Former Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Moses Asaga has shot down the idea of the government’s use of gold to buy oil from the international market.
The former Member of Parliament for the Nabdam constituency in the Upper East Region said that it is not a brilliant idea to buy oil with gold because the total consumption of oil per year against the country’s gold receipts that go through the Bank of Ghana per year do not tally.
“Our total refined product including LPG, petrol, and diesel was almost $4 billion per year which could have even increased by now. So, if we import $4 billion worth of refined products, how can the receipt of gold be able to match the $4 billion? That is where I think the Vice President didn’t really go deep to do his analysis unless this is just a temporary measure.”
The former CEO expressed worry over the deliberate neglect of the National Petroleum Authority from the deal, knowing very well it is the authority mandated to regulate and ensure the supply of petroleum products across the country.
“If you are dealing with gold in exchange for refined products, the NPA should be involved in this because it is the NPA that has all the statistics and figures. Our total bullion gold reserve is 8.7 tons that we have been accumulating all these years. And if you have 8.7 tons and multiply that by 36,000 ounces and further multiply that by $1,700 per ounce, it brings us to $500 million. That is what we are holding today in our bullion at 8.7 tons of gold. So, if you have $500 million, how can this translate into collateral for a product worth over $4 billion?”
The idea of using gold to buy oil was first made by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in a Facebook post which he said is needed to tackle the country’s dwindling foreign exchange reserves which have resulted in the depreciation of the cedi.
The Vice President’s post which was widely reported partly said: “The demand for foreign exchange by oil importers in the face of dwindling foreign exchange reserves results in the depreciation of the cedi and increases in the cost of living with higher prices for fuel, transportation, utilities, etc. To address this challenge, the Government is negotiating a new policy regime where our gold (rather than our US dollar reserves) will be used to buy oil products.”
Enumerating the benefits Ghana is expected to derive from the policy, Dr. Bawumia added that “the barter of sustainably mined gold for oil is one of the most important economic policy changes in Ghana since its independence. If we implement it as envisioned, it will fundamentally change our balance of payments and significantly reduce the persistent depreciation of our currency with its associated increases in fuel, electricity, water, transport, and food prices.”
“This is because the exchange rate (spot or forward) will no longer directly enter the formula for the determination of fuel or utility prices, since all the domestic sellers of fuel will no longer need foreign exchange to import oil products. The barter of gold for oil represents a major structural change. My thanks to the Ministers for Lands and Natural Resources, Energy, and Finance, Precious Minerals Marketing Company, The Ghana Chamber of Mines and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana for their supportive work on this new policy. We expect this new framework to be fully operational by the end of the first quarter of 2023.”
Members of Parliament will today, November 29, 2022, begin debate on the 2023 budget statement presented by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta last week.
Portions of the budget have been met with opposition as industry players lament the impact it will have on their businesses and livelihood.
The government intends for the 2023 budget to focus on strategies to restore and stabilise the macroeconomy, build resilience, and promote inclusive growth and value creation.
The budget statement featured updates on Ghana’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund for a $3 billion programme, the macro-fiscal performance of the economy; the YouStart initiative under the Ghana CARES Programme; climate action strategies; fiscal measures and debt management strategies to ensure fiscal and debt sustainability and promote growth.
Among the new policies proposed in the budget, which are likely to be implemented under an IMF programme, will be a freeze on public sector employment and new tax measures as the government moves to cut down expenditure and boost revenue.
The freeze on employment has already courted criticism from the Minority in Parliament and the Trade Union Congress.
Among the notable proposals, the Electronic Transfer Levy headline rate is to be reduced to 1 percent, Value Added Tax will be increased from 12.5 percent to 15 percent, the benchmark discount policy is to be fully phased out in 2023 and an additional income tax bracket of 35 percent is to be introduced.
Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance, disclosed in the 2023 budget statement that Ghana’s public debt has increased by GH₵93 billion ($6.53 billion at the current rate) due to the depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi since the beginning of 2022.
According to him, the said amount is twice more than the anticipated US$3 billion bailout Ghana is seeking from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In the 2023 budget statement, he said the cedi has depreciated by 53.8% and 54.2% against the dollar as of October 2022 and November 2022.
The depreciation is due to the fact that the country cannot access the International Capital Market due to the continuous credit rating downgrades. The tightening of domestic financing conditions and the increasing cost of borrowing has also contributed to further depreciation.
Ofori-Atta added that there has been a high demand for forex to finance the import bill, including the import of crude, and the financing of electricity has worsened the performance of the cedi and led to the high depreciation.
“Ghana’s import bill, the budget stated, exceeds US$10 billion annually. Considering the low foreign earnings, it has been difficult to meet the import requirements including crude oil and petroleum products of about US$400m (GH₵4.80 billion) a month. The Ministry of Finance also requires about US$1.0 billion per year to finance the lights in homes and workplaces,” he said.
“For us at the Ministry of Finance, the depreciation of the cedi seriously affects our ability to effectively manage our debt. Indeed, our stock of debt has increased by GH¢93 billion this year alone due to the depreciation of the cedi at the beginning of 2022,” the Finance Minister added.
Ghana is seeking a three-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme of $3bn at the International Monetary Fund. This means that this potential bailout cannot even finance the debt accumulated as a result of the depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi.
Hopeson Adorye of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has questioned the realistic nature of a recent budgetary directive to the effect that the use of V8 within Accra has been banned.
He questions whether or not those with V8 cars will be given new saloon cars in order for them to quit the usage of the V8s.
“With the issue of V8s, I am wondering how it will be done. Are we going to buy new saloon cars for Ministers or what? Because most of them use V8s already,” he submitted on Oman FM’s Boiling Point programme, November 24.
He also questioned the issue of fuel cuts of 50% for appointees: “Even this government fuel that has been slashed, how do we want the appointees to work? As for that one, I disagree, so what should they do?
“Some of these things must be tackled realistically. Imagine a Minister with a fuel coupon of 2,000 cedis, now having 1000 cedis but his full tank costs 1,800, so if their car runs out of fuel after three days, what do I do?” he quizzed.
What Ofori-Atta said about V8s and fuel allocations
Under the section of the budget on “Implementation of the Cabinet directives on expenditure measures,” the Minister said:
Mr. Speaker, as the first step toward expenditure rationalisation, the Government has approved the following directives which take effect from January, 2023:
● All MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs by 50%. This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation including coupons, electronic cards, chit systems, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous year’s (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs;
● A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross-country travel. All government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from January 2023;
● Limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, the purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles;
● Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members. Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023 by mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has said Aflao, as the most vibrant border town in Ghana, deserves more than it currently has and, thus, in line with the party’s promises in the 2020 People’s Manifesto, the next NDC government will give the people of Aflao a modern international standard market, a new hospital, in addition to other socio-economic infrastructure.
Mr Mahama made the promise when he joined Togbui Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of Aflao, on the occasion of his 25th anniversary over the weekend.
Tobgui’s anniversary coincided with the Godigbe Festival of the chiefs and people of Aflao.
Mr Mahama expressed joy that Togbui visited and personally invited him to grace the occasion.
Aflao being a border town, people from I thank the people of Aflao Togo and Benin thronged the durbar ground to witness the ceremony.
Aflao is a town in Ketu South District in the Volta Region on Ghana’s border with Togo.
The Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Dr Yaw Baah has said that net freeze on employment into the public sector is better than total embargo.
He explained that net freeze is when retirees are replaced when they exit. This, he said, allows productivity and efficiency to go on.
Total freeze on the other hand, he added, is when the retirees are not replaced neither are new employees recruited. That will be detrimental to productivity hence, they do not want that to happen.
Speaking in an interview with TV3’s Daniel Opoku on the sidelines of a post budget analyses forum held by the TUC in Accra on Monday November 28, Dr Yaw Baah said “we still don’t have the details of the IMF conditionality but you will not be wrong if you think this is part of IMF conditions. Since 1965 when Ghana Government started going to IMF, employment freeze has always been part, in the last one that ended, employment freeze was one but in that case it was net.
“Net meant that if somebody retires you can replace the person. So the net freeze is what we need. But this one, we don’t know the details, whether it is the net freeze or total freeze.
“If it is a net freeze then it is like the previous one but if it is a total freeze it is another ball game all together. There are 644,000 people on the single spine. Let us assume without admitting that about 5 per cent of them retire yearly.
“If only five percent retire every year, we are talking now about over 30,000 people retiring and if the 30,000 people retire and they don’t replace them it will affect service delivery. If you reduce numbers by over 30,000 and they are not replaced then your effectiveness in service delivery will be affected.”
The Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta announced in the 2023 budget a freeze on employment into the civil and public service.
He also said there shall be no new government agencies established in 2023. He said these while presenting the budget in Parliament on Thursday November 23.
Mr Ofori-Atta said as a first step toward expenditure rationalisation, government has approved a number of directives which takes effect from January, 2023.
These are “All Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and State-Owned-Enterprises (SOEs) are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs by 50%. This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation including coupons, electronic cards, chit system, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous years (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs;
“A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross country travel. All
government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from
January 2023; Limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles;
“Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be
allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members.”
The Finance Minister added “Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023 by mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff; As far as possible, meetings and workshops should be done within the official environment or government facilities; Government sponsored external training and Staff Development activities at the Office of the President, Ministries and SOEs must be put on hold for the 2023 financial year; Reduction of expenditure on appointments including salary freezes together with suspension of certain allowances like housing, utilities and clothing, etc.;
“A freeze on new tax waivers for foreign companies and review of tax exemptions for free zone, mining, oil and gas companies; A hiring freeze for civil and public servants, No new government agencies shall be established in 2023; There shall be no hampers for 2022; There shall be no printing of diaries, notepads, calendars and other promotional, merchandise by MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs for 2024; All non-critical project must be suspended for 2023 Financial year.”
Ghana’s Central Bank has increased the benchmark interest rate as the significant upside risks to inflation outlook remain.
To continue to contain inflationary pressures, the Monetary Policy Committee on Monday, November 28, 2022 decided to increase the policy rate by 250 basis points to 27.0 percent.
This means cost of borrowing is expected to go up further.
The inflation forecast shows that in the outlook, inflation will likely peak in the first quarter of 2023 and settle at around 25% by the end of 2023.
“This forecast is conditioned on the continued maintenance of tight monetary policy stance and the deployment of tools to contain excess liquidity in the economy. There are however some risks to this forecast that would have to be monitored, including additional pressures from the proposed VAT increase, and exchange rate pressures. Continued vigilance to the evolution of these potential price pressures in the outlook will be key”, Dr. Ernest Addison, Governor of the Bank of Ghana stated.
The Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Dr Yaw Baah has said the congress does not have details of the government’s plan to freeze hiring next year as stated in the 2023 budget statement.
He said they do not know whether or not this forms part of the conditions the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is giving to Ghana.
Again, he said, they are unable to tell whether this is a net freeze or total.
Speaking in an interview with TV3’s Daniel Opoku on the sidelines of a post budget analyses forum held by the TUC in Accra on Monday November 28, Dr Yaw Baah said “we still don’t have the details of the IMF conditionality but you will not be wrong if you think this is part of IMF conditions. Since 1965 when Ghana Government started going to IMF, employment freeze has always been part, in the last one that ended, employment freeze was one but in that case it was net.
“Net meant that if somebody retires you can replace the person. So the net freeze is what we need. But this one, we don’t know the details, whether it is the net freeze or total freeze.
“If it is a net freeze then it is like the previous one but if it is a total freeze it is another ball game all together. There are 644,000 people on the single spine. Let us assume without admitting that about 5 per cent of them retire yearly.
“If only five percent retire every year, we are talking now about over 30,000 people retiring and if the 30,000 people retire and they don’t replace them it will affect service delivery. If you reduce numbers by over 30,000 and they are not replaced then your effectiveness in service delivery will be affected.”
The Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta announced in the 2023 budget a freeze on employment into the civil and public service.
He also said there shall be no new government agencies established in 2023.
He said these while presenting the budget in Parliament on Thursday November 23.
Mr Ofori-Atta said as a first step toward expenditure rationalisation, government has approved a number of directives which takes effect from January, 2023.
