TIG Post

Author: Persis

  • Workplace now hotspots for COVID-19 infection- Information Minister

    The workplace has become a new hotspot for COVID-19 infections, Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, the Minister of Information said on Tuesday.

    He said these places included offices, market places, factories, lorry parks, and bus terminals, supermarkets, and fuel stations.

    He, therefore, called on all authorities at workplaces to insist on adherence to all the safety measures and hygiene protocols of especially, disinfection of surfaces, doorknobs, washrooms, as well as insisting on the wearing of nose masks and creating of spaces for social distancing.

    He also stressed on the need for regular handwashing with soap under running water for at least 20 seconds or with alcohol-based sanitizers and ensure proper disposal of used tissues.

    Mr Oppong-Nkrumah, who was speaking at the Ministry’s press briefing in Accra, on Ghana case update and management of the COVID-19 pandemic, said it was important for people to take individual protective precaution against the virus, and start adopting new and responsible lifestyle measures to complement the government’s efforts towards winning the fight.

    He also advised the public to be extra vigilant, especially when they lived or operated within areas with recorded cases of COVID-19.

    He cited the Obuasi Central Market incident, which resulted in 272 new infections by a couple, who unknowingly had been infected with COVID-19, went about their normal business without adequate protection or precaution about the social distancing regulation, or hygiene protocols, and ended up infecting a large number of people who came into contact with them.

    He said so far 17 of their immediate contacts have also been confirmed positive to the virus have been identified, and the market has been closed down for the authorities to decontaminate the place.

    He further stated that the current situation in Obuasi and other communities, where most people, especially market traders were disputing the existence of the virus was unfortunate, and he called for intensified public education by the district health directorate and Assemblies, and ensure the enforcement of all the protective measures and hygiene protocols.

    The Information Minister also said further investigations into the case of massive new COVID-19 infections that were recorded last week from workers of a fishing company at Tema, indicated that the contamination was from a single source.

    However aggressive contact tracing, he said, had since started in all these areas, to track all persons, isolate and treat the sick.

    Mr Oppong-Nkrumah said currently the Obuasi central market and Tema factory incidences gave great cause for worry for effective workplace management to be strictly established by all.

    Ghana’s total confirmed case count of COVID-19 as of May 11, 2020, stands at 5,127, with 494 recoveries and 22 deaths, which indicates a case fatality rate of 0.43 percent, hence the total number of active cases were now 4,611.

    The Ghana Health Service record also shows that 4, 606 persons who were tested positive, were responding to treatment either in their homes, isolation or in treatment facilities, while five others were currently critically ill.

    Source: GNA

  • Armed robbers torment Afram Plains

    Residents of Donkokrom in the Afram Plains South District of the Eastern Region are concerned about poor security being provided by the police in the area.

    According to the residents, there have been several robbery attacks in the area which the police allegedly failed to halt.

    The latest incident is an armed robbery attack on passengers who were travelling from Agordeke to Donkokrom last Wednesday after market activities at Kpando.

    According to the victims, they spotted a motorbike lying in the middle of the road just before entering Asempaneye and thought it was an accident, but it turned out to be a trap set by the robbers.

    The armed robbers, about 10 in number, then attacked four vehicles with passengers on board at Asempaneye, a few metres from Amankwakrom in the Afram Plains District, at about 5:00 pm.

    They managed to take away valuable items including cash, mobile phones, ATM cards, ID cards, among others, and also vandalized the windscreens and some other parts of the vehicles amid firing of gunshots.

    The two drivers, whose vehicles were attacked, expressed disappointment in the police for failing to come to their rescue after receiving their distress calls.

    Besides, another victim said he had two reported cases of threats on his life and robbery of his belongings pending before the police, but the police appear indifferent to the issues.

    According to police sources, the Amankwakrom police could not rush to the scene on time because they lacked logistics, and officers from Donkokrom arrived late due to the poor nature of the road.

    The police said it could not have been deliberate on their part because their jurisdiction is a vast area and also there are no good roads to enable them to attend to crime scenes on time.

    However, they gave an assurance that they would do everything possible to protect the people.

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • A broke Kofi Amoabeng is richer than your father – A-Plus blasts trolls

    Ghanaian musician Kwame Asare Obeng popularly known as Kwame A Plus has descended heavily on social media trolls over a viral picture of Kofi Amoabeng.

    The photo which was released by Mr Amoabeng on his Instagram page, May 12, 2020, got trolls mocking the former co-founder of the collapsed UT Bank.

    He captioned the photo, “COVID-19 look after lockdown,” followed by a smiley emoji.

    The photo has since caused heated divided conversation on social media with some attributing his current look to age, while others think, it is a reflection of his current financial status.

    However, jumping to the defense of Mr Amoabeng, the ‘Aben Be Bom’ hitmaker questioned the trolls about their financial status.

    “Just because someone decides not to shave means he is broke? Even if he is broke are you rich? Have you ever been rich?.”

    He reiterated that, a broke Kofi Amoabeng is richer than the fathers of these trolls on social media.

    “A broke Kofi Amoabeng is richer than you and your father father father father,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

    On February 5, 2020, it was reported that an Accra circuit court dropped all charges against the former boss of UT Bank.

    ASP Emmanuel Nyamekye who is the Police Prosecutor told the Circuit Court Judge, Emmanuel Essandoh, that the State intended to file a fresh case against Mr Amoabeng at the High Court.

    This development meant that the trail of Amoabeng at the Circuit Court was no longer necessary.

    Judge Emmanuel Essandoh, obliged and discharged the accused person forthwith.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • 10 previous government appointees jailed for causing financial loss to the state

    Corruption in Ghana has been common since independence.

    There is a growing perception in Ghana that government-related corruption is on the rise.

    Even though corruption in Ghana is relatively low when compared to other countries in Africa, businesses frequently quote corruption as an obstacle for doing business in the country.

    Corruption occurs often in locally funded contracts, companies are subject to bribes when operating in rural areas.

    Ghanaians have been occupied in recent weeks by the trial of former government appointees.

    Under the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufour, many former government appointees were trailed and jailed on charges of corruption.

    Though most of the jailed appointees belong to the opposition, that record of successfully prosecuting corrupt public officials stands unmatched.

    Here are 10 previous government appointees that were jailed by the NPP for causing financial loss to the state.

    1. Tsatsu Tsikata: Legal luminary and former Ghana National Petroleum Corporation boss, Tsatsu Tsikata was jailed in 2008 for causing financial loss to the state. He was said to have intentionally misapplied GH¢2,000 (20 million old cedis) to acquire shares in Valley Farms. Tsatsu was pardoned by President Kufuor before he exited office.

    2. Mallam Issa: The People’s National Convention (PNC) member and former Minister of Youth and Sports was jailed in 2003 when monies that were in his car got missing mysteriously during a Black Stars World Cup Qualifier against Sudan in 2002. The money was $46,000.

    3. Dan Abodakpi: In 2007, former Member of Parliament for Keta, Dan Abodakpi was jailed 10 years. sentenced him on three counts of conspiracy, two counts of defrauding, and two counts of willfully causing financial loss of $400,000 to the State.

    4. Victor Selormey: The late Victor Selormey was a former deputy Minister of Finance and was accused of conspiring with the then Minister of Trade and Industry, Dan Abodakpi to divert funds of $400,000 meant for a project. But he was sentenced in 2001 for his involvement in the Quality Grain Scandal.

    Selormey, who was convicted on all the six counts of defrauding by false pretense, conspiracy, and causing financial loss to the state arrived at the Nsawam Medium Prisons at exactly 4 pm amidst tight security.

    5. Kwame Peprah: An Accra High Court sentenced former Finance Minister Kwame Peprah to 4 years in prison in 2003 for his role in the Quality Grain scandal. charged with conspiracy and causing financial loss of 20 million dollars to the State in a rice project at Aveyime in the Volta Region.

    6. Abuga Pele: A former National Coordinator of the defunct Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), Abuga Pele was convicted in February 2018 and charged with a six-year jail term for willfully causing a loss of GH¢4.1 million to the state of Ghana.

    The court also found Pele guilty of acting in a manner that resulted in the loss of the amount to the state.

    The former MP was slapped with a lower sentence because the court held that there “was no evidence that he benefited from the proceeds of the crime.”nal Communications Authority (NCA) was sentenced to five years imprisonment.

    He was jailed for his role in a “clandestine” purchase of US$4million cybersecurity equipment.

    8. Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie: Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, a former board chairman of the NCA will also serve six years imprisonment for his part in the $4m NCA scandal.

    Baffoe-Bonnie received more years because the court held that he personally benefited from the deal to a tune of $200,000.

    9. Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman: A former Deputy National Security Coordinator also joined Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie and William Tetteh Tevie for willfully causing financial loss of $4m to the state.

    Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman was sentenced to five years imprisonment.

    The three were found guilty of indulging in acts that led the State to lose the amount in a deal purchase of a cybersecurity surveillance equipment, known as the Pegasus machine, for the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), which was sponsored by the NCA.

    10. Philip Assibit: Philip Akpeena Assibit, a representative of the Goodwill International Group was jailed to 12 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of causing financial loss to the state.

    Assibit will serve 3 years for dishonestly causing financial loss to the state and 12 years for defrauding by false pretense.

    The conviction follows 4 years of a legal battle at the High Court, where state prosecutors and defense lawyers for the accused put forward evidence to advance their claims.

    Assibit was jailed together with Abuga Pele. The two men were alleged to have connived to defraud the state of some ¢4.1 million but they had pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Show images of coronavirus patients to deter ‘stubborn Ghanaians’ – Kwesi Pratt

    Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has called on authorities to televise patients of COVID-19 to serve as deterrent to headstrong Ghanaians.

