The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has appealed to the Bank of Ghana to take necessary steps to stabilize the forex market.
In a speech read on his behalf at the 19th Ashanti Business Excellence Awards by Sewuahene, Nana Kwaku Sarkodie, the Asantehene expressed worry over the depreciation of the local currency against other foreign trading currencies.
He urged the central bank to implement measures to bring predictability to Ghana`s export and import trade, as well as other international financial transactions.
“I will like to make reference to the unsettling turbulence which has characterized Ghana’s foreign currency market, Since the beginning of the year, there has been an astronomical depreciation of the cedi against Ghana’s major foreign currencies, particularly the US Dollar.
I have no doubt that the Bank of Ghana is doing its best to remedy the situation, but the central bank is doing its best to remedy the situation, but I must urge the central bank to urgently take all the requisite steps within its competence to return the foreign market to stability, in order to bring predictability to Ghana`s export and import trade, as well as other international financial transactions”, he said.
The cedi ended last week with a marginal appreciation, but the cedi has depreciated again to GH¢14.20 to one dollar which is the average quote by the forex bureaus.
According to the Bank of Ghana, however, the local currency is selling at GH¢13.014 on the interbank market. The cedi is also going for ¢15.60 and GH¢13.60 to one pound and one euro respectively.
The free fall of the cedi coupled with the recent economic crisis in the country has triggered calls for immediate measures to be implemented by the government to resolve the situation.
President Akufo Addo in his address on Sunday, October 30, announced some measures the government intends to put in place to address the fall of the cedi and the current economic crisis.
Thousands of lotto writers have expressed their displeasure about the National Lottery Authority’s (NLA) directive for a new 20 per cent commission to be enforced.
The angry lotto writers are wondering how the commission could be reduced especially at this time of economic hardship.
They expressed their frustration during a stakeholders’ meeting with the Ghana Lotto Operators Association (GLOA) and the Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana (CLAAG).
The emergency meeting was on sensitisation and the mode of enforcement for the 20 per cent commission for Writers as directed by the NLA.
Some of the lotto writers were clad in red and holding placards that read: “We don’t want any 20% but 40% instead; Sammy Awuku must go; Leave Banker to Banker alone; 20% of what? We no go gre; Chop chop money keke, Sammy Awuku,” among others.
Some chanted “We want 40%,” and added that, “if you can’t increase the commission then nobody should reduce it.”
The Executive Secretary of the Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana, Mr Tawiah Duah, reading a statement said: “It has become necessary to convene a meeting between Ghana Lotto Operators Association (GLOA), Private Lotto Operators (PLO), Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana (CLAAG) and Lotto Writers because about a week ago, an announcement was made by GLOA and PLO in the media that effective that day [31 October, 2022], commissions paid to lotto writers were reduced from 30 per cent to 20 per cent. That meant a whopping 10 per cent reduction in their income levels.
“This announcement was implemented and was met by agitated writers given the already existing hardship in the economy.
“This situation has therefore resulted in several incidence of near altercations between lotto writers and their respective agents.
“This coupled with numerous outpouring of angered Writers expressing themselves through voice calls, WhatsApp and SMS messages to our offices and Executive Officers demanding for sustained nationwide demonstrations against the reduction until such a time that it will be reversed.
GLOA, PLO and CLAAG have therefore convened this important meeting to calm the nerves of Lotto Writers as CLAAG has already written to the National Lottery Authority (NLA) to register its grievances [concerning] the reduction in commissions.
“It is our hope to seek [an] amicable solution to the problem at hand, of course with the active participation of GLOA.
“If, however, by Friday, 11 November 2022, the matter has not been resolved, CLAAG will again invite its members to reconvene and decide on its next line of action.”
All the members of the Ghana Lotto Operators Association (GLOA) were present to listen to the concerns of the Lotto Agents and the Lotto Writers.
The Chairman of GLOA, Noah Afonope assured the lotto agents and operators to rest assured and believe that something good will come out of their meeting with the NLA.
The leader of the Minority Caucus of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has refuted assertions that the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic are the cause of the hardships in the country.
According to Haruna Iddrisu, the only cause of Ghana’s economic challenges is Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta whose unbridled borrowing has led the country to this economic crisis.
“We are told that he did well and that we are told that we should blame COVID and Ukraine. Did we borrow to support Ukraine? You didn’t borrow to support Ukraine.
“And you want us to accept your reckless and irresponsible borrowing which has led us to where we are,” he said on the floor of Parliament while moving a vote of censure motion for the removal of Ofori-Atta.
Haruna Iddrisu, who is the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, said that the finance minister has borrowed so much that the country must restructure its debts in order to survive.
He intimated that Ghanaians should ignore the assurance given to them by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that they will not lose parts of their investment in government bonds and other investment portfolios because of the ongoing economic crisis.
“You are in a ditch. Mr. Speaker the Ghanaian economy is a ditch. Accept it or not, we may have to restructure our debt in order to sustain this economy in the next two, three years.
“I heard the president, Mr. Speaker, in the address to the nation say that there will be no haircut. There will be and there will be a barber of a sort, that barber may be ‘sika mpɛ dede’,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has referred a vote of censure motion filed by the Minority for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to an 8-member ad hoc committee
The committee is expected to make a determination on the removal of Ofori-Atta within 7 days.
The speaker announced that the committee will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.
Alban Bagbin added that the determination of Ofori-Atta’s removal will be made in consultation with the leadership of the House.
The other Members of the committee from the minority caucus include the MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.
The committee members from the majority caucus are MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah; MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, November 10 announced an ad hoc committee to probe allegations in a vote of censure motion against the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The 8-member ad hoc committee was constituted with Members of Parliament elected by the leadership of both sides of the House.
Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.
The committee is expected to submit a report within 7 days.
The composition of the committee is as follows:
It will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.
The three members from the Minority side are:
MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa;
MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and
MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.
From the Majority caucus, the members include:
MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah;
MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and
MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.
How motion of censure against Ofori-Atta was argued
The Minority Leader filed a motion of censure late last month against Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.
The motion was duly admitted by Speaker Alban Bagbin and on November 10, the motion was moved by Haruna Iddrisu to trigger debate and a vote on the same.
Speaker Bagbin, however, in his interpretation of the rules the Minority relied on referred the issue to an 8-member ad hoc committee formed to probe the Minority’s claims against the Finance Minister.
The committee co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (NDC) and KT Hammond (NPP) is expected to present their report in seven days, following which the House will proceed with the censure process or otherwise.
Below are the seven points for which the Minority want Ofori-Atta censured:
a. Despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages, particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang
b. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral.
c. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.
d. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament
e. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world
f. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis
g. Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin and the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka clashed in Parliament on Thursday, November 10, 2022, when a motion of censure against Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta was moved by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.
After a preliminary objection was raised by Deputy Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and shot down; the speaker delivered a ruling in which he directed that the vote of censure be referred to a committee.
But the Minority through Muntaka sought to explain why there was no need for a referral to a committee but instead why there was the need to proceed to a vote on the matter citing wording in the relevant rules.
Muntaka’s submission appeared to have veered into an area where the Speaker robustly stepped in, charging the MP of attacking his ruling.
He ordered Muntaka to retract and apologize, which order Muntaka expressly refused to heed neither did he listen to orders to resume his seat.
The Speaker subsequently ordered all he said when he had been asked to sit to be expunged from the Hansard – i.e. the official records of the House.
Below is a transcript of the Bagbin vs. Muntaka banter:
Muntaka: Mr. Speaker, with all respect and humility to you, in this text, nowhere did it say Mr. Speaker will refer the matter to any ad hoc committee. It says that the House will take a decision and decisions in this House Mr. Speaker is taken by vote.
So, if any member can move a motion… Mr. Speaker, it is for the decision of this House, that is what Order 106 is saying.
Bagbin: Hon, you are completely, completely out of order. Hon. Member, I don’t take my rulings lightly, please. You are attacking my ruling and I think you don’t have that authority to do so. If you want to attack my ruling, come by a substantive motion.
Your understanding of ‘during the debate,’…. debate of matters before the House is not only during the plenary session. At the committee level, what you do there is to debate. That is why when you agree at the committee level and you come and put the matter here, you don’t waste time to debate again.
Bagbin proceeded to explain that plenary rules applied to the committee level, explaining further that the decision is taken by the House not the speaker but also that the rules say motion for censure “will be made by a member and referred to a committee, that is exactly what I said I am going to do.”
Muntaka: The House is defined in this Standing Orders as Parliament and Mr. Speaker, Parliament is this Chamber with 275 members.
Bagbin: Hon. Member please, the House cannot be constituted without a speaker. You must understand that. It is when a Speaker is presiding that it becomes a House. You can’t have this room with 275 Members seated here and call yourself a House.
Move away from the understanding that you are the makers of everything here, I have been listening to you, don’t give me that temptation.
Muntaka sought permission to continue his submission and was granted, Bagbin, however, added: “but I think that you have to withdraw what you said. Hon. Member, you have to withdraw it and apologize.”
