TIG Post

Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

  • Meet the Ketasco NSMQ backup Cynthia Baragbor who gained 8As in her WASSCE

    It seems to be evident that the students who represent each senior high school in the nation at the esteemed National Science and Mathematical Quiz (NSMQ) give spectators a lot to enjoy about both their schools and the competition.

    The ‘yays’, the ‘wows,’ and the ‘ohs’ have become so synonymous with the competition, it makes it more desirous for many followers of the NSMQ to look forward to it every year.

    While the names and faces of the boys and girls who appear on the screens are those that people cannot easily forget about, there is also one other very important part of the engines of these schools that represent them on the national stage.

    These are the young men and women in the background working out complex permutations, mathematical calculations and scientific equations, but who hardly get to be heard of, or are spoken about.

    In this article, GhanaWeb puts the spotlight on one such person; a young woman from the Keta Senior High School who has just completed SHS with flying colours after the release of the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.

    Scoring all As in her General Science course, Cynthia Makafui Abla Baragbor has proven to be a successful product of what the NSMQ can birth, even in the background.

    Speaking with GhanaWeb through her brother Jerome Chris Mawuli, the 18-year-old who was born on November 2, 2004, said that beyond her love for science and mathematics, she loves to dance and sing.

    She told GhanaWeb that with little effort by just doing what she loves and putting her mind into everything she does, she started experiencing a life of many firsts.

    She started her education at the Holy Star International Academy in Aflao and later moved to the Aflao Border Basic School in 2015.

    “I was admitted into class six and I assumed the first position in my first year in the school which was so overwhelming because we were over 100 students then.

    “In my second-year exams, I came up second and was appointed by the head of the school to be the Office Girl,” she said.

    Cynthia also explained that she became interested in a number of activities while in school, one of which was a literary competition she took part in.

    She spoke about how well the competition organised by the current Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, went for her.

    “I took part in numberless competitions and the renowned one was the Write Away Contest which was organized by Hon. Dzifa Gomashie. I specifically took part in the 2nd edition of the competition which was in 3 stages. Amazingly, I qualified for all three stages, however, the final results were not released due to an undisclosed reason.

    “With my final year exams into JHS 3, I fabulously assumed the first position with over 150 students in the class and I was presented with the Certificate of Excellence by the headmaster, Mr Attipoe Emmanuel Yao, for displaying excellent performance in academics,” she added.

    She left the school as Girls Prefect, a position she occupied due to what she described as her “impressive results and hard work.”

    Cynthia went on from there to excel in her BECE and then gained admission to the Keta Senior High School where hard work and determination got her to be selected to join the school’s National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) team.

    She, however, was unable to join the team on the stage although her contributions greatly added to the success of the school.

    “I was selected into the Ketasco NSMQ team through hard work and diligence. Unfortunately, I was not on stage.

    “…I won the overall best female science student at the 69th-anniversary celebration of the school,” she added.

    Determined to pursue medicine, Cynthia’s dreams seem to be hanging in the balance due to financial constraints although she has been able to score a perfect result in her WASSCE. She is the last child and only girl among three siblings born to a father who is a farmer and a mother who is a trader.

    In the words of Jerome, her elder brother, the family needs support to help her get a scholarship to study medicine at a university abroad, but that notwithstanding, they have taken initial steps to purchase admission forms for the University of Ghana (UG) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

     

  • My father’s position in government has nothing to do with my award – 2022 National Best Farmer

    The 2022 National Best Farmer, Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe, has said that his father’s position as a  politician has nothing to do with adjudging as the 2022 National Best Farmer.

    Nana Otuo Siriboe II is the Omanhene of Asante Juaben in the Ashanti region, as well as the Chairman of the Council of State under Akufo- Addo’s administration.

    Many people believe Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe managed to win the National Best Father Award in 2022 because his father is involved in politics.

    Nana Yaw Siriboe rejected those claims during an interview with Akua Asieduwaa on Oyerepa Breakfast Time, asserting that he received the honor because of his hard work.

    “Yes, Nana Otuo Siriboe II is my father. People are making those claims because they might not know me. I didn’t go into farming for the award; I went for the money, and the award was an added bonus that I gladly accepted.

    “I am the third-youngest person to receive the award and the youngest person in the Ashanti region to receive this award for the past 38 years,” he said.

    He clarified that he began this process in 2014, when his father, Daasebre Nana Otuo Siriboe II, wasn’t the chairman of the Council of State.

    “I started this award in 2014. My father was not there. I became second in 2019. You will not be presented with the award on a silver platter. I won it because of my hard work.” Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe said.

  • Here are the conditions that have to be met before Minority approves debt restructuring, budget estimates

    The minority has threatened to disapprove the 2023 budget estimates, and debt restructuring until some five conditions are met by government.

    According to Haruna Iddrisu, they will not accept the debt restructuring programme announced by the finance minister.

    This comes after Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced that Ghana is embarking on a debt exchange program to ensure that debt levels are brought to sustainable levels.

    At a press conference, the minority leader said, “Let me state, without any fear of contradiction, that the form and structure of the debt restructuring plan announced by Ken Ofori-Atta are unacceptable to us, and we simply will not accept it.”

    He also raised concerns over why the government failed to announce the exchange programme in the budget statement presented to parliament.

    According to Haruna Iddrisu the minority are aware that “the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government have become desperate and is compelled after reckless mismanagement of the economy to achieve fiscal consolidation.”

    Below is a listicle of the conditions the minority has demanded before the budget estimates for 2023 will be approved;

    1. The resignation of the entire Economic Management Team and in particular Alhaji Bawumia from his position as Chair of that obviously moribund body. 2. The immediate resignation or dismissal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta 3. Immediate reduction in the number of Ministers and political appointees at the Office of the President by half. 4. Removal of all non-essential expenditure in the 2023 budget including the GHC 80 million allocated to the National Cathedral

    5. Reinstatement of the GHC100 exemption threshold for e-levy payment.

    Following the above, the minority in parliament reiterated that the country’s ailing economy characterized by unsustainable debt, inflation, and unprecedented credit rating downgrades, among others.

    Haruna Iddrisu explained the economic situation is so bad that Ghana is currently ranked side by side with Sri Lanka, which is considered the worst economy in the world and has defaulted on its debt.

    Speaking at the press conference, he said “as it’s now trite knowledge, the Ghanaian economy has been terribly mismanaged in the last five to six years by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration leading to our request for a 17th IMF program to renew confidence and policy credibility on our failing economy despite haughty initial denials.

    “The severely ailing economy has been characterized by unsustainable debt, very high inflation, unprecedented and disastrous depreciation of the cedi, high budget deficits and unprecedented credit rating downgrades.

    “The economic situation is so bad that we are currently ranked side by side with Sri Lanka, which is considered the worst economy in the world and has defaulted on its debt.”

  • Fish prices to go up over premix fuel scarcity – Deputy Volta Chief Fisher

    Mr. Seth Kedey, the Deputy Volta Regional Chief fisherman has hinted at a rise in the price of fish this festive season (yuletide) occasioned by the scarcity of premix fuel.

    According to him, the public would have to pay more for fish due to the unavailability of premix fuel at the various landing beaches along the country’s Coast.

    Mr. Kedey, who doubles as the National Public Relations Officer for the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) gave the hint in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of this year’s farmer’s day celebrations in Keta in the Ketu Municipality of the Volta region.

    “It’s been more than four months without premix fuel, the premix is not there – we are buying from the regular pumps, which is very expensive- you have to buy super and mix it with diesel to get premix to embark on your fishing expedition,” he said.

    “We all know what petroleum price hikes come along with- prices of everything shoot up. In the recent past, you could buy a pan of fish for between GHC 400-500, but now that same pan of fish sells at GHC 1000- whatever price we buy fuel to embark on an expedition, would have to be transferred to the customer.”

    Mr. Kedey added that the fisher folk is now helpless considering the current state of affairs with most of them now out of business adding that the few canoe owners who are able to afford the expensive fuel, incur huge debts here and there and that’s a source of worry.

    He appealed to the government to do something about the premix shortage to keep the fisher folk in business to support their livelihoods and their dependents.

    Fishermen in all four fishing regions in the country have in recent times raised concerns about the shortage of premix fuel at the landing beaches, a situation they said was taking a toll on their operations.

    They have had to resort to buying of the fuel meant for vehicles at cut-throat prices to power their outboard motors to embark on fishing expeditions with nothing done by the authorities to resolve the situation, they said.

  • Agradaa shares her experience at Chorkor jail

    Founder and head of Heaven Way International Ministries, Evangelist Patricia Oduro, has asserted that her recent imprisonment was a divine intervention meant to advance the gospel.

    The former fetish priestess spent over a month in police custody following her arrest on October 9, 2022, on fraud charges.

    She was recently released from custody after meeting her bail conditions.

    Sharing her prison experience with her Church members, Agradaa in a video sighted by GhanaWeb said God used her during her time cells to convert lesbians. She believes this was the sole purpose for her arrest.

    “God sent me to cells for a purpose. This woman was brought into the cell I was in at Chorkor. They were two girls and they were lesbians. God spoke to her through me and she wept. She decided to accept Jesus as her Lord and personal saviour.

    “Today I feel sad seeing her because the devil thought he was sending me to Chokor cells but Jesus said there are some lesbians so I should go there to preach for them to give their lives to Christ,” she told the members about her encounter with some two ladies during her time in cells.

    According to Agradaa, her time in police cells was for a purpose ordained by God.

  • Use COVID-19 approach to support the needy – Rev Opuni Frimpong to Christians

    Former General Secretary for the Christian council, Rev Opuni Frimpong, has urged Christian bodies to support the needy in society amidst the current economic crisis.

    The man of God admonished that, the welfare body of the various churches should support life-saving individuals who are at the verge of losing their lives due to certain circumstances.

    Citing the COVID-19 period as an example, Rev Opuni said that during those difficult times, Christians were supporting the needy people in society, with relief items. He believes this needs to be replicated in a difficult period like this.

    “The churches are the ones that receive offerings and tithe payments from people during prosperous times. And we also plan our welfare, the churches should go back to the drawing board to consider how to support others in need.

    “Since we already have welfare, we should apply the COVID approach to help people in need, because during times like this, people are unable to even buy their medications. This is more than COVID, when the church shared relief items to individuals,” Rev. Opuni said during an interview on Okay FM’s Adea Kye Bia morning show.

  • IMF fingerprints all over 2023 budget, debt exchange programme – John Kwakye

    Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Dr John Kwakye, has averred that government’s announcement of a debt exchange programme was influenced by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    He further asserted that the 2023 budget statement presented by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta was also geared towards securing a financial bailout from the IMF.

    Dr Kwakye in a tweet said, “IMF’s fingerprints are all over the 2023 Budget and the debt exchange presented by the Minister.”

    The finance minister, at a press conference in Accra on Monday, December 5, 2022, said under the debt exchange programme all domestic bondholders will exchange their instruments for new ones.

    Existing domestic bonds as of December 1, 2022, will be exchanged for a set of four new bonds maturing in 2027, 2029, and 2037.

    The annual coupons on all of these bonds will be set at 0% in 2023, 5% in 2024 and 10% from 2025 until maturity.

    Meanwhile, Ghana is targeting an amount of $3 billion over a three-year period from the IMF once an agreement on a programme is reached.

    The new amount requested as a loan is double the government’s initial target of $1.5 billion.

    The IMF programme is aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability and safeguarding debt sustainability among many others.

    IMF’s fingerprints are all over the 2023 Budget and the debt exchange presented by the Minister.

    — J. K. Kwakye (@JohnKwabenaKwa1) December 4, 2022

  • Akyempim youth block road to Golden Star Wassa Mines for lack of employment

    The youth of Akyempim in the Wassa East District of the Western Region blocked the road this morning to prevent staff of Golden Star Wassa Mine from going to work.

    Unhappy about transparency in employment in the company, the youth on Monday, Dec 5, 2022, blocked the road leading to the company, burnt tyres, and fell trees to block the road.

    According to the youth, they are unhappy about the “unlawful” employment of outside into the company.

    Speaking to GhanaWeb in an interview with the Youth Chairman of the committee, Samuel Akomea noted that the company has been employing people “illegally” from elsewhere the knowledge of company which is unlawful.

    He noted that “recently, they have employed some geologists without the community knowing when we have some geologists in the community who need employment”.

    “We are not happy with the way Golden Star has been treating us. They go outside the community to employ people when we have some of the people they are looking for in the community”, he explained.

    He said, “when the company wants to employ, they place the advert internally and post the vacancy in the community a week later, so when community members apply, they do not get, that is why we blocked the road to express our grievances and the unfair treatment the company has been giving us”.

