Seth Terkper, a former minister of finance, has described the passing of Professor Kwesi Botchwey as another emotional moment.
According to him, the highest point of his relationship with the late former minister of finance was a humble one.
He said the late Prof Botchwey approved his postgraduate studies and never for once dreamt of stepping into his shoes as a finance minister under the government of John Dramani Mahama.
“RIP, Sir. Another emotional moment when a national and global tribute is also so personal. The HIGHEST point in our relationship was a HUMBLE one: approving my post-graduate studies. Never dreamt then that I will ever step in your oversized Minister shoes,” Seth Terkper tweeted.
Kwesi Botchwey died at the age of 78 after a short illness at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra on Saturday, November 19.
As part of his political career, he served in the Rawlings’ Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) – military regime – and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – civilian regime – as the Secretary for Finance and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning respectively.
He was described as the longest-serving finance minister in Ghana’s history.
Prof Botchwey attended Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School before proceeding to the University of Ghana to pursue an LLB. He was at Yale Law School for his LLM and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School with his doctorate.
Prof. Kwesi Botchwey served as an advisor to World Bank on the 1997 World Development Report.
He had vast expertise in economic management as he was a member and Chairman of IMF‘s Group of Independent Experts who conducted the first-ever external evaluation of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility under the Fund.
Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in for the late scholar, especially from his close associates and sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress.
Professor Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), says the Authority is poised to clear all backlogs and register new people if the Ghana card will be used for the 2024 general election.
“There’s ample time, there’s solid technology, expertise, leadership and will… If Parliament gives the Electoral Commission the go-ahead, we are ready,” he said.
Prof Attafuah, who said this in an engagement with the media, said: ” It will be a tragedy if we do not use Ghana card for election 2024. There’s no reasonable basis for that not to happen.”
He said because, the NIA had registered 17.3 million out of the 19 million projection with ” a lot of those eligible to vote captured”.
The Executive Secretary said those who had not been registered and above 18 years and those who would turn 18 years could be registered in six months.
“… Ours is continuous registration and we have offices in every district and NIA has shown capacity to open additional registration points. These measures will be introduced when necessary.”
Prof Attafuah also said the Authority would begin the registration of Ghanaians abroad next year February.
He said the registration, a statutory requirement, would be done by Ghana’s missions and at a fee to the registrants.
Prof Attafuah said Ghanaians in the West African sub-region would pay the equivalent of 30 dollars with those in the rest of Africa paying slightly lower than those Euro-American countries.
Ghanaians in Euro-American countries will pay 50 dollars.
He said the payment was part of the revenue model that underpinned the public private engagement on the Identity Management System and reason the Authority was able to give out the cards free to Ghanaians in Ghana.
The Authority will also start registering Ghanaians age six years and above and Ghanaians in detention from February next year.
The Executive Secretary said so far, the NIA had registered 17,316,762 Ghanaians, printed 16,701,636 cards and issued 16,016,464 cards.
He said the Authority had so enrolled 164,405 foreigners, printed and issued 164,405 cards to them.
The Authority has started the registration of refugees in the country.
President of policy think tank, IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe says the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta was given a fair hearing to respond to allegations leveled against him by the Minority.
This comes on the back of a motion of censure filed by the Minority in Parliament to sack the Mr. Ofori-Atta for what they describe as poor management of the economy.
Speaking on Citi FM/TV‘s news analysis programme, The Big Issue, Mr. Cudjoe said the Finance Minister who took his turn at the ad-hoc committee of Parliament on Friday has been able to clear himself with his explanations.
“I think that somehow the Minister acquitted himself with the explanations he gave simply because of the nature of the accusations or the grounds that were made against him. Some of them were on policy, others were on issues around divergence that constituted deliberate breaking of the law.”
“There were however a few explanations that were problematic, especially the ones that have to do with the cathedral. The grounds were a bit narrow, so it afforded him the opportunity to explain himself quite well, so he could have addressed them head-on.”
The 1972-year group of the Accra High School has donated two polytanks at the cost of GH¢70,000 to its alma mater, to provide constant flow of water to the student body as well as the pantry.
The donation forms part of the school’s 2022 homecoming organised by the 1972, 1982, 1997 and 2002 year groups, as a way of creating bonds among old students.
Due to Covid, the homecoming was put on hold for two years, with the old year groups coming together today November 19, 2022, to celebrate it.
Speaking with citinewsroom.com after donating the polytanks to the school, the President of the 1972-year group, Nukpai Francis Cato explained that, “we are the 1972-year group, we exited the school 50 years ago. As part of help to our alma mater, we decided to present 220,000 litres of polytanks to the school to help them in so many ways”.
Nukpai Cato advised the students to study very hard in order for the school to regain its category A status, which was an enviable school to many in the past.
“We are advising the students to study, we used to be a category A school, but now we are a category B school. We are asking that they learn hard so that we revert to the category A school. There are so many benefits that go with category A school, so all that we are pleading from them is to study,” he entreated.
Receiving the polytanks, the Headmistress of Accra High School, Madam Evelyn Sagbil Nabia expressed appreciation to the 1972-year group for the gesture.
“This is the 2nd polytank that the 1972-year group has donated to the school. As a headmistress, I would say I’m very happy. If they didn’t donate the polytanks, I would have had to find a way to get these particular polytanks, because they are critical. Water is critical for the usage of the students and also in the kitchen, so I’m very grateful,” the headmistress asserted.
Accra High School Headmistress
Touching on the homecoming, she said, “for me, it’s very exciting, looking at the calibre of people who will leave the school and still think about the school out of love and come back. I’m just excited about the homecoming. I see the energy the year groups are coming in with. This is how we build old students to support their alma mater”.
Some of the old students
The Main Coordinator of the 2022 homecoming, Nukpai Isaac Glover, explained that Accra High school is the oldest High school in the Greater Accra, Volta and Eastern regions.
He disclosed that the school will be celebrating its centenary anniversary in 2023 and called on the old students to gear up for the celebration.
“We expect the old students to enjoy themselves today, and feel the vibe of being an old student of Accra High School. And with that energy, we move to celebrate our 100 years anniversary. We need their commitment. We are the oldest High school in Greater Accra, Volta and Eastern regions. It’s our time to celebrate. We are expecting them to come together in their numbers to celebrate and prepare for their centenary celebration. Next year August 17, 2023, we will be 100 years, it will be a year-long grand celebration,” Nukpai Glover hinted.
Majority of the old students who participated in the homecoming were old students living in the Diaspora and Ghana.
The excited old students who participated in the homecoming engaged in some sporting activities such as sack race, football, eating and dancing competitions.
The old students, both old and young who were re-living their school days lives, were spotted pounding fufu, sharing food and creating jokes among themselves.
The school has four houses, namely Buckman (Red), Glover-Addo (Yellow), Roberts (Blue) and Nanka Bruce (Green).
A former Eastern Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mark Oliver Kevor has been elected to lead the party as its Chairman in the region for the next four years.
Mark Oliver Kevor beat stiff competition from four other aspirants including the incumbent chairman, John Owusu Amankra, the vice chairman, William Atamudzi, a former Chairman, Bismarck Tawiah Boateng and Basil Ahiable.
For the First Vice Chairmanship position, Ransford Owusu Boakye overcame competition from 4 other aspirants.
Incumbent Eastern Regional Secretary, Cudjoe Adukpo failed in his bid to retain his position after succumbing to Baba Jamal Konneh a former regional director of elections.
The National Communications Director of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi who administered and ushered the new officers into office charged them to work hard and put the interest of the party first in achieving victory in the next elections.
Mark Oliver Kevor addressing the delegates indicated that “the focus of the party now is to unite and wrestle power from the governing New Patriotic Party come December 2024.”
Born on the 3 September 1944, Dr. Kwesi Botchwey was 78 at the time of his death.
Professor Botchwey is the longest-serving Finance Minister.
He served in office alongside Ghana’s longest-serving head of state, the late former President, Jerry John Rawlings.
He served in the military era of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) (1982 to 1991) and the constitutional period of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) (1992 to 1995).
The late economist received his secondary school education at the Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School in Ghana.
Prof. Botchwey held an LL.B. from the University of Ghana, LL.M from Yale Law School, and a doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School.
He taught at the University of Zambia, the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and the University of Ghana. Other notable previous assignments of Dr Botchwey were advisor to the World Bank on the 1997 World Development Report.
He was among others, a member and Chairman of IMF‘s Group of Independent Experts who conducted the first ever external evaluation of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility, an advisor to the UNDP’s UN Special Initiative on Africa and an advisor to the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM).
The Member of Parliament for the Tamale North Constituency, Alhassan Suhuyini, has alleged that Ghana made well over $1.3 billion from climate change negotiations in the last six years.
As one of Ghana’s delegates to the Conference of Parties (COP27) negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, he lauded the preparations and organization of the Ghana Negotiation Team.
“In the last six years, we have made about $1.3 billion from climate change negotiations,” he alleged.
He however questioned the viability and evidence of the monies Ghana has earned from such conferences and negotiations in the past years.
“With these monies, shouldn’t we be seeing more projects?”
Speaking on The Big Issue on Citi FM/Citi TV, Mr. Suhuyini called on African countries that receive monies that are meant for climate mitigation to be used for the right courses and be accountable to the donor countries.
He also criticized President Akufo-Addo’s proposal to richer nations to swap African nations’ debts for climate interventions when Ghana and other climate-vulnerable countries do not have major climate adaptative projects to show for the monies received so far.
Speaking as Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) at the Conference on November 8, President Akufo-Addo said: “as adaptation cost continues to outstrip current international public finance flows, we must, as a matter of urgency, mobilize and scale up adaptation finance inflows to ensure the vulnerable countries are able to meet their adaptation needs. It is critical in this regard that the developed world makes good on their long-delayed pledge to mobilize and make available $100 billion annually to the poorer countries to assist in the fight against climate change and commit as agreed in COP26 in Glasgow to doubling resources for adaptations. Furthermore, it is plain to most to see that a radical restructuring of the global financial architecture as proposed by the African Finance Ministers to accommodate the demands of the developing world is of urgent necessity. I also urge those who owed African debts to commit to debt for climate swap initiatives.”
Alhassan Suhuyini described the call as a good one, but said, “we must also ask ourselves why we are in this debt cycle situation. A few years ago, Africa championed the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative which saw the cancellation of our debt and less than a decade ago, we are asking for debt forgiveness again.”
This year’s Conference was held for the first time in an African country and two main themes or fields; loss and damage added to the negotiated items.
Ghana was also one of the few countries that had a stand at the Conference.
After several hours of engagements with senior party members, regional executives, aspirants, and the Electoral Commission of Ghana, the National Elections Task Force of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has begun procedures to commence the Eastern Regional elections despite a court injunction.
The decision to move ahead with the elections was arrived at following a last-minute meeting with the Electoral Commission at their head office in Koforidua.
Officials of the Electoral Commission after the meeting subsequently arrived at the Koforidua Technical University, where the elections will be taking place.
Interestingly the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, John Owusu Amankra popularly known as Jowak who issued a statement acknowledging receipt of the injunction and its subsequent suspension of the election was, however, missing during all the engagements.
One person has been confirmed dead with four others injured in an accident involving a Daf truck and five other vehicles at Bogoso in the Western Region on November 19, 2022.
Police investigation has disclosed that the driver of the Daf truck, carrying logs from the Prestea end of the road, upon reaching Bogoso lost control while negotiating a curve. In the process, the logs fell on the five other vehicles.
Personnel of the MTTD are on the grounds and the road has since been opened to traffic.
The Ghana National Fire Service is assisting to rescue the victims believed to be trapped in the accident vehicles.
Augustus Osei, driver of one of the vehicles involved in the accident said the breaking system of the Daf truck failed, which resulted in the accident.
“I was coming from Boadie to Bogoso and we had bypassed the roundabout. The Daf truck had already climbed the hill but suddenly all we could see was the truck reversing by itself so I shouted for all my passengers to exit the vehicle.
“Three of us in the vehicle managed to exit but one person could not exit so he died,” he narrated.
One of the proponents of the Bill Against Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders and Queer, LGBTQ+ groups, Sam Nartey George, says he does not agree with the Attorney General’s position on the Anti-Gay Bill.
Mr. George said 80 percent of the issues raised by the A-G on the Anti-gay Bill have already been considered by the Committee working on it.
He welcomed the views of the Attorney General, but added that the Committee differs from his opinion on the Bill.
He said sponsors of the Bill will insist on this to the Committee on the floor and have a debate on it.
The Ningo-Prampram MP also downplayed the possibility of the Bill being passed by Parliament before the end of 2022.
Trade between Ghana and the United Kingdom (U.K.) is targetted to grow to £1.4 billion in value as the two countries commit to a new three-party partnership, including Rwanda, which is expected to boost trade opportunities between local businesses and their foreign counterparts.
According to the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, while increasing trade remains a key priority for both countries, it is expected that products going from the country to the U.K. meet market standards.