    According to Kwesi Pratt, many Ghanaians do not see the seriousness of the impact of the disease because there is nothing to inject some dose of fear and panic into them.

    Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’, Kwesi Pratt insisted that showing horrible images of those who have been infected by the disease and are in critical condition will help in the public education on COVID-19.

    He believed Ghanaians will appreciate how dangerous the pandemic is to human health and take the precautionary measures to protect themselves when they see how the patients are doing in the various hospitals.

    To him, though the government might want to shield the patients because it is unethical, in this case “public safety” should “override the other ethical considerations and so on”.

    “If possible, let’s televise the critically ill people in the hospitals who are having difficulty with breathing and in severe conditions for people to see the dangers of the disease”.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Nurse at Ashaiman polyclinic in trouble for stealing PPEs

    The Ashaiman District Police is currently investigating suspected stealing of facemask and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by some nurses at the Ashaiman polyclinic

    The case was officially reported by one Foster Bampoe, an opinion leader in the area, and a failed Assembly Member aspirant to the police after spotting the items being carted away from the facility.

    Around 4pm on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, the complaint said he saw one nurse carting some boxes believed to contain the items from a room in the hospital which is close to a container and started monitoring the development.

    According to him, he suspected thievery and therefore started taking pictures and videoing the incident in order to have strong evidence to present to the police for investigations.

    Foster told the police that the nurse who was doing the suspected deal after carting the face masks which were in boxes called an okada rider and took six of the boxes and gave them to him to send them to someone he called on the phone.

    Continuing, he said he accosted the nurse and subjected him to queries but was fumbling and therefore reported the case to the police.

    Whilst at the police station, three officials of the hospital came in and wanted to see the crime officer and the District Commander but the complaint insisted on being part of the meeting.

    The items are currently in the custody of the police who confirmed the incident to MyNewsGh.com.

    Source: My News GH

  • Coronavirus: Kwesi Pratt hints of another lockdown

    Seasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt has hinted there will soon be another lockdown in the country.

    Contributing to panel discussion on ”Kokrokoo” on Peace FM, Kwesi Pratt stated that looking at the rapid spread of the Coronavirus resulting in Ghana recording 5,127 cases, it is possible President Nana Akufo-Addo will announce another lockdown to contain the situation.

    Kwesi Pratt also listed a number of factors that may inform the President’s decision to issue a lockdown again.

    According to him, looking at some Ghanaians not adhering to the preventive protocols to curb the disease, it will be prudent for the enforcement of a lockdown because that is the only way to safeguard the citizenry.

    He said research has proven restricting human movements is the surest way to fight the pandemic and therefore from his observations about the behaviour of Ghanaians ”there could be a lockdown again…Maybe it won’t be a national lockdown but for the epic centers, you have to lock down”.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Coronavirus: ‘Nearly 1,000 African medics infected’

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has tweeted that nearly 1,000 health workers in the African region have been infected with coronavirus:

    The WHO urged governments to make sure that doctors and nurses had personal protective equipment (PPE).

    Anyone who comes into close contact with patients who may or do have coronavirus should wear some form of protection.

    Clinicians carrying out tasks that could generate airborne droplets of saliva loaded with the virus should use an even higher standard of protection, including disposable gowns, filtering respirators and face-shielding visors.

    But global demand for PPE is at unprecedented levels.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Tanzania hit by sugar shortage after price controls

    Tanzania has run short of sugar over the last three weeks causing frustration among traders and consumers.

    Most shops have not stocked the commodity – and those selling it are charging nearly double the normal price.

    The government attributes the shortage to the coronavirus pandemic, which it says disrupted importation schedules.

    But it also blames some business people for hoarding sugar to create a false scarcity so that they can sell it at a higher price.

    Tanzania imposed price controls for the commodity last month after local production fell because of poor weather conditions, Bloomberg reported.

    The price of a kilogramme for domestic consumption was set at 2,700 Tanzanian shillings ($1.17; £0.94), but traders said it was unprofitable.

    On Monday, around 1,500 tonnes of sugar arrived at the port of Dar es Salaam.

    The director of the Tanzania Sugar Board, Kenneth Bengesi, said the consignment would soon start to be distributed across the country.

    Tanzania consumes 590,000 tonnes of sugar annually for both domestic and industrial consumption, according to data from 2016. But the country produces an average of 300,000 tonnes every year.

    Sugar shortages are not rare in the East African country.

    Poor rains and price disagreements between the government and traders have in the past caused scarcity and sharp increases in prices.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Nigeria Catholic Church offers centres to treat virus

    The Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria has offered all its health facilities across the country as isolation and treatment centres for coronavirus patients.

    The Director of the Catholic Health Secretariat in Nigeria, Emmanuel Okechukwu, told the BBC that the church had more than 440 heath facilities and they were willing to allow them to be used for testing, isolation and treatment centres.

    Nigeria has been struggling with bed spaces and has called for the donation of properties from organisations and individuals.

    The head of the coronavirus response team in Nigeria, Boss Mustapha, has called on state governments to take advantage of the facilities.

    Nigeria has 4,641 confirmed cases of coronavirus – though there are concerns regarding low levels of testing.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Stop ‘pressuring’ Akufo-Addo to open churches – Prof. Agyekum tells pastors

    Dean of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana, Legon, Professor Kofi Agyekum has responded to the statements by some pastors regarding the closure of churches in the country.

    President Nana Akufo-Addo, in his ninth update on COVID-19 on Sunday, May 10, 2020, extended the ban on public gatherings till the end of the month, 31st May.

    This also means that churches will remain closed until the said date.

    The President added that he will announce a systematic plan to ease the restrictions in order to bring the nation back to normality.

    However, some men of God are not enthused about the directive of the President.

    One of those men is the founder of Life Assembly Worship Centre and Presidential candidate for the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Rev. Christian Kwabena Andrews, popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, who has issued a warning to President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government.

    According to Osofo Kyiri Abosom, God is outraged about the closure of churches and so cautioned that if the ban is not lifted after the extension date, God will visit his wrath upon the nation.

    He stated that something worse than the Coronavirus will happen in Ghana should churches remain closed after 31st May.

    But, in a quick reply, Professor Kofi Agyekum popularly called Opanyin Agyekum said on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo” that ”it’s not only in church that we serve God”.

    ”In fact, how many hours do we even spend in church?” he questioned the Pastors.

    Listen to his submissions below:

    Source: Peace FM

  • Coronvarius: Escaped patient captured at Apam

    The people of Apam are living in fear after a young man, who escaped and took refuge there after testing positive for the Covid-19 at Drobo, a town located in the Jaman South Municipality of the Bono Region is captured.

    The man has since been repatriated to Jaman and more than 40 people he came into contact with have so far been traced and are currently in quarantine at a facility in Apam.

    Nana Bonsu Appiah, Apam Chief Fisherman, who was instrumental in the arrest of the man said he confessed having the virus and was in contact with more than 40 people including; those he met in drinking spots, taxis, food vendors and women he befriended.

    According to the Chief Fisherman, information he gathered indicated that the mother of the man who is a native of the area accommodated her son on his return after family members welcomed him and customary rites were performed to symbolize his homecoming.

    He said the man thereafter moved freely around with some of the family members and socialized with them in drinking spots, markets and even had affairs with some ladies in the community.

    Nana Appiah applauded the Chiefs, opinion leaders and Assembly members for helping to provide a facility to quarantine the contacts.

    The leadership of the fishermen have already provided hundreds of facemasks to people living in the fishing community and placed Veronica Buckets with soaps at vantage points in the area as their contribution in the fight against the pandemic.

    They have been sensitizing the people through the local information center at the beach to ensure social distancing as well.

    He appealed to the government to mount testing points in the entrances to communities to test people from other places entering other towns and communities.

    Nana Appiah observed that, if the thermometer guns were in place at the entrance of every town, the young man who escaped from Drobo would have been identified earlier.

    Source: Daily Mail

  • Government wont exploit coronavirus to extend its mandate Oppong-Nkrumah

    Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah says government will invest its energy and creativity at fighting the Coronavirus pandemic rather than extending the mandate of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    Speaking to the Press on Tuesday, the Information Minister explained that the government does not see any justifiable reason to use the virus as bait to extend their stay in power.

    He indicated that instead of wasting precious time on this, it is imperative that they focus their energies on fighting and bringing finality to the fight against COVID-19.

    “The government is of the view that instead of contemplating measures that are not envisaged in the Constitution, our best energies, our innovation and creativity should be invested in exploring how a country like ours can have safe and free elections.”

    Ghana has recorded 5,127 cases so far with 12 people losing their lives.

    In the latest update of 427, the Greater Accra Region has recorded 89 new cases while the Ashanti Region has 307 new cases.

    The Central Region has also recorded 27 new cases with the Western and Volta regions recording three and one, respectively.

    Source: My News GH

  • Todays newspapers front pages

  • Police training school opens despite coronavirus scare

    The Ghana Police Service has reopened its training school in Koforidua in the Eastern Region despite the directive against school attendance by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    The recruits of the training school who were asked to go home when President Akufo-Addo directed the closure of educational institutions have been recalled.

    On Sunday, May 12, 2020, the president announced an extension of the closure of schools, churches and mosques by another one month.

    The students started arriving on campus Sunday.

    Starr News checks reveal the recruits are not medically screened before entering their hostel.

    The recruits were seen Wednesday morning tidying up the environment of the Koforidua Police Training School. They were not wearing nose masks.