    Mr. Akomea stated that the Vice President & Managing Director at Golden Star Resources Ltd Mr. Shadrach Adjetey Sowah upon hearing their demonstration approached them and assured them of a meeting on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2022, to address their issues.

    Meanwhile, the road has been cleared for the free flow of traffic.

  • Phone owners without Ghana card have not been blocked – Ursula

    The Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has denied reports that mobile subscribers without a Ghana Card which is the main document for the registration of SIM cards have had their numbers deactivated.

    Telecommunication Networks have since Thursday, December 1, been applying sanctions to unregistered subscribers, including the deactivation of SIM cards that have successfully passed the first phase of registration but are yet to complete the second stage.

    There are, however, reports that subscribers without Ghana cards to complete the registration process have also had their SIM cards deactivated.

    But responding to some of these concerns raised by the ranking member of the Communication committee of Parliament, the Minister said these reports are inaccurate.

    “People who did not have Ghana Cards have had their cards blocked, and I said No, that has not happened. It is those who have completed the first phase of the exercise by linking their cards to the SIM cards but had not gone on to do the biometric capture that has had their Ghana Cards blocked.”

    Meanwhile, police officers have been deployed to some SIM registration centers in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi to avert possible chaos, after hundreds of customers whose SIM cards have been blocked thronged the various centers.

    There is growing frustration among affected customers at the various centers who say they cannot access major services on their mobile phones like calls, data and mobile money transactions after their SIM cards were deactivated.

    The customers claim that despite going through the re-registration successfully, they have had their SIM cards deactivated.

     

     

  • GITFiC outlines challenges of Mobile Money penetration in Africa

    Mobile Money penetration that has taken centre-stage in most African countries to facilitate trade and commerce, and creating more convenience is facing some challenges that need governmental intervention.

    “Although Ghana has made great strides in opening up access to financial services through its financial inclusion policy adaptation programme, a sizeable percentage of the population still lacks either access or the ability to take advantage of what is offered.”

    As a result, the Ghana International Trade and Finance Conference (GITFiC) has suggested to African governments, businesses, and individuals interested in adopting mobile payment systems, to find ways of encouraging consumers to accept mobile payment as a payment option.

    That, they said they could do by adjusting their mode of payment from cash or cards to paying through mobile phones.

    These recommendations, which formed part of a research carried out by GITFiC in Ghana and Kenya, indicated that consumers placed much emphasis on security as an essential factor in the acceptance of new technologies by consumers.

    The study, which was led by Mr Gerald Ekow Woode, said due to that perception, businesses and all other agents involved in its implementation ensure adequate security measures to win consumer trust in the system and increase the chances of adoption and use of mobile payment systems as a payment method.

    “Additionally, governments, businesses, and organisations should encourage the acceptance and use of the m-payment system to complement existing payment methods and augment consumers’ payment behaviour. Moreover, managers and marketers must recognize the implication of cultural values on intention toward M-payment system adoption.”

    The research said the growing digital divide between the rural (or remote) and urban households in most developing countries was a greater concern for industry, successive governments, and policymakers.

    “The lack of digital literacy causes such digital divide, which inhibits technological advancements, including the adoption and use of mobile payment systems and associated services by a wider segment of the population.

    “With that in mind, industry, in collaboration with the policymakers and regulators, should adopt a pronged strategy. Industry should improve the digital literacy of the less privileged segment of society to promote inclusive development and the wider and more frequent use of mobile payment systems.”

    The blueprint for e-payments is an initiative of the Smart Africa Alliance that aims to drive forward continental trade and digital commerce by unlocking the major challenges faced in making intracontinental cross-border e-payments.

    Intra-African trade, in general, and e-commerce, specifically, is on the rise and it is expected to deliver immense benefits to African livelihoods and the overall economy.

    Payment is evolving in Africa, not only through mobile payment platforms, but also through regional integration efforts in real-time gross settlement frameworks, which aim to drive down costs, allow payments in local currencies, and reduce transaction processing time.

    Rising upon this context, Cocid-19 has further accelerated the need for innovative ways of deploying cross-border retail payments.

    Ghana and Kenya have made significant contributions to the expected $15 trillion to $20 trillion in worldwide mobile financial services transactions in 2020.

    Kenya and Ghana account for a large portion of the FinTech industry in Africa thanks to their relatively developed mobile payments industries.

    But both nations had to overcome significant obstacles over the years to become the best in Africa for FinTech, avoiding a variety of legislative and network bottlenecks that posed a danger to innovations in their infancy.

    According to the study, the payment system in Ghana had significantly advanced recently and was still developing to meet the demands of the nation as it develops.

    In Ghana, Mobile Money (MM) is steadily replacing cash as the primary method of payment for the unbanked and underserved.

    The fast expansion of mobile phone use, particularly in rural areas, is a contributing factor to Ghana’s quick development in MM usage.

    Recent advancements in phone functionality, chip and mobile network technology, and improvements in Point-Of-Sale (POS) infrastructure are the foundation for the continental expansion of MM among the unbanked and underserved.

    Ghana’s rise in mobile payments has been made feasible by the payment system’s inherent capabilities as well as developing trends that offer chances for increased digital growth.

    To support the transition to a “cash-lite” economy, the nation has specifically developed essential foundational financial market and payments infrastructure, such as an Automated Clearing House (ACH), Real-Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), GIFMIS system, Central Securities Depository with a trading platform, and ATM interoperability within the periods of 2012 – 2020. An interoperable switch that enables payments between financial institutions and mobile money accounts was recently established by the government (2021).

    Mobile money is by far the most popular method of digital payment, both in terms of volume (981.6 million transactions in 2017) and value (GH155.8 billion).

    In reality, mobile money transactions made up 90% of the 1% of digital payments by volumes that were made in 2016 as reported by the Diagnostic Report.

    In terms of value, they made up more than 77 percent of the 37 percent of transactions at that time that were started by digital instruments.

    However, it should be highlighted that most mobile money transactions involve domestic remittance transfers and airtime top-ups.

    According to the statement, with the inception of the paradigm shift to a cashless economy in most of the developed economies, there was a need for any given nation to adopt automation of its payment systems.

    In Kenya, it has been noted to increase convenience and reduce social ills such as corruption which decreases frictions in the economy.

    The study said compared to its neighbours, Kenya had high financial service availability, which had been primarily ascribed to the acceptance of mobile payments there.

    “M-Pesa is well known for its high penetration rate, which has not yet been effectively copied elsewhere. With a significant percentage of unbanked people, strong mobile penetration, the usage of USSD, the ease and comfort of the service offering, minimal KYC requirements, and, of course, Safaricom’s stranglehold on the market, Kenya looks to have become the spot for the big boom of mobile payments.”

    It said Kenya served as the model for mobile payments. BAB reports that M-Pesa had 260,000 operational retail locations, over 136,000 agents, and 27 million registered users in 2017 alone.

    Before 2015, more people had bank accounts than mobile money accounts, however, this ratio has since altered, with mobile money accounts outnumbering bank accounts by more than 30%.

    “By 2016, 97 percent of adult Kenyans had a mobile money account, and nearly seven out of 10 had an account with a formal financial institution (bank and/or microfinance account).”

    It is clear from banking and commerce as well as from the majority of mobile devices on the market that customer behavior is shifting away from traditional payment methods and toward more sophisticated online payment systems.

    It said the use of mobile payment systems will increase to surpass or replace cash and other cashless payment options, as it is obvious that mobile devices had become an unavoidable part of almost everyone’s life and the opportunities this technology enables for online and offline payment regarding convenience and security.

     

  • Censure motion against Ofori-Atta has already failed – Afenyo-Markin

    The Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has described the censure motion against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, as a failed attempt by the Minority caucus in Parliament.

    According to Mr. Afenyo-Markin, the Majority will not in any way support any political motion for the removal of Mr. Ofori-Atta.

    He said the Majority will be exempted from any secret ballot against the Finance Minister, warning the Minority caucus not to tickle themselves of getting the numbers to secure a win.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South in the Northern Region, Haruna Iddrisu said, “if those courageous 98 gallant NPP MPs or Majority MPs cooperate, we will be very successful in getting a new Finance Minister for Ghana and exiting Ken Ofori-Atta”

    But responding to Mr. Iddrisu on the floor of Parliament, the Deputy Majority Leader, said, “the motion has already failed and who told you that you are going to get any support from this side? We have told you that it is a political motion, and we will not support you, as we made it clear.  Mr. Speaker, the Minority should not be under any impression that in any so-called secret ballot you are going to have somebody to support you as you do not have the numbers”.

    The Minority caucus in Parliament brought a censure of motion against the Finance Minister, accusing him of conflict of interest, gross mismanagement of the economy amongst others.

    Some New Patriotic Party (NPP) members of Parliament who are also calling for the removal of the Finance Minister have called on the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to respect the roadmap agreed upon.

    There was an agreement for the NPP MPs not to boycott the 2023 budget presentation, and that the necessary thing will be done after its read.

     

  • Agumenu and others elected as Snr Research Fellows at Afro- Global

    Dr Donald Senanu Agumenu, an International Leadership Consultant, Peace Ambassador with the Universal Peace Federation, and a Leadership Advisory Council Member of the International Cities of Peace, USA, was elected as an Snr Research Fellow at the Centre For African Diplomacy and Global Engagement(Afro- Global) launched under the theme – Mobilizing Global Citizenship in Building Resilient and Inclusive Post-Covid Global Economy.

    The Centre aims to serve as a hub in providing cutting-edge scholarly research and training, as well as promoting public engagement on global policy issues using multidisciplinary perspectives and approaches to contribute towards the implementation of effective policies on various aspects of Africa’s global and diplomatic relations.

    In so doing, the Centre aims to build networks across Africa, focusing on key countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and organizations such as AU, Ecowas, and the UN. The Centre will also identify areas of common African interest in relation to the rest of the world, and position Africa as a place of new and exciting opportunities for business and investment. The Centre will also offer practical training to public and private sector agencies in diplomacy, negotiation and contracts.

    The Guest Speaker of the event, Rt Hon Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana, emphasised the role of Diplomacy and International Relations at the legislature in deepening research and understanding of international affairs and legislative processes to be more resilient in championing emerging trends complexities within Africa and beyond. He reiterated the readiness of the Ghanaian Parliament to partner with the Centre for African Diplomacy and Global Engagement in shaping policies.

    In his inaugural address at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration on the theme, the Rt. Hon Speaker touched on the need to undertake critical research in diplomacy, climate change, complexities of Post- Covid-19, gender-based violence, vaccine passports etc as critical issues.

    He asserted that, global citizenship must be developed and harmonized around timeless values and principles of human dignity and sustainable institutions

    The membership of the Centre was drawn from diverse disciplines and professional backgrounds across the continent.

  • Be part of building a better Ghana – Mahama urges ABS graduands

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has urged the 2022 graduating class of Accra Business School (ABS) to take an interest in national leadership to build a better Ghana.

    He said this at the 13th congregation of the ABS, where 212 students were awarded various degrees, including the Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Accounting and Finance, and the Bachelor of Science in Administration and Global Leadership, among others.

    The 13th congregation was themed: “Creating Jobs in the Ghanaian Economy: Challenges and Opportunities.”

    Former President Mahama, in his keynote address, congratulated the students on the successful completion of their various programmes.

    “You have achieved a feat worthy of commendation and celebration. I believe you have been equipped with the right knowledge, skills, and resources and have what it takes to excel in an open world. The world is waiting for you, and the stage is yours,” he said.

    Former President Mahama stressed the numerous challenges students would face in the world of work but encouraged them to pursue their dreams as they contribute to nation-building.

    “As you step out of the walls of this university, you must be part of the change you want to see. You must be part of building the Ghana we want.

    “Do not feel comfortable in your establishment or wherever you work. Take an interest in national leadership. Don’t leave everything to the politicians. The politician can make your life better or worse, get involved and change things if you don’t like the way things are.

    “You have what it takes, and I have no doubt that our country will soon become a great and strong country, the Black Star of hope and honour that we want,” Former President Mahama told graduands.

    He praised the founder of ABS, Bishop Gideon Titi-Offei, for his contribution in the educational space and for developing leaders through various programmes.

    “Let me congratulate ABS for the incredible job it has done at nurturing and training generations of leaders whose success in their various fields of endeavour would propel the progress of this dear country of ours,” he stated.

    The 13th congregation saw Prince Nuamah Amoako pick up the valedictorian award, thus making him the overall best student.

  • Facilitate breast cancer education in primary schools – Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai appeals to GES

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has been asked to facilitate breast cancer education at the primary school level across the country.

    Through this, according to a consultant surgeon, the children will be given the right information as they grow to shape their mindsets about the disease.

    The President of Breast Care International (BCI) Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who made the appeal said that will be the level to get their full attention.

    Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai said this during a breast cancer education and screening at Aputuogya in the Bosomtwe district of the Ashanti region, on Wednesday, November 30, 2022.

    The exercise brought together female pupils from Esereso D/A Basic School, Feyiase D/A JHS, Aputuogya D/A Primary and Abuontem R/C Basic School.

    She suggested that the Girl Child Sections at the various schools, Education Ministry and the Ghana Education Service should take up the matter as a serious issue where breast cancer education will be at the national level.

    “Breast cancer education should be started at the primary school level where we can get their full attention. Their mindsets are now being sharpened so we need to be there to give the right information so that it will help them while they growing,” she said.

    Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who is also the CEO of Peace and Love Hospital continues that “they will, in turn, educate their mothers and family members, especially about the myth that the disease is caused by witchcraft and therefore should be treated spiritually”.

    She posited that when a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, it also affects the children; psychologically, emotionally and their future “so it’s not only women’s health problem but societal and developmental problems that need urgent attention”.

    Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe advised the children to report to their parents if they find any unusual thing in the breasts so that action will be taken immediately to avert serious consequences.

    They were also educated to cultivate the habit of examining their breasts either by Breast-Self Education BSE or by clinical screening at health facilities.

  • A climate social benefit: Schooling the next generation

    A community in Ghana has supported a school with savings from an agroforestry initiative to educate their children.

    The things that we depend on and value, including forests, water, energy, wildlife, and agriculture are experiencing the effects of a changing climate. This is impacting lives, particularly communities that directly depend on these resources.

    There is therefore the need to engage communities as key agents in addressing climate change to leverage indigenous knowledge for climate solutions. This is because implementing climate actions with equity not only increases community resilience but also enables communities to derive extra social benefits.

    “We didn’t have a Junior High School (JHS). So, since we started this agroforestry project, our income has improved, and we made contributions to a Village Saving & Loans Scheme and then invested some in putting up the JHS. We also received other community donations and the government will be adopting the school soon”, stated Osei Poku, Chairman of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at Akwaduro in the Asunafo North Municipal Assembly of the Ahafo Region of Ghana.

    The Akwaduro community is one of the communities involved in a local climate initiative being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Ghana Cocoa Board and Mondelez International. The project supports the communities to intercrop economic trees with food and cash crops on and off forest reserves.

    According to Osei, their children were walking three kilometers to attend JHS in neighboring towns and the distance was posing challenges. Besides the unique perspectives, skills, and wealth of knowledge that the communities bring to the project to help achieve its goal of restoring the degraded forest in the landscape, they are also gaining multiple benefits from caring for nature.

    “As a mother, I can say I am happy. Proceeds from the farm have helped me build a house, buy land in the city, and above all, I am able to look after my children in the school. I am happy to say that my first born has completed a Technical University and now working in Canada,” Naomi Nkansah, a project beneficiary in Akwaduro stated.

    The Headmaster of the Akwaduro M/A School, Mr Kwesi Bio confirmed the community’s support of the school and eulogized their contribution.

    “The members of the community have really done well with the JHS. We wrote a letter to the Ghana Education Service (GES), and they are very happy with the community action as this demonstrates partnership to complement government’s efforts. The GES is in the process of adopting the JHS”, Kwesi noted.

    Ghana is said to be losing its rainforest faster than any other country in the world, and this is attributed mainly to illegal logging, agriculture practices, and illegal mining activities. The agroforestry initiative is to contribute to the country’s efforts to avert the looming climate crisis by reducing emissions while helping to improve livelihoods.

    “Indeed, community-driven initiatives impact people’s lives and thus contribute to efforts to protect the environment. It is good to see how this community is maximizing the full social benefits of our forest restoration project to impact the next generation”, noted Stephen Kansuk, Head of Environment and Climate at UNDP Ghana.

    It is important to engage all actors to take action for nature to build community resilience to climate change impacts. This way, we can bring about more social benefits for a sustainable world for everyone.

  • It is nauseating – Nyaho-Tamakloe slams NPP MPs who abandoned budget debate for Qatar

    Founding Member of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has expressed disappointment over the decision by some ministers and members of the majority caucus in parliament to travel to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup pending the budget debate.

    According to the NPP stalwart, the absence of the MPs in parliament for the 2023 budget debate who left for Qatar is nauseating considering the current state of affairs in the country.

    “It is so nauseating and irresponsible that MPs who also double as ministers of state chose to travel to Qatar to watch football matches and without a sense of shame, sent images of their presence at matches as supporters.

    “It is worthy of special note that the President of Ecuador politely declined FIFA invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the ongoing world cup, which featured the match between Qatar and Equador; his reason for declining the invitation was simple and responsible – due to pressing national issues in Ecuador,” he shared in a piece published by 3news.com.

    Read the full statement by Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe below:

    It is nauseating – Nyaho-Tamakloe slams NPP MPs who abandoned budget debate for Qatar

    Founding Member of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has expressed disappointment over the decision by some ministers and members of the majority caucus in parliament to travel to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup pending the budget debate.

    According to the NPP stalwart, the absence of the MPs in parliament for the 2023 budget debate who left for Qatar is nauseating considering the current state of affairs in the country.

    ““It is so nauseating and irresponsible that MPs who also double as ministers of state chose to travel to Qatar to watch football matches and without a sense of shame, sent images of their presence at matches as supporters.

    “It is worthy of special note that the President of Ecuador politely declined FIFA invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the ongoing world cup, which featured the match between Qatar and Equador; his reason for declining the invitation was simple and responsible – due to pressing national issues in Ecuador,” he shared in a piece published by 3news.com.

    Read the full statement by Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe below:

    It is nauseating – Nyaho-Tamakloe slams NPP MPs who abandoned budget debate for Qatar

    Founding Member of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has expressed disappointment over the decision by some ministers and members of the majority caucus in parliament to travel to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup pending the budget debate.

    According to the NPP stalwart, the absence of the MPs in parliament for the 2023 budget debate who left for Qatar is nauseating considering the current state of affairs in the country.

    ““It is so nauseating and irresponsible that MPs who also double as ministers of state chose to travel to Qatar to watch football matches and without a sense of shame, sent images of their presence at matches as supporters.

    “It is worthy of special note that the President of Ecuador politely declined FIFA invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the ongoing world cup, which featured the match between Qatar and Equador; his reason for declining the invitation was simple and responsible – due to pressing national issues in Ecuador,” he shared in a piece published by 3news.com.

    Read the full statement by Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe below:

    WITHER GHANA’S PARLIAMENT??

    1) Governance architecture of democracies thoughout history has recognised separation of powers for the sole objective of checks on each arm of government. It is for this reason that framers of Ghana’s 4th Republican Constitution created the Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary.

    2) Among these three arms, no one can doubt the pivotal role of Parliament as the most important body in a constitutional democracy where the rule of law is the most important ingredient in the growth and development of the governance system we have given to ourselves as a people after decades of political instability with attendant deterioration in all facets of society.

    3) The unique role of Parliament is underscored by many provisions in the 1992 Constitution. It is Parliament alone that has the sole authority, among other powers to do the following:
    a) enact laws;
    b) approve all appointments of ministers and judges;
    c) approve government’s budget;
    d) approve loans, bonds, taxes and exemptions.

    4) Recent happenings and a sober reflection of the performance of Parliamentarians are a matter of grave concern. Unbriddled partisanship coupled with lack of collective responsibility is undermining and ruining the role of the august body in our governance system. As elected representative of the people, it appears our MPs are at a loss and insensitive to the mood of the nation. The excruciating hardships and state of despondency do not ring alarm bells.

    May we ask our MPs some few key questions. Who approved all the loans and bonds so far taken by this govt? Who approved the reappointment of Ken Ofori Atta in 2021 when it obvious then that he had ruined the economy with his failed policies?

    5) It is shocking to note that in the midst of the crisis facing this country, where leadership of the country is at a loss on what to do, our MPs have also failed to come to the rescue by failing to do their work as overseers of the executive.

    The poor attendance by our elected representatives to debate the 2023 budget and carry on with related statutory functions are a matter for sad commentary.

    It is so nauseating and irresponsible that MPs who also double ministers of state chose to travel to Qatar to watch football matches and without a sense of shame sent images of their presence at matches as supporters.

    It is worthy of special note that the President of Equador politely declined FIFA invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the ongoing world cup, which featured the match between Qatar and Equador; his reason for declining the invitation was simple and responsible – due to pressing national issues in Equador.

    6) Our MPs must be reminded that Parliament is the only governance institution that suffers when there is political upheaval as our recent past has shown. The survival and success of the 4th Republic depend on Parliament.

    The present crop of MPs do not have the mandate of the people to destroy their hopes and aspirations. MPs who cannot cope with this commitment do not have a place in this important institution and must not offer themselves for re-election. Pure and simple. Ghana needs serious and responsible leaders in all segments of governance.

  • What moral right does Akufo-Addo have to increase VAT by 2.5% when he led Kume Preko demo – Minority

    The minority in parliament has said they will resist every effort by government to increase VAT by 2.5 per cent adding that the increment will worsen the cost of living for Ghanaians.

    According to Haruna Iddrisu, the president has no moral right to increase VAT after he led the demo in 1995 for the same tax increment that claimed five lives.

    Speaking at a press conference, he said, “Whilst whittling away the little we have as a country in this intransigent manner, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has decided to pile more hardships on the people of Ghana through the introduction of more taxes in the 2023 Budget presented to Parliament.”

    He added, “The most punitive among these taxes is the addition of 2.5% to the VAT rate bringing it to a cumulative 21.5% (made up of 2.5% GETFund, 2.5% National Health Insurance, 1% Covid Levy and 15% VAT all levied under the terms of Value Added Act, Act 870) the highest in Africa. What moral right does President Akufo-Addo have to increase VAT by 2.5% when he led the ‘KUMI PREKO’ demonstration in 1995 resulting in the loss of five lives. As sure as night follows day, this will worsen the hardship faced by Ghanaians, as the prices of almost all items will increase instantaneously once this tax comes into effect.”

    Haruna Iddrisu said the minority will no longer allow a government that is “determined to waste Ghana’s resources on extravagant living.”

    Government has announced an increment in Value Added Tax (VAT) by 2.5 percent for consumers of goods and services.

    The move, according to government is expected to improve government’s domestic revenue measures while seeking to reach an IMF deal to restore macroeconomic stability.

    “Mr. Speaker, we will undertake the following actions, initiatives, and interventions under the seven-point agenda. To aggressively mobilize domestic revenue, we will among others: Increase the VAT rate by 2.5 percent to directly support our roads and digitalization agenda; Fast-track the implementation of the Unified Property Rate Platform programme in 2023; and Review the E-Levy Act and more specifically, reduce the headline rate from 1.5% to one percent (1%) of the transaction value as well as the removal of the daily threshold,” he said.

    The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, made this known in parliament when he delivered the 2023 budget before lawmakers on Thursday, November 24, 2022.

    But the minority has vowed to oppose this VAT increment.

  • Firing Hopeson Adorye from National Security wrong – Obiri Boahen

    The former Deputy National General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticized the decision of the government to fire the one-time parliamentary aspirant of the party for Kpone Katamanso, Hopeson Adorye.

    According to Nana Obiri Boahen, the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of Hopeson Adorye do not augur well for the NPP and might lead to unnecessary divisions in the party.

    Speaking in an Okay FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Obiri Boahen said that the issue with Hopeson Adorye could have been settled without him being fired.

    “For me, honestly speaking it (the firing of Hopeson Adorye) is not the best. It can bring confusion to the party.

    “You can call him (Hopeson Adorye) on the quiet and talk to him about where he has faulted and even put him on secondment at other agencies such as NADMO (National Disaster Management Organisation) or Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

    “So, he will be working at NADMO and still be on the National Security payroll. He will be soliciting information and then he will be campaigning for Alan Kyerematen. We need to tread carefully,” he said in Twi.

    Citing similar issues that happened in 2007, Obiri Boahen further suggested that the party deals meticulously with such matters to ensure that the party is not ultimately affected.

    “In 2007, we saw this kind of division with members of the party claiming to be members of different factions in the NPP. And we forgot the common enemy and before we will realized it, we were in opposition,” he added.

    Hopeson Adorye, who was previously the Deputy National Security Coordinator in Charge of Airports, announced on live radio in November that he had been fired from the National Security Secretariat.

    He said during a discussion on Oman FM’s Boiling Point programme, on which he is a regular guest; that he had been fired purposefully because of his support for Alan Kyerematen.

    Adorye is a vocal supporter of the Trade and Industry Minister in respect of the minister’s rumoured bid to lead the NPP as flagbearer when elections take place next year.

