Ten million Ghana Cedis (GHc10,000,000) in the Women’s Premier League for a period of three years after coming on board as headline sponsor of the Women’s Premier League.

    ‘’Our FA has invested and will continue to commit the right levels of investment to Women’s football’’ he said.

    ‘’As we speak, we are here talking about the Women’s Premier League but I am sure that soon we will also meet on similar platforms to speak about the Women’s Division One and perhaps lower Leagues where girls are encouraged to realize their dreams’’.

    ‘’The Ghana Football Association called on corporate Ghana to come along and to believe in our vision to give opportunities to our ladies, to realize their dreams and Malta Guinness responded to that call’’.‘’The Football Association is very grateful for the trust, for the believe and for your undiluted desire to support Women’s football in this country’’.

    ‘’I remember in 2019, many people in Ghana didn’t believe me when I made a promise to make Women’s football attractive. But two and half years down the line, we can testify to this great work done so far’’.

    ‘’I continue to say that if we want a good tomorrow, we must sacrifice our today, so I am delighted that the effort we put into this work is yielding the needed result’’ he added.

    The Malta Guinness Women’s Premier League kicked off last weekend in both the Northern and Southern Zones with 26 goals scored in 10 matches across the two zones.

    Source: Footballghana

  • NLC to meet striking staff of Metro Mass Transit today

    Striking workers of the Metro Mass Transit Company Limited are scheduled to meet the National Labour Commission (NLC) today, Friday, October 14, 2022.

    The workers of the Transport Company have been on a nationwide sit-down strike since October 12 over unpaid salaries and what they term as the incompetence of the management team to steer the affairs of the company.

    Patrons of Metro Mass have been left stranded across the country, and the National Labour Commission is set to intervene to resolve the issues.

    The secretary to the Senior Staff Division of the workers’ union told Citi News that, although the group has accepted to meet the Commission, the strike will continue until their demands are met.

    “The demand is that, we want to hear from the President on the removal of the Managing Director. Until that, the strike is still on. We don’t know what the Commission is going to tell us, so we will still sit and go and listen to them.”

    Source: Citinews

  • What IMF said about the future of banking sector in 2023

    The International Monetary Fund expects 2023 to be a challenging year for the banking industry in emerging nations like Ghana.

    If strict steps are not taken to address the global fiscal situation, some economies could experience a recession, according to the Fund’s Global Financial Stability Report.

    According to the research, the development will raise the risks to financial stability, and the balance of those risks is expected to lean downward.

    It further pointed out that despite the global banking sector being able to withstand certain pressures for a period, a global bank test undertaken by the IMF shows that the reserve buffers of some banks may not be enough heading into 2023.

    The IMF report explained this can be attributed to an abrupt and sharp tightening of global financial conditions which may force several economies into recession coupled with soaring inflationary pressures which could significantly impact capital requirements.

    Meanwhile, in Ghana, the central bank has embarked on a number of policy rate hikes to deal with inflationary pressures which has been soaring in months.

    The Bank of Ghana, BoG, on October 7, 2022 hiked the policy rate by 250 basis points from 22 percent to 24.5 percent – a move that is likely to impact the cost of lending.

    The country in September also recorded an inflation rate of 37.2 percent, making it the highest in about 20 years.

    Ghana has since July 2022 engaged the IMF for economic support programme to address the current economic challenges which have impacted the performance of the local currency, rising inflation figures and among others.

    But the Government had occasionally blamed the situation on the fallouts from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

    However, Ghana is said to be targeting $3 billion from the IMF once an agreement can be reached.

  • We run schools on credit and borrowing – CHASS to government

    The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) says the delay in the release of funds for the running of schools under the Free SHS policy has compelled them to resort to crediting and borrowing from suppliers.

    National President of CHASS, Alhaji Yakubu Abubakar laments the current development, adding that the situation makes it extremely difficult for heads of schools to undertake certain school activities.

    The president made this disclosure at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Conference at Koforidua in the Eastern region.

    We run schools on credit and borrowing - CHASS to government

    It was on the theme; “Sixty Years of Shaping Second Cycle Education in Ghana – Challenges and Successes in Contemporary Times; The Role of Stakeholders”.

    On how best these schools can be run, Alhaji Yakubu Abubakar wants government to allow heads of schools to actively participate in procurement processes especially regarding furniture supply to schools.