    Ghana has recorded 5127 confirmed cases of coronavirus with recoveries at 494. Another 130 patients are awaiting their second negative test to be declared recovered. 22 people have so far died from the killer bug with active cases at 4, 611.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command DSP Ebenezer Tetteh refused to comment on the matter saying the national headquarters is best placed to respond to questions over the reopening.

    Source: Starr FM

  • Bury the dead now, conduct funerals later – Moderator of Presbyterian Church

    The Moderator of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, has asked Agents of the church to impress upon their members who have deceased relatives in the mortuaries to bury them quickly and hold the final funeral rites later.

    According to him, although it does not interest them and tradition, we are not in normal times and the mortuaries are getting full with corpse, therefore, they must do something a little differently in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic.

    The Moderator said as the mortuaries are overflowing, it is not safe, therefore, they must adjust some of their activities to withstand the season adding the Lord will take care of us through this period so they should keep the faith.

    President Akufo-Addo on Sunday extended the ban on public gatherings until the end of May 2020.

    He announced this during his ninth address to the nation since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.

    Per the extension, there will continue to be a ban on public gatherings such as the holding of conferences, workshops, parties, night clubs, drinking spots, beaches, festivals, political rallies, religious activities and sporting events.

    Also, all educational facilities, private and public, will remain closed.

    Source: rainbownradioonline.com

  • Man allegedly pushed to death from a brothel window by prostitute in Kumasi

    The Asokwa District Police Command has arrested eleven sex workers in connection with the death of their customer at Asafo in the Kumasi metropolis of the Ashanti Region.

    The yet-to-be-identified man who is believed to be in his 30s, fell from a window of Anidaso Hotel where he had enjoyed the services of one of the prostitutes.

    He died instantly from the fall.

    The incident happened on Sunday, 10 May 2020.

    The police say the sex worker had screamed after the deceased allegedly struggled with her in the hotel room, which attracted some of her colleagues to the room.

    Superintendent Christopher Owusu Mpianin, the Asokwa District Police Commander, said they are investigating the matter to determine whether the rickshaw driver was pushed to his death by the sex worker or he jumped out of the window to commit suicide.

    The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital morgue for identification and autopsy.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Ghanaians in UK to receive passport by mail

    The High Commission of the Republic of Ghana to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland has advanced plans to mail all Ghanaian passports to applicants who applied for them.

    A statement from the mission noted that, this intervention is due to the rules on physical distancing during this Coronavirus pandemic.

    “In view of this, all applicants, who previously requested to collect their passport at the passport and Immigration section (Highgate office), are required to submit their reliable mailing addresses to the mission via gh.donlon@yahoo.com, ghmfa31@ghc-uk.org, london@mfa.gov.gh,” the statement said.

    The statement continued: “In relation to cancelled Ghanaian passport application appointments occasioned by the lockdown directives, Mission will, in due course, communicate re-scheduled appointments dates to the affected applicants.”

    Find the full statement below.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

     

  • Over 90% of coronavirus deaths in Ghana had an underlying health condition -GHS

    Out of the 22 deaths recorded in Ghana as a result of the novel Coronavirus, 90.9% of such cases had comorbidities, meaning they had an underlying health conditions according to the Ghana Health Service.

    Only two of the deaths recorded, however, did not have comorbidities.

    According to Dr. Badu Sarkodie, Head of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Greater Accra recorded the highest number of deaths of 68.2% and was followed by the Ashanti region with 18.2%.

    The Upper East region is third with 9.1% and the North East region 4th and last with 4.5%.

    Hypertension is the highest cause of death among the Coronavirus victims, representing 72.7%.

    It was followed by diabetes, fever, asthma, obesity, stroke, prostatic condition, acute kidney injury, statisticia pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure.

    The youngest among the COVID-19 deaths is nine years old whilst the oldest is 62 years.

    More men are said to be victims of Coronavirus death as compared to women. The ratio is 2.14 to 1.00.

    Ghana has so far recorded 5127 COVID-19 cases as at May 12, 2020

    494 persons have so far recovered.

    Source: My News GH

  • AESL to handle government projects – Minister

    Samuel Atta Akyea, the Minister of Works and Housing, has affirmed the commitment of putting forward a proposal to Cabinet to ensure that all Ministry’s infrastructural projects are undertaken by the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL).

    “I will push forward a policy to ensure that at least 80 per cent of the Ministry’s infrastructural works is ceded to AESL because of the company’s competency to handle such projects,” he said.

    The Minister gave the assurance in Accra when he inaugurated 10 new pick-ups and a 4×4 land cruiser vehicle bought by AESL to enhance its operations across the regions.

    Mr Atta Akyea’s assurance was in response to an appeal by the Board of AESL to government to give at least 80 per cent of all government projects to the company to handle.

    The Minister said it was imperative for the country to have a synergy with government institutions, where every state job that was about to be rolled out was given to AESL to help in revenue generation.

    He said “Every work that a private sector can do and it is found that AESL has the competitive edge to execute the project that work should be ceded to AESL since it would go a long way to promote the company”.

    The Minister posited that, AESL played a crucial role in developmental agenda, describing the company as “an army of architectural designs in all facet of projects, ranging from water engineers to geo-technical engineers.

    He charged management to discharge their duty in an efficient, effective and transparent manner to attract public confidence, stressing that integrity in their operations would lead to brighter future for the company.

    Touching on flood situation in the country, Mr Atta Akyea advised Ghanaians to desist from disposing garbage in open drains, which caused serious health consequences and loss of lives and property anytime it rained.

    The Meteorological Agency forecasted heavy rains this year and advised people to take precautionary measures to prevent disaster.

    Dr Kwame Asamoah, the Board Chairman of AESL, said since assuming office, the company took pragmatic measures to improve their fortunes.

    This, he said, included; human resource audit, establishment of a well-defined disciplinary policies, internal financial control system which was consistent with Public Financial Management Act and branding AESL.

    “As a Board, we believe firmly that delivery of performance rests on availability of the requisite resources, tools and logistics.

    We recognize the value in this investment and have taken steps to provide these resources which will play an important role in the efficiency of our work and ensuring a robust monitoring system in discharging our duties”.

    He commended government for the unprecedented infrastructural developments that offered the AESL the opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities.

    Some of these projects included; the rehabilitation of Esipon and Babayara stadia, the construction of numerous administrative blocks and staff bungalows for the six new district Assemblies, and the construction of several classrooms for Senior High Schools, Junior High Schools and primary schools.

    AESL is a firm of consulting engineers, architects and surveyors under the Ministry of Works and Housing, which provide innovative and high quality services in the design and supervision of infrastructural projects.

    Source: GNA

  • Full judgement on Republic v Eugene Baffoe Bonnie and four others

    An Accra Commercial High Court presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, convicted three (3) out of the five (5) accused persons who have been on trial in the case of “The Republic versus Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie and four others” since December 2017 when the case was first filed by the State at the High Court registry.

    The trial of the five accused persons, Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, the former Board Chair of the National Communication Authority (NCA); William Tetteh Tevie, former Director-General of the NCA; Nana Owusu Ensaw, a former board member; Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman, a former Deputy National Security Coordinator, and a businessman, George Derek Oppong, begun on the 16th of January 2018 when the state called its first prosecution witness, the Director of Legal Administration at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Abena Awarkoa Asafo Adjei, and ended on the 10th of March 2020 after the state, led by the Director of Public Prosecution, (DPP) Yvonne Atakora Obuabisa, concluded her cross-examination of the 5th accused person in the case, George Derek Oppong.

    Prosecution Witnesses

    The state in all, called six (6) prosecution witnesses. They are the Director of Legal Administration at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Abena Awarkoa Asafo Adjei; Dr. Isaac Yaw Ani, Deputy Director-General in charge of Management and Operations at the National Communications Authority (NCA); Henry Kanor, Deputy Director-General in charge of Technical Operations at the National Communications Authority (NCA); Colonel Michael Kwadwo Poku, Director of Operations at the National Security; Deputy National Security Coordinator, Duncan Opare, and Detective Chief Inspector Michael Nkrumah, investigator of the case.

    Defence of Accused Persons

    All the accused persons when they took turns to open their defence testified on their own and none called any defence witnesses in support of their cases.

    Find below the full judgement.

    Full Judgement on Republic … by The Independent Ghana on Scribd

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Work on Pokuase Bulk Supply Point is 61 per cent complete

    Work on the $50 million Pokuase Bulk Supply Point (BSP) is 61 per cent complete and expected to be handed over to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and GRIDCo by the end of the first quarter of 2021.

    The BSP project started on April 30 last year, and being funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and Ghana Government, under the Ghana Power Compact Programme.

    Upon completion, the BSP Project would supply reliable electricity to 350,000 residents within its catchment area, including businesses, public institutions and health facilities.

    A statement issued by the Communications and Outreach Unit of Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said the six major transformers for the Project arrived in the country from Turkey on April 27 and May 4 respectively.

    The transformers, which come in two sizes, 145 MVA and 39 MVA, would support the operations of GRIDCo and ECG for efficient and reliable power supply in the beneficiary communities.

    The statement said the transformers had been subjected to Factory Assessment Tests in the presence of the officials of MiDA, ECG GRIDCO and other stakeholders committed to the project.

    It said MiDA and the Project Contractors have put in place the necessary safety protocols to safeguard the health of workers undertaking the construction works and residents within the project catchment area.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus pandemic hampers business growth in Western Region MOTI

    Mr Isaac Yankson, Western Regional Trade and Industry Officer has lamented that COVID-19 pandemic has globally disrupted the supply chains, with significant supply shortages and consequent price hikes, a slowdown in investments and remittances and job losses.