She observed that supporting Ghana’s exporters to meet the standards the UK markets require will help to remove one of the barriers currently stopping goods from the country from entering their markets.
The British High Commissioner to Ghana, speaking in an interview at the sidelines of the launching of the ‘Standards Partnership Pilot,’ reiterated that the platform created was fundamental to boosting trade between the country and the rest of the world.
“This programme will help put Ghanaian businesses on the global stage. By adopting and working within international trading standards, this new partnership will build greater capacity in Ghana’s Standard Authority (GSA), and better position companies to export Ghanaian products to the UK.
“The launch of the UK-Ghana Standard Partnership Pilot is timely. With the roll-out of the AfCFTA and the implementation of the U.K. – Ghana Trade Partnership Agreement, quality standardisation will play a critical role in driving further trading opportunities between our two nations and beyond,” she stated.
The programme is the first U.K. Government-backed initiative to use global standards to support trade in Africa. It is led by the British Standards Institution (BSI) in collaboration with and to support GSA.
It will focus on strengthening national quality infrastructure organisations and systems in complying with internationally recommended practices.
Also, the pilot will help deliver secondary benefits by enabling businesses to build resilient, diversified supply chains with high-quality products and services, resulting in greater choice and lower prices of goods for consumers.
The project is the first step toward the Standards Partnership programme – a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office-funded (FCDO) initiative to unlock sustainable economic development by increasing the capacity of developing countries to use and comply with standards and regulatory measures – enabling them to access new markets, and benefit from global supply chains.
The Deputy Minister of Trade & Industry, Michael Okyere Baafi, also speaking at the ceremony, said the project will, among other benefits, strengthen the long-standing relationship between Ghana and the U.K.
He added that it will also ensure that the products are vigorously checked and maintained so that they can be consumed locally and exported, which will enhance the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
On his part, the President of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and Director-General of GSA, Prof. Alex Dodoo, acknowledged that the initiative holds the potential to transform intra-Africa and global trade.
He said the U.K. is one of Ghana’s leading trading partners, and goods from Ghana are always in high demand provided they meet strict international standards and related requirements.
Because of this, he observed that the Standards Partnership Programme provides a timely opportunity for Ghana to improve standards and quality infrastructure to expand trade with the UK and the world.
Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has said the country’s total debt stock currently stands at GH¢450 billion in 2022 from a total of GH¢120 billion in 2017.
This represents about GH¢300 billion in borrowing since the Akufo-Addo government came into office in January 2017.
Ken Ofori-Atta appearing before the ad-hoc committee probing a censure motion filed against him by the Minority in Parliament explained that although the figure is huge and worrisome, it is important to place focus on the loans secured and what the funds have been expended towards.
He said government has invested the GH¢330 billion loan under key initiatives such as the Planting for Food and Jobs, construction of interchanges, and educational infrastructure, among others.
When probed over claims he had mismanaged the Ghanaian economy which is now seeking IMF assistance, Ken Ofori-Atta said “government’s strenuous efforts to protect the public purse is what has helped”.
The vote of censure filed by the Minority in Parliament was based on seven grounds.
Below are the seven points for which the Minority wants KEN Ofori-Atta censured:
a. Despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages, particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang
b. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral.
c. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.
d. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament
e. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world
f. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis
g. Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship
National Cathedral project is state-owned, not Akufo-Addo’s property – Ofori-Atta clarifies.
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a member of the governing NPP, has paid a glowing tribute to the late Finance Minister, Professor Kwesi Botchwey.
In a tweet, the NPP stalwart indicated the deceased NDC cadre’s leadership and commitment to the structural changes to the country’s economy in the late 80s were remarkable.
He said, Professor Botchwey’s deeds some decades ago, are still having an impact currently.
“Former finance minister Kwesi Botchwey is dead – his leadership and commitment to the structural changes to our economy in the late 80s were critical and the impact still with us today.
“May he rest in perpetual peace”, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko tweeted.
Kwesi Botchwey died at the age of 78 after a short illness at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra on Saturday, November 19.
As part of his political career, he served in the Rawlings’ Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) – military regime – and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – civilian regime – as the Secretary for Finance and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning respectively.
He was described as the longest-serving finance minister in Ghana’s history.
Prof Botchwey attended Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School before proceeding to the University of Ghana to pursue an LLB. He was at Yale Law School for his LLM and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School with his doctorate.
Prof. Kwesi Botchwey served as an advisor to World Bank on the 1997 World Development Report.
He had vast expertise in economic management as he was a member and Chairman of IMF‘s Group of Independent Experts who conducted the first-ever external evaluation of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility under the Fund.
Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in for the late scholar, especially from his close associates and sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress.
Former finance minister Kwesi Botchwey is dead – his leadership and commitment to the structural changes to our economy in the late 80s were critical and the impact still with us todqy. May he rest in perpetual peace. https://t.co/iRYmXlUfQW
Joe Jackson, a Business Executive and Consultant at Dalex Finance, has eulogised the late former Minister of Finance, Professor Kwesi Botchwey.
According to him, the late Professor will be remembered as Ghana‘s foremost finance minister who changed the country’s economic fortunes.
He noted that the untimely demise of Kwesi Botchwey during the time that the country is going through some economic difficulties and seeking a bailout from the IMF, increases his nostalgia for his record term as Finance Minister.
Joe Jackson tweeted, “Dr. Kwesi Botchwey, Your passing, at this time of an economic crisis, increases my nostalgia for your record term as Finance Minister.
“We will forever remember you as the minister who changed our economic fortunes.
“Rest in peace ‘Uncle Kwesi’.”
Kwesi Botchwey died at the age of 78 after a short illness at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra on Saturday, November 19.
As part of his political career, he served in the Rawlings’ Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) – military regime – and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – civilian regime – as the Secretary for Finance and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning respectively.
He was described as the longest-serving finance minister in Ghana’s history.
Prof Botchwey attended Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School before proceeding to the University of Ghana to pursue an LLB. He was at Yale Law School for his LLM and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School with his doctorate.
Prof. Kwesi Botchwey served as an advisor to World Bank on the 1997 World Development Report.
He had vast expertise in economic management as he was a member and Chairman of IMF‘s Group of Independent Experts who conducted the first-ever external evaluation of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility under the Fund.
Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in for the late scholar, especially from his close associates and sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress.
In the midst of slanders and backlashes after being made a second wife to popular Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie, Judy Austin is allegedly pregnant with a second child.
According to sources, Judy Austin was spotted at a hospital situated in the Enugu State where she had an antenatal appointment.
The news was shared by Gistlover, a popular Nigerian blog that first shared the news of Yul and Judy’s marriage and son which they hid from the public for over a year.
Earlier, news of Judy Austin’s alleged second pregnancy went rife on social media, and this is because she plays such roles lately in most of her recent movies.
The actress, however, did not confirm or deny the said reports in a post meant to address her critics.
“I understand that a lot of people are jobless… Meaning most people are really really angry and frustrated!! Lord fix them. Amen!!! Have a wonderful my bunnies!!!”
Background
Judy Austin and Yul Edochie made headlines on social media after the latter announced his marriage to the former on social media.
Yul also outdoored their one-year-old baby boy, a situation which further triggered public uproar online.
It can be recalled that, Yul’s first wife, May Edochie, went haywire after chancing on the said post as she took to the comment section to curse her husband and the second wife.
“May God judge you both,” she wrote under Yul’s post.
They were said to have unfollowed each other and it was also reported that Yul’s family disassociated themselves from the development.
Samuel Nartey George, NDC MP, Ningo-Prampram, has stated that Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is unfit to be the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation.
According to him, the Minister unofficially asked Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to curtail some services on SIM cards not completely registered.
He said the Minister’s directive is for the MNOs to block data services for SIMs that have undergone the first stage of the two-staged registration process but are not done with the second stage.
Ursula Owusu’s decision, Sam George said is uninformed and must be reversed.
The Member of the Communications Committee noted the Minister who is also the MP for Ablekuma West does not understand the industry she leads.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful had earlier hinted at possible sanctions for persons who have deliberately refused to take part in the SIM re-registration exercise.
Speaking to the media after a Technology Breakfast Meeting earlier this month, the Minister said, “we all need to ensure that we protect the systems that we are putting in place. This is one aspect of it, but the SIM re-registration is also another aspect of it. There are some who have genuine concerns, and we are working with the NIA to [address them].
“But there are others who have the Ghana cards but have not completed the process. So clearly, either they do not intend to, or are unwilling to, so we will have some measures to announce in due course soon.”
But in a Facebook post, Sam George wrote, “I have noted with renewed concern your ‘unofficial’, uninformed and retrogressive ‘directive’ to MNOs to deactivate data services on SIMs that have done stage 1 registration but not completed stage 2 registration.”
“I refer to the ‘directive’ as ‘unofficial’ because you have refused to write a letter either from the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation Ghana or the National Communications Authority Ghana to the Telecommunications Companies. You expect them to carry out your uninformed fiat by way of a press statement or Facebook post of yours? Really? Is that what you have reduced the distinguished office of Minister of Communications to? The same office occupied by Edward Salia, Spio-Garbah, John Mahama, Mike Ocquaye, Albert Kan-Dapaah, Haruna Iddrisu and Omane Boamah? Jesus Christ of Nazareth!” he added.
Sam George continued: “This policy position is not just uninformed but shows you are clearly unfit for the office you occupy. What is the basis for your general conclusion on all who have not completed stage 2 registration? That they are recalcitrant? That is the most unintelligent reasoning I have heard in your rather unimpressive stint as Minister.
“There are individuals who have completed stage 1 registration but misplaced their Ghana Cards before being able to complete stage 2 at a Telco Office. These persons have had to go and apply for replacement cards at the NIA. The challenges with that process are not new to any rational mind.
“Another group of persons who have completed the stage 1 but not stage 2 are those whose card have been unreadable when they have gone to the Telco offices. These persons have had to go back to the NIA and apply for replacements. How you as Minister can conclude that these citizens, many of whom have been frustrated by the cumbersome process you have chosen, are recalcitrant and so should be punished beats logical thinking.”
“If you are convinced your directive is grounded in law and can stand scrutiny, why are you refusing to officially write to the MNOs? That has always been how directives have been communicated to them. If the MNOs – MTN Ghana, Vodafone Ghana and AirtelTigo Ghana – proceed with this ‘illegal’ directive without any written documentation, they should be prepared to face us, on behalf of the citizens, in Court as we fight for what is right, proper and just.
The Commercial Division of the Sekondi High Court, presided over by Justice Sedina Agbemava has ruled that the late 53-year-old taxi driver in Fijai, Joseph Entsie, who died in police custody, was killed by police officers.
The late taxi driver at the Fijai Taxi Rank in Sekondi had been arrested on 25th December, 2021 for alleged drunk driving and hitting some policemen at the Effia Nkwanta Nurses Quarters police checkpoint with his car.
He was then sent to the Sekondi Police Station and placed in a cell.
The Western Region Police Command, in a report, had stated that Joseph Entsie was later found dead in his cell with his jeans trousers tied to his neck, suggesting suicide.
But the pathologist who performed an autopsy on him had informed the family he did not die by hanging.
The police then asked for another autopsy from a different pathologist but refused to disclose the results to the family because they [the family] had refused to be present for the second autopsy.
With the help of a lawyer from Legal Aid Commission, Mr. Ebo Donkor, the case was sent to court.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Sedinam Avernogbo directed the Attorney General to prosecute the police officers involved.
An aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, has described moves by the Agric Minister to sell foodstuff at its premises to control prices as a disaster.
According to her, it is unbelievable that the “incompetent Minister for Agriculture actually went ahead to sell plantains at the ministry”.
In a Facebook post, she said if this was the standard for measuring the performance of the sector minister, then all farmers would be excellent Agric Ministers.
“I simply can’t believe the obviously failed and incompetent Minister for Agriculture actually went ahead to sell plantains in the ministry. Is plantain the only food item Ghanaians eat and which is expensive to buy today?
“How can the sale of plantains at controlled prices ensure food security for our entire population?
“And should all Ghanaians move to the ministry in Accra to buy the plantain at the controlled prices?”, the former aide added.
As part of efforts to control prices of foodstuff, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture began selling foodstuff within its premises to serve people in Accra.
The products are brought from the farms to the ministry and sold to consumers at a cheaper price.
However, when the project commenced, plantain was the only item at the venue.
Organised Labour has proposed a 60 percent increment in base pay for the year 2023 as they begin negotiations with the government.
In a letter signed by TUC General Secretary, Dr. Yaw Baah and Isaac Bampoe Addo, Chairman of the forum of Public Sector Workers, Organised Labour cited the rising inflation and the 15% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) granted on the National Daily Minimum Wage as grounds for their proposal.
“Due to the inflationary trends and the fact that 15% COLA has been granted on the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMw). We humbly propose that a 60% increase on the 2022 Base Pay should be considered,” a portion of the letter read.
