Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, has urged the wife of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Prof Angela Ofori-Atta, to advise her husband to step down from his position.
According to her, Prof Ofori-Atta should advise her husband to resign because everything shows that Ofori-Atta has lost control of Ghana’s economy, and he is now becoming an embarrassment.
Lawyer Serwaa Asamoah added that Ofori-Atta had made enough money that can take care of his generation yet to be born and so he should not be worried about losing his job.
“… he (Ofori-Atta) can’t do the job; none of his actions shows that he can do the job, so why is the president keeping him at post. So, should Ghana collapse because of one person?
“For the past six years, the money you have made can take care of your children, your great-grandchildren and your great, great-grandchildren. So, why all this fuss? What does he (the finance minister) want in addition?
“… he is disgracing his wife and his children. The woman who is the wife of Ofori-Atta is being disgraced too much. You (the Ofori-Atta family) must speak to him so that he will accept that he has to resign,” she said in Twi in an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb.
Meanwhile, the over 80 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament who demanded that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo relieve Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta have reiterated their decision.
According to the MPs, they are not in agreement with President Akufo-Addo’s request for Ofori-Atta to read and see the 2023 budget through appropriation.
The MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Nana Ayew Afriyie, who spoke on behalf of the over 80 MPs in Parliament on Thursday (November 10), said that they have decided that Ofori-Atta should not be the one to read the budget or lead the subsequent process.
“Over the days, we have heard the finance minister speaking, and his speaking has influenced majority of us in the caucus, not only to state that we are back to the original position that we took, and that position is that the minister of finance must not be the one to read the budget, and must not be the one that would do the appropriation.
“We are here to tell you this morning that our position will be very soon for you to see, and we will be positively defiant about that posture until action is taken,” he said.
Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader of Parliament, has stated that those who advocate for him to be the next presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are leading him into temptation.
He claimed that, while these people have good intentions, such a suggestion will only lead him into temptation.
He was responding to a suggestion made by some Ghanaians who claim to be Suame members in the United Kingdom for him (Kyei-Mensah) to run in the presidential primaries.
However, the lawmaker told Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm Frontline host Kwabena Agyapong that such a suggestion is a temptation.
The lawmaker stated, “Those who make the suggestion is leading me astray…
“What I will suggest is that we need someone who can resonate and win the NPP victory. There is only one presidential slot available, and we need a candidate who can connect with the people “.
In response to a question about whether he would accept the position of running mate, he stated, “We’re not there yet.” We’ll cross the bridge when we get there.
A former Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, has urged members of the National Democratic Congress to ensure that the NDC wins the 2024 elections, otherwise the party will disintegrate.
Speaking at the NDC’s Volta Regional Delegates Conference in Ho on Saturday, the former MP for the Avenor-Ave constituency now Akatsi South, called on party members to sacrifice to ensure the party achieves its target in the next elections.
“We are a social democratic party, we put people at the centre of what we do so please I beg you, colleagues I beg you, we have to win the 2024 elections otherwise NDC will be disintegrated, let’s sacrifice for this party for once,” Mr Doe Adjaho said.
Mr Doe Adjaho also has charged members of the party to be united and remain focused as the current economic crisis is not sufficient to guarantee the party a victory in the 2024 general elections.
“The statement is that we should not be complacent as a party. The mid-term elections in the United States have taught us that hardship alone, inflation and the economy cannot win an election…So let us not be complacent.”
“Hardship is a factor, and cost of living is a factor, but it is not sufficient. We have to work hard, we have to be united and present a united front in this region and in the party,” Doe Adjaho said.
A private legal practitioner and a member of the National Democratic Congress, (NDC), Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo has warned party members to eschew complacency and work hard towards victory in the 2024 elections.
Speaking on Citi TV on Sunday, Mr Kpakpo Samoa Addo said the NDC’s biggest enemy ahead of the 2024 general election is not the New Patriotic Party but complacency.
“I have always said that our biggest enemy for 2024 is complacency,” Mr Samoa Addo said, adding that the party must shun massive rallies and adopt the Jehovah’s Witness’ approach of evangelism to woo new members and convince die-hard NPP supporters to choose the NDC and ditch the NPP in 2024.
Mr Samoa Addo warned that the current economic challenges are not enough to hand victory to the NDC, but hard work, sacrifice and vigilance will ensure that the party is victorious in 2024.
His comments echo that of the former Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, who on Saturday charged members of the NDC to be united and remain focused ahead of the next general elections.
Speaking ahead of the NDC’s Volta Regional Delegates Conference in Ho, the former MP for the Avenor-Ave constituency now Akatsi South, urged members of the NDC not to be complacent and work hard towards the elections in 2024.
He also called on members of the party to desist from wooing delegates with money and favours for votes ahead of the general elections in 2024.
“The statement is that we should not be complacent as a party. The mid-term elections in the United States have taught us that hardship alone, inflation and the economy cannot win an election…So let us not be complacent.”
Small-scale farmers from developing countries produce one-third of the world’s food, yet they only receive 1.7% of climate finance even as they are forced to cope with droughts, floods, cyclones and other disasters.
This sentiment echoed through dozens of pavilions and conference rooms in Sharm el-Sheikh on Saturday (12 November) as COP27 turned its attention to the vital issues of adaptation, agriculture and food systems in the context of climate change.
“We need to help rural populations build their resilience to extreme weather events and adapt to a changing climate. If not, we only go from one crisis to the next. Small scale farmers work hard to grow food for us in tough conditions,” Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Goodwill Ambassador for the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), said during a press conference.
As a Somali woman, Dhowre Elba said this issue was personal: as COP27 got underway her country had experienced four consecutive failed rainy seasons, a climatic event not seen in 40 years.
“I can’t stand idly by while mothers, families and farmers are suffering across the Horn of Africa as it experiences its most severe drought in recent history,” she explained, urging developed countries to mobilize political will and investments.
“Trillions of dollars were made available to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences. The same is needed for climate change. The same is needed for sustainable agricultural support. It’s crucial to the well-being and the food security of us all,” she added.
Funds for adaptation must be delivered
Dina Saleh, the Regional Director of IFAD, explained that failure to help rural populations to adapt could have dangerous consequences, leading to longer poverty, migrations and conflict.
“This is why today we are calling on world leaders from developed nations to honour their pledge to provide the US$100 billion a year in climate finance to developing nations and to channel half of that to have that amount to climate adaptation,” she underscored.
Thirteen years ago, at COP15 Copenhagen, developed nations made a significant pledge. They promised to channel US$100 billion a year to less wealthy nations by 2020, to help them adapt to climate change and mitigate further rises in temperature. That promise, however, was not kept.
Saleh cautioned that there is a “narrow window” to help rural poor people to survive and protect their communities, and that crop yields could reduce by as much as 50 per cent by the end of the century.
“The choice is between adapting or starving,” she warned, urging COP27 to be about action, credibility and justice for the invisible and the silent.
A new initiative
Precisely to address these issues, the COP27 Egyptian Presidency launched on Friday the new initiative Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation or FAST, to improve the quantity and quality of climate finance contributions to transform agriculture and food systems by 2030.
The cooperation programme will have concrete deliverables for helping countries access climate finance and investment, increase knowledge, and provide policy support and dialogue.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), along with other UN agencies, will be the facilitator of this initiative, which, according to Zitouni Ould-Dada, deputy director of the agency’s Climate and Environment Division, puts agriculture at the heart of efforts to tackle climate change.
“The message really is to recognize that agriculture must be an integral part of the solution to the climate crisis,” he told UN News.
The importance of investing in innovation
At the same time, while the agricultural and food sector is profoundly impacted by climate change, it also contributes around a third of global greenhouse emissions, from production to consumption, Ould-Dada explains, saying that there must be a transformation of the agri-food systems.
“We can’t continue with the current model of producing food and then degrading the soil, declining biodiversity, affecting the environment. No. It must be sustainable,” he notes.
The expert highlights that if the right choices are made, agriculture can be an important part of the solution to fight the climate crisis by sequestering carbon in soil and plants and promoting adaptation and resilience.
“We can’t produce the food to feed and nourish a growing population with the current model, with the threat of climate change. We can’t.”
The first thing the world should be tackling, he says, is addressing food waste, which is responsible for 8 per cent of global gas emissions.
The importance of investing in innovation
At the same time, while the agricultural and food sector is profoundly impacted by climate change, it also contributes around a third of global greenhouse emissions, from production to consumption, Ould-Dada explains, saying that there must be a transformation of the agri-food systems.
“We can’t continue with the current model of producing food and then degrading the soil, declining biodiversity, affecting the environment. No. It must be sustainable,” he notes.
The expert highlights that if the right choices are made, agriculture can be an important part of the solution to fight the climate crisis by sequestering carbon in soil and plants and promoting adaptation and resilience.
“We can’t produce the food to feed and nourish a growing population with the current model, with the threat of climate change. We can’t.”
The first thing the world should be tackling, he says, is addressing food waste, which is responsible for 8% of global gas emissions.
Civil society calls for finance, economy transformation
UN representatives were not the only ones underscoring the need for countries to invest in transformation and deliver their climate finance promise.
A massive protest led by a coalition of environmental, women, indigenous, youth and trade union organizations took over the roads and pathways between the pavilions at COP27.
“Right to territories, rights to resources, human rights, indigenous people rights, loss and damage must be in all the negotiation texts…. 1.5 is not negotiable that is what we are here standing for,” said Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Chadian environmentalist and SDG advocate.
The activist stated that her people are dying because of floods, droughts, while some indigenous communities in the Pacific are losing their homelands.
“We want to have justice. Justice for our people, for our economies for loss and damage. We are losing our culture, our identity, our life, and these are not payable, but climate finance needs to be delivered,” she shouted amid hundreds of protesters.
The government has assured media practitioners of the government’s commitment to prioritising press freedom in the management of the country’s democracy.
Reading a speech on behalf of the President as the guest of honour at the 26th GJA Awards held in Accra on November 12, Florence Oboshie Sai-Coffie, says the president wants the media to play its part towards economic recovery as the world faces turbulent economic downturns.
“All agencies of mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the principles and objectives of this constitution and shall uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people of Ghana.”
“We truly believe that in search for solutions for the challenges, the media must be prioritised. Indeed, you are to help with amplifying the vibrant voices of the public and help us to find a pathway that takes us to economic recovery,” she said.
Although Ghana is considered a standard for democratic stability, it ranks 60th in the world for press freedom, dropping from an initial 30th position.
This is Ghana’s lowest-ever ranking in 17 years, after it ranked 66th and 67th in 2005 and 2002 respectively.