    He stressed that just as businesses were suffering globally and elsewhere in Ghana, the Western Region was not exceptional as the hospitality industry was adversely impacted due to closure of borders and a general slowdown in tourism and demand for international travel and decline in trading volumes and values due to disruption in supply chain globally.

    Mr Yankson who made this known in an interview with the GNA mentioned reduced production due to a drop in sales, minimized labour due to voluntary leaves and shift systems to meeting the social distancing protocol, economic hardships and a mixed impact of COVID-19 on commodity prices as some of the challenges.

    He added that there was a contraction in trade volumes resulting in net loss of revenue to the Government.

    Mr Yankson noted that the government had implemented certain tax measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on businesses and households,like the extension of due dates for filling of tax returns from the standard four months to six months, grant of waiver of penalties on principal tax liabilities owed by taxpayers who are able to redeem their outstanding liabilities by 30th June 2020.

    Waiver of taxes on selected withdrawals from third-tier pension funds, grant of deduction against income tax for private sector contributions and donations made towards addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, and the institution of an email filing and direct transfer payment system to allow taxpayers file and pay taxes with the various Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) offices remotely.

    He said though the government had announced a relief on water and electricity for both households and businesses, LPG gas was still expensive, which must be reduced to enable industries to power their plants for production.

    According to him, most of the measures implemented by the government were targeted at stimulating economic growth considering that COVID-19 has already begun to slow down economic activities, which impact could get worse in the next couple of months and called on business owners to take advantage of the stimulus packages that may apply to them.

    Mr Yankson advised business owners to perform an operational risk assessment, consider and plan for the impact of disruption on critical business functions, and develop rapid communications plan and approach to build and maintain trust and reputation during the crisis for staff and stakeholders.

    The Trade Officer pointed out that trade within the Sub-region should not be stifled whereas movement must be ongoing to ensure that pre-facilitation was not impeded and promised the continuous support of his outfit to create a conducive environment for trade facilitation in the region.

    He urged employers to be concerned with the health of their employees by putting in place pragmatic measures to prevent possible infection and spread of the COVID-19 and called on employees to empathize with their employers and support measures proposed by their employers for mutual benefits.

    He noted that the preventive protocols, which included; regular hand washing with soap under running water, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, avoiding hand shaking, social distancing and avoiding over crowded places were the surest way to control the spread of the virus.

    Source: GNA

  • President praises military over coronavirus fight

    President Akufo-Addo has been showering praises on the military for its participation in the Covid -19 fight.

    On Tuesday, May 12, President Akufo-Addo was at Burma Camp to commission housing project executed by his administration, using the occasion to praise men of the Ghana Armed Forces for their participation in the Covid-19 battle particularly the enforcement of the lockdown.

    Expressing his gratitude to the Military for responding to his call to help in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, the President stated, “I am proud of your exceptional diligence and vigilance in ensuring that the protocols and restrictions I outlined were complied with, especially during the three-week partial lockdown of Accra, Kumasi, Tema and Kasoa.”

    Describing their efforts in the areas of medical support, logistics chain management, the enforcement of the restrictive measures, and operations on land, sea and air as laudable, the President commended their co-operation with the other security agencies.

    “Indeed, the country has also taken notice of the strengthening of relations between you and the citizenry, evidenced in your remarkable contribution towards ridding our cities of filth, disinfecting markets, and providing water and other basic services to the needy and vulnerable,” he added.

    With the pandemic affecting the routine training and social activities of the Army, and with the end-of-year WASSA failing to come off, President Akufo-Addo was confident that “sooner rather than later, we will have the opportunity to make up for lost time.”

    He reminded the men of the Armed Forces to continue to observe the social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols that he has outlined for the people of Ghana.

    “Do not forget to wash your hands regularly with soap under running water, use alcohol-based sanitizers, refrain from shaking hands, cover your mouths and noses when you cough or sneeze, wear your masks at all times in public, eat well and follow a good diet. I do not have to tell you about the importance of exercising,” he said.

    He continued, discipline and self-discipline are easy concepts for you, the men and women in uniform, to appreciate and apply. Lead by example, so that the rest of the country can follow. I have no doubt that we, the Ghanaian people, are up to it, and, that, united, we will be able to emerge from this crisis even stronger than before.”

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • Lockdown will not guarantee the disappearance of COVID-19 – Buabeng Asamoah

    NPP Communications Director, Yaw Buaben Asamoa says the calls for a lockdown due to the increasing numbers of the coronavirus cases is not a guarantee that the virus will disappear from Ghana.

    He said, for the virus to be controlled, individuals must exhibit self-disciplined by adhering to the strict protocols imposed by President Akufo-Addo and those prescribed by health professionals.

    This he says will curb the spread of coronavirus rather than calling for a lockdown. He adds that the relatively high coronavirus cases being recorded in recent times are due to routine and enhanced surveillance adopted by the government to ensure that the spread of the virus is controlled, adding that country would have recorded figures around 1000 if they had not adopted these measures.

    Speaking in an interview with Ghanaweb, Yaw Buaben said it is better to encourage Ghanaians to adhere to the precautionary measures rather than calling for a lockdown as the motives of the lockdown become insignificant if the protocols are not adhered to.

    He said “lockdown does not deliver magic and lockdown by itself will not guarantee the disappearance of COVID-19. Our high numbers are because we are ahead of care, in other words, we are actively tracing people who have come into contact with infected people, test them and isolate them when the results come out positive and that strategy protects the larger population and also protects the individuals who are involved. So, if the numbers are going up it is because we are testing so rapidly but we need self-discipline even in lockdown. If we are not careful the numbers will keep spreading because individuals will spread it to us.”

    “I encourage Ghanaians to observe the protocols and the protocols that will help us require self-discipline to beat the virus. People are talking about the enforcement, the enforcement, the government cannot arrest all of us because we are not wearing masks and not observing social distancing but if we are self-disciplined, we would beat the virus faster. We have to stop the spread through self-discipline. We have the stay at home protocol, observe it.” he added

    Meanwhile, Ghana has recorded 427 new Coronavirus cases, increasing the country’s coronavirus case count to 5,127.

    This was announced by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Aboagye at a media briefing on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. The Greater Accra region has recorded 89 new cases whilst the Ashanti region has 307 new cases.

    The Central region has also recorded 27 new cases with the Western and Volta regions recording 3 and 1 new cases respectively. According to Dr. Aboagye, the majority of the new cases were recorded from workplaces.

    Of the 5,127 cases, 1474 were recorded from routine surveillance, 115 are travellers who were put into mandatory quarantine upon arrival and the remaining 3,538 were identified from enhanced surveillance.

    Recoveries and deaths, however, still stand at 494 and 22 respectively bringing the active cases to 4611.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Atiwa East NPP in turmoil with threats of four disqualified aspirants going independent

    While the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) grapples with the uncertainty surrounding its parliamentary primaries ahead of the 2020 elections due to the coronavirus pandemic, four disqualified aspirants in the Atiwa East Constituency of the Eastern Region are beating war drum as they threaten to contest the December elections as independent candidates if they are not reinstated.

    The four, Kudjoe Amegah Kafui, Ernest Adade Wiredu, Dr. Frank Banning and Eric Ofori Agyarko, who picked nomination forms to contest the incumbent MP who is also the Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare, were all disqualified by the Vetting Committee of the party.

    Speaking in an interview with 3news.com one of the disgruntled delegates and supporters stated, “we the NPP delegates and avid supporters in Atiwa East appeal to the National Executive Committee and Council of Elders and Patrons to clear all the disqualified aspirants to contest in the upcoming parliamentary primaries to avoid defection and apathy and a possible emergence of independent candidate”.

    Another supporter who gave his name as Emmanuel Boateng pointed out that, “the allegations against our candidates by the Regional Vetting Committee are frivolous, malicious, baseless and false, therefore we are appealing to the party hierarchy to rescind that decision to disqualify them because we know it was a way of imposing a candidate on the good people of Atiwa East Constituency which will pave way for apathy and defection and a possible independent candidate.

    “The disqualified aspirants are known to be active members of the party and they keep supporting the party and constituents in so many ways”.

    When 3news.com contacted the Eastern Regional First Vice Chairman of the NPP, Alhaji Umar Bodinga, he explained that the issue is before the Appeals Committee of the party so the candidates must wait until the report is out.

    He explained that the report is not out because of the coronavirus which has led to the suspension of every political activity.

    Below is a release by the party listing disqualified persons in the Eastern Region:

    New Patriotic Party

    Eastern Regional Secretariat

    National Parliamentary Vetting Committee (NPVC)

    Fifteen (15) out of 79 Aspirants were not cleared at the Vetting

    Out of the 79 aspirants who filed their nominations in the Eastern Region, Fifteen (15) aspirants from nine (9) Constituencies were NOT recommended to contest for the parliamentary candidates positions in their respective constituencies. Detailed report and reasons for their disqualification will be sent to the National Headquarters for consideration and final approval.

    Please fine the details below:

    NAME AND CONSTITUENCY

    Barifi Opare Addo Akuapem South

    Dr. William Adjei Twumasi Akuapem North

    Lawyer Philip Addison Akuapem North

    Dr. Oppong Adabo Akim Swedru

    Edward Kwaku Aboagye Akim Oda

    Eric Ofori Agyarko Atiwa East

    Kafui Cudjoe Amega Atiwa East

    Dr. Frank Baning Atiwa East

    Adade Wiredu Atiwa East

    Dr. Samuel Owusu Akyem Atiwa West

    Moro Sakyiama Yakubu Fanteakwa North

    Freeman Ofori Agyarko Fanteakwa North

    Frank Mireku Ahemah Abirem

    Daniel Kwadwo Afrifa Abirem

    Gloria Ofori Boadu Abuakwa South

    Thank You

    ……Signed……..