According to Organised Labour, a huge gap has been created between the National Daily Minimum Wage and the Base Pay as a result of accepting COLA instead of normal salary increase and granting increases in the National Daily Minimum Wage.
The group said currently, the 2022 daily Base Pay on the 2022 Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) is 16.26% below the 2022 daily minimum wage.
“In order to close the gap and restore the 10% point with respect to the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW), the daily Base Pay for 2023 should be GH¢l4.88 plus 10% which is GH¢16.37,” Organised Labour said.
They, therefore, want the annual Base Pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) for 2023 to be increased to GH¢5,303.23 from the current GH¢3,672.84.
Organised Labour further contended that the government ought to have increased the annual increment of 1.7% on the Single Spine Salary Structure to 2% in 2012.
This, they said has not happened since 2012 and want the government to implement that next year.
“However, over the years, our plea to adjust the 1.7% step increment (annual increment) to a 2% step increment has fallen on deaf ears. The Organized Labour can no longer wait for the implementation of the 2% step increment,” they stated.
The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori Atta, says he has cautiously supervised the country’s fiscal operations and has not been reckless in the management of finances.
He said this when he appeared before the Ad-hoc Committee of Parliament on Friday, set up by Speaker Alban Bagbin to probe the allegations for the motion of censure raised against him by the Minority.
He, however, said the government’s “strenuous efforts to protect the public purse is what has helped.”
Mr Ofori-Atta insisted that he had, as required of him, always presented government revenue and expenditure propositions to Parliament, which had in turn raised no concerns.
“On all occasions, I have come to Parliament to present the annual or mid-year budget, I have discussed all propositions of government in revenue and expenditure and financing, and on all these occasions, I have received approval as Parliament subsequently passed appropriation bills on them,” he said.
“Every key expenditure made has been supported by this house. Indeed, we also saw the dire consequences when the house, for months, refused to pass a major revenue generation item introduced by the Government to support the financial stability of the economy.”
Mr Ofori-Atta told Parliament’s Ad-hoc Committee that “Parliament’s delay in passing the E-levy has cost the country.”
The Minority in Parliament are calling for the dismal of the finance minister over the poor handling of the economy.
The cedi has seen its value drop by over 50 per cent compared to the United States dollar in the first ten months of this year.
The development had since placed the cedi as one of the worst in the world according to ratings by Bloomberg.
Fiscal recklessness leading to the downward trend of the cedi was one of seven grounds raised by the Minority to demand the dismissal of the finance minister.
Per the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) on Wednesday, November 9, the country’s inflation rate has hit an all-time high of 40.4 per cent in October 2022.
The data said food and non-food inflation also rose to 43.7 per cent and 37.8 per cent, respectively.
The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Richard Ahiagbah has said the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has destroyed an agenda by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to misinform the public on the Ghanaian economy.
Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before the 8-member ad hoc committee to answer allegations made against him by the Minority in Parliament.
He told the committee among other things that he does not believe that the allegations carry any weight.
On the allegation of deliberate misreporting of economic data to Parliament, he said it is completely not true.
“Since I took office in 2017, I have served the country with integrity and honesty.
“Under my leadership at the Ministry of Finance, there have been significant improvements in the accurate reporting of public finances.
Vote of Censure Paper (1)
Reacting to the presentation by the Finance Minister, Mr Ahiagbah said in a tweet that “It took only 34 pages of evidence…to dismantle the grand NDC agenda to misinform Ghanaians about the state of our economy. Now let’s work together to serve the people.”
He added “The NDC reduced everything in their quest to censure KOA, to politics. Zero evidence, just politics. Sadly, it’s becoming a pattern with the NDC to reduce everything to politics. Recall the 2021 Election petition. Evidence wins.”
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has commended the 8-member committee investigating the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for the work done so far.
In his view, Mr Ofori-Atta has been exposed by proceedings at the committee.
“The Committee’s work is commendable though it is not in the form or shape we wanted,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday November 19
He added “the exciting thing is that the minority kept the issues. It is satisfactory although some issues. Now Ofori-Atta can’t sleep, he will vomit the money.”
During proceedings on Friday November 18, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta said he does not believe that the allegations made by the Minority in Parliament for his removal from have any weight.
He told the ad hoc committee that the proponents’ allegations do not have “weight for censure.”
Mr Ofori-Atta said the allegations leveled against him were false and went on to debunk each of them.
On the allegation of deliberate misreporting of economic data to Parliament, he said it is completely not true.
“Since I took office in 2017, I have served the country with integrity and honesty.
“Under my leadership at the Ministry of Finance, there have been significant improvements in the accurate reporting of public finances.
“Today, under President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians are enjoying greater accountability and transparency in the management of the public purse than any other period under the Fourth Republic.”
He said since 2017, the government has complied with the reporting provisions in the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921), including Budget Implementation report, Fiscal Reports, Public Debt Report, Petroleum Revenue Management Reports, ESLA report, etc.
On the issue of not including the financial sector clean up cost and the energy sector IPP payments in the deficit, the Finance Minister said contrary to the position of others, they were clearly stated.
“I want to emphasize, with the Budget document as evidence, that these payments were reflected in the fiscal framework.”
“Energy sector IPP payments were treated as “amortisation” and the non-cash financial sector clean-up payments were reflected in the “memo item” (Refer to Appendix 2A of the Fiscal Tables in the relevant Annual Budget),” the minister said.
READ ALSO: US, Ghana launch seed sector workshop
Ghanaians will recall that in support of data presented by the Ministry of Finance, in May 2020, Dr Albert Touna Mama, the then country representative of the IMF, came on Joy FM’s News File Programme to state that there was no misrepresentation of data by the government as was being alleged. Dr Touna Mama said government was not the one that presented the figures that the IMF published in its statements.
He explained that the difference in figures was as a result of a difference in the methodology of calculation, adding that the figure in fiscal deficit in their statement was a figure they generated themselves from the data government presented to them, having added financial and energy sector payments in line with their methodology, which is different from government’s methodology.
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has exonerated the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, of any wrongdoing in the payment of U$100.7 million into an offshore account in relation to petroleum funds from Jubilee Oil Holdings Limited (JOHL), a subsidiary of the Corporation.
“As far as JOHL is concerned, the finance minister is not responsible for their revenues. We have to, at the end of the day, submit our financials (to the Ministry) and pay our taxes to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and in 2021 JOHL paid 17 million to GRA in taxes,” a Deputy Chief Executive of the Corporation, Joseph Dadzie said.
He made this known yesterday at the day-two sitting of the eight-member Adhoc Committee constituted by parliament to probe grounds on which the minority wants the finance minister removed from office.
The Minority had claimed that the finance minister made illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts in flagrant disregard for the Petroleum Revenue Management Act.
Their claim was anchored on a report by the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) in 2021 that the Ministry of Finance paid the amount into the offshore account illegally.
Appearing earlier before the Committee yesterday, Vice President of the PIAC, Nasir Alfa Mohammed, insisted that the payment of the amount was illegal.
He thinks that the right account to receive the money from the sale of 900 barrels of crude from the Jubilee Field as lifted by JOHL was the Petroleum Holding Fund and not the company’s offshore account.
But Mr Dadzie said the PIAC has misread the law.
“We disagree with PIAC that revenues from the liftings should have been paid into the Petroleum Holding Fund. JOHL is a hundred per cent subsidiary of GNPC and registered under the Companies Act and for that reason, hundred per cent of the revenues cannot be paid into the Petroleum Holding Fund.
“The company must operate and if at the end of the day it declares profit, and the directors decide that dividends must be paid, that money is paid to GNPC and subsequently into the Petroleum Holding Fund,” Mr Dadzie stated.
He explained that when the original owners of the block in Jubilee, Anadarko, decided to sell their share, GNPC approached to purchase seven per cent which it got for US$164.7 million but due to delays in the finalisation of the agreement, Anadarko decided to set up JOHL to curve out the seven per cent for GNPC.
“When we were ready, we had to buy JOHL so the structure of the transaction wasn’t a GNPC structure. It was a structure that was defined by the seller,” he said.
To this end, he said, when Tullow bought that particular lifting, it paid the money into JOHL’s Cayman Islands account.
The funding of the purchase, he said was done by the Ministry of Finance through a loan; a funding agreement which did not receive parliamentary approval though same was included in the Corporation’s work programme for the year 2021 as submitted to Parliament.
Pressed if the Finance Minister could be held liable for the payment, Mr Dadzie reiterated that “We believe that JOHL is governed by the Companies Act and not by the Petroleum Revenue Management Act and for that matter, the finance minister cannot be held responsible” albeit no illegality in the payment of the amount into the offshore account.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is expected to appear before the Committee today with his defence to the seven grounds for which the Minority wants him censured.
He is said to had been battling a short illness. Dr. Kwesi Botchwey died aged 78.
Dr. Kwesi Botchwey is a well-respected economist and governance expert who served during the military era of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) (1982 to 1991) and the constitutional period of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) (1992 to 1995)
He is known as one of the country’s longest-serving Finance Ministers.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has refuted claims that he has mismanaged the country’s economy leading to the depreciation of the Ghana Cedi against the world’s major trading currencies.
The Minister was speaking when he appeared before parliament’s ad hoc committee, on Friday, 18 November 2022.
One of the 7 grounds, on which the Minority in parliament, is asking for the removal from office of the Finance Minister is “Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world.”
However, Mr Ofori-Atta told the Committee he has not been reckless in managing the country’s economy.
According to him, everything he did, was approved by Parliament.
“On all occasions, I have come to parliament to present the annual or mid-year budget, I have discussed all propositions of government in revenue and expenditure and financing, and on all these occasions, I have received approval as parliament subsequently passed appropriation bills on them.”
Mr Ofori-Atta added: “Every key expenditure made has been supported by this house. Indeed, we also saw the dire consequences when the house, for months, refused to pass a major revenue generation item introduced by the government to support the fiscal stability of the economy.”
Below is Mr Ofori-Atta’s full responses:
Introduction
Hon. Co-Chairs and members of this ad hoc Committee, good morning and through you, good morning to the Ghanaian people. I believe this process we are engaged in here is a useful opportunity to strengthen our democratic processes.
Hon. Co-Chairs, during the course of my remarks this morning, you can expect forthrightness. The Proponents’ motion of censure has accused me of many things and includes some very disparaging remarks and attacks on my person and integrity. I am certain that Ghanaians will have a more balanced view of the events “that led us here’ as I take the opportunity to speak to the matters raised.
My principal reflections today are to ensure that by the end of these proceedings, the “truth” will have taken centre stage and, in the process, any unfounded doubts about my motives, my competence, and my character would have been dispelled.
Before I proceed with my detailed responses, I would like to make a personal comment to the Ghanaian people:
Since, the Akufo-Addo government came into office in 2017, everything we have sought to do was aimed at making the lives of the people better.
We have been focused on this vision to improve lives and in the first 4 years, our efforts were leading to a realisation of the vision.
Today, I acknowledge our economy is facing difficulties and the people of Ghana are enduring hardships. As the person, President Akufo-Addo has put in charge of the economy, I feel the pain personally, professionally and in my soul. I see and feel the terrible impact of rising prices of goods and services on the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians. I feel the stress of running a business. But, it is the strength and perseverance of the Ghanaian people that inspire me and my colleagues in Government every morning, to press on. That is what gives me the strength to press on to find solutions and relief for Ghanaians to the myriad of problems that our country and the rest of the world are facing, especially, since March 2020.
Co-chairs, let me use this opportunity to say to the Ghanaian people what I believe, with courage, every Finance Minister around the world may wish to say to his people now: I am truly sorry. When we set out so purposefully between 2017 and the early parts of 2020, we never imagined that a global pandemic such as Covid, with its prolonged economic fallout, would inflict such pain and suffering upon the Ghanaian people. The shock to our system has been hard and the impact on our livelihoods severe. But, we have not been resting on our oars. We continue to work to keep the lights on, to avoid the queues at our filling stations, our classrooms full, our hospitals and dispensaries mostly stocked with medicines, continue to pay salaries and our roads being built and fixed.
Now, let me get into the details:
The ground of the Proponents claiming that there has been “Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral”, I submit as follows:
Hon. Co-Chairs, let me first submit, that I am uncomfortable about the formulation of this ground. It presupposes that Parliament is assuming the jurisdiction to enforce and/interpret a provision of the Constitution, against the combined effect of articles 2(1) and 130(1), which grants the sole and exclusive power to the Supreme Court. Nonetheless, I say with both humility and confidence that I have not breached the Constitution in making payments to support the construction of the National Cathedral of Ghana.
Hon. Co-Chairs, three days ago, when the Proponents were here, they alleged that I had made payments from the Contingency Fund to support the National Cathedral. I want to state that this is just not true. Let me be categorical. I have taken no money from the Contingency Fund to make payments for the National Cathedral.