    He suggested also that government and management of the Ghana Education Service look at the function of buffer stock’s role in the supply of foods to schools at the SHS level since there has been challenges about shortage of foods in schools in recent times.

    To curb electricity challenges that plunges schools into darkness due to issues with prepayment, the president called on the government to ensure that schools use post paid metres.

    The Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum in his response said the government recognizes the challenges that exist in the educational sector, explaining that the ministry is working to fix the challenge.

    Admitting the tall list of challenges, the Minister noted that it doesn’t defeat what he says is significant improvement in the educational sector over the past years.

    We run schools on credit and borrowing - CHASS to government

    He touted the increase in enrollment from 800,000 to 1.3 million in senior high schools, improvement in the distribution of textbooks and infrastructure.

    He added that about 50% of students are now passing the core subjects in WASSCE.

    He said recurrent expenditure for the schools will be paid whiles schools will soon be allowed to procure local foodstuff to cook for students instead of waiting for buffer stock supply.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • 21 savage responds to Wack 100’s latest round of informant accusations

    21 Savage has responded to Wack 100 after he posted a series of tweets on Thursday accusing the rapper once again of being an informant.

    Wack shared a message on Instagram, demanding an answer from 21. “21 Savage has not been to court since 2019,” it read in all caps. “We just concluded he’s enrolled in the U Visa program which requires u to co-operate with the law. 3838 was the informant that informed on him.”

    The Shade Room shared Wack’s post, which got a response from 21 Savage in the comments: “😂😂😂 he need to be my defense attorney.”

    Screenshot of 21 Savage's response in The Shade Room's comments.
    Image via Instagram/theshaderoom

    TSR cites a TMZ report in April which revealed that 21 Savage’s three-year-old immigration case was put on hold until his criminal case in Georgia’s DeKalb County concludes. Before the artist was detained by ICE, he allegedly threw a bottle of codeine out of his vehicle, leading to a possession of a schedule II controlled substance charge. A handgun was also allegedly found in his car and he was subsequently charged with possession of a firearm.

    Wack 100 kept going at 21 Savage on Thursday, posting a photo from the his 2017 appearance at the Slut Walk in Los Angeles with ex-girlfriend Amber Rose.

    21 Savage hopped on a Clubhouse session with Wack 100 earlier this month, confronting accusations regarding a “well-known rapper” who had been giving information to the Fulton County District Attorney, as Wack had heard.

    “You calling me a snitch, man,” 21 told Wack. “Bruh, you on the internet saying you think I’m an informant, gang. Come on, man.”

    A brief argument ensued between the two until 21 bowed out because he felt Wack was “trying to use me for content.”

    Source: Complex.com

  • Tax CSO backs GRA to continue e-VAT enforcement

    Revenue Mobilization Africa (RMA), a tax revenue Civil Society Organization (CSO), is supporting the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in its efforts to consistently enforce and implement its Electronic Invoicing System to make sure all chosen businesses are in compliance with the directive.

    In the last two days, as the GRA attempted to enforce the policy to improve revenue mobilization and meet its annual tax target of GH80.3 billion, a section of traders and retailers have launched a barrage of criticism at the implementation of the Electronic Invoicing System, also known as the electronic VAT.

    Some traders, particularly in Kumasi – including some notable musicians and politicians, have come out to criticise the tax authority’s mode of enforcing the e-VAT implementation by abruptly closing down non-compliant shops and supermarkets.

    However, Revenue Mobilisation Africa (RMA) in a statement copied to the B&FT and signed by its Executive Director, Geoffrey Kabutey Ocansey, asked the GRA not to relent in its effort to collect every tax that is due the state.

    “Revenue Mobiliation Africa has observed with shock and disappointment some very avoidable and unwarranted attacks on the GRA in line with implementation of the Electronic Invoicing System,” part of the statement noted.

    As part of measures to correct this anomaly, the RMA recommended that all 25 shops that flouted the law by failing to enrol on the e-VAT system – and also failed to communicate any difficulty in so doing to the authority – be made to reapply in order to operate their businesses.

    The organisation also asked that the companies to pay a fine and be made to sign a bond of trust and fair trade before the restart.

    “The GRA and representatives of these companies, the statement added, should meet and discuss any difficulty linked to enrolling onto the system technically,” the statement indicated.