Muntaka: I’m happy you’ve given me permission to speak, one of the cardinals of democracy is to listen to each other even when we disagree with each other, stressing that ruling was wrong and cannot be right.
Bagbin: Hon. Member resume your seat, resume your seat.
Muntaka: Mr. Speaker, I come to second the motion with the clear indication that any attempt to move this matter to a committee will be a travesty of justice done to the chamber of this House.
Bagbin: Hon. Members, I direct that all what the Minority Chief Whip has said after I have told him to withdraw and apologize, be expunged from the records. I so direct. Hansard expunge everything from the record.
Minority Chief Whip, you’ll have a difficulty in catching my eye again.
How motion of censure against Ofori-Atta was argued
The Minority Leader filed a motion of censure late last month against Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.
The motion was duly admitted by Speaker Alban Bagbin and on November 10, the motion was moved by Haruna Iddrisu to trigger debate and a vote on the same.
Speaker Bagbin, however, in his interpretation of the rules the Minority relied on referred the issue to an 8-member ad hoc committee formed to probe the Minority’s claims against the Finance Minister.
The committee co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (NDC) and KT Hammond (NPP) is expected to present their report in seven days, following which the House will proceed with the censure process or otherwise.
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin defended a ruling he handed down in the matter of a vote of censure filed against Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta by the Minority Caucus.
In doing so, he also schooled Minority Chief Whip Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, who Bagbin accused of attacking the ruling he gave despite not having the authority so to do.
It started when Muntaka rose to second the motion of censure vote as moved by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, he started off by quoting Order 106 of the Standing Orders which Bagbin relied on to rule that the censure motion be referred to a committee before it comes back to the plenary.
Muntaka in disagreeing made comments the Speaker deemed an attack on his ruling.
Bagbin interjected the Asawaase MP’s submission stating: “Hon, you are completely, completely out of order. Hon. Member, I don’t take my rulings lightly, please. You are attacking my ruling and I think you don’t have that authority to do so. If you want to attack my ruling, come by a substantive motion.
“Your understanding of ‘during the debate,’… debate of matters before the House is not only during the plenary session. At the committee level, what you do there is to debate. That is why when you agree at the committee level and you come and put the matter here, you don’t waste time to debate again,” he stressed.
Muntaka proceeded to seek to drum home his point that it was solely the decision of 275 MPs to decide on the issue but Bagbin explained that a House cannot be properly constituted without a Speaker.
“Move away from the understanding that you are the makers of everything here, I have been listening to you, don’t give me that temptation,” he said before demanding a withdrawal and apology for Muntaka’s pronouncements.
The MP’s refusal forced Bagbin to order that the latter part of his submissions be expunged from the Hansard.
“Hon. Members, I direct that all what the Minority Chief Whip has said after I have told him to withdraw and apologize, be expunged from the records. I so direct. Hansard expunge everything from the record.
“Minority Chief Whip, you’ll have a difficulty in catching my eye again,” Bagbin warned.
How motion of censure against Ofori-Atta was argued
The Minority Leader filed a motion of censure late last month against Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.
The motion was duly admitted by Speaker Alban Bagbin and on November 10, the motion was moved by Haruna Iddrisu to trigger debate and a vote on the same.
Speaker Bagbin, however, in his interpretation of the rules the Minority relied on referred the issue to an 8-member ad hoc committee formed to probe the Minority’s claims against the Finance Minister.
The committee co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (NDC) and KT Hammond (NPP) is expected to present their report in seven days, following which the House will proceed with the censure process or otherwise.
Ningo Prampram, lawmaker Samuel Nartey George has called for the process to investigate the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta by the 8-member committee formed by the Speaker, to be transmited by live television.
Sam George called for this to be live on television given the huge public interest in this matter.
“Mr Speaker, I will like to call for the sittings to be televised live given the nature of the matter.”
The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin on Thursday November 10 set a committee to investigate the allegations made against Mr Ofori-Atta by the Minority in Parliament for which they filed a motion to get him removed from office.
The 8-member committee, co-chaired by Dr Dominic Ayine and KT Hammond, lawmakers for Bolgatanga East and Adansi-Asokwa respectively, has within seven working days to complete its work and submit the report
The Speaker’s ruling came after the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo-Markin challenged the motion of the Minority on the basis that the Finance Minister will suffer injustice if the House goes ahead with the application.
Mr Afenyo-Markin indicated that the claims by the Minority were criminal in nature upon a proper scrutiny.
To that end, he called for a fair hearing for the Minister.
The Minority accused Mr Ofori-Atta of, among other things, personally benefitting from every loan that the government takes.
But the Effutu Member of Parliament said “these matters, upon a proper scrutiny, are criminal in nature. The Minister should be given a fair hearing.”
“If we go ahead with the application we will be doing a lot of injustice to our colleague. If this application is allowed it will be injustice and unfairness, the Minister wouldn’t have been given adequate time to prepare for his defense,” he stressed.
Justifying the motion to get the Finance Minister removed, the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said President Akufo-Addo was not ready to sack the Minister.
Therefore, he appealed the Majority Members of Parliament to support the move to get him removed.
In his ruling on this matter, Speaker Bagbin said after announcing the formation of the committee that “The evidence will be placed before the committee. The Minister will have the opportunity to defend himself.
“A report will be presented to the House, and we will debate that report.”
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has referred a vote of censure motion filed by the minority cause of Parliament for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to an 8-member ad hoc committee.
The committee is expected to make a determination on removal of Ofori-Atta within 7 days.
The speaker announced that the committee will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.
An attempt by the majority in parliament to raise a preliminary objection against the motion for a vote of censure brought by the minority against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been rejected.
The minority, led by Haruna Iddrisu, moved the motion on Thursday, November 10, 2022, seeking to pass a vote of censure against the under-fire minister for finance.
Arguing against the motion after it was moved by the minority leader, Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said admitting the motion in the house would amount to injustice being dealt against the minister for finance.
“As it stands now, if this motion is allowed to proceed, it would amount to injustice in a sense that the minister wouldn’t be given enough time to prepare a defence,” the deputy majority leader said.
The majority, among other things, argued that the minister would be denied a fair trial and that the house would be overstepping its remit if it decided to go ahead and admit the motion.
However, ruling on the objection by the majority, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin said the minister will duly be granted an opportunity to defend himself as part of the process in dealing with the motion.
The speaker further hinted that the motion will be referred to a committee of the house, upon whose recommendation the house will act.
The minority is asking, among other things, for the removal of the minister of finance over what they say is his mismanagement of the economy, leading to high cost of living, and inflation.
Lawyers for Patricia Asiedu popularly known as Nana Agradaa have asked the Accra Circuit court 10 to vary the bail conditions given to the self-styled evangelist.
She was granted a GH¢150,000 bail with three sureties, one of whom must be justified with landed property.
She was further directed to deposit her passport at the court registry.
In court on Thursday however, her lawyer, Paul Asibi Abariga prayed the court to vary the conditions.
He told the court that it’s been difficult getting civil servants to stand as sureties for the television personality.
The lawyer thus prayed the court to vary the condition to allow any “ordinary Ghanaian “to stand as surety for her.”
The lawyer also accused the Police of frustrating the bail execution process, as documents submitted two weeks ago have still not been attended to.
Prosecution led by DSP Slyvester Asare, however, opposed the application.
He told the court that Nana Agradaa had submitted the payslip of the sureties, which were being verified by the Controller and Accountant General.
He wondered who an ordinary Ghanaian would be in the prayer of Nana Agradaa’s lawyers, and prayed the court not to vary the terms.
The case is adjourned to Friday, November 11, 2022, to determine bail variation.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has ruled that an ad-hoc committee will be set up to probe the allegations for the motion of censure raised by the Minority Caucus against the embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to the Speaker, setting up a committee will provide an opportunity for the Finance Minister to respond to issues of conflict of interest raised by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu.
“The evidence will be placed before the committee. The Minister will have the opportunity to defend himself. A report will be presented to the House, and we will debate that report,” the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin said.
Bagbin made the ruling after the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, moved the motion for the vote of censure against Mr Ofori-Atta on the Floor of the House on Thursday, November 10, 2022.
According to Haruna Iddrisu, the record inflation rate, the depreciation of the cedi, the excessive borrowing and the reckless spending and the failure to control fuel prices are clear indications that the Finance Minister is not fit to continue in his role.
The Tamale South MP added that “Ghana’s economy is currently in a ditch” and called on the Majority side of the House to join the motion to remove the Finance Minister to regain the confidence of investors and save the economy from total collapse.
But the call by the Minority Leader was turned down by the Majority side, with the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin stating the call by the Minority Leader is in bad faith and not procedural.
According to him, issues raised by the Minority Leader border on criminality. He said Parliament cannot arrogate to itself judicial powers to try the Finance Minister, and called on the Speaker to allow Mr Ofori-Atta to defend before any decision is made.