    “God will cater for us, we will eat, uncle (referring to the show host), God has got us. How we toiled in opposition for Akufo-Addo to come to power, we will do same for Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen to come.

    “I’m not a zombie, uncle, I was told that my support is not towards a particular camp so I should be dismissed, I have been dismissed. ‘Your appointment has been terminated with immediate effect.’ That is why I am stressing that God will cater for us, we will never die,” he stressed.

  • Why are you still in office when you collapsed banks on the basis of mismanagement? – Edudzi questions Ofori-Atta

    Private legal practitioner and member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe has questioned the basis of the continued stay in office of the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    According to Edudzi, the minister for finance should find a reason to leave his job based on the current state of the economy

    “You are the same minister of finance who told the whole world that you will never go to the IMF, principle and consistency. Now you have run the system so badly…. So then you go back for your own voice and on principle, you have to say I will let go.

    “You took over an economy that was so strong at the time that you were able to borrow US$11 billion in Eurobonds on the strength of the economy that you took over. Today, six years down the line, the same economy cannot borrow GHC1 from the Eurobond Market. So on principle, you tell yourself that thank you Mr President for the confidence you reposed in me but I am leaving the scene,” he told Kwame Nkrumah Tikese on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia morning show.

    Referencing the government’s decision to close down some banks during the 2017 banking sector cleanup exercise, Edudzi emphasised that Mr Ofori-Atta should resign on the same principle.

    “You see, his continues presence in the financial system is hurting people. Ken Ofori-Atta and Governor Addison decided to collapse banks when he came into office. What was the reason for cleaning up the banking sector? They said it was due to mismanaging and that the banks were on the verge of insolvency. Is this country not insolvent? So if you; Ken Ofori-Atta, governor Addison, Nana Addo and Dr Bawumia can collapse banks on the strength that those banks have been mismanaged why are you still in office?” he questioned.

    Ghana is currently plunged into serious economic distress with the nation’s debt shooting through the roof.

    The minister for finance has announced a debt sustainability program aimed at controlling the country’s debt.

    There is a public frenzy about Ghana’s current economic status with several concerns being shared about the impact of the announcement.

  • ‘Take the shame of taking Ghanaians back to 1994 to your grave’ – Selorm Branttie to Ofori-Atta

    Policy Analyst, Selorm Branttie, has stated that the legacy of Ghana’s current Minister for Finance is wiping out the country’s middle class.

    Ken Ofori-Atta on Sunday, December 4, 2022, announced via a video broadcast a Domestic Debt Exchange forming part of the government’s wider Debt Operation programme by the state.

    The Minister laid out among others the exchange of existing domestic bonds with four new ones as well as their maturity dates and terms of coupon payments.

    He also addressed the overarching goal of the government relative to its engagements with the International Monetary Fund as well as measures to minimize the impact of domestic bond exchange on different stakeholders.

    But reacting to the minister’s announcement on a Facebook page, Selorm Branttie said the ripple effect of the programme which he said is a result of the government’s ineptitude, sets Ghana back to 1994 when the country recorded its lowest growth rate.

    “Ken Ofori-Atta’s lasting legacy as a finance Minster is wiping out the middle class in Ghana into vapour. That same middle class that was instrumental in bringing him and his colleagues into power.”

    “The ripple effects of his ineptitude has set a whole generation of Ghanaians back to 1984. He should take that shame to his grave,” he stated.

    There is a public frenzy about Ghana’s current economic status with several concerns being shared about the impact of the announcement.

    Meanwhile, the finance minister is expected to share further details about the country’s Debt Restructuring program.

  • Germany commits EUR 82m towards critical sectors of Ghana’s economy

    The Government of Ghana and the Government of Germany have concluded bilateral negotiations on development cooperation in Berlin from 28th to 29th November 2022.

    Ghana’s delegation was led by Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister for Finance; and included Osei Bonsu Amoah, MP and Deputy Minister for Local Government & Rural Development; Andrew Egyapa Mercer, MP and Deputy Minister for Energy; Gifty Twum Ampofo, MP and Deputy Minister for Education; and Ghana’s Ambassador to Germany, Ambassador Mrs. Gina Ama Blay.

    The two-day negotiation was hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with the support of allied agencies such as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) and KFW Development Bank.

    At the end of the negotiations, the Government of Germany made new and additional grant commitments of EUR 82 million towards critical sectors of Ghana’s economy including renewable energy development, financial sector strengthening, education and skills development (TVET), digital transformation, governance, food security, female empowerment, and MSME support.

    The Minister for Finance in his closing statement thanked Dr. Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development. He also described the grants as timely, given Ghana’s ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF or the Fund).

    In highlighting the significance of Development Bank Ghana (DBG), Mr Ofori-Atta stated that, “the support given us to set up what will be a real game changer in Ghana’s financial architecture, the Development Bank Ghana, is very commendable.”

    He indicated that DBG has been positioned to play a countercyclical role in ensuring access to long term and affordable capital in challenging economic times, similar to KFW’s role during the post war reconstruction of Germany.

    He assured that DBG would adhere to the highest corporate governance principles in order to ensure optimum shareholder value.

    Speaking on behalf of Dr. Bärbel Kofler, Mr. Christoph Rauf, the Director for Africa at BMZ revealed that Ghana will continue to enjoy a “privilege partner” status with Germany, culminating in the development of a Special Partnership Arrangement with Ghana.

    He also stated that Germany was committed to supporting Ghana’s arrangements with the IMF.

    The next inter-governmental negotiations will take place in Accra in June 2023.

  • Ghana needs developmental plan to bind all governments – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has opined that, the country needs a developmental plan that will bind successive governments, in its quest to be counted among the best economies in the world.

    Mr. Mahama argued that a national policy that will bind governments in the future will go a long way in shaping the country for the better.

    He bemoaned the lack of efforts by successive governments to pursue policies and programmes of their predecessors, thus, leading the country to incur unnecessary debts.

    John Mahama reiterated that the country doesn’t have any continuity plan, citing that a policy on job creation will curb youth unemployment.

    He added that the country must agree on a consensus on a national policy where successive governments will abide by, adding that such a policy could relieve Ghanaians from their economic woes.

    “One of the beings of our country is like every new government comes with a new development plan, so we don’t have continuity of plan. We must as a nation agree on what our plan is for the next 10, 15 years, and every government that comes must abide by that plan. This development plan can be twerked by successive governments, but must maintain a priority investments programme that is not altered, over an agreed period of say 10, 15, 20 or even 40 years”.

    “This must be accompanied by fiscal discipline that goes with governance reforms and creates an environment for sustainable job creation. Not the NABCOs and the Youth Employment Agencies and things like that. Those are ad hoc measures, and they are temporary and not sustainable,” Mr. Mahama said.

    The former President said this when he addressed the 13th Congregation of the Accra Business School (ABS) over the weekend.

    According to him, a national policy on businesses could help grow the economy.

    “Businesses grow when the economy is booming, and they go bankrupt when the economy declines,” the former President said.

    The country has experienced some cases where projects implemented by successive governments have been abandoned, whiles new ones have been pursued.

     

  • Joseph Ayaaba, 28, wins Akrofuom District Best Farmer

    It was all joy at Brofoyedru, a farming community in the Akrofoum District when a 28-year-old farmer from Akrofuom, Joseph Tawiah Ayaaba, was adjudged the overall District Best Farmer.

    For his prize, Mr. Ayaaba took home an Anglogold Ashanti-sponsored motorised tricycle, 40-inch LED TV, GTP wax print, 10 machete, Sunphosate Glyphosate Weedicide, Knapsack sprayer, Wellington boot, Brush cutter, Portable seed planter and 5 bars of keysoap.

    His award comes as a feather in the cap of the Assembly and the Agric Directorate who have over the years campaigned to get more of the youth in the district to get involved in Agriculture.

    The people of Akrofuom though are mainly into farming, most of the youth do not show interest in farming but are rather into mining. This the District Best Farmer, Joseph Tawiah Ayaaba said was unfortunate but mentioned that his award will encourage the youth to develop interest in mining.

    “I developed interest in mining at the age of 16 and have not looked back. I encourage the youth who have interest in farming to work closely with the District extension officers who will guide them to adopt the best faring methods to increase yield,” he added.

    The District Chief Executive, Maurice Jonas Woode, while delivering his speech at the 38th National Farmers’ Day under the theme ‘Accelerating agricultural development through value addition’, underscored the importance of adding value to agriculture. He said there was the need for stakeholders to reflect on how to overcome the challenges facing the agriculture sector by focusing on how to add value to agricultural products.

    He said the Akrofoum district is on course to build a robust, resilient and equitable food systems that can withstand shocks. He said this is evidenced in the success chalked in the implementation of various government interventions in the agric sector.

    He said “in our efforts to fulfil this year’s team, the Assembly has as of August, 2022 received and distributed 53,000 oil palm seedlings from the Minerals Development Fund to support the PERD program. We are in the process of acquiring additional 12,000 seedlings. This is anticipated to supply raw materials for the proposed oil palm factory in the district”.

    MCE Woode admonished farmers in the district to embrace the value addition concept in agriculture.

    He said it was about time farmers thought about taking their farm produce to the next level of production which will help reduce post-harvest losses, reduce imports and sets the path for economic growth and transformation.

    The District Director of Agriculture, Richard Nyamekye, congratulated farmers in the District for their immense role in the successful implementation of government’s flagship programmes.

    He spoke on the relevance of observing the national farmers day celebrations and charged farmers not to rest on their oars but continue to work hard to achieve food security and also set the country on the path of economic recovery.

    Traditional and religious leaders, Assembly members and Heads of department were all present.

     

  • Disqualify Ken Agyapong from flagbearership race – Maurice Ampaw to NPP leaders

    Lawyer Maurice Ampaw has called on the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to disqualify the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, from the party’s presidential primaries for the 2024 elections.

    According to Maurice Ampaw, the MP, who has stated his intention to contest in the NPP flagbearership race, must be disqualified because of some of his pronouncements and actions against some state institutions.

    Speaking in an interview on Nsem Pii TV, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, the lawyer added that Ken Agyapong’s pronouncements against the judiciary show that he cannot be a good leader.

    “Ken Agyapong, once you insult a judge, you have insulted my profession. I can’t forgive; I will not vote for you; you can’t be my flagbearer. We need flagbearers who will be responsible enough to learn to be humble.

    “…when it comes to vetting, as to who should stand for the NPP (in the upcoming election), you have to disqualify Ken Agyapong on so many grounds and one of the groups is that he is anti-judiciary.

    “I’m just being honest with you because if someone wants to be a flagbearer and the person is on record insulting a judge, on record saying that there would be a coup, how do you qualify such a person?” He said in Twi.

    He added that should the party let Ken Agyapong contest in the primaries and he wins, Ghanaians will vote against the NPP because of the MP’s actions and previous pronouncements.

    Kennedy Ohene Agyapong described as “stupid” a decision by a judge to grant an injunction against him without conducting due diligence.

    The MP says he has a vendetta against such judges in the country who abuse their power in the line of duty.

    Speaking on the Seat Show of Net 2 TV on Tuesday, September 2, 2020, Mr. Agyapong said his apparent anger against such judges stems from their baseless issuance of injunctions, especially when it comes to land dispute adjudications.

    “Listen to the reason why I am angry. The lawyer wrote the thing on August 5, and the judge scheduled appearance for August 13. I didn’t get anything from them; then, on September 1, you granted an injunction on the property.

    “You are a stupid judge; I will face you. You are a stupid judge. 18 years that I’ve had the land, nobody served me, and then I get called and told that an injunction has been placed on it. You are a stupid judge,” he declared.

  • How can you travel to Qatar and miss the budget debate of your government? – Opanyin Agyekum

    Dean of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana, Prof Kofi Agyekum, popularly known as Opanyin Agyekum, has bemoaned the absence of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) during the debate on the 2023 Budget and Economic Statement in the House.

    According to him, the travel by the NPP MPs to Qatar for the World Cup at the expense of the budget debate show their lack of respect for Ghanaians and their constituents who voted for them.

    Speaking in a Peace FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Opanyin Agyekum added that the failure of the NPP MPs to appear for the 2023 budget debate will certainly affect the fortunes of the party in the upcoming elections.

    “… If Kufuor was not alive, he will be rolling in his tomb when he sees that NPP MPs are boycotting the budget debate for their own government. I didn’t understand this, it makes no sense that a party in government will boycott the debate of its own budget.

    “It would have been okay if the opposition MPs were the ones who were absent but they were even more the MPs of the government in power. They (the NPP MPs) are destroying the party because of one man, Ofori-Atta.