It appears the proponents have confused the Contingency Fund with the Contingency Vote. Let me explain. There is a difference between Contingency Fund and Contingency Vote.
The Contingency Fund, the Proponents refer to, is what is covered under the Constitution, specifically under article 177. This constitutes money voted by Parliament and advances from this must be authorised by the Parliamentary Finance Committee. The Contingency Vote, on the other hand, is a line under the “Other Government Obligations” vote which is approved by the Finance Committee and passed as part of the annual Appropriation Acts passed by Parliament.
Hon. Co-Chairs, in preparing the Annual Budgets, the practice is that provision is made for indicative expenditures that have not been fully costed at the time of the Budget presentation. Provisions are made in the Contingency Vote to cater for such expenditures. For example, in 2014, there was no specific allocation in the 2014 budget for Ghana’s participation in the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The Cabinet of President John Mahama, in March 2014, at the time, approved some $9.622 million for that tournament, including that amount which was flown to Brazil in a private jet for the players. A more current example is Ghana’s participation in Qatar. The Black Stars qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, way after the 2022 budget, presented on 16 November 2021, was approved by Parliament. No specific amount was budgeted for it but through the Contingency Vote, we have been able to provide funds legitimately for the team to participate in the competition.
Expenditures in respect of the National Cathedral were made from the Contingency Vote under the “Other Government Obligations” vote as has been the practice before my tenure (I have copies of several payments from the Contingency Vote dating back to 2015 to share). Hon. Co-Chairs, as Finance Minister, I am fully aware of the approval procedures for use of the Contingency Fund and have not breached its requirement.
The National Cathedral is 100% owned by the State and is not the President’s Cathedral as described by the Proponents. Indeed, the Attorney General issued an opinion on 6th January 2022, that the National Cathedral is a state-owned company limited by guarantee, under the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board.
Hon. Co-Chairs, the policy direction and updates on the National Cathedral have been publicly presented over the years through the National Budget Statement and Economic Policy presented to Parliament.
In paragraph 156 of my Budget Speech on the 2019 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, I announced on the floor of Parliament, Government’s vision for the National Cathedral as well as the commitment to facilitate the construction by providing the land, the Secretariat, and seed money. This subject was part of the policy approval of the Budget after extensive debate.
Subsequently, regular updates on the progress of the construction of the National Cathedral have been provided to Parliament and the nation. These include:
2020 Budget Statement and Economic Policy – Paragraph 385: which announced the establishment of the Board of Trustees and Secretariat for the Cathedral.
Mid-Year Review of the 2020 Budget Statement – Paragraph 279: which provided an update on the ground-breaking ceremony held on 5th March 2020 to mark the formal commencement of the construction phase of the project.
2021 Budget Statement and Economic Policy – Paragraphs 1132 and 1134: which informed the House of the Letter of Intent (LoI) signed on 25th November 2020 between NCG Trustees and RIBADE JV (led by Rizzanni de Eccher with M Barbisotti & Sons and Desimone. And, the Appointment of Apostle Prof. Opoku-Onyinah as the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees on 8th February 2021.
Mid-Year Review of the 2021 Budget Statement – Paragraphs 354 and 355: which announced the expansion of the Cathedral project to include a Bible Museum (Bible Museum of Africa – BMOA) and Biblical Garden; as well as
the establishment of the 100-Cedis-a-Month “Ketewa Biara Nsua” Club, in line with the original plan to encourage as many donors as possible to contribute towards the establishment of this national monument.
In conclusion, Co-Chairs, all the payments made for the National Cathedral were lawfully done and from the Contingency Vote under the “Other Government Obligations” vote and not from the Contingency Fund as alleged by the Proponents.
I now focus on the grounds claiming “Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament”.
The issue of deliberate misreporting of economic data to Parliament is not just unfortunate but simply untrue.
I and, for that matter, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) have never misreported data to Parliament as has been alleged.
On Tuesday 13th November 2022, the Proponents clarified their concerns relating to the reporting of fiscal data.
In their submission, they alleged that different sets of data were presented to the IMF and the people of Ghana. That is untrue. The 2019 Article IV, which they cited, actually clearly demonstrates that the computing and Reporting of the deficit is consistent between the Government and the IMF as shown in the Table labelled – Ghana: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2017–24 on Page 4 of the IMF Article IV and appendix 3A of the 2019 budget. More importantly, we were under a Fund programme and could not have been able to exit if there were inaccuracies with the data we reported and the methodology used for computing the deficit.
In actual fact, in the most recent IMF Article IV Report from 2021, one sees clearly demonstrated that the methodology utilized in computing the deficit is and has been consistent as shown in the Table labelled – Ghana: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2019–22 on Page 3 of the Press Release numbered PR21/221.
According to Hon. Ato Forson —“Mr Chairman, paragraph 16, page 11 of the Staff Report – article 4 says, fiscal rules under Ghana; Public Financial Management Act. Fiscal rules could be strengthened – Box one – it goes on to say that about 2.8 percentage points of GDP in financial and energy sector payments were recorded below the line in the year 2019 Budget because the Government considers the financial sector cost as a one-off and energy cost, as debt amortisation. Best international practices would include these transactions above the line as they reflect either direct Government obligation or Government transactions, transfers to State-owned Enterprises.”
Because of the exceptional nature of the expenditure – financial sector cleanup and energy sector IPP payment, we agreed with The Fund that it could be treated below the line as shown in the Table earlier referred to. (Turning to the Presentation on the Board: In fact, as can be seen in the presentation, the style is consistent. We both report with Finsec and without Finsec. All information is reported and none hidden).
Co-Chairs, it is also alleged that I have breached the second fiscal rule under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018, (Act 982) namely the primary balance, in 2018 and 2019.
Firstly, I maintain the legal position that Act 982 was not passed to take a retrospective effect. It is equally instructive to note that the fiscal and primary balance targets presented to Parliament for those two years did not have any estimate on the finsec clean-up cost above the line. Consequently, the primary balance target that we were targeting were, actually, surpluses of 1.6% of GDP in the main budget for 2018 and 1.1% in 2019. This, per our definition, excluded the finsec clean-up cost. Thus, if applicable, could not be said to have breached the law. To reiterate, the agreed style of reporting with the IMF was to show both a deficit including finsec clean-up and one excluding it.
I wish to state that:
The allegation of deliberate misreporting of economic data to Parliament is completely not true. Since I took office in 2017, I have served the country with integrity and honesty.
Under my leadership at the Ministry of Finance, there have been significant improvements in the accurate reporting of public finances. Today, under President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians are enjoying greater accountability and transparency in the management of the public purse than any other period under the Fourth Republic.
Since 2017, Government has complied with the reporting provisions in the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921), including Budget Implementation report, Fiscal Reports, Public Debt Report, Petroleum Revenue Management Reports, ESLA report, etc.
The Proponents have raised the issue of the treatment of energy sector IPP payments and financial sector clean-up payments in the fiscal tables. The Ministry of Finance has explained its position on the treatment of these two items to the relevant Committees of Parliament during their scrutiny of the annual budget from 2018 to 2021. The Ministry of Finance actually issued a Press Release on the subject on 10th May 2020, which we had hoped should have put this matter to rest.
The Ministry included the energy sector IPP payments in the “amortisation” line in the Fiscal Framework during the 2018-2021. Financial sector clean-up costs were included in the fiscal framework annually for the period 2018 to 2021 to reflect the issuance of bonds to cover the non-cash costs.
Contrary to the position of others that the MOF did not reflect the Finsec Payments and the energy sector IPP payments in the fiscal framework, I want to emphasize, with the Budget document as evidence, that these payments were reflected in the fiscal framework. Energy sector IPP payments were treated as “amortisation” and the non-cash financial sector clean-up payments were reflected in the “memo item” (Refer to Appendix 2A of the Fiscal Tables in the relevant Annual Budget).
The MoF reflected Finsec clean-up payments in the memo item called “fiscal deficit (including finsec payments)” for the following reasons:
They are extra-ordinary payment items which need not be mixed up with traditional fiscal operations; and
They are largely bonds and capturing them above the line will imply recognizing their payments now and recognizing their payments again when the payments fall due in the future – a possible double counting. A method that the proponent is or ought to have been very much familiar with from his years as Deputy Minister of Finance.
Likewise, the Energy sector IPP payments were reflected in the fiscal framework as part of the Amortisation line under the Financing part of the fiscal table for the following reasons:
They are debts of SOEs that have been assumed by the government and are largely contingent liabilities that have crystalised for payments; and
They are extraordinary, one-off payments which need not be mixed up with traditional expenditure items. Something, again, which the proponent should be very familiar with.
However, the MoF agreed with the Finance Committee of Parliament in 2021 that going forward from 2022 onwards, both the Energy IPP payments and the Finsec Payments will be treated “above the line” in the fiscal framework for the following reasons:
the Finsec bailout exercise is largely completed and, therefore, ceases to be an extraordinary budget item; and
IPPs payments are expected to be made over the medium term. Given that they have become explicit contingent liabilities, appropriately budgeting for them “above the line” ensures that resources are duly allocated for their settlement.
The 2022 Budget, therefore, reflects this decision. Neither the Ministry nor I have deliberately or dishonestly misreported economic data to Parliament.
This is buttressed by the submissions made in May 2020 by the IMF Country Director, Dr Albert Touna Mama: “Our number includes these two elements (financial sector payments and energy sector payment) and we know why the Governor of Bank of Ghana made the decision not to have these two elements in the fiscal deficits.”
There is also a claim on “Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana cedi which is currently the worst performing currency in the world”, I will respond as follows:
Hon. Co-Chairs, the grounds of recklessness presuppose that I have not been guided by the laid-down regulations. I want to state that I have not been reckless in the management of the FISCAL Operations of Government. Rather, our strenuous efforts to protect the public purse is what has helped this government to have achieved much, much more than any government over a similar period in virtually all sectors, including education, health, social welfare, policing, security in general, roads, railways, agriculture, industrialisation, tourism, digitization, and funding for anti-corruption institutions.
Hon. Co-Chairs, I have come to Parliament House ten (10) times (eleven times since this Government) in the last 6 years to present the Annual and Mid-Year Budgets. On all occasions, I have discussed all proposed fiscal operations of the Government (revenues, expenditures and financing).
On all those occasions, I received approval as Parliament subsequently passed Appropriations Bills for all those Budgets. Every key expenditure made has been supported by this House. Indeed, we all saw the dire consequences when the House, for months, refused to pass a major revenue generation item introduced by this Government to support the fiscal stability of the economy. Sadly, the Minority Leader, when this government was compelled to approach the Fund this year, triumphantly took credit for frustrating the government’s efforts to meet its half-year revenue targets.
“He told the Parliamentary Press Corps last June that: “Thanks to the opposition Government has already lost half-year revenue. That can only be attributed to the purpose and tenacity of the Minority Group in Parliament.”
The consequences of this intentional stance have been dire. It precipitated a lack of confidence in the international market and closed access to Ghana’s traditional Eurobond issuance.
Hon. Co-Chairs, it is worthwhile to note that indeed, the Proponents offered only one item as not having been approved by Parliament for Payment –The National Cathedral of Ghana, and I have shown that to be untrue.
I would hope we can take it that by extension of their proposition, they accept that all other expenditures have been approved by Parliament.
We must all boldly share in the positive achievements regularly reported by the Bank of Ghana in its quarterly ‘Fiscal Development Reports’ for the years 2017-2021.
Hon. Co-Chairs, it cannot be sustained that I have been reckless in supporting the implementation of the decisions of Parliament.
Funding economic growth and transformation
Hon Co-Chairs, with the approval of funds by Parliament in the last 6 years, we have undertaken major transformative investments to improve the quality of life of Ghanaians:
We have mobilised and invested in excess of GH¢28.3 billion (as of Sept. 2022) to Implement transformative Flagship Programs that improve social mobility and the quality of life of Ghanaians; (most of these did not exist prior to 2017); this includes:
Supporting 1,765,977 Ghanaian students under Free SHS/TVET to promote human Capital Development and social mobility.
Enrolling 15,656,160 Ghanaians aged 15 years and above on the National Identification Programme by Sept 2021 to enhance security and economic efficiency.
Support about 100,000 Young graduates to enter the job market.
Providing needed infrastructure to support decentralisation and local governance to expand access to public services under the Regional Re- organisation programme.
Promoting the development of railway network to advance national and regional connectivity
Supporting the ongoing construction of fishing harbours to service key coastal communities including Axim, Dixcove, Moree, Mumford, Winneba, Senya Bereku, Gomoa Feteh, Teshie and James Town.
Increasing School Feeding beneficiaries from 1,677,322 in 2016 to 3,300,000 pupils in 2021.
Increasing LEAP beneficiaries from 195,860 households in 2017 to 344,023 in 2021 to improve the livelihoods of for the underprivileged in our society.
