TIG Post

Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

  • TUTAG declares strike

    The Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has declared an indefinite strike.

    This is due to  concerns about conditions of service.

    “Upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action which takes immediate effect,” a statement said.

    Below is the full statement by TUTAG

    We refer to our letter on the subject “NEW RATE OF FUEL ALLOWANCE FOR MEMBERS OF UTAG AND TUTAG” with reference number TUTAG/GTEC/02 dated 26th September 2022, addressed to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and copied to the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

    We wish to state that issues raised in the above letter have since not received any attention from the aforementioned government agencies. TUTAG views the inaction by these agencies as an indication that the concerns expressed in our letter have not been treated with the seriousness they deserve.

    We also refer to the NLC’s directive of 2nd September 2022 under the subject “RE: IN THE MATTER OF NOTIFICATION OF INTENDED STRIKE ACTION BY TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY TEACHERS’ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (TUTAG)” with reference number NLC/TUTAG/2022/21 which was in relation to TUTAG’s demand for the implementation of the negotiated internally generated fund-related conditions of service.

    The directive reads: “That the Minister of Finance (MOF) is hereby directed to ensure payment in January 2023 and should also ensure that it issues the necessary letters to the various University Councils within a reasonable time to make budgetary provisions in the budget to take care of payments on the effective date.

    Even though January 2023 is less than two months away, and most universities are done with budget preparations for 2023, the Minister of Finance has still not issued the letter as directed by the NLC. It is important to state that a certain letter (electronic version), supposedly written by the FWSC, was shown to the President at NLC, the content of the said letter was in sharp contrast with the negotiations done with the Governing Councils of the various universities. Indeed, our checks from the listed recipients indicate that the said defective letter had not even been received.

    Further, reference is made to issues raised in our letter under the subject “NOTIFICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION” with reference number TUTAG/NLC/02 dated 10th October 2022, some of which have still not been resolved by the government agencies.

    In view of all these, and upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action which takes immediate effect.

  • Arrest of Salamatu Mohammed: Akufo-Addo should be a dictator only in the NPP – Joseph Bediako

    Former Director of Operations of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Joseph Bediako, has berated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the arrest of Salamatu Mohammed, a mother of four, for wishing the president dead.

    Speaking in a CTV interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Biadiako said that the arrest of Salamatu Mohammed just because of her comments is a characteristic of dictatorships.

    He added that Ghana is a democracy, and if the president wants to be a dictator, he should be one in his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    “I read on GhanaWeb that a woman has been arrested. For which reason? So, now Akufo-Addo wants to be a dictator. If he wants to be a dictator, he should be one in the NPP… why was the woman arrested for insulting the president.

    “He should be a dictator in his party, where he speaks and no one has an opinion. In this same Ghana, didn’t we see people insulting the late president, Atta Mills?

    “Don’t members of the NPP say worse than the comments the woman made? NPP members should blow their heads in shame because when it comes to politics of insults no one tops them,” he said in Twi.

    GhanaWeb reported on Wednesday, November 16, that Salamatu Mohammed had been arrested for wishing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo dead in a viral video.

    In the said viral video, which was sighted by GhanaWeb, the woman, who was berating the president for the current economic conditions in the country, questioned why witches and ritualists from the northern parts of Ghana have not killed the president yet.

    “Akufo-Addo we are begging you in the name of God, we cannot even afford pots to cook our food. Do you want us to use your head to cook?

    “Now the price of an aluminium cooking pot has increased from 6 million (GH¢ 600) to 12 million (GH¢1200). Why?

    “God will punish you. The witches in Ghana and the ritualist from the north can’t you kill this man… I have four children; do you know the feeding fees I pay? Do you know the feeding fee, I am going to pay today… Idiot,” she said in Twi.

    The lawyer of Salamatu Mohammed, Gideon Koku Abotsi, said in an interview with GhanaWeb that his client was released by the police without being charged with any crime.

    He confirmed that the police arrested Salamatu Mohammed because of the viral video and that they (the police) said they would be investigating the matter further.

     

     

     

  • Here is what to expect from parliament next week

    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 December 31, 2023, in parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022.

    Ten ministers are expected to appear before the House to answer questions from their respective sectors.

    The ministers expected to appear before the House are Minister for Energy, Interior, National Security, Health, Trade and Industry, among others.

    The Ministers for Lands and Natural Resources, Defence, and National Security will apprise the House on efforts taken by the government to address the galamsey menace.

    The Minister for the Interior will also answer questions on the current state of the investigation into the 2022 serial killing and short-term measures to address the national security threat associated with rising youth unemployment.

  • 8-member committee drops some charges against Ofori-Atta

    The 8-member committee that is investigating the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has dropped two out of the seven charges against him.

    This was after the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) which was called upon by the committee to testify on Thursday did not say that the Finance Minister authorised  payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts.

    During proceedings on Friday November 18, Co-chair of the committee Dr Dominic Ayine said “…They also did not say anything to the effect that you gave the instructions with respect to that payment. On account of the evidence adduced which kind of contradicted  the evidence that was led by the proponent of the motion, the committee has taken the view that you will not be called to deal with this matter.”

    He added “…So in essence, there are now five grounds that you will have to deal with. Those are grounds 2, that is the unconstitutional withdrawals in relation to the national cathedral, then we have ground 5, 6 and 7 to deal with.”

    📍Minority’s Grounds for Seeking Ken Ofori-Atta’s Removal #3NewsGH pic.twitter.com/vGy6pqc6VL

    — #TV3@25 (@tv3_ghana) November 15, 2022

    Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before the committee on Friday November 18 to answer the charges against him.

    In his initial submission, he told the committee that “I am certain Ghanaians will have amore balance view of what has led us here.”

     

  • We’ll keep burning excavators used for galamsey – Western Regional Minister

    The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has stated that the government will keep burning excavators and other machinery used in small-scale mining otherwise known as ‘galamsey’.

    This he said is to deter people from giving out their excavators for galamsey activities.

    He warned that the move is to deal ruthlessly with big men behind the illegal mining menace.

    He warned that government will not watch aloof for small-scale miners to destroy lands and water bodies.

    The Regional Minister added that health workers in the region report that kidney cases have gone up due to activities by small-scale miners.

    Mr. Darko-Mensah said government will not allow the activities of small-scale miners to destruct governance in the country.

    “We will keep burning excavators till small-scale miners (galamseyers) stop purchasing such machines. We will definitely burn excavators used to destroy our water bodies. We will burn the excavators so that the big men who have lost their sense of reasoning will be hit the most. The mercury they use in mining directly affects Ghanaians, it’s killing so many people. Dr. Afriyie says kidney cases have gone up in the region due to galamsey. We won’t sit down for this to continue. We will not allow galamseyers to intimidate us. If we allow them to operate, they will continue to destruct governance in the country and create problems, so anyone with plans to purchase excavators for small-scale mining in the 2024 election year will think twice,” Mr. Darko-Mensah said on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo.

    He questioned how the country will benefit from the region if small-scale mining activities continue without proper checks.

    “We want to continue to support this country, so we will not allow small-scale mining (galamsey) to go on. Out of 700,000 metric tons of cocoa produced in Ghana, 444,000 metric tons came from the Western region, so if we allow galamsey in the region how will Ghana benefit from the region,” he asked on on the show.

  • Ofori-Atta denies withdrawing from the Contingency Fund for Nat’l Cathedral

    The Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has denied allegation that he withdrew funds from the Contingency Fund for the National Cathedral project.

    He told the 8-member ad hoc committee that is investigating the allegations made against him by the Minority, that it was rather funds from the Contingency Vault that were used for the project.

    The Contingency Fund and the Contingency Vault, he said, are two different thing altogether which should not be confused.

    “I did not withdraw funds from the Contingency Fund for National Cathedral,” he told the committee on Friday November 18.

    He added “The withdrawals were lawfully done from the Contingency Vault and not from the Contingency Fund as alleged by the proponents.”

    I have served with integrity and dignity – Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.#TV3GH pic.twitter.com/2cGwJbIcgM

    — #TV3@25 (@tv3_ghana) November 18, 2022

    The committee dropped two out of the seven charges against him.

    This was after the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) which was called upon by the committee to testify on Thursday did not say that the Finance Minister authroiused  payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts.

    During proceedings on Friday November 18, Co-chair of the committee Dr Dominic Ayine said “…They also did not say anything to the effect that you gave the instructions with respect to that payment. On account of the evidence adduced which kind of contradicted  the evidence that was led by the proponent of the motion, the committee has taken the view that you will not be called to deal with this matter.”

    He added “…So in essence, there are now five grounds that you will have to deal with. Those are grounds 2, that is the unconstitutional withdrawals in relation to the national for national cathedral, then we have ground 5, 6 and 7 to deal with.”

    Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before the committee on Friday November 18 to answer the charges against him.

    In his initial submission, he told the committee that “I am certain Ghanaians will have amore balance view of what has led us here.”

  • Our focus has been to better lives of Ghanaians – Ofori-Atta

    The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has said that the overreaching focus of the president Akufo-Addo government has been to do their utmost to make lives better for the citizens.

    Appearing before the Adhoc Committee of Parliament hearing the censure motion brought against him, Mr Ofori-Atta said everything that the administration had sought to do was aimed at making the lives of the people better.

    He also assured the committee that he would be forthright in his responses with the aim of aiding them to establish the truth.
    He said the motion contained disparaging remarks that attacked his integrity and vowed to help give Ghanaians a balance views of issues.

    “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,” he said.

    He said his principal reflections were to ensure that by the end of the proceedings, “the truth will have taken center stage.

    He was hopeful that the truth would help dispel any “unfounded doubts” about his motives, competence, and character.

    “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 four years, our efforts were leading to a realisation of the vision,” he said.