The Majority MPs had earlier indicated their unwillingness to back the Minority’s vote of censure against the Finance Minister.
At a press conference held Thursday morning, the Majority group led by the MP for Effiduase/Asokore, Nana Ayew Afriyie said despite the fact that they still stand by their decision for the Finance Minister to be removed, they refuse to support the motion by the Minority.
“We are not going to support the course of the NDC this morning. The course of the NDC is premised on falsehood, propaganda and reasons which are not justifiable. Their position might look like ours, but ours is different,” Ayew Afriyie said.
The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has been spotted in parliament as the house considers a motion by the Members of Parliament on the opposition side for the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as the Minister of Finance.
The National Democratic Congress MPs filed a motion in parliament on October 25, 2022, to be debated and voted on 14 days after its receipt by the Speaker of Parliament.
Upon the maturity of the period, the house is considering the motion moved by the NDC MPs, and they have hoped that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs would support their call.
This expectation is based on the fact that some weeks ago, some 80 NPP MPs took a historic stance when they called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately sack Ken Ofori-Atta over his poor performance.
The MPs stated in their press conference that should the president fail to do this, they would begin boycotting government business in the house, including the reading of the 2023 budget statement and economic policy.
This call has since been placed on hold after the president met with the NPP MPs and urged them to give the Minister of Finance time to complete some pressing government business, including his IMF request.
But ahead of the hearing of the motion for a vote of censure against Ken Ofori-Atta, the General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, wrote a letter to its MPs, directing them to stay away from the vote.
In the statement dated November 9, 2022, the national leadership said that “While the National Executive body acknowledges the prevailing socio-economic conditions in the country and the need for urgent remedial interventions, it is our utmost position that the demand of the NDC-led Minority Caucus is ill-intended and aimed at derailing government’s efforts at resolving current socio-economic upheavals.
“The leadership acknowledges that the Minister for Finance is the leader of government’s negotiation team with the International Monetary Fund. Considering that negotiation with the IMF is nearly completed, the National Executive body of the Party strongly believes that the removal of the lead person spearheading the negotiation may adversely impact the progress made thus far.”
On the day of the vote of censure, the NPP MPs, led by the MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, stated in an interview that while they are bent on getting Ken Ofori-Atta out, they would not support the motion of the NDC MPs for a vote of censure against the minister.
“We are here to reiterate that, however much you heard us speaking that based on the intervention of the president, we will have to see the minister of finance do his work, read budget, see through appropriation and then the president will act.
“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 this will be very soon for you to see, the position of us and we are going to be positively defiant about that posture until that action is taken. However, we are not going to support the cause of the NDC in the chamber this morning.
Businessman Dr Kofi Amoah, affectionately called Citizen Kofi has bemoaned the decision of the microblogging platform Twitter to close down its Ghana and Africa offices.
The decision to close down the Ghana and Africa office of Twitter comes after the platform was acquired by billionaire Elon Musk.
Earlier this month, Twitter fired nearly all its staff in Ghana, which was home to its only office in Africa.
The layoffs according to sources close to the business were part of a global staff cull introduced by new boss Elon Musk.
Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, has been laying off staff worldwide. He said he had “no choice” but to slash the company’s workforce as the firm was losing more than $4m (£3.5m) a day.
Last year, Twitter opened its Ghana office amidst some fanfare with the Ghana president Nana Akufo Addo touting its immense benefits.
Twitter in a statement after arriving in Africa said it was motivated by the desire to “be more immersed in the rich and vibrant communities that drive the conversations taking place every day across the African continent.”
News of the closure of the Ghana and Africa office was shocking and saddening to many but Dr Kofi Amoah says while it is a painful reality, he wants the episode to spur young African techies to create their own platform.
In a Twitter post on Thursday, 10 November 2022, Dr Amoah wrote, “Yes, the strength of a continent lies in her people. Can the story of Twitter closing its African office end more beautifully: A group of techie young Africans, Nigeria/Kenya/Ghana, have announced the formation of Twitter-Africa named AKASANOMA, funded by the AfDB.”
Dr Amoah has in recent years been leading a charge for Africa to have its own homegrown solutions to the many problems that bedevil the continent.
The minority in parliament has officially moved a motion for a vote of censure to be passed on the minister for finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin, sought to object to the motion when the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, moved it a few minutes to 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 10, 2022.
The motion hinged on Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution and, according to the minority, is influenced by issues such as the mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy by the minister.
Midway through the minority leader’s presentation, the deputy majority leader asked the speaker for permission to raise a preliminary objection to the motion.
However, his attempt was met with heckling from members on the minority side who shouted at the Deputy Majority Leader to “sit down.”
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, intervened immediately and caused the members of the house to take into consideration the importance of the exercise being undertaken.
The speaker implored the MPs to exercise decorum in the discharge of their mandate.
The speaker, however, refused the objection request by the deputy majority leader and granted the minority leader the opportunity to go ahead and move the motion.
Ace broadcaster and student of the Ghana School of Law, Richard Delay Sky, has denied being behind a purported document on social media linking him to a petition demanding that the General Legal Council reprimands Ama Governor Ababio, a fellow student.
The document which has gone viral on social media is said to have been written by one Hajia Siduri, a concerned citizen.
Although the contact on the letter is said to be that of Richard Dela Sky, the ace broadcaster, in a statement insisted that he did not author the document in question.
“To avoid doubt, the number displayed is my number, but I did not author the document in question. Also, I am not connected to anyone involved with the said document.”
“I have since drawn the attention of the relevant authorities to the issue for the appropriate redress,” Dela Sky added.
Ama Governor is due to be called to the Bar on Friday, but her call has been put on hold pending investigations into a complaint received the by the school concerning her character.
Although she successfully completed the professional law program, the letter from the concerned citizen alleged that she “lacks good character.”
Below is Dela Sky’s full disclaimer
My attention has been drawn to a document in circulation in which the author has asked the General Legal Council to investigate a person said to be a student of the Ghana School of Law.
To avoid doubt, the number displayed is my number, but I DID NOT AUTHOR THE DOCUMENT IN QUESTION. ALSO, I AM NOT CONNECTED TO ANYONE INVOLVED WITH THE SAID DOCUMENT.
I have since drawn the attention of the relevant authorities to the issue for the appropriate redress.
A 31-year-old man, Quashie Edem has been shot dead while six others sustained cutlass and gunshot injuries in a land dispute at Gomoa Akraman in the Gomoa East District.
Three of the injured are from Gomoa Akraman while the three others are from Awutu Bereku.
The faction from Bereku were said to be grading a parcel of land when the group from Akraman stormed the site claiming ownership of the land.
One of the victims from Gomoa Akraman said they had gone there to halt any developmental activity by the faction from Awutu Bereku.
Alhaji Dawood, a member of the Bereku faction speaking to the media, debunked the claims that the land was not for the people of Awutu Bereku.
He said they were grading their own land when the Akraman faction attacked them, shot one of them and injured three others.
The Central East Regional Police Command had, however, arrested four persons who are assisting with investigations while the dead body had been deposited at the Police hospital morgue for preservation.
The victims are receiving treatment at the Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital and Akraman CHPS Compound.
Musician Sarkodie is not going back on his word regarding his stance on certain national issues.
The award-winning artiste has been at the receiving end of criticisms that his creative expression of sentiment against political ills has reduced.
Some songs such as ‘Inflation’, ‘Masses’ and others addressed political leaders and their role in economic mismanagement.
But his latest commentary which came on Kuami Eugene’s ‘Happy Day’ song, raised eyebrows.
On that 2021 collaboration, Michael Owusu Addo as he is known outside music circles, trumpeted the benefits of the NPP government’s flagship Free Senior High School programme.
Since this line, the economy has taken a downward turn, the cost of living has skyrocketed and the Finance Ministry is currently negotiating with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout.
Some music lovers were hoping to get another epistle as characteristic of ‘The Highest’ which has never seen the light of day.
According to the 37-year-old, his conviction during ‘Happy Day’, for example, came from a need that the specific government policy had satisfied among his close relations.
Explaining his ‘Nana Toaso’ line on 3 Music, he said “I think I benefitted from Free SHS directly and I have the right to say I endorse that. This is directly.”
“My mum has these girls that she supports. At first, she calls me [about their school fees]. I’m not saying it’s much but just the fact that you’re not getting that call anymore… It came from that place and I was specific about what I was endorsing.”
He says he knew the verse would be controversial but still stands by his word and won’t apologise for it.
The musician also said that compelling him to do so may conflict with his creative process.
“You might think you’re doing a good thing trying to get me to do it, but you are actually interfering in [my] creative feel,” he said on Thursday.
He however conceded that the country was experiencing a very difficult time adding that the conditions highlighted in his previous politically-inclined songs, remain unchanged.
“The country is worse… people are really suffering,” the VGMA Artiste of the Decade concluded.