These are “All Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and State-Owned-Enterprises (SOEs) are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs by 50%. This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation including coupons, electronic cards, chit system, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous years (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs;
“A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross country travel. All
government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from
January 2023; Limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles;
“Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be
allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members.”
The Finance Minister added “Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023 by mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff; As far as possible, meetings and workshops should be done within the official environment or government facilities; Government sponsored external training and Staff Development activities at the Office of the President, Ministries and SOEs must be put on hold for the 2023 financial year; Reduction of expenditure on appointments including salary freezes together with suspension of certain allowances like housing, utilities and clothing, etc.;
“A freeze on new tax waivers for foreign companies and review of tax exemptions for free zone, mining, oil and gas companies; A hiring freeze for civil and public servants, No new government agencies shall be established in 2023; There shall be no hampers for 2022; There shall be no printing of diaries, notepads, calendars and other promotional, merchandise by MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs for 2024; All non-critical project must be suspended for 2023 Financial year.”
The Chairman-elect of the Ghana National Council of the Great Commission Church International (GCCI), Apostle Samuel Vincent Ansah, has charged all citizens particularly Christians to stand up and lead the fight against corruption.
He explained that there is a huge responsibility on the body of Christ because it forms the larger population of the country and therefore requires Christians take the forefront in this fight, as it will have a rippling effect across the nation.
Speaking to GhanaWeb after the commissioning service of the church’s pastors in Accra on Sunday, November 27, 2022, Apostle Samuel Ansah stressed that the religious institutions must begin to walk in its function of living lives worth emulating.
He added that there is the need for Christians to work hard towards the fight against corruption, which he described as endemic.
“Our function is to pray, and our function is to lead the kind of life that will ensure that we come out because there is a lot of talk about corruption; it’s not just a talk – it is something that as you go through this nation, you go through schools, you go through institutions, the universities, the ministries, everything we have, you find out that corruption is endemic and to some extent, it will become a pandemic,” he said.
Apostle Samuel Ansah added that if indeed Ghana’s population is composed of more Christians than other religious faiths, then it behooves on the church to emulate traits that are synonymous with its teachings.
“Everybody is worried because once there is corruption, our visions and dreams as a nation become compromised and we are not able to succeed. Therefore, as Christians, it is important that our lives shine. We should be first and foremost against corruption. Our lifestyles, our functions in offices, in institutions, in the structures of this nation should be corruption-free.
“And gradually, if we are 71%, then if we begin to function well and our lives begin to shine well, within a short time, you’ll find that this country will change for the better; our economic woes will dwindle, and this nation will begin to function and be successful,” he added.
In all, there were 51 permanent elders of the church inducted into the church, with seven (7) reverend ministers ordained as well.
The newly-elected executives are: Apostle Samuel Vincent Ansah, Chairman; Apostle Richard K. Adanu, First Vice Chairman in-charge of Missions; Rev Moses Pinkrah, Second Vice Chairman in-charge of Finance and Administration; Rev Samuel Arthur, Director of Evangelism;
Others include; Rev Emmanuel Oppong, Director of Ministries; Rev Charles Samerset Adanunyo Director of Church Life; Rev Stephen Toku Cato, Director of Finance; and Rev Alex Obeng Oguamena, Director of Personnel.
The Minority in Parliament has described the government’s flagship policy, One District One Factory, as a failed programme.
According to the Minority, the policy has failed to drastically cut down on the country’s imports.
The comment by the Minority comes on the back of the government’s withdrawal of FX support to importers of some food items such as rice and poultry.
Speaking to journalists, the Ranking Member on the Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee of Parliament, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah said the government must initiate policies that inure to the benefit of the citizenry.
“Unfortunately, as we speak, this government’s flagship policy of One District, One Factory…has that been able to really address one problem of the things we import? Can we point to one factory in the last seven years and say because of 1D1F, we are no longer importing rice or poultry?”
Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has also served notice that it will thoroughly scrutinize the amount of money the government is pumping into the National Cathedral.
Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said there are so many controversies and lack of openness in the building of the project that needs to be answered and assured that no stone will be left unturned when the 2023 budget is tabled for debate on Tuesday, November 29.
The project has seen a lot of controversies, as many Ghanaians continue to question the prudence of the state financing an edifice that is said to be President Akufo-Addo’s personal pledge to God.
While assuring that the Minority Caucus is not against the building of such a monument, Haruna Iddrisu at a post-budget engagement in Ho, observed what he said were needful answers on the budgetary allocation, procurement, and other matters, missing from the conversation.
“Ghana is a secular state and a Republic which guarantees freedom of faith, freedom of conscience, and freedom of religion but when you make a budgetary allocation for the construction of a national cathedral at GH¢80 million, we must know what is the total cost of that project, how were procurements undertaken to assure value for money, what is the duration of the project, how much will it cost the State and when will the project be completed.”
“These are needful questions we will ask while we support it,” he added.
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has increased the Monetary Policy Rate by 250 basis points to 27 percent.
The prime rate, which is of keen interest to businesses, signals the rate at which the Central Bank will lend to commercial banks.
It also subsequently influences average lending rates on loans to individuals and businesses.
In his address to the media, Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison, noted that the increase forms part of efforts to address current inflationary pressures.
“The inflation forecast shows that in the outlook, inflation will likely peak in the first quarter of 2023 and settle at around 25 percent by the end of 2023. This forecast is conditioned on the continued maintenance of tight monetary policy stance and the deployment of tools to contain excess liquidity in the economy. There are however some risks to this forecast that would have to be monitored, including additional pressures from the proposed VAT increase, and exchange rate pressures.”
“Continued vigilance to the evolution of these potential price pressures in the outlook will be key. The Committee is of the view that significant upside risks to the inflation outlook remain. To continue to anchor inflation expectations, the Committee therefore decided to increase the policy rate by 250 basis points to 27.0 percent,” he said.
Following the increase in the policy rate, his means cost of borrowing is expected to go up further.
The Ministry of Interior has declared Friday, December 2, 2022, as a public holiday to be observed by Ghanaians across the country.
“The general public is hereby reminded that Friday, December 2, 2022, which marks Farmers’ Day, is a Statutory Public holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country,” the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, in a statement said.
The first Friday in December every year is set aside in Ghana to honour and recognise farmers and fisher folk in the various regions, for their efforts in the promotion of agriculture.
Last year’s National Farmers’ Day was celebrated in Cape Coast in the Central Region.
Business development consultant Kwame Okyere Darko has described the 2023 budget as the most disrespectful budget by any government in the history of Ghana.
According to him, the measure proposed by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to reduce the government’s expenditures is an insult to the people of Ghana.
“This is the most disrespectful budget ever. When we were experiencing dumsor, the president acknowledged it any time he speaks because he had some respect for Ghanaians.
“For the past few months, Ghanaians have been complaining about the expenditure of the government, they have been saying that the government should cut down costs because it is the main cause of the challenges the country is facing.
“And when he (the finance minister) come to tell us about the government reducing expenditure he said the government is coming to change the number plate of land cruisers.
“This government does not respect us. This particular leadership of the NPP, they don’t take us for anything,” he said in Twi in an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb.
Kwame Okyere Darko made these remarks in response to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s announcement that the use of V8 and V6 vehicles by government officials will cease in January 2023 as a cost-cutting measure.
The finance minister made the revelation when he presented the 2023 budget in parliament on November 24, 2022.
He said, “A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross-country travel. All government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from January 2023.”
He also said, “there will be a limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, the purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles.”
“Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members…Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023 in mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff,” he added.
The Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee of Parliament has berated the minister for Food and Agriculture for creating the impression plantain was part of the crop list for the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).
According to the Ranking Member, plantain production was not part of the budget nor the crop list for PFJ.
“I was amazed seeing the minister parading plantain as the success story of PFJ,” he said.
Mr Eric Opoku took issues with the minister’s purported impression that it was the Planting for Food and Jobs that led to the glut in the production of plantain production.
He noted that plantain is a seasonal crop and it has always been available at this time of the year.
“So it is not as a result of the PFJ that there is the availability of plantain on the market,” he added.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo South Constituency in the Bono Region was speaking in an interview with the host of the Ghana Yensom morning show, Emmanuel Quarshie (The Hitman) on Accra 100.5 FM on Monday, November 28, 2022.
He challenged the sector minister to parade the crops from the work of the PFJ.
He was quick to say PFJ has not been able to ensure food security in the country.
“It is important to note that PFJ has failed because the government has cut investment in the country’s agriculture sector,” he said.
He further said the reason imported rice is relatively cheap in the country is because of the investments made in the production from the country of origin.
He said fertilisers among other inputs from where the rice is imported are catered for by the government.
“In Ghana, this (NPP) government pays a 15 per cent subsidy on fertiliser for the ordinary farmer to pay 85 per cent,” he complained and added that in 2016, the NDC government imported tractors from Brazil and subsidised them by 60 per cent for the farmer to pay 40 per cent.
Under the current government, however, the farmers are bearing the full cost, he added.
He said the NPP government has refused to make investments in Agriculture, adding that now Ghana imports 730,800 metric tons of fish annually to augment its consumption levels of one million metric tons all because premix fuel is unavailable.
Michael K Obeng, a Harvard-trained Ghanaian American plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, has been awarded the US President’s Volunteer Service Award by the United States of America President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.
This honour recognises the crucial role of volunteers in the United States of America.
Obeng, a philanthropist, humanitarian, and global health strategist, has been honoured for his exceptional service that embodies the strength and national identity of the United States of America, which not only influences but also inspires those around him to take action in their communities.
He does this through his excellence in plastic and reconstructive surgery as well as through his pro-bono medical work across the globe with his charitable foundation R.E.S.T.O.R.E. Worldwide Inc., The Foundation for Reconstructive Surgery.
R.E.S.T.O.R.E. is an acronym that stands for Restoring Emotional Stability Throughout Outstanding Reconstructive Efforts.
R.E.S.T.O.R.E. provides free reconstructive surgery to patients in developing countries. The organisation has performed over 2000 free surgeries since its inception in 2007, in three different continents, to a tune in excess of over US$75 million.
A man with a big heart, a father of six, Dr Obeng is one of the most sought-after surgeons in the world. Throughout his two-decade career as the youngest Chief of Plastic Surgery at St Elizabeth Boardman Health Centre in Ohio and Director of MiKO Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, he has performed numerous groundbreaking surgeries.
Hanging proudly on his wall of accomplishments, include a successful forearm reattachment, rib removal, forehead reduction and complex breast surgeries to name a few. His passion has always been intricate and complex reconstruction and surgeries other surgeons deem impossible, earning him the nickname, “The Surgeon‘s Surgeon” by his colleagues.
As an avid advocate for breast reconstruction, Dr. Obeng hosted the first ever Bra-Day (Breast Reconstruction Awareness) event in Los Angeles in 2012 under the auspices of the American Society of Plastic Surgery.
“Dr. Obeng is a true visionary, who has transcended barriers and all stereotypes; continuing to trail-blaze paths that many only dream of,” said Dr Paa Ekow Hoyte-Williams of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, who serves as the R.E.S.T.O.R.E Foundation’s director of medical affairs.
The flag of excellence flew high again last year after the hashtag #GorillaGlueGirl trended on social media following an incident where a woman accidentally stuck Gorilla glue to her hair. In the midst of the media frenzy, in stepped an angel in the form of the Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Dr Obeng, who did not just provide a chemical solution to dissolve the “devastating” adhesive but provided his services free of charge.
In Ho, the Volta Region of Ghana, last month, Dr Obeng and the R.E.S.T.O.R.E group of medical volunteers set a record for the most life-changing interventions in the organization’s 14 years history. The team evaluated 500 patients; 174 patients were actively impacted including 135 patients receiving life-transforming surgeries. This surpassed the previous record of 111 surgeries completed in Dakar, Senegal in December 2021.
Obeng’s service to humanity has earned him several humanitarian awards including, GHAPAC Humanitarian Award (2022), HAPAwards International man of the year award (2021), The Amanfoo Goodness & Excellence Award (2021), Ebony Magazine 75th Edition Power 100 Honouree (2020), GUBA Humanitarian Spirit Award (2017), NAACP Humanitarian Award (2013) and the list goes on. In addition, he has been commended by the City of Beverly Hills and the County of Los Angeles for his “dedication to improving and bettering the lives of individuals around the world using his medical expertise”.