The latest report is out of 180 countries assessed, with Ghana recording a decline in its indicative points from 78.67 percent to 67.43 compared to last year.
The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, has qualified for the semi-finals stage of the Tertiary Edition of the Gas Challenge Quiz Competition organised by the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC).
UMaT emerged as winners for the zone three edition of the quiz, which was held at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
UMaT amassed 55 points against 52 points and 51 points for the University of Energy and Natural Resources and Kumasi Technical University KsTU, respectively.
About GNGC Gas Challenge
Speaking to OTEC News Kwame Agyenim Boateng at the sidelines of the event, a Senior Research Officer at GNGC, Harrison Seth Kwabena Ayim, said the Ghana National Gas Company initiated the quiz competition three years ago to create a common platform for relevant industry players and engineering students in Ghanaian tertiary institutions to share important ideas on the gas industry.
“The Gas Challenge “, aims at creating the avenue for capacity building in ensuring that future generations are well thought to take over the gas industry.”
“We as a company are very proud to use this competition as a major tool to educate stakeholders on issues of natural gas commercialisation, its safety, and utilisation”, he said.
The 2022 Edition of the Quiz
Mr. Seth Ayim said the 2022 edition of the competition is being organised under the theme “Embracing the future together: the indispensable role of Gas in Facilitating socio-economic growth and development” has 12 tertiary institutions participating.
The competition, he noted, was divided into four groups, each containing three schools.
The first group has All Nations University, Takoradi Technical University, and the University of Cape Coast.
Group two also has the University of Ghana, Ghana Communication Technology University, and Tamale Technical University.
Group three will see the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology KNUST, Ho Technical University, and Regional Maritime University.
UMAT, Kumasi Technical University, and the University of Energy and Natural Resources competed in the fourth group.
The Grand Finale is expected to take place on Thursday, December 8 2022, in Accra.
Hon. Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh, a defeated Ashanti regional (A/R) Vice-Chairman hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has attributed his loss to his lack of funds to campaign in the various constituencies in the region, Purefmonline.com reports.
Speaking to Kwame Adinkrah on Kumasi-based Pure FM after yesterday’s NDC regional executives’ elections, the former Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Ejisu bemoaned the monetisation of the party’s elections.
He told Kwame Adinkrah that the party had sacrificed competence for money.
“Kwame, money has dominated Ghana politics. Today, if you don’t have money forget about capturing a position in a party or government. That is how it goes.
I personally cannot blame the delegates because we are all in crisis, but the politics have turned to vote buying. It is awful.”
“Look at me, Kwame, I don’t have money. Sometimes when I wake up, I barely have any money on me to even go for radio interviews. You know this reality, Kwame, because you have continuously been a pillar. You send me money sometimes. But my lack of funds does not erase my political leadership competence. Here we are, sacrificing competence for money.
I couldn’t visit any constituency to campaign or pay the delegates. I couldn’t! I don’t have money, Kwame, I don’t! But let us not do this to ourselves. It is like politicians are all the same, NDC and NPP.
So without money, forget it! If you don’t have money, don’t venture into politics!” Hon. Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh exclaimed on Kumasi-based Pure FM.
Hon. Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh secured 15 votes out of the total votes cast for the Vice Chairmanship position of the NDC in the Ashanti region. The winner, Captain John Kwame Jabari (Rtd), pulled a total of 584 votes.
The contest for executive positions in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Northern Region was characterized by drama as a twice-defeated Regional Chairman Aspirant was captured in a video screaming out of frustration.
Godfred Apasinaba Sulemana Wumbei, who for the second time came close but lost to one Ali Adolf John with less than 20 votes, was heard shouting and asking, “why why why”.
According to him, he had won the polls, but there had been machinations in collusion with officials of the Electoral Commission to deny him victory.
“I have won the elections, but some people want to deny me the victory”, he shouted as he spoke to pressmen.
But the Electoral Commission maintained that he polled 236 votes coming second to Ali Adolf John, who had 347 votes.
Alhaji Umar Farouk Isshaq had nine votes, whereas Alhaji Hassan Rufai Vellim, who was tipped to win the race, garnered only 93 votes.
Meanwhile, police who were deployed to the venue clashed with party hoodlums who tried disrupting the process after it emerged that their candidate had lost the polls.
Videos available to MyNewsGh.com saw armed police slugging it out with the party thugs who tried snatching the ballot papers as they were sorted and put on the table by officials of the Electoral Commission for counting.
Weeks earlier, a former Director General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Professor Abdulai Baba Salifu, withdrew from contesting as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Northern Regional Chairman.
It is unclear what triggered his decision to step down on his bid days after the party’s vetting of prospective Regional aspirants for the position that promises to be competitive.
His withdrawal reduced the number of aspirants seeking to succeed the late Alhaji Ibrahim Mobila, who died barely a month ago, to 4.
For an extremely bright student who lost focus in his final year at the university just because he developed a new interest in entrepreneurship but still came up with a First Class, he says he would not advise the same for everyone.
Christian Nana Boakye, Founder and CEO of CEQA Foods and Beverages Ghana Limited – the mother company of Chickenman & Pizzaman, said this is the case because out of ten, perhaps only one person could get so lucky in such a venture.
Sharing his story with TV3’s Berla Bundi on The Day Show, the young Chief Executive Officer explained that it was not enough to be an academically bright student.
He added that he was also challenged to dare himself to do more anytime he saw successful people, and that was how the idea to start a pizza business came to him.
“That was December 27, 2017. We went to a party, and I realized the cars there were big cars, and I felt odd. We went with a car, but I mean, there is a car, and there is a car. So, that evening, I had to think it through, like how did these people make it. The party was around East Legon.
“Mostly, when I come across successful people, that night, I don’t sleep… it’s not pressure, no! That was when I actually got the Pizzaman thing. So, for those in KNUST about five years ago, I used to be the actuarial science president, and before I got in, one of the motivating factors for students attending programs was Item 13.
“My administration changed the face of Item 13. There was a point I could organize a program as a department, and I could fill the auditorium, and the main college will do a program, and the place will not be filled… I felt if I could use food to lure them to come and listen to something sensible, then it’s fine,” he said.
Christian Nana Boakye further explained in the TV3 interview that with time, his interests in academics started realigning towards doing something for himself.
“I remember my final project; I was in a group with three guys: two of them are in the States doing their PhD now, and then one lady and myself. I was the talkative among them, so they did the work, and on the final day, I had to just read through. I was academically good as well, but then in my final year, I wasn’t so much into my academics. So, they do the work, and I do the presentation,” he said.
But like most businesses, the 25-year-old entrepreneur said the business did not all start easy for him.
He explained that he had to be forced to use monies meant for his hostel fees to pre-finance the business, so much so that his friends began to get worried about him.
“Raising capital was one, and then getting the right people to work with. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned, and you feel like quitting; you get tired of combining the work with academics. I was still in school, in my final year, when I started.
“… not just hostel fees; any other money available that I could chance on. I risked it… I wouldn’t advise it because it wasn’t pleasant… in January 2018, when I started, I had some money on me because I had gone to school fresh. It got to a point things got locked up, so during National Service time, I had to take money for the hostel and use that money to secure a place around campus and then some small small pocket monies I had on me, including my roommate, Ebenezer, we just combined whatever we had and then got some oven. I mean, it was so rough,
“I feel whatever it is you want to do, if you want to do it, you won’t find excuses. Just manage your time well. There were times that I had to skip class and cook and my mates – my classmates, bought into the idea. They were like, Chris, you are too good academically. Why don’t you just do your masters and then probably get a job outside, like how our seniors have been doing? Why are you risking so much?” he added.
The Pizzaman CEO also recalled how the situation was so glaring that one of his lecturers decided to pray for him under the pretext that he must have been under some form of demonic attack.
“At a point, one of my lecturers had to pray for me. He was our patron when I was a department president. He knew how academically good I was, and he was quite surprised. I remember there was one mid-semester exam; third year semester, I didn’t write mid sem, so all my papers were marked over 70, but I still had First Class anyway.
“He was like, what is wrong with Chris? Is it a spiritual attack? He was wondering because I’m the front seater in class, but then after class, I’m done – that’s it… to him, he felt I was under attack or I was losing focus. Well, yeah, I was losing focus in my academics, but I was making money, and it’s addictive,” he said.
But Chris says he has always persisted because “I just want to make sure I have enough to help others.”
Chickenman and Pizzaman is a fully-owned Ghanaian company that has a total of 10 branches in less than 2 years of its existence.
Dr. Gideon Boako, an aide to Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, has contradicted claims by the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen, that the Vice President will need US$200,000 as an appearance fee from any investor.
According to him, the Vice President is smart and discreet whenever he is dealing with individuals seeking to invest in the economy.
Charles Adu Boahen had allegedly told investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in an undercover recording that Bawumia required about USD200,000 as an appearance fee from an investor to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.
The celebrated investigative journalist in a November 14, 2022 post on his Facebook timeline stated that when his Tiger Eye PI team met with the Minister of State in charge of Finance in UAE, he spoke about Bawumia’s financial demands before agreeing to assist any investor.
“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff? I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really, he’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020,” Charles Adu Boahen is quoted to have said
But when the Tiger Eye team got in touch with Dr Gideon Boako, the Economic Advisor and Spokesperson at the Office of the Vice President, he denied that the Vice President has authorized or discussed with anybody to solicit funds for his political ambitions or to accept an appearance fee/token for an investor to meet with him.
“So, on top of my head and having been with him closely, I will say no. I know how discreet he, the Vice President, is and he is smart and he wouldn’t even dare do such a thing,” Dr Boako remarked.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ undercover documentary dubbed ‘Galamsey Economy’ shows at the Accra International Conference Centre at 4.00 PM.
Dr. Gideon Boako, an aide to Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, has contradicted claims by the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen, that the Vice President will need US$200,000 as an appearance fee from any investor.
According to him, the Vice President is smart and discreet whenever he is dealing with individuals seeking to invest in the economy.
Charles Adu Boahen had allegedly told investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in an undercover recording that Bawumia required about USD200,000 as an appearance fee from an investor to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.
The celebrated investigative journalist in a November 14, 2022 post on his Facebook timeline stated that when his Tiger Eye PI team met with the Minister of State in charge of Finance in UAE, he spoke about Bawumia’s financial demands before agreeing to assist any investor.