All is set in parliament for the house to vote on a censure motion tabled against the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The house is yet to officially commence sitting for the day however the minority side which filed the motion seeking to remove the minister from office have filled their side of the chamber.
The majority side on the other hand have a handful of their members in the chamber while others have been seen within the precents of the house.
Ahead of the commencement of sitting, members of the minority group have been captured in a meeting which took place on the floor of the chamber.
The minority members briefly stopped their chit-chat as they gathered around their leader, Haruna Iddrisu.
The minority leader in the brief meeting was seen ostensibly outlining the caucus’ strategy to the members who listened with rapt attention.
Meanwhile, the majority group in an earlier press conference have hinted of their plans to boycott the voting process.
According to the majority, even though they support the call for the minister’s resignation, the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta should be on their terms.
“We are here to reiterate that, however much you heard us speaking that based on the intervention of the president, we will have to see the minister of finance do his work, read budget, see through appropriation and then the president will act.
“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 this will be very soon for you to see, the position of us and we are going to be positively defiant about that posture until that action is taken. However, we are not going to support the cause of the NDC in the chamber this morning.
“The cause of the NDC is premised on falsehood, propaganda and reasons that are not justifiable. Their position might look like ours but is not the same.”
This comes following a decision by some 80 MPs to call for the sacking of the Finance Minister.
The group of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament petitioned president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during a presser on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, to sack the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Minister of State at the finance ministry, Adu Boahen, to restore public confidence in the economy.”
The group said it will not do business with government nor support the 2023 Budget if the president fails to heed their calls.
According to them, the move follows previous concerns sent to the government that have not yielded any positive results.
Akufo-Addo’s meeting with NPP MPs and Vote of censure:
A meeting with the president following the demands by the NPP MPs meant that they had to stand down their request on two conditions.
The conditions included that Ofori-Atta is allowed to conclude the current phase of financial support negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and also to present the 2023 budget and see to the passage of the appropriation bill before their removal request will be acted upon.
It was on the same day that the Minority Caucus filed a censure. Their leader, Haruna Iddrisu assured the House days ago that the Minority Caucus he leads in Parliament will fully pursue a censure vote initiated against Ofori-Atta.
Speaking on the floor of the House on Tuesday, November 1, 2022; Haruna reiterated having issued a nine-line whip for members of his caucus when the day of voting comes, affirming that he will move the motion before November 10.
Haruna Iddrisu, after confirming that the motion will be filed also called on MPs in the Majority to join them to remove Ofori-Atta.
“I will move the motion for the censure of the Minister for Finance, Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta. Those like-minded persons who will dance with us, Mr. Speaker, they will be welcomed in the secret ballots,” Haruna stressed.
Voting today:
Parliament will require a vote with 2/3rd of MPs to decide the fate of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
With the current stance of the group from the Majority Caucus, it remains unclear what the outcome of this vote of censure will be.
A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, has berated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the current hardship in the country.
According to him, Ghana’s economy is in this state because the president refuses to listen to sound advice.
Dr Wereko Brobby, who made these remarks in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, added that Akufo-Addo and his appointees are doing the same things he (Akufo-Addo) criticised the NDC government for when he was in opposition.
“(The country) is in this current state because of stubbornness. Because from the beginning, we at Alliance for Change used to criticise the NDC for the size of their government, accusing them of squandering the country’s resources with the number of ministers they had appointed.
“Now, this my brother (Akufo-Addo) comes to power, and the 85 ministers of Mahama we were complaining was too much, [he] increased it to 125. So, is this progress?
“When we spoke about it, he said that the number of his ministers is insignificant but what matters is their output. This means that we criticised the NDC only to come and do worse than they did. This is why we are where we are today… If you decide not to take the advice on things we have spoken about, this is what happens. Today, inflation is over 40 percent, and it will be worse,” he said.
Dr Wereko-Brobby added that the failure of the government to stabilise the nation’s currency and the prices of petroleum products is the cause of the hardships in the country.
The Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, Alhassan Bashir Fuseini, has called out what he described as the cowardice of his colleagues on the majority side of parliament in their decision not to support their vote of censure motion against the Minister of Finance.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews and monitored by GhanaWeb, the outspoken National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP expressed shock at the MPs’ decision not to support their vote.
He explained that it amazes him that the MPs, who had earlier called for the minister to be sacked, would in turn throw away an easy opportunity to get their request granted.
“The man is a walking disaster, and once they themselves have come to the conclusion that Ken Ofori-Atta is a disaster, this is an excellent opportunity for them to walk the talk when they told us Ken Ofori-Atta was a disaster and must go.
“If you have been parasitising and they call for free food, it’s like your wife has just cooked, so, why is it that now that they have free food – the opportunity that the censure is moved, and now they’re running away.
“So, it is abundantly clear that they will be reneging on their responsibility,” he sad.
Alhassan Bahir Fuseini, also known as A.B.A. Fuseini, further stated that regardless of the position of the NPP MPs, they in the NDC will prove to Ghanaians that they are the ones concerned about their concerns and their well-being.
“I now say that today is a historic day in parliament, that the people will see who is truly beholding to the national interest of this country; who is truly standing up for the oppressed masses; who is truly standing up for the excruciating hardships that our people are suffering,” he said.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has proposed a vote of censure in Parliament.
Should it pass, it would make the appointment of Ken Ofori-Atta as Minister of Finance invalid in the eyes of parliament, forcing the president to officially sack him.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has urged his colleague MPs of the majority caucus to support a vote of censure against the finance minister filed by his side, the minority.
Sam George’s call comes after the national leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) directed all their MPs to abstain from a scheduled vote of censure targeted at embattled Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
The party has thus ordered the Majority Whips to ensure that no member of the Caucus participates in the exercise expected to take place today, Thursday, November 10, 2022.
The directive was contained in a November 9, press statement signed by General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong.
Reacting to this, the Ningo-Prampram MP said the vote of censure against the finance minister will be a test of honour for the NPP MPs.
He added that the action the majority caucus MPs will take will determine whether they are truly honourable men and women, myjoyonline.com reports.
“Today, it is a matter of honour. It is a matter of the title we so fight for. So, they (NPP MPs) must earn their title, today.
“This is a call to the 137 on the majority side. Earn your title. Else we will not call you honourable members of the rest of the term.
“We will refer to you by your regular names because you are going to show Ghanaians that you lack honour,” he is quoted to have said in an interview with Metro TV on Thursday.
“Ghana is at the crossroads today. Today Parliament has the opportunity to distinguish itself and ensure that we are masters of our own craft and ensure that we care about the people we represent,” the MP added.
It was all joy and applause when Hon Joe Ghartey stated at a meeting of the Expanded Regional Executive Committee of the Western Region of the New Patriotic Party that as long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, God willing, “I will definitely contest for the Flagbearer position for the New Patriotic Party.”
Addressing the gathering at a meeting held in Sekondi-Takoradi on Monday, 7th November 2022, Joe Ghartey stated that it had come to his attention that some Presidential Aspirants had already come into the Region to meet some delegates. He said that he would also meet them soon, but he was serving notice that he would definitely contest the Presidential Primaries.
Joe Ghartey recollected that about five days before the 2020 general elections, he was interviewed on Radio 360, a radio station in Takoradi. The host asked him whether he would run for Parliament in 2024.
Joe Ghartey, who has been an MP since 2004, said he would not. Pressed further whether he would aspire to be president, Joe Ghartey said he responded yes.
He said he told the presenter that he had contested in 2012, and he placed third after the President and Alan Kyeremanteng, and he would contest again, God willing.
Hon Ghartey told the gathering that after that, Asaase Radio flew a team from Accra to Takoradi to interview him a few days before the election.
The host, Kojo Mensah, asked him the same question about whether he would contest for the presidential slot in 2024, and he answered yes.
Joe Ghartey told the gathering that after the election, the president addressing MPs elect, said he would exclude from his Government anyone who had declared that he would contest for presidential Primaries.
Joe Ghartey said he was told by a senior member of the party that he should have said he was now thinking about it when he was asked the question. Joe Ghartey told the gathering that he was not in the business of lying or waffling, and he spoke the truth, and the truth set him free.
He had thought about it already, and that is why he answered that way. He assured the Region that he would definitely come around soon.
Hon. Ghartey is a former Attorney General Minister of Justice and former Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, could not hold his frustration when he came across cocoa beans being dried on a road during his maiden tour of roads in Atwima Mponua, a suburb of his region.
A viral video sighted by GhanaWeb showed the minister ordering some men, purportedly the farmers who dried the cocoa beans, to remove them from the road.
The order of the minister did not sit well with one of the farmers, who said they had done nothing wrong and suggested that the minister should rather focus on fighting the menace of galamsey.
This infuriated Simon Osei-Mensah, who then threatened to arrest the farmer.
“You think Ghana belongs to you, right, Hurry up and remove these cocoa beans from the road. When have you seen people drying cocoa on the roads?
“You’re telling me that this is not galamsey. If you’re not careful, I will order your arrest,” he said in Twi.