  • Don’t confuse Contingency Vault with Contingency Fund – Ofori-Atta tells Minority

    The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has told proponents of the motion of censure for his removal that they should not confuse Contingency Vault with Contingency Fund with respect to funding for the National Cathedral project.

    He said funds were taken from the Contingency Vault for the cathedral and not from the Contingency Fund as is being alleged by the Minority.

    Mr Ofori-Atta said these while denying allegation that he withdrew funds from the Contingency Fund for the National Cathedral project when he appeared before the 8-member committee on Friday November 18.

    The Contingency Fund and the Contingency Vault, he said, are two different things altogether which should not be confused.

    I have served with integrity and dignity – Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.#TV3GH pic.twitter.com/2cGwJbIcgM

    — #TV3@25 (@tv3_ghana) November 18, 2022

    “I did not withdraw funds from the Contingency Fund for National Cathedral,” he told the committee on Friday November 18.

    He added “The withdrawals were lawfully done from the Contingency Vault and not from the Contingency Fund as alleged by the proponents.”

    The committee dropped two out of the seven charges against him.

    This was after the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) which was called upon by the committee to testify on Thursday did not say that the Finance Minister authroiused  payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts.

    During proceedings on Friday November 18, Co-chair of the committee Dr Dominic Ayine said “…They also did not say anything to the effect that you gave the instructions with respect to that payment. On account of the evidence adduced which kind of contradicted  the evidence that was led by the proponent of the motion, the committee has taken the view that you will not be called to deal with this matter.”

    He added “…So in essence, there are now five grounds that you will have to deal with. Those are grounds 2, that is the unconstitutional withdrawals in relation to the national for national cathedral, then we have ground 5, 6 and 7 to deal with.”

    Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before the committee on Friday November 18 to answer the charges against him.

    In his initial submission, he told the committee that “I am certain Ghanaians will have amore balance view of what has led us here.”

     

  • Sacked Ministers must declare assets – Kwakye

    Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Dr John Kwakye has said all ministers who are resigning or being sacked should be made to declare their assets and compare to what they declared when they were appointed.

    Dr Kwakye asked the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to ensure that that is done.

    “All those resigning from office or being sacked must be made to declare their assets before they leave and this must be compared with the declaration when they assumed office. OSP, over to you,” Dr Kwakye tweeted.

    All those resigning from office or being sacked must be made to declare their assets before they leave and this must be compared with the declaration when they assumed office. OSP, over to you!

    — J. K. Kwakye (@JohnKwabenaKwa1) November 18, 2022

    The OSP earlier announced in a statement signed by the Special Prosecutor Mr Kissi Agyebeng on Tuesday November 15 that, it has commenced in investigations to the alleged corruption by the sacked Minister of State at the Finance Ministry Charles Adu Boahen.

    The statement said “The Office of the Special Prosecutor has promptly commenced investigations into the action of Mr Charles Adu Boahen and any other implicated persons contained in the investigative exposé, ”Galamsey Economy’.”

    OSP Communications pic.twitter.com/IRjhLe0SbH

    — Office of the Special Prosecutor-Ghana (@ospghana) November 15, 2022

    President Akufo-Addo sacked Mr Adu Boahen.

    “The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has terminated the appointment of the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Charles Adu Boahen, with immediate effect.

    “After being made aware of the allegations levelled against the Minister in the exposé, ‘Galamsey Economy’, the President spoke to Mr. Adu Boahen, after which he took the decision to terminate his appointment, and also to refer the matter to the Special Prosecutor for further investigations.

    “The President thanked Mr. Adu Boahen for his strong services to his government since his appointment in 2017, and wished him well in his future endeavours,” a statement issued by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin said on Monday November 14.

    A Government Communicator Kofi Tontoh said the principle of natural justice will play out properly when Adu Boahen gets his day before the OSP to answer allegations of corruption made against him.

    Mr Tontoh stated that investigations by the OSP will determine the next action to be taken against him.

    Commenting on this matter, Mr Tontoh said on the Big Issue on TV3 with Berla Mundi on Tuesday November 15.“This is a decisive decision by the President.”

    He added “It is an attempt to show that the President doesn’t condone corruption but let us allow Adu Boahen to have his day and ones all the facts come out if any further action is needed it will be taken.”

     

  • Doctors working in hospitals without being paid is worrying – Bagbin

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has bemoaned the failure of the government to give financial clearance to some medical doctors who have completed their housemanship.

    Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, November 18, 2022, the speaker said that he has come across doctors working in government hospitals without pay.

    He added that because of the poor working conditions of health professionals in Ghana, including nurses and doctors, many of them are now leaving the country for greener pastures abroad.

    “One and a half weeks ago, I met my colleague Speaker of Parliament of Barbados and he informed me that between last year and this year they were able to recruit 400 nurses … I meet some in Canada (medical officers) who told me, they are no longer interested in returning because of the lack of tools in our health facilities.

    “… a few years ago, we had what we call brain gain, health personnel were returning to the country to work because things had greatly improved. I think the substance has gone down and you will have to sit up.

    “It is a very serious matter, as of now, I know a number of district hospitals being manned by doctors who are not being paid. The new doctors that you are talking about financial clearance, they are unemployed and they have just volunteered to go to those district hospitals just to work for free. So, it is an urgent matter,” he said.

    Speaker Bagbin urged the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, to engage the Public Services Commission of Ghana to help resolve the challenge of getting financial clearance for doctors who have completed their housemanship.

  • Anas will continue to unearth rot using undercover investigations – Kweku Baako tells critics

    Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, has defended the modus operandi his protégé, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, employs in his undercover investigations.

    According to him, Anas will continue to use the undercover methodology to unearth any and all negatives within society whether it pleases his critics or not.

    Addressing the Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye P.I. modus operandi in a Facebook comment, Kweku Baako agreed, however, that it is ok for those who do not agree with Anas and his methodologies to ask questions.

    “People are entitled to ask questions of Tiger Eye and its “methodologies”. That’s fair game. No problem. Tiger Eye will continue to unearth any and all “negatives” applying its “methodologies” whether its critics like it or not!” he wrote.

    Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ latest ‘Galamsey Economy‘ exposed Charles Adu Boahen, the dismissed Minister of State at the Finance Ministry over an alleged corruption.

    Anas in a post on his Facebook timeline hours before the showing of the ‘Galamsey Economy’ film noted that the minister made some shocking revelations to his team in a hotel in UAE, when they posed as possible investors to Ghana.

    Adu Boahen among other things alleged that Bawumia will require about USD200,000 as an appearance fee from an investor to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.

    President Akufo-Addo, however, referred his former appointee to the OSP in the November 14 letter that announced his dismissal.

    The dismissal was on the back of allegations of corruption-related issues in Anas’ documentary.

    The OSP, subsequently, issued a statement on November 15 confirming that it had started work on the referral from the presidency.

    Kweku Baako added, “for now, Tiger Eye has indicated its readiness to assist the investigation announced by the Special Prosecutor; upon the presidential referral of the conduct of Mr. Adu Boahen to the OSP! DUE PROCESS is underway. That’s where Tiger Eye’s FOCUS is!

    “Those who want to continue asking questions and criticising “methodologies” and perceived/alleged omissions of Tiger Eye, are entitled to continue! FREE SPEECH!!”

    He also denied any meeting between the Tiger Eye P.I. team and Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister, in Dubai as it has been reported widely within some sections of the media.

    “The last time I checked, Tiger Eye has no video depicting any interaction with Ken Ofori-Atta! None! Assuming without admitting that there were attempts to “entrap” Ken Ofori-Atta, and the attempts proved unsuccessful? What would that mean? That Adu Boahen failed the “test of integrity” while Ofori-Atta succeeded? Or?

    “By the way, documentaries are not exhibits in criminal investigations and/or prosecutions. The RAW FOOTAGES are. And the latter have always been submitted to the relevant statutory authorities for the purposes of criminal investigations and prosecutions that were triggered by undercover ops by/of Tiger Eye!” Abdul Malik Kweku Baako stated.

  • Ofori-Atta didn’t make payments of oil revenue into offshore account – GNPC

    Ground three of the seven-point vote of censure hearing against embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta was up for hearing on Day Two (November 17) of Parliament’s ad hoc committee sitting.

    The ground read: “Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.”

    To assist the committee, witnesses were called from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, GNPC, to explain matters, especially with the deposition of oil funds into specific accounts.

    It emerged that the Finance Minister was not in any way connected to the receipt or transfer of any funds from GNPC’s Jubilee Oil Holdings Limited, JOHL, into any account.

    Co-chair of the committee put a pointed question to the GNPC witness about the role of Ken Ofori-Atta in purported illegal payments.

    “I need to understand this, in all of this, what relates to the Finance Minister in terms of the allegations made against him?” KT Hammond asked.

    The GNPC witness responded: “As far as JOHL is concerned, the Finance Minister is not responsible for the revenues… obviously, we have to at the end of the day, submit our financials and GRA, and have to pay whatever assessed tax that we have to pay.”

    “I don’t think the Finance Minister has any direct control,” Deputy Chief Executive (CEO) of the GNPC in charge of Commerce, Strategy and Business Development, Joseph Dadzie stressed.

    Asked whether any monies from oil liftings were paid into an offshore account by the co-chair of the committee, Dominic Ayine, he added: “To the extent that the question relates to the receipt of crude, yeah, it was paid into an account held at the Ghana International Bank in London.”

    He explained further that, “buyers of the crude paid directly into whichever account which you designate for them to pay.”

     

  • I’ve not banned the use of phones in Parliament – Bagbin

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has denied banning the use of mobile phones in the gallery of the House.

    This comes after Daily Guide in a publication claimed that the Speaker of Parliament had issued a directive banning the use of mobile phones in Parliament as part of enhanced security measures.

    But a statement issued by the Office of the Speaker of Parliament rejected the report, describing it as false.

    “Mr. Speaker has issued no such directive banning the use of phones in Parliament,” the office said in the statement.