    “We urge the GRA to continue playing its important role in this regard, which is in sync with its core mandate of ensuring maximum compliance with all relevant tax laws. That said, it is important to let any company or individual who has any complaints direct them to the Commissioner-General for consideration. We congratulate the GRA and Commissioner-General for their efforts at closing-in on tax defaulters,” the statement concluded.

    Background

    The ongoing enforcement of the e-VAT exercise is aimed at ensuring that some fifty (50) targetted large tax payers enroll onto the certified invoicing system for the administration of VAT in Ghana. These 50 companies are part of a total 600 companies that have been targeted for the first phase of the three-phase project. The Commissioner General has officially and legally certified the e-VAT per the VAT Act 870 as amended.

    It is worth noting that these 600 companies targeted for the project’s first phase pay 90 percent of total VAT revenue and a total of 80 percent of the country’s total domestic revenue.

    The exercise is aimed at aiding the GRA to monitor live transactions in companies (improving revenue monitoring and collection systems). The system will also check the cases of under-invoicing and prevent dodging/avoiding the payment of VAT. When successful, this system will increase VAT contributions to the tax revenue generation in Ghana.

    The project’s second phase will enrol medium tax payers on the system in 2023; and its third and final phase is expected to enrol the remaining VAT application clients on the tax system.

    It is important to note that 25 out of the 50 targetted institutions have complied and enrolled onto the system as scheduled from October 1, 2022. The remaining 25 companies decided to flout the laws with impunity, and rather close their shops ahead of the visit by GRA’s task force that visited their business operating points.

    The GRA has in the last few weeks been enforcing a number of tax regulations through swoops, mystery shopping and tax invigilation on VAT issuance, and e-VAT compliance among others.

  • Averting religious fundamentalism: NMC stops 2 stations from hosting programmes

    The National Media Commission (NMC) has directed two radio stations in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region to immediately cease hosting programmes that espouse religious fundamentalism that can undermine the nation’s security.

    The two stations, Alpha Radio and Zuria 88.7 FM, reportedly had been engaging in unethical and unprofessional acts of casting altercations, insinuations and innuendoes on each other’s programmes on the airwaves, intending to settle a personal vendetta.

    The directive followed a meeting held between the parties to address pertinent issues the NMC deemed to have breached the ethics of the profession.

    Meeting

    In a statement signed by the Deputy Executive Secretary of the NMC, Alexander Bannerman, and issued yesterday, the NMC directed Zuria FM and its management to apologise for any misconceptions or miscommunication from the interview with one Sheikh Abubakari that gave the impression that Islam could not tolerate any other religion, particularly Christianity.

    The meeting followed a complaint made by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alpha Radio, Sheikh Mohammed Ridwan Mohammed, against the General Manager of Zuria 88.7 FM, Yussif Abdul Ganiyu, over personal attacks, religious bigotry and incitement of Muslims against Christians.

    Zuria 88.7

    Mr Ganiyu, the statement disclosed, reportedly accused Sheikh Mohammed of opening his facilities to Christians, an act which, in his (Ganiyu’s) opinion, had the potential of converting Muslims to Christianity, but Mr Ganiyu denied the accusation and described it as baseless.

    “At a hearing in Kumasi on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, it emerged that there were deep-seated sentiments against the two personalities involved, which had influence on their programmes, such that they are turned into personal vendetta and uninformed judgements,” it said.

    “According to one of the parties, there was a programme in which a well-known Islamic scholar phoned in and was interviewed and he said that any Muslim who allowed his or her facility to be used to propagate any religious faith apart from Islam had committed sacrilege.

    Alpha Radio

    “That comment Alpha Radio considers to be in bad taste due to the level of religious pluralism in the country and in particular the remarkable demonstration of religious tolerance by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu, and the Vice-President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia,” the statement indicated.

    Explaining what transpired on the said occasion, it indicated that Zuria FM said “it was a question from a listener as to the fate of Muslims who do not drink alcohol but transport alcohol, those who do not eat pork but drink pork soup, as well as those who lease their facilities to people who propagate other religious faiths which prompted the response from Sheikh Abubakari”.

    Zuria FM further explained that immediately after the programme, they drew Sheikh Abubakari’s attention to the fact that there were instances of the Holy Prophet Mohammed providing space in mosques for Christians to pray and encouraging Muslims to seek comfort from their Christian brothers whenever they were in distress or difficulty.