The farmer retorted: “If you arrest me, I will be released soon”.
This further infuriated the minister, who ordered the arrest of the farmer despite several pleas by onlookers.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned its members not to exhibit signs of complacency ahead of the 2024 elections.
The party contends that all and sundry must contribute as the NDC aims at winning the next polls.
Speaking to Citi News after launching his campaign to contest the General Secretary position, Director of Elections for the NDC, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah urged his supporters to stay focused.
“The governing party will be very desperate in trying to deploy other means so for me, if genuine elections are held today, the NPP will struggle to get 40 percent, but we know they won’t do genuine elections. That is why the NDC must not be complacent and say that we have won already. I don’t want to hear that. We must fight to the finish. We want to win an overwhelming victory that nobody can do anything about it.”
The Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo wants delegates to retain him as the chairman of the party.
He argues the party requires a formidable team to rescue the country from the current government.
“I respectfully urge and entreat all delegates to vote for me come December 17. Be assured that, a vote for me is a vote for unity, a stronger party, inclusiveness, hard work and ultimately, it is a vote for victory in 2024. I am the people’s chairman and I have an unfinished agenda. Vote for me for victory for the NDC in 2024 and form the next government.”
Captain Nkrebeah Effah Dartey (retired), the lawyer for embattled illegal mining kingpin Aisha Huang, has expressed disappointment in the presiding judge of an Accra High Court for refusing his client bail once again.
The criminal trial of Aisha Huang, who is facing charges of engaging in illegal mining and the sale of minerals without a license, commenced at the Criminal Court 5 of the Accra High Court on Wednesday, September 9, 2022.
The court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, before adjourning the trial, refused a bail application by the lawyer for the accused.
According to the judge, who was rejecting the application for the third time, her reasons remain that the accused person is a flight risk as she is a foreigner with no social ties to Ghana.
Justice Marfo added that the trial is expected to conclude without delay due to the pace of the proceedings.
But reacting to the judge’s decision in an interview with the press, Mr Effah Dartey described the decision as unfortunate.
“Once again, unfortunately, my application for bail was turned down, and I feel very embarrassed. But it’s one of the nuances of the game,” he said.
Asked if he intended to repeat his application again, the lawyer for the accused said he does not see the court granting such a request looking at the demeanour of the judge.
“The law gives us the opportunity to repeat applications as often as possible except that looking at the demeanour of the judge it might not be a useful exercise,” he added.
The prosecution on Wednesday called its first witness, Supt. Ransford Aborabora of the Ghana Immigration Service.
The witness, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, told the court that he led a team of officers to raid an illegal mining site at Bepotenteng in the Ashanti Region on May 6, 2017.
The raid, which was part of an enforcement exercise by the Immigration Service, according to the witness, saw the arrest of four Chinese nationals.
One of the Chinese nationals, Gao Gin, according to the witness, informed him that they were at the mining site working on behalf of Aisha Huang, who had their passports in her custody.
The officer added that he took a video and pictures of the site, which was tendered into evidence and played in court.
During cross-examination by the defence counsel, the witness admitted that he had no direct evidence to confirm that the accused person was engaged in illegal mining.
The case has been adjourned to Monday, November 14, 2022, where the prosecution is expected to call its second witness.
Ms. Huang, in 2017 was charged for undertaking small-scale mining operations contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
She was also charged with providing mine support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, contrary to Sections 59 and 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act, and also charged with illegal employment of foreign nationals (in breach of section 24 of the Immigration Act and regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations).
Her case was, however, discontinued, and she was deported. Her deportation meant the state discontinued the trial against her.
She, however, found her way back into the country, leading to her recent arrest. An Accra Circuit court last week remanded Aisha Huang and three other Chinese nationals into custody to reappear on charges of illegal gold mining and trading.
Her recent arrest is on the same issue of illegal mining.
Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, founder of Action Chapel International has taken the woes of the Ghana cedi into prayer.
The local currency has become a major victim of an economic downturn that has been epitomized by massive depreciation against the United States dollar, galloping inflation (currently at over 40%) and the general rise in the cost of living.
The ‘Papa’ as he is known, however, believes that prayer was a good means of arresting and stabilizing the depreciating currency aside from economic and political interventions.
In a November 7, 2022 video posted on his official Twitter handle, Duncan-Williams implores his congregation to open their mouths and pray for the stability of the cedi.
“All things are possible to him that believes, I said all things are possible to him that believes. We speak to the cedi. We prophesy to the cedi, let the cedi stabilize.
“Open your mouth, put your hands together, prophesy, speak to the cedi… open your mouth, speak to the cedi, prophesy, arrest the cedi, stabilize it in prayer. In the name of Jesus,” he added.
Second Lady Samira Bawumia on November 9, 2022, demanded an apology from Despite Group of Companies on the allegations that a full V8 had been dedicated to carrying make-up and an artist whenever she travelled within the country.
The allegation was made on Neat FM, a subsidiary of the Despite Media Group, by the Communications Director of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), Sammy Gyamfi.
According to a letter from the Second Lady’s lawyers, Sarkodie Baffuor Awuah and Associates addressed to the Manager of Neat FM, the allegation made on November 7, 2022, on the ‘Me Man Nti,’ programme was untrue.
The letter said that Sammy Gyamfi was allowed to peddle the allegation and that with the host’s failure to rein him in, Mrs Bawumia was cast “in the minds of right thinking members of the society, as a person who is insensitive, wasteful and unreasonable.”
The twin demands made were that Sammy Gyamfi is made to retract the allegations on the same show and an unqualified apology be rendered to the Second Lady by the host of the programme.
What did Sammy Gyamfi say?
Sammy Gyamfi on the abovementioned date alleged that Samira Bawumia in these hard times transports her makeup artiste and makeup kit in a brand new Landcruiser.
He questioned why the Second lady will be insensitive in these hard times to transport her makeup artiste and kit in a Landcruiser everywhere she goes.
“…there is another person; Samira Bawumia, do you know her convoy includes a brand new Landcruiser carrying makeup; makeup artiste; it follows her everywhere. Who is paying for that, the taxpayer,” he alleged.
Prof Henry Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has advised the General Legal Council, GLC, not to embarrass itself following a directive demanding the social media handles of law students as part of disciplinary measures.
According to him, the body that regulates the legal profession in Ghana should also desist from embarrassing the entire profession, and the country at large, with its actions.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, November 9, the lawyer and educationalist stated that the GCL can do things right without resorting to was he calls “nonsense.”
“The General Legal Council should stop embarrassing itself, the entire legal profession, and the country. We can do without such nonsense at this time,” H Kwasi Prempeh wrote.
Meanwhile, 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”.
Known popularly on YouTube as Ama Governor, the complaint, according to a letter signed by Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo JA, Secretary, Ghana 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.”
Also, The school mandated to train legal practitioners on Wednesday, November 9, 2020, directed students to submit their social media handles for monitoring to ensure that they maintain a character befitting the legal profession.
Yaw Oppong, Director of the School who is also a member of the GLC, speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the School of Law Students’ Representative Council (SRC) executives explained that the request for social media handles will help many students willing to be called to the bar to maintain a good character.
“Everybody will have to provide their social media handles. We are going to look at it and you will be monitored in terms of conduct. We are required by law to make recommendations. We don’t want to stampede you.
“You are going to reapply beyond the pass and submit yourselves for all legitimate checks,” he said.
When the first prosecution witness [PW1] in the Aisha Huang trial was called before the High Court, Criminal Court 5 division, he narrated how the notorious Chinese galamsey kingpin was arrested.
According to Reuben Ransford Aboraborah, an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration, his outfit got information from some Chinese nationals that led to the arrest of Aisha Huang.
The witness stated during cross-examination that he had no personal independent information verified by him against Aisha Huang.
“On 5th May 2017, I led six junior officers of Ghana Immigration Service attached to the Enforcement Unit of the Obuasi Command to Bepotenten in the Amansie Central District in the Ashanti region.
“Our aim in going to Bepotenten was to verify information our office had received that some Chinese nationals and others were engaged in illegal mining at Bepotenten in spite of the government ban on mining activities,” Reuben Ransford Aboraborah said in his witness statement.
“…upon arresting the four Chinese nationals, I interacted with them before we set off to Obuasi. I asked them of their mission at the site and Gao Jin Cheng said that they were there to mine for one Aisha,” the statement added.
The Chinese illegal miner is facing concurrent charges including running mining operations without a license, re-entering Ghana while under prohibition and employing foreigners without a permit.
The case has been adjourned to November 14 for the second prosecution witness to appear.
The State had earlier announced that it has lined up 11 witnesses in the High Court case.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atakorah Obuobisa, has also hinted at a range of audio-visual evidence to be submitted by the witnesses.
According to popular comedian and musician Kwadwo Nkansah also known as “LilWin,” he is the highest-paid football player in Ghana.
He stated that he receives the highest pay among all football players that play professionally in Ghanaian football leagues in an interview with Andy Dosty on the Daybreak Hitz.