    “These are the things that lead parties to opposition. These are the things that discourage people from voting for you. They will not vote for the NDC (National Democratic Congress). If I vote for you and this is how you’re going to behave why won’t I sleep,” he said in Twi.

    The minority caucus in Parliament expressed concern on Tuesday (October 29) about the absence of members from the majority side from the House.

    The concern was anchored on the premise that the debate on the 2023 budget, as presented by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, was expected to start with a race to pass the Appropriation Bill in time.

    Though no official reason was given for the mass absence of the majority members, GhanaWeb checks show that some of the majority Members of Parliament (MPs) were out of the jurisdiction.

    At least three of them were spotted in Qatar, where the 2022 FIFA World Cup is ongoing.

    One of the MPs who has been in Qatar for the past two weeks is Mustapha Ussif of Yagaba-Kubori, who doubles as Minister of Youth and Sports.

    Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, was also spotted in Qatar, according to social media posts.

    Minister of Energy and Manhyia South MP, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh was also in Qatar cheering on the Black Stars.

    Patrick Yaw Boamah, Okaikwei Central MP was also in Qatar, where he shared photos of himself on the streets and at the stadium supporting Otto Addo and his charges.

  • I will only support NPP in 2024 if Kennedy Agyapong is flagbearer – A Plus

    Musician and activist, Kwame Asare Obeng alias A Plus, has stated that he will only support the New Patriotic Party in the 2024 elections if the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, is made the party’s flagbearer.

    According to A Plus who describes himself as a disgruntled member of the NPP, he is unsatisfied with the work of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo whose government is from NPP.

    “Nana Addo is someone I like; I have never been more pained by a person’s action than Asamoah Gyan. Asamoah Gyan is someone I like but I am pained that he missed the penalty that doesn’t make him a bad person. So for Nana Addo, I like him but there are shortfalls in his work and that doesn’t make him a bad person or someone I hate. It is his work that I have issues with,” A Plus told Afia Amankwa Tamakloe on her Máhy3ase3 TV Show.

    “I am a disgruntled family member. Today Nana Addo is aware that Chairman Wontumi’s company is mining at an unapproved location and he is not doing anything about it,” A Plus added.

    The activist noted that he was introduced into the NPP at an early age by Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko who thought him to be outspoken hence his ability to criticise the government of his own party.

    “It is Gabby who thought us how to be outspoken and the day I will stop being outspoken will be the day Gabby would call me to. We have followed him from a very young age, it was gabby who held my hand and introduced me to NPP,” he said.

    Asked by the host if he will support the NPP in the next elections, A Plus said he will only do so if Kennedy Agyapong is the flagbearer of the party.

    “If Kennedy Agyapong will be the flagbearer… Everyone in Ghana knows honourable Ken is my man, he is just like me. Every guy man in Ghana likes him because he is the president of all guymen. It is not me alone, a lot of people also expect him to be the flagbearer,” he stated.

    Vice President Dr Mahamamudu Bawumia is tipped to contest the party’s flagbearership but according to A Plus, the Vice President he has equal affinity for the vice president as he is also part of the government.

    “Bawumia is with those I don’t like. He is with the current government and I don’t like the current type of governance. I can’t be a liar and I can’t keep mute because I am enjoying,” he said

    He added that the NPP has no chance against the NDC if any candidate apart from Kennedy Agyapong is fielded as the party’s flagbearer.

    “NPP’s chances will depend on their flagbearer. I am sure the NDC will bring Mahama again; John Mahama versus Kennedy Agyapong is El Classico, Real Madrid versus Barcelona.

    “With Kennedy, the fight will be fair and equal,” he added.

  • NDC will be in power for 16 years – NEC member aspirant predicts

    An aspirant for the National Executive Committee membership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Wonder Victor Kutor, is predicting that the party will be in political office for at least 16 years if it wins the 2024 general elections .

    He said there is no doubt the NDC will form the next government, judging from the abysmal performance of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    According to Kutor, the NDC is not just going to win the 2024 elections on the back of the failure of the NPP but on account that Ghanaians appreciate them as the best managers of the economy, for which reason they would want their comeback.

    Speaking to journalists after interacting with delegates in the Eastern Region over the weekend, Wonder Kutor expressed the view that, it is only an NDC government that is able to change the lot of Ghanaians.

    He pointed out, for instance, the massive infrastructural developments which dotted the country under former President John Dramani Mahama, as evidence of his assertion.

    He added that many of these projects were transformational in the life of the Ghanaian and reflected in the economy.

    “The NDC has proven to be the party to transform Ghana and this time when it returns to power, Ghanaians will not like the party to leave power and I am sure we would be in power for 16 years,“ he said.

    Wonder Victor Kutor, who is contesting with 18 other aspirants, likened the 16 years of NDC in power to his own sixteenth position on the ballot, saying it is a good sign.

    To achieve this however, he said there is work to be done which is why he is putting himself up to be able to get these results.

    As former parliamentary candidate aspirant for the Anlo constituency,  Victor Kutor, said he is battle-ready to aid the comeback of the NDC, if given the nod as the National Executive Member.

    “My vision and strategies for the party in going into 2024 elections has a great tendency of recapturing power from the inept NPP government because election 2024 is a must win for NDC, which will see us be in power for the next 16 years,“ he stressed.

    The NDC will hold its national delegates congress later in December 2022.

  • Ghanaians should prepare for worse days – ASEPA

    The executive director of the Alliance for Social Equity ‘ASEPA’, Mensah Thompson, has cautioned that, worse days may be experienced by Ghanaians in 2023.

    Speaking on the recent 2023 budget read by the finance minister, Ken Ofori Atta, the director asserted that, the policies in the budget presented provide no relief for Ghanaians, but rather unprepared hardship.

    He also cautioned the government to focus on restructuring the Ghanaian economy, rather than suppressing the freedom of speech in the country, and making unnecessary arrests, citing the case of Kwaku Rafiki, a social media activist who was arrested over comments he made on social media.

    “When you read the 2023 budget, Ghanaians should prepare for the worse, right now, this is the advice that we will give to Ghanaians: when you’re preparing, prepare for the worse, because the next few years, especially 2 years, its going to be a very crucial and difficult year for the people of this country.

    “Already we have started seeing the consequences, and the 2023 budget, there is nothing in the budget that shows that this government, is ready to tackle problems facing Ghanaians, difficulties, crises in the nation. If not, he won’t run a deficit of 61 billion in times of a crises. This means that the government doesn’t care about our problems,” Mensah Thompson said.

    “This is not the time for unnecessary witch hunting, this is not the time for an attack on free speech,” he added. “I use your medium to condemn the needless arrest of Kwaku Rafiki, a social media activist, because he said something and he was arrested; it is purely unnecessary and unacceptable.”

    Mensah Thompson made these comments when he appeared on Critical Issues on UTV.

  • EcoCare Ghana educates communities on fire management

    The Campaigner for EcoCare Ghana, Mrs. Patience Olesu-Adjei, has called on the government and key stakeholders to increase education on fire management within communities as the dry season nears.

    According to her, this will ensure the protection of farms, the trees planted across the country during Green Ghana Day and other restoration projects aimed at restoring degraded forests as well as mitigating climate change.

    She explained that bush fires release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which contributes to climate change, whilst climate change makes the weather drier and warmer leading to longer active fires, therefore perpetuating a vicious cycle if actions are not taken to address the challenge.

    Mrs. Olesu-Adjei made the call at a two-day training organized by EcoCare Ghana and Tropenbos Ghana in collaboration with the Ghana Fire Service.

    The training aimed to equip members of the Landscape and Environmental Agility across the Nation (LEAN) Project Fire Volunteers Squad within the Transition Landscape with practical fire prevention and control skills.

    She explained that the setting up of the Fire Volunteers Squad and the subsequent capacity building training for them was necessary because in the past two years, the LEAN project has supported farmers to plant over Four Hundred Thousand (400000) seedlings and given climate-smart agricultural training to farmers in the Sixty (60) projects communities.

    Therefore, it is “imperative to train the farmers on fire management to protect the seedlings and their livelihood”.

    She added that the Transition Landscape is a fire-prone area, especially during the dry season and therefore setting up Fire Volunteer Squads in communities to support the work of the Ghana Fire Service is timely and key in ensuring farmers’ livelihoods are protected to enhance food security and environmental sustainability.

    During the training, the Bono East Fire Officer in charge of Rural Fires, DO3 Obed Boadi, pointed out that fires in the landscape are caused mostly by farmers, palm wine tappers, hunters, and Fulani herdsmen. He added that according to PNDC law 229 (Control and Prevention of Bushfires Act), “it is unlawful for any person to start any bushfires for any purpose” except “a person authorised by the Director of Agricultural Extension Services who may set fire for agricultural purposes”.

    He cautioned that anyone who breaks the law is “liable on conviction to a fine of not less than two hundred and fifty penalty units and not more than one thousand penalty units or a term of imprisonment or community labour”.

    He advised that citizens must report any bushfires they come across and failure to report without “justifiable reasons” is also an offence.

    Mr. Samuel Yeboah, the Assemblyman for Techiman-Tanoso, a beneficiary of the training, was optimistic the training will be of tremendous help in saving their farmlands which have been subjected to perennial bushfires.

    He advised his fellow volunteers to educate others, desist from actions that may cause bushfires and commit to supporting farmers in their locality when the need arises.

    The Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nation (LEAN) is a four-year project funded by the European Union’s flagship GCA+ initiative that aims to conserve biodiversity, build climate resilience, reduce emissions from land-use changes and help smallholder farmers improve their livelihoods.

    The project is being implemented in Ghana by a consortium of four partners; Rainforest Alliance in the High Forest Zone, World Vision Ghana in the Savannah and Tropenbos Ghana and EcoCare Ghana in the Transition Landscape respectively.

    In total, about 190 Fire Volunteers have been trained from 15 communities out of 60 communities who are scheduled to receive the training within the Offinso Municipal and North, Techiman Municipal and North and Nkoranza Municipal and North District Assemblies.

    The volunteers were taking through firefighting skills, fire detection, creation of fire belt and how to operate some basic firefighting equipment.

     

  • Govt expects overwhelming support for debt exchange programme – Finance Minister

    The Government of Ghana expects overwhelming support for the debt exchange programme that has been introduced in the 2023 budget, the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has said.

    In his view, the programme is the surest way of restoring the Ghanaian economy back on track to create jobs and protect income of the people.

    Launching the programme in Accra on Monday December 5, he said the government expects an overwhelming support for the programme.

    He said after citing best practices in countries such as Greece, that the debt exchange programme “is an orderly way to put our economy back on track in order to create jobs, protect income and restore hope to the Ghanaian people.”

    “the govt expects overwhelming support for this exchange programme,” he stressed.

    He further dismissed speculations that there is going to be haircuts following the programme.

    “There will be no haircuts,” he said.

    He further justified the introduction of the debt exchange programme.

    He stated that it has become necessary because of the enormous challenges with debt servicing.

    He revealed that debt servicing is consuming “almost of government’s revenue and also 70 per cent of tax revenue.”

    “Which is why we are announcing this to restore our capacity to service debt,” he stressed.

    Under the debt exchange programme, he said, ” domestic bond holders will be asked to exchange their instruments for new ones.”

    He added “Existing domestic bonds as of 1st December will be exchanged for a set of four new bonds maturing in 2027, 2029, and 2037.”

    The annual coupons on all of these bonds will be set at 0 % in 2023, 5% in 2024 and 10% from 2025 until maturity.

    “Coupon payments will be semi annual ‘ he stressed.

  • Economic crisis: ‘This government is clueless’ – Joyce Bawah

    Former President Mahama’s special aide, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, has described the Akufo-Addo government as “clueless” when it comes to the current economic turmoil and reducing the worsening plight of Ghanaians.

    According to her, this government is to be blamed for the high cost of living, inflation, corruption among others and ought to find measures in resolving them.

    Speaking on the Good Morning Ghana show monitored by GhanaWeb, she indicated that government lacked sensitivity when it comes to the current cost of living which continues to worsen.

    “… for an administration that was propelled to this level of popularity on the back of demonstrations in regards to the reduction of VAT, it is mind-boggling that today we speak about a 2.5 per cent increment. Ghanaians know what the difference is. VAT is now 15 per cent. Go out to the market and see how businesses are closing down, letting staff go because they can no longer afford to pay them, buy one item and see the number of taxes on it.

    “There is nothing such as burden sharing and there is nothing about the government taking responsibility, there is nothing about any sensitivity on the part of government. Government is currently clueless regarding what to do.” She said on Good Morning Ghana

    She added, looking at the state of the economy, “Ghana is ranked at par with Sri Lanka and yet the government is increasing the contingency vault from where it was to GHC1.4 billion, a figure larger for all the ministries put together at the time where Ghana is almost at a standstill.”