    Apology

    The NMC, however, observed that the part prompting Sheikh Abubakari to his utterance should have been on air for listeners to hear it and, therefore, ordered the radio station to offer an apology to the public for that misconception.

    The commission further ruled that both stations should cease the incessant attacks on each other, act professionally and stop propagating hate to their listeners, as well as the community in which they operated.

    Source: Graphiconline

  • Coi Leray talks low album sales, body shaming, and a lesson from her Father Benzino

    Coi Leray wants respect put on her name.

    During an appearance on Amazon Music’s Bars and Nuggets podcast, Leray addressed the criticism she faced over her debut studio album Trendsetter. Though it delivered multiple viral hits, the star-studded record underperformed on the charts, as it entered the Billboard 200 at the No. 89 slot with 11,500 album equivalent units earned in its first week.

    Despite the low figures, the 25-year-old is confident Trendsetter is still the “best album of 2022.”

    “They try to shit on my album. My album’s about to be gold. Let it be gold and you got to let them know,” she told host Bimma, the Storytella at the 50:50 mark above. “You got to champion you. They said the first week it sold 11,000 sales. It’s so crazy, because out of all the albums that drop, nobody like, goes viral like that, like…but of course, Coi Leray is perfect [for] headlines. It’s like, cool. I keep their lights on, they keep my lights on. I don’t mind the blogs doing whatever they gotta do, right? But y’all gonna respect me. Y’all gonna appreciate me.”

    Leray argued that an album’s success isn’t strictly based on pure sales, as platforms like TikTok and YouTube can turn records into major hits. She also highlighted everything she’s achieved over the past two years, most notably securing big-name features—like Nicki Minaj, Lil Durk, G Herbo, and Fivio Foreign—for her first full-length. “I have some of the most hottest artists in the world on that project that I got organically, myself, just being myself,” she said at the 51:30 mark. “Shout out to everybody that is on my project. All those features is, each and every single last one of them, people believed in me and they see my talent for what it is.”

    She went on to point out that she had hit Billboard charts before Trendsetter’s release, and has since earned multiple platinum certifications and award nominations. “Obviously, the music was good,” she said before addressing her haters. “They try to knock you down and really try to poke you and poke you and poke you. And it’s better when you poke at them.”

    Leray said her main focus is being there for her family, rather than paying attention to her critics. “You think I care about what people like? I can fucking take care of my family,” she explained. “I’m the big dog now. I fuckin’ wear the pants. I take care of family. And that’s what God put me here to do. I’m going to continue to do that.”

    Coi also touched on her rocky relationship with her father, Benzino, whom she’s called out several times over social media. Though she declined to get into details about the “internet shit,” she admitted there are many things she appreciates about her dad, specifically his approach to music-making.

    “At one point my dad was doing music and I’ll be like, ‘Damn, like, he’s always at the studio,’ and I was like, ‘Yo, you doing this music, like, are you are you OK with the fact that it’s not on the radio?’ He said, ‘Yo, I do this for me. I don’t do this for them or them. I get in the studio and I make my music because this is what I want to do.’”

    Elsewhere in the interview, Leray opened up about being body-shamed and how she has since learned to love herself more. She recalled reading comments criticizing her physique and the toll it took on her confidence.

    “The skinny stuff did bother me just a little bit, just a little bit, because I’m such a good person, and I really look in the mirror and don’t think there’s nothing wrong with me. I don’t know why. I just don’t fuckin’ think so,” she said at 30:00. “I just look in the mirror, be like, ‘Damn, girl.’ I feel like everybody should do that. Like, you got it. And of course, I’m a girl, of course I want a bigger butt. But I also like the big butt I got now. It’s a little cute big butt. I shake that shit…I go crazy.”

    You can watch Leray’s full interview above. She also discusses the advice she received from Missy Elliott, blowing up on TikTok, and what she has in store next.

    Source: Complex.com

  • The media has failed Nana Ampadu, our greats – Tic

    Ghanaian rap star Nana Kwaku Okyere Duah, professionally known as Tic, has blamed the media for failing to adequately broadcast the funeral arrangements following musician Nana Ampadu’s demise.

    He also claimed Ghanaians are fond of not giving respect to those it is due.

    Guesting on Accra 100.5 FM’s mid-morning show Ayekoo Ayekoo, the rapper recalled a recent time when he bemoaned on live radio how there is “no proper documentary” calling great attention even from international media brands to the demise of the Ghanaian “music hero and icon” Nana Kwame Ampadu.