    Jeff Konadu Addo

    (Regional Secretary)

    Source: 3 News

  • Okuapehene pays courtesy call on Okyenhene

    The Okuapehene, Oseeadeyo Kwasi Akuffo II, has paid a royal courtesy call on the Okyenhene, Osaagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

    The courtesy call is the first official working visit of the Okuapehene after his installation last week.

    A brief history indicates that the Ofori Panin stool has blood relations with the Ofori Kuma stool of Akuapem of which the former is the senior stool and the latter a junior stool.

    Thus, the Okyenhene is regarded as the traditional uncle of the Okuapehene.

    The purpose of the Okuapehene’s visit, therefore, is to officially present himself, as Ofori Kuma, to his traditional uncle, the Ofori Panin.

    The meeting is also to discuss matters of importance.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus: Majority of deaths among males GHS

    More males are dying from Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Ghana, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced.

    Head of Public Health, GHS, Dr. Badu Sarkodie, said among the 22 Covid-19 deaths recorded in Ghana, males accounted for 68.2 per cent of all deaths recorded.

    He further noted that males were the highest across the deaths recorded among all age groups except the 25 to 34-year olds.

    “There is clear preponderance for males in respect with COVID-19 associated deaths,” he said.

    Dr. Sarkodie speaking at the Ministry of Information Covid-19 press briefing in Accra on May 12, said the age range for mortalities recorded were from 9 to 82 years with a mean age of 55.5 years and a median age of 58 years.

    “The mean age for males was 52.4 years, compared with 58.1 years for females. The median age for both sexes is 58 years,” he stated.

    Co-morbidities

    The head of public health, explaining the cause of deaths said only two out of the total number deaths did not have any underlying health condition.

    He said 16 of the persons who died of Covid-19 had hypertension representing a 72.7 per cent, of co-morbidity. Diabetes Mellitus also accounted for 10 lives representing a co-morbidity of 45.5 per cent while chronic liver disease, obesity and asthma claimed two lives each all accounting for 27.3 per cent of co-morbidity.

    Stroke, prostate enlargement, acute kidney injury, interstitial pulmonary disease and congestive cardiac failure claimed a life each with a total co-morbidity of 22.5 per cent.

    Ghana has recorded 5,127 cases of Covid-19 with a case fatality rate 0f 0.43 per cent.

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • Coronavirus deaths could go up in Ghana – GMA cautions

    “If we don’t take time and our health system is overwhelmed, a lot of people won’t get access to health care and even the deaths that we are worried about could go up” due to the number of Coronavirus cases recorded in the country, the General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Justice Yankson has cautioned.

    Already, as of Tuesday, May 12, 2020, Ghana’s COVID-19 cases have increased by 427, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 5,127.

    According to the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kumah Aboagye, 270 of the new cases were recorded in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

    He said the total number of recoveries remained at 494, with 22 deaths.

    He added that his outfit are waiting for the second results of some 130 patients who had tested negative for the coronavirus disease.

    Dr. Justice Yankson of the GMA on his part cautioned against a possible surge in the number of coronavirus-related deaths because of the overwhelmed health care facilities in the country.

    Speaking on Citi TV, Dr. Yankson said, “Gradually every fabric is being affected by COVID-19 in relation to gender, geographical location, among others. When you juxtapose the increasing number to the rate at which we are growing to the sort of [health] facilities we have, then you can realize that we are in trouble.”

    “Community spread is gaining more grounds. Anytime there is testing involving groups of people, you will record a huge number of infected persons. This means COVID-19 has permeated our community [from the lower class to the rich],” he added.

    Earlier, the Association urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to lift the ban on social gatherings including religious activities, schools, marriages, and funerals as the country continues to record high numbers of COVID-19 cases.

    The association also wants the President to ensure that all Ghanaians comply with all COVID-19 protocols.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Domelevo found guilty of contempt in Osafo Maafos $1m Kroll case

    The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo, has been found guilty of contempt for failing to respond to a suit filed by the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, which was challenging the $1m surcharge on him.

    According to the court, the reason given by Mr. Domelevo for his inability to respond was “untenable and an afterthought.”

    He had said he was busy finishing up an audit report for Parliament hence his failure to respond.

    The judge, Justice Botwe, in her ruling, said due to the important role the Auditor-General plays, she will opt to caution and discharge him rather than sentence him.

    She explained that the law requiring that the Auditor-General responds to appeals to his surcharge within 14 days is a good law.

    She also said evidence before the court shows that Mr. Domelervo was properly served and should have done the right thing.

    The Senior Minister and four other officials from the Ministry of Finance sued the Mr. Domelevo to clear their names in relation to what was said to be breaches of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) that resulted in their payment of US$1 million to a private UK firm, Kroll and Associates.

    Mr. Osafo-Maafo had said he was resorting to the courts because “the evidence available shows clearly that the Auditor-General erred in law and professional procedures in the exercise of his powers regarding his audit on payments to Kroll and Associates Limited.”

    Mr. Domelevo had concluded that Kroll was paid for no work done, following what he said was the persistent failure of the Senior Minister to provide proof of actual work done.

    He consequently recommended the disallowance of the payment of the US$1million to Kroll and Associates, which the government, through the Ministry of Finance paid.

    Mr. Domelevo also surcharged Mr Osafo Maafo and the four other officials from the Ministry of Finance.

    The Auditor-General indicted the Ministry of Finance and the Senior Minister for the payment which was paying the UK firm, Kroll and Associates Limited, in 2017 to recover assets from identified wrongdoers, among others, without verifying outcomes.

    Mr. Osafo Maafo in a statement said he was resorting to the courts because “the evidence available shows clearly that the Auditor-General erred in law and professional procedures in the exercise of his powers regarding his audit on payments to Kroll and Associates Limited.”

    “I have on Wednesday, 11th December 2019, instructed my lawyers to commence legal processes to challenge a Disallowance and Surcharge imposed on me by the Auditor-General following his notice on 24th October 2019.

    Source: Fred Djabanor | citinewsroom.com

  • GhIPSS resumes charges on Mobile Money Interoperability May 23

    The Ghana Interbank Payments and Settlements Systems (GhIPPS) has directed financial institutions to end the fee waiver granted to customers who use the GhIPSS Instant Pay (GIP), Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI) and ACH Direct Credit to transact business.

    “Following a review of financial position, we have decided we are unable to sustain the fee waiver regime any further and will re-instate all transaction fees with effect from May 23, 2020,” GhIPSS said in a statement.

    Earlier, GhIPSS announced a waiver of transaction fees across three platforms namely; GhIPSS Instant Pay (GIP, Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI) and ACH Direct Credit.

    This action was in support of the call to the financial services industry by the Bank of Ghana to encourage and promote the use of electronic payments and also to lighten the financial burden on the vulnerable members of the public in the light of the global pandemic and the impending containment measures by the Government of Ghana.

    According to GhIPSS, “The sustainability of this gesture was premised on the assumption that inflows from our cheque and e-zwich business will cushion the company over the period of the waivers. Conversely, there was a significant reduction in the use of these two services; gravely impacting our bottom line,” hence the decision to end the fee waiver on the three platforms.

    “We appreciate your support in passing on the benefits of these waivers to your customers and trust that we can count on you for future collaborations to promote the use of electronic payments services in Ghana,” the statement added.

    Background

    On March 19, the Central Bank announced some measures including the waiving of fees on some digital payment options including mobile money aimed at reducing cash transactions and boosting digital payments.

    One of the key measures was that all mobile money users can send up to GH¢100 for free (excluding cash out).

    This includes sending to a recipient on the same network, or another network via the interoperability platform. Also, all mobile phone subscribers are now permitted to use their already existing mobile phone registration details to be on-boarded for Minimum KYC Account.

    This subsequently led to GhIPSS announcing a waiver of transaction fees across three platforms namely: GhIPSS Instant Pay (GIP), Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI), and ACH Direct Credit.

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • NADMO to pull down buildings in Kasoa to avert floods

    Mr. Kwame Amoah, the Awutu Senya East Municipal NADMO coordinator, has revealed that his organization is seeking court approval to enable it pull down some buildings on waterways within the Kasoa area in the central region.

    This, he said, is intended to prevent the perennial flooding of the area.

    His comments follow the Sunday downpour that destroyed properties belonging to residents of Kasoa.

    “We will write to the court to seek permission that we pull down some buildings in the waterways,” he told Accra 100.5FM FM.

    Residents of Kasoa in the Central region, have recounted their experiences following the destruction of their buildings and other properties during the heavy downpour on Sunday, May 10.

    One of the victims, Adjei, said the contributors who constructed the roads failed to provide good drainage system and that caused the floods.

    “The gutters were not properly constructed and so when it rains we experience floods here,” he said.

    Another victim said: “All my mattresses have been damaged, I have to let my wife and children go somewhere else to sleep.”

    “My husband slept in a wheelbarrow till the following morning. I also slept on a table because all our mares have been destroyed,” another victim said.

    One also said: “My three laptops and iPad that I am using to work have all been destroyed. We are pleating to the government to come to our support.”

    Source: Class FM

  • NIC issues 272,000 electronic stickers under Motor Insurance Database policy

    Deputy Commissioner at the National Insurance Commission (NIC) has said over 272,000 stickers have been issued electronically following the implementation of the Motor Insurance Database (MID) policy.

    This follows an initial 78,000 newly insured stickers issued as of February 17, 2020 since the insurance regulator introduced and implemented the MID policy on January 20, 2020.