    Mr. Bagbin’s office also said, “no member of Parliament has been stopped from using his phone in the chamber.”

    “The press corps who operate from the press gallery have equally not received any directive banning them from using their phones in the execution of their functions as parliamentary reporters”.

    There have been suggestions in the past for MPs to be banned from using their phones in Parliament.

    In 2020, the Majority Leader remarked that phones were a source of distractions during proceedings in Parliament.

     

     

  • GBA pushes for virtual court system

    The President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) says the country can adopt the use of electronic systems in court proceedings to help ensure speedy justice delivery.

    Lawyer Yaw Acheampong Boafo, however, says this good option can be realized if the country’s judiciary invests in resources and laws to aid in its implementation.

    The GBA President was speaking at 2022 Annual Chief Justice’s Forum currently ongoing in Kumasi.

    The Judicial Service of Ghana instituted the Annual Chief Justice’s Forum as part of measures to enhance its public image, trust and confidence through engagement with stakeholders on issues of access to justice, transparency and accountability.

    The annual event also brings together key stakeholders to deliberate on pertinent issues that affect the administration of justice.

    It also serves as a platform to receive feedback on justice delivery.

    The GBA President pointed out that the traditional modes of justice administration and judicial processes – with their well-known challenges – sometimes breed frustration, result in delays and blockage of cases.

    “Thus, the time is now for a transition face-to-face court proceedings to digital modes of delivering justice by the courts embracing newer and modern technologies that support the various court processes and proceedings. The virtual court hearings during the legal vacation was a welcome innovation.

    “The exigencies and challenges of the time brought about by the pandemic should serve as a catalyst for reform and innovation,” he stated.

    “It is my conviction that it is possible to implement technological or digitization tools that host and drive almost the entire legal processes from the time of filing to serve through discovery, case management, trial and even to delivery of judgments in ways that ensure accessible justice,” he said.

    Lawyer Acheampong Boafo also proposed the publication of key court judgements of the superior court on social media handles to inform the public of its decisions.

    The Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, assured the public that the judiciary will continue to adopt technology in order to expand access to justice delivery.

    He pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic showed the importance of technology, with the judiciary adopting many digital tools in order to serve public.

    “Technology has afforded us an opportunity to cut cost, be more efficient, and avoid unnecessary delays in administering justice. For the first time in the history of the judiciary, this year, vacation courts in Accra, held virtual sittings. This meant that lawyers who were even abroad on vacation could participate remotely, of course, they had to be properly attired with good internet connectivity,” he added.

    The Mamponghene, Dasebre Osei Bonsu, who represented Asantehene, pointed out that Covid-19 disrupted nearly every aspect of our individual and collective lives.

    “Improving access to justice in a pandemic through technology challenges all of us to reflect on how we can use technology to ensure that justice delivery continues unabated, despite what we have been asked to think of as the new normal.”

  • V/R: Storekeeper, taxi driver arrested for stealing food items from school

    Two persons are in the grips of police in the North Dayi District of the Volta region for allegedly stealing food items belonging to the Sovie C.Y.O Technical and Vocational Institute.

    The suspects include the storekeeper of the school Mr. Elias Tsitsiwu and Mr. Christian Mane, a taxi driver who was allegedly carting the food items away from the school’s store on Wednesday night.

    The arrest of the two suspects follows several weeks of surveillance and intelligence work by some students of the school upon suspicion.

    Luck, however, eluded the two suspects when some students through a dangerous but an act of bravado chased and arrested suspect Christian Mane who sped off from the school campus in an Opel Caravan with registration number GR 6243-T fully loaded with food items purportedly stolen from the school’s store.

    Upon arrest, the suspect driver allegedly mentioned the school’s storekeeper, Mr. Elias Tsitsiwu as his accomplice.

    The vehicle is also believed to be owned by the storekeeper.

    A student who spoke to Starr News’ Faisel Abdul-Iddrisu on anonymity said, “Last night, I was going to bath when I suddenly heard the whistle and as a cadet member, I had to obey the whistle.”

    “I got there and there was a car fully loaded with our kitchen food so we decided to push the car to the school then the man who stole the food -our kitchen storekeeper came begging us but we refused,” he added.

    Things, however, got dramatic when the driver of the Opel Caravan attempted to speed off with the items forcing the students to jump onto the car.

    “The storekeeper while begging us told us that the driver would bring the car to the headmaster’s residence claiming that the steering wheel was locked but when the driver sat in the car, he switched on the ignition and started speeding off.”

    “So I and my two other friends jumped onto the car with one person finding his way into the car and attempted struggling with the driver but he pushed him onto the floor. So we started shouting while the remaining two of us cringed onto the top of the car.”

    But what really looked like a blockbuster would soon come to an end as the driver had a tyre burst on a speed ramp around the Anfoega hospital.

    At this point, town folks including Okada boys who heard the distress call from the two students atop the vehicle joined in the chase.

    The two students chased and pulled down the driver who attempted to abandon the vehicle even before the town folks and the police came in to help drag him to the police station with the vehicle and the items.

    The items allegedly stolen include bags of gari, rice, beans, and corn. Other items include tin tomatoes and 2 cartons of sardines.

    The District Chief Executive for North Dayi, Edmond Kudjo Attah who is livid about the incident has called on the police to ensure that the suspects are prosecuted.

    “I want to see the logical conclusion of this matter and for the police, I want to see how they will end this matter. People must answer for their wrongs.”

    The DCE believes such actions, mostly undertaken by greedy, selfish persons are aimed at sabotaging the government’s efforts in addressing the recent food shortage that has hit second cycle school’s across the country.

    “Things are difficult, the President admits himself, I admit same and so when out of such difficult the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is able to make funds available for us to feed our children and this is what people will do to us as a country,” Kudjo Attah laments.

    “Where are we going? I have this simple question; who is killing the nation? It is you and I. This kind of attitude, we are destroying the nation and the time has come for us to stop it and that is it,” the DCE retorted.

    Police in the North Dayi District have confirmed the arrest but are tight-lipped on any further details.

    The two are, however, expected to be charged for stealing and duly arraigned before court after investigations.

  • Claims Anas targeted Ofori-Atta for entrapment in 2018 infantile nonsense – Kweku Baako

    Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-In- Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper has described as infantile nonsense assertions that investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas targeted Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for undercover investigation which failed as infantile nonsense.

    According to Asaase Radio, Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Tiger Eye PI investigators failed to ensnare Ken Ofori-Atta after meeting with him and attempting to ‘bribe’ him with a gift.

    “Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and his Tiger Eye P.I. targeted the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, in 2018, as part of the exposé that was released last Monday but failed to entrap him.

    Details emerging from the premiered documentary of Anas Aremeyaw Anas titled ‘Galamsey Economy’ on 14 November 2022 at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), confirm that beyond the then Deputy Minister for Finance, Charles Adu Boahen, the main objective of the investigation was to entrap the substantive Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    This was just over a year of the New Patriotic Party taking over from the National Democratic Congress in office.

    It has also emerged that Anas Aremeyaw Anas used a civil servant at the Ministry of Finance, who was then a Senior Economics Officer, to get, first to the Deputy Minister and it was the same civil servant who introduced the private legal practitioner to the fake bankers from Al Baraka Islamic Bank, Bahrain, and later on facilitated Ken Ofori-Atta’s meeting which failed to snare the minister,” the report read in part.

    But Kweku Baako has described the assertion as infantile nonsense.

    The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is currently facing a censure motion from the minority in Parliament for mismanaging the economy. Nearly 100 Members of Parliament on the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) also want him sacked…

  • You’re entitled to your judgement – Kweku Baako to disappointed patrons of Anas exposé

    Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, mentor and Godfather of investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has responded to news of patrons being disappointed after viewing the latest undercover investigative piece of Anas Aremeyaw Anas. Mr Baako is of the view that they’re entitled to their judgement of the work.

    He added that despite their disappointment, the President has taken action in the aftermath of the investigation by firing the implicated Minister of State in Charge of Finance Charles Adu Boahen and referring him to the special prosecutor for investigations.

    “Patrons are entitled to their judgment! The outcome is that the President who’s an experienced lawyer has terminated an appointment and made a referral to the OSP. And Tiger Eye is prepared to help the investigations with further and better particulars! For God and Country, we move forward!,” Mr Baako wrote.

    Many who thought the investigative piece was going to be explosive have been left disappointed after viewing the documentary dubbed Galamsey Economy -Ahmed Last Investigation. Some contend that the nature of the exposé did not meet their expectations given that it was just a repeat of someone engaged in influence peddling and receiving a gift.

    But Mr Baako has defended the piece, insisting that the outcome is good enough .

  • Fire Conference: Pay attention to ‘burnt to death’ cases – Ambrose Dery to GNFS

    The Minister for the Interior, Mr. Ambrose Dery, has charged the Ghana National Fire Service to pay particular attention to the phenomenon of ‘burnt to death cases’ during fire outbreaks.

    He said the situation where fire victims are trapped and firefighters are unable to rescue them is on the rise and is a worry to the nation.

    Mr. Ambrose Dery made the call during the start of a three-day Fire Conference for stakeholders and regional Fire Commanders.

    The 3-day maiden Fire Conference discussing “Fire Safety and Management, Safer Use of Electricity as a source of power to prevent fire, the role of the Forestry Commission in the management of bush fires in Ghana.

    The conference is also to touch on employing the right structural design and appropriate tools and equipment for effective fire management for national development. The meeting brought together stakeholders from other sectors and the various regional fire commanders.

    Mr. Dery charged them to come up with strategies that would help reduce domestic fires, which are on the rise in the country.

    The Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Julius Kuunuor, encouraged the personnel to continue their hard work to ensure the growth of the service.

    The conference is on the theme: “Enhancing effective fire management for national development.”