    “We have not yet thrown the necessary spotlight on the man’s legacy,” Tic charged.

    The ‘Fefe Ne Fe’ hitmaker reasons if the lives of great personalities are not duly highlighted in the media, “it leads to forgetfulness.”

    “I made noise about his [Ampadu] demise to draw attention to it but I couldn’t go for the funeral,” he confessed and revealed, it was his “former manager Georgina Bempong who told me he had been given a state burial and it was happening, as she spoke to me, at the State House.”

    The rapper and entrepreneur narrated the incident to emphasise how inadequate broadcast of of information hampers the proper recognition due luminous figures.

    Formerly called Tic Tac, he stressed, “Remember I went to his one week celebration. I was there. I was very present and active but the funeral itself, I heard nothing about it.”

    He passionately blamed the media for failing to draw needed attention to the events dedicated to bid the ‘King of Singers’ farewell.

    “BBC, CNN and the others post about Fela’s birthday,” he said and asserted in contrast, Ghanaians have no respect.

    “I don’t understand why our country is like this,” he wondered in addition.

    “I don’t know what we want to see before we place value on things,” Tic showed signs of great frustration.

    The state burial for the legendary Nana Kwame Ampadu happened on Friday, 7 October 2022, at the State House and was attended by dignitaries including Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo and the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin.

    He was 76 years old.

    Meanwhile, Tic’s latest song is ‘Wayo’ featuring fellow rap veteran Joe Fraizer and singer Samuel G.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Cedi depreciation: We will stabilise the Cedi – Bawumia’s 2012 tweet resurfaces

    Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has received much praise for turning the political conversation away from personal jabs and onto issues, particularly economic ones.

    Prior to the 2016 elections, Dr. Bawumia ran on a number of issues and criticized the National Democratic Congress, which was in power at the time, for its handling of the economy.

    He claimed that the economy had been dragged down by the NDC under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama and promised a recovery under the Nana Akufo-Addo/Bawumia ticket if they were elected.

    On the Cedi depreciation, the NPP touted that former President Kufuor had done better in bringing the Cedi at par with the dollar however the NDC, whom they labelled as bad managers of the economy, had allowed it to depreciate when they assumed office in 2009.

    Dr. Bawumia, who was hailed as an ‘economic messiah’ however promised to restore it once NPP was elected into office.

    “We will stabilize the cedi and bring down interest rates. We will transform the financial sector,” he tweeted on August 25, 2012.

    Having assumed office in 2017, Vice President Bawumia while giving an account of the first 100 days in office of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, indicated that they have been able to “arrest” the fall of the Ghana Cedi against the Dollar.

    But the Cedi has largely lost more ground against the dollar, only intermittently stabilizing against the dollar in recent times.

    The Vice President has been the target of public criticism as he doubles as the head of the Economic Management Team (EMT).

    Felix Kwakye Ofosu, an aide to former President John Mahama, latched out at Dr. Bawumia describing him as a ‘liar in chief’ over failed promise to stabilize the Cedi.

    He said the EMT led by the Vice President has become “hopeless and hapless” as the Cedi has fast crossed GH₵11.00 against the US dollar on the forex market

    “The exchange rate is hurtling towards GHC12 to a dollar. The present managers of the economy led by Bawumia are both hopeless and hapless in the face of this unprecedented catastrophe,” Kwakye Ofosu wrote on his Facebook wall on October 13.

  • 5 killed in Raleigh, North Carolina shooting, suspect in custody

    Five people were killed in a shooting in Raleigh, North Carolina’s Hedingham neighborhood early Thursday evening. One victim was an off-duty police officer, local paper the News & Observer writes, and a juvenile male suspect is in custody.

    Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin held a press conference (below) revealing two more individuals were hospitalized. One, a Raleigh Police K9 officer, had non-life threatening injuries and has since been released. The other is in critical condition.

    The New York Times notes that the shooting, which transpired around 5 p.m., “turned a normally quiet residential area…into a sprawling crime scene.” The Associated Press reports a “gunman opened fire along a walking trail.”

    Baldwin said law enforcement informed her at roughly 8 p.m. that they’d “contained” the suspected shooter at a local residence. The state capital’s police department tweeted just before 9:40 p.m. that the suspect had been taken into custody.