    Michael Kofi Andoh, speaking an interview said; “So far, the Motor Insurance database is doing quite well, and I think we have issued about 272,000 stickers on new policies. So, it is doing well; and I think it has been a good and timely intervention for motor insurance,”

    “The feedback we have had from the non-life insurance company so far is that it has been very useful especially during the lock-down. This is because insurance companies would sell motor insurance policy without going to their offices or they could do all that and issue their stickers on the motor insurance database. So, it has been a very big positive for the business continuity aspect of the non-life insurance company during the lock-down,” he added.

    The NIC says the introduction of the electronic database has ensured business continuity measures mainly during the three week partial lockdown in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak in Ghana.

    On January 20, 2020 the NIC issued a directive to all insurance companies to cancel the issuance of manual stickers until they signed up to the new Motor Insurance Database. (MID)

    The move by the commission was to get rid of fake motor insurance stickers that were plying the roads and ensure the safety of lives and property.

    Commissioner for Insurance, Justice Yaw Ofori, had earlier disclosed that insurance companies in the country are losing approximately GH¢390 million of gross revenue annually to fraudsters who issue fake insurance stickers to unsuspecting vehicle owners.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • $1bn IMF loan: Government has been vindicated, Mahama doesn’t read – Buabeng Asamoah

    Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buabeng Asamoah says the Akufo-Addo government has been vindicated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the $1 billion loan facility the Bretton Woods institution recently doled out to the Government of Ghana.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) claims government massaged figures to secure the loan from the IMF.

    These claims were championed by the NDC and their flagbearer former President John Dramani Mahama in an attempt to besmirch President Akufo-Addo and make his government unpopular in the eyes of Ghanaians, according to the ruling party, but that was shot down by Country Director of the IMF, Dr. Albert Touna Mama over the weekend.

    Dr. Touna Mama, in an interview with Joy FM on Saturday, cleared the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta of tampering with the figures disclosing that ”when it comes to the data we received that we worked with, in this debate, there is nothing new that we did not know”.

    Contrary to the NDC claims which emanated from a fact-checking exercise by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) that the government presented different data to the IMF, the IMF Boss expounded that the 7.5 per cent fiscal deficit in the IMF statement was generated by the institution itself and not the Government of Ghana, adding that what the NDC thinks is a discrepancy in the figures is actually a result of two different methodologies used in calculating deficit and international reserve.

    To him, the NDC grossly erred in its interpretation of the figures.

    “You need to go through the reports and understand what the figures that have been presented are…Our number includes these two elements (financial sector payments and energy sector payment) and we know why the Governor of the Bank of Ghana made the decision not to have these two elements in the fiscal deficits…When it comes to Gross International Reserve, we have our definition; definition that we think is the right one.”

    “But the Bank of Ghana also has a different understanding of what Gross International Reserve should account for. And the difference here is that Bank of Ghana accounts the Oil Fund, the Heritage Fund and the Stabilization Fund as part of Gross International Reserve and I think that point was clearly made at the beginning of the year by the Governor of the Bank of Ghana. That is the difference and that is the position that they have taken,” he added.

    Touching on the issue on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’, the NPP Communications Director held that the explanations given by the IMF Country Director should put to rest the political arguments about the IMF 1 billion-dollar loan facility since it has been established that the government did nothing wrong.

    According to him, former President John Mahama and the NDC have shot themselves in the foot.

    “He (Mahama) didn’t take time to read. They don’t listen when we always tell them they don’t read. It has been disclosed that Ghana is not the only country that benefited from the loan facility. If he had exercised a little restraint to know the world is transforming, he would not have made such a rash of it,” Yaw Buabeng Asamoah slammed former President Mahama.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Todays newspapers front pages

  • Court orders sale of West FM in Ho

    A former employee of West FM Company Limited in Ho, the Volta regional capital, has caused the closure of the radio station in furtherance of a sale order by the Ho District Court.

    The court had issued the order for the sale of the radio station following a suit by the former employee, Komla Addo, who said the station had failed to settle his unpaid salaries while he was working there.

    Mr Addo, who was instrumental in getting the station on air, left their employment in December 2018, sources close to the station have said. He had since been trying to recover his unpaid salaries and other monies owed him by the station but to no avail.

    The court granted him his plea and issued an order for the sale of the movable and immovable properties of the station.

    The order, which was made as far back as April 2019, was appealed by the defendant/debtor. Unfortunately, the court upheld the earlier order.

    To this end, the former employee in the company of a bailiff went to paste the order on the premises of the station on Friday, May 8, 2020.

    His Worship Robert Addo ordered that all movable and immovable properties belonging to the station, including transmitters, mast, computers, photocopiers, furniture among others, be sold to defray the debt.

    Other items affected by the order included the secretarial shop with its contents as well as “any other assets of the defendant/debtor found anywhere.”

    As at the time of filing this story, the station which had gone off most part of the day, had come back on air. It is not clear what could have accounted for the development.

    Source: Class FM

  • Akufo-Addo endorsement not personal, its a speech I read on behalf of Afadjato chiefs Honyenuga

    Supreme Court Judge Nominee Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga has said he did not endorse the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his personal capacity but was a speech he was elected to read on behalf of the chiefs and people of Afadjato when the President visited the Volta region.

    According to Justice Honyenuga, the state-owned Daily Graphic which reported the story misrepresented him and did not state that the endorsement was not his, but a speech he was elected to read on behalf of the chiefs.

    He also indicated that the assertion that the president visited his traditional area was untrue as the President visited the Afadjato area where he was selected to speak on behalf of the traditional leaders.

    Justice Honyenuga gave the explanation when he appeared before the vetting committee of parliament on Monday, 11 May 2020.

    Justice Honyenuga who is also the Paramount Chief of the Nyagbo Traditional Area earlier this year in his welcome address to President Akufo-Addo at a durbar of chiefs and people of the Afajato South District, was full of praise for the Akufo-Addo-led administration.

    “We wish to congratulate you for the excellent manner you are governing this dear country of ours, Ghana, and the significant gains made in the economy in your first term”, adding: “It is true that you have won high admiration, not only in Africa but also in advanced democracies.

    “Your flagship programmes, like the Free Senior High School, Planting for Food and Jobs which has increased food production and has even led to exports; One District-One Factory, among others, has (sic) increased food production and has (sic) improved upon the standard of living of many Ghanaians”, he said.

    “Indeed”, he added: “For special mention is the Free SHS, which has broken boundaries and has greatly bridged the gap between the rich and the poor”, observing: “This programme has also broken the record, which was held by the first President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who gave free education to our brothers and sisters in the northern part of Ghana”.

    The chief continued thus: “Your Free SHS programme is unprecedented in the history of Ghana, in a first term, as it covers the whole country”.

    The Daily Graphic newspaper quoted Justice Honyenuga as calling on Ghanaians to give President Akufo-Addo another term to implement his vision for the country.

    “We wish to congratulate you for the excellent manner you are governing this dear country of ours; it is our hope that with your vision and the gains made in your first term, Ghanaians may consider giving you another four years,” he stated.

    Justice Honyenuga was widely condemned for the endorsement taking into consideration his position as a Court of Appeal Judge who is barred from making such political endorsement per the code of their conduct.

    Source: Class FM

  • ECG spends GH¢44.7m to end dumsor

    The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is spending GH¢44.7 million to ensure reliable power supply in the Ashanti Region.

    Of this, it would in the short term spend GH¢15.2 million to conduct extension and intensification power projects in the region.

    In the medium term, plans are far advanced to use the remaining GH¢29.5 million to construct a sub-station at Agogo to help improve power supply in Konongo, Ejisu, Kumawu and nearby areas.

    Part of the GH¢29.5 million will also go into the construction of a power switching station at Adansi Asokwa aimed at helping to improve service delivery of the ECG so that customers will be better served.

    Managing Director of ECG, Kwame Agyeman-Budu, addressing journalists in Kumasi, stated that his outfit was determined to improve power supply in the Ashanti Region and make the frequent power cuts a thing of the past.

    To help achieve its target, he announced that the ECG had decided to spend more to improve power supply so that customers would no longer complain about power cuts, with its attendant problems.

    “Our prime aim is to correct all the faults that have been detected in the system, which usually leads to frequent power cuts, and that is why we have decided to spend this amount to make sure that our customers feel good,” he said.

    The ECG MD, who was in Kumasi on Friday with some other officials of the company, said “ECG cherishes its customers and very soon their services would see massive improvement.”

    Old Transformers

    He said ECG had realized that most of its transformers in the Ashanti Region were old and could not perform well “so plans are in place to replace them with new ones.”

    Mr. Agyeman-Budu also said faulty cables, insulators and other ageing equipment in the Ashanti Region, which were obstructing effective power supply, would be replaced without delay.

    New Machines

    According to him, the ECG had secured a new technology called VIT to easily detect faults, isolate and fix them without plunging an entire area into darkness.

    He said ECG staff would henceforth use conductors to repair faults.

    Mr. Agyeman-Budu stated that it was never the intention of the ECG to frequently plunge its customers into darkness, lamenting that the ECG even lost a lot of money whenever power supply was cut.

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • Scrap MP Common Fund – Ex-KMA PM

    A former Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Nana Kofi Senya, has challenged the establishment of the Members of Parliament (MPs) Common Fund, saying the concept is not grounded in law but simply a creation of Parliament itself.

    He has consequently called for it to be scrapped until it is established in proper legislation.