     

  • I took a decision to leave politics – Mahama

    Former president of the republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has shared his life-changing experience growing as a politician.

    The former statesman, claimed that he took a decision to leave politics to persue lecturing , after serving as member of parliament for three consecutive terms and a minister.

    Speaking at the 13th Graduation Ceremony at the Accra Business School, under the theme; “creating jobs in the Ghanaian economy, challenges and opportunities”, the NDC potential flagbearer, asserted that, destiny would have carried him into a higher rank of his lecturing career, but he received a divine calling to serve his country in the higher office as vice president and later as president of the country.

    “Not many people are aware of this story of my life, but standing before you as though in a lecture theatre, takes me back to this memory, many years ago, having served for three terms as a member of parliament and minister, I took a decision to leave politics and persue a doctorate degree, after which my intention was to return to teach in a university that had been newly established in Ghana. I believe that, this life’s choices would have put me in the ranks of your hard working lectures here in shaping, impacting, and sharing knowledge with young people like you, but the hand of destiny intervened and I received the calling to serve my country in the higher office as vice president and later as faith will have it, as president of this great nation,” he said.

    John Dramani Mahama, served as president of Ghana from 24th July 2012 to 7th January 2017.

    He previously served as vice President of Ghana from January 2009 to July 2012.

    He was the member of parliament for Bole Bamboi from 1997 to 2009 and served as deputy minister for communication and minister for communication in the erstwhile NDC administration.

  • The poor Ghanaian village ‘boy’ who defied the odds to become CEO, owner of 114 houses

    His name is Thomas Ayisah, married, a top personality at one of Ghana’s oil companies, the owner of a hundred and fourteen houses, all built with monies from his own pocket and an employer of over 300 people in Ghana.

    Sounds luxurious for a lifestyle right? Perhaps! But his was a rather rough start, one that has earned him scars for life.

    He was born in a village at Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region of Ghana, growing up in a relatively poor family. His childhood was tough he says. Though his father was a cocoa farmer, they had very little to boast of in terms of wealth as a family.

    Young Thomas will return from the farm with his father in his dirty clothes only to see his classmates neatly dressed and returning from school.

    He managed to do this, to get some money to support his schooling till it was time to progress to the tertiary level. At this point, he was helpless. His father said there was no money and his mother could only help if she borrowed money.

    With a dream to attend the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) what is now the University of Professional Studies (UPSA), he acquired some GHc500 which was borrowed by his mother for him and set off for the city; Accra.

    This was when his struggles as an independent person began.

    Speaking to Youtuber, Wode Maya in an interview, he said;

    “So I picked that money and went to Nkawkaw to the sawmill, where they make wood and I started business and I enrolled in school.

    “Every weekend, I’ll go the sawmill, go and pick products to sell in the market, then my first year in IPS was crazy. I had to perch in my friend’s hostel. When I was going to school, I had only 2 pairs of clothes and one shoe. In my first semester, it was like a curse from God but I survived it till today.

    “I started scrap business with a couple of friends,” he said.

    In his second year, with links from a friend, things got a bit better, he began working with a bank as a sales officer. It was through this he met and picked success tips from established people in various companies whom he was selling the bank’s products to.

    After a while, in 2011, he moved to the Universal Merchant Bank where he worked till 2013 when he moved to work for an oil company.

    Here, although he was promised better, Thomas was paid less – and during this period, his house and everything he owned got burnt. Life was hard all over again but his friends helped him out and linked him to some people who helped him start over.

    “In the process, I visited oil companies etc. I did that till 2013 then I left for an oil company. They said they’ll pay me commission. They said they’ll give me 2,000 but they gave me 1,000 for the first month and after they were paying me 500 cedis.
    “In 2014, one Sunday, I moved from the house and everything in the house got burnt, everything I own. Even customers’ monies with me at home got burnt.

    “My company ceased my car before they gave me money to start up. Through this, I got a contract for the company but on that very day, I got fired.

    “I got in touch with a friend who helped me, introduced me to someone who helped me get some products,” he said.

    Thomas then explained that with some savings of about GHc1,500 which was 15 million cedis in the old Ghanaian currency, he decided to get married. Following this decision, his friends decided to gift him some money for his honeymoon. It was this money he used to establish his very first building which was a 6-bedroom house, after consultation with his wife.

    “It is that money I used to start my building business. Within 6 months, we built a 5-bedroom house with a boy’s quarters.

    “After this I started my own company, picking contracts to supply fuel oil to other factories and from there, my company started growing.

    “I was living alone here in the bush so I sat and said why can’t I build a community for people to move in and settle,” Thomas added.

    Today, he is the Head of Procurement at Akwaaba Oil Refinery and is the owner of a Real Estate Community; Agazy Homes – with some 114 houses.

  • Eleven sustain injuries in Kumasi highway accident

    Some eleven passengers who were onboard a car travelling on the Assin Nyankomase-Brofoyedru stretch of the Kumasi highway are reported to be battling for their lives.

    The car, Hyundai Grace with registration number AC 1469-22 is said to have been involved in a ghastly accident after a tyre burst.

    According to a report by Adomonline.com sighted by GhanaWeb, the driver lost control of the car after landing in a pothole leading to the tyre burst.

    The car is said to have somersaulted before coming to a halt.

    A team of MTTD officers led by one Inspector Godwin Tsikata upon visiting the accident scene has established through their preliminary investigation that the incident was a result of overspeeding.

    Meanwhile, the injured passengers are said to be on admission at the St Francis Xavier Hospital receiving treatment while the accident vehicle has been towed to a police station for investigation to continue.

  • Central region records increase in fish production

    The Central region has contributed about 49,752.00 metric tons of fish valued at GH¢389,335.00 out of a total of 628.617.53 metric tons of fish caught countrywide from January to November 2022.

    The figure represents an increase of 33.24 a cent of the 471.798 metric tons recorded in 2021.

    Additionally, on Aquaculture development, the Region contributed a total of 913.65 metric tons made up of 258 metric tons and 655.65 metric tons of Tilapia and Catfish respectively, which is 1.02 percent of the total aquaculture production nationwide.

    Nationally, the total volume of marine fish landings grew by 20.53 percent from 326,867 metric tons in 2021 to 393,970 percent metric tons in 2022.

    Dr. Peter Omega, the Central Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture disclosed this at the 38th Regional Farmer’s Day celebration held at Jukwa in the Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira District to reward 30 outstanding farmers.

    This celebration, which was on the theme: “Accelerating Agriculture Development through Value Addition”, was graced by Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Regional, a host of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives, traditional authorities, and farmers.

    The awards ceremony was instituted to reward the nation’s hard-working and gallant farmers and fishers for their commendable and meritorious contributions to the nation’s food security.

    Dr Omega said the Government through the Fisheries Commission had intensified support to train some fish farmers in the aquaculture sector as part of measures to address the rapid depletion of fish stock in the country’s marine space.

    In line with that, he said some individuals had received support to reclaim some illegal mining sites for aquaculture projects, which were yielding positive results at Diaso in the Upper Denkyira West District.

    Touching on the cocoa sector, Dr Omega said, a total of 383.73 hectares of Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease infected farms had been removed since 2017.

    With that, he said a total of 268.53 hectares representing 69.98% of the rehabilitated farms have been replanted with free plantain suckers, free hybrid cocoa seedlings, and free desirable economic shade trees that commensurate with the farm size.

    The move was in tandem with the Region’s strategy to increase its output in the national tonnage of cocoa and distributed a total of 5,576,495 free hybrid cocoa seedlings and 170,425 desirable economic shade trees to some 8,707 cocoa farmers within the region.

    The region subsequently, produced a total of 89,528.81 tons of dried cocoa beans compared to the previous year’s 135,858.50 tons.

    Towards improving the market linkages of agricultural activities in the region, a total of 474,226 farmers and fishers have been linked to 173 Agricultural input dealers for input supply, while 55 aggregators and traders have been linked to farmers, processors, and consumers.

    Similarly, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Commission created a sector database of 301 agro-processors, who are into cassava, oil palm, vegetables, coconut, ginger, maize, rice, sweet potato, poultry, piggery, and fish processing and had been linked to farmers and fishers for raw materials and traders and consumers.

    On crop production, Dr. Omega announced that the production of agricultural commodities recorded a significant increase by the average of 2.5%.

    “Maize production shows an increment from 326,625 in 2020 to 348,240 in 2021, rice-12,308 in 2020 to 16,246 in 2021, cassava -3,338,905 in 2020 to 3,540,553 in 2021, plantain- 278,256 in 2020 to 327,522 in 2021.

    “Poultry production increased from 3,367,612 in 2020 to 3,586,507 in 2021, while sheep and goat increased from 894,612 in 2020 to 939,382 in 2021 and pigs from 51,777 to 53,045.

    That represents a drop of 34.10% compared to the previous yield could be attributed mainly to the alternating bearing nature of the crop.

    While celebrating farmers for their determination to maintain national food security, Dr Omega charged them to accept and improve on their technology through value addition.

    They should accept give’s strategy on transforming the agricultural sector by upgrading the value chain—production, postproduction, and appropriate policies

    He urged processors in planting materials and breeds of animals, farmers, and fishers are expected to add value to their products.

    “Institutions and organizations are to add value to research findings, agriculture financing, extension delivery, product certification and regulation, and agriculture infrastructure development including irrigation, storage, and transport facilities.

    “Packaging, processing, delivery, and fortifying of products like gari with orange flesh sweet potatoes which provide all the essential vitamins in our diets.

    “Certification by the Food and Drugs Authority and the Ghana Standards Authority are forms of adding, value to food products since they go through their processes to ensure quality and safeguard public health agro-processing has emerged as one of the most attractive sectors for investment,” he advised.

    For her part, Mrs Assan reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting farmers to maintain national food security.

    She encouraged the youth to take advantage of the government’s interventions in the sector to improve their livelihoods and commended Canfed Ghana for supporting the farmers in the region.

    Several gallant farmers were rewarded for their hard work to enable others to emulate them.

  • New Sunyani Airport terminal building planned for 2023 – Ofori-Atta

    The old terminal building at the recently inaugurated Sunyani Airport is to be remodeled and expanded to accommodate the expected increase in passenger throughput.

    The facility was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, after a seven-year closure to allow for an extensive renovation of the domestic airport sited in the middle belt.

    The runway of the Sunyani Airport, under phase 1 of the rehabilitation exercise, was extended from 1,280 meters to 1,400 meters.

    The extension of the runway from 1,280 meters to 1,400 meters now makes it possible for the airport to accommodate medium-sized jet planes.

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, presenting the 2023 budget said a new terminal building is in the offing.

    “In line with Government’s policy to improve air connectivity, boost trade and tourism, the Ministry rehabilitated, commissioned, and operationalised the Sunyani Airport.

    The construction of Phase II of the Airport will commence in 2023. The scope of work will include extension of the existing runway, and the existing terminal building will undergo expansion and remodeling,” he said.

    The domestic airline, PassionAir, has operated the Accra-Sunyani route since the official inauguration this year. Given the very good load on the route, PassionAir now operates six weekly flights on the Accra-Sunyani-Accra route in response to increased demand.

    The airline operates Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 and Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 planes that can transport 78 and 50 passengers respectively.

    Brief background of Sunyani Airport

    The Sunyani Airport was originally constructed as an Airstrip and later upgraded into an airport in 1969. The airport currently has a total runway length of 1,520 meters made up of 1,400 meters paved and 60 meters unpaved Runway End Safety Area (RESA) at both ends.

    It had the capacity to handle and process 100 passengers per hour. Since the commencement of commercial operations, the airport has not had any major renovation works, resulting in the poor state of the airport including cracks and potholes on the runway.

    In 2015, the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) and Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) shut down the airport as a precautionary measure to forestall
    any disaster. Prior to shutting it down, it was serviced by now defunct domestic airline operator, Starbow.

    The rehabilitation and expansion of the airport was carried out in phases. A contract was awarded in 2018 for the rehabilitation of the existing runway, minimal renovation of the terminal building, construction of some airport internal roads and other auxiliary facilities.

    Rehabilitation works are almost complete and the airport is to be opened to traffic in the next few months.

  • We’re addressing Free SHS challenges – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has admitted that there have been challenges associated with the implementation of the Free SHS policy.

    Despite the challenges, the President has assured that the government will address many of them and many more over time during the 70th-anniversary anniversary celebration of Opoku Oware School (OWASS) in Kumasi on Saturday, December 3, 2022.

    The theme for the anniversary was “Seven Decades of Leadership Through Self-Discipline” and it was chaired by Justice Steven Alan Brobbey, an old student of OWASS and former Supreme Court Judge.

    The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was the Guest of Honour along with the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi, His Grace Most Rev Gabriel Anokye.