“None of these accolades would have been possible without the selfless volunteers over the years and the patients who trusted us with their lives, not to mention the Almighty God,” Dr Obeng said.
“It is with great pleasure and humility to accept this award on behalf of all the R.E.S.T.O.R.E volunteers. I hope this phenomenal recognition inspires others to reach out and lend a helping hand to those in need. I would like to thank our team and donors over the last fifteen years and all the people behind the scenes, without whom none of these great works that we do across the globe would be possible,” he added.
About the President’s Volunteer Service Award
The President of the United States bestows the President’s Volunteer Service Award as a civil honor. The award was established 19 years ago by executive order of George W. Bush to honour volunteers who donate hundreds of hours each year to helping others through the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) recognizes incredible individuals who are committed to a high level of volunteer and service. These individuals work tirelessly to help solve some of the toughest challenges facing their communities, and our nation.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award has been honoured to few Americans in recognition of their exceptional service. Notable recipients include S. Truett Cathy, Mark Carman, and Zach Bonner.
The prestigious annual U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Awards Gala will take place at the Hilton Long Island Huntington, New York, on 2 December 2022.
The chief executive of the Atta-Mills Institute, Samuel Koku Anyidoho, has said the general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketiah is not fit to be the national chairman and leader of the party.
Anyidoho’s comment follows a tweet he posted on Monday which read, “I saw Asiedu Nketiah jubilate when NDC led by John Mahama lost in 2016. I can’t forget the trauma I suffered seeing my general secretary rejoice because John Mahama had led the NDC to defeat.”
Anyidoho indicated that the NDC general secretary has no moral right to aspire for the top post of the party.
“I use to be his deputy for four years and I don’t think he is fit to become chairman and leader of the NDC,” Anyidoho, the former deputy general secretary of the NDC, exclusively told Asaase News.
“This is not about John Mahama per-say, John Mahama is an individual and the NDC is bigger than John Mahama.
“All I am saying is that Asiedu Nketiah does not have what it takes to be chairman and leader because Article 25 of the NDC constitution, as we are in opposition today, whoever is chairman, is also leader until we have a flagbearer,” he added.
Anyidoho has in the past accused Nketiah of orchestrating the defeat of the party in 2016.
In a series of tweets on 3 October 2022, Anyidoho revealed that the 65-year-old seasoned politician, popularly referred to as General Mosquito made sure the NDC lost the Tain constituency.
He stated in his tweets that Nketiah undermined every NDC Chairman he has worked with including the late Dr. Kwabena Adjei, Kofi Portuphy, and Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
Anyidoho also threatened to expose Asiedu Nketia adding that “the day Asiedu Nketia becomes Chairman of the NDC, would be the burial date of the party”.
He further asked Asiedu Nketia; “Where is the land President Atta-Mills bought for the construction of the NDC school?”
Ghana is currently in talks with member countries of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over the adoption of its serialisation policy, Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said.
The policy of serialisation means that students at different examination centers and even at the same examination center will receive different questions of the same level of difficulty.
Speaking at the 50th anniversary of the Northern School of Business in Tamale on Saturday (26 November), Bawumia attributed the successful piloting of the policy in the BECE and WASSCE to the non-leakage of exams questions in 2021.
“I was guest of honour at the 50th anniversary of the Northern School of Business in Tamale yesterday. In my remarks I noted that one of the problems that has bedeviled our education system is the persistent leakages of examination questions for our BECE and WASSCE examinations.
“As a solution to this problem, last year the Ministry of Education implemented a policy of serialisation of examination questions as is the case in some advanced countries. The policy of serialisation means that students at different examination centers and even at the same examination center will receive different questions of the same level of difficulty,” Bawumia said.
“This serialisation policy was implemented by the Ministry of Education in the 2021 BECE and piloted for the 2021 WASSCE. The Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Adu Twum has reported that as a result of the policy there were no leakages of examination papers for the 2021 BECE examinations. The pilot for WASSCE was also successful and Ghana is in discussions with member WAEC countries for the adoption of this policy. We are making progress,” he added.
The Awutu Krodua Police Command has reportedly arrested an alleged serial goat thief.
The suspect, Kofi Bondour, is said to have been on the police wanted list for about four years for committing a similar offence.
According to a report by Onuaonline.com sighted by GhanaWeb, the 25-year-old suspect is known by residents as being a specialist in goat theft, as he has practiced the act for years.
The suspect is currently in the custody of the police, who are preparing to arraign him before a court.
The father of Ghanaian-American gospel musician, Britney Boateng, Ernest Boateng, has spoken out for the first time following the death of his daughter.
Speaking in an interview with Frank Ntiamoah, monitored by GhanaWeb, Ernest Boateng said that the last time he spoke to his daughter, she asked him to prepare her spinach (kontomire) which was her favourite.
He added that he prepared the stew for her, which is in the fridge, only to hear of her untimely demise.
He then went on to remove the stew from the fridge and showed it to the camera.
“… one thing that hurts me the most (is this happened after I prepared her favourite stew). Her favourite thing that I used to cook for her was spinach stew.
“She told me that papa, you know I haven’t had that thing in a long time and I said you know what Maame Jata, ‘m off Sunday, I am going to make it for you. It is still in the fridge right now.
“Let me bring it out for you to see. I cooked and told my daughter to come and get it… If you think I’m lying, this is it,” he said.
Ernest Boateng also said that the police are still investigating the death of his daughter.
He said that he heard of the incident on Saturday after it happened.
He added that he does not know what really transpired and is not going to speculate on the matter.
The Ghanaian female singer based in the United States of America, Britney Boateng, was reportedly shot dead by her sister-in-law.
Information gathered by GhanaWeb from multiple international online platforms indicates that there was an argument between the singer and her sister-in-law, 41-year-old Tyona Dodson.
The incident, which took place in East Columbus on Friday, November 18, 2022, ended the life of 22-year-old Britney Boateng, who was pronounced dead at 1:12 a.m., the Columbus Division of Police said.
A report by 10tv.com said that “officers were called to the 400 block of South Weyant Avenue, just north of East Main Street, around 1 a.m. Police found Britney Boateng with a gunshot wound, who was pronounced dead at 1:12 a.m.”
The police have since charged Tyona Dodson with murder.
Nine persons have been arrested in a joint police and military operation by the Northern Electricity Company (NECo) in the Tamale Metropolis.
The operation aimed at preventing power theft by NECo customers resulted in the arrest of nine people suspected of making illegal connections.
According to a report by Dailyguidenetwork.com, NEDCo loses as much as GHC8.5 million, representing 45% of its revenue in the Northern region every month due to illegal connections.
There have also been attacks on NEDCo employees by some residents seen to have been engaged in illegal acts in recent times.
The joint operation targeted communities including Sabonjida, Bilpela, Nyohini, and Bamvim.
The Northern Area Loss Control Officer of VRA-NEDCO, Samuel Marvellous Kumi, informed journalists that the nine arrested persons will be arraigned before the court.
He also stated that several other people had been served with court summons to be prosecuted.
The Area Loss Control Officer emphasized that NEDCo will not relent in its fight against illegal connections, adding that persons found engaging in illegal connections will be dealt with severely to serve as a deterrent for others.
1960 was declared the ‘Year of Africa’ as many African countries around the continent broke free from European colonial rule and gained independence,with the joy and excitement of celebrations signalling hope and possibilities as Africa has ‘arrived’ on the world stage.
It turns out it was more than liberation in Africa, a single moment in the global process of decolonization because it also marked the end of civil wars, dictatorship, corruption, and so on.
But many countries in Africa where to go on to experience stagnation, failed attempts at nationalisation of foreign assets, military dictatorships and Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAP) that international financial institutions were to later apologise for worsening many national economic woes. These events were not allowed to dampen continent-wide spirits as a new era of democratic governance ushered in impressive records of GDP growth.
The much-achieved political stability coupled with macro-economic gains in the region unseated the deep sense of ‘Afro-pessimism’ dominantly around the 1980s–2000s and replaced it with a more optimistic and at times even ‘Afro-euphoric’ outlook.
Remarkably by 2010, the continent made waves in international media outlets, publishing narratives with catchy headlines such as Life Africa, Rising Africa, and Imaging Africa among others.
This again raised hopes and expectations to lift the region’s ‘bottom millions’ out of poverty by 2030, though dogged by the question – how realistic that goal is.
Over a decade now and we are seeing contrasting headlines about this same continent once positioned on a global economic scale as a result of a resurgence of economic increase predominantly within the Sub-Saharan countries.
This raises a fundamental question of when will Africa get out of the doldrums. How have countries once known as front-runners of higher GDP growth fared in development trajectories? Do the current development parameters offer much hope for poverty eradication by 2030 as anticipated?
Countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Morocco among others with higher GDPs around that time had nominal growth of 11.3% in 2010, 14.05% in 2011 and 3.82% in 2010 respectively.
Ghana’s Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) had its agricultural sector perform reasonably with growth by 4.5 percent per annum over 1994–2013 as the cocoa sector also grew by 5.6 percent per annum over this period, coupled with one of the highest GDP growth now suddenly possesses the worst-performing currency in Africa.
What could have gone wrong? Why has optimism faded once again?
Protests against economic stagnation already began in mid-2021 in Accra. While some are saying the reason for this is not far-fetched, given the current Covid-19 pandemic coupled with the Russian-Ukrainian war happenings, others are questioning why the gains of 2010 -2012 have not been deepened to withstand such external events.
Does it mean that the macro gains of 2010 were not translated into individual gains of the citizens? Does it mean that individual citizens are being excluded from the macro expansion of the economy despite the regular mantra of inclusive development, social inclusion and the like?
Recounting the 1960 euphoria of independence that gave way to the 2010 economic pessimism within the continent and contrasting current realities. Problems of exclusion, economic underdevelopment, political instability, and ethnic tensions continued to pose difficulties for the continent.
Of course, the continent has made tremendous improvement over time. Politically Africa is more integrated than ever through institutions such as the ‘African Union’ and since the launching of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), emerging as a single, integrated market. However, is the continent confidently charting its course, has attained greater agency in world affairs and is poised to take up its rightful place in international
affairs?
It is high time we start questioning the definition of growth and the ways in which macroeconomic developments are translated in a way that leaves no one behind.
My answer still anchors hope on the kind of development that is inclusive. The kind of growth that raises the living standards for broad swathes of a population.
The kind of growth that will emphasise efficiency at the cost of inclusiveness and warns that inequitable growth may have
adverse political outcomes.
Such will help reduce social inequality and provide opportunities for enhancing human well-being while reducing the resource base and exacerbating the
climate vulnerability of these people.
The question is what ways can public governance succeed at inclusivity?
All large-scale gold mining firms in Ghana will, effective January 2023, have to sell 20% of their refined gold to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) before exporting.
This is to ensure that the government has enough gold to purchase petroleum products under the government’s gold for oil programme, which is also set to begin next year.
The government made this known in a letter addressed to the Minerals Commission and Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) dated
Wednesday, November 23, 2022.
“Effective 1 January 2023, all large- scale mining companies (as agreed with the Bank of Ghana) shall sell 20% of all refined gold at their refineries to the Bank of Ghana (in Ghana cedis) before the export of the gold. The Bank of Ghana and the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) will coordinate with the large-scale mining companies to ensure compliance with this directive,” the letter said.
“Effective 1 January 2023, all Community Mining Schemes (CMS) shall sell their gold outputs to Government through PMMC. All mining licences for CMS shall include a clause mandating licensees to sell their gold output to government.
“Effective 1st January 2023, all Licensed Small-Scale Gold Miners shall sell their gold to government through PMMC. All small-scale gold
mining licences shall include a clause mandating licensees sell their gold to government,” the letter read.
When implemented, the policy will fundamentally alter Ghana’s balance of payments and may significantly reduce the cedi’s persistent depreciation.
The policy, which is still at the negotiation stage, is expected to come into force by the second quarter of 2023, according to the Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia.
“The demand for foreign exchange by oil importers in the face of dwindling foreign exchange reserves results in the depreciation of the cedi and
increases in the cost of living with higher prices for fuel, transportation, utilities, etc.” he said.