    He argues that the idea of the creation of the MPs Common Fund was the architect of the then Majority and Minority leaders in 1997 during the second Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

    Article 252, clauses II and V of the Constitution mandate Parliament to allocate funds not less than five per cent to metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) and also to prescribe the functions and tenure of the common fund administrator.

    “There is no constitutional provisions for MPs Common Fund,” he said.

    Quoting extensively from a lecture delivered by former local government minister, Prof. Kwamena Ahwoi, Nana Senya said the decision to allocate part of the fund to MPs in 1997 was as a result of demands from the MPs themselves for financial assistance to undertake development projects.

    “Perhaps it was to remove the incidents of district chief executives bluffing the MPs with their fund,” he said.

    Leadership

    He alleged that the leadership of the two sides of Parliament requested that part of the District Assembly Common Fund be given to the legislators or they might not approve the formula for the sharing of the fund.

    Nana Senya said by that creation, MPs now became agents for development in their various districts and by so doing disenfranchised the MMDAs and for that matter the assembly members.

    He said Article 240 (2) and sub clauses A, B, C, mandated the legislators to enact appropriate laws to ensure that functions, power, responsibilities and resources were at all times transferred from the central government to the local government units, and to ensure probity, transparency and accountability at the MMDAs.

    “Unfortunately, the legislators are behaving contrary,” he added.

    Structures

    Touching on the entire local government system and need for its realignment, Nana Senya said after practising local governance and for that matter decentralisation in Ghana for 31 years, one would expect better strides to have been made to ensure social accountability and development.

    He said rather it had become very apparent that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the legislators have not contributed enough to the development of local governance and decentralisation at the grassroots.

    Constitution

    The former presiding member said the framers of the 1992 Constitution and the Local Government Act, Act 462 of 1993, now amended to Act 936, 2016, were so magnanimous to Ghanaians and, therefore, ensured clauses that would deepen democracy, decentralisation, holistic development and social accountability, where the people shall govern themselves through the structures at the sub national government level without or with less political interference.

    “I am alarmed at the rate at which the local government system and decentralisation are folding up at the whims and caprices of the Local Government  and Rural Development Ministry and the legislators,” he said.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • IMF data is the true state of our economy – Professor Gatsi

    The data published by the IMF on the macro-fiscal situation of Ghana is the true state of the Ghanaian economy, Business School Lecturer, Professor John Gatsi has said.

    According to him, whiles Ghanaians know the fiscal deficit to Gross Domestic Product in 2019 to be 4.5%, the Fund knows the true state of the budget deficit in 2019 as 7.5%.

    “The clarification by the IMF will generate further political debate about the economy. The data published by the IMF shows the true state of the economy.

    “The whole issue about misreporting is not about misreporting of economic data to IMF but to the people of Ghana through the budget. We believe the data published by the IMF to be true. So, what is the IMF explaining to us?”, he questioned.

    Below is the article by Professor John Gatsi, Business School Lecturer and Head of Finance at the University of Cape Coast;

    IMF clarification on macro-fiscal data does not change the true state of the Ghanaian economy – Prof. John Gatsi

    The clarification by the IMF will generate further political debate about the economy. The data published by the IMF shows the true state of the economy.

    The whole issue about misreporting is not about the misreporting of economic data to the IMF but to the people of Ghana through the budget. We believe the data published by the IMF to be true. So what is the IMF explaining to us?

    The people of Ghana know the deficit in 2019 to be 4.5% but the IMF knows the true state of the deficit in 2019 was 7.5%.

    We believe the correct data was presented to IMF and what is now known as misreporting is to Parliament via the budget.

    The explanation by IMF is strange and may be tagged as involved in domestic politics. We are guided by our Constitution and financial management principles, objectives and strategy enshrined in the public financial management act,2016 (Act 921) in which the Finance Minister is the main executive member with financial management responsibility.

    It is, therefore, the Finance Minister who should face the country to explain the data agreed upon with the IMF. It is unnecessary for the IMF to attempt to do what the Finance Minister should be doing.

    Now to the substantive issues. Take for example that Ghana raised $2bn in a year but spent $3bn and decided to divide the extra $1bn into $600M and $400M and stated in its financial statement that over expenditure was $600M but disclosed in the notes to the financial statements that the country overspent another $400M which was also approved by Parliament.

    Now how much is the over-expenditure that parliament approved on behalf of the people? The answer is $1bn.

    Now why did IMF accept the figures presented by government in its dataset? Answer is that it is the true picture about the Ghanaian economy therefore the true picture of the deficit, reserves, debt to GDP ratio and primary balance as well as GDP growth presented by IMF from the data supplied by government remain the true state of the Ghanaian economy.

    Ask any of the IMF team, a member of the minority or member of government that if they are taken as consultants to look at the macro-fiscal data in the budget and that of IMF data for a client to provide the macro-fiscal situation of Ghana to take/make critical and informed decisions will they look at the true state as presented by IMF or not?.

    Accountants will tell you the purpose of the notes to an account gives extra critical information that you must use without which your assessment of the account is meaningless and incomplete.

    The separation or no separation of financial sector and energy costs does not take away the fact that the true state of the economy is what the IMF data presented and the granting of the $1bn Rapid Credit Facility was based on the true state of the macro-fiscal situation that is why the IMF attached it to the disbursement letter to Ghana.

    Source: Class FM

  • Coronavirus: GHS must revise its peak theory – Bright Simons

    Vice President of policy think tank, IMANI, Bright Simons, says the Ghana Health Service (GHS) must revise its theory of Ghana reaching its peak in COVID-19 infections since current developments indicate otherwise.

    Last week, the Director of Public Health at the GHS, Dr Ebenezer Badu Sarkodie, said during a press conference that Ghana had reached its peak in the number of daily infections with the rate likely to decline.

    In a follow up press conference on the country’s case count and case management, the Director General GHS, Dr Patrick Kumah Aboagye, said Ghana since reaching its peak, in the number of daily infections, has consistently been recording a decline in daily numbers.

    But reacting to an update on Ghana’s case count on his Twitter page, Bright Simons said per discussions within the medical community indicating a likely jump of 20% in total case count, it is imperative that the GHS revises its peak theory as the call was made too soon.

    “It is no longer controversial to say that GHS has to revise their peak theory as they called the trend too soon. The medical community is openly discussing newly discovered positive clusters in Ashaiman, Ablekuma & Korle Klottey likely to cause total case count to jump by ~20%.” He shared in a Twitter post.

    Ghana’s COVID-19 case count as of this morning May 11, 2020 stands at 4,700 total confirmed cases, 494 recoveries and 22 recorded deaths.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Fight against COVID-19: Akufo-Addo visits Noguchi

    President Akufo Addo on Sunday May 10, 2020 visited the Noguchi Medical Research Centre at the University of Ghana to familiarise himself with the operations of the centre.

    Noguchi is the heartbeat of Covid-19 testing centres in the country.

    President Akufo-Addo was received by the managers of the medical facility who took him round the operational areas and explained the processes that samples go through before results are declared.

    He assured them of adequate support to make their operations more effective.

    Ahead of the visit, the president had presided over a three-day cabinet retreat at Peduase where the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy had been discussed.

    He is said to have driven straight from Peduase to Noguchi for the inspection.

    President Akufo-Addo later in the evening addressed the nation spelling out further steps to contain the pandemic.

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • Zoomlion partners Police to disinfect Winneba Police Training College

    Waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, has partnered with the Ghana Police Service to disinfect the Winneba Police Command and Staff College.

    This forms part of efforts by the two entities to curb the spread of COVID-19.

    The disinfection exercise which started at 9 am on Sunday, May 10, 2020, saw various areas like the classroom blocks, bungalows of lecturers, offices and external environment of the facility being disinfected by the team from Zoomlion.

    Speaking to Citi News, the Commandant of the Winneba Police Command and Staff College, Superintendent Samuel Aseidu Okanta indicated that the exercise will help assure incoming trainees of a Coronavirus-free environment.

    “Because of the fear that COVID-19 brings, coupled with the fact that this place is a training facility for Police and when it becomes necessary the Police administration will bring personnel here for crime and other training, if they are aware that the place has been disinfected, they will have no fear to use the facility. The IGP is not only disinfecting this facility, he is also extending the exercise to police stations and various police cells,” Superintendent Samuel Aseidu Okanta said.

    “Just like the Universities using different strategies to carry out their mandate, the Police Administration is ready to also use different strategies to carry out our mandate so in the not too distant future, when students come to the depot, it will be easy for them,” he said.

    On his part, the Central Regional Manager for Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Ernest Osei urged the college to take precautionary measures before admitting students to prevent the spread of the virus on campus.

    Central Regional Manager for Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Ernest Osei

    “We have done a good job at the Police College but you know very well that people are coming from different places. I believe that the entry point is where they must take other precautionary measures such as handwashing and the use of hand sanitizers,” the Regional Manager said.

    Source: Calvis Tetteh | citinewsroom.com

  • Kontomire and 9 Ghanaian foods that will boost your immune system to fight coronavirus

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday, May 10, 2020, updated the nation on the measures taken against the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

    Amongst the update given, the president listed about 10 different local Ghanaian foods that can boost the immune system of citizens in the fight against COVID-19.

    Addressing the country, Akufo-Addo stated that it is important for Ghanaians to improve their hygiene by exercising, eating well, and generally living a healthy lifestyle.

    He thus advised Ghanaians to take in key vitamins to fortify the immune system. “For instance, we are told that the key vitamins that fortify our immune system are vitamins A, B6, C, and E.

    Akufo-Addo added that fortunately for Ghanaians, all of these can be found in many of our local foods.

    Below is a list of local foods that will help boost your immune system to fight the Coronavirus.