“The whole of Ghana, I’m the highest-paid footballer. I’m not talking about those playing internationally, I’m talking about those who are playing in the Ghana Premier League”, LilWin told Andy Dosty.
The popular comedian joined Division One League team New Edubiase United at the age of 34. He displayed his skills in one of the club’s training sessions after signing.
LilWin signed a two-year deal with New Edubiase United, an outfit aiming for promotion to the Ghana Premier League.
He also serves as an ambassador for the Division One team. On Friday, October 14, 2022, Kwadwo Nkansah was introduced as one of the six new players that would be joining the squad ahead of the new season.
Some Ghanaians on social media have launched an online petition targeted at the General Legal Council (GLC).
The move is in protest of the suspension of the call to the Ghana Bar of Elorm Ababio, popularly known as Ama Governor on social media.
The lawyer-in-waiting, who is also a YouTuber, is being denied the Car call despite her successful completion of the professional law program, that is passing her exams and scaling the interview session as well.
The petition dubbed ‘Justice for Ama Governor’ has been published to gather signatures.
Ama Governor reportedly received a letter dated November 3, from the Secretary to the General Legal Council, Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo JA, informing her of the suspension because a complaint filed by a “concerned citizen”.
The GLC indicated that the complaint by this “concerned citizen” alleged 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.”
Barely a few days after the suspension was communicated, an online petition circulating on various social media platforms has already generated 8,982 signatures out of the 9,000 targeted.
No offence to anyone please ,but if Ama governor was promoting LGBTQ on her channel then I think it’s the law that has got to her,LGBTQ is illegal in Ghana and promoting it isn’t something you should be doing if you want to get a job that’s mainly about the law .
Can someone please clearly outline what happened? And if it’s shareable, please let us know the reasons the GLC have given for refusing to call Ama to the bar even though she has met all requirements.https://t.co/QGh6h9wSIK
Daughter of former United States (US) president, Donald Trump, and her fiancé, Michael Boulos, are reportedly set to tie the knot on November 12, 2022.
The bride-to-be, Tiffany Trump, and her Nigerian-bred fiancé, Michael Boulos, according to reports, will hold their lavish wedding at Donald Trump’s palm beach in Florida with an expected 500 guests.
“There has been a lot of planning and a lot of staging. This is Tiffany’s big moment, and it will be lavish. It is going to be a huge and beautiful affair,” the source said.
The couple got engaged on January 19, 2021, at the White House rose garden a few hours to the end of Trump’s tenure as US president.
Boulos was said to have engaged Tiffany with a 13-carat emerald-cut diamond from Dubai, worth $1.2 million.
Michael Boulos’ background
Boulos was raised in Lagos although he is of Lebanese and French descent.
Per reports, he moved to Nigeria at a young age where his family’s business is based and while in Nigeria, he studied at the American International School of Lagos.
He is the son of Massad, the Chief Executive Officer of SCOA Nigeria, and his mother, Sarah, is the founder of the Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria.
According to a ‘Page Six’ report, Boulos was studying project management at City University of London when he met Tiffany, a law student at Georgetown, while she was on vacation in Mykonos, Greece, with Lindsay Lohan in 2018.
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”.
Known popularly on YouTube as Ama Governor, the complaint, according to a letter signed by Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo JA, Secretary, Ghana 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.
The Ghana School of Law is set to call over 700 students to join the Ghana Bar Association on Friday, November 11, 2022, at the Accra International Conference Centre.
As part of the criteria, prospective students who wish to join the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) are to lead an exemplary life by maintaining a good character.
Meanwhile, since the news broke on Wednesday, an online petition has been launched to gather signatories in a quest to obtain ‘justice’ for the Ghanaian law student and YouTuber.
The campaign was created by Pyrex House and is addressed to the Ghana Legal Council.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari, a private legal practitioner and spokesperson of former President John Dramani Mahama, has reacted to the Ghana School of Law’s request for school media handles of its students.
The school mandated to train legal practitioners on Wednesday, November 9, 2020, directed students to submit their social media handles for monitoring to ensure that they maintain a character befitting the legal profession.
Yaw Oppong, Director of the School, speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the School of Law Students’ Representative Council (SRC) executives explained that the request for social media handles will help many students willing to be called to the bar to maintain a good character.
“Everybody will have to provide their social media handles. We are going to look at it and you will be monitored in terms of conduct. We are required by law to make recommendations. We don’t want to stampede you.
“You are going to reapply beyond the pass and submit yourselves for all legitimate checks,” he said.
But Madam Bawah Mogtari believes the Ghana School of Law must come again on their latest request from students.
She wrote on her Facebook timeline, “as lawyers, we are enjoined to protect the ideals of the Constitution and demonstrably so. Instructively, the first action before the Supreme Court for the enforcement of the 1992 constitution was initiated by lawyers (Kuenyehia & Others v. Archer & Others [1992-1993] 2 GLR 525).
“It is therefore surprising that today, and in this age and time, the institution responsible for training lawyers in our beloved country is setting out to invade the privacy of its students by interfering with a right so sacrosanct under the Constitution.”
Bawah Mogtari continued: “I do hope that the Ghana School of Law will reconsider this decision that so egregiously violates rights protected in our Constitution.
“The Ghana Bar Association must as a matter of urgency stand up against this. Their silence many hours after the news broke in itself is problematic. The Association cannot continue to fail in its mandate to members of the Association and the public in general.
“What we need is the reformation of legal education in Ghana to be equitable and accord all those willing and qualified to read law the opportunity to do so.
“We certainly do not need a backward, draconian and repressive Ghana School of Law.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana School of Law is set to call over 700 students to join the Ghana Bar Association on Friday, November 11, 2022, at the Accra International Conference Centre.
As part of the criteria, prospective students who wish to join the Ghana Bar Association, GBA, are to lead an exemplary life by maintaining a good character.
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the Ghana School of Law, GSL, has provided clarity on a demand by the Director of the School, for social media handles of law students.
According to the SRC, the call by Mr. Yaw Oppong is only an admonition for students to live above reproach wherever they find themselves, including on social media, and does not constitute a directive.
In a statement sighted by GhanaWeb, the SRC explained “the alleged statement by the Director of the Ghana School Law made[sic] at the swearing-in ceremony of the new SRC Executives was a reiteration of general caution to the student body to abide by the school’s code of conduct within and outside the school including social media platforms.”
The statement further emphasised that while the school management seeks to ensure that majority of qualified students are called to the Bar each year by the admonition, “no such directive has been given to any student by the Management of the school.”
Yaw Oppong, Director of the Ghana School of Law, speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the School of Law SRC executives explained that the request for social media handles will help many students willing to be called to the bar to maintain a good character.
“Everybody will have to provide their social media handles. We are going to look at it and you will be monitored in terms of conduct. We are required by law to make recommendations. We don’t want to stampede you.
“You are going to reapply beyond the pass and submit yourselves for all legitimate checks,” he said.
The request, which has since become topical, has been condemned in many circles, with some calling it an affront to the student’s constitutional right to free expression.
Communications Director of the main opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has retracted and apologized for an allegation he levelled against Second Lady Samira Bawumia.
He is on record to have said on Accra-based Neat FM on November 7, 2022, that Samira Bawumia had a whole V8 Landcruiser dedicated to carrying her makeup and a makeup artiste.
The comments attracted a formal demand for retraction and apology directed at Neat FM, a subsidiary of Despite Media Group.
According to a November 9, 2022 letter from the Second Lady’s lawyers, Sarkodie Baffuor Awuah and Associates, addressed to the Manager of Neat FM, the allegation made on the ‘Me Man Nti,’ programme was untrue.
The letter stressed that Sammy Gyamfi was allowed to peddle the allegation and that the host’s failure to rein him in, had cast Mrs Bawumia “in the minds of right-thinking members of the society, as a person who is insensitive, wasteful and unreasonable.”
The twin demands made were that Sammy Gyamfi is made to retract the allegations on the same show and an unqualified apology be rendered to the Second Lady by the host of the programme.
Sammy Gyamfi, in a follow-up interview on Wednesday duly apologized for lying about the Second Lady.
He confessed that his claims were untrue and that it was only fair that he retracted his comments and apologized.
“The Second Lady’s convoy does not have one brand new Landcruiser that carries her makeup kit and artiste. There is no V8 that transports her makeup kit and artiste according to the office of the Second Lady so it’s only fair for me to retract. I am sorry,” Sammy Gyamfi stated.
What did Sammy Gyamfi say?
Sammy Gyamfi on the abovementioned date alleged that Samira Bawumia in these hard times transports her makeup artiste and makeup kit in a brand new Landcruiser.
He questioned why the Second lady will be insensitive in these hard times to transport her makeup artiste and kit in a Landcruiser everywhere she goes.
“…there is another person; Samira Bawumia, do you know her convoy includes a brand new Landcruiser carrying makeup; makeup artiste; it follows her everywhere. Who is paying for that, the taxpayer,” he alleged.