He noted that, “to address this challenge, government is negotiating a new policy regime where our gold (rather than our US dollar reserves) will be used to buy oil products.
The barter of sustainably mined gold for oil is one of the most important economic policy changes in Ghana since independence.”
About 48 districts in six regions of the country will benefit from a US$450 million credit facility under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) project, which was launched in Bolgatanga.
The project is intended to support the northern parts of the Gulf of Guinea countries, which suffer instabilities owing to food insecurity, climate change, conflict,
and violence.
It will be implemented in the Upper East, Northern, Upper West, North East, Savannah, and Oti regions. Other countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin, will also benefit from the credit facility.
Launching the project in Bolgatanga, the Upper East regional capital, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia noted that “the project has been conceived and designed to address the effects of the spillover of conflicts and extremism from the Sahel region with its vulnerability, because of the exposure to the impact of
climate change, strengthen local institutions, improve economic opportunities, and build public trust.”
He also indicated that out of the total amount, US$150 million would be used to implement development projects in the 48 districts across the six regions.
The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, would ensure the implementation of the project in the districts.
Dr Bawumia said the project would focus mostly on communities in the Upper East Region, which has 15 municipalities and districts, and their residents, especially women and children, who are exposed to terrorist attacks.
“Thus the project focuses on dealing with issues relating to fragility, conflict, and violence. This is very significant as countries all over the world are pursuing strategies to address these challenges in view of the anticipated worsening of the situation if the necessary interventions are not promptly instituted,” he added.
While highlighting the relevance of this project, he cautioned the implementing agencies of the project both at the national and sub-national levels, stressing that implementation delays would not be tolerated.
He entreated implementers to remain committed to the due processes outlined in the project documents.
“Indeed, Ghana must ensure that the delivery of the project through the decentralised structures culminates in the outcomes and impacts contained in the
project appraisal document and implementation manual,” the Vice President said.
He also expressed profound gratitude to the World Bank for the credit facility, which is intended to complement the government’s efforts at building resilient humans.
On his part, the Country Director of the World Bank, Mr Pierre Frank Laporte, said the Bank was deeply committed to collaborating with the government through
the new Country Partnership Framework to address spatial and other inequalities, improve socio- economic and improve governance to promote inclusive growth and poverty reduction.
He further noted that the SOCO project has been designed to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable communities in the North to proactively prevent the
spread of conflict from the Sahel, reduce vulnerability to climate change, and strengthen local institutions.
The Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, Mr Daniel Kwaku Botwe, also pledged commitment to ensuring the project is properly supervised and completed in time.
“We will ensure that there is value for money and the aspirations of the people will be met. That is the assurance we can give,” he added.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has received criticism from Rev. Renault Amofa Danquah of the Asante Akyem Agogo Methodist Circuit for its prohibition on caning in elementary and senior high schools (SHS).
Speaking at the Wob3tumi Career Seminar at Asante Akyem Kurofa, Rev. Amofa urged GES to reconsider its “no-cane in school” policy, claiming that it has currently increased indiscipline amongst students.
As part of efforts to make pre-tertiary schools in the country safe and secure for teaching and learning, GES introduced the Safe Schools policy, which is explained as a school with zero tolerance for any form of violence such as bullying, sexual harassment, corporal punishment, and other forms of violence.
In 2017, Ghana Education Service (GES) officially banned all forms of corporal punishment on children in schools as part of efforts to promote a safe and protective learning environment for children.
However, the Akyem Rev is unhappy about the policy saying that if GES refuses to budge on its ban on caning, students would go wayward and the school’s role of instilling discipline and shaping character of students not only on academics would become a daunting task to do.
He added that children were getting away with a lot of things in the schools in the name of child abuse by their teachers, who are supposed to be correcting them.
Meanwhile, Founder of Matumi a Wob3tumi Career Seminar, Williams Amoako, also urged the youth in the country to strive hard for success, inculcating in
themselves the “Can Do Spirit” and advised the youth to be focused and determined in pursuing their dreams.
The ban was met with several concerns, with many saying the move would have a severe impact on the attitude of the youth.
It is also on record that some stakeholders in education, like Mr Angel Carbonu, President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), have suggested that the increase in indiscipline in schools can be attributed to a relaxation of the school discipline policy, and that that directive needs to be reviewed.
But Ghana’s education minister, Dr Yaw Adutuwm, thinks otherwise. He believes that, comparatively, canning “hasn’t gotten the Ghanaian student anywhere.”
In agreement, an educationist and Christian counsellor, Dr. John Boakye, also pointed out that studies have shown that corporal punishment does not correct
children or solve problems, it creates fear and hatred in them, which leads them to abuse others as a result.
Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu is concerned about the government’s decision to freeze public sector employment in 2023.
He fears this will compound the high youth unemployment situation in the country.
Expressing his grievances over the decision at a post-budget workshop at Ho in the Volta Region, Mr Iddrisu, charged the government to consider its impact on the youth of this country.
“Mr. Speaker, Ghana’s economy and as I listened to the Honourable Minister of Finance, the 2023 budget statement is replete with evidence that the government is simply ‘broke’ and the economy in crisis,” he said.
The concern follows the reading of the 2023 budget, dubbed the “Nkabom budget.”
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta, during the budget reading announced various policies aimed at “expenditure rationalisation” which included a freeze on hiring into the public and civil service effective January 2023.
Addressing the content of the budget, the Minority Leader, who doubles as the Tamale South MP, intimated that the budget was an indication of the highly distressed state of the country.
It is “an economy under life support that needs some resuscitation,” he stressed.
He contended that some of the interventions that the government is seeking to embark on, including the capping of enrolment of nursing and teacher trainees and the reduction of the size of convoys, would rather worsen the state of the economy.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu, on the other hand,explained that the shocks and the depreciation of the cedi have been major contributing factors to the current economic hardships, which the 2023 Budget seeks to tackle.
“These (COVID-19 and Russian-Ukraine war) have created internal and external imbalances in the clearly economic woes; high inflation and unsustainable financing of the current economic deficit and rapid depreciation of the cedi. Suddenly, these variables have brought a lot of hardships to the citizenry, particularly the poor and vulnerable,” he noted.
He added that the budget intends to alleviate the plight of Ghanaians through increased spending on social protection.
Government has defended its decision to privatise the Saglemi Housing Project.
According to the deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah, the decision is the best, given the current circumstances.
Speaking on Saturday, November 26, 2022, during Newsfile, he
explained that “the project is no longer affordable per the arrangement that has happened to it because if you divide $200 million by 10,000, you are going to get it at $10,000, and they reviewed it to 1,500 (housing units) which makes
it up (from) $40,000 to $50,000 per unit. So how affordable can
that be?”
“So in the present circumstances, the best option is to bring the
private sector in,” he said.
He, however, assured the citizenry that the government will be transparent in choosing a buyer.
The Saglemi Housing Project was initiated by the erstwhile Mahama Administration.
It was originally meant to be a 10,000 residential unit later
reviewed as a 5,000 unit facility to address the country’s housing
deficit.
However, after the Mahama administration left office, the project was abandoned and left to rot, despite various assurances by the current administration to complete it.
Government initially blamed its failure to complete it on lack of
financial resources.
In the latest development, the government, through the Works
and Housing Minister, Francis Asenso Boakye announced plans to privatise the project.
“Government has decided to – Explore the possibility of selling the Saglemi Housing Project, covering the 1,506 housing units, at the current value to a private sector entity to complete and sell the housing units to the public, at no further cost to the State,” Mr
Asenso-Boakye said at a press briefing in Accra.
“In furtherance of the above, and to facilitate the processes, a Technical Working Team has been set-up, comprising professionals and experts to oversee and spearhead all engagements required for the completion of the project.
This is being done with the goal of ensuring transparency and accountability, while guaranteeing value for money in the completion of the project,” he added.
Subsequently, the Minority in Parliament issued a caution to the
government to rescind its decision.
Minority Spokesperson for Works and Housing, Vincent Oppong
Asamoah argued that the project is viable therefore, “government should be compelled to look for funds to complete the project instead of privatisation.”
Delays in the promotion of teachers will soon be a thing
of the past, as the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has
charged the new Director General of the Ghana Education Service,
Dr. Eric Nkansah, to immediately take proactive measures aimed at
addressing challenges associated with the promotion of teachers.
It is no secret that the promotion of teachers has been a major concern for many stakeholders in the past few years.
Teachers continue to complain over the development which does not only stall their career progression, but also affect their livelihoods.
Following these concerns, the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei
Adutwum, has tasked Dr Nkansah to see to it that measures are
implemented to address the challenge.
“I don’t see the reason why we should hire somebody for six months, and they don’t have a staff ID and therefore, they are
not being paid. Obviously, they won’t be happy employees, and happy employees create happy classrooms where you get better
learning outcomes.
“So, the Director General has been tasked with the responsibility to
work with the teachers, unions and other organizations to ensure our teachers have what it takes so their payments would be processed in a timely fashion,” he said.
He made the remarks after paying a surprise visit to the Asem Cluster of Schools in Kumasi on Friday, November 25, 2022.
He further explained that “with those who have to go through promotion, not through the ranks (the lower ranks) or the beginning ranks, I want to make sure they prioritise it because it is not fair for somebody to teach for 2 years and promotion is due, they’ve done all the evaluation, but the document has not been sent to the headquarters for them to receive their promotion letters.”
“We have directed the GES to do whatever it takes. If they need
more staff, we will provide them with more staff to ensure teachers’ promotions are not delayed,” he added.
The World Bank may be approached by the government for financial support in order to complete the Pwalugu multipurpose dam project, according to the Vice President, Dr Bawumia.
It will be recalled that the government cut sod for the $993
million Sinohydro funded Pwalugu multifunctional dam project in
2019 with the goal of providing flood control, irrigation for year-round farming, and electricity.
But because of a lack of funding, the project has been put on hold.
In 2021, the consultant for the multi-purpose Pwalugu Dam, Prof.David Millar, expressed doubt about the project’s completion
within the government’s stipulated 48-month period.
On his part, the exclusion of the dam from the government’s budget shows no indication that it will be built.
He added that Ghanaians should reduce their expectations for the
completion of the dam, particularly due to the current economic hardship.
However, speaking at the launch of the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) project in Bolgatanga, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia mentioned that the project was faced with financial constraints, hence the urgent need to seek support from the World Bank.
According to the Vice President, the aforementioned project is one the government is keen on completing due to its numerous benefits, such as climate resilience, among others, which is another reason why he “believes the World Bank should really take a keen interest in it, and development partners as well.”
“One of the major projects that the government has a major intention to see happen in the Northern regions of Ghana because it will really impact climate resilience, food production, flood control, and so on, is the Pwalugu multipurpose dam project” Dr Bawumia noted.
He further went on to appeal to the World Bank, saying, “I want to put it on the table that we will be discussing this project further with you [the World Bank] so that we can see to its construction.”
In response, Naab Kasom Yelazoya, the Paramount Chief of Nangodi, praised the government’s initiative to work with the World Bank to hasten the construction of the dam and urged the World Bank to act quickly to address their situation.
“I would plead with the World Bank to respond to our call immediately to start the construction of the Pwalugu multipurpose dam. We taught the constitution of the dam would have come much earlier and so already we have lost so much time so we are pleading that the World Bank comes to our aid.”
The incumbent government approved US $700 million for the
construction of a multipurpose dam at Pwalugu in the Talensi District in 2019.
It is reported to be the largest investment any government has
ever made into infrastructure expansion in the northern sector since Ghana’s independence.
The construction of the dam will serve as a receptor, as it is expected to hold large volumes of water spilled from the Bagre Dam for irrigation purposes and the generation of electricity.
The minority in parliament has urged the government to seriously consider further lowering the e-levy rate to 0.5 percent and establishing a daily tax-free threshold of 300 cedis in order to gain their support.
Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, who made this appeal, noted that the minority caucus will vigorously advocate for the reduction in parliament.
Presenting the 2023 budget on Thursday, November 24, 2022, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced that the government was reducing the e-levy rate
from 1.5 percent to 1 percent and removing the 100 cedis tax-free daily threshold.