“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff? I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really, he’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020,” Charles Adu Boahen is quoted to have said
But when the Tiger Eye team got in touch with Dr Gideon Boako, the Economic Advisor and Spokesperson at the Office of the Vice President, he denied that the Vice President has authorized or discussed with anybody to solicit funds for his political ambitions or to accept an appearance fee/token for an investor to meet with him.
“So, on top of my head and having been with him closely, I will say no. I know how discreet he, the Vice President, is and he is smart and he wouldn’t even dare do such a thing,” Dr Boako remarked.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ undercover documentary dubbed ‘Galamsey Economy’ shows at the Accra International Conference Centre at 4.00 PM.
Professor Ernest Aryeetey, a former vice-chancellor, of the University of Ghana, has said Ghana must think beyond the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the quest to stabilise and transform the economy.
He noted that Ghana had always known how to recover from economic hardship with the support of the IMF but had refused to follow the reguired reforms due to political expediency.
Prof. Aryeetey said this at the 26th GJA Awards in Accra on the theme: “Walking the path towards Ghana’s Economic Recovery – The Role of the Media”.
He said after economic recovery, there must be stabilisation and transformation, which required broad participation and the need to change agriculture, boost trade, stimulate investment and industrialise not to get back to the same situation.
“Today, we are where we are because we failed to develop the right type of politics that will support economic transformation… (We need to) think about the political economy. How we (can) use our institutions to develop the right type of policies,” Prof. Aryeetey said, adding that the country needed to welcome more analysis and debates on the economy.
Prof. Aryeetey asked the media to create space for discussions on the economy towards finding solutions to the challenges, saying without that, it would only be the ideas of a small political group, friends and families.
“Let’s encourage debates on the economy. Let’s create a Ghana where ideas flourish and stop tagging people who share their thoughts on the economy..,” Prof. Aryeetey, who chaired the awards event said.
Florence Oboshie Sai-Coffie, special advisor to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Media and Strategic Communications, said the government was doing its best to bring the economy back on track and tasked the media to amplify voices that could help find solutions to the economic challenges.
She said the media would be prioritised in the search for the solution and said Government was happy journalists were responding positively to the call for all hands to be on deck for economic recovery.
Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, the chairman of the National Media Commission, asked the media to sustain national interest in discussions on the economy and not partisan ones.
The United States ambassador to Ghana, Virginia E. Palmer, commended the media for its role in sustaining Ghana’s democracy and socio-economic development and stressed the importance of a free press and the safety of journalists.
She said the embassy would continue to support the capacity building of journalists and commended GJA for the establishment of Journalists Support Fund.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Information, in a speech read on his behalf, said the Government attached great importance to the work of journalists and commended them for the interest in helping bring the economy back to life.
He said the government remained committed to the safety of journalists and asked corporate Ghana to support the GJA Journalists Support Fund.
Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, GJA president, said journalists had a great role to play in bringing the economy back to life and said a series of symposiums and lectures would be organised to help find solutions to challenges facing the country.
He said the GJA had engaged some institutions towards the building of the capacity of journalists and called for the support of all.
The GJA president also called for support for the Association’s Support Fund towards the welfare of journalists.
Since 1957 Ghana has entered 17 bailout arrangements with the IMF to restore the health of government finances, having exited the last one in April 2019.
The country is currently with the IMF seeking support to restructure the economy and bring it back on track.
The executive director of PFM Tax Africa, Seth Terkper, will be teaching at Bentley University in the United States as a visiting scholar from January 2023.
Terkper, a former finance minister, will collaborate with outstanding finance professors at the university in research, teach courses on public finance and participate as keynote speaker in seminars that will be opened to the university community and the public.
Bentley University (based in Waltham, Massachusetts), is a prestigious private University focused on business programs. It offers undergraduate, masters, and PhD programmes in business disciplines. Its undergraduate tuition is US$56,500 per year.
It was founded in 1917 as a college of accounting and finance in Boston’s Back Bay Neighborhood.
“We are very delighted to have Hon. Terkper joining our faculty with such a wealth of experience,” says Kartik Raman, George and Louis Kane Professor of Finance and Chair of Finance Department. “We have no doubt that he will make quite an impact with his presence, knowledge and experience.”
Terkper has vast experience in global and national public finance. He previously served as the Minister of Finance under the John Mahama administration, during which he was at some point given additional concurrent responsibilities as Minister of Power.
He previously worked for a decade in the Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He is currently on the expert roster for the African Development Bank (AfDB), IMF, World Bank, and other global financial institutions, and serves on several steering committees focused on global policy issues.
“Bentley University has a great track record in training some of the best business and finance professionals I’ve had the privilege of working with,” Terkper said.
“I am therefore honoured by this opportunity to go there as a visiting scholar and contribute to training and research at this great institution with a proud history and a very bright future.”
His expertise is in public financial management (PFM), including taxation, financial and fiscal accounting. He has a keen interest in structural fiscal reforms that will ensure a smooth transition from low-income country (LIC) to middle income country (MIC) status – as the minister who received the official notification from the WB and AFDB on his country’s transition.
Terkper has written several reviews and articles and has published a book on Value Added Tax (VAT). He is the Founder and Executive Director of PFM-TAX Africa (Network) Ltd.
He currently does some part-time teaching at the University of Ghana and has taught occasionally in other universities in Ghana, UK, and US.
Terkper is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), and holds degrees from Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government (MPA; Cert. Tax), Strayer University (MBA), and University of Cape Coast (Bachelor of Commerce, and Diploma in Education). He is married with two children.
President Akufo-Addo says Twitter’s decision to fold up its satellite office in Africa is unfortunate.
“We had looked forward to its presence,” he told journalists in the US.
The President added: “It was not too long ago that it was up, but I understand it is part and parcel of a global restructuring of a company that is taking place under the new owner.”
“I think that is very unfortunate that, that should take place. The more organisations like that have local outlets, the better for all of us.”
The tumultuous start to Elon Musk’s reign saw sweeping reductions in the workforce at the social media company.
Musk’s Twitter laid off nearly all the employees in its only African office just four days after it opened in the Ghanaian capital Accra.
reports say that only one employee appears to have been retained in the Ghana office after the global job cuts.
“It’s very insulting,” one former employee said in an interview with CNN. “They didn’t even have the courtesy to address me by name. The email just said ‘see attached’ and yet they used my name when they gave me an offer.”
Musk has fired half of Twitter staff, ushered out most of the top executives, and ordered the remaining staff to stop working from home.
The company has reportedly also made huge reductions in India, one of its biggest markets. It laid off more than 90% of its staff in Asia’s third-largest economy last weekend, according to a Bloomberg report.
The Ghana Education Service(GES) has condemned the “misconduct” of some students of Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena Nankana West District who were seen in a viral video circulating on social media launching scathing attacks on the President.
In a 60 minutes video, the students of the said school were captured spewing insults at the President using vulgar and unprintable words.
A statement issued by the GES said the students in the video have been identified as second-year students of Chiana Senior High School.
It reiterated that management of the school has begun investigations to unravel the circumstances surrounding “such unfortunate utterances and gestures,” adding parents of the students have also been invited to assist in the investigations.
“Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) condemns this unfortunate act which is against every educational and moral principle in our society.
“Management of GES wishes to extend our sincerest apology to H.E. the President and the general public on behalf of the students and school.
“We wish to also assure the general public that the outcome of the investigations will be made known as soon as it is concluded.”
The management of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) has said that the showing of the ‘Galamsey Economy’ documentary by Tiger Eye PI, headed by ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, will come off at the centre as scheduled.
The management said the matter which resulted in rescheduling of the venue, has been resolved.
“Our attention has been drawn to reports that an advertised event due to take place at the Accra international Conference Centre (AICC) by Tiger Eye PI was being moved from our venue.
“The initial confusion was due to a scheduling conflict at the level of the AICC staff and not in any way a pollical decision as is being speculated.
“The matter has been resolved. We have made contact with the organizers and the event is expected to come off as scheduled.”
Tiger Eye PI earlier said in series of tweets on Sunday November 13 that it “is saddened that barely 48 hours to the public screenings, when invitations have been sent to the diplomatic community and other high-profile individuals in society, and flyers sent out to the public, we have had to look for a new venue.
“We would like to apologise to the public for the inconvenience in change of venue. Our agent is securing another auditorium and we will update the public soon on the new venue.
“All tickets already out are valid for the new venue.”
South Dayi Member of Parliament Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor has said the plan by the government to sell the Saglemi Housing Project to a private person is the most economically depressing piece of policy he has seen from this government.
He questioned whether the Attorney-General aware that the Saglemi Housing Scheme, which is a subject of Criminal Prosecution of the Hon Collins Dauda & others in court is being sold to a private person?
The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye has announced the government’s intention to explore the sale of the Saglemi Housing project to private sector investors for completion.
This is at no cost to the State and to reinvest the proceeds of the transaction into other affordable housing projects, he said.
Addressing a press conference Accra on Sunday November 13, he said the decision was taken after a painstaking consultation verification and assessment.
The Bantama lawmaker said “After a painstaking period of assessment, verifications and consultations government has decided to explore the possibility of selling the Saglemi Housing project, covering the 1506 housing unit , at the current value to private sector entity to complete and sell at no further cost to the state.
“Proceeds from the sale will come to the state and reinvested into affordable Housing project.
“To facilitate the process a technical working team has been set up, comprising professionals and experts to oversee and spearheads all engagements required for the completion of the project.”
The project was initiated in 2012 for the delivery of 5000 housing units at a total cost of 200,000,000 under and Engineering-Procurement-Contracting (EPC) Agreement with Messrs Construtora OAS Ghana Limited.
By the end of the stipulated completion date the original contract of the project had been amended three times with the project scope reducing from the initial 5000 housing units to 1506housin units although $195,854969.52 representing 98 % of the project funds had been expended, he further stated.
Commenting on this in a tweet, Mr Dafeamekpor said “This is the most economically depressing piece of policy I’ve seen from this Govt. Is the Attorney-General aware that the Saglemi Housing Scheme, which is a subject of Criminal Prosecution of the Hon Collins Dauda & ors in court is being sold to a private person?”
This is the most economically depressing piece of policy I’ve seen from this Govt.
Is the Attorney-General aware that the Saglemi Housing Scheme, which is a subject of Criminal Prosecution of the Hon Collins Dauda & ors in court is being sold to a private person? pic.twitter.com/ZnNKavHPFM
A financial analyst, Dr Amos Anim has commended the Bank of Ghana for providing financing to keep the government machinery running.
Dr Amos Anim indicated that the BoG overdraft will go a long to help the country as the government seeks a programme under the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“It is a fact that, but for the Bank of Ghana (BoG) overdraft to the Ministry of Finance, payments of salaries would have been difficult.