Increasing food production and security through Planting for Food and Jobs. It has led to a 71% increase in the national production of maize and 34% in paddy rice.
We have invested significantly in retooling the security sector to maintain territorial integrity and improve internal security (CCTV, motor bicycles, vehicles, Forward Operating Bases, recruitment of security personnel etc);
We have recruited over 200,000 Ghanaians into crucial service areas such as Education, Health, Security and Local Government; and
Established a Tree Crop Development Authority with a focus on mango, cashew, rubber, oil palm, shea and coconut, in order to diversify our economy and provide raw materials for industrialisation.
These and many more we have done.
On the issue of fiscal recklessness and depreciating cedi,
Hon. Co-Chairs, the idea that the depreciation of the Cedi is the result of fiscal recklessness is not supported by the available facts.
The Ghana Cedi consistently performed very well throughout my tenure as Finance Minister, up until March 2022. The records show that between 2012 and 2016, the Cedi depreciated by an average of 17% whilst between 2017 and 2021, the average rate of depreciation was 7%.
The major contributors to the currency problem are not necessarily fiscal factors Hon. Co-Chairs, unlike July 2014 when the cedi was last rated as the world’s worst-performing currency, the 2022 depreciation is largely attributed to extraordinary global factors including the strengthening of the US Dollar (even against major international currencies like the UK Pound and the Euro); and speculation due to economic uncertainties. For example, in this year, 2022, the Euro is worth less than the dollar for the first time in 20 years.
As stipulated in Article 183 of the Constitution, Section 2(a). The Bank of Ghana shall promote and maintain the stability of the currency of Ghana and direct and regulate the currency system in the interest of the economic progress of Ghana. As such, the Bank of Ghana, which manages our reserves is leading the interventions to contain the depreciation of the Cedi.
The government, on its part, is undertaking real sector interventions through initiatives such as 1D1F and the GhanaCARES programme, to accelerate the import substitution of products such as poultry and rice, and promote an export-led economy thereby reducing foreign exchange pressures from the imports of those products.
We intend to announce additional measures to promote the consumption of local produce. Furthermore, the implementation of the AfCFTA positions Ghana as a continental trade hub, and we shall take advantage and boost the export orientation of our industries.
The Ministry of Finance has also arranged significant financing including the US$750 million from Afrexim Bank to support the 2022 Budget and boost our foreign exchange reserves. This forex inflow has improved the supply of foreign currency and boosted the stability of the local currency. We continue to explore avenues to secure additional financing to boost the reserve position.
On the issue of “Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis” I state as follows:
Hon Co-Chairs, these are very strong language. The choice of words for this part of the motion is worrying, especially as it relates to the functioning of the whole national economy. The truth is, considerable progress has been made under my tenure as Minister for Finance. Since 2017, we have competently managed the economy.
Hon. Co-Chairs, we have competently managed the economy since 2017. Indeed, to appreciate where we are now, we need to look back at where we came from. At the close of 2016, an assessment of the Economy revealed:
limited fiscal space (fiscal deficit 6.5%);
a distressed financial sector (NPL ratio-17.3%);
an asset quality review document which had not been released;
a derailed IMF-ECF programme and reduced economic output (GDP growth-3.4%);
Inflation was 15.4% at the end of 2016;
The monetary policy rate (interest rate) was 25.5% at the end of December 2016;
Limited CAPEX to MDAs; and
‘Dumsor’ which had decimated local industry and strongly impeded national productivity.
Hon. Co-Chairs, it is important to note that through our leadership and commitment to turn around the economy from its state in 2016, we made great strides and remarkable progress in the years before the pandemic and the records attest to this.
The headline facts are:
We doubled economic growth in our first three years, and Ghana’s growth in 2019 was touted as one of the highest globally;
Inflation came down significantly from 15.4% to 7.9% at the end of 2019 and remained in single digits till the pandemic hit in March 2020;
The fiscal deficit which was about 6.5% was brought down to under 5 per cent by the end of 2019;
Exchange rate depreciation reduced significantly to under [5 per cent] in 2017 and averaging [8.7 per cent} between 2017 and 2019;
We reduced interest rates in line with declining inflation expectations. The Monetary Policy Rate declined from 25.5% at the end of December 2016 to 16% at the end of 2019 while the average lending rate for the same period declined from 31.70% to 23.7%;
The government directly spent GH¢25 billion to save the banking and SDI sector, protecting the near-collapse of the financial sector; saving close to 5,400 direct jobs and 12,000 indirect jobs; making sure 4.6 million depositors were protected; and
The government also implemented comprehensive reforms across the energy sector and kept the lights on to date.
On the back of good economic management, in April 2019, Ghana successfully completed and exited the IMF-ECF programme that we inherited. To ensure the irreversibility of the macroeconomic gains, the government introduced a number of measures including:
passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018 (Act 982) to cap the fiscal deficit at 5% of GDP and ensure maintenance of a positive primary balance;
passage of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (LI 2378) to strengthen regulation of the Public Financial Management System; and
establishment of the two Social Partnership Programmes with Labour and Faith-Based Organisations.
Clearly, there was strong momentum and optimism towards the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda at the end of 2019.
However, with the onset of the pandemic, the gains from over three years of fiscal rectitude were reversed as a result of efforts to ensure lives and livelihoods were protected.
Ultimately, these considerations informed the raft of revenue and expenditure measures outlined in the 2022 Budget Statement.
We laid out the 2022 Budget to achieve Fiscal Consolidation anchored on debt sustainability. It is important at this point, to also highlight that a key component of the national debt stock related to three (3) exceptional expenditure items that are neither external nor a creation of this Government:
Energy Sector Excess Capacity payments (GHC 17 billion), which relate to a legacy of take or pay contracts that saddled the country’s economy with annual excess capacity charges of close to US$1 billion;
Direct COVID-19 expenditure amounted to GHC 12.0 billion; and
the Banking Sector Clean up (GHC 25 billion).
These three items alone, contribute to about 23% of our annual debt servicing cost. These three items were not created through the recklessness of the New Patriotic Party. The long dumsor that Ghanaians endured under the NDC administration between 2012 and 2016 was more to do with the NDC government’s inability to pay for power. So, Co-Chairs, I find it curious that Hon. Ato Forson will choose to cite energy bills as an example of the recklessness that the Minority charges me with and seek my removal by censure. Especially when we have had to pay around
$500 million dollars a year in excess capacity charges, for power the previous administration negotiated that we do not need and we do not use.
Hon Co-Chairs, in actual fact, we have been able to renegotiate some of these power purchase agreements and the new agreements with the Priority IPPs, once finalized and executed will offer estimated nominal savings of more than USD 4 billion over the next 5 years.
We have also used a significant part of the borrowing to undertake key transformative investments such as:
The fixing and construction of over eleven thousand, five hundred (11,500) kilometres of new roads between 2017 and 2021;
The construction of 12 major interchanges since 2017 as compared to 5 interchanges in the previous 8 years.
the construction of the Eastern Regional and Central Gonja Hospitals;
Commencing work on eighty-seven (87) of the Agenda 111 projects;
funding ongoing airport projects, including the Kumasi International Airport; and
promoting the establishment of the Development Bank Ghana to provide competitive finance for Ghanaian Entrepreneurs.
Indeed, the E-Levy was borne out of this heightened need to mobilize resources sufficient for managing the pre-eminent
challenges of our time: fiscal consolidation, debt sustainability, and reducing youth unemployment.
Unfortunately, the delay in the passage of the E-levy adversely impacted market confidence and largely contributed to the downgrade in Ghana’s sovereign credit ratings in January 2022 and these resulted in a whole deterioration of the financial conditions for Ghana and closed Ghana’s access to the international capital markets (ICM) due to Deteriorated perception and loss of confidence by investors.
For this reason, access to ICM funds was no longer available which resulted in a severe BOP problem that needs to be addressed.
The Government thus resorted to the IMF as a lender of last resort to not only address the immediate and active BOP need but also to protect all the macro and social policy gains made in the last 5 years.
Undoubtedly, the last few months have seen considerable economic uncertainty and challenges. These have been characterised by high inflation levels and rapid depreciation of the cedi. Indeed, the economic challenges we are facing require deliberate but urgent, well-thought-out, strategic steps as well as the support of the Ghanaian people.
The above notwithstanding, there are still some bright spots.
Overall, our growth outturn of 3.4% and 4.8% in Q1 and Q2 2022 respectively, coupled with modest improvements in our fiscal position suggests our economy is gradually on the upswing despite the numerous shocks we have faced over the past two years.
This progress gives us a solid foundation to confront the challenges in front of us.
Undoubtedly, risks remain that we are highly attuned to; however, the Ministry of Finance is committed to working alongside all stakeholders, including the members of Parliament to ensure we can reposition our economy back on a path of growth and prosperity.
There is a claim of “Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy, which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship”. I want to re-state that:
Hon Co-Chairs, the current economic challenges we are experiencing in Ghana is not the outcome of mismanagement. But we acknowledge the hardships our people are going through in these difficult times.
This assessment is wholly shared by objective observers. In the recent words of the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva and I quote: “to the people of Ghana, like everybody else on this planet, you have been hurt by exogenous shocks. First the Pandemic, then Russia’s War in Ukraine and what we need to realise is not because of bad policies in the country but because of this combination of shocks…”
I have already discussed the domestic triggers behind the depreciating Cedi. We simply cannot overlook the significant impact of the delayed passage of the revenue measures outlined in the 2022 Budget, which resulted in negative market reactions, credit rating downgrades, the narrowing of financing sources, and the eventual depreciation of the cedi. The timelines are obvious and cannot be ignored.
Going forward
Hon. Co-Chairs, it is time to have an honest national conversation on the patterns of expenditure as a people. Our preference for imported goods, which requires foreign exchange that we do not earn enough of, implies that our cedi will continue to be under pressure
It has become clear that we cannot continue in a business-as-usual mode. We have to significantly change our consumption patterns and support investments in local capacity for production and export.
Hon. Co-Chairs, even in these challenging times, we have not been rudderless. We have prepared the Post-COVID-19 Programme for Economic Growth (PC-PEG) as the domestic blueprint, which has benefitted from input from all key stakeholders including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), social partners (labour unions, employers, and FBOs), academia, industry professionals, and the leadership of Parliament.
This document contains a set of time-bound structural reforms and fiscal consolidation measures to place our debt levels and fiscal accounts on a sustainable path over the medium term and has underpinned the Government’s engagement with the IMF.
The negotiation with the IMF is progressing steadily and well and we are working assiduously to achieve a Staff-Level Agreement (SLA) by end of December 2022.
As the President announced recently, Government is aggressively pursuing initiatives that will structurally boost the export orientation of this economy. In the coming 2023 Budget, and following consultations with key stakeholders, including AGI, Labour and the trading community, we expect to announce critical measures in this regard. This will complement the ongoing private sector-led interventions being promoted under the 1D1F and the GhanaCARES programme.
However, the world had no playbook to help us tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. Parts of the Ghanaian economy were shut- down, including hotels, restaurants, and events. Our efforts were further destabilised by the disturbances in the global supply chain. But even in those times, we provided electricity and water-free, grants and loans to businesses in the formal and in formal sectors. We also paid our workers even when some were home for 9 months and did not lay off anyone.
No country has been saved from the disruptions in supply chains, and record hikes in prices of energy, food and commodities. Every economy is facing macro-fiscal challenges, rises in public debt levels and narrowing fiscal space. Our situation was not helped by a combination of historic weaknesses in the structure of our import-dependent economy and our low capacity, even as compared to our neighbours, in raising domestic revenues. The 2023 Budget will contain policies directly aimed at tackling these vulnerabilities.
Hon. Co-Chairs, I am aware of the enormity of the challenges we face. I am aware that lives and livelihoods need to be protected. We have a well-consulted plan and the commitment to address this economic challenge. The Ministry of Finance and I
have been working so hard 24/7 to quickly restore market confidence and ensure economic growth. We are nearly through with the IMF negotiations. I am confident that once we conclude our debt sustainability programme and secure a Fund programme, the nation will next year see the stability and fiscal space that can spur us back on to a sustainable economic recovery and growth, which should endure considering on the investments we have made in all sectors.
Concluding remarks
Co-Chairs, as a child, I was taught a hymn that has guided me throughout my life:
Land of our birth, we pledge to thee our love and toil in the years to be,
when we are grown and take our place as men and women with our race.
Land of our birth, our faith, our pride, for whose dear sake our fathers died;
O Motherland, we pledge to thee head, heart and hand through the years to be.
Inspired by the words of this hymn, Hon. Co-Chairs, when I assumed the position of Minister of Finance, I resolved to serve the people of Ghana with my all.
Under my tenure as Minister of Finance, I have overseen some great strides in the development of Ghana and the improvement of the lives of the Ghanaian people.