    “We as a community need to come together, to be there for those who need us now. And we must do more. We must stop this mindless violence in America,” the clearly stricken mayor told the assembled media. “We must address gun violence. We have much to do, and tonight we have much to mourn.”

     

    Officials said they’ll provide more information at 10:45 p.m.

    Republican Gov. Roy Cooper wrote on Twitter earlier in the evening, “I have spoken with Mayor Baldwin and instructed state law enforcement to provide assistance responding to the active shooter in East Raleigh.

    State and local officers are on the ground and working to stop the shooter and keep people safe.” He later added, “The swift and coordinated efforts of local and state law enforcement have the suspect in custody and we are thankful for their efforts. We mourn for the victims of this horrific and infuriating act of violence.”

    This story will be updated.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Solution to Ghana’s economic problems not in Washington – Dr Kwakye

    The administration has come under fire for attending the Group of Seven (G7) African Finance Ministers meeting with the World Bank/International Monetary Fund, IMF, in Washington, according to Dr. John Kwabena Kwakye, Senior Economist and Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

    The government delegation from the Finance Ministry was led by Ken Ofori-Atta, who made a suggestion that they would remain beyond the conference to complete Ghana’s negotiations with the Fund.

    According to him, the team extending their time will enable them to make some fair decisions.

    “We still are working through and as you know we are staying beyond the Fund, the World Bank meetings through, maybe, the 20th, so we will continue with the Mission and the work. We pray that that may give us enough time to be able to come to some fair decisions on the outlook.

    “I can tell you that the Fund staff is very motivated, which is good and we are 24/7, so the combination of their own enthusiasm, our clarity on the work that has been done to fulfil the President’s promise. If you look at the turnout of discussion for this annual meeting clearly, the world is recognizing that something different has to be done,” Ken Ofori-Atta said as quoted by Accra-based 3news.

    But Dr. Kwakye is of the view that staying longer in Washington DC would not solve the current economic problems the country is facing.

    He said, the long stay in the States will only make our economic situation uncertain and panic in the markets will prevail.

    “Our policymakers need to be reminded that the solution to our economic crisis lies here at home and not in Washington. The more they look up to Washington, the longer the uncertainty and panic in the markets will prevail,” Dr. John K. Kwakye tweeted.

    The G7 is made of an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies; namely: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States of America and European Union.

    This group invited finance ministers from South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Zambia, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Chad, Tunisia and Morocco for the all-important meeting.

    The meeting with the African Financial Ministers brings together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organizations and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.

  • Kirani Ayat, GTA set to reach agreement on intellectual property feud

    The feud between musician, Kirani Ayat and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) may soon come to an end as the two parties are set to reach an agreement on the use of the former’s intellectual property.

    Speaking on Accra-based Hitz FM on Thursday, October 13, Kirani Ayat said his team and GTA have begun negotiations and discussions on compensation to be paid by the government agency for using his works without consent.

    He mentioned that he expects the ongoing process to conclude by next week adding that he will provide a briefing to the public on what has been reached.

    “All the subsequent issues, we were trying to negotiate and agree with the terms and all of that. We have agreed to a point, so, we are almost there.

    “But right now, it is just left with ironing out everything and putting out a statement. There has to be compensation, it is part of the discussion. So by either this week or next week, we can let the people know,” Kirani Ayat said.

    The musician was however silent on the details of discussions stating that it was because a full agreement has not been reached.

    He said even though he cannot publicly state the details, he anticipates GTA to be fair in their dealings.

    It will be recalled that Kirani Ayat took to Twitter to express his displeasure at the use of his works without permission.

    He was reacting to a tourism promotion video that was posted on President Akufo-Addo’s Twitter handle which contained footage from his ‘GUDA’ song.

    “The president of Ghana has used my video ‘GUDA’ in this ad to promote Ghana. I was actively reaching out to the Ministry of Tourism in 2018/19 to use this video to push tourism in the North and got NO reply, yet today it’s in an ad and no one reached out to me for permission,” Kirani Ayat tweeted.

    GTA however denied any wrongdoing stating that it legitimately acquired rights to use the footage from an agency later named as Samsal.

    However, in a September 28, 2022 statement, Samsal denied authorizing GTA to use Ayat’s video.

    It explained that it entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GTA to promote Digital Wrist Band – a wristband that granted access to highly sought-after events slated for the Christmas season – to tourists and foreigners.