Dr Anim further explained that because government is paying debts, it needs funds to ensure payment of salaries.
In his view, even Members of Parliament would not have been able to receive their salaries but for the overdraft.
“Without BOG overdraft nobody would have received salaries including parliament,” he said in an exclusive interview with 3news.com on Sunday.
“You can imagine what will happen in this country if government workers aren’t paid their salaries.The BoG overdraft has ensured that no chaotic situation happens .Government machinery working smoothly.”
“We are all aware that the execution of the budget for the year has remained challenging. Revenue has not kept pace with projections and created financing challenges. In the absence of access to the international capital market and given the constrained domestic financing, central bank overdraft has helped to close the financing gap as reflected in the mid-year budget review,” he further said in a separate write up.
He made these comments in reaction to a press engagement by the Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, who accused the Bank of Ghana for financing government.
“Hon.Adongo is a member of the Finance Committee in Parliament. I don’t expect him to be making this statement. He knows and is aware of the current situation. As a member of the Finance Committee, he is aware of the issues. ”
“Hon. Adongo is aware that without BoG overdraft, he wouldn’t receive salary. ”
“We expect our honourable MPs to be patriotic and support initiatives that will promote the good of the people of Ghana. ”
“ Parliament is in session now. I am very sure the Ministry of Finance at the appropriate time will engage Parliament on the overdraft .”
The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye has said the funds that will be generated from the sale of the Saglemi Housing project will be reinvested into another affordable Housing project.
He announced the government’s intention to explore the sale of the Saglemi Housing project to private sector investors for completion on Sunday November 13.
This is at no cost to the State and to reinvest the proceeds of the transaction into other affordable housing projects, he said.
Addressing a press conference Accra, he said the decision was taken after a painstaking consultation verification and assessment.
The Bantama lawmaker said “After a painstaking period of assessment, verifications and consultations government has decided to explore the possibility of selling the Saglemi Housing project, covering the 1506 housing unit , at the current value to private sector entity to complete and sell at no further cost to the state.
“Proceeds from the sale will come to the state and reinvested into affordable Housing project.
“To facilitate the process a technical working team has been set up, comprising professionals and experts to oversee and spearheads all engagements required for the completion of the project.”
The project was initiated in 2012 for the delivery of 5000 housing units at a total cost of 200,000,000 under and Engineering-Procurement-Contracting (EPC) Agreement with Messrs Construtora OAS Ghana Limited.
By the end of the stipulated completion date the original contract of the project had been amended three times with the project scope reducing from the initial 5000 housing units to 1506housin units although $195,854969.52 representing 98 % of the project funds had been expended, he further stated.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) after months of internal party processes successfully held its Regional Executives elections over the weekend.
With the exception of the Bono East, Ahafo and Eastern Regions where the polls were put on hold by the Functional Executive Committee of the party over some yet-to-be-resolved issues, the exercise was organized in the remaining 13 regions during the three-day event which began on Friday, November 11 through to Sunday, November 13, 2022.
Elections in the Eastern Region will be held next weekend. That of the Bono East and Ahafo regions will be determined later according to the party.
While some incumbents retained their positions, others failed in their re-election bids giving new entrants the opportunities to run the affairs of the party at the regional level.
Following the declaration of results across the regions where elections took place, below is the outcome of the NDC regional executives elections.
GREATER ACCRA REGION
Chairman
1. Michael Tetteh Kwetey – 297
2. Kobina Ade-Coker – 222
3. Kojo Obeng Berkoh – 4
4. Emmanuel Nii Ashie-Moore – 327
5. Thomas Mustapha Ashong – 147
Rejected – 1
Vice Chairman
1. William Vinyo
2. Ibrahim Mahama Jajah
Secretary
1. Theophilus Tetteh Chaie – 720
2. Victor Quarshie Adonoo – 281
Deputy Secretary
1. Patricia Naa Akuyea Addy- 481
2. Baba Abu Abdulai – 306
3. Godwin Mahama Ayaba – 212
Rejected – 1
Organiser
1. Anthony Nukpenu – 595
2. Fiifi Taylor – 404
Rejected – 1
Deputy Organizer
1. Ibrahim Musah- 84
2. Kabu Saint Emmanuel – 121
3. Dickson Mawuko Lekey – 102
4. Gambo Abdulai Zam-Atu – 691
Rejected – 1
Valid votes – 998
Treasurer
1. Mohammed Norgan – 593
2. Akunkel Mbilla Regina Samira – 404
Rejected : 1
Valid vote 997
Deputy Treasurer
1. Kennedy Hedoe – 607
2. Augustine Edem Viduku – 230
3. Amegashie Abla Happy – 156
Rejected – 2
Valid votes – 993
Communication Officer
1. Jerry Johnson – 527
2. Emmanuel Nii Ayitefio Abola Mettle-Nunoo Jnr – 470
Deputy Communication
1. Simon Kweku Tetteh – 486
2. Lawrence Roland Arthur-Atitiani – 135
3. Tony Addison Dodoo – 377
Zongo Caucus Coordinator
1. Ismaila Horoya Ali – 411
2. Mualim Alhassan – 294
3. Stephen Mohammed Ashkar – 240
4. Muhammed Liman Nii Noi Nortey – 54
Rejected – 2
Valid vote – 999
OTI REGION
CHAIRMAN
1. John Kwadwo Gyapong – 162 ELECT
2. Fato Kwame Nicholas – 154
VICE CHAIRMAN
1. Maxwell Siaw
2. Francis Kpebu – unopposed
SECRETARY
1. Dennis Ofori Asiedu – 45
2. Gado Yakubu Ninsaw – 121
3. Lemboe Gabriel Samora -148 ELECT
DEPUTY SECRETARY
1. Abraham Boafo – unopposed
ORGANIZER
1. Michael Jojo Botwe – 91
2. Sulemana Abdul Mumuni – 181 ELECT
3. Tanko Mohammed Abubakar – 46
DEPUTY ORGANIZER
1. Agbeko Emmanuel – 101
2. Dr. Fred Adams Alpha – 109
3. Julius Ahotor – 64
4. Peter Kwaku Tadri – 40
Deputy Youth Organizer
1. ABDUL HAKEEM MAHAMA-28
2. ERNEST DZEPE-7
3. SAMUEL AMOAH-14
4. MARTIN WOKU ANLIMAH-2
5. MATTHEW ANNAN BASSAW-2
6. BERNARD OTOO JANNOR-6
7.COLLINGTINN.E.MACLEAN-0
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, Saturday co-chaired the first ministerial meeting of the Forests and Climate Leaders’ Partnership with the United States’ Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Secretary John Kerry, at the ongoing COP27 in Sharm El- Sheikh, Eqypt.
The meeting, attended by 28 ministers and five observer countries, was to develop a framework for 2023 and beyond, to achieve the objectives of the Partnership.
Mr Jinapor pledged the Government’s commitment to working with members of the Partnership to deliver on forests and nature-based solutions to climate change.
He gave the assurance of using his leadership on the new Partnership to showcase Ghana’s climate actions and that of other countries as they synergise to work on addressing forest losses.
Forests and nature-based solutions could deliver up to a third of global climate solutions, and “Ghana, as a respected member of the international community, is fully committed to supporting global climate action,” he said.
The Forests and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) is a new political forum that brings together governments and partners to implement solutions to reduce forest losses, increase restoration, and support sustainable development.
It creates a platform for heads of state, governments and their ministers to combine political efforts to accelerate global action to halt and reverse forest losses and land degradation by 2030.
The members work towards delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation.
In the next five years, Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF) will deploy GH¢1.5 billion to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) while accelerating their growth, the Chief Executive Officer of the VCTF, Yaw Owusu-Brempong, has revealed.
This, the CEO said, has become necessary given the significant role SMEs play in the country, but faces serious challenges when it comes to funding.
In an interview with the B&FT following the signing ceremony of investment agreements for MIREPA SME Fund and WANGRA Green Ventures, the CEO indicated that the VCTF stands to increase the capital pool to the SMEs sector.
“Over the next five years, VCTF intends to deploy GH¢1.5 billion to support SMEs. With this amount, we intend to leverage about GH¢5 for every GH¢1 spent, thereby increasing the capital pool to SMEs to about GH¢7.5 billion.
This is an ambitious plan and calls for all key stakeholders in the finance industry and other international agencies to partner with the Trust Fund to make this plan a reality,” Mr. Owusu-Brempong said.
The VCTF investment agreement, signed with MIREPA SME Fund and WANGRA Green Ventures – venture capital (VC) Fund Managers, will deploy GH¢35 million to SMEs in Ghana. This makes total capital deployment toward SME finance to GH¢60 million in under 2 months this year.
“We intend to deploy about GH¢95 million by year-end, so stay tuned,” the CEO assured.
VCTF has been recapitalised under the Ghana Economic Transformation Project by World Bank with US$40 million to invest in both early-stage and transformational sectors of the Ghanaian economy in addition to a technical assistance facility of US$5 million, which allows the Trust Fund to design programmes for the development of the VC ecosystem.
Between 2006 and 2020, VCTF committed about US$25 million to seven funds.
“If you look at the fact that between 2006 and 2020, we’ve done a total of seven funds or we’ve committed to seven funds, and this year alone, we’ve done three, then, that is a significant growth. We’ve committed roughly about US$25 million but at different exchange rates because it’s over a period of time,” Mr. Owusu-Brempong noted.
“By these investments, VCTF has demonstrated its willingness to back and build a talented group of young individuals who are able to combine industry and operational know-how with growth investment expertise to partner exciting SMEs and talented groups of entrepreneurs in strategic sectors of the Ghanaian economy,” he said.
Some successful investments include Joyce Ababio Fashion, Axis Pension Fund, African University College of Communications (AUCC), Legacy Girls, Rising Sun Montessori, Everpure Ghana as well as Scientellect DNA Diagnostic Centre and Caltech – an ethanol processing business – which was later taken over by Kasapreko.
“We are very selective in our choice of fund managers because VC investment is not about managing money, it is about managing several businesses at the same time; so you need skills that cut from investment to entrepreneurship, leadership and a general understanding of the business environment, and the kinds of support to give to businesses to thrive,” the CEO mentioned.
He assured that VCTF will continue to support further development of the VC/PE ecosystem through its technical assistance facility.
Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has reaffirmed Ghana’s strong commitment to promoting clean cooking anchored on its 2030 agenda of 50% of its population having access to LPG.