As a nation, we are being tested. Our circumstances require a united and concerted response to the crisis. I implore our chiefs, elders and churches to take the mantle and speak a common language. Let us all work as one country to support labour negotiations, find a solution to the impasse in Parliament and rise above witch-hunting and entrapment. These are not ennobling and progressive for a society seeking transformation.
Hon Co-Chairs, Ghana is a resilient country. Ghana has faced economic challenges since independence. Ghana has always come through each of them stronger and better than before. God willing, we shall come out of these difficult times too. Ghana, will, and must rise again!!
A Member of the 8th Council of State representing the Oti Region, Richard K. Atikpo, is pushing for an ‘Operation Feed Yourself’ agenda in the Oti Region.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the Jasikan Municipal Assembly on Wednesday 16th November, 2022 at the Assembly forecourt. The Assembly was inaugurated as a result of coming into force of a Legislative Instrument (L.I) 2437, which elevated the Assembly’s status from a District to a Municipal.
In his observation as the Chairman of the occasion, he bemoaned the need to revisit the ‘Operation Feed Yourself’ initiative by having backyard gardens to produce the basic foodstuffs we need at home. He added that, that’s the only way to ensure food security in the area.
He also appealed to the Assembly to partner and support the locals to venture into agriculture.
He thanked the chiefs and the people for the peace and unity that the District continue to enjoy.
The Jasikan and the Kete-Krachi Districts were part of the Districts that were elevated into Municipality status on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Oti Region.
Also, in attendance were the Oti Regional Minister, MP for Buem Constituency, the MDCEs in Oti Region, Heads of Departments, Chiefs, the Clergy, Assembly Members, students and all stakeholders in the District.
Aspiring National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has reiterated his pledge to build a more formidable NDC, which will become more attractive to win the 2024 elections convincingly.
General Mosquito, as he is affectionately called, says the NDC, under his leadership as chairman, if he wins the December 17 national congress, will actively engage all elected executives and influential persons within the party to rejuvenate the grassroots base.
Mr Nketia, who is currently on a campaign tour of the Western region, has been engaging footsoldiers, party influencers across the length and breadth of the country as well as delegates.
He has also promised, among others, to revive the NDC Heroes Fund to serve as a sustainable means of supporting party functionaries, who suffer disabilities in the course of their duties or their dependents in the event of death.
“My objective, at this stage in my political life and love for the NDC, is to colleague national executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to work hard and build the party into a more formidable, attractive, and modern organization”, he emphasised.
He said: “The NDC, I am optimistic will be the party of choice, especially the youth, women, the vulnerable in society and people from all walks of life and background.”
Speaking to delegates in various constituencies in the Western Region, Mr Asiedu Nketia assured the party executives that he will do more than before and will join them in their constituencies to sell the good message of the NDC, come 2024.
He said the NDC has no choice than to present former President John Dramani Mahama as its leader for the next elections and, therefore, called for hard work from all supporters, sympathisers, and executives of the party.
Mr. Asiedu Nketia, who has already toured the regions of the north, is receiving overwhelming responses from party members, some of whom wait deep into the night to engage him directly.
Kofi Bentil, the vice-president of IMANI Africa has described the decision by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to halt forex support for imports for some eight items as a bad move, which will badly affect the poor.
The items include rice, poultry, vegetable oil, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, ceramic tiles and other non-critical goods.
The move, according to the central bank, is in accordance with the president’s directive, issued in his recent address on the Ghanaian economy, made to the nation on Sunday 30 October 2022.
An electronic message from the Bank of Ghana to banks in the country said: “In accordance with the president’s directive, issued in his recent address to the nation on the Ghanaian economy on Sunday 30 October 2022, the Bank of Ghana will no longer provide FX support for the imports of rice, poultry, vegetable oils, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, ceramic tiles and other non-critical goods.”
“Please be advised and act accordingly,” the Bank said.
Reacting to the development on Facebook, Bentil said the policy will force importers to rely on the open market for forex, adding that it will drive up prices of goods.
“Another round of policy incoherence has been unleashed. We will all suffer, especially the poor.
“You support essentials whose price increase will affect the poor. Toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water and ceramic tiles are NOT essential. You don’t need to support their imports.
“If you withdraw support. You haven’t reduced demand, you’ve just created shortage, so The importers will buy FOREX from the open market and drive-up FOREX rates. And that will also drive-up prices of these essentials and everyone will suffer especially the poor,” Bentil posted.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has expressed fear that the cedi will continue to be under pressure if Ghanaians’ taste for imported goods is not ceased.
Mr. Ofori-Atta advised Ghanaians to as a matter of urgency change their voracious appetite for imported goods.
It is estimated that majority of the country’s products are imported from other countries.
The local currency has taken a downturn in the past months, with prices of goods and services, fuel among other consumables soaring high.
But appearing before the ad-hoc committee of Parliament on Friday, November 18, 2022, the Finance Minister indicated that the country does not earn much from imported products which require foreign exchange.
“Hon. Co-Chairs, it is time to have an honest national conversation on the patterns of expenditure as a people. Our preference for imported goods, which requires foreign exchange that we do not earn enough of, implies that our cedi will continue to be under pressure. It has become clear that we cannot continue in a business-as-usual mode. We have to significantly change our consumption,” he advised.
Ghana spends billions of cedis annually to import products from other countries.
Ghana imports mostly industrial supplies, capital and consumer goods and foodstuffs. Its main import partners are China, the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom and France.
The Parliamentary ad hoc committee probing a vote of censure motion brought by the Minority Caucus against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta concluded their public hearings on Friday, November 18.
The eight-member committee was co-chaired by KT Hammond and Dominic Ayine with three members apiece from the Majority and Minority Caucuses.
One of the critiques of the committee’s composition is that it had an even number of members and two chairs which meant that decisions could mostly be split in the middle.
That situation did play out a number of times during their sitting as blocs voted en bloc on issues.
Editor-in-chief of the New Crusading GUIDE newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako is predicting that the committee could potentially end up with two separate reports.
He observed in a Facebook comment that it would not be the first time such a scenario would play out if it so happens.
“They may end up issuing two seperate reports akin to what happened in the “Cash For Seats” Probe! Watch this space!” baako wrote.
He was commenting on a pro-New Patriotic Party activist’s post about how the November 18 hearing which had the Finance Minister appearing to answer questions on the allegations brought against him.
The cash for seat controversy
In February 2018, a special ad hoc parliamentary committee was set up to probe ‘Cash for Seat’ allegations leveled against officials of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The five-member committee, headed by the then majority chief whip, Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, had consistently asked for more time to compile an elaborate report after its public hearing had ended on January 24, 2018.
However, the laying of the report was not without controversy, as the minority members on the committee said their views were not captured in the report.
Eventually the Majority side officially presented their report (which cleared officials of any wrongdoing). It was, however, rejected by the Minority, who later published their own report from the hearings.
The minority chief whip, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, had filed an urgent motion asking the house to probe the ‘Cash for Seat’ allegation against some officials of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, as well as the Millennium Excellence Foundation.
The officials were accused of collecting between $15,000 and $100,000 from expatriate business people to sit on the presidential table during the Ghana Expatriate Awards night on December 4, 2017.
Legal Practitioner and a Senior Lecturer of the College of Art and Built Environment of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Dickson Osei-Asibey has expressed regrets contesting the 2012 parliamentary elections as an Independent candidate.
A staunch member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) went independent and contested against the Deputy Minister for Land and Natural Resource Mr. Benito Owusu Bio in 2012.
According to Dr. Dickson Osei-Asibey, his decision to go independent unknowingly tore his party apart in the constituency and brought a lot of harm to them as well.
“I regretted going independent because it didn’t help the party. It brought a lot of division in the party and I didn’t know that was going to cause that harm”, Dr. Dickson Osei Asibey revealed.
Recounting the genesis of his decision on Ghanaman TV in an interview monitored by MyNewsGh.com, he noted that he contested the primaries with Benito Owusu Bio with another candidate but got disappointed with the party’s decision in the long run and felt betrayed.
“We were three that time and Hon Benito won and I was second. At that time the District had not been divided, it was Atwima Nwabiagya so later they decided to split the district. After the split, I was expecting that after Hon Benito had contested in the North, I would also be allowed to contest in the South but that didn’t happen, the third person instead was made to contest on the ticket of the South leaving me the second runner. So the whole community was not happy”, he narrated.
Dr Dickson Asibey explained that his decision to going dependent was because the community felt he should lead the newly created district.
“Later on I regretted going independent because it didn’t help the party. It brought a lot of divisions in the party and I didn’t know that was going to cause that harm. They had to bring President Kufuor, the late Jacob Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey and some NPP big men to talk to me. I still went on as an independent candidate and amassed a lot of votes, but it didn’t help,” he reiterated.
Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah has commended the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu for his commitment to promoting efficient justice delivery in Ghana.
Justice Anin Yeboah cited among others a field investigation conducted by the renowned lawyer and his team on the state of courts in the region. They visited 8 courts across the region, meeting with the Regional Coordinating Council of the Region; as well as judges, magistrates, registrars and other judicial service staff of the courts they visited.
They also had the opportunity to speak to some court users.
Dr. Agyeman-Budu’s effort was recognized at this year’s Chief Justice’s Forum held on Thursday (November 17) in the Ashanti Regional capital Kumasi. According to the Chief Justice, these “findings would serve as a good source material” in the near future.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Agyeman-Budu and his team”, the Chief Justice said.
The forum, under the theme: “improving access to justice in a pandemic through technology” was purposed to create a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on key issues in the justice sector and how they could work to enhance the efficiency and effective delivery of justice in the country.
The forum was also meant to serve as a feedback mechanism for the Service, where stakeholders would have knowledge of the concerns of the public, in order to come up with strategies that would improve its service delivery.
It would further offer an opportunity for the Service to disseminate information to court users and the general public on its operations to ensure transparency and accountability
Profile of Dr Agyeman-Budu
Kwaku Agyeman-Budu is a lawyer by profession and a legal academic. Since January 2013 he has taught various courses at the GIMPA Faculty of Law in Accra, Ghana.
In September 2013, he established the Justice Foundation (www.tjf-gh.org), an apolitical, not-for-profit, non-religious human rights organisation, with the sole purpose of increasing access to justice in Ghana.
In this capacity, he has represented many indigent criminal defendants in the courts of Ghana, pro bono.
Agyeman-Budu holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Ghana, as well as a qualifying certificate in law from the Ghana School of Law.
He also holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in international law and justice and a doctorate in juridical science (SJD) from Fordham University School of Law in the United States. At present, he is the head of law centres within the Faculty of Law at GIMPA, where he oversees the management of the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ) (www.acicj.org) and the African Centre on Law and Ethics (ACLE) (www.acle-gh.org).
He is also a member and co-ordinator of the Judicial Service of Ghana’s internship and clerkship committee, for which he oversees the placement of law students with courts in Ghana.
Dr Agyeman-Budu teaches constitutional law, international human rights and humanitarian law and intellectual property law at the GIMPA Faculty of Law.
His research interests include all of the areas above, as well as criminal law, international criminal law and justice, business and human rights, and legal ethics.
Associations
Kwaku Agyeman-Budu has been a member of the African Network of Constitutional Lawyers (ANCL) since April 2021.
He has also been a patron of the Adansiman Progressive Association (APA) since December 2020. From December 2020 to date, he has also served as a convener of the Coalition of Professionals for Peaceful Elections (CPPE).
He is a member of the Nairobi-based African Group of Experts in International Criminal Justice and the Ghana Bar Association, which he joined in October 2013.
Dr. Agyeman-Budu is also a Managing Attorney at Agyeman-Budu & Company PRUC, a law firm based in Accra, the capital city of Ghana.
About 8 months ago, MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, sounded a word of caution to members of the New Patriotic Party.
He asked that NPP members tread carefully in matters relating to him, or else he was going to unveil a video from investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw he has from 2018.
According to him, but for his intervention, the investigative journalist would have aired an investigative piece that showed a minister receiving some amount of money.
In a video posted on NET2 television on its YouTube channel on February 23, 2022, the MP asked members of the NPP to be careful in their dealings with him (Agyapong) since he is the “saviour” of the party.
“Anybody who tries to disgrace me, the information I’ll bring out, from Anas, the sin he was going to commit against us that I stopped. Anas was going to show a video where he has given the minister money on a table like this but he was not going to show that he had planned with people that it was a political fight in 2018,” Kennedy Agyapong said.
He also detailed how Anas coached persons he picked up on the streets of Dubai, and coached and assigned them to set up Ghanaian businessmen and ministers.
He said: “If you dare me, I’ll release Anas’ video. I swear to God. If the NPP does not tread carefully and they talk, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah. You have to be careful else I’ll bring the party down completely. If I bring the video and see if you’ll get even one Ghanaian to vote for us.”
Speaking further he said “What Anas did as far back as February 8, 2018, when Anas set our businessmen and ministers up in Dubai. The only person in Authority I wanted to prove something to, about how I have saved this party and not a jerk like Yaw Buabeng Asamoah. In the course of the investigation, I chanced on the video where Anas was coaching people, and even the people he was coaching themselves panicked.