    Per the MoU, the agency said GTA was to give it the needed support in terms of finances and logistics in order to produce video content to market Ghana to the world in that regard.

    Consequently, Samsal said it put together a video reel (mood board) for the GTA that included parts of Ayat’s ‘GUDA’ video to demonstrate the vision it had for videos it intended to subsequently create for the campaign.

    Source: Ghanaweb

     

  • More than half of employers do not pay pensions – SSNIT

    According to Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), just 49% of businesses are in compliance with employers’ obligations to pay employees’ pension contributions.

    According to Act 766, employers are required to ensure that all employees are registered on the Scheme and make regular contributions on their behalf. To do this, they must deduct 18.5 percent from each employee’s monthly pay, which includes an additional 13 percent of base pay.

    During an Employers’ Breakfast Meeting held today in Accra, the Director-General noted that as of August 2022, the total number of compliant establishments recorded was 39,242 compared to 80,434 recorded as liable establishments during the same period. This represents a compliance rate of 49 percent.

    “We want to ensure that all your workers are registered, including casual workers, and pay the right contributions based on the right earnings of your employees. The SSNIT scheme can only be better if you make sure that whatever is being earned is actually insured,” Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang told the employers.

    The Trust has improved its self-service portal as well. Members and clients can now access the portal to carry out a variety of tasks, such as seeing and downloading Clearance Certificates and arranging negotiating sessions for unpaid debts among others.

    He encouraged employers to pay the right contributions for their workers by consolidating the earnings of their workers for enhanced pensions. This will motivate them to go the extra mile in the discharge of their duties.

    “We advise you to pay SSNIT contributions on or before the 14th day of the ensuing month,” he stressed.

    Per the Scheme, at the end of May 2022, more than GH¢101.38million had been retrieved through court action. The total number of cases within the same period also stood at 10,365.

    SSNITpay

    SSNIT has introduced an electronic payment system that allows employers and the self-employed to pay their SSNIT contributions with ease.

    The payment platform, SSNITpay, went live on October 10, 2022. Members can now pay SSNIT contributions using their Mobile Money Wallet via USSD short code, Mobile Money POS – walk-in and Debit Card via the Trust’s Web Portal – portal.ssnit.org.gh.

    The innovation forms part of new measures to enhance service delivery to members and clients of the Trust.

    Members need to dial *711*9# to access the Mobile Money payment platform, which is E-levy exempted.

    Adoption of the e-payment platform is expected to bring relief and convenience to employers and members, who hitherto had to travel long distances to a SSNIT Branch or a SSNIT partner bank to pay their contributions.

    He encouraged employers and self-employed workers to use the Mobile Money channels to pay their contributions.

    Employers Meeting

    The breakfast meeting is aimed at strengthening the relationship between the Trust and employers to help deepen their understanding of the First Tier Social Security Scheme’s operations.

    Organised under the theme ‘Sustainability of the SSNIT Scheme: the role of Employers’, the meeting also provided a platform to discuss challenges facing employers concerning the SSNIT scheme and how they can be resolved.

    A second meeting is expected to be held in Takoradi later this month. Last year, two similar meetings with compliant employers were held in Accra and Kumasi following the maiden edition in 2019, which saw about 50 employers attending in Accra.

  • Lil Baby drops ‘It’s only me’ album f/ Young Thug, future, Nardo Wick, and more

    Lil Baby has finally dropped off his highly anticipated third album It’s Only Me, which features appearances from Young Thug, Future, Nardo Wick, Pooh Shiesty, EST Gee, Jeremih, Rylo Rodriguez, and Fridayy.

    The project arrives after Lil Baby teased it for much of the year before making an official announcement on Sept. 2. The Atlanta rapper had sprinkled singles throughout the spring and summer to get fans excited, including “Right On,” “Frozen,” and “In a Minute.” He put out “Detox” in September and offered concrete details about the record at the top of this month, confirming It’s Only Me would have 23 tracks and include just a handful of guests.

    Thugger, who has been incarcerated since May as he awaits trial, made sure to get a tweet out on his official account this week playfully threatening that if Baby “don’t drop in 3 days we ain’t bruddas.”

    The album serves as the official follow-up to 2020’s four-times platinum juggernaut My Turn, which in March became the longest-running LP to stay inside the Top 10 of Billboard‘s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

    The new release caps off a massive year for the “Staying Alive” star, who wrapped his lengthy One of Them Ones Tour with Chris Brown on Aug. 27.