Dr. Prempeh was speaking on the 10th November, at a Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Clean Fuels Solutions for Cooking Event which is part of the 2nd Middle East Green Initiative on the margins of COP 27 ongoing at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
The event was under the patronage of His Royal Highness Mohammed Bin Salman, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Minister said Ghana’s strategy for clean cooking is to improve the efficiency of cooking fuels production, transportation to markets, value addition and promotion of efficient end-user technologies. He said by the end of 2030, Ghana will reduce the use of firewood and charcoal for cooking to below 30% which will improve our overall carbon footprint.
He added that the country will also increase access to LPG for household use to 50% from 36.9% at 2021 and provide LPG for commercial catering particularly in schools and other Government institutions.
The Minister who is also Member of Parliament for Manhyia South said as the demand for clean cooking solutions is growing, there is the need to turn attention to the efficient exploitation of the natural resources that are required for the clean cooking ecosystem.
“We need effective coordination and transparent accounting systems to unlock the enormous carbon financing opportunities and drive investment into the clean cooking sector” he said.
The current disruption in the global supply chain due to COVID-19 and other geopolitical challenges, according to the Minister makes it imperative to bring clean cooking interventions closer to markets.
He therefore called for the need to develop local capacity along the entire value chain to support the catalytic growth of the clean cooking industry globally.
“Ghana is building capacity through a number of technical cooperations including the GIZ-TVET, the Senior High Schools Renewable Energy Challenge which have triggered interest in research and development and innovation in renewable energy and clean cooking solutions for the Ghanaian market and beyond. With support from the World Bank, Ghana is developing the National Clean Cooking Strategy and Investment Prospectus to provide the framework for the promotion and development of the industry” he said.
He continued “Ghana with support from the World Bank successfully launched the result-based National LPG Promotion Programme on September 6th, 2022. The objective of the programme is to provide government interventions that would accelerate the switch from unclean fuels to LPG in a bid to achieve the goal of 50 per cent access by 2030.
“Government will distribute about 2million LPG stoves and install LPG cooking systems in institutions that cook on a large scale under this programme. These interventions complementing the Cylinder Recirculation Model will enable Ghana reach its targets aforementioned.”
Dr. Prempeh indicated Ghana’s readiness for cooperations and partnerships to scale up Ghana’s National LPG Promotion and Improved Cookstoves Promotion Programmes.
Dignitaries at this function included Dr. Baomintsvotse Vahinals, Chief of Staff at the Office of the President of Madagascar, H.E. Ibrahim Yacoubou, Minister for Energy and Renewable Energy of Niger, H.E Sophie Gladima, Minister for Energy and Petroleum of Senegal and a host of other dignitaries on the African continent.
The Government of Ghana’s weekly Treasury bills has been under subscribed again.
This will be the fifth consecutive time the government has missed its target of the auction of Treasury bills this year.
However, interest rates have kept rising even though it is still below the current inflation rate.
The target for the November 11 auction was GH¢2,060 million but the government secured GH¢1977.41 million.
The interest rate for the 91-day bills stood at 34.39%. For the 182-day bill, interest rates stood at 35.49% whiles the interest rate for the 364-day bill stood at 35.07%.
The 91-day treasury bills received GH¢1.827.52 million bids whiles the 182-day treasury bills received bids worth GH¢142.03 million of which all bids were accepted.
The 364-day T-bills received GH¢7.86.
The latest data from the Ghana Statistical Service showed that Ghana’s current inflation stands at 40.4% signifying a negative return on the investment. Meanwhile, the government is targeting GH¢1,168 million in its next auction.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana upstream petroleum chamber, David Ampofo has called on various players in the country’s energy sector to focus attention and more resources on local gas production.
This, he says, is necessary to strengthen the sector and also cut down on the amount of foreign reserve that is used to import gas.
As of June 2021, the total amount of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) imported into Ghana reached 7.49 million U.S. dollars.
David Ampofo made the call on the sidelines at the maiden Ghana oil and gas conference organized by his outfit.
Mr. Ampofo said ” We need to harness our GAS, Ghana has a lot of Natural GAS yet we do not do much with it”.
He admitted it was an area that required heavy capital yet is maintained it is an important activity to undertake like “the advocacy for the curbing of rice imports, we are being urged to grow our own rice and it is the same with gas especially in the current economic times”
Ghana is said to have a lot of gas that comes with the discovery of crude oil yet there is the need to invest in infrastructure like pipelines and gas lines to harness this resource.
The government is pleading with Labour Unions threatening strike to consider the current economic challenges before making demands.
The University Teachers Association of Teachers, the Ghana Medical Association, the Universities Senior Staff Association among others have all declared intentions to strike over issues concerning their conditions of service.
But speaking to Citi News, Deputy Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Bright Wereko-Brobby said the atmosphere is not conducive for strikes.
“We are not in normal times, so I am pleading with all our labour unions including UTAG, including the Senior Staff Association and university administrators and all of those groups to bear with us,” he said.
Amid the economic crisis, the government has faced calls for improved remuneration by organised labour.
The government in July 2022 agreed on a 15 percent cost of living allowance for members of organised labour.
The various worker unions, including the four teacher unions, the Ghana Medical Association, and the Public Sector Workers Union, among others, demanded the payment of 20 percent of their basic salaries as Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) due to the current economic situation in the country.
Negotiations dragged on for over two weeks, compelling some unions to strike and insist on their demands.
But after a crunch meeting, both parties came to a conclusion on a 15% COLA, took retrospective effect from July 1, 2022.
The Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana today, November 14, 2022, have shown that the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 13.0694 and a selling price of 13.0824.
As compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 13.0694 and a selling price of 13.0824. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 14.20 and sold at a rate of 14.80.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 15.4179 and a selling price of 15.4347 as compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 15.2572 and a selling price of 15.2751.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 15.90 and sold at a rate of 16.70.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 13.5079 and a selling price of 13.5214 as compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 13.2983 and a selling price of 13.3104.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 13.80 and sold at a rate of 14.70.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.7563 and a selling price of 0.7570 compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 0.7490 and a selling price of 0.7498.
At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.65 and sold at a rate of 1.10.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 33.8799 and a selling price of 33.9839 as compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 33.8835 and a selling price of 34.0337.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 16.00 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 21.00.
For the CFA, it is trading at a buying price of 48.5125 and a selling price of 48.5610. At a forex bureau in Accra, CFA is being bought at a rate of 19.30 CFA for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 23.50 CFA for every 1 Cedi.
The National Women’s Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Hanna Louisa Bissiw, has set the record straight on why she contested for parliamentary candidate in Tano South in the 2020 national election while holding her position and working as National Women Organiser.
According to her, the decision was taken by the NDC leadership on the back of research conducted in the runner up to the 2020 general election.
Some factions in the NDC is criticizing Dr. Hanna Bissiw for simultaneously contesting as a parliamentary candidate for 2020 while working as national officer of the party.
In reaction to the false impression created around her contest and what led to the decision which was taken by the national leader of the NDC, Dr. Bissiw has outlined in detail event which led to the party deciding and tasking her to contest the Tano South Seat for the NDC in 2020.
I contested in the 2020 Parliamentary elections based on the entire decision by the National Democratic Congress(NDC). These are the facts of that “Political Decision”;
➢ Early 2019, a meeting was held in Ada and presided over by the National Chairman, Ofosu Ampofo. At the meeting,incumbent parliamentarians insisted that they needed early primaries so they could have the peace to go about their duties. At the time NDC had106 members in Parliament.
➢ A decision was made to organize primaries for sitting members of Parliament and leave out orphan constituencies.
➢ The party was to employ the services of a surveying company to conduct research and come up with findings on candidates in the orphan constituencies who have the tendency to win those seats. To win in any elections, research is utterly important.
➢ The issue of unqualified persons who could be suggested for candidature by the research findings was raised.
➢ The question was put out to the Chair and leadership of the party on what they will do if the survey findings recommend somebody the constitution does not allow to contest or the regulations agreed on to be used for the primaries goes against.
➢ The response from the national Chairman was that, he will take a ‘Political Decision’. A political decision like the one taken in Winneba where an angry NPP member crossedcarpet to the NDC. It was realized by the party that the “defunct” NPP member had lots of grounds to win the seat for us.
As a result, our PC who was duly elected was asked to step down for the NPP person who came in less than the stipulated time of 4years to contest on our ticket. That was a “Political Decision” for 2020.
➢ At that meeting, it was decided that Parliamentary primaries in the various orphan constituencies will be staggered. As and when they are able to convince the candidate who will emerge as the one with the high possibility of winning the seat to contest, and then they will conduct the election. So for the first time in our history, Parliamentary primaries were staggered.
➢ I was approached to contest because the party’s survey indicated that I had 91.3% rating in Tano South and the two other candidates shared the remaining 8.3%. Based on this finding, I was approached to contest for the party.
➢ Subsequently, some suggested that I step down as the National Women Organizer because the regulation states that if you want to contest primaries, you had to step down. I said NO.
➢ I’ll contest for the party if that’s what they ask of me but I was not going to step down. It doesn’t have to come with conditions because the decision to contest didn’t come from me. The party wants me to contest.
➢ There were meetings here and there trying to convince me to step down to go and do what the party wanted me to do. I vehemently said no because I’ve taken that seat before and I know what it takes to win the seat.
➢ You can’t come to me in the year 2020 and ask me to contest for a seat that needs a whole lot of work before you’ll be able to get victory. That too as late as an election year, you approach me and you want me to resign and go do the party’s bid for, so I refused.
➢ Eventually, the party directed that I contest for the seat on behalf of the party. Finally, in late august 2020, they said because of democracy a guy was made to contest me in the primaries. He pulled 47 votes out of the 1,092. The delegates massively endorsed me with 1,045 votes.
➢ After the primaries, our designs were supposed to come from President Mahama’s office. They took my picture from President Mahama’s office and the design did not come until ending of September.
➢ Due to this, it was during the first week of October I got any presence in the constituency.
➢ On the other hand, all National Officers were directed to go and station in their various regions and work from the regions in September.
➢ So I had only two months to contest in that election. It was an election that we didn’t lose. If you check the records, pulled 17,066 for the Presidential race. This is the first time we’ve had 17000 and over votes from Tano South Constituency for any NDC Presidential candidate.
➢ I set up ten teams and at the same time, I was working in and out of the constituency. In September for instance, I was with President Mahama in the Upper West and the Northern region. The running mate came to Ahafo regionbecause I was stationed to work in Ahafo according to the directives to all National Officers. I was with her throughout her stay in the region.