Ghana’s framework on energy transition has been out doored by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
This was done on the sidelines of the ongoing COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
While outdooring the document, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said that it has become imperative for Ghana to develop plans and strategies toward the creation of a net-zero energy sector, whilst aggressively pursuing the nation’s economic development.
In preparing the framework, all existing policies and the programmes that are being implemented towards achieving Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions were considered.
The transition will mitigate 200 million tons of carbon dioxide of greenhouse gas emissions, minimising energy-related indoor air pollution and associated diseases. It is estimated that forty-eight thousand, two hundred and eighteen (48,218) premature deaths will be avoided annually due to the improvement in air quality, resulting from the impact of the transition.
The National Energy Transition Plan is the major component of a Climate Action Plan (CAP). They both seek to reduce energy usage through energy efficiency measures because that is the most cost-effective way of reducing carbon emissions.
Read Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh’s Statement Below:
On the sidelines of the ongoing COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo presented Ghana’s framework on energy transition at a High-Level Event organised by Bloomberg Philanthropies on Sustainable Energy for All.
In December 2021, I inaugurated the National Energy Transition Committee and tasked them to engage all relevant and related stakeholders across the length and breadth of our country.
My team and I were all delighted to witness the outdooring of the framework yesterday.
With Ghana being a signatory to the Paris Agreement and other international conventions, which require the country to reduce her carbon dioxide emission levels, President Akufo-Addo indicated that it has become imperative for Ghana to develop plans and strategies toward the creation of a net-zero energy sector, whilst aggressively pursuing the nation’s economic development.
In preparing this framework, all existing policies and the programmes that are being implemented towards achieving Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions were considered.
The transition will mitigate 200 million tons of carbon dioxide of greenhouse gas emissions, minimising energy-related indoor air pollution and associated diseases. It is estimated that forty-eight thousand, two hundred and eighteen (48,218) premature deaths will be avoided annually due to the improvement in air quality, resulting from the impact of the transition.
My ministry will continue to work hand-in-hand with other stakeholders to ensure that we are able to meet our energy transition targets and help improve the quality of life of Ghanaians.
Energy Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has said that Ghana is committed to mitigating and addressing the negative impact of climate change on the country and increase access to energy for socio-economic development.
To achieve this, the National Energy Transition Framework has been developed after wide consultation with all stakeholders within the energy space.
Dr Opoku Prempeh, who made this known during the COP27 in Egypt November 8, 2022, added that Ghana is in pole position to achieve universal electricity access by 2024, which is remarkable given that the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) put the year to achieve this at 2030.
“Ghana is a signatory to the Paris Agreement, and is committed to its nationally determined target to address the adverse impact of climate change and increase access to energy for socio-economic development. The energy sector is one of the high emitting sectors and therefore requires critical decisions if Ghana is to achieve net zero ambitions.
Consequently, the National Energy Transition Framework has been developed [ in consultation with stakeholders] for Ghana’s energy transition,” Dr Prempeh said.
With respect to access to electricity, Dr Opoku Prempeh revealed that Ghana’s electricity access rate stands at an impressive 88.5% and a 100% is targeted to be achieved in 2024.
“Ghana aims to achieve Universal Electricity Access by 2024 well ahead of the SDG target. Currently Ghana stands at 88.54 of electricity access rate,” he added.
The Conference of Parties ( COP27) which discusses climate change issues is currently ongoing in Egypt. Ghana’s President is in attendance and has called on richer countries to redeem their pledges on cutting down harmful emissions and helping poor countries deal with climate change.
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The Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, a.k.a. Abronye DC, has alleged that renowned legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, who has been calling for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to step down, is a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Abronye DC alleged that Kpebu was given money by the NDC to organise his recent NanaMustGo (Kume Preko Reloaded) demonstration to get President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to step down for his poor management of Ghana’s economy.
Speaking in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Abronye added that Kpebu, who claims to be incorruptible, refused to give the other organisers of the demonstration their share of the funds given to them by the NDC.
“The call for the president to step down is a call by the NDC. Because under the Constitution if the president steps down automatically the Speaker (of Parliament) becomes president for the next 3 months.
“Martin Kpebu, who is known to be an NDC member, is the one championing this course. He is a full member of the NPP… He is doing this (call for Akufo-Addo to step down) for the NDC. He went for the budget for this demonstration from the NDC – they gave him everything. He should come and swear that it is not the NDC who gave him the money for the demonstration,” he said in Twi.
“He even stole all the money given to him by the NDC. He refused to give the other organisers their share. You (Kpebu) are saying that people are corrupt, but you refuse to give the other organisers of the demonstrations what is due them,” he added.
The first witness in the case involving Chinese national; Aisha Huang who has been arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), has made his appearance in court.
Supt. Ransford Aborabora of the Ghana Immigration Service; the first witness, told the court that he was part of the enforcement team that first chanced on her illegal activities.
The witness told the court that on May 6, 2017, he led a team to Obuasi, where they stormed a site where galamsey activities were ongoing.
This was during the period that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had placed a ban on the activities of small-scale mining in the country.
Supt. Aborabora told the court that regardless of this, they had received intel to the effect that some people were flouting the directive and had been mining at the said site.
He said that on reaching the location, they were able to arrest four Chinese nationals, one of whom was called Gao Gin.
He also told the court that Gao told them that they were working for Aisha Huang and that their passports were even with her.
The witness added that the team then took videos and pictures as evidence, which he tendered in to the court.
The video, according to GhanaWeb’s reporter, George Ayisi, was played in court.
The defence, in their cross-examination, stated that they did not have any direct evidence that Aisha was involved in galamsey or that she was in charge as alleged by the other Chinese national who was arrested.
The prosecution then concluded its cross-examination for the day.
The trial has been adjourned to November 14, 2022.
However, the lawyer for Aisha Huang, Nkrabea Effah Dartey, appealed for bail for his client but it was again denied, on the same grounds that the accused is a foreigner with no social ties to Ghana.
Background:
Ms. Huang in 2017 was charged for undertaking small-scale mining operations contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
She was also charged with providing mine support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, contrary to Section 59 and 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act; and also charged with illegal employment of foreign nationals (in breach of section 24 of the Immigration Act and regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations).
Her case was however discontinued and she was deported. Her deportation meant the state discontinued the trial against her.
She however found her way back into the country leading to her recent arrest. An Accra Circuit court last week remanded Aisha Huang and three other Chinese nationals into custody to reappear on charges of illegal gold mining and trading.
Her recent arrest is on the same issues of illegal mining.
Managing partner at Trent Legal Amansie Chambers and indigene of Bekwai, Ashanti Region, Ralph Poku Adusei, has upon the appeal of the Bekwai National Ambulance Service directorate, renovates the dilapidated office building of the service.
Prior to the Ambulance Service appeal, Mr Poku-Adusei in October 2022, offered GHC50,000.00 to officials of the Kokofu Traditional Area to support two construction projects in the local district.
In May 2021, he also donated food items to over 300 Zongo community households in the Bekwai as part of their Eid ul fitr celebration.
The dilapidated office building of the Bekwai Ambulance Service
Following these and other benevolent acts of lawyer Ralph Poku Adusei, Philip Adodoadjie, the Municipal Director of the National Ambulance Service in Bekwai, wrote to the British trained lawyer to extend his acts of kindness to his office.
Renovation bid
In his letter dated the 11 June 2022, Mr Adodoadjie appealed to Ralph Poku-Adusei to renovate the “office accommodation allocated to the National Ambulance Service at the old hospital” in Bekwai.
“We would be grateful if the following renovations are done at the said facility; Partitioning of office, Construction of male and female toilet and bath, Construction of Ambulance parking bay, Creations of crew lockers, Office furniture and the provision of four student double bed (two for male, two for female), among others” the appeal letter of Adodoadjie noted.
The current state of the Bekwai Ambulance Service office building after first phase of the renovation
Privilege to help
In an interview with journalists, on why he accepted the invitation to support the ambulance service in the Bekwai constituency, Mr Poku-Adusei, noted that “looking at the importance of ambulance services to the people of Bekwai, I deemed the bid made by the Municipal Director of the National Ambulance Service in Bekwai, an extremely important request”.
Member of Parliament for Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Kofi Amankwa-Manu, who also doubles as Deputy Minister of Defence, has presented a set of medical equipment valued at $60,000 to the Trabuom Health Center.
The procurement of the medical equipment was funded by the Latter Day Charities through the MP’s initiative.
This is the second social intervention project executed by the Member of Parliament this year.
The first phase saw some deplorable schools turned into model ones in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency in the early part of this year.
Needs assessment are the driven vehicles for the MP’s community support project.
Trabuom Health Center is the latest community to receive support.
The community has been handed over modern medical equipment like Nebulizer, Suction machine, Chemistry analyzer, Vaccine fridge, Maternity beds, Baby’s crib, Full Blood Count analyzer, Delivery sets, Urine centrifuge, etc, all worth the equivalent to over GH¢780,000.