    The program also attracted old students (Akatakyie) from all over the globe, former headmasters and staff, politicians, government appointees, MPs and the public.

    President Nana Akuffo Addo stated that despite the challenges, he was very proud of the policy and the results so far.

    “Six years following the Free SHS Policy, it has guaranteed a minimum of 1.3 million Ghanaian children, the highest such enrollment in our history, ” he said.

    “Yes, there have been challenges associated with the policy which the government is addressing substantially many of them and there will be more over time, such is the nature of social evolution to the stage the challenges will be met,” he admitted.

    In addressing the situation, the President assured that “despite the economic difficulties confronting the nation, the government has devoted more resources to the running of the SHS Policy.

    “From the budget of GHC2.3 billion in 2022, a 28.6% increase has been applied to this year’s budget for Free SHS Policy, ie GHC2.96 billion,” Akufo-Addo added.

    The chairperson for the program, Justice Steven Alan Brobbey, an old student and former Supreme Court Judge, urged the students to be self-disciplined.

    He indicated that it will assist them to achieve academic excellence and play important roles in the development of the nation.

    The Headmaster of Opoku Oware School, Rev Fr Stephen Owusu Sekyere, in a remark commended the old students (Akatakyie) for sacrificing their resources to assist the school.

    He also expressed his gratitude to President Nana Akuffo Addo for resourcing the school with classroom blocks, however, appealed to the president to then complete a 21-classroom block and build a wall around the wall to ward off encroachment.

  • National Chief Iman pays historic visit to Axim

    The National Chief Iman, Sheikh Dr Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, has paid a historic visit to his ancestral home at Axim in the Nzema-East Municipality of the Western Region.

    The visit follows a befitting homecoming summit in honour of the-103-year old Spiritual Father of the Muslim Community in Ghana.

    The National Chief Iman was accompanied by the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Church of Cape Coast, Most Reverend Gabriel Palmer Buckle, also a native of Axim and personal friend of Dr Sharubutu, and his Spokesperson, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu.

    Others were the Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Latif Abdulsalam, Secretary, Siddiq Tanko, the Western Regional Chief Imam (Alasunna), Sheikh Mozu and the Western Regional Chief Imam, Zulkifli Abdul Wahid among others.

    Dr Sharubutu was given a rousing welcome as school children, family, and guests ushered him into Axim with brass band music procession.

    The Municipal Chief Executive for Nzema-East, Madam Dorcas Elizabeth Amoah, welcomed him and his entourage to her residence and expressed her gratitude for the visit.

    She said the visit would cement the relationships between the office of the National Chief Iman and the Axim Community and Nzema Manle.

    She prayed that Sheikh Dr Nuhu Sharubutu would continue to visit home to cement his relationship with them.

    His Grace, Archbishop Gabriel Palmer Buckle, expressed great pleasure that he and the National Chief Iman hailed from Axim.

    He described Sheikh Dr Sharubutu as a pillar in Islam, a peace-loving person, unifier and a beacon of hope and development in the country and the world.

    He described the Chief Iman’s role in conflict resolution in parts of the country as giant strides to ensure peace.

    The Paramount Chief of the Lower Axim Traditional Council, Awulae Attibrukusu, commended the National Chief Iman for making Axim and Nzema proud by occupying the highest office of Islam and contributing to the religious and socio-economic development of the country.

    He paid a glowing tribute to the Development Queenmother of Upper Axim, Obahyema Erza Ngonlomah, for spearheading the home-coming summit and to the planning committee for a good job done.

    The National Chief Iman, through his Spokesperson, Sheikh Aremeyaw, thanked traditional rulers and the planning committee for making his visit a reality.

    He recalled some years back when he used to pay frequent visits home during which he spearheaded the building of a mosque in Axim and prayed to continue to visit home to be a blessing to Axim and Nzema Manle.

     

  • Government starts stakeholder engagement over Central, Western regions airport

    Government has started stakeholder engagement over the proposed construction of an airport to serve both the Central and Western regions.

    The Central region currently has no functional commercial airport, while the military airport in Takoradi is used for scheduled commercial flights.

    The decision to construct an airport for each region or one to serve both regions has gone through many phases. Ankaful was initially mooted as the possible location to site an airport for Central Region.

    The Central region, which is a major tourism destination in the country, given its rich history and UNESCO World Heritage castles sited along the coast, is only accessible to tourists by road.

    Connecting with the regional capital, Cape Coast, from Accra is hampered by heavy vehicular traffic. It takes about two (2) hours to connect from Accra on a typical weekend when many people usually travel for tourism and social events.

    Cape Coast played a crucial role in the success of the Year of Return held in Ghana in 2019. Indeed a total of US$1.9 billion was generated into the economy through activities related to the “Year of Return.”

    The programme also brought about an increase of over 200,000 in total arrivals into the country.

    The Western Region is also one of the country’s most endowed areas and the oil hub. The region also hosts a lot of foreign companies operating in the mining, manufacturing and other sectors.

    Presenting the 2023 Budget to Parliament, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, gave the clearest indication that one airport will be constructed to serve both regions.

    “Mr. Speaker, Phase II of Kumasi Airport Expansion Project is fully completed while Phase III is 89.33 percent complete. Additionally, a draft feasibility report on the Central/Western Region Airport was submitted and is being subjected to stakeholder engagement,” he said.

    Commenting on the proposed airport, Sean Mendis, a commercial aviation expert, told AviationGhana exclusively that: “In general though, investment in aviation infrastructure is always a positive thing provided projects also are maintained well. Ghana already has a very robust culture of domestic air travel, and one of the highest number of per capita domestic travellers in sub-Saharan Africa.”

    He added that the need for maintenance should be factored into the cost of the projects. “Airports are not build and forget projects unfortunately. They have to be maintained and operated at a professional standard to continue to be operational, so any investment needs to budget for that as well.”

    Economic benefits of airports

    A study by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) shows that the economic benefits of aviation investment are still large, and provide a strong justification for investment in the aviation industry.

    The study found that for developing economies, the annual economic rates of return range from 16% to 28%.

    “Developing countries face capital costs, especially for new aircraft, that are similar to those faced by developed countries. As such, though the boost to GDP is higher in proportional terms for developing economies, the capital costs are still high. Nevertheless, the available economic return is still large and provides a strong justification for investment in the aviation industry,” he said.

    “There are significant and positive benefits generated by investment in aviation infrastructure and services, particularly in developing economies. By increasing a country’s connections to the global air transport network, investment in aviation can boost its long-term productivity and economic growth.”

    “Greater aviation connectivity – and the improvements in productivity and GDP growth it can provide – can also help to boost a country’s competitiveness. By way of illustration, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has developed a Global Competitiveness Index for the travel and tourism sector.”

    The WEF’s index incorporates many of the factors necessary to develop connectivity and create wider economic benefits in terms of productivity and economic growth.

    There is a clear positive relationship between a country’s connectivity and its performance in the WEF index.

     

  • Teacher trainees boycott mid-semester quizzes over CETAG, CENTSAG strike

    Teacher trainees in all sixteen Colleges of Education affiliated with the University of Cape Coast have boycotted all mid-semester quizzes.

    The teacher trainees refused to write the first mid-semester paper; Gender and Writing paper scheduled for Thursday, December 1, 2022.

    Trainees at the OLA College of Education, Berekun College of Education, Abetifi College of Education, St. Francis College of Education, St. Monicas’s College of Education, Seventh Day Adventist College of Education, Christ the Teacher College of Education, Atebubu College of Education and Foso College all boycotted the mid-semester examination.

    Similarly, trainees at the Holy Child College of Education, Kibi College of Education, Holy Spirit College of Education, Jasikan College of Education, St. Ambrose College of Education, St. Teresa’s College of Education and Offinso College of Education all followed suit.

    At the Atebubu College of Education, for instance, the trainees availed themselves for the examination but refused to write the paper and stormed out of the hall with the examination papers when the question papers were distributed to them.

    The boycott follows a three weeks old strike by two bodies, the Colleges of Education Tutors Association of Ghana and the Colleges of Education Non-Teaching Staff Association of Ghana (CENTSAG) over welfare concerns.

    According to the students, they have lost five weeks of contact hours as a result of the ongoing strike by CETAG and will need a postponement of all examinations until issues surrounding the strike are resolved.

    They contend that the tutors have not been able to cover most of the topics nor have they been able to award scores for continuous assessment.

    A second year of the Atebubu College of Education, Peter Katari, supported the boycott because their earlier pleas to the mentoring university for a postponement like other sister mentoring universities were ignored.

    “The boycott is in the right direction because we can’t write exams when tutors have been on strike for three weeks now. We have a lot to cover in terms of content but the university wanted to go ahead with the examination and we responded by boycotting it”.

    Confirming the boycott to GhanaWeb, the General Secretary of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), Musah Sumaila, disclosed that they have resolved not to take part in the mid-semester quizzes as well as the scheduled end-of-semester examination.

    He added that they want the University of Cape Coast to postpone the mid-semester quizzes and end-of-semester examination until the impasse between CETAG and the government is resolved.

    “We have decided to boycott the mid-semester quizzes as well as the scheduled end-of-semester examination because of impending issues. We cannot write examination under the current conditions and it is only fair that they postpone it until the strike is called off”.

    Meanwhile, this portal can confirm that all SRC Presidents in the 46 Colleges of Education across the country had earlier written to the National Executive of TTAG directing all students and teachers to stay off the examination.

  • Journalists urged to delve more into human trafficking

    The media and journalists in Ghana have been advised to delve more into stories that seek to educate the public about human trafficking in Ghana and around the world.

    Speaking to JoyNews after a one-day intensive workshop for the International Justice Mission’s (IJM) second cohort of the Young Journalists’ Fellowship program, National Director of Advocacy & Partnerships at the International Justice Mission, Worlanyo Kojo Forster, encouraged journalists to help complement the government’s efforts in fighting human trafficking by being more resourceful.

    “The media needs to understand the space more. When you understand something, you can be a better advocate and so I encourage journalists to delve more into human trafficking and have an understanding of the laws that govern trafficking in our nation and even the world.

    “I also encourage journalists to be more resourceful in terms of being investigative, being more on the field and helping to hold officials accountable and support the government agencies who are already doing the work so they can maximize their strength and skills”.

    Journalists urged to delve more into human traffickingNational Director of Advocacy & Partnerships at the International Justice Mission, Worlanyo Kojo Forster

    Meanwhile, IJM has inducted 14 young journalists selected across Ghana into the one year long Young Journalists Fellowship Program cohort 2.  Worlanyo Kojo Forster, says this is to train young journalists on issues of human trafficking for them to become better advocates.

    “The purpose of this fellowship is to engage young journalists to train them on issues of child trafficking, to give them an understanding of it, help them to understand the policies we have as a country and how we can hold officials accountable so we can continue to maximize our efforts against child trafficking.

    “Last year we started a cohort where we engaged 10 young journalists who are fairly new in the profession to have basic understanding of the issues of trafficking and help the to better advocates of it and have them in their line of work and it was hugely successful and this year we are launching a second cohort as well.”

    JoyNews’ Nicholas Ekow Yamoah was one the journalists selected to be part Young Journalist Fellowship Program cohort 2 with others from Adom TV, Ghone TV, GBC, GNA, ZamiReports, and Beyond FM.

    IJM Ghana is empowering 14 young and energetic journalists from various media houses, radio, television, and print media as part of its efforts to raise awareness of human trafficking through the use of mass media and also maintain a strategic relationship with journalists and media outlets through the Young Journalist Fellowship Program cohort 2.

    The journalists are from different parts of Ghana, specifically from source and destination communities with a history of human trafficking. Over the course of their one-year fellowship program, these young journalists, who are connected to prestigious media outlets, will cover human trafficking and IJM’s activities.

  • Reduce continuous dependence on devt partners to fund capital expenditure – SEND Ghana to gov’t

    A social advocacy group focused on enabling local communities to engage the government and ensure they benefit from national policies and programmes, SEND Ghana, has advised government to slow down on its dependence on development partners to fund its capital expenditure.

    In a press statement released on Thursday, December 1, 2022, the group noted that government’s contribution to the country’s capital expenditure continues to dwindle year after year.

    The report reveals that in the 2023 budget, government funds amounted to 1.8 percent, while development partners contributed to 92.22 percent of the total allocations.

    “Our analysis of the national budgets (2019-2023) shows that the government still relies heavily on Development Partners (DPs) to fund its capital investments for some major ministries. Investments in the provision of Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) services in the last four years have largely been donor driven. In the 2019 budget for the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, 70.26 percent of projected allocation was sourced from DPs. In 2020, it increased to 82.39 percent,” part of the release read.