That means any amount transferred is taxable. The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu during the inaugural ceremony of the post Budget in Ho stated that such a review will worsen the hardship on the average Ghanaian.
Thus, he urged the government to reconsider the newly proposed rate and reduce it to a 0.5%“We will subject it to a further critical and thorough discussions
as a caucus but without going into the scenarios, as you look at your scenarios, consider for say of 0.5% at a threshold of ¢300 as compared to what you have admitted of 1%”.
Mr Haruna noted that his party had not yet made up its mind regarding the suggested increase of the VAT rate by 2.5 percent.
However, he cautioned that this can have a negative impact on businesses.
But according to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, the government’s inability to access the global market has made the measures crucial for raising domestic revenue.
He believes that these taxation policies are essential for saving Ghana’s economy from total collapse.
The Finance Minister has called on the MPs to rally their support for the measures suggested, so they can be passed on time. “It has become more urgent to
mobilise some domestic revenue as our access to the international market has been largely closed and our debt levels increased”,
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta had said on Thursday, November 24, during the 2023 budget presentation. The electronic transfer levy, popularly known as e-levy, was introduced in May 2022.
Ghana’s e-levy is a 1.5 per cent tax on the transfer amount of electronic transactions. The objective is to improve tax revenues by tapping into fast-growing digital financial services.
Hopeson Adorye, a former National Security Ministry official has lamented the circumstances under which he recently lost his job.
He states in one breath that he is unperturbed by the turn of events but also that his contributions to the party, particularly the rise to the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is well known.
Speaking for the first time about his dismissal on Oman FM’s Boiling Point programme last week, Adorye disclosed how he purportedly helped secure the Volta Region from vote manipulation by way of Togolese being brought into Ghana to vote for a particular party.
“You can testify that I was not seated behind the fence wall, I was in the thick of affairs. Ghana – Togo border operations,” he told host of the show, before adding: “I did it with four youth organizers in the Volta Region, we did it at the blind side of the regional executives.
“Because if we had informed them, they will claim they had plans to do it,” he added before narrating how it wasn’t until the day of vote in 2016 when he met the regional secretary at Kpando, then the secretary said they had gotten wind of his undisclosed operations.
He stated further that with his operation, the other party that usually brought illegal voters in, failed so to do: “We all saw the results in Volta Region, when they went to recruit voters, it was unsuccessful but this is my reward today?”
On his dismissal, he stressed: “I’m not a zombie, uncle, I was told that my support is not towards a particular camp so I should be dismissed, I have been dismissed. ‘Your appointment has been terminated with immediate effect. That is why I am stressing that God will cater for us, we will never die.
“I have left it all to God, we won’t sleep hungry. I know it is not my minister who will do this, Kan-Dapaah will not do this. But from what I am hearing, I pity those who issued the instruction,” he added.
The Deputy Energy Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, says government is ready to implement its gold-for-oil barter deal.
According to him, the country has enough gold in its reserve to exchange for oil in order to reduce the current skyrocketing prices of fuel.
He made this disclosure while contributing to discussions on JoyNews’ The Probe on Sunday.
“Gold mobilisation and gold purchases are everyday activities. And so we have looked at the market and the Bank of Ghana is already buying gold and they are able to do 50,000 ounces of gold a month. The PMC [Precious Mining Company] also purchase gold from small-scale miners and they are able to buy 160,00 ounces every month. And what we need is 205,000 a month.
“And so if you look at our oil bill vis-à-vis the worth of the gold we are able to mobilize monthly, there is no doubt that we’ll be able to get the required gold to exchange for the requirement of our petroleum products and so we are very confident that this is a policy we can implement without difficulties,” he said.
Government on Thursday revealed that it is negotiating a gold-for-oil barter deal to address the country’s “dwindling foreign exchange reserves” to procure oil products.
Since Vice, President Mahamudu Bawumia announced this, many have wondered if the necessary consultation have been held.
Addressing the matter, Dr Adam said that prior to the announcement of this new policy, government had engaged all relevant stakeholders.
He stressed that it is therefore on the back of positive feedback that the government was confident it can embark on the policy.
“We have been engaging the Bank of Ghana and we also have been talking to oil suppliers. Those who have been supplying petroleum products to our country. We also have been engaging gold refiners and brokers.
“And so extensive discussions and engagements have taken place over the last one month and this is why at this point we can implement that policy, hence, the announcement,” he explained.
Head coach of the Black Stars, Otto Addo, has revealed that the hunger of the players to play and succeed ahead of their next World Cup match in Qatar, is making it difficult for him to make decisions.
Addressing a pre-match presser ahead of the team’s Group H game against South Korea, he stressed that Ghanaians will see a more ‘passionate’ Black Stars.
He however disclosed that the enthusiasm of his troops is making it difficult for him to finalise his decisions.
“We will see a passionate team against South Korea. We will see this same passion they showed the last game. Everybody is hungry to play and training [well], making it difficult for me to make decisions”, Otto Addo said.
Meanwhile, coach, Otto Addo, has dismissed assertions that the team over-respected Portugal in their first World Cup clash at Doha’s 974 Stadium.
According to some critics, the team lost their opening Group H game because they were overwhelmed by the calibre of the Portuguese, forcing them to coil into their shells.
But reacting to these concerns, the Black Stars trainer stated in a presser on Sunday that his boys played without any intimidation.
According to him, even though the squad had some inexperienced legs, it did not affect their confidence against the star-studded Portuguese side.
Responding to a question from JoyNews‘ Gary Al-Smith, he said, “I don’t think it’s true. Our players did so well. I don’t think we over respected them”.
He continued, “For me, we showed that we could compete with them, even though we had a lot of inexperienced players.
Some even had their debuts in the last game against Switzerland, but they performed”.
In a match that saw what has been widely described as ‘unfair officiating’, the Black Stars lost by three goals to two against the Portuguese last Thursday, November 24.
After a goalless first half, the Portuguese drew first blood after Ronaldo converted a controversial penalty in the 65th minute.
The lead was soon canceled by Ghanaian skipper, André Dede Ayew in the 73rd minute, after tapping home from a pass by Ajax midfielder, Mohammed Kudus.
But the Portuguese took the lead again and deepened their dominance with goals from João Félix and Rafael Leão in the 78th and 80th minute respectively.
The Stars managed to close the gap with an 89th minute strike from substitute, Osman Bukari, heading home a cross from former Chelsea defender, Baba Rahman.
However, this was not enough to stop the team from conceding their first defeat in the tournament.
The team is therefore poised to make amends in their next match against South Korea, Otto Addo said.
Addressing the press, he said his charges are fired up for their second game in Qatar.
He said Ghanaians will see a passionate Black Stars team against South Korea on Monday.
Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has stated that some analysts and commentators have misinterpreted Ghana’s stated policy of using gold reserves to pay for oil as an attempt by Ghana to move away from the US dollar for international transactions.
Speaking at the 2022 AGI Awards in Accra, Dr Bawumia noted that on the contrary, Ghana’s gold for oil programme will give Ghana the space to accumulate more international reserves as the country will save the $3 billion it spends on oil imports.
He further stated that the use of gold was specifically for oil imports in the face of declining foreign exchange reserves.
“Unfortunately some people have misinterpreted this as Ghana being against the use of the US dollar in international transactions. Far from it. We want to accumulate more US dollar reserves in the future”, the Vice President noted.
Vice President Bawumia noted that a major source of cedi depreciation has been the demand for forex to finance our import of oil products and to address this challenge, Government, he said, is negotiating a new policy regime where sustainably mined gold will be used to buy oil products.
”If we implement the gold for oil policy as it as envisioned, it will fundamentally change our balance of payments and significantly reduce the persistent depreciation of our currency with its associated increases in fuel, electricity, water, transport and food prices.”
This, he noted, is because the exchange rate (spot or forward) will no longer directly enter the formula for the determination of fuel or utility prices since all the domestic sellers of fuel will no longer need foreign exchange to import oil products,” Dr. Bawumia said.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin believes that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta will take a cue from the ordeal suffered over the past few weeks.
Between a censure motion from the Minority and a decision by the Majority to kick him out of office, Mr Bagbin is sure that Ken Ofori-Atta has picked lessons for the future.
Ghana is currently at the doors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a possible $3 billion bailout amidst intensifying hardship, skyrocketing fuel prices, a rising cost of living and a depreciating cedi.
Ghanaians are reeling under this condition and have been calling for a pragmatic solution.
The Minority MPs insist that Ken Ofori-Atta, in this regard, has lost his grip on the country’s economy and must be axed.
Beyond that, majority of NPP MPs in the House are pushing for his removal, triggering crunch-time interventions from the party caucus and President Akufo-Addo.
With all these developments, the Speaker says Ken Ofori-Atta has learnt in a hard and unprecedented way.
“As he sits here, he has learned a bitter lesson. It is uncommon to come across members of your own party rise up in Parliament against your own minister. It’s uncommon,” he said on Sunday .
Members of Parliament will this week debate the 2023 budget statement presented last week and the Speaker of Parliament has a warning for government.
He cautioned government against using sheer bravado to push through their revenue measures, instead he thinks dialogue with the opposition may yield a common ground.
The Speaker says anything other than this will lead to acrimony and conflicts which will not augur well for the economy.
Meanwhile, the House awaits the report from the committee that probed the motion to subject Mr Ofori-Atta to a vote of censure.
Ghana’s Cardinal, His Eminence Cardinal Richard Kuuia Baawobr has died at age 63.
According to a statement issued by the Secretary General Missionary Of Africa, the Cardinal passed away on Sunday, November 27.
“Our confrere was taken by ambulance from the Generalate to the Gemelli Hospital at 5.45pm and we received the sad news at 6.25pm. May Richard rest in the peace of his Lord whom he so generously served,” parts of the statement read.
The Secretary General further commiserated with the late Cardinal’s family, diocese, his fellow bishops, and his friends.
Cardinal Kuuia Baawobr was hospitalised in August at the Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome shortly before the Vatican ceremony in which he was to receive a red biretta from Pope Francis.
He underwent a heart surgery during the period and was discharged on Friday, November 18 from Agostino Gemelli University Hospital/Policlinic where he had been transferred to on Saturday, October 15.
The 63-year-old received the title of cardinal while being treated in the Roman hospital. Pope Francis asked people to pray for Baawobr at the end of his homily for the consistory.
Baawobr was recently elected head of the African bishops’ conference, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), at the end of July.
He has led the Diocese of Wa, in northwest Ghana, since 2016, and is known locally for his charity and care for people with mental disabilities in a country where the stigmatization of mental illness is still high.
Six years ago he launched a diocesan street ministry that brings together parish volunteers and health care professionals to provide care and medical assistance for people with mental disabilities who have been abandoned by their families.
A former legislator, Fuseini Issah, has called on Ghanaians to be patient with the 2023 budget and the new policies announced in them.
While he believes the budget largely meets the needs of Ghanaians, Mr. Issah assured that the government would be open to feedback on its new policies.
“You try to implement it [policy], you get feedback, you put the feedback into the system until you perfect the policy,” the former MP said on The Big Issue on Citi TV.
“It is not the case that every policy, right on the onset, we are going to get right. It is a process, but what we need to do is put in the feedback and perfect the policies over time.”
“So these are really evolving things that we should be looking at as a nation,” Mr. Issah added.
Among the new policies proposed in the budget, which is likely to be implemented under an IMF programme, will be a freeze on public sector employment and new tax measures as the government moves to cut down expenditure and boost revenue.
Among the notable proposals, the Electronic Transfer Levy headline rate is to be reduced to 1 percent, Value Added Tax will be increased from 12.5 percent to 15 percent, the benchmark discount policy is to be fully phased out in 2023 and an additional income tax bracket of 35 percent is to be introduced.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged the citizenry to work hard to ensure Ghana keeps the prevailing peace and security to propel economic development.
He said those two ingredients were what investors looked out for in a country before investing their resources and that Ghana already had them, making the country an attractive investment destination, hence the need to protect same.
The President said this in a speech read for him by Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister of the Interior, who represented him at the 25th Anniversary of the coronation of Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti V, the Paramount Chief of Aflao, and the climax of the Godigbe Festival.