    Oranges, Kontomire, Millet, Cashew nuts, Crabs, Plantain, Okro, Dawadawa, Brown rice, Mushrooms.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Todays newspapers front pages

  • Reports we shared different macroeconomic data with IMF are false – Finance Ministry

    The Ministry of Finance has said widespread reports that it shared different figures with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and to Parliament in the process of contracting the US$1 billion rapid loan facility are false and misleading.

    In a statement issued by the official website of the ministry, www.mofep.gov.gh said, “Our attention has been drawn to a publication by fact-checkghana.com of the Media Foundation for West Africa suggesting that the government has shared different macroeconomic data with Ghanaians and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We wish to state that this assertion is false and misleading,” the Ministry noted.

    “The first inaccuracy in the said publication was taking the January to September figures, that is the third quarter figures reported in our budget statements and comparing them with the full-year figures reported by the IMF,” the statement explained.

    Prior to this, some fact-checking organizations and civil society organizations indicated there were some disparities in the figures of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Deficit, Primary Balance, Current Account Balance, and Gross International Reserves figures earlier presented by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to Parliament.

     

    Press-Release 20200510 Fact… by The Independent Ghana on Scribd

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Set up committee to oversee GHC600m stimulus package disbursement GUTA

    The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is appealing to the government, to as a matter of urgency, set up a committee made up of relevant stakeholders to discuss issues pertaining to the GHC600 million stimulus package for Medium Scale and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs), and come out with a workable stimulus package.

    It said in a statement that the stimulus package as being communicated to them is very confusing and not directed to the intended target, threshold, adequacy of the fund and modalities of the disbursement.

    “We mention this due to the high number of people in these sectors, and the very nature of their operations, as well as the capital need of members of each group. We expected that each group will be identified and allotted the appropriate amount of the fund”, it noted.

    Additionally, it pointed out that “It should be noted that the Chief Executive Officer of the National Board for Small Scale Industry stated that she expects about 200,000 businesses to access this fund, which therefore will strike as an average threshold of GHS3,000 per a beneficiary, which is grossly inadequate”.

    GUTA emphasised the shortfall of the NBSSI of disclosing the modalities and specific target group for disbursement, as well as the threshold and interest rate involved.

    Continuing, it said the stimulus package announced by President Akufo-Addo for the MSMEs will become more of a problem than a solution if the government fails to establish a committee of stakeholders to effectively managed the fund to achieve its intended purposes.

    “It is important to alert government that the announcement of the stimulus package has generated a lot of interest and expectations among greater majority of the business community, so government should consider this fact, engage with us, to think through the entire package. Otherwise, this noble and good intention of the government can be more of a problem than a solution”, it said in a statement.

    It, however, commended the government for considering the plight of the informal trading sector and the small-scale industries in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought hardship on members of the business community.

    Source: Class FM

  • Publishing wrong claims about economy not helpful Finance Ministry

    The Ministry of Finance has urged the general public to check with them on issues relating to the economy and macroeconomic data before making public pronouncements.

    The Ministry described as false and misleading, report by the fact-checkghana.com of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) suggesting that Government has shared different macroeconomic data with Ghanaians and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    Factcheck-ghana.com has said it crosschecked the data submitted to the IMF by Ghanaian authorities and what has been previously shared with Ghanaians and published by the Ministry of Finance.

    “Based on the figures, we conclude that indeed, the data presented by the government to the IMF are different from those in budget statements.

    “The fact-checking team found disparities between the data published in the statement of the IMF and data from the Budget Statements of 2019 and 2020 that the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, presented to Parliament.”

    But the Finance Ministry urged the public to reject this claim.

    A statement from the Ministry on Sunday, May 10 said: “Our attention has been drawn to a publication by fact-checkghana.com of the Media Foundation for West Africa suggesting that Government has shared different macroeconomic data with Ghanaians and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We wish to state that this assertion is false and misleading.

    “May we state that the Ministry of Finance welcomes discussions of the economic information we provide. Such discussions help us in managing the economy. We also operate an open-door policy.

    “We urge the public to seek clarification on matters they may have difficulty with and we would be happy to help resolve any misunderstanding. Publishing such wrong claims about the economy is not helpful.”

    Source: laudbusiness.com

  • Government did not share different data with the IMF MoF

    The Ministry of Finance has described as false and misleading, report by the fact-checkghana.com of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) suggesting that Government has shared different macroeconomic data with Ghanaians and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    Factcheck-ghana.com has said it crosschecked the data submitted to the IMF by Ghanaian authorities and what has been previously shared with Ghanaians and published by the Ministry of Finance.

    “Based on the figures, we conclude that indeed, the data presented by the government to the IMF are different from those in budget statements.
    “The fact-checking team found disparities between the data published in the statement of the IMF and data from the Budget Statements of 2019 and 2020 that the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, presented to Parliament. ”

    But the Finance Ministry urged the public to reject this claim.

    A statement from the Ministry on Sunday, May 10 said: “Our attention has been drawn to a publication by fact-checkghana.com of the Media Foundation for West Africa suggesting that Government has shared different macroeconomic data with Ghanaians and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We wish to state that this assertion is false and misleading.

    “May we state that the Ministry of Finance welcomes discussions of the economic information we provide. Such discussions help us in managing the economy. We also operate an open-door policy.

    “We urge the public to seek clarification on matters they may have difficulty with and we would be happy to help resolve any misunderstanding. Publishing such wrong claims about the economy is not helpful.”

    Source: laudbusiness.com

  • Coronavirus: Avoid self-made herbal medicines, seek professional help Herbalists

    The Ghana Association of Medical Herbalists has advised Ghanaians who have resorted to the use of herbal preparations to boost their immune systems to fight COVID-19 and for their general well-being to seek help from professional herbalists as some herbs if wrongly prepared can be dangerous to their health.

    Many Ghanaians are advocating herbalists be given the chance to find the cure to COVID-19 with some resorting to the use of herbs for their general well-being.

    But the association in a statement said: “Much as we attest to the health benefits of herbs generally, it is worthy of note that herbs may contain several different active phytochemicals with varying physiological effects and hence should be sourced and prepared through standard processes, and taken in required doses in order to be useful to the body. Generally, herbs may be safe yet they could pose varying degrees of consequences if not rationally sourced, processed or taken”.

    “It is advised that herbal medical care should be sought from qualified registered professionals rather than resorting to self-home-made remedies,” the statement added.

    The medical herbalists further directed Ghanaians not to rely on every herbal combination shared on social media as some could be detrimental to their health.

    Instead, the herbalists insist people should avoid excessive sugary foods and self-medication, exercise regularly and ensure to have adequate rest and above all observe the preventive measures such as social distancing, use of face masks, frequent washing of hands with soap under running water and use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser to prevent COVID-19.

    Below is the full statement from the Association:

    (RATIONAL USE OF HOME-MADE HERBAL PREPARATIONS)

    In the wake of COVID 19, many across the globe have resorted to the use of herbal preparations in a bid to building stronger immunity and improve general health. Such herbs that have been combined diversely include Cinnamomum zeylanicum(Cinnamon), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Carica papaya (pawpaw), Xylopia aethiopica (Hwenteaa), Artemissia annua (Sweet wormwood), Zingiber officinale (Ginger), Hibiscus sabdariffa (Soobolo), Allium sativum (Garlic) etc.

    Much as we attest to the health benefits of herbs generally, it is worthy of note that herbs may contain several different active phytochemicals with varying physiological effects and hence should be sourced and prepared through standard processes, and taken in required doses in order to be useful to the body. Generally, herbs may be safe yet they could pose varying degrees of consequences if not rationally sourced, processed or taken. For instance,aflatoxins (foreign whitish patches found especially on cassava and other leaves) if consumed, may contribute to mutagenic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and immunosuppressive health effects in the body. The adverse effect ranges from acute hepatic toxicity to chronic diseases such as liver cancer, haemorrhages, oedema, and even immediate death. This is not the effect of the plant but rather the toxic foreign adulterant which should have been avoided while picking the crude plant material, or during preparation.

    It is advised that herbal medical care should be sought from qualified registered professionals rather than resorting to self-homemade remedies.

    In the event of preparing homemade herbal remedies however, the following precautionary measures should be observed.

    ? Look out for and avoid:

    1. whitish powdery patches(aflatoxins) especially on leaves.

    2. Droplets of animal fecal matter and tiny insects

    3. Other adulterants

    ? Do not fetch plant materials from:

    1. places where there is a lot of vehicular movements and/or Industrial areas as toxic carbon monoxide fumes in the atmosphere may be absorbed by nearby plants.

    2. places close to untreated human excreta deposits or refuse damp sites.

    3. Mining sites

    ? Wash fresh plant materials thoroughly and remove any adulterants before use. You may use concentrated salt solution or vinegar.

    ? Accurate identification is key. Plants of same genus could have very close resemblance – be sure which species you need.

    ? Generally, fruits and vegetables boost immunity. Eat a variety of healthy fruits every day, especially citrus fruits (Oranges,tangerines,manderines, etc). Avoid fruits or vegetables that are split open or broken into.

    Do not rely on every herbal combination shared on social media. Some could be detrimental to your health. Consult the nearest Medical Herbalist in a government hospital or private health facility near you.

    Avoid excessive sugary foods and self-medication as they could affect your immunity negatively.

    Exercise regularly and ensure to have adequate rest.

    Above all, let us all observe the preventive measures such as Social distancing, use of face masks, frequent washing of hands with soap under running water and use of alcohol base hand sanitizer.

    Stay safe.

    Signed

    Dr Anthony Mensah (MH)

    President

    Source: Class FM