     

     

  • Bank of Ghana governor must go after Ofori-Atta – Ricketts-Hagan

    Former Deputy Minister for Finance, George Kwaku Ricketts-Hagan, is calling for the dismissal of the governor of Ghana’s Central Bank, Dr Ernest Addisson.

    Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia programme monitored by GhanaWeb, Ricketts-Hagan said Dr Addison must be removed from office after current efforts to get the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta to resign succeeds.

    “In fact, from the finance minister we should be going for the governor to go as well,” he told the host of the show, Kwame Nkrumah Tikese on Friday, November 16, 2022.

    According to Ricketts-Hagan, the BoG governor is equally guilty of contributing to Ghana’s current economic challenges for which the finance minister is facing a censure motion in parliament.

    “Part of the inflation is also a result of the Bank of Ghana printing money for the government, this is what is causing what we call hidden inflation. This same Bank of Ghana after printing money for the reckless spending of the government leading to high inflation has also turned around to increase interest rate because of the high inflation,” he said.

    The former deputy finance minister who is the current member of parliament for Cape Coast South added that the BoG has failed in its monetary management duty just as the finance ministry has failed in its fiscal management policy hence the need for the two officials to be removed from office.

    “If I am to be pushing anything from my minority in parliament, the push next when we get Ofori-Atta is that Addison must also follow. Because the country has failed in both fiscal and monetary policy. So if we remove the finance minister and we fail to remove the one in charge of monetary policy, it will be like a cake half-baked,” he said.

    The minority group in parliament has moved a motion of censure against the finance minister citing various allegations including conflict of interest and mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy.

    An 8-member ad hoc committee set up by the Speaker of Parliament to probe the allegations has so far received evidence from the minority group.

    Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to appear before the committee later today, Friday, November 18, 2022, to respond to the grounds of the motion and the allegations levelled against him.

     

  • Ofori-Atta faces censure motion committee today

    The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta will today, Friday, November 16, 2022, will appear before an 8-member ad hoc committee of parliament.

    The minister is the subject of a censure motion moved by the minority group in parliament who have cited various grounds for a vote of censure to be passed against him.

    Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to respond to the grounds of the motion which among other things accuses him of conflict of interest, mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy, and breaching the country’s Financial Management Act.

    The 8-member ad hoc committee was set up by the Speaker of Parliament to probe the motion by the minority and issue a report advising the plenary for action to be taken.

    Ken Ofori-Atta has been under fire with various calls being made for his removal.

  • What a disaster – Mahama’s aide reacts to sale of plantains at Agric Ministry

    An aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogatri, 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, the “incompetent Minister for Agriculture actually went ahead to sell plantains in the ministry” while quizzing if plantain is the only food item Ghanaians eat.

    In a Facebook post, she said should this be a standard of measuring the performance of the Agric Minister, then all farmers will qualify to be Agric Ministers.

    “Who would have thought that six years down the line, a debate about food prices will ensue and government will pour plantain at the centre of Ghana’s ministerial enclave to sell at controlled prices? 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?”

    “What a disaster! If this is the measure of a Minister’s performance then all our farmers would be excellent Agriculture Ministers,” she shared.

    As part of the efforts to control prices of foodstuff, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture began selling foodstuff within its premises to serve people in Accra.

    The product is 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.

    But the Ministry announced that some other foodstuffs will be added as time goes on.

    It is based on this Joyce Bawa has raised concerns about the project describing it as a disaster.

  • Refining petroleum is the way to go – Akua Donkor on Ghana’s economy

    Leader of the Ghana Freedom Party, Madam Akua Donkor, has been sharing her thoughts on Ghana’s economy on the GTV Breakfast Show on Wednesday, November 17, 2022.

    She suggested that Ghana needed to begin to refine petroleum as a sure way to reduce prices.

    Madam Akua Donkor said she can support the government in achieving this feat.

    She advocated “bringing back” road tolls to cushion the economy.

    Banking sector:

    The GFP leader stated that the forex market should be streamlined in order to deal with the cedi’s depreciation against major currencies.

    She joined in the “eat what you grow”, mantra, to eliminate the overdependence on foreign goods.

  • Removal of Ofori-Atta will not affect IMF negotiations – Fitch

    Fitch Solutions has projected that in the possible event of the removal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, ongoing negotiation with the International Monetary Fund will not be affected.

    According to Fitch, this is because the next person tipped to be Ofori-Atta’s replacement, Mark Assibey-Yeboah “would take a more accommodative approach towards negotiations with the Fund.”

    Therefore, in the latest article on “Division within Ghana’s Ruling Party to Weigh on Political Stability”, Fitch said with the current state of events a change of finance minister will happen quickly and would not result in significant delays in talks with the IMF.

    It said “While Ofori-Atta remained opposed to an IMF bailout – we believe that he [Mark Assibey-Yeboah] would take a more accommodative approach towards negotiations with the Fund. As such, we believe that a change of finance minister would most likely not impact the timeline of IMF negations and we would retain our view that a staff-level agreement will be reached in Q123 [quarter 1, 2023].”

    The international research firm also projected an increase in protests and strikes due to the deteriorating living standards in the country.

    “Worsening living standards amid rising consumer prices – inflation reached 40.4% year-on-year in October 2022, the highest reading since 2001 – and tighter monetary conditions have led to a 72.7% quarter-on-quarter increase in protests and riots across in quarter 3 2022. The country has also seen large industrial action in recent months, including a three-day retail strike in Accra in October [2022],” it added.

     

  • Galamsey: Witness details how Aisha Huang began illegal mining in Ghana

    Details are emerging about how Chinese national, infamous for Galamsey activities, began in the country.

    The state prosecution’s third witness, a director of a mining prospecting company disclosed at an Accra High court that the 47-year-old started her operations by encroaching on his concession in 2015.

    Submitting documents including maps and receipts from the Minerals Commission Nana Sarfo Prempeh told the court that he obtained a permit to undertake prospecting of minerals in areas in the Ashanti Region.

    According to Nana Sarfo Prempeh sometime in 2015, Aisha Huang entered his concession and started undertaking mining activities, this he said took a toll on his company and impeded them from carrying out explorations.

    The witness further explained that in an attempt to halt the activities of Aisha he wrote letters to the Regional Security Council, filed a complaint with traditional council and the Police headquarters in Accra but all proved futile as the accused continued with her mining operations.

    He ultimately filed an injunction at the Bekwai District Court which was granted and the accused was barred from continuing her operations.

    “I know the accused person. My knowledge of her bothers her illegal activities at the Volta resources concession. In 2015, she commenced her mining operations at the concession of Volta resources.

    “She later moved to another part of our concession at Bepotenten where her Chinese workers were arrested in May 2017

    “From that period of 2015-2017, we made all efforts to evict her from the land and stopped her illegal activities which all proved futile.

    “I hereby state that her activities were illegal because my company Volta resources limited had been granted a prospecting license so there is no way she could possibly have a mining license over the same piece of land.

    “I reported the case of her encroachment and illegal mining to REGSEC and also to the chiefs and traditional leaders of Bekwai. That also proved futile. I wish to tender into evidence a letter dated 3rd June, 2015 from Volta Resources Ltd to REGSEC as proof of our complaints about the encroachment activities of the accused person.

    “In February 2016 VRL made a formal complaint at the Police HQ. A team of investigators were assigned but nothing came out of it.

    “On April 11, 2017 VRL filed a writ of summons against En Huang at the Bekwai circuit Court. Edward Koranteng was the plaintiff in behalf of VRL against Aisha Huang of Kumasi.

    “Volta Resources Ltd also caused to be published in the media the encroachment and devastating effect of the illegal mining activities of the accused person in its concession and the effect on host the communities.

    “Letter dated 8th June 2017 with the subj being petition to IGP regarding the land seizure of excavators, machinery and equipment relevant to the case of the republic vs En Huang but nothing came out of it.
    The accused person has caused tremendous devastation to the resources of VRL”

     

     

  • Kufuor denies inviting 98 NPP MPs who want Ofori-Atta out for a meeting

    Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has denied reports that he invited the 98 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament who want the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta sacked, for a meeting.

    Mr Kufuor said in a statement that the reports indicating that he invited the lawmakers are not true and should be disregarded.

    “We wish to bring to the attention of the general public that there is no truth in the said publication,” the statement signed by his Senior Aide and Spokesperson Dr Kwabena Osei Adubofour, said on Thursday November 17.

    It added “The office of the former President vehemently detests the developing trend in the disinformation that mischievously seek to draw President Kufuor into issues that he has not commented on.”

    The 98 NPP Members of Parliament calling for Mr Ofori-Atta’s removal are being led by Asante-Akim North MP Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi.

    They believe that Mr Ofori-Atta should be changed for a fresh hand to manage the economy.

    The MP said they do not expect Mr Ofori-Atta to present the 2023 budget statement.

  • Ofori-Atta committee: $100m oil money not paid into PHF contrary to law – PIAC

    The Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) has maintained that an amount of $100 million of Ghana’s petroleum revenue not paid into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF) flouted the laws of Ghana.

    Appearing before the parliamentary committee probing allegations against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, Vice Chair of PIAC, Abdul Nasir Alfa Mohammed said: “We explored all the laws, in our opinion, that border around this issue, and we still came to an independent opinion, which we stand by on any day, that those revenues ought to have formed part of the petroleum revenues of Ghana and ought to have been deposited in the petroleum holding fund and not in any other account.

    “So, for us, it was contrary to the law for that money to have been deposited in any accounts, if at all.”

    The Minority in September this year revealed that the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led government had failed to to account for over $100 million of oil funds that accrued to the state for petroleum lifting in the first quarter of 2022.

    A statement by NDC MP for Yapei-Kusawgu, John Jinapor, said: “The decision by the current NPP government to transfer revenues accruing from about 944,164 bbls of crude lifting in the Jubilee and TEN fields to a company established in a safe haven (outside Ghana) without parliamentary approval, amounts to a gross violation of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815) and Public Financial Management Act (Act 921)”.