➢ On 30th and 31st October, I was in the eastern region. I campaigned in three markets in the Eastern region and Fanteakwa as well. This brings the total to four.
➢ After being discharged from the hospital in that same October, I went to the market. On 3rd November, I was in Kaneshie market, Agbogbloshie market and Ablekuma South market.
➢ In the 2020 elections, NDC didn’t lose in Tano South. We didn’t lose that seat. There was zero coalition after the elections. Anyone who took the numbers directly from the polling centers declared that I won.
➢ There was a general light off in the entire constituency and it was drizzling as well. They rushed and gave some pink sheets to our agents. Some of them realized the discrepancies in the figures and drew the attention of the EC officials.
The answer they gave was “send them to your party leadership. When they come to the coalition centre, they will ask for recount”.
➢ So as we received those pink sheets that did not tally withthe figures at the polling centers, we rushed to the coalition centre in Bechem. A typical example is Konkomba A & B. The result of one center was over 400 and the other a little under 400. When you add the tow it was over 800votes but on the pink sheet, I was given 88 at both centers and 44 at both centers for my opponent and 72 spoilt ballots.
➢ At where I voter, Old mosque I had 285 and my opponent had 160 but on pink sheet, they gave me 103 and gave him 160. For the first time in Brosankro NDC had never won Old Brosankro but we won old Brosankro. You go to Mansin, polling stations that we have never won before in the history of this 4th republic, we won. You go to new Brosankro we won polling centers that hitherto we were not winning and appreciated in the other centers.
➢ Come to my own hometown, Techimantia, places where the NPP will get 200 and over votes and we get 50, 40votes. But in the 2020 election, if they had a little over 200 votes, we pulled 200. We appreciated in all the polling centers. There was no difference of 100votes between me and my close contender except for Appetite where he was able to stretch me with 100 votes. Only one polling center out of the 120 polling centers. Techimantia is the biggest place. The figures did not tally.
➢ We stayed at the coalition centre throughout the night. EC claimed they were doing administrative work but with all the administrative work we realized they were playing tricks.
➢ Thus, we indicated to Mr. Asamoah and I mention his name because he was the Presiding officer that we have not seen ballot boxes, biometric machines and electoral materials at the coalition center. We made it known that we will request for a recount of the ballots of the various polling centers.
➢ So where were the ballot boxes, biometric machines and the other electoral materials? He told us we are delaying him so we should allow them to finish with their administrative work. We sat through the night under heavy armed Police and Military officers. The coalition centerlooked like a war zone.
➢ The lawyer was directed to write a letter for recount, which was done. So we requested for the electoral materials to arrive. The lady returning officer appeared at the coalition center around 4 to 5a.m.
➢ Around 7 a. m I entered my car to charge my phone. The lawyer came with some sheets they said we should sign. They collated, so we refused to sign that report. We held a press conference and NDC as a political party took this case to court.
➢ Whiles in court and proceedings were not favoring the NPP, the entire EC office mysteriously caught fire one weekend and everything burnt down to ashes. There was zero evidence for us to continue the case.
➢ Now my question is, am I bigger than the party? Because anytime the party wants a particular candidate to contest anything anywhere, can anybody impose themselves on the party? No.
➢ I asked the party to get their candidate to go and contest if they thought they had somebody who could win the seat. In the survey’s findings in the entire orphan Constituencies I had the highest ratings at the time when I had zero presencein Tano South and hardly went to the village.
➢ Now, for the records, I have zero interest in going to contest for that seat. Even if there is no contest and I am asked to present myself for swearing in, I don’t want it. I am not interested in becoming a member of Parliament.
➢ Whether I am contesting for National Women’s Organizer or not, I reiterate that i am not interested. I have worked as a member of parliament and I know what it entails but, I have lost any interest in that regard.
➢ I accounted for every pesewa that was given to me. I lived well with my people even after we lost the election. 84 boreholes were drilled. Schools were built, mosques were built, school fees were paid, and scholarships were given. Computers, laptops, text books, exercise books, health facilities, I touched every sector. From the markets to abattoirs, reaching out to the needy in their various homes,reaching out to children and donating about 500 new clothes every year together with food items and toys to throughout the constituency and supporting teachers.
➢ The most important thing is that as a member of parliament, I led a very transparent administration like a mirror. I will always offer my support to the people but I am not interested in becoming a Member of Parliament for Tano South.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been commended for avoiding his usual expensive luxury jets to fly commercially during his recent Ghana-Egypt-USA trip.
According to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who has serially tracked presidential travels for the past two years, the president for the longest period avoided flying a €20,000-an-hour luxury jet.
The North Tongu lawmaker indicated further that Akufo-Addo in his entire itinerary flew commercially until he arrived home on Friday, November 11, 2022, aboard British Airways.
He is hopeful that since the country is seeking an IMF bailout, the president will continue flying commercially to save the Ghanaian taxpayer millions of cedis.
“Since we started our unimpeachable tracking of President Akufo-Addo’s condemnable oligarchic travels some 2 years ago, this has been the longest period he’s avoided €20,000-an-hour luxury jets.
“I can confirm that on his latest Ghana-Egypt-USA trip, the President flew commercial during his entire itinerary and returned Friday night (11/11/2022) aboard British Airways flight BA81 at 8:57 PM,” Samuel Okudzeto Ablakaw’s post on Sunday, November 13 read.
“We all sincerely hope President Akufo-Addo will continue on this responsible path of saving the Ghanaian taxpayer millions of Cedis, especially when the IMF bailout arrives, he said.
“We shall keep tracking, for God and Country. Ghana must be really broke,” Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stressed.
Steve Hanke, a professor of Applied Economics at the Johns Hopkins University and founder and co-director of the Institute for Applied Economics, is asking how the government of Ghana will be saving the country’s economy from collapsing.
According to him, it will not be prudent for Ken Ofori-Atta, the finance minister, to be fabricating the country’s numbers just to look good in the eyes of the international community and investors.
He tweeted that on his economic dashboard, Ghana’s inflation is now being measured at 158 per cent.
“Today, I measure #Ghana’s inflation at a stunning 158%/yr. What’s Finance Minister Ofori-Atta’s plan to save the economy? Will Ofori-Atta just fabricate the numbers? Apparently, he’s done that before,” Prof Hanke said.
The economist was commenting on claims by the minority that Ken Ofori-Atta since he was appointed the finance minister has been presenting inaccurate figures to Parliament.
Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, Asawase MP, while debating on the need for Parliament to pass a vote of censure on the finance minister indicated that “In 2018 he reported to this house that the fiscal deficit was 3.9% of GDP when he had to report to the World Bank the actual was 7.1% of GDP.
“In 2019, he reported that the fiscal deficit was 4.8% when the actual to be reported to the International Monetary Fund the actual was 7.1% to GDP.
“In 2022, he reported that the fiscal deficit was 11.7% of GDP when the actual was 17.2 %. In 2021 he reported 9.2% when the actual was 12.4%.”
The Minority Chief Whip was of the view that the finance minister has shown beyond doubt that he is not able to the finances of the country, thus must be removed.
“What are we waiting for, from this Minister before we will now believe the time has come for him to exit? I am reliably informed that he is part of the impediment that is not making us conclude the negotiations with the IMF,” Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka stressed.
Today, I measure #Ghana‘s inflation at a stunning 158%/yr. What’s Finance Minister Ofori-Atta’s plan to save the economy? Will Ofori-Atta just fabricate the numbers? Apparently, he’s done that before. https://t.co/0aoSccTto7
Some heavily-built thugs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), clashed with some personnel of the Ghana Police Service to disrupt the Ashanti Regional Delegates Conference on Sunday, November 13.
According to media reportage sighted by GhanaWeb, these persons believed to be members of the opposition NDC wanted to enter the Baba Yara Sports Stadium without accreditation and were prevented by the security personnel.
An eyewitness who spoke to Accra-based Joy FM said, when one of the thugs was arrested his colleagues prevented the police from taking him to the police station for questioning, thus, resulting in some altercation.
“The guys vowed they would not allow the police to take the suspect away. So they fought them for a while,” the eyewitness said.
Warning shots from the police then angered these young men, numbering about thirty resulting in a free-for-all fight between them and the police.
The thugs reportedly pelted the police with stones while the police also resorted to the use of the butts of their rifles.
The police had to leave the main entrance of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium to restore calm.
The incident, however, did not affect the voting process.
The NDC is electing new executives to steer the affairs of the party in the Ashanti Region.
Nearly 1,500 delegates have converged at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in what many have described as a tense election.
The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) has bashed the Ministry of Food & Agriculture’s decision to have a farmers’ market at its premises to sell foodstuff to Ghanaians.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, the General Secretary of GAWU, Edward Kareweh said it was a bad idea to conceive the initiative without carefully evaluating the forces driving up the prices of foodstuff in the various markets.
He said the initiative is just a knee-jerk measure and its sustainability is highly in doubt because the entire procedure is shredded in secrecy.
“What is their budget for this exercise? We are asking this because, at the beginning of the year, the Ministry indicated to all of us that they were reducing their support to farmers to produce. The subsidy on fertilizer and subsidized seed which was 36% in 2021 has been reduced to 15%. The volume of fertilizer that was subsidized last year has been cut down to only a quarter.”
“The quality of fertilizer that gets to the farmers is not the same as what they claim they subsidized. There are real challenges facing agricultural production in this country. The other part has to do with post-harvest losses. The Ministry has to work to ensure we minimize post-harvest losses. Records have that 60 percent of yam produced never reaches the table of the consumer.”
Mr. Karaweh called for a re-evaluation of the foodstuff supply chain and said that what the government needs to do is “to facilitate the movement of foodstuff from the rural areas to the urban areas” so they can be sold at reasonable prices.
The initiative, which commenced on Friday, November 11, was first revealed by the Agric Minister Dr. Owusu Akoto Afriyie during a meeting with farmers in Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region.
Former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has said he warned Liz Truss she was going too fast with her ill-fated economic plans.
In his first interview since he was sacked by the then PM, Mr Kwarteng told TalkTV he had warned her to “slow down” after September’s mini-budget.
He said he told her it was “mad” to fire him and she would only last “three or four weeks” if she did.
“Little did I know it was only going to be six days,” he added.
Mr Kwarteng was dramatically fired by Ms Truss in October, two weeks after their tax-cutting mini-budget sparked turmoil on financial markets.
After abandoning almost all of the plan in a bid to stay in power, she announced her resignation a few days later after support from Tory MPs ebbed away.