The festival was on the theme: “25 Years of Inspirational Leadership and the Restoration of the Rights and Privileges of the Aflawuawo.”
“The existence of peace and security are necessary prerequisites for economic development of the country. Ghana as a country has been blessed over time to remain stable and peaceful,” he said.
“For the last two consecutive years, Ghana has been noted as the second most peaceful country in Africa, behind the Island of Mauritius… I wish to, therefore, call on all of you to join hands in a collective effort to ensure that Ghana continues to be peaceful and safe for us all to achieve the goals of government.”
President Akufo-Addo commended the security agencies for their roles in keeping the peace and security of the country and assured them of providing them with all the necessary logistics to facilitate their work, and expressed the government’s commitment to the well-being of Ghanaians.
The government’s bold but difficult decisions had resulted in some gains, he said, notwithstanding the current challenges, adding that government would work to bring the country back to the road of prosperity.
The Godigbe Festival of the chiefs and people of Aflao and the coronation anniversary had former President John Dramani in attendance, as well as a delegation of chiefs from other parts of Ghana and the republics of Togo and Benin. They were treated to exciting cultural displays and music.
By a unanimous decision, the Oslo Court of Appeal, Norway composed of three Justices of Appeal (Pal Morten Andreassen, Irene Sogn and Rolf Ytrehus), has in a judgment dated Tuesday, November 22, 2022, dismissed an appeal filed by Messrs. Jongsbru AS, the sellers of a property identified by the Republic of Ghana for use as a chancery building in Oslo, Norway.
The Norway Court of Appeal considered an appeal by the appellant against the judgment of the Oslo District Court (High Court) in December 2021, dismissing its case and awarding damages and procedural costs in favour of Ghana.
After a retrial, the Oslo Appeal Court held Ghana to be “fully acquitted of all liability” and concluded that “a purchase agreement to which Ghana was a party could not be said to have been completed between the parties”. The Court awarded the sum of 1.5 million Norwegian Kroner (approximately 150 000 USD) payable by the appellant to Ghana as procedural costs incurred before the Court of Appeal. It further ordered the appellant to pay to Ghana 1 million Norwegian Kroner (approximately, 100 000 USD) as compensation for procedural costs at the High Court.
Facts of case
In 2018, Ghana decided to establish an embassy in Norway. The acquisition of a chancery building, either by purchase or by a lease, was deemed to be critical to the establishment of the embassy.
A delegation from Ghana identified a number of properties, including Sigyns Gate 3 at Frogner in Oslo, the property the subject matter of the litigation. On 22nd November 2018, Ghana received an offer from Jongsbru to buy the property for 100 million Norwegian Kronner. The offer had a deadline of seven days, i.e. by 29th November, 2018. On 29th November 2018, Ghana’s Charge d’Affaires, Regina Appiah-Sam, responded to Jongsrbu’s offer in these terms:
“On behalf of the Government of Ghana, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have the pleasure to accept the Offer with the following conditions:
1. … It is a condition for the acceptance of the Offer and the final contract, that the building is without significant defects and that the renovation work is completed and performed in a satisfactory manner.
2. Before take-over there is a final approval without conditions from relevant authorities for the use of the property as an Embassy.
3. Agreement on a final contract of sale. We accept that the contract shall be based on the Sem & Johnsen standard contract.”
Subsequent to due certification by Ghana’s appointed valuers that the building was without significant defects and that the renovation works on same had been completed and performed in a satisfactory manner, Ghana pulled out of the transaction on various grounds, including a failure on the part of the sellers to satisfy the condition of a final approval from the relevant Municipal authorities in Oslo for the use of the property as an Embassy.
The sellers of the property, Jongsbru AS, sued the Government of Ghana in the Oslo District Court claiming sums totalling about seventy-eight million Norwegian Kroner for breach of contract, loss of profits, interest and costs of litigation.
Original judgment of the District Court (High Court)
On 16th December 2021, the Oslo High Court upheld Ghana’s contention that on the issue of choice of law, the competence or legal capacity of Ghanaian officials to bind the Republic of Ghana must be decided according to Ghana law. Whereas the Government of Ghana had led evidence by the Director of the Legal Directorate of the Ministry of Finance to prove the content of Ghana’s financial and procurement laws, no attempt was made by the plaintiff to rebut same.
The Court found that Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, in accordance with section 20 of the State Property and Contracts Act of 1960, had the competence to bind Ghana in agreements involving her ministry.
This authority had not been exercised in the transaction in question. Neither the Charge d’Affaires of Ghana at the time, Mrs. Appiah-Sam nor Ghana’s lawyer, Mikkel Visllie had authority to enter into the agreement on behalf of Ghana. There was thus no valid or binding agreement between the sellers of the property and Ghana.
The Court further held that under Ghana law, the Public Procurement Authority must agree on the purchase of the property and the application of funds must also be approved by the Minister for Finance, before the Minister for Foreign Affairs must either personally execute the agreement for the purchase of the property or authorise another competent person by a power of attorney to execute the agreement. On the evidence provided by Ghana’s witnesses, this had not been done.
Regarding the claim against Ghana’s lawyer at the time of the purported sale, the Court found that the lawyer was fully responsible for the positive contractual interest in accordance with the Contracts Act of Norway. The Court was of the view that there is a particular reason for trusting lawyers who act on behalf of clients.
The Court found that the lawyer did not have any reasonable excuse for not ensuring that there was a power of attorney signed by Ghana before purporting to convey acceptance of the offer by Jongsbru. The Court thus ordered lawyer Mikkel Vislie who acted for Ghana and his insurance company, Tryg Forsikring to pay to Jongsbru the sum of thirty-seven million, seven hundred and twelve thousand, nine hundred and four Norwegian Kronner as compensation.
Appeal hearing
The Oslo Court of Appeal heard the appeal over four days – from 25th to 28th October, 2022, taking evidence from the witnesses of all the parties in the matter afresh. The hearing was observed by students of the Oslo Law School as part of their practical advocacy training.
Ghana’s Attorney-General, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, led a team from Ghana for the hearing. Mrs. Jennifer Lartey, Ghana’s ambassador to Norway, Mrs Regina Appiah-Sam, Charge d’Affairs at the time the embassy was opened, Charles Osei-Marfo of the Oslo mission, Ms. Doris Brese, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mrs. Mangowa Ghanney, former Director, Legal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, testified as witnesses for Ghana.
Judgment of the Oslo Court of Appeal
The Oslo Court of Appeal dismissed the appellant’s case in its entirety as unfounded and ordered to pay to Ghana 1.5 Million Norwegian Kroner (approximately 150 000 USD) as compensation for procedural costs incurred before the Court of Appeal. It further ordered Jongsbru to pay to Ghana 1 Million Norwegian Kroner (approximately 100 000 USD) for procedural costs incurred before the Oslo District Court.
The Court of Appeal observed that a prerequisite for the appellant’s claim was that the company had incurred economic loss as a result of Ghana’s decision not to finalize the sale. The appellant did not incur any such economic loss. On a proper application of the principles of offer and acceptance, Ghana could have withdrawn from the agreement (even if it was binding), as all conditions necessary for the performance of the contract had not been satisfied.
Regarding Ghana’s defence about a lack of approval by the Oslo Municipal authorities for the building to be used for an embassy, the Appeal Court found that based on the evidence presented by Ghana concerning the appellant’s belated attempts to apply for the said permission and the municipality’s responses, it was clearly established that no such permission would have been received by the relevant date for the contract to take effect, and therefore Ghana could have withdrawn from the agreement. The purchase would in no case have materialised, and the appellant would not have received the purchase price from Ghana, for a claim of economic loss to be validly asserted.
The Oslo Appeal Court noted further, that, the condition regarding authorization by the municipal permission to use the property as chancery, was vital to the purchase, and that, only Jongsbru, not Ghana, had any control over whether the condition would be met or not. Further, the consequences of the condition not being met, was set out specifically in the agreement.
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the appeal and hoped that it would mark the end of the dispute. Mr. Dame explained that, under Norwegian civil procedure rules, any civil judgment of the Court of Appeal may be appealed to the Supreme Court but the hearing of the appeal is not as of right.
A panel of three Supreme Court judges must first determine whether to allow the appeal to be heard by the Norway Supreme Court and explicitly allow same to be heard, before the court will be required to consider or hear it and then proceed to give a judgment on it.
“If the panel does not allow the appeal to be heard, the appeal terminates without any further processes at the Supreme Court. The ground on which the Norwegian Supreme Court will hear an appeal is where a new and major issue of law is raised in the matter and the court feels obligated to give legal clarity on the position. The Norway Supreme Court does not hear an appeal on matters concerning the facts or evidence in a civil matter,” Dame concluded.
The Mayor of Accra, Elizabeth Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey has appealed to stakeholders in the movie industry to consciously mentor the young and upcoming talents for a sustainable movie industry.
According to her, to create a generation of great actors who can sustain themselves in the industry, stakeholders must mentor upcoming talents.
The Mayor said this on Saturday, at the opening of the Spanish Film Festival held at the Omanye Aba Hall at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
The Spanish Film Festival which is being organized by the Embassy of Spain in Ghana in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture sought to revive the creative art industry, particularly the movie sector, and forge a mutually rewarding relationship between Ghana and Spain.
“I am so pleased that all of you have contributed to maintaining the film industry, and I believe that much more can be done… To assist us to create a generation of great actors who can sustain themselves in the industry, I implore you to continue to help perfect their craft and manage the affairs of the young stars coming up,” she said.
She expressed joy at efforts by key players in the filmmaking industry to improve the sector and stressed the need to leverage the existing relationship between Spain and Ghana to address through movies, issues of violent crime, climate change, youth unemployment, and irregular migration.
“I am also excited that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and other relevant stakeholders who mattered in the value of the creative arts chain have all gathered here this evening to forge a closer alliance for the mutual development of our film industries, ”
She used the opportunity to call for collaboration between the two countries to project their cultural values whilst expressing the AMA’s readiness to work with the Spanish embassy to address developmental issues in the city of Accra.
Some personalities who graced the festival include the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, as well as players in the Ghanaian movie industry among others.
The festival began on November 19 in Accra with the showing of a film titled Las Niñas (The Schoolgirls) and will travel to Kumasi and Tamale before coming to an end on Thursday, December 8.
Other films which will be screened include Yuli which shows tomorrow, November 25, at the Centre for National Culture(CNC), Kumasi at 6 pm, and on December 2, Alliance Francaise, Kumasi, will treat patrons to Un Novio Para Yasmina(A Boyfriend for Yasmina) at 5 pm.
Renowned investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has refuted dismissed allegations of extortion and blackmail against him after releasing his latest exposè the “Galamsey economy”.
A statement signed by the Ghanaian journalist said “some persons have resorted to mudslinging and lies” against its CEO Anas following the release of the undercover documentary that led to the dismissal of a Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen.
Mr Adu Boahen was sacked after the investigative prior to the airing of the investigative piece. He is currently the subject of an investigation by Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng.
“Tiger Eye PI notes, that, these are antics by the perpetrators of corruption and their collaborators, to distract from the facts of our recent exposé…we challenge anyone with evidence of crime against Anas Aremeyaw Anas, to without hesitation, make same available to the relevant state authorities.”
“To reiterate without equivocation, Tiger Eye PI has NEVER, either through its agents or third parties, demanded monies from persons busted by Tiger Eye PI in the cause of our work, including the Number 12 and Galamsey Fraud exposés for the stories to be dropped.
“Per the internal operating procedures and integrity mechanisms within Tiger Eye, it’s IMPOSSIBLE for any of our agents to demand bribes to drop a story. The sheer frivolity and incoherence of these allegations have been exposed times without number by Tiger Eye PI.”
Below is the full statement:
TIGER EYE RESPONDS TO ALLEGATIONS OF EXTORTION AND BLACKMAIL
Following the release of the Galamsey Economy exposè which focused on exposing the pervasive rot that is affecting the economy and investor confidence in Ghana, some persons have resorted to mudslinging and lies against the CEO of Tiger Eye PI, Anas Aremeyaw Anas. A video, made up of rehashed allegations from 2018 have been circulated on social media networks and other messaging platforms. Tiger Eye hereby responds to the contents of the said video, containing details which we have refuted on countless occasions.