    “We have become aware that following the acquisition of a 7-per cent interest in the Occidental (Oxy) transaction in respect of the Jubilee and TEN fields by the government, ostensibly for GNPC in 2021, the Minister of Finance has clandestinely ceded the shares to an offshore company known as JOHL (a company set-up in the Cayman Islands) in a very surreptitious and opaque manner”, the statement added.

    The Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF) was established under Section 2 of the PRMA, as the designated public fund at the Bank of Ghana to receive and disburse petroleum revenue due the Republic of Ghana.

    The PHF is held offshore at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the Bank of Ghana Petroleum Holding Fund Account.

  • Bring back tolls through 2023 budget – Former tollbooth attendants demand

    Former workers of the various toll booths across the country are demanding the reintroduction of toll collections.

    They want government to make such an announcement in the 2023 Budget Statement, scheduled to be read in Parliament on November 30, 2022.

    The Transport Ministry on November 18, 2021, announced an immediate cessation of the collection of tolls.

    The action was taken after government claimed there was chaos at various tollbooths following an announcement the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta made in the 2022 budget on the cessation of such revenue collection.

    Speaking to Citi News a year after they were laid off, Secretary to the Ghana Toll Workers Union Edward Duncan said toll workers have been forced back on the streets while others face eviction from their landlords.

    “Most of my colleagues are knocking on the doors of companies, but the jobs are not there, so we hope that the Government will understand or know that they made a mistake with that policy [cancellation] and then they have to reverse it and come back.”

    “We are hoping and looking at the announcement they will make concerning toll collection. We are keen on that because it has been a year since the tolls were cancelled and there is no livelihood and there is nothing for us,” he lamented.

    Many Ghanaians condemned the cancellation and demanded its immediate reversal.

    The Minority Caucus in Parliament demanded its reinstatement but the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu praised the cancellation saying it was timely implemented to save lives and properties.

  • Anas will continue to unearth rot using undercover investigations – Kweku Baako tells critics

    Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, has defended the modus operandi his protégé, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, employs in his undercover investigations.

    According to him, Anas will continue to use the undercover methodology to unearth any and all negatives within society whether it pleases his critics or not.

    Addressing the Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye P.I. modus operandi in a Facebook comment, Kweku Baako agreed, however, that it is ok for those who do not agree with Anas and his methodologies to ask questions.

    “People are entitled to ask questions of Tiger Eye and its “methodologies”. That’s fair game. No problem. Tiger Eye will continue to unearth any and all “negatives” applying its “methodologies” whether its critics like it or not!” he wrote.

    Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ latest ‘Galamsey Economy’ exposed Charles Adu Boahen, the dismissed Minister of State at the Finance Ministry over an alleged corruption.

    Anas in a post on his Facebook timeline hours before the showing of the ‘Galamsey Economy’ film noted that the minister made some shocking revelations to his team in a hotel in UAE, when they posed as possible investors to Ghana.

    Adu Boahen among other things alleged that Bawumia will require about USD200,000 as an appearance fee from an investor to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.

    President Akufo-Addo, however, referred his former appointee to the OSP in the November 14 letter that announced his dismissal.

    The dismissal was on the back of allegations of corruption-related issues in Anas’ documentary.

    The OSP, subsequently, issued a statement on November 15 confirming that it had started work on the referral from the presidency.

    Kweku Baako added, “for now, Tiger Eye has indicated its readiness to assist the investigation announced by the Special Prosecutor; upon the presidential referral of the conduct of Mr. Adu Boahen to the OSP! DUE PROCESS is underway. That’s where Tiger Eye’s FOCUS is!

    “Those who want to continue asking questions and criticising “methodologies” and perceived/alleged omissions of Tiger Eye, are entitled to continue! FREE SPEECH!!”

    He also denied any meeting between the Tiger Eye P.I. team and Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister, in Dubai as it has been reported widely within some sections of the media.

    “The last time I checked, Tiger Eye has no video depicting any interaction with Ken Ofori-Atta! None! Assuming without admitting that there were attempts to “entrap” Ken Ofori-Atta, and the attempts proved unsuccessful? What would that mean? That Adu Boahen failed the “test of integrity” while Ofori-Atta succeeded? Or?

    “By the way, documentaries are not exhibits in criminal investigations and/or prosecutions. The RAW FOOTAGES are. And the latter have always been submitted to the relevant statutory authorities for the purposes of criminal investigations and prosecutions that were triggered by undercover ops by/of Tiger Eye!” Abdul Malik Kweku Baako stated.

  • Beheaded body of unidentified man found in Sekyedumase

    A beheaded body of an unidentified man believed to be in his late 40s was found in a bush at Abam near Sekyedumase in the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality of the Ashanti Region on Thursday.

    Some indigenes of the area found the body of the yet-to-be-identified deceased covered in a black polythene bag and circulated the information in the community.

    Police later moved to the scene, inspected the body, and conveyed it to the morgue.

    Officers of the police service also found traces of gunshots in parts of the body, which was without the head.

    Assembly Member for the Dapaafo Electoral Area, Emmanuel Tweneboah Koduah said the deceased is not an indigene of the area.

    He however called for intensified police patrol in the area to curb such crimes.

  • Selected mental illnesses to be covered by national health insurance

    The Mental Health Authority has indicated that four mental health illnesses will soon be covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), as part of measures in improving the country’s mental health system.

    Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of the World Health Organization’s conference on assessing Ghana’s Mental Health system, the Administrative Director for the Mental Health Authority, Victus Kpesese, disclosed that his outfit had been given the opportunity by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to select the mental ailments to be covered by the scheme.

    “That is currently being worked on, and we hope that in the first quarter of 2023, these top four conditions will be included in the National Health Scheme benefits package.”

    “We’ve already recommended schizophrenia and its various types, bipolar and all forms of depression to the National Health Insurance Authority.”

    “So people who have these conditions, once they have the National Insurance Card, they will be covered and reimbursement will be done to the hospital,” Mr. Kpesese said.

    Only 2 percent of Ghana’s 2.3 million people living with mental health conditions are receiving psychiatric treatment and support from health facilities, according to the World Health Organisation.

  • ‘I don’t buy fuel, I don’t have a car’: KT Hammond makes U-turn, clarifies viral comment

    Kobina Tahir Hammond, Member of Parliament for Adani Asokwa in the Ashanti Region has clarified widely reported comments claiming he does not buy fuel because he doesn’t own a car.

    The comment was apparently made in jest at the ad hoc committee of Parliament probing a vote of censure motion brought against the embattled Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.

    Hammond is a co-chair of the committee along with Dominic Ayine.

    In rebutting a point about rising fuel costs raised by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu on day one of the committee sitting, November 15, the Adansi Asokwa MP said, “I don’t buy fuel, I don’t have a car, so I don’t buy fuel.”

    At the beginning of Day Two of sitting, KT Hammond made clarifications to his earlier statement: “On the Tuesday, I did not make any categorical such statement as to whether I buy fuel or I don’t, you should be able to distinguish various segments of what anybody speaks.

    “Any sentence should be able to be broken down into its minutiae to be clear what the person is saying,” he stressed before adding that all MPs bought their own fuel because they did not have any coupons or rebates.

    The fuel price situation is one plank of the general rise in cost of living bedeviling the Ghanaian economy. Price hikes have affected especially transportation fares which have increased steadily across the year.

    Incidentally, the MP, only weeks ago had shared an experience where he nearly fought a fuel attendant after he though he had been shortchanged only to be alerted to the new prices of the commodity.

    “We appreciate it, it’s been put on record many times, we all know what is going on, it is not a matter that anybody is running away from, we are all in it together. How we get out of it is also in the hands of all of us, let us get the reportage fairly right,” he stressed.

  • MPs buy fuel, we’re suffering like every Ghanaian – KT Hammond laments

    Kobina Tahir Hammond, Member of Parliament for the Adansi-Asokwa Constituency has explained that contrary to public perception, MPs pay for their fuel without any subsidy.

    The comment was made as he clarified a recent comment to the effect that he had said he did not buy fuel because he didn’t own a car. The said comment was apparently made in jest on Day One (November 15) of the ad-hoc committee of Parliament probing a vote of censure motion brought against the embattled Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.

    Hammond is a co-chair of the committee along with Dominic Ayine.

    At the beginning of Day Two of the committee’s sitting (November 17), KT Hammond made clarifications to his earlier statement: “On Tuesday, I did not make any categorical such statement as to whether I buy fuel or I don’t, you should be able to distinguish various segments of what anybody speaks.”

    He tasked the media to do better by reporting comments with context and capturing the full import of what is said.

    “Let me get it on record, Members of Parliament buy fuel, we don’t have any coupons, we don’t have rebates, we don’t have anything, we are suffering the same way every Ghanaian is suffering.

    The fuel price situation is one plank of the general rise in the cost of living bedeviling the Ghanaian economy. Price hikes have affected especially transportation fares which have increased steadily across the year.

    Incidentally, the MP, only weeks ago had shared an experience where he nearly fought a fuel attendant after he thought he had been shortchanged only to be alerted to the new prices of the commodity.

    “We appreciate it, it’s been put on record many times, we all know what is going on, it is not a matter that anybody is running away from, we are all in it together. How we get out of it is also in the hands of all of us, let us get the reportage fairly right,” he stressed.

    In rebutting a point about rising fuel costs raised by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu on day one of the committee sitting, November 15, the Adansi Asokwa MP said, “I don’t buy fuel, I don’t have a car, so I don’t buy fuel.”

  • Galamsey fight must be a marathon and not a sprint – STRANEK Africa

    The Strategic Thinkers Network Africa, STRANEK-Africa has called on the government of Ghana to adopt a long-term plan to fight illegal mining otherwise known as galamsey in local Ghanaian parlance.