Speaking to TalkTV Mr Kwarteng said that he had warned Ms Truss about going at a breakneck speed with economic measures after the mini-budget.
“She said, ‘Well, I’ve only got two years’ and I said, ‘You will have two months if you carry on like this’. And that is, I’m afraid, what happened.”
He also said: “I think the prime minister was very much of the view that we needed to move things fast. But I think it was too quick.”
In the interview he acknowledged he had to “bear some responsibility” for the pace of the changes, which were “too quick”.
He also revealed he found out he was going to be sacked when he saw a journalist tweeting about it while he was in the car going to Downing Street, after being summoned back from a trip to the US.
He said he had told her: “Prime ministers don’t get rid of chancellors.”
The former chancellor said he did not think the prime minister could fire him “just for implementing what she campaigned on.”
Lawyer Moses Foh-Amoaning, Executive Secretary of the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values has said that he is in full support of the General Legal Council’s decision to put on hold the call to the Bar of YouTuber Elorm Ababio, a.k.a Ama Governor.
According to him, one does not become a lawyer just because s/he has passed an examination but also because the person is of good character, as stated in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
In a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Foh-Amoaning intimated that calling Ama Governor to the Bar means that the Council will be condoning her LGBTQ+ preferences, which she has wildly professed contrary to the laws of the country.
“In Ghana, if you take a look at Act 32, to be called a lawyer, it is not just that you have passed your exams; you must be of a said good character.
“We know that in Ghana, it is not good behaviour for persons of the same sex to have sexual intercourse and for them to marry. So, if you are engaged in such an activity, we know you are not of good character, so you can’t be called to the Ghana Bar,” he said in Twi.
Foh-Amoaning also warned that Ghana had to be careful because proponents of LGBTQ+ activities are trying very hard to indoctrinate their values in the country.
Elorm Ababio, a student who just completed the Ghana School of Law (GSL), will not be called to the Ghana Bar due to a petition filed against her by a “concerned citizen”.
The complaint, according to the letter signed by Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo JA, Secretary, General Legal Council (GLC), stated that Ama Governor is seen in widely circulated videos engaging in what it describes as “conduct unbecoming of an applicant to be called to the Bar”.
The Complainant, the GLC Secretary, indicated, also submitted a flash drive [pen drive] which contains selected video files and hyperlinks of Ama Governor to relevant website publications.
Ama Governor’s conduct is said to violate Regulation 21(c) of the Legal Profession (Professional and Post-call Law Course) Regulations, 2018 L.I. 2355.
The said Regulation states: “A student of the school qualifies to be called to the Bar if that student has […] (c) satisfied the Council that the student is of good character.”
The Council, Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo JA said had thus decided:
“1. To constitute a three-member Committee to investigate the complaint and advise Council accordingly.
“2. To suspend the decision to call you [Ama Governor] to the Bar pending the outcome of the investigation.
“I have been directed by the Chairperson of the General Legal Council to inform you of this matter and to advise you to expect to be contacted by the Committee in due course.”
“You will be given a fair hearing on the complaint before a decision is arrived at,” Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo JA’s letter dated November 3 concluded.
A former manager of Shatta Wale, Lawrence Asiamah Hanson, popularly known as Bullgod, has said he has no plans of working with the ‘Melisa’ hitmaker again.
Bullgod explained that he has been able to help build Shatta Wale’s brand to the highest level over the years; hence, he’s confident Shatta Wale can manage himself now.
This comes after Bullgod sued Shatta Wale for defamation after the musician threatened to expose his alleged secret regarding the death of late artiste manager, Fennec Okyere.
But in an interview on Prime Morning, Friday, Bullgod clarified that the legal issue has nothing to do with his decision to not work again with the musician.
“That [working with Shatta Wale] will not happen, and it’s not even about hate. The journey is done, and it is not even about the fight. I mean, it’s a huge brand, and I think he can continue. We’ve done what we can do for the brand at the time we were given the opportunity to do so,” he told Roselyn Felli.
According to Bullgod, the court case will never be withdrawn, even if Shatta Wale apologises.
Bullgod added that he could sue any of his family members when there is a need to do so.
“I love my kids. I love my wife. I might take a bullet for them, but I’ll think it through if I’ll take a bullet. I need to protect myself, and I need to love myself too. If it was any of my children, I would have taken them to court,” he indicated.
The talent manager expressed his genuine love for the dancehall artiste. He believes love is key, but protection is also important to him.
“Looking at the situation at hand, you can still love the person, but you need to protect yourself.”
The Agriculture Ministry has explained the reason behind the scanty amount of foodstuff displayed at its Planting For Food and Jobs (PFJ) market.
The opening of the market formed part of the government’s effort to engage in transporting foodstuffs from farming communities in the Greater Accra Region to sell at controlled prices.
The Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, had earlier outlined the plan to curtail the incessant increase in foodstuff prices on the markets as a result of high transportation cost, and ensure urban consumers enjoy reasonable prices.
On Friday, the initiative was piloted at the forecourt at Ministry with scores of Ghanaians, mostly civil and local government workers, trooping in.
However, the prospective buyers were met by just a few bunches of plantain displayed on the floor.
While some of them lauded the initiative, others lamented that the prices were not as competitive as government had promised.
A bunch of plantain costs between ¢20 and ¢25.
Margaret is one of the people who showed up, expecting to buy perishable goods.
She was left disappointed as plantain was the only crop on sale.
“I wanted some perishable goods but unfortunately they are saying they are not going to bring anything of that sort here,” she told JoyNews.
Others also lamented that the quantity available was also below their expectation.
However, a spokesperson at the Ministry says the foodstuffs seen on site are just a few of what is to come.
Speaking to JoyNews, he explained that limited food items seen on site are because “the big truck had delayed.”
“The information gathered is that there was an accident between Apagwa and Suhum area and the road was actually blocked so it had to reroute through Kyebi. So we are hoping that it should be here shortly,” he said.
He said more crops such as cocoyam and yam will be added as they intend to scale up on Tuesday, November 15.
The buyer, Margaret, said she was expecting prices to be low.
“I was doing some comparison and I saw that the price here is a bit high so if they can bring it down for us, we will be happy,” she said.
Radio personality, Patrick Osei Agyemang known widely known as Countryman Songo has pooh-poohed the New Patriotic Party’s ‘break the 8’ agenda for the 2024 elections.
Songo holds that the party will not be able to break the 8-year political cycle in the country due to some bad policies of the government.
In a usual rant on his show, Songo fumed over certain developments in the country, particularly sports.
He slammed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his infamous ‘sike mp3 dede rhetoric, claiming that the president is not perturbed because he is done with his term of office.
“He is saying ‘sike mp3 dede’ because he knows he’s done with his 8 years. You claim you want to break the 8, do it and let’s see. They will break the eight for us to see. How can you sit in this country for people to fool us? They think we are foolish people so they don’t respect us” he said.
Songo, like many Ghanaians is frustrated by the economic crisis which had led to a persistent rise in the prices of fuel and food commodities.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta who is under pressure from both NPP and NDC MPs to resign has assured that measures are being instituted to revive the economy.
Speaking at a meeting with the Association of Ghana Industries, Ken Ofori-Atta said Ghana remains the best destination to do business.
“Let me assure you that you have a Finance Minister who has gone through all the pains and the aches, and nobody can really say we don’t understand what we are doing. The question is what resources do we have and how are we going to deploy them in the nation that we have and how do we stand firm in very difficult circumstances but being very confident?”
“Let me assure you all that your best bet is still Ghana; we can do it, and we should do it,” the embattled Finance Minister said.
The Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, expressed her delight at returning home and to parliament after being away from the jurisdiction for a long time.
She explained that on her return, she received a good reception from her colleague MPs in parliament.
Speaking to journalists after the close of Friday’s, November 11, 2022, proceedings in parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo said that she was happy to be back.
“I greet all my constituents. As their Member of Parliament, by the grace of God, I have finally returned to the Chamber… the reception has been good… I’m now back to continue my duties and today is the first day and I’m hoping that the subsequent weeks are going to be good.
“It feels good to be back,” she said.
The absence of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs from parliamentary work for nearly a year has been a source of contention and several controversies, with her colleagues on the same side of the House pushing for her seat to be declared vacant at one point.
The MP had also earlier been summoned to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament for absenting herself from work for more than the period stated in the constitution, but she failed to show up.
Also, in her absence, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo terminated her appointment as the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
Mazen Farakh, a Ukrainian national who has been on the wanted list of the police for alleged fake currency trafficking, has been arrested.
The suspect, who is alleged to have moved a total of $65 million in fake currency out of Ghana to various destinations was picked up by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
He is believed to be at the Airport Police station pending further investigations into the case.
Arrest Warrant
In September, this year, the Airport Police forwarded a warrant for the arrest of Mazen Farakh, issued by the Madina District Court, to the Comptroller-General of the GIS.
Intel revealed that, over the years, the suspect had been able to move an amount of $65 million in fake currency outside the country to various destinations.
The suspect was alleged to be transacting the same business but was picked up after a copy of the arrest warrant and the bio-data page of his passport was sent to the GIS.
Accomplice
Earlier this year, an alleged Nigerian accomplice nicknamed Sam was picked up by the anti-graft institution.
Sam, 52 according to intel was arrested on the allegation that he defrauded Mazen Farakh of $6.5 million but allegedly insisted that he never defrauded the Ukrainian but rather, engaged in a fake currency deal with him.
The Minority Chief Whip in Parliament, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, has told the Members of Parliament on the majority side that their decision not to support the removal of the finance minister is something they will live to regret.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs have filed a motion in the House calling for a vote of censure against the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, over his poor performance in managing the economy.
Some weeks ago, 80 MPs from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), forming the majority in parliament, made an unprecedented move when they addressed a press conference, calling on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sack the finance minister and his counterpart, the Minister of State in charge of Finance, Charles Adu Boahene.
The MPs explained at the time that the poor performance of their party member had caused a lot of hardships in the country, adversely affecting their constituents, and for this reason they wanted him out.
However, since then, the MPs have backed down a little after they had a meeting with the president.
But when he got up in parliament on Thursday, November 10, 2022, to second the motion moved by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, told his colleagues on the other side that it would be an error for them to turn their backs now.
“Our failure today to remove the finance minister will continue to hurt each and every one of us. It will continue to hurt our constituents. It will continue to hurt the economy, it will continue to hurt businesses; businesses are collapsing, ordinary citizens are now struggling to feed themselves.