“The people he wanted to use against our ministers and businessmen, Arabs he picked up on the street. He picks them on the street, and coaches them to destroy personalities in this country, Africa, and everywhere. That is what Anas was doing,” he added.
Kennedy Agyapong also stated that what Anas sought to do was influenced by a political fight with the NPP.
“Do you know what Anas did, he gave them the questions to ask the businessmen and the ministers, they panicked and Anas asked them; Why are you afraid, this is a political fight, I have done it before.
“Anas has a political fight with NPP. If NPP makes a mistake, they know they cannot sacrifice me in the party, I’ll bring the video up and see if the NPP can even survive up to 3 months. As I speak to you, I’ve given copies of the video to the persons who were set up and they have admitted. NPP always wants to sacrifice me when there is an issue, they don’t know that I am the one saving this party,” he told the host.
Earlier this week, investigative agency, Tiger Eye PI aired an investigative piece named “Galamsey Economy.”
Before the televising of the piece, snippets were shared, which showed a now-former Minister of State Charles Adu-Boahen in a meeting with some potential investors.
The minister was heard telling investors that to be able to meet the Vice-President, they would have to pay an “appearance fee” of $200,000.
After the release, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo terminated his appointment.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Telecommunications Chamber has called for the reduction of the electronic transactions levy (E-levy) from 1.5% to 0.1%.
According to Dr Ken Ashigbey, the introduction of the e-levy at 1.5% has proven counterproductive to both the government and the development of Ghana’s digital economy.
He explained that while calling for a total scrap of the tax measure would be insensitive considering the government’s dire need for money amidst economic turmoil, reducing it to 0.1% would revamp the digital economy thus generating more revenue for government.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express Business Edition, he said, “Our proposition is the fact that, you know, they should scrap it. But we need to be real, government needs money at this particular stage.
“The deficit position is not good for the industry, it affects the industry, it’s one of the things that would account for the depreciation of the cedi. The macros would be destabilised.
So we think that the best thing to do is to reduce the level. Some in the industry have talked about 0.5, but I have said that the best thing to do is to do 0.1%.”
He added that while the government reduces the rate, it should also place a cap on it.
Dr Ken Ashigbey suggested that transactions that are 5,000 cedis and above should only attract a fixed e-levy rate to attract more large transactions on mobile money platforms.
According to him, the current cap-less system makes it most undesirable to transact business with large sums of money via digital platforms.
“You know, push the level down to 0.1 and then put a cap on it. Say ¢5,000. At ¢5,000 the levy is fixed so that if anybody wants to send ¢10,000, you know, that will happen,” he said.
“Take out the discrimination between the ¢20,000 that you give to the banks and then you give to mobile money so that the discrimination is not based on that,” he added
On the other hand, Dr Ashigbey is calling on the government to place a cap on the amount of cash that can be used in a transaction.
According to him, when physical transactions are capped at ¢2,000, for instance, people will be forced to transact business via mobile money platforms for large transactions.
“Another innovative thing that we would say is that put a cap on any transaction that can be done by cash, so let’s say ¢2,000. If you want to do any transaction above ¢2,000 use a digital means for mobile money, for the banks and all of that.
“What will happen is that a lot of the things that happen underground… a lot of that you’ll be able to take them off and then you’ll be able to see a lot of movement in terms of cash and that also will help,” he said.
“And then in terms of government payments, make sure that all government payments mandatorily are made simple and let people be able to pay so that tolls that people pay in the market and all that will use these digital means. And if you’re going to do that make sure that it is seamless, it’s not difficult to do,” he added.
The Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, says elements within his own party are behind his leaked audio tape, based on which he is currently standing trial.
Speaking in a yet-to-air exclusive interview on Adom TV, the embattled Chairman told host, Daakyehene Nana Yaw Asante, that the leaked audio is an evidence of how cruel the NDC can be when they want to destroy one of their own.
Substantiating his claims, he said the in-house traitors secretly recorded his comments in a closed door meeting and leaked the recording to the New Patriotic Party for him to be prosecuted.
According to him, he has been to court on seventy separate occasions as a result of the internally orchestrated treachery.
“When NDC wants to disgrace you, they first tag you as anti-Mahama. My own party folks recorded me at a meeting that I held with the party, with the people and went to sell the recording to the NPP, for which reason I’m standing trial. I’ve been to court 70 times”, he stated in a trailer to the yet to air interview.
In addition to tagging an individual as anti-Mahama, he said some elements within the party can travel all length to cause disaffection for someone they do not like.
The interview will be aired on Saturday, November 19 at 10:00pm on Adom TV’s weekend current affairs programme, Sɛdea Ɛteɛ Nie.
Meanwhile, ahead of the airing of the interview, some supporters of the NDC have expressed disgust over the comments of the party’s National Chairman.
According to his critics, his sentiments are unnecessary, as they will wreak more havoc for himself and the party at large.
Others have however sympathized with him, and expressed solidarity with the alleged treachery he was subjected to.
In their view, the revelations by the NDC Chairman is understandably from a place of pain, and therefore he should not be chastised.
Currently, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo’s role as the NDC’s National Chairman is also being threatened by the decision of the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia to unseat him.
In what has been described as the main contest in the party’s upcoming national delegates election, Mr. Asiedu Nketia is frantically taking steps to take control of the party as National Chairman ahead of the 2024 general election.
Touching on this development, Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo stated in the yet-to-air interview that, the move by Asiedu Nketia to unseat him is politically inexpedient.
According to him, notable personalities within the party, including the party’s Council of Elders and the NDC’s 2020 flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, all made efforts to prevent the contest, but to no avail.
The upcoming national delegates conference will however take place on 10th December, 2022, in the Ashanti Regional capital of Kumasi.
Eligible party delegates will elect a new crop of executives to man the affairs of the party at the national level for the next four years.
Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Koku Anyidoho, has praised Ghanaians for their high sense of humour despite the current economic condition in the country.
Anyidoho, who was reacting to a video of some market women dancing to music composed from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s famous quotes during his recent address to the nation, “Sika Mp Dede,” said that one of the reasons he loves Ghana is its humour.
In a tweet shared on Friday, November 18, 2022, the former NDC deputy general secretary added that it is his wish that he will be Ghanaian again in the next world.
“I’ve not stopped laughing since I saw this of Ghana. I can’t stop loving Ghana because of our great sense of humor. I pray to God that in the next world I will still be a Ghanaian,” parts of the tweet read.
The woman singing the ‘Sika Mpɛ Dede’ song was skilfully using previous pronouncements made by both Akufo-Addo and ex-President John Dramani Mahama to give hope to Ghanaians.
Market women and other persons passing by could not help but joyfully dance to the music.
President Akufo-Addo came under some criticism when he said the speculation was Ghanaians is the main reason for the depreciation of Ghana’s currency (the Ghana Cedi); saying ‘Sika Mpɛ Dede’ literally translates: money does not like noise.
Top National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member and Legal Practitioner, Elikplim Lorlormavor Agbemava, says he is disappointed about the quality of representation on the NDC side of the committee on the Censure hearing against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Lawyer Agbemava, believes the NDC Membership, as constituted lacked the needed depth and acumen to ask the most potent and probing questions.
This, he implied, has culminated in a saintly outlook for Ken Ofori-Atta and a vindication of his safely guarded repute as a man of spotless integrity.
Venting his dissatisfaction via a Facebook post today, Lawyer Agbemava wrote, “we need to tighten the questions la”, with the last word of the statement, an exclamation in the local Ewe parlance, summing up his obvious frustration.
His noticeable distress has been another depiction of the general sentiments shared among key members of the NDC, and the rank and file about the so called shallow disposition of the NDC panel on the committee.
NDC supporters in general had been hitherto incredibly bubbly and cheerful on the occasioning of a bi-partisan Censure Committee.
To them, what should have been the last straw on the already quick-sand dwindling fortunes of Ken Ofori-Atta, have churned counter-productive results and rather inched him a notch higher in his approval ratings.
With an initial seven-point allegations plan, sliced down to five, the beginning of the end of a no-case conclusion had been made clear. Credence had been given to those who believed the minority was indeed on a fishing expedition.
And any NDC member, who had been left with any form of hope that something dire and worthy of its weight in gold can be pushed against Ken when he took his turn at the hearing, is right to be disappointed.
The Finance Minister aced in his responses and had once again shown that his proven standards as an astute administrator of public financing has not and cannot be compromised.
For Lawyer Agbemava and some NDC faithful who followed the proceedings, the tide, as it stands now, flows graciously in Ken Ofori-Atta’s meticulous favour.
Social media giant, Twitter is facing a new crisis at its headquarters which may result in the closing down of the company.
Earlier this week, the firm’s new owner, Elon Musk said employees had to commit to working long hours and would “need to be extremely hardcore” or leave the company.
In an email to staff, Musk said workers should agree to the pledge if they wanted to stay.
The email also stated that employees who refuse to sign the form by 5 pm Eastern on Thursday, November 17th, would be let go and would receive three months of severance pay.
The message sent to Twitter staff
“If you are sure that you want to be part of the new Twitter, please click yes on the link below,” Musk said.
However, after long hours for workers to check “yes” on a Google form accepting Elon Musk’s proposal of working “long hours at high intensity”, it seems a large number of employees have rejected his vision.
In light of this, the firm is on the verge of collapse and losing even more employees following the mass layoffs of engineers and managers who keep the firm running.
Users of the platform have taken to its blogging site to express their concerns and worries.
Twitter employees say given the scale of the resignations this week, they expect the platform to start breaking soon. Some “legendary engineers” have reportedly left one by one.
I swear to god, if Twitter shuts down, we at LazytSpo is gonna to be dissapointed. for the love of god, please save Twitter altogether, because otherwise, it will be game over for Twitter. #RIPTwitter
Meanwhile, Elon Musk is deeply concerned about how many remaining employees could leave the company.
The departures of the employees raise new questions about whether the remaining Twitter engineers will be able to reliably keep the service up and running.
Twitter no longer has communications staff, but Musk so far hasn’t publicly commented on the resignations.
The embattled Finance Minister says the controversial National Cathedral project belongs to Ghana fully.
Ken Ofori-Atta said the project does not belong to President Akufo-Addo as asserted in some circles.
According to him, Ghanaians will enjoy the full benefits of the project and not the President.
“National Cathedral is 100 per cent owned by the state and is not the President’s cathedral as described by the proponents,” he said when he appeared before the Ad hoc Committee hearing the censure motion against him on Friday.
Touching on the expenditure for the controversial project, he said he has not breached any laws in that regard.
He disclosed that the monies that have been disbursed for use for the project were from the contingency vault.
According to him, this practice is not new as was done by the previous Mahama-led administration.
Mr Ofori-Atta said he has in his possession several pieces of evidence to prove his claim.
“Expenditures in respect of the National Cathedral were made from the contingency vault under the other government obligations vault as has been the practice before my tenure.
“I have several copies of payments from the contingency vault dating back to 2015 to share.
“Honourable co-chairs as Finance Minister I am fully aware of the approval procedures for use of the contingency funds and I have not breached its requirements,” he added.
Ms. Gifty Nyarko, the Sunyani West Municipal Physical Planning Director has called for strict adherence to section 98 (sub-section 1-5), sections 97 and 113 of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, Act 925 (2016) which stipulates that “a person shall not dispose of land or property to a prospective buyer unless that the land has been zoned or rezoned for which it is being let or acquired or otherwise disposed of.”
“This legal provision is further reiterated by section 103 sub-section 1-3 of the Local Governance Act, Act 936, 2016 to help solve the rate of uncontrolled and haphazard developments in the country,”
According to her, evidence of title to lands such as Lease, statutory declaration, indentures and allocation notes does not imply development permits and that developers should adhere to Land Use and Spatial Planning Regulations which she is optimistic, would reduce most of the economic, social and environmental problems in the country.
She indicated that people usually assume that once they have evidence of title to land, they have the power to develop without due regard to planning regulations and standards, a practice she urged the public to refrain from it since it’s the Assembly that has the sole authority when it comes to the issuance of development and planning permits but not Chiefs and Landowners.
Ms. Gifty Nyarko attested to the fact that Chiefs are the custodian of land however; the power to develop the land for a specific use is the exclusive mandate of the Assembly but not Chiefs or landowners.
She noted that most of the time, the allocations made by Chiefs and landowners contradict that of the local plans, and attempts by physical planners to explain to prospective developers always result in heated arguments and conflicts.
She, therefore, entreated prospective developers to apply for development and planning permits before the commencement of physical developments and to also adhere to the laid down principles and rules regarding the acquisition of land to help prevent any misunderstanding that might occur between legally mandated land sector institutions and land users.
She disclosed that developers most of the time get frustrated due to the bureaucratic nature of the permitting process even though the new Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, Act 925,2016has simplified the process.