    In a statement outlining some of the devastating effects of the galamsey menace, STRANEK-Africa noted that the government’s efforts of fighting the illegal menace have over the years remained a promise.

    The group has thus called on all stakeholders involved in the galamsey fight to contribute their quota in ending the menace whiles noting that the fight against illegal mining ought to be approached as a marathon and not a sprint.

    “There are various ways in which the activities of galamsey can be curbed. STRANEK-Africa believes that there should be heavy 24 hours monitoring by the military in communities where galamsey activities is on the rise. The 24-hour military monitoring will assist in reducing the illegal smuggling of gold and the high rate of destroying forest and rivers. The country is likely to lose millions of dollars yearly to illegal smuggling. People found guilty of such illegalities should be drastically dealt with by the law. Also, significant resources will need to be invested in oversight agencies such as Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Agency and Precious Minerals Marketing Company, the body responsible for assaying and monitoring gold exports.

    “Chiefs must put their foot down and ensure that activities of illegal miners are not condoned. There must be active involvement of residents living in galamsey communities by saying ‘No’ to galamseyers in order to safeguard their environment,” STRANEK-Africa in a statement signed by Executive Director, Nii Tettey Tetteh said.

    Ghanan is currently grappling with the devastating impact of unmitigated illegal mining activities across the length and breadth of the country.

    Currently, several of the country’s forest reserves and river bodies are under threat from the activities of illegal miners.

     

  • Western Region gets 4 ports – Regional Minister

    The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah has heaped praises on President Akufo-Addo for the massive development of port infrastructure in his region.

    According to the Regional Minister, the construction of the ports is opening the region up to several economic opportunities and creating more job opportunities for the teeming youth of the region.

    “Under President Akufo-Addo, we have been able to construct 4 ports in the Western Region. This is very unprecedented. You all know that under Dr Kwame Nkrumah, he did for us the Sekondi Naval Base and you know the British in 1928 did the Takoradi Port. Under President Akufo-Addo we have done another port inside the Takoradi Harbor which is the Atlantic Port Service with a private sector Ibistek.

    “It is like the MPS we have in Tema. We also have another port which is a fishing port in Dixcove and another one in Axim and we are now developing what we call the fuel operating base like the naval base at Ezinlibo close to our oil fields,” he said.

    He said this when he took his turn at the State of Region Report, a media engagement platform put together by the Ministry of Information to regularly update the media on developments in their regions on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.

    Touching on related infrastructure projects, the Minister stated that work on the railways, Takoradi market, the Paa Grant road interchange, the Agenda 111 among other state interventions were on course to restore hope to the people of the region.

    On roads, he said 252.37 kilometres of roads have been completed in the region. He said the road projects spanning urban, feeder roads and highways include the emergency rehabilitation of the Ahwetieso to Tarkwa road, Bogoso Junction and Assembly Office in Tarkwa, regravelling of Sankor to Cape Three Points road, reconstruction of Tarkwa to Darmang road and the construction of Agona Nkwanta to Tarkwa trunk road.

    He said the construction of the roads coupled with the numerous developmental projects in the region will help boost socio-economic activities, particularly when the region plays a critical role in the country’s development.

  • ‘Galamsey Economy’ exposé is part of a vendetta; It’s not about Adu Boahen – Adom-Otchere claims

    Broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere has questioned the timing of the release of the ‘Galamsey Economy’ exposé by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which was recorded in 2018.

    In an editorial on his Good Evening Ghana show, Paul Adom-Otchere said that the explanations given by renowned journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr on why the documentary was delayed point to an ongoing fight.

    He hinted that the documentary was not released to fight corruption but to score points against someone he described as a presidential candidate who got hold of the documentary in 2018.

    “It (issues surrounding the documentary) comes out as a major vendetta between two people. It may not even have been about Charles. Now, we are hearing that the fundamental opponent to Tiger Eye, whom we know (a presidential candidate) … in the process of investigating Tiger Eye, probably found the material (the documentary). It is believed that he found this material and shared it with other people… so this material has been in the system since 2019.

    “…so, it looks like the person that Kweku Baako said stole it; he took it and shared it with other people. And as Kweku Baako alleges, somebody (either the person who stole the documentary or another person) was boasting about having the documentary.

    “So, when the Tiger Eye people, whom Kwaku Baako described as owners and authors, found out that they had a copy of the material, they decided to fire it (publish it). So that is the vendetta. At that stage, I’m not sure it is about fighting corruption to support Ghana. It is a personal vendetta,” he said.

    The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr, explained why his protégé, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, used a video shot in 2018 to expose and cause the dismissal of Minister of State, Charles Adu Boahen.

    The journalist premiered an investigative documentary dubbed ‘Galamsey Economy,’ in which the minister was engaged in acts considered to be of a corrupt nature, whereas he (the minister) also impugned corruption on others, especially Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

    One of the main defenses the sacked minister has advanced is that he was recorded four years ago in the United Arab Emirates but that the journalist is now using the said footage in his so-called investigation.

    Kweku Baako’s explanation was contained in a purported response to a Facebook user by the name of “Kwadwo Yeboah-Gyan.”

    Baako wrote: “Somebody “stole and sold” it to somebody; thinking the evidence had been deleted forever! The “buyer” went out boasting about his possession for years, for whatever reason nobody could tell! Apparently, the real “owners/authors” subsequently discovered an extra copy! Today’s story begins from there. PAY ATTENTION!”

    “Same guy who fabricated a video of Candidate Akufo-Addo receiving a donation from a lady supporter of the NPP in his Nima residence in 2016 when Akufo-Addo was not President but tried to make it look as if he was the President!” he added.

  • Seek permission before campaigns – Central Regional NDC to aspirants

    The Central Regional Secretariat of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has directed aspirants in the race for the National Executives Committee elections to seek the approval of the secretariat before embarking on their campaign activities in the region.

    The Secretariat has observed with great concern that some national aspirants are meeting Constituencies in the Central Region for a campaign engagement without prior permission from the regional party leadership.

    Thus, the party has issued a directive in a statement dated November 17, 2022, signed by Gabriel Nii Kommey Adams, the Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress.

    Below is the full statement:

    We bring you warm greetings and compliments from the Central Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    We wish to congratulate all National Aspirants who were successful at their vetting and have been duly cleared by the National Vetting Committee to contest the upcoming National Executive Committee Elections for various positions in the party.

    Incidentally, the Regional Party Secretariat has observed with great concern that some National Aspirants are meeting Constituencies in Central Region (CR) for a campaign engagement without prior permission from the Regional Party Leadership.

    Consequently, the Regional Party Secretariat wishes to bring the following directive to the notice of all National Aspirants and all Constituency Chairmen in the Central Region:

    1. That all National Executive committee aspirants are advised to notify the Regional Party Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Central Region, through the Regional Secretary, with full details of their profile and planned campaign activities in the Region (CR). This should include possible dates for entry and exit.

    2. That all National Executive committee aspirants are advised not to engage any constituency in the region unless explicit permission is granted by the Regional Party Secretariat.

    3. All National Aspirants who adhere strictly to this directive will be granted permission to engage delegates in the region and an officer from the Regional Executive Committee will be assigned to assist in his or her campaign tour of constituencies in the Central Region.

    4. That all National Executive committee aspirants are advised to make provisions to meet with the Regional Executive committee as part of their planned campaign touring activities in the Region (CR).

    5. Furthermore, all Constituency Chairmen and Secretaries, shall be notified to request from National Executive aspirants evidence of permission granted by the Regional Secretariat before granting any constituency engagement with aspirants.

    6. Failure on the part of any Constituency Chairman to adhere to this directive shall result in disciplinary actions.

    7. All Constituency Chairmen are to ensure that this information gets to the attention of all delegates in their respective constituencies with immediate effect.

    On behalf of the Regional Executive Committee of the Central Region Branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), I welcome all National Executive Committee aspirants into the Central Region and wish them good luck as they prepare to run successful campaign tours in the Central Region.

  • Ministry of Works and Housing denies knowledge of National Cathedral construction

    Deputy Minister for Works and Housing Abdulai Abanga has indicated his outfit has no knowledge of the construction of the National Cathedral under the Ministry of Works and Housing.

    According to him, the National Cathedral‘s construction is not the ministry’s responsibility.

    Abdulai Abanga made this known after Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Krobo asked the minister about the current state of the national cathedral and also how many judges are still being housed in hotels as a result of the demolition of their bungalows to pave the way for the construction of the National Cathedral.

    In response to these questions, Abdulai Abanga said;

    “…Mr Speaker the question relating to the national cathedral is an activity that is outside the remit of the Ministry of Works and Housing.

    “Mr Speaker the Ministry of works of housing has therefore written to this house in a letter on November 11, 2022, to the principal assistant and assistant clerk and head of table office to draw their attention to this matter,” he added.

    Following his response, the Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, directed that the table office redirect the question to the appropriate office.

  • 110 doctors accept postings to deprived areas

    The Minister for Health has revealed that as many as 110 newly qualified doctors have accepted postings to deprived areas to bring healthcare delivery to the doorsteps of the rural folks in the various regions.

    The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Dormaa West Constituency in the Bono Region, Kweku Agyemang Manu, made this revelation in parliament, answering some urgent questions on measures the ministry is taking to ensure that doctors accept postings to deprived areas of the country.

    Kweku Agyemang Manu indicated that the ministry has run a survey, out of which many recommendations have been made to include financial incentives for doctors who accept postings in deprived areas of the country.

    He said this financial incentive will be based on the severe nature of the area of one’s posting.

     

  • ‘Local politics was not part of my plans’ – Elvis Ankrah’s big breakthrough into politics

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah had just finished reading a Master’s degree course in International Relations and was hoping that he would receive a callback from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to start his dream job with them.

    And as is the case for most young graduates, the urge to experience working in any environment that presented him with much more made his hopes even greater.