“This is a responsibility for all of us and I just want to, Mr. Speaker, urge my colleagues, especially the ‘Rambo 80,’ to have at the back of their mind, ‘You have a reason for rebelling.’ You know this is a finance minister who doesn’t listen. You know the efforts that you’ve made severally to get him to do the right things and he refused. Those are the reasons that led you to rebel.
“I can assure you that if you backtrack, you will regret it because you know the kind of president and his family that you have: they will surely come after you,” he said.
The MP for Asawase further called on the NPP MPs to support their motion for the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as the Minister of Finance so that they can, together, save the country from all the economic mess it is going through.
“It is better today; you help us to remove him. It will give you mileage, and it will make people believe you. All the rumour that was going round that people made an attempt to bribe you, today, you need to justify it. You need to prove to the world that you were never bribed, that you were never influenced,” he added.
Earlier, the NPP MPs, led by the Effiduase Asokore legislator, addressed a press briefing where they indicated that while they still hold the view that Ofori-Atta and his counterpart should go, they would not support the motion by their colleagues in the NDC for a vote of censure against him.
It is being reported that some children on board a school bus with about 50 pupils in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region have died after a ghastly accident.
According to a post made by a Facebook user, Andy Frimpong Manso, the fatal accident happened on the Terchire-Adrobaa Road.
He said, in a caption accompanying a video, that several others have sustained critical injuries.
“A School Bus boarding about 50 Pupils has been involved in a fatal accident on the Terchire~Adrobaa Road in the Tano North Municipality in the Ahafo Region.
“6 Children confirmed dead, several others critically injured and few can’t be found,” he wrote.
The Facebook user also indicated that the accident came about as a result of the bus driver over-speeding on a road that was still under construction.
“I’m told the driver was driving on undeserving top speed, knowing very the road is under construction with first phase of surface dressing (Prima seal) being layed.
“In such areas, drivers are being cautioned to drive carefully due to the nature of the chippings and how slippery it could be.
“Sources say, he deified all cautions, even to that of the school pupils, asking him to slow down,” he added.
It is unclear when exactly the incident happened, but the post was made by Andy Frimpong Manso on Friday, November 11, 2022.
However, the police are yet to comment on the matter.
Following 50 Cent’s intentions to create a movie series out of popular Nigerian online scammer, Hushpuppi’s ordeal, Nollywood actress Uche Jombo has made a public appeal to the American rapper.
On Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 50 Cent disclosed that he will produce a television series based on the life of Hushpuppi, who has been sentenced to 11 years in prison in the United States for participating in money laundering schemes worth millions of dollars.
One can recall that on Monday, November 7, United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II delivered the sentence to Ramon Olorunwa Abbas (Hushpuppi)
It was revealed in a statement issued by the US Department of Justice that the judge had also mandated Hushpuppi to pay $1,732,841 in reparations to two of his victims.
50 Cent who shared images of the prisoner on his Instagram account on Wednesday stated that he intends to work on a movie project which was based on the life of Hushpuppi.
In the caption, the creator of G-Unit Records wrote: “For my scammers, I gotta do this one. Hushpuppi series coming soon! GLG, Green Light Gang I don’t miss. #Bransoncognac #lecheminduroi #gunitfilmandtv.”
Shortly after, Uche Jombo reacted to the development by pleading with the American star in the comment section to ensure a Nigerian actor plays that role.
She wrote: “Please give a Nigeria actor the opportunity to play this character.”
Deloris Frimpong Manso, also known as Delay has expressed that selecting a car from her garage on a daily basis for her daily rounds, has been one of her challenges.
Citing it as a ‘problem for the rich’, the popular media personality said that the situation should be the kind of ‘headache’ people should yearn for.
Counting her blessings whiles addressing the youth at a conference in Kumasi, Delay said: “I say that my biggest headache sometimes is not knowing which car to use. That is the kind of problem you want to have in life. When you are going out and you don’t know which car to drive.”
Delay, however, established that her success wasn’t funded by a sponsor adding that she started building from scratch.
“It wasn’t handed over to me on a silver platter. I didn’t get any rich man sponsor to help me get to this stage. I worked from the ground up. I started Delay sardine with just a container. By God’s grace, I’m able to import about seven to eight containers. You can see the products all over in town, right?”
According to Delay Foods founder, to date, people still doubt that she owns such merchandise.
For such people, she understands their misbeliefs but the fact still remains that she has become an accomplished entrepreneur and media personality.
“Some people still ask whether the Delay products are mine. I understand them because how can it be mine if not God? It’s like a dream. It’s like a story which doesn’t add up for many people. It was just a few years ago I started.”
Veteran actor, Fred Amugi, has said it is his utmost wish to be captured on a billboard as a brand ambassador before he dies.
This is the only wish of the veteran actor who turned 74 years on November 11, 2022.
According to Fred Amugi, it is his desire that this particular wish would be granted while he is still alive.
“One wish I’d want to have for my 74th birthday is to see myself on a billboard as a brand ambassador. I wouldn’t want to die before I am mounted on a billboard, where I wouldn’t see what is being done for me. I’m prepared to be a brand ambassador for your products. Use me whiles I’m alive and not when I’m dead and gone,” he appealed to brands in a viral video.
Over the period, some veteran actors have channeled all sorts of appeals, predominantly financial, to the general public.
This has become the case because most of these veteran actors have struggled with all sorts of life crises associated with their old ages.
While many have changed career paths due to the influx of new-school actors, the few veterans left in the movie industry have always maintained that they do not get as much opportunities as the young ones.
Kennedy Osei, son of Dr Osei Kwame Despite, has been called to the bar.
He joins the tall list of graduates called to the bar, clad the black and white attire matching it with a peruke that brought a sense of formality and solemnity to their graduation ceremony, Friday, November 11, 2022.
In a post he shared on his Instagram, he posed wearing his graduation gown while seated with one leg crossed on the other.
His caption that accompanied the post read, “The Time Is Here: KENNEDY ASANTE OSEI ESQ. #GODFIRST. Thank you.”
His post has attracted many social media users and some stars to congratulate the businessman on achieving a higher milestone.
Reacting to his post, netizens shared many clapping emojis with others who expressed joy and shock after the post was shared barely one hour ago.
So far, his post has amassed close to seven thousand likes with over a hundred comments.
A social media reaction shared by Afia Schwarzenegger read, “Eishhhhhhh my learned colleague…[with five clapping emojis].”
Clemento Suarez also added, “Congratulations my fellow atta papa” while Selassie Ibrahim kept it simple with a warm “Congratulations.”
Fella Makafui as of November 11, 2022, had deleted every photo from her Instagram account following a cryptic post she shared on Twitter two days prior.
It is unclear why she cleared her photos but the decision has fueled speculations.
Although it is early to say her November 8, 2022, post where she talks about wanting to make a drastic decision was a reason for this, many still want to grasp what is happening in her camp and that of her husband, Medikal.
A day after her post on Twitter, her significant other, Medikal, likewise confused netizens with an assertion he made about marriage.
In the rapper’s post shared on blogger, Nkonkonsa’s page on Instagram, he said spouses ought to appreciate, be humble and accommodating to their husbands.
“Wives should be respectful, submissive, appreciative and stress-free,” the rapper said.
Medikal and Fella Makafui married on March 7th, 2020, and they have a daughter called Island Frimpong. At the wedding ceremony, the bride collapsed while dancing with her husband in the full glare of family and friends but later said it was a prank.
“I’m an actress, I mean I have been pranking him so I was like let me see if he was going to get scared today. I love you so much,” she said.
Her claim divided opinions with some chastising her for spewing lies while others argued that it was unwise for a bride to pull a stunt if her narrative was anything to go by.
Award-winning artiste, Sarkodie, has disclosed that sensational Ghanaian artiste, Black Sherif, reached out to him when he was almost done with his Jamz album.
Speaking on 3Music TV, he praised the artiste while tackling assumptions some Ghanaians have that he chases after new acts in order to stay relevant.
“Big shoutouts to my superstar Blacko. Blacko hit me up at the last minute of this project and said Landlord, I have to be on you Jamz, and I said great,” Sarkodie said.
According to Sarkodie, people who don’t get why he is ahead of his game tend to make up stories that make sense to them.
He also added that many of these artistes people claim he chases come to him for a feature.
“I should feel bad because people actually don’t make sense of why you are still here. Because that’s the only reason, there is no other reason. They want to find the logic behind why you can still be relevant after a long time.
“And the funny thing is most of these records that you hear me on, and you think I am jumping on somebody’s record? I never reach out to these people,” he added.
Sarkodie added that going after up-and-coming artistes is something he doesn’t do but wouldn’t mind working with them when he is called on.
The rapper released the Jamz album on November 11, 2022.
Only 522 of the candidates who took part in the 2022 entrance examination to enter the Ghana School of Law have reportedly passed.
According to a report by TV3, the number of students who passed represents less than 20 percent of the 2,654 people who took part in the examination.
Also, the report indicated that the 522 students who have gained admission to the law school fall short of the 800 the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, indicated have been budgeted for in the 2022 budget.
It will be recalled that in July 2022, the Independent Examinations Body, the body responsible for examinations at the Ghana School of Law, cancelled a Civil Procedure paper scheduled to be written on July 15, 2022.
According to an earlier report on GhanaWeb, the Independent Examinations Body canceled the paper over suspicions that the questions had leaked hours before they were to be administered.
A copy of the paper was said to have widely circulated across various social media platforms before the time it was scheduled to be written.
The 2022 law school entrance examination was cancelled for the second time after it was rescheduled to take place on Friday, September 23, 2022, after the exam papers allegedly leaked online.
According to a report on citinewsroom.com, the questions for the examination, which was scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, found their way onto social media.
Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.
On the Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana as of November 11, 2022, the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 13.0694 and a selling price of 13.0824.
As compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 13.0494 and a selling price of 13.0624. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 14.30 and sold at a rate of 14.90.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 15.2572 and a selling price of 15.2751 as compared to yesterday’s trading at a buying price of 15.0890 and a selling price of 15.0890.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 15.90 and sold at a rate of 16.75.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 13.2983 and a selling price of 13.3104 as compared to yesterday’s trading at a buying price of 13.0850 and a selling price of 13.0993.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 13.90 and sold at a rate of 14.90.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.7490 and a selling price of 0.7498 compared to yesterday’s trading at a buying price of 0.7348 and a selling price of 0.7355.
At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.65 and sold at a rate of 1.10.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 33.8835 and a selling price of 34.0337 as compared to yesterday’s trading at a buying price of 33.8835 and a selling price of 34.0337.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 13.50 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 17.50.