    Source: Complex.com

  • ‘I will be a good leader’ – Asiedu Nketia announces bid to contest NDC’s chairmanship position

    The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has declared his intention to contest the chairmanship position of the party.

    Johnson Asiedu Nketia declared his intention in an interview with Accra-based Class FM on Thursday, October 13.

    According to him, he has served in several positions to garner the experience needed to lead the party as its chairman.

    ‘I will be a good leader’ - Asiedu Nketia announces bid to contest NDC’s chairmanship position 
    Asiedu Nketia

    According to him, he has held various positions in his life, the party and the country in general.

    This, Mr Asiedu Nketia said has prepared him well.

    ‘I will be a good leader’ - Asiedu Nketia announces bid to contest NDC’s chairmanship position 

    “I participated in the struggle against the military dictatorship in this country, after which I came to Parliament. I was there for 12 years and chaired several committees.”

    ‘I will be a good leader’ - Asiedu Nketia announces bid to contest NDC’s chairmanship position 

    “I tasted executive positions by being the Deputy Minister in charge of Agriculture. I have served as Board Chairman, among others.”

    “I am confident that with my experience I will be a good leader and example to my party,” he added

    Mr Asiedu Nketia will be in the race with the current chairman of the party, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

    The NDC will hold its national congress on December 17, to elect national executives.

    Source: Myjoyonline

     

     

  • Galamsey fight: Banning all mining not the solution – Small-Scale Miners

    The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners has called for a more measured approach to fitting illegal mining after calls for bans on all surface mining.

    The group’s General Secretary, Godwin Armah, said the ban “is not going to work, and it is not going to bring the solutions that we want.”

    The Media Coalition Against Galamsey has been among the latest critics to demand an immediate ban on all forms of small-scale and surface mining in the country as part of efforts to curb mining activities destroying the environment.

    But Mr. Armah said his group was engaging the government on solutions to the illegal mining problem.

    “We cannot get the results in a day. It is a work in progress and there are so many interventions that government has put in place, and we are also working closely to ensure that we get our river bodies back.”

    He also urged people calling for a ban on all mining to be mindful of the jobs at stake.

    “It is employing over one million people who also have dependents. Yes, we appreciate that there are challenges, but there should be a balance.”

    The government tried a ban on small-scale mining in May 2017 and this had limited effects on the environment.

    The ban on small-scale mining was lifted in May 2018.

    Source: Citinews

  • Cedi depreciation: We will stabilise the Cedi – Bawumia’s 2012 tweet resurface

    Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has received much praise for turning the political conversation away from personal jabs and onto issues, particularly economic ones.

    Prior to the 2016 elections, Dr. Bawumia ran on a number of issues and criticized the National Democratic Congress, which was in power at the time, for its handling of the economy.

    He claimed that the economy had been dragged down by the NDC under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama and promised a recovery under the Nana Akufo-Addo/Bawumia ticket if they were elected.

    On the Cedi depreciation, the NPP touted that former President Kufuor had done better in bringing the Cedi at par with the dollar however the NDC, whom they labelled as bad managers of the economy, had allowed it to depreciate when they assumed office in 2009.

    Dr. Bawumia, who was hailed as an ‘economic messiah’ however promised to restore it once NPP was elected into office.

    “We will stabilize the cedi and bring down interest rates. We will transform the financial sector,” he tweeted on August 25, 2012.

    Having assumed office in 2017, Vice President Bawumia while giving an account of the first 100 days in office of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, indicated that they have been able to “arrest” the fall of the Ghana Cedi against the Dollar.

    But the Cedi has largely lost more ground against the dollar, only intermittently stabilizing against the dollar in recent times.

    The Vice President has been the target of public criticism as he doubles as the head of the Economic Management Team (EMT).

    Felix Kwakye Ofosu, an aide to former President John Mahama, latched out at Dr. Bawumia describing him as a ‘liar in chief’ over failed promise to stabilize the Cedi.

    He said the EMT led by the Vice President has become “hopeless and hapless” as the Cedi has fast crossed GH₵11.00 against the US dollar on the forex market

    “The exchange rate is hurtling towards GHC12 to a dollar. The present managers of the economy led by Bawumia are both hopeless and hapless in the face of this unprecedented catastrophe,” Kwakye Ofosu wrote on his Facebook wall on October 13.