    “This trend continued in 2021 with projected funds from DPs, for purposes of capital expenditure, constituting 75 percent, while the GoG, Internal Generated Funds (IGF), and the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) collectively make up just about 25 percent. In the 2023 budget, a whopping 92.22 percent of the total allocation is expected to come from DPs while GoG’s contribution reduced from 8.48 percent in 2022 to 1.8 percent in 2023,” it added.

    SEND Ghana acknowledged that while a massive contribution by development partners to the capital expenditure was essential for economic growth, over-reliance on external supports may hinder government’s agricultural modernization and industrialization initiative.

    “While investment in CAPEX is critical in stimulating growth, over reliance on donor support, which is characteristically unpredictable, puts at risk the government’s drive in pursuing agricultural modernization and industrialization,” it added.

    Parliament is expected to debate the 2023 budget in the coming week.

     

  • Armed men kill woman, rob gold dealer in Aprawhem

    Armed robbers on Friday (2 December) killed a woman at Aprawhem in the Eastern Region, an official police statement said.

    According to the police, the gang of armed robbers also robbed a gold dealer of some valuables during the attack.

    In a terse statement, the police gave assurance to the general public that the armed robbers will be arrested to face justice.

    “The police have since last night embarked on a special operation to arrest a gang of armed robbers who shot a woman at Aprawhem on 2 December 2022 and also robbed a gold dealer of some valuables.

    “We would like to assure the public that we will surely get these thugs arrested to face justice,” the statement said.

  • Nana Ama McBrown offered to pay over GH¢300K after contempt judgment – A Plus alleges

    Political activist and entertainment pundit, Kwame A Plus, has reiterated his call for people to work hard and look for money because it can save a person even from going to jail.

    He was reacting to a December 1, 2022, Accra High Court contempt ruling that pronounced fines on himself and others with jail time to be imposed in case of default.

    A Plus said in a video posted on his Facebook wall that he was witness to how a co-convict opted to settle the GH¢65,000 fine slapped on all of them.

    The person in question is Nana Ama McBrown, actress and hostess of UTV’s entertainment programme, United Showbiz.

    “…when the amount was mentioned, GHC65,000 cedis, Nana Ama McBrown removed her cheque and offered to pay for everyone, Ama; you are brutal.

    “When I went out of the court, I was almost accosted until I replied that ‘my Lord, we are going to take our chequebook and give the court money.’

    He continued that McBrown asked the other accused Fadda Dickson: “Fadda should I pay for everyone so that you reimburse me? Fadda said she should relax, that the money was there.”

    He did not disclose whether the total sum of GHC325,000 in lieu of the five persons had been settled and by who.

    Fadda Dickson, Felicity Nana Ama Agyeman, aka Nana Ama McBrown; Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa, alias Afia Schwarzenegger; Kwame Asare Obeng, alias Kwame A Plus, and Emmanuel Barnes, alias Mr. Logic and UTV, were recently cited for contempt of court.

    The parties were dragged to court by Chairman Wontumi after all except Fadda Dickson, the Executive Director of the United Showbiz programme, discussed the merits of Wontumi’s defamation suit against Afia Schwar whiles the issue was pending in court.

    The High Court in its ruling on Thursday, December 1, 2022, convicted and fined all of them to pay GH¢65,000 each; in default, they are to spend two months in jail.

  • Okoe-Boye cautions healthcare providers charging illegal fees

    The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Chief Executive, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye says the decision to revoke the licenses of credentialed healthcare providers charging illegal fees is non-negotiable.

    According to him, the NHIA is paying one and a half billion cedis annually to healthcare providers for claims submitted to the Authority for which reason it is unreasonable to demand extra money from NHIS members at the point of need.

    He emphasized that any healthcare provider caught acting with impunity would not be spared.

    “We are making sure our members are properly taken care of. We are ready to revoke the credentials of healthcare facilities who make extra monetary demands from our members with impunity.”

    Dr. Okoe Boye expressed his misgivings at a meeting with the Upper East Regional Minister on December 1, 2022.

    The Regional Minister, Hon. Stephen Yakubu commended the bond between the NHIA executive management and the Governing Board.

    He said the people of the northern belt have largely been beneficiaries of the NHIS because it is pro-poor focused.

    The Regional Minister described as enormous the NHIA’s recent innovations such as the Mobile Renewal platform and the Ghana card and NHIS card linkage.

    As part of the visit, Dr. Okoe Boye paid a courtesy call to the paramount Chief of the Paga traditional area where he stated, “We trust that our revered father, the Pagapio will go on with his blessings and good counseling to enable the NHIA to make progress in ensuring that all residents in Ghana are covered by the NHIS.”

    “We encourage the entire population in Kassena Nankana to enroll in the Scheme to access affordable and quality healthcare.”

    He said it would soon be possible for all residents in Ghana and beyond to register for the NHIS via online through a digital platform yet to be officially launched by the Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in Tamale.

    He underscored the need for NHIS members to periodically renew their membership using the dedicated short code *929#.

    The Pagapio, Pe Pwanalunga-Charles Awiah Awampaga II applauded the NHIA’s executive management and the Governing Board for touching base with him.

    He made a firm pledge to help the NHIA succeed in increasing the NHIS active membership in his traditional area.

    The Pagapio made a passionate appeal to Dr. Okoe Boye and the Governing Board to open an additional office in the area.

    The team visited the NHIS Navrongo district office and also interacted with staff who talked about their achievements and challenges.

    The NHIA Chief Executive on November 28, 2022, embarked on a working visit to the northern belt comprising the Northern, North East, Savannah, and Upper East regions, except the Upper West region.

    The nationwide working tour was to interface with major stakeholders including traditional leaders, administrative heads, and staff of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

    He is being accompanied by some NHIA Board members and Directors, among others.

  • Carpenter kills mother, grandfather after allegedly drinking Sobolo laced with weed

    Alex Tenge, a carpenter has allegedly killed his mother and grandfather at Okorase in the Akuapem North Municipality in the Eastern region.

    The suspect beheaded the about 90-year-old grandfather Tenge Sodzado, and cut it into pieces before pursuing and butchering the mother Rita Agbabli Tenge, 40, in the compound of the house for raising alarm.

    The incident occurred Thursday, December 1, 2022, at about 11:30pm. The suspect is alleged to have committed the heinous crime after allegedly drinking Sobolo laced with wee.

    He has reportedly told the Police.

    Starr News visit to the family house observed a solemn meeting by the family members as they receive sympathizers.

    The widower who’s the son of the deceased old man Francis Tenge said the family is devasted by the incident.

    “I left my wife and father home Thursday morning to my hometown, I arrived 9:30 pm. Then I had a call from my wife that Alex(suspect) had gone to a nearby house and attempted to entangle the neck of a girl in the house so the father was going to report at the police station”. Francis Tenge told Starr News.

    He narrated further, “I tried calling back for an update on the police case but my wife didn’t respond to the phone calls. I was later told that my son Alex has killed my wife and father. It was very difficult for me, so I set off the next day to come home. Now I need psychological help, I need your prayers and support. My son has never misbehaved like that. I don’t know what came to him. I am told he informed police that someone gave him sobolo”.

    Kwasi Gboha, an Elder in the family said they are collaborating with the police for further investigation after which the body will be released to them for burial.

    Late Rita Ababli Tenge was a Christian with Leaders Light International Ministry, Okorase branch. She had returned from church on the fateful night before being gruesomely killed.

    Two Pastors of the Church – Pastor Frank Aki and Pastor Ebenezer Awuah on Saturday morning visited the bereaved family to commiserate and motivate them with scriptures.

    Rita Tenge left behind four children made up of two boys and two girls with the older child now 14 years of age whilst the last born is 9 months old.

    Meanwhile, the suspect is in police custody assisting investigation whilst the bodies have been deposited at the morgue of the Eastern Regional Hospital.

  • Akufo-Addo’s management of coronavirus better than America, Brazil, Ecuador – Minister

    Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Kwaku Afriyie, has described Ghana’s fight against COVID-19 as spectacular.

    As a medical practitioner who trained in the United States of America and compared the two countries, he said Ghana managed the outbreak far better than America with the resources and logistics.

    The minister explained that the World Health Organization initially told the world that vaccination was unnecessary, but later reversed its position.

    “Nana Addo has performed admirably. He handled the case in a spectacular manner. America, with its sophisticated logistics and resources, could not handle the situation as well as Ghana. Check the figures for Brazil and Ecuador to understand my point,” he said.

    Dr. Afriyie said Ghana had done well, and per what we have gone through, more persons should have died, but our response to the Covid-19 outbreak was far better than in several countries.

    “We had very good leadership. President Akufo-Addo did well and must be commended,” he stressed.

    He further asserted that the current crisis is not caused by mismanagement as alleged by the opposition.

    He said the outbreak of the virus contributed largely to the current economic crisis.

    He assured Ghanaians that the President is competent and has what it takes to turn things around.

     

  • Gov’t hasn’t paid us since 2018 – Road Contractors

    The Association of Road Contractors is lamenting government’s reluctance in settling debt owed them since 2018.

    Members say the situation is really affecting their livelihoods and taking a toll on their health and businesses and rather frustrating.

    Vice Chairman for the Association Stephen Atatsi while speaking on Akoma FM‘s weekend political show Wonsom, which was also telecast on Onua TV Saturday, December 3, revealed that most of their members are out of business and traumatized due to enormous financial burden on them as they took huge loans to execute government tasks (road projects).

    The road contractors, who sounded disgruntled, told host of the show Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin that “since 2018, government hasn’t paid a penny to us and he owes us millions of dollars. The amount is as a result of delayed payment and accumulation of interest on certificates locked up at the sector ministry”.

    Mr. Atatsi further lamented most of their members are hospitalized due to depression and frustration from persistent pressure from banks and other creditors.

    He added that “some of the members are now living from hand to mouth because government has refused to pay huge amount of debt owed them. Some even cannot afford to buy their medical bills, so we are really going through a lot this is not fair”.

    He expressed passionate grief about how unfairly government has been treating members of the Association of Road Contractors.

    He further appealed to government to as matter of urgency come to their aid by paying up the four-year debt which is amounting to millions of dollars to salvage members of the Association and their families from excruciating situation they are faced with.

     

  • Bawumia’s advisor slams NPP MPs who abandoned Parliament for Qatar

    A technical advisor at the Office of the Vice President, Dr Kabiru Mahama, has condemned some cabinet ministers and NPP MPs who abandoned parliamentary work to cheer the Black Stars in Qatar.

    Parliament on Tuesday, November 29, began the debate on the 2023 budget, which is considered crucial to the government’s efforts to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout.

    But on the day the debate commenced, less than 30 NPP MPs were in the Chamber to participate in the Budget debate.

    Subsequently, photos of some leading cabinet ministers in Qatar including the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation Ursula Owusu-Ekuful surfaced online, attracting condemnation by some Ghanaians who described the development as insensitive.

    Speaking on the Big Issue on Citi TV/Citi FM, Dr. Mahama said President Akufo-Addo would be appalled by the lack of critical reflection by the MPs.

    “I am sure that this is something the President will be very appalled at because the Members of Parliament are expected to sit through the debate of the budget.

    “That exercise of discretion by the cabinet ministers involved in this particular case was exercised without critical reflection on the situation because nothing justifies the fact that you are in this situation, and you go to Qatar to cheer the Black Stars.”

     

  • Akufo-Addo’s reckless spending led to employment freeze – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has blamed the freeze in employment for the public sector announced in the 2023 budget on the reckless spending and mismanagement of President Akufo-Addo and his appointees.

    Speaking at the 13th Congregation of the Accra Business School on Saturday, the former President painted a gloomy picture for the country in the coming years and urged the graduates to venture into entrepreneurship or look to the private sector for employment.

    “Unfortunately, parastatals that were thriving a few years ago have been run into the ground by political appointees who have mismanaged the affairs of the state-owned enterprises. These constraints further the ability of the public sector to employ.

    “Let me put our situation in a better context. Compensation cost for 2022 was estimated at 55.3 percent of tax revenue, which means off all the taxes we collect we spend 55.3 percent to pay wages and salaries for the public sector alone, amortisation and interest payments consumed the rest of our taxes,” the former president said.

    Mr Mahama added that the “situation has compelled the government this year to announce a freeze or a ban on public-sector employment. This makes the situation rather dire for you…unfortunately due to mismanagement and reckless expenditure by the government over the last five years, the private business environment is also in a very poor state today.”

    The former President’s comments follow the government’s announcement of a freeze on hiring into the public and civil service effective January 2023 as part of cabinet directives for expenditure rationalisation in the 2023 Budget as the country readies itself for a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

    There have been similar freezes on public sector employment in 2008 and 2014.