Tiger Eye PI dismisses all the allegations including extortion and blackmail against Anas Aremeyaw Anas. These allegations are imagined and fabricated, with no basis in reality. Tiger Eye PI notes, that, these are antics by the perpetrators of corruption and their collaborators, to distract from the facts of our recent exposé. It also merits the question: why do such allegations only surface when there is an exposé?
In the said video, Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi’s wife is seen and heard, sometime in 2018 on Metro TV, alleging that some persons had contacted her husband to pay some amount of money ($100,000) in order to drop the #12 exposé. When this allegation was first made, Anas Aremeyaw Anas challenged Mr Nyantakyi and his wife to sue him or whoever did what they’re alleging, or report him/her to the police for extortion if they think their stale allegation is true (https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Sue-me-for-extortion-blackmail-if-I-asked-for-100k-bribe-Anas-dares-Nyantakyi-s-wife-703414). It’s however important to note that, she, as well as the trumpeters of the said allegation, fail to mention anyone’s
name. As we speak, Mr Nyantakyi is standing trial for fraud and corruption. If this allegation were true, it would be absurd that he would not go any length to put whoever made those demands for bribes before the law especially when through Tiger Eye’s anti-corruption operations, he has lost his job.
It’s important to note that, the champion of these spurious allegations, Mr Kennedy Agyepong (also seen in the video), who splashed the photos of the late Ahmed Suale on his NET 2 TV prior to his assassination, is in court with Anas Aremeyaw Anas in a defamation suit. When he challenged the professional integrity of Anas as a lawyer at the General Legal Council, he was handed a defeat. Again, he has already lost the first round of defamation suit against him by Mr Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, where the court found his allegations to be unfounded and empty.
In the video, portions show Mr Charles Bissue’s false claims. Tiger Eye refuted his false claims recently, extensively. (https://www.myjoyonline.com/full-text-anas-vs-charles-bissue-on-galamsey-deals/). We reiterate that those claims of demands for bribes to drop the Galamsey Fraud exposé, are false and without merit.
It’s interesting that whenever these claims are made, those alleging fail to mention specific names nor produce evidence to buttress their claims. They don’t also take bold steps to report such things to law enforcement agencies for them to be dealt with per law. This should alert every watcher, that, these claims are wanton and must be treated as such.
In the video, a man in a cornrow whom another claimed was Anas, was being accused of land grabbing. On humanitarian grounds, we wish to iterate that circulating videos of persons and tagging them as ANAS could put innocent persons at risk as they might get caught up and targeted in a case of mistaken identity. We further wish to state for the record that Anas Aremeyaw Anas, CEO of Tiger Eye has NEVER forcefully or illegally dispossessed anyone of his/her land and hasn’t been involved in an altercation as being purported. No court has found him guilty of illegal land expropriation.
Tiger Eye is fully aware that this particular allegation is being championed by one Kweku Annan who was sacked from NET 2 for professional misconduct. Suffice to say, Kweku Annan was exposed by Tiger Eye demanding bribes to spew lies about Anas Aremeyaw Anas (https://www.adomonline.com/fallout-from-12-radio-broadcaster-admits-taking-money-accuses-anas-of-bad-faith/). Subsequently, Tiger Eye took him to the National Media Commission (NMC) for redress on his allegations (https://www.graphic.com.gh/sports/sports-news/video-anas-petitions-nmc-to-investigate-hot-fm-presenter-for-unethical-media-practice.html), where he couldn’t substantiate a single claim, leading to the issuance of a restraining order against him by the NMC. Once again, we challenge anyone with evidence of wrongdoing in the nature of unlawful expropriation of lands to proceed to the appropriate State agency for further action.
To reiterate without equivocation, Tiger Eye PI has NEVER, either through its agents or third parties, demanded monies from persons busted by Tiger Eye PI in the cause of our work, including the Number 12 and Galamsey Fraud exposés for the stories to be dropped. Per the internal operating procedures and integrity mechanisms within Tiger Eye, it’s IMPOSSIBLE for any of our agents to demand bribes to drop a story. The sheer frivolity and incoherence of these allegations have been exposed times without number by Tiger Eye PI.
Tiger Eye PI, has at all times, after its investigations, taken extra steps to assist relevant State authorities to investigate the findings of our investigations. Anas Aremeyaw Anas has testified in courts, has been cross examined, and has been a subject of multiple suits for his works. None of these suits, since the over two decades of dedicated service to uncover crimes, has been successful.
We challenge anyone with evidence of crime against Anas Aremeyaw Anas, to without hesitation, make same available to the relevant State authorities.
Tiger Eye PI remains unwavering in its commitment to fight graft and crimes using sting operations (Anas principle), and absolutely nothing, be they threats or baggage of spurious allegations, will stop us from holding duty bearers accountable in the interest of God and Country.
A Volta Regional Environmental Health Officer, Stella Kumedzro has urged households in the region to strive to own toilets as a grace period for doing so is about to end.
The Environmental Health Department in the region is shifting the timelines for the implementation of a planned prosecutorial regime that would eliminate dependence on public toilets by ensuring each home had a decent facility.
This had become important as the region advance in status with several districts being elevated into municipals, while its tag as a tourism hub continue to grow in prominence.
The environmental health head, who was engaging the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the World Toilet Day Celebration, said household latrines would lose their pressure and be made more fitting and available for visitors.
Madam Kumedzro said the Region, therefore, needed to do more to increase sanitation coverage beyond the present 54 per cent, and that lots would be cast in enforcing household latrine ownership.
“The Regional Environmental Health Department advises the public, especially in the Volta Region, to use this grace period to construct and use household latrines. Enforcement and prosecutions will start soon.”
She said the Department would clamp down on improper waste management and disposal, as it moved to protect water and other natural resources.
“Cesspool emptiers discharging at unauthorized places would be dealt with. Landlords that construct sceptic tanks into public drains would be dealt with. We would be protecting our groundwater.
‘As a responsible landlord, father, citizen, we need household toilets. Household toilets come with handwashing facilities. Lets all use safe and hygienic toilets to stay healthy.”
She noted the global daily death toll from poor sanitation, which stood at 4,500, while two thirds of worldwide OPD cases remained sanitation related.
It also claims 58 per cent of deaths among children under five years globally.
“If we can manage our excrement, cut down on our waste, and enhance healthy living and wellbeing… toilets mean safety, toilets mean security. Toilet is convenient and toilet is dignity. Own one and use one.
This year’s World Toilet Day was held on the theme “Making the Invisible Visible,” and the regional office highlighted the celebration with the award of a certificate to the Mawuli Estates in Ho for becoming a first open defecation free community in the Municipality.
The award comes under an Urban Sanitation Program by UNICEF, which supported Assemblies in three Regions- Tamale, Ashaiman and Ho, to enhance sanity outcomes.
She said “Ho is the only one to produce an ODF community, and it is worth celebrating.
The project, funded by the Government of the Netherlands, supported the Ho Municipality, regional capital, in the construction of a liquid waste treatment plant, which was also commissioned for use on the day.
The REHO said series of engagement and numerous sensitisation activities would be undertaken going forward, while noting a highly engaging year as the Region worked to keep COVID-19 at bay.
“The Office seeks to ensure the Region is rid of filth. We must promote health, protect lives, and prevent diseases,” she stressed.
A father-of-three drowned in a river in Ghana after falling from a water bike, an inquest has found.
Iwan Gwyn, 49, from Llanaelhaearn, Gwynedd, disappeared on December 30 while with friends and family in Ghana, where he lived at the time.
His body was found by fishermen on the Volta River near Alorkpem island, close to the capital city Accra.
Coroner Sarah Riley recorded a conclusion of accidental death at the inquest in Caernarfon.
She said: “It appeared Iwan had an unwitnessed fall from the Jet Ski. He’d probably hit his head after it happened.”
A provisional post-mortem examination, held in Ghana, concluded Mr Gwyn died from asphyxiation or drowning, and a potential blunt head injury.
Mr Gwyn, a quantity surveyor who had lived in Ghana for nine years, was married to Annie and had three children – Ben, Megan and Laura.
In January the family said Iwan “will be deeply missed by everyone” adding that the support they had received had been “comforting for the whole family”.
The former rugby player had supported Pwllheli RFC since he was a child.
Paying tribute, the club called his death “tragic”.
National Chairman of Ghana’s largest opposition party-National Democratic Congress, NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo says withdrawal from the grisly by-election at Ayawaso West Wuogon was the best decision which he has not regretted because it saved lives.
On January 31, 2019, hooded masked National Security Operatives armed to the teeth and deployed in Police armored vehicles invaded the Bawaleshie Presbyterian polling station, attacked and shot some supporters of the NDC during the by-election that saw the New Patriotic Party’s Member of Parliament, Lydia Alhassan, elected after the death of her husband, Mr. Kyeremanteng Agyarko, who was the incumbent MP at the time.
Six supporters of the NDC sustained serious gunshot wounds whilst dozens suffered minor injuries.
NDC immediately withdrew from the election
Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has since been accused by his critics in the party of being a coward hence does not deserve to lead the party into a crucial election such as the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
However, speaking to the media in Koforidua on Thursday, November 24, 2022, after meeting 16 constituencies as part of his campaign tour in the region, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo stated that, the withdrawal from the by-election was tactical decision taken in consultation with security experts in the party to protect lives of unarmed NDC supporters in the face of rampaging riffle wielding national security operatives.
“I have led so many by-elections in this country. Ayawaso West Wuogon was a different election. It was the only time state security agencies armed with assault riffle hunted down on Innocent people who were only going to vote. I will put the lives of my party people always first beyond any other consideration so that decision was not a unilateral decision.It was a decision I took in consultation with the party’s national security system -Naval Captain Asaase Gyiamah was the chairman of our national security committee, Totobi Quachie was immediate past minister of National Security in our government and so these are people who were even with me when I was announcing our withdrawal, and other Senior people”.
He said, as a result of that decision Emil Short Commission was set up to investigate the violence which also led to passage of legislation disbanding vigilantism in Ghana’s politics.
“Government was put under pressure to pass a law against vigilantism and other offences and in 2020 vigilantism and vigilante activities were not seen in polling stations that is as a result of the tactical withdrawal from the by-election to save lives and properties”.
Samuel Ofosu Ampofo believes election is not a war to deploy thugs to cause mayhem but building resilient party structures at the grassroot to regional level will rather repel anything detrimental to the party.
“Obama said we don’t need strong personalities but we need strong institutions. What I am doing is to build resilient institutions at the branch level, ward level, constituency level, and at the regional level after all you don’t need one strong person to be in all 275 constituencies on election day. You can’t get one strong person to be in 40,000 polling stations on election day. You need strong structures, strong people that we will train”
He added “Will train the party agents one year before the election. We will build their capacity and give them the knowledge. Elections are won at the polling stations. You don’t need a machoman to win an election. You need a strategic person, a person who understands electoral system to do things right “.
Mr. Ampofo said he has led the party to establish security and intelligence desk, and attached legal experts to all Constituencies as part of preparation towards 2024 elections since the party and John Dramani Mahama have taken a position not to go to the Supreme court again.
Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo (born March 10, 1962) is an experienced politician who has passed through the ranks serving as an assembly member, and District Chief Executive for Fanteakwa North before becoming a Member of Parliament for the area.
He is also a former Eastern Regional Minister and served as Minister for Local Government and rural Development. He is also a former National Organizer and currently National Chairman of the NDC seeking reelection for a second term but facing fierce contest from another experienced politician currently the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia aspiring to annex the position.
However, Mr.Ofosu Ampofo says he is confident of winning the election having led the party to improve its performance from 4.8 million votes to about 6.3million votes in 2020 presidential election, increased parliamentary seats from 106 to 137, and annexed the speaker of Parliament position for the party.
He added that under his leadership, retreats have been organized for constituency and regional executives, party reorganization conducted ensuring that branches and wards of the party are activated towards 2024 polls.
A twenty-year-old boy is in the custody of police in Damongo for allegedly kidnapping an 8-year-old girl.
The suspect who has been identified as Nicholas was reportedly arrested and handed over to the police after several hours of manhunt.