    But Elvis Ankrah said something that jolted his dream sideways and put that long-time dream on permanent hold.

    And it all started when he was approached by one of the stalwarts of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ato Ahwoi, to take up an unusual job: a spokesperson for a presidential candidate.

    The job was for him to deputise as a spokesperson for the late former president of Ghana, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, who was by then campaigning to become Head of State.

    He explained to GhanaWeb TV’s Edward Smith Anamale that when that call came through, it was not one of the things on his mind.

    “I went to do my Masters in International Relations and when I came back, I was on the verge of… I’d actually gone to ECOWAS to put in an application for a job and I was expecting a response because I had spoken with Dr. Chambas and all that, and then Mr Ato Ahwoi called me and said he wanted me to be the deputy campaign spokesperson for Prof Mills’ presidential primaries.

    “It was a very difficult decision to make: go to ECOWAS, go and earn some good dollars because I studied international relations so that had been my interest; to work with an international agency: ECOWAS, AU or the United Nations, so local politics was not part of my plan,” he explained.

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, however, explained in the election Desk interview on GhanaWeb TV that after a while, he agreed to take on that job, also because of something profound that Ato Ahwoi said to him.

    “And he said, go and do this thing for us, and after several months, I eventually agreed because he told me something: ‘If you go to your ECOWAS or UN and after 15 years you come back to Ghana, don’t you know you’ll be a stranger, and your colleagues would have gone ahead of you? So, what will happen to all the experience you gathered as SRC president and NUGS.

    “So, that really got me thinking so I took up the challenge and so, myself, Ludwig and Rojo, we went round with Prof Mills around the whole Ghana. We went to almost every city, town, village – every nook and cranny. It was a very eye-opening experience and that is where I gathered a lot of data and network with the grassroots,” he explained.

  • Collaborate with NRSA/DVLA to ensure school buses meet standards, MP tells GES

    Dr. Freda Prempeh, the Member of Parliament for the Tano North constituency in the Ahafo Region, has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to collaborate with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the. Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) to conduct routine inspections on school buses in the country.

    This would go a long way toward ensuring that school buses, particularly those used by private basic schools, meet the required road safety standards.

    She emphasised the use of ‘over-aged’ buses for conveying and risking the precious lives of ‘innocent’ schoolchildren in the country remained unacceptable and breached road safety regulations.

    “The uncontrolled use of over-aged buses to convey school children do not only risk the lives of the children, but also remains a serious road safety offense as well,”  Dr. Prempeh told reporters at Duayaw-Nkwanta when she reacted to a crash which happened on the Techire-Adrobaa stretch in her constituency.

    Police have since put the death toll at six, in a gory crash that happened on the Techire-Adrobaa stretch in the early hours of Friday, November 11, 2022.

    The accident happened when the driver, also deceased, of the DS Elites Academy school bus with registration number AW 6315-11 had gone to pick and transport the school children from Adrobaa to Techire.

    On their way back, the ‘old’ Benz bus was said to have developed a mechanical fault, and in the process, the driver lost control.

    Describing the crash as unfortunate, Dr. Prempeh, also a Minister of State at the Office of the President, asked the GES to intensify its monitoring and supervisory roles in all basic schools in the country.

    She said with support from the GES, the NRSA, and the DVLA, they would be able to identify and stop schools that used over-aged buses to convey children.

    The MP, however, expressed her deepest condolences to the bereaved families and their relatives and entreated them to take comfort in God.

    As of the filing of this report, journalists had gathered the mortal remains of the deceased children, which were to be laid in state at the Adrobaa town square on Thursday, November 17.

  • Takoradi court to rule on alleged fake kidnapping, pregnancy case today

    The Takoradi Habour Circuit court A, presided over by His worship Michael Kwodjoe Ampadu, is expected to give judgement today in the case involving Josephine Panyin Mensah, the lady from Columbia in Takoradi who was allegedly kidnapped while pregnant.

    Josephine Panyin Mensah has been charged with two counts of deceiving a public officer contrary to section 251 (B) of the Criminal office’s Act and Publication of false news with intent to cause fear and panic contrary to section 208 subsection 1 of the act of the criminal offence.

    Josephine, who has been facing prosecution since September 2021 when she was found at Axim, showed up at the Takoradi Habour Court looking pregnant, but the court is expected to receive pregnancy test results today before judgement in the substantive case.

     

  • Constitutional review will take centre stage in 2024 elections – Martin Kpebu

    Legal Practitioner, Martin Kpebu, says Ghana’s constitution is no longer fit for purpose.

    According to him, the ongoing motion of censure proceedings in Parliament has thrown into the limelight some of the many flaws of the 1992 Constitution which must be reviewed as soon as possible to prevent future constitutional crises.

    His comments were based on assertions by Dr. Amoako Baah, a Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, that the country might just be headed for a constitutional crisis should the President continue to remain entrenched in his resolve not to sack the Finance Minister even after he has been censured.

    Article 82 Clause 5 of the 1992 Constitution states that “Where a vote of censure is passed against a Minister under this article the President may, unless the Minister resigns his office, revoke his appointment as a Minister.”

    According to Dr. Baah, the use of “may” instead of “shall” does not obligate the President to heed the counsel of Parliament in the matter and thus the President through his refusal to remove his Minister will create a constitutional crisis.

    “I’ve said this several times for a long time, six years now. Now we’re beginning to see. Everywhere you look in the constitution there is a problem so now we’re heading towards almost like a constitutional crisis. They vote for censure and he doesn’t resign and the President does not remove him, what happens?” he said.

    Agreeing with Dr. Amoako Baah, Martin Kpebu added that with the constitution demonstrably not fit for purpose, it is only right that it be reviewed extensively and as soon as possible.

    According to him, he is hoping that in the upcoming 2024 Presidential elections, candidates will couch their campaign messages around the need for a constitutional review.

    “So for the next government coming and even assuming President Akufo-Addo doesn’t leave as we’re calling on him to leave with Bawumia and so we have to wait till 2024. I can see that constitutional review is going to take front and centre of the election. It’s going to be front and centre.

    “A candidate to be able to win massively will have to promise us a quick constitutional review. We’ve seen that this constitution is no longer fit for purpose, we have to redesign it, cut down the powers of the executive President, make sure that parliamentarians will remain parliamentarians –they can’t be that cross breed, so to speak.

    “Ministers will be ministers, we will no longer want parliamentarians to be ministers at the same time, no, we’ve learnt hard lessons from that. So you see that across the table we all agree that this constitution is now such a big problem, it’s an albatross on our neck and we need to fix it,” he said.

  • It was unauthorised – Foreign Ministry retracts its ‘stay away from Abuja’ notice

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has recanted its earlier statement warning Ghanaians to avoid making non-essential trips to Nigeria’s national capital, Abuja.

    In a statement dated Thursday, November 16, 2022, and issued on the letterhead of the ministry, members of the general public were asked to avoid travelling to the city due to security developments.

    However in a rejoinder issued some hours after, the ministry said the contents of the earlier statement were unauthorised.

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration wishes to refer to the travel advisory published this evening, Wednesday 16th November 2022 advising against non-essential travel to Abuja and wishes to state that the statement was unauthorised.

    “The Ministry is not aware of any threat targeted at Ghanaians who continue to live in harmony with their Nigerian brothers and sisters,” the statement copied to the media said.

    In the earlier statement, the ministry said the travel advisory was necessitated by recent security events in the Nigerian Capital.

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration wishes to inform the travelling public about security developments in Abuja, Nigeria, and the subsequent directive by local authorities to hotels operating in residential buildings to shut down.

    Accordingly, the public is advised to avoid non-essential travel to Abuja, due to the unpredictable security situation in the city, and the high danger of terrorism, criminality, inter-communal conflict, armed attacks, and kidnappings.

    “Whilst advising travellers who must travel out of necessity to Abuja to take precautionary measures the Ministry will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the public when the situation improves,” it added.

    However, in its latest statement, the ministry said it regrets any inconvenience that may have risen out of the travel advisory.

  • Two major moves made by 2 NPP stalwarts to get ‘Ken Must Go’ MPs to backdown

    It is clear now that the number of Members of Parliament on the Majority side of parliament who want their own, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, out, have increased.

    From the initial 80 New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs, the number has been reported to have risen to 98 in the last few days, owing from a revamped decision by the lawmakers to have the embattled minister step down.

    In that first press conference to call on the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to heed to their call, the MPs also threatened to boycott government business in parliament in protest, should their request be refused.

    But a few hours later, something major happened that got the ‘angry’ MPs to relax their stance.

    Akufo-Addo meets NPP MPs calling for Ken Ofori-Atta’s dismissal:

    Following the public declaration of disapproval of the finance minister by the MPs, an emergency meeting was conveyed at the behest of President Akufo-Addo to deliberate and understand the misgivings of the MPs towards the minister.

    The major fallout from the meeting was the president’s requests to the MPs to allow the finance minister three weeks to prepare the 2023 budget and conclude negotiations with the International Monetary fund.

    Speaking to Oyerepa TV, the Member of Parliament for Efiduase Asokore, Nana Ayew Afriyie, stated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo promised to act in a manner that will not require the MPs to come back to him.

    “He [Akufo-Addo] promised us this way, after the end of the budget it won’t be necessary for us to come to him because of what he would do about the finance minister, because by then, there will be no need to come back to him,” he said.

    Ayew Afriyie said the president also mentioned four decisions he will take with regard to the matter.

    “He can do any of the following: sack the finance minister, reshuffle, re-assignment, or a replacement. He will do something that will not require us to come back to him,” Ayew Afriyie said.

    He however added that: “Even if the economy bounces back, we still want Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen to be gone.”

    And then after a while – when the NPP MPs seemed to have been living by the request of the president, they returned to state that they want him out again.

    This time, the number shot up to 98.