Madam Gifty Nyarko on this note appealed to the various Assemblies to adhere to the new permit flow chart by adhering to the 30 working days mandated duration for permit approval to fast-track the process for applicants. This according to her will go a long way to reduce the rate of uncontrolled and haphazard physical developments in the country.
A communications team member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kafui Amegah, has chided the Minister for Works and Housing Francis Asenso Boakye over the proposed sale of the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project.
According to him, it does not make sense for the government to sell the Saglemi Housing Project only to invest proceeds in another affordable housing unit.
“The Works and Housing Minister should not joke with Ghanaians. The Minister and his advisors should put off the idea as it doesn’t make sense. Gov’t should find money and complete the project and not take Ghanaians for granted.”
“Selling the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project doesn’t make sense. I am pained at this sort of thing. The taxpayer’s money was used to construct over 1,500 housing units and now you want to sell them because you don’t have the money to complete it? Does the private person have more money than the government? Many people in the NPP do not agree with the Minister’s idea to privatize the Saglemi project so he should stop it now,” Kafui Amegah exclusively told Kwaku Owusu Adjei(Patoo) on Adwenekasa on Accra-based Original FM 91.9
“They are many security agencies in Ghana like Police, Prisons whose personnel do not have any place to stay so why don’t you give them a place to stay? he quizzed.
Kafui Amegah asserts that instead of government selling off the Saglemi Housing Project, it should free up monies used in running ministries and departments, slash government expenditures, and use those monies to complete the project.
Background
Government has decided to wash its hands off the Saglemi Housing Project to allow a private developer to refurbish the housing units and sell them to potential owners, according to the Ministry of Works and Housing.
Sector Minister, Francis Asenso Boakye revealed this at a meet-the-press session in Accra on Sunday, November 13, 2022.
He said the government is exhausted and handicapped and can’t commit further to the Saglemi project.
On this basis, “we’re allowing for a private sector developer to take up the initiative to build and sell the housing units,” he said.
The Minister asserted that “a committee will be commissioned to guide the process and ensure transparency in the bidding process”.
The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has said it is not aware of any deductions from its office holding allowances paid to members of the Colleges of Education Association of Ghana (CETAG) and the Colleges of Education Teachers Association Non-Teaching Staff Association of Ghana (CENTSAG).
“FWSC is not aware of any such deductions,” it said in a statement.
It however requested the leadership of the unions to “furnish” it with evidence to enable it “deal with the issue.”
The FWSC also addressed the issues raised by the unions.
According to the FWSC, the government team began negotiations with CETAG on their conditions of service on “17 August 2022, where the rules of engagement were signed.”
The parties on “5 November 2021 agreed on all items presented by CETAG and were ready to sign an agreement.”
CETAG however requested that two of the items Non-Basic allowance and Research Allowance be merged and sent a letter officially on “25 April 2022,” asking for the merger.
After receipt of the letter, the FWSC noted it took steps to request for Mandate from the Ministry of Finance.
“On 30 May 2022”, CETAG shifted its position on the merger and rather asked for the “Approved research allowance for Academic Senior Members of Public Universities.”
Also, “on 3rd August CETAG submitted entirely new demands to the Government team for consideration which was a departure from all agreed items. The Government Team met with CETAG on 15 August 2022 to deliberate on their new demands.
“Government Team and CETAG met on 28 August 2022 to conclude negotiations but CETAG was unwilling to accept the counter-proposals by the Government Team.”
It further disclosed that: “At the last engagement with CETAG on the 27 October, CETAG requested to go back and explain the status of negotiations to their constituents. It was therefore a surprise that they issued a joint Communique with CENTSAG threatening to embark on strike action if their demands are not met.”
It also indicated that it invited CETAG to a meeting on 10 November 2022 in order to bring finality to the matter, but CETAG and CENTSAG declined.
Again both associations declined another invitation to a meeting on 14 November 2022,
The associations also declined a meeting with the Minister for Education Dr Yaw Adutwum on Tuesday, 15 November 2022.
“These unforeseen delays occasioned by CETAG’s continuous shift of positions have unduly stalled negotiations and the extension of CETAG’s Conditions of Service to CENSTAG,” the statement added.
The two unions began an indefinite strike in all 46 colleges of education across the country over the government’s failure to prioritise their welfare.
The unions said they are disappointed at the non-finalisation of Conditions of Service (CoS) negotiations, the unilateral determination of April 2023 by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) as the effective date for placing First Degree Holders of CENTSAG on 17TH on the SSSS, undue delay by the Ministry of Education in responding to requests for payment of compensation among others.
They gave the government a five-day ultimatum last Monday to address their concerns or they strike.
Following the expiration of the deadline, CETAG and CENTSAG declared a strike on, Monday 14 November 2022 until their demands are met.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has urged the nation to work together as a unit in finding solutions the raging economic challenges instead of fault-finding and blame-gaming.
“Let us all work as one country to support our labour negotiations, find a solution to the impasse in parliament and rise above witch-hunting and entrapment,” Mr Ofori-Atta said on Friday, 18 November 2022 when he testified before parliament’s ad hoc committee that is investigating seven allegations against him in connection with a censure motion filed against him by the minority caucus.
At the hearing, Mr Ofori-Atta also said he did not breach the law when he drew funds from the contingency vault to sponsor the construction of the national cathedral.
“National cathedral is 100 per cent owned by the state and is not the president’s cathedral as described by the proponents”, he said.
“Expenditures in respect of the national cathedral were made from the contingency vault under the other government obligations vault as has been the practice before my tenure”, Mr Ofori-Atta explained.
“I have several copies of payments from the contingency vault dating back to 2015 to share”, he added.
“Honourable co-chairs, as finance minister, I am fully aware of the approval procedures for use of the contingency funds and I have not breached its requirements,” he added on Friday, 18 November 2022.
Josephine Panyin Mensah, who was at the centre of the fake pregnancy and kidnapping hoax has been fined GHC7,200.
The Takoradi Circuit Court A sentenced her for the publication of false news to cause fear and panic to the public.
Mensah, who is now pregnant, could have spent a maximum of three years in jail but for her current condition.
It was established in court during the trial that Josephine Panyin, whose alleged kidnapping case caught national attention, was never pregnant or taken hostage as initially alleged back in September 2021.
Justice Michael Ampadu said the prosecution was able to establish that the accused feigned the act of kidnap and pregnancy because she could not bear the shame of communicating her initial miscarriage to the husband.
“What will make a woman go through all the stress of walking from Takoradi to Agona Nkwanta and continued on foot to Axim bearing all the risks in mind… I think families must begin to support women, especially when they get miscarriage because it is a natural act,” the judge said.
The Ghana Police Service has commissioned four marine boats in the Krachi West Municipality of the Oti Region that will be used in the fight against human trafficking on the Volta Lake.
The boats were provided with support from the International Justice Mission (IJM).
The IJM agreed to offer marine police operational logistics and capacity-building trainings so that they could actively patrol some areas of the Volta Lake. This collaborative initiative led to the birth of the Volta Lake Marine Police Patrols Boat Team located in the nank of Kete-Krachi.
The director general of operations, Henry Otoo expressed worry about the increase in child trafficking in the area, adding that children are being forced into fishing and other aquaculture related activities.
According to him, children are being separated from their biological parents with some indulging in smoking, exposing them to other vices in society.
Anita Budu of the International Justice Mission said the presence of the police on the lake will help combat child trafficking.
A motorcyclist believed to be in his late thirties lost his life in an accident involving a fuel tanker on the Sofoline-Abuakwa highway in the Ashanti Region on Thursday.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred after the deceased who was riding a motorbike got trapped under the fuel tanker while using the road and was later run over by the vehicle, thereby killing him instantly.
Eyewitnesses say, although the driver of the vehicle stopped to observe the happening, he later allegedly fled the scene after realizing that some youth were approaching his direction with different weapons to attack him.
“What happened was that my vehicle was faulty, so I was sitting down thinking about how to get it fixed. That was when I saw the fuel tanker and the motorbike approaching. All of a sudden, I saw the motor rider trapped under the tanker truck, and we just saw that the tanker truck had run over the man and crushed his head.”
“The tanker driver drove ahead to park at the traffic light area. It was then that some of the boys around started rushing towards the tanker driver with canes and other weapons. So, fearing for his life, the tanker driver ended up fleeing the scene. As for the deceased, he died instantly when we rushed to check on him,” an eyewitness, Kofi Yeboah, said.
The body of the deceased who is yet to be identified has been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) pending an autopsy.
Member of the 8-member ad hoc committee hearing the motion of censure against Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, took exception when the minister sought to raise an objection to some words used in the grounds for the motion.
According to Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the minister for finance had no moral authority to raise issues about the language used in the grounds supporting the motion against him.
“The minister himself on the 12th of March 2013, is on record at the William Ofori Atta Institute for Integrity Lectures to have actually called for a coup, nothing can be stronger than that. So I don’t think we will be taking lectures on language from the minister,” the MP stated during the committee’s sitting on Friday, November 18, 2022.
The censure motion against the minister brought by the minority group is on seven grounds which among other things levels allegations of conflict of interest, mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy, and breaching of the country’s fiscal management laws.
However, appearing before the committee to answer to the grounds of the motion, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta raised concerns about the language used by the proponents of the censure motion.
But according to Mr Ablakwa the finance minister by his concern “appears to want to lecture us on language”.
Referencing a statement by the finance minister in 2013, Mr Ablakwa said Ken Ofori-Atta by saying “the country’s silence on the election petition could trigger a coup” could not raise such an objection.
Akyem Abuakwa chiefs storm Parliament to support Ofori-Atta as he faces censure committee.
Former Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea, has said that the vote of censure filed by the minority caucus of Parliament against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta might amount to nothing even if it is passed.
According to him, the 1992 Constitution indicates that the President of the Republic, which is now Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has the final say even if Parliament passes a vote of census against any of his appointees.
Nana Akomea, who made these remarks during a panel discussion on Good Morning Ghana monitored by GhanaWeb, added that the vote of censure might not even pass because the minority caucus does not have the support of the majority that they need.
“Even if you get the support of the majority on your vote of censure, what the Constitution says is very simple, it says in Clause 5 of Article 82 that where a vote of censure is passed against a minister the president may revoke (it).
“So, this vote of censure that you’re coming to beat us, that is the way to go and that is what will succeed; even if you succeed which is not likely if you don’t get the support of the majority; but even if you succeed and you have the numbers and you do it, it will still be left with the president.
“So, what is the rush (by the minority caucus),” he said.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, referred a vote of censure filed by the minority caucus of Parliament for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to an 8-member ad hoc committee which started meeting on Monday, November 14, and is expected to decide on the removal of the minister within 7 days.
The minority caucus has cited mismanagement of Ghana’s economy, conflict of interest, misrepresentation of figures on Ghana’s economy and unconstitutional withdrawal from the consolidated fund among others.
The majority caucus, who have also indicated that they want the minister removed, have, however, stated that they will not support the vote of censure spearheaded by the minority caucus of the House because they do not agree with the reasons the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs cited.
The embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, says he has not taken any money from the contingency fund for the construction of the National Cathedral contrary to what the Minority in Parliament is accusing him of.
The Minister of Finance disclosed this while responding to accusations by the proponent of the motion of censure against him that he has taken monies from the Contingency Fund for the Construction of the National Cathedral project without approval by Parliament.
“There is a difference between the contingency vote and contingency fund the proponents refer to. Contingent vote under Article 177 constitutes monies voted by Parliament and advance on this must be authorized by the Parliament finance committee,” he told the eight member Ad-hoc Committee hearing the Censure Motion against him.
He said no specific allocation in the 2014 budget for were made for Ghana’s participation in the FIFA World cup in Brazil.
“The cabinet of John Mahama in March 2014 then approved some $9.22 million dollars for that tournament in a private jet for the players.
“The more current example is Ghana’s participation in Qatar, the Black Stars qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We after the 2022 budget was presented on the 16 November 2021 was approved by parliament. A specific amount was voted for it (Black Stars) but through the contingency vote we have been able to provide funds for the team to participate in the competition,” Mr. Ofori-Atta stated.
He added that expenditure for the National Cathedral was from the contingent vault as has been the practice before his tenure.
Mr. Ofori-Atta further added that he is aware of the process in getting money from the contingent fund and he will not do the contrary.
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, is set to present the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government of Ghana for the year ending, in parliament, on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
After his presentation, the House is expected to commence debate on the budget on Tuesday, November 29.
In the business statement, the House is expected to have a well-researched and informed debate which will end on December 6.
All committees have been advised to work expeditiously on the budget estimates for the passing of the Appropriation Bill prior to the house adjourning sine die in the fourth week of December 2022.
(@Caption__Master) 
Twitter employees say given the scale of the resignations this week, they expect the platform to start breaking soon. Some “legendary engineers” have reportedly left one by one.
(@FHeartsHS) 
(@kojodarkoo) 