The incident occurred on Thursday, November 24, 2022, at Alhassan-Kura a suburb of Damongo in the West Gonja Municipal of the Savannah Region.
He is said to have gone around the victim’s house at about 10:00pm where the victim was playing under a street light with four other kids.
The suspect reportedly gave the kids Gh¢1.00 each and asked the victim to follow him under the guise of giving her a higher amount.
Allegedly, he lured the minor into a nearby bush which happens to be a cemetery where indigenes of Damongo are laid to rest.
Explaining the incident to GhanaWeb, the Assembly member for the area, Sumaila Rashid Atalia disclosed that the suspect lured the victim using noodles and chicken.
He narrated that the victim at one point got scared and tried screaming but the suspect threatened to kill her if she dares raises an alarm.
The four kids who were left behind upon seeing her being taken into the bush sensed danger and rushed to inform the victim’s family whose house was a stone’s throw away.
The family of the victim after getting wind of the information raised an alarm and quickly mobilized members of the community to find her.
After hours of searching, suspect Nicholas was apprehended with the victim in the middle of the cemetery under a tree.
According to Assembly Man, it took extra effort to restrain members of the community from manhandling the suspect.
The suspect he said was taken to the police station whiles the victim was taken to St. Anne’s hospital for medical examination.
Meanwhile, the Damongo police commander was unavailable to speak on the matter but a source within the command confirmed the incident to GhanaWeb but declined to give further details.
The victim (name withheld) in an exclusive interview immediately after the incident disclosed that the suspect tried having an affair with her before the search team pounced on him.
Also, Infuriated members of the community who spoke to GhanaWeb on condition of anonymity registered their displeasure at the Assembly Man over they what they described as his refusal to allow them to kill the suspect.
They served notice that they won’t spare any suspect of any crime when arrested next time.
Members of Parliament have commended the Black Stars for their performance in their World Cup match against Portugal.
Even though Ghana lost 2 goals to 3, the MPs said they put up a good performance during the match.
Member of Parliament for South Tongu, Kobena Mensah Woyome, in his statement on the floor, congratulated the team for being able to hold their opponent to a 3:2 scoreline.
Former Sports Minister, Isaac Kwame Asiamah in reference to the referee awarding a penalty against Ghana, said it affected the progress of the team.
He said the officiating has come to question and he will urge the Black Stars to do more concentration on the field of play.
“Going forward, next two matches, we urge the Black Stars to know that as Azumah Nelson once said, ‘bring your mother as a referee and I’ll still beat you’ that should be their mindset and we are happy they are doing the needful, they are protesting to FIFA.”
Member of Parliament for Talensi, Benson Tongo Baba also urged the players, and technical handlers to put the defeat behind them and look forward to the matches ahead of them.
He also called on Ghanaians to continue to support the team.
“Let us see that this should be the beginning for things to change in this country that we should work together as one nation with a common destiny.” He said.
Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu said Portugal did not deserve the win.
“Mr Speaker, the right thing to do is to congratulate Portugal as winners undeservingly. They don’t deserve the victory because we were robbed of our victory by poor officiating and not just the penalty awarded in favour of Ronaldo even the second goal of Portugal by VAR is kind of offside goal if you observe it but it was not confirmed.”
He urged the team to concentrate on their match, adding that the coach did not need to make any changes during the match.
He said they are proud of the Black Stars so far.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the second half was very explosive and the best so far in the tournament, adding that Ghana lost to the referee and not to Portugal.
“We lost to the referee and not to Portugal. Mr Speaker, in such instances the VAR will be resorted to. Who were the people manning the VAR system? Such that the referee was not prompted because clearly the two players went for the ball and they touched the two feet of the two players almost at the same time and there was no tangle. So how come did the referee whistle for a penalty against Black Stars and the people manning the VAR system did not prompt the referee? It wasn’t a conspiracy against Africa? Mr Speaker, the temptation to arrive at this conclusion is there for everybody.” He said
The Black Stars lost their opening Group H game 3-2 to Portugal at Stadium 974 on Thursday, November 25, 2022.
The first Portuguese goal which was a penalty has reportedly triggered a petition to FIFA to investigate the conduct of the referee.
Former Deputy Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu has alleged that holders of government bonds will not be paid any interest for the whole of 2023.
Speaking in an interview on Good Morning Ghana, monitored by GhanaWeb, Kwakye Ofosu also said that foreigners who have invested in government bonds will also see their investment slashed.
He urged Ghanaians who live on interest from bonds they have invested in to prepare themselves for a hard time because the ‘haircut’ the government has denied will be happening.
“It is almost cast in stone that external bondholders are going to suffer a 30 percent cut in their principal and a 20 percent cut in their coupon rate or interest rate. The maturity date for their bonds will be extended by 20 years.
“For domestic holders, for the whole of 2023 there will be no interest payment, In 2024 they will get 5 percent, (and) in 2025 they will get 10 percent. This is not what you agreed with them, this is a haircut,” he said.
He accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of lying to Ghanaians when he said his government would buy off government bonds at rates lower than their expected returns, i.e., “haircut on Government bonds.”
“… the president of Ghana has stood on national television and told us that there will be no haircuts. So even the credibility of this government is in tatters. You cannot believe what the president tells you,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance has announced the government is looking into the possibility of conducting a debt operation that will cover the terms of payments of principal and interest on public debts (government bonds) – ‘Haircut’.
The ministry indicated that the move will help reduce the pressure on the government’s budget and also make the nation’s debts sustainable.
In a press release dated November 24, 2022, the ministry added that it will announce details of the debt operation in due course.
According to Mavis Hawa Koomson, the minister for fisheries and aquaculture development, negotiations are well underway to ensure that Togo, Liberia, and Benin approve the adoption of closed seasons in respective fisheries sectors.
The only neighboring nation at the moment to use the closed season is Ghana.
Speaking at a forum at the ongoing Fish Festival in Accra on Thursday 24 November,Madam Koomson said the initiative will help sustain and rebuild depleted fish stocks across the region.
“Benin and Togo have already confirmed that what I said was true and so it is something we’ve had discussions with them. Liberia is also ready to join.
“But I promise you that next close season we will not even see a bird on the sea because other countries are observing close season,” Koomson said.
The sector minister warned that anyone who violates the law would be dealt with accordingly once the patrol boats start operating.
According to her, the ministry will increase vigilance to combat illegal activities which might threaten the sustainability of the sea.
“Anyone who has planned to be stubborn would be arrested when the patrol team starts operating,” Koomson said, calling on local chiefs and community leaders to help develop the aquatic sectors in Ghana.
30 Ghanaian businesses have received government assistance in obtaining certificates of origin that will allow them to begin trade within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The (Ghana) National AfCFTA Coordination Office, which acts as the country’s contact with the AfCFTA Secretariat, will provide assistance to the approved businesses.
The businesses are among the 230 potential exporters who have been identified and who will be assisted in understanding AfCFTA processes, procedures, and protocols as they create their export-ready products.
A certificate of origin is a document which attests that a product listed has met certain criteria to be considered as originating in a particular country.
It is issued by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI).
The National Coordinator at the (Ghana) National AfCFTA Coordination Office, Dr Fareed Kwasi Arthur, who made this known at the opening of a workshop in Accra yesterday, said two out of the 30 firms had been exporting under AfCFTA since October this year.
The two — Benso Oil Palm Plantation Limited and KEDA Ghana Ceramics Company Limited — exported palm oil products to Kenya and ceramics to Cameroon, respectively.
He said the coordination officer assisted the companies to meet the necessary protocol for the shipment of their consignments.
Dr Arthur said under the initiative, a company needed a certificate of origin issued by a competent authority, such as the Customs Division and the GNCCI.
He said the certificate of origin accompanied the consignment to help the authorities of the designated country determine whether or not the goods were from a member country under the agreement.
The coordinator said the issuance of the certificate was also to ensure that goods or products to be shipped met the necessary requirements under the protocol.
Official trading
Dr Arthur explained that trading under AfCFTA formally started on January 1, last year, with Kasapreko Company Limited and Ghandour Cosmetics Limited shipping their products within the African continent to test the process.
However, he said, official trading commenced on October 7, this year, making it the world’s largest free trade area in terms of participating member states after the formation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
He said the AfCFTA initiative had great economic, trade, as well as social, advantages for Africa if the continent advanced in infrastructure connectivity.
Maximising gains
Dr Arthur said the country had also put in place other institutional frameworks to help maximise gains from the initiative, including the establishment of the AfCFTA inter-ministerial committee, a national steering committee and technical working groups on all the seven clusters for boosting intra-African trade.
Additionally, he said, it had designed the AfCFTA National Action Plan and the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS) meant to help revitalise the country’s export development efforts, with a strong focus on Africa’s over 1.2 billion consumer market.
The workshop
The two-day workshop, being organised by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), seeks to build the capacities of participants on AfCFTA.
It is meant for 30 participants, who are mainly affiliates of TUC.
It features topics such as trade investment, decent work and the role of trade unions in influencing trade policies.
A Senior Technical Specialist at the ILO, Inviolata Chinyangarara, said trade unions were critical in the development of national policies across the globe.
She explained that the voices of trade unions needed to be heard to influence trade and investment policies.
“We are happy to collaborate with the TUC to build the capacities of its affiliate on the AfCFTA initiative,” she added.
A Deputy Communications Director of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Abdul Kamal Deen has said that the government acknowledges that times are hard for Ghanaians hence, drastic measures taken in the 2023 budget statement.
Speaking on the Big Issue with Roland Walker on TV3 Friday November 25 while discussing the budget presentation, he said regarding the embargo placed on employment into the public and civil service that it means “those who have reached retirement age must go for them to be replaced.”
He added “drastic measures needed to be introduced, times are are hard, we have had the president acknowledging that fact, Finance Minister acknowledging, Vice President acknowledging that we are not in normal times.”
The Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta announced in the 2023 budget a freeze on employment into the civil and public service.
He also said there shall be no new government agencies established in 2023.
He said these while presenting the budget in Parliament on Thursday November 23.
Mr Ofori-Atta said as a first step toward expenditure rationalisation, government has approved a number of directives which takes effect from January, 2023.
These are “All Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and State-Owned-Enterprises (SOEs) are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs by 50%. This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation including coupons, electronic cards, chit system, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous years (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs;
“A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross country travel. All
government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from
January 2023; Limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles;
“Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be
allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members.”
The Finance Minister added “Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023 by mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff; As far as possible, meetings and workshops should be done within the official environment or government facilities; Government sponsored external training and Staff Development activities at the Office of the President, Ministries and SOEs must be put on hold for the 2023 financial year; Reduction of expenditure on appointments including salary freezes together with suspension of certain allowances like housing, utilities and clothing, etc.;
“A freeze on new tax waivers for foreign companies and review of tax exemptions for free zone, mining, oil and gas companies; A hiring freeze for civil and public servants, No new government agencies shall be established in 2023; There shall be no hampers for 2022; There shall be no printing of diaries, notepads, calendars and other promotional, merchandise by MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs for 2024; All non-critical project must be suspended for 2023 Financial year.”
An Accra High Court has remanded into prison custody Huang Lei and another Chinese National for immigration offenses.
Appearing before the criminal court 5 presided by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, prosecution noted that the accused person was arrested on September 2, 2022 at their residence in Kumasi.
Per the statement of facts the two are standing trial over the expiration of resident permits, contrary to Section 20(1) and 52(1)(D) of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573); possession of ammunition without lawful authority contrary to section 11 of the arms and ammunitions Act, 1972, NCD 9, and possession of a forged official document contrary to section 166 of the criminal and other Offences Act, 1960, Act 29.
“A search conducted in the room of the first accused person (Huang Lei) revealed among other things, eight (8) packs of Eley shotgun cartridges, containing about two hundred and fifty (250) pieces of ammunition. He was not able to provide a valid licence for them,” Watkins Adama, a State Attorney told the court on Thursday.
The prosecution also indicated that the second accused person Huan Hiahua had in his possession a Chinese passport with forged residence permit. During the arrest, the prosecution added that Jian Li Hau a purported girlfriend of the son of Aisha Huang was picked up for suspected illegal mining activities.
The court remanded Huang Lei ans Huan Hiahua into prison custody. The case has been adjourned to December 13 for case management.