    And while this happened at a time an ad hoc committee in parliament, put together by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to look into a vote of censure on the finance minister, the MPs insisted on still pushing for Ofori-Atta to be sacked.

    President Kufuor meets with 98 NPP MPs:

    According to a starrfm.com.gh report, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has reportedly invited the 98 NPP MPs threatening to boycott the 2023 budget presentation should the current finance minister go ahead to read it in parliament.

    The meeting Starr News understands is for the former leader to resolve the standoff that has prevailed over the past weeks.

    Spokesperson for the agitating MPs, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, publicly announced the decision and stated that they have resolved to get Ken Ofori-Atta out this time.

    He stressed that they are convinced it is time for the beleaguered finance minister to leave, amid the minority censure motion laid in the House against him.

    “We’ve gone back to (our demand for the President to) sack him now and therefore should the budget be presented under the stamp of the finance minister, we’ll not participate because as far as we’re concerned we’re never going to do business with him.

    “And if we’re not going to do business with him, he does not participate in any process from the Presidency to the House. We will not participate in deliberations too,” Appiah-Kubi said.

    It remains to be seen whether the group will compromise its position the second time after the former president’s intervention.

  • Peace restored after youth clash with police in Ahafo Region

    Relative calm has returned to Kenyasi No. 2 in the Ahafo Region following Tuesday’s distur­bances in which the police alleged­ly shot at some irate youth in the town, resulting in the death of one person and four others injured.

    One of the injured persons was still receiving treatment at Don­hart Hospital in Kenyasi after the other three were treated and discharged, while the dead had been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary, hospital sources had confirmed.

    Several vehicles and property belonging to a multi-national min­ing company, Newmont Ahafo Mines were damaged in the melee.

    The incident, which started as a peaceful protest by youth in the twin town against the company, degenerated into a full-blown con­frontation between the youth and the police, leading to the fatality and injuries, burning of lorry tyres, and destruction of property.

    The initial cause of the protest could not be authenticated by the Ghanaian Times.

    However, snippets gathered in the community indicated that Newmont had been allegedly pre­venting some of the youth from continuously engaging in illegal mining (galamsey) on the compa­ny’s concession in the area and this might have infuriated them.

    When the paper visited Ken­yasi yesterday morning, the street was empty with only a few shops open, while there was a heavy military-cum-police presence.

    The leader of the youth group, Abdul Karim Yeboah, who spoke to the Ghanaian Times, accused Newmont of using the police to molest them whenever they were arrested on their concession.

    He said they would stop at noth­ing if justice was not served to their departed colleague who had been killed by the police.

    The youth leader called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to cause an investiga­tion into the matter to bring about lasting peace to the area.

    Meanwhile, a statement issued by Newmont Ahafo Mines and signed by Mr. David Ebo Johnson, Director, Communications and External Relations, and copied to the Ghanaian Times confirmed the incident but could not confirm what brought about the distur­bances.

    The statement indicated that relevant regulatory authorities had been notified of the incident and that the company was cooperating with police investigations.

    “The company is also working closely with security personnel who have been deployed to the scene to keep the situation under control,” the statement stated.

    The police said they had opened investigations and anybody found culpable would be taken through the due process of the law.

  • Public university workers remain on strike after continued stalemate

    An attempt to get the striking public university workers union to rescind their decision could not be achieved at a meeting between the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the unions on Wednesday.

    According to the Secretary of the University of Ghana chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Prof. Ransford Gyampo, it was revealed at the meeting that the Finance Ministry has a key role to play in addressing their concerns.

    He added that the process may delay following the ongoing probe of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, following a motion of censure against the minister in Parliament.

    Speaking to Citi News after the engagement, Prof. Gyampo disclosed that the meeting has been rescheduled to be held in the next ten days.

    “We have brought this proposal to the National Labour Commission, and they have also sort of agreed that we should wait and go on with the discussion in the next 10 days.”

    The other unions on strike are the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG) and Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA).

    The strike by the four unions in public universities is in its sixth week.

    UTAG’s concerns, for example, are with the adjusted ex-pump rate of GHS10.99 being implemented to affect Vehicle Maintenance and Off-Campus Allowances.

    The union has complained that the agreed Conditions of Service of University Workers by the Employer were not being adhered to.

  • Ofori-Atta censure hearing frustrating so far – Kojo Asante

    A leading figure of the Coalition for Democratic Accountability and Inclusive Governance, Dr. Kojo Asante, has described the censure hearings against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta as frustrating so far.

    “It has just become like a courtroom. It was meant to be a debate; an establishment of facts in parliamentary style, but it has just become like a courtroom,” Dr. Asante complained.

    The committee had a contentious start during its proceedings on Tuesday as its members debated the manner in which the Minority members could present their evidence against the Finance Minister.

    Some of the committee members felt the hearing should be treated as a quasi-judicial proceeding.

    Dr. Asante felt these discussions were unnecessary considering the concerns around the economy and the Finance Minister.

    “I don’t know whether it is because there are too many lawyers leading these processes. It becomes a thing about needing evidence and so on… That is not helpful. Part of that, I find very frustrating.”

    “This could have been dealt with a long time ago if the President had listened to all of us. Unfortunately, we are now in the space and this tug of war and still, our crisis hasn’t gone anywhere,” he added.

    The Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) are expected before the committee later on Thursday.

    The Finance Minister will appear on Friday after he requested time to prepare based on the evidence tendered to the committee by the Minority.

  • PIAC, GNPC to appear before parliament’s ad hoc committee

    A member of the ad hoc committee, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) will appear before the committee of Parliament probing allegations in a censure motion against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Thursday, November 17, 2022.

    In a Facebook post, the North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, shared “the Ken Ofori-Atta Vote of Censure Parliamentary Committee resumes public hearings tomorrow at 11am. We expect PIAC and GNPC to appear before us.”

    The ad hoc committee has commenced a public hearing on the motion of censure against Ken Ofori-Atta.

    At the first sitting the Minority, represented by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu and, Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, cited PIAC reports from 2019 to 2022 and the Petroleum Management Act as some of the basis for their allegations against the Ofori-Atta.

    It is based on this the PIAC and GNPC are expected to appear before the house to respond to this allegation.

     

     

     

  • 8 illegal currency traders granted bail

    Eight people have been granted GH¢100,000 bail with two sureties each by an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly engaging in illegal currency trade on the ‘black market’.

    One of the sureties must be justified by land documents or any property equivalent to GH¢100,000.

    The accused were also ordered to report to the police twice a month.

    They have been charged with engaging in the business of dealing in foreign exchange without licence.

    They all pleaded not guilty.

    The court presided over by Mrs. Adelaide Abui-Keddey set December 12 for the next hearing.

    Arguing for bail, counsel for the accused, Victor Kojogah Adawudu, told the court that his clients were engaged in decent work such as trading, security work, and commercial dispatch ‘Okada‘ riding at Tudu.

    He added that it was unfortunate that the accused were at the wrong place when the police conducted a swoop to arrest people engaged in illegal currency trade at the location.

    He added that his clients had a fixed place of abode, posed no flight risk, and had family and friends ready to stand in as sureties.

    In opposition, Chief Inspector Isaac Babayi expressed concern that granting the accused bail may interfere with their investigations as they were on the hunt for other culprits, whose accused may tip off when released.

    He added that the accused also posed a flight risk and pointed to defense counsel’s submission that one of the accused Bark­isu Yakubu was travelling to Nigeria for business when she was nabbed.

    The facts led by Chief Insp Babayi were that the accused were Mohammed Ali, Barkisu Yakubu, Shaibu Suleman Issah, and Baryl Ali.

    The others were Bashiru Saadu, Saadu Hamidu, Mumudu Shamsudeen and Karim Yahaya.

    Chief Insp. Babayi said on November 10, 2022, a team of police personnel in collaboration with officials of the Bank of Ghana embarked on an intelligence-led operation to clamp down on illegal activities of forex trade business in Ghana.

    That operation, he said, led them to Tudu in Accra where they arrested the accused who was transacting the business of exchanging currencies.

    He added that investigations later dis­closed that the accused were engaged in foreign exchange business without a license.

    Chief Insp. Babayi told the court that a search conducted on the accused revealed thousands of Ghana Cedis and other for­eign currencies on some of them.

    He said others succeeded in passing monies on to their accomplices who fled with it.

    “These monies were retrieved from the accused as indicated against their names; Mohammed Ali GH¢2,300 and $87 USD, Barikisu Yakubu

    GH¢10,010 and ₦6,002 Naira, Shaibu Suleman Issah GH¢3,850 and CFA65, 000, Baryi Ali GH¢ 848, CFA 80,000 and USD $70.

    “Bashiru Saadu GH¢ 52.00 and ₦25 Naira, Saadu Hamidu GH¢ 361 and Karim Yahaya GH¢42,” he told the court.

     

  • ‘Don’t Judge Me’: Eno Barony and Duncan William’s son top trends with new single

    When rapper Eno Barony, one of Ghana’s talented musicians known to deliver hardcore rap announced that she was releasing a song featuring De Wills, the son of popular Ghanaian preacher Nicholas Duncan-Williams, music lovers anticipated something big that could shake tables.

    ‘Don’t Judge Me’: Eno Barony and Duncan William’s son top trends with new single on November 16 released the music video for her 2022 single ‘Don’t Judge Me’ featuring Dee Wills.

    Social media users on Wednesday widely published the new tune which tackles society and how some individuals wrongly judge others based on their outward appearance and ability not to conform to what is termed as the norms.

    As expected, Eno dropped some bars on the song which has garnered over 67,000 views on YouTube in less than 24 hours.

    The award-winning rapper channelled her energy into calling for change with a special message from Duncan Williams’s son who gave a few seconds of delivery on the chorus.

    Dee Wills who is a singer has received recommendations and praises for his exceptional delivery on ‘Don’t Judge Me’.