Experts say with the coming on board of these equipment, the Health Center is in a better position to undertake all necessary medical laboratory services including liver and kidney analysis.
“The medical equipment will help us provide an enhanced medical care. The issue of the community members especially, pregnant women seeking maternal care outside Trabuom will be a thing of the past,” the District Medical Director, Comfort Suglo, said.
The Deputy Defence Minister and MP for Atwima Kwanwoma, Kofi Amankwa-Manu, said “the medical equipment like these demand a befitting environment, hence my office, prior to the donation of the equipment, also renovated the laboratory block to a befitting status”.
“It is my desire that the management of the facility will take good care of these equipment to the benefit of the country.”
Gabriel Kojo, a representative from the Latter Day Charities under the Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also stated: “Our vision is to support the needy, and the MP applied to our organisation for help. We have been working together for sometime now. All these you see were made available after we also came down to make an assessment after the Member of Parliament reached us for support.”
In attendance were the District Chief Executive, Prince Karikari, and his Coordinating Director, Presiding Member, Nananom, Representatives of the Latter-Day Charities, some Assembly Members, my Constituency Executives and a host of ruling party faithfuls.
The National Labour Commission (NLC) has ordered the three teacher unions to immediately call off their strike and continue negotiations with the government.
The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations referred the impasse between them and the striking unions to the NLC due to the refusal of the Teacher Unions to call off their strike.
The Teacher Unions declared a sit-down strike on Friday, November 4, to protest the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.
The unions said Dr Nkansah was a banker and not a professional teacher, hence their call for his removal.
The Unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers, the National Association of Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana.
The strike has hampered academic work at pre-tertiary institutions.
Education Minister Yaw Adutwum and Dr Eric Nkansah
The Deputy Employment Minister, Dr Bright Wereko Brobby, speaking to the Media after the meeting, said the Unions did not follow the right channels before declaring the strike and have been ordered to resume work and properly engage the government for a resolution to their demands.
The teacher unions expressed their unhappiness and unwillingness to work with the new GES D-G and called on the government to rescind its decision.
The Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Dr John Kwakye has indicated that financial indiscipline is what is causing high inflation and also drop in the strength of the Cedi.
He noted that as the Central Bank continues to monetize the deficit through direct advances to government and takeover of maturing Treasury Bills, it must ensure that it is not breaching the lending ceiling and fiduciary currency issue.
“Fiscal and monetary indiscipline is fueling inflation and cedi depreciation. While we expect the Treasury and the Central Bank to collaborate positively, they are rather collaborating negatively as the former has been compelling the latter to monetize the deficit,” he tweeted.
His comments come at a time Bolga Central MP Isaac Adongo has accused Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) of illegally giving an amount of ¢70 billion to the government to finance matured debts.
The Deputy Ranking Member on the Finance Committee has served notice to sue Dr Addison over the matter.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday November 8, he said “Ask yourself why the same taxes that we imposed on petroleum products two years ago to deliver a liter of 4. 50 pesewas.
“So essentially, now the problem is not even about the taxes, it is about the exchange rate. Who is supposed to manage the exchange rate? It is the Governor of the central bank Dr Addison.”
He added “Another big problem we have now is inflation. The Bank of Ghana manages the inflationary target framework whiles the Ghana Statistical service reports actually but the man who is in charge of managing our inflation targeting framework and ensuring that inflation expectations are anchored, is the Governor of the Central Bank.
“The inflationary targeting framework within the confines of the Bank of Ghana provided very strict rules on what we call fiscal governance over monetary policy, in other words there are strict rules on the government of Ghana can borrow from the Bank of Ghana.
“Those restricted rules are quite clearly stated that the BoG at any point in time should not have lent more than five percent of the previous revenue cumulatively. If you consider last year ‘s revenue then the government cannot even borrow five million Cedis from the BoG.
“But by the end of the year 2021, Dr Addison has illegally lent to government ¢35billion, and by May this year he had added an additional ¢22billion when the Minister came at Mid year review. As we speak today, Dr Addison has been financing government and paying maturing debt obligations the domestic market that the government cannot find, we are currently looking at something in excess of 7billion of illegally borrowing by the Government of Ghana from the BoG.
“If you have a corrupt government such as Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia and you pump 70billion to the economy that does not belong to the economy, they steal them and they put them in their rooms under their beds.
“Under the current circumstance, the best storage of money is Dollars and not Cedis. So Dr Addison’s 70 billion are now in the homes and beds of government functionaries, is what is chasing the Dollar.
“How can Dr Addison still be the Governor of the Central bank? I call on Dr Addison as a matter of urgency, to exit BoG and give Ghana the chance to clear the mess. Today, I have instructed my lawyers to serve him notice and to remind him again of a letter I served him, that if by the end of the third meeting of the second sitting of the 8th Parliament, he has not complied with his obligation to parliament for us to exercise our oversight role, I will sue him and I will proceed to court.”
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has said he is determined to move the motion of vote of censure to get the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta removed from Office, on Thursday November 10.
He explained that the Minority will need the support of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament to achieve their desire to remove the Minister.
The Tamale South lawmaker said any move by the NPP lawmakers to rescind their quest to get Mr Ofori-Atta removed will hurt Ghana’s democracy by weakening the oversight role of Parliament.
Admittedly, he said, the National Democratic Congress Lawmakers do not have the required number, two thirds, to push their motion through hence, will need the support of the NPP MPs who earlier called for the sacking of Mr Ofori-Atta, to achieve that.
“I’m determined to move the motion of censure,” he said while speaking at the political dialogue series organized by Media General on Wednesday November 8.
He added “Admittedly, the Minority MPs, standing alone, may not achieve the two thirds number and so when the Majority said they will support us, it was comforting. If they chicken out, it will weaken Parliament, it will weaken oversight role of Parliament and the minister will run riot.”
He added “Anywhere in the world, Mr Ofori-Atta should have been gone by now, taking full responsibility for what has happened.”
The Speaker admitted the motion which was filed by Asawase Member of Parliament Muntaka Mubarak and dated October 24, 2022.
The opposition lawmakers believe the Finance Minister has failed in managing the economy.
In tweet, North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said ” In compliance with Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the NDC Caucus in Parliament has successfully filed a motion for his immediate removal.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu earlier said in Parliament after the Speaker’s ruling was challenged by Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin that “The Speaker has ruled, and we must show respect to the Speaker. If there are any disagreements with the ruling, they know what to do.
“Ordinarily, any civilized democracy in the world, you don’t even need a motion for the Minister of Finance to go home.
“He, upon self-appraisal of where he has led the country and economy to, in all conscience, will bow out and save the nation. So, we have brought a competent motion.”
A former Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has called on NDC delegates to vote for him to become the party’s next general secretary.
Afriyie Ankrah, who made these remarks while filing his nomination for the position at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Wednesday (November 11), intimated that he is the only person among the other candidates who can ensure that the party is not robbed of its predestined victory in the December 2024 elections.
He added that the party’s delegates know this fact, and his prayer is that they will make him the replacement for Johnson Asiedu Nketiah come December 17.
“I love this party! I know you all do. If I thought for a split second that what I am doing would be tantamount to danger for this party, I would gladly excuse myself; however, I know, you know, and the delegates know that for this election of 2024, I am the best person for the job and it’s for that reason why I came to submit my form to contest the position of General Secretary to help organise the party for battle and victory in 2024.
“I have always believed that when a man gets into his head to do something, and when he exclusively occupies himself in that pursuit, he must succeed, whatever the difficulties. We will win 2024 by all means, but first, I appeal to the best in you delegates to vote massively for me as your next General Secretary,” he said.
Afriyie Ankrah is expected to face stiff competition from the ex-Deputy Minister of Finance and former Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey and the current Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor.
Over 63 percent of participants in a poll conducted by GhanaWeb in October 2022 said that the current Director of Elections of the NDC should be the replacement of the outgoing General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.
Farmers in the Kwaebiberem Municipality in the Eastern Region have attributed the low monetary returns from their farms as the reason they exchange their farmlands for illegal mining also known as galamsey.
The farmers, who are mostly cocoa farmers, want the producer price of cocoa increased to cushion them taking into consideration the current economic mishaps.
Already, cocoa farms in Kwaebiberem have been left with large pits by illegal small-scale miners.
But these farmers say the government’s investment in the sector will help end the menace.
“If the government wants the cocoa sector to thrive, it has to increase the price at which cocoa is sold. Some farmers hand over their lands to illegal miners because they are offered good sums of money. Transportation alone takes so much of our proceeds. How do we survive and cater for our children’s education? Something must be done, otherwise we will import cocoa other than export”, one of them lamented.
The youth in the area are said to be engaged in illegal acts because most of the town’s cocoa farmlands have been sold by family members for illegal mining (galamsey) use.
A visit by Citi News to the area revealed cocoa farms have been left with large pits by illegal small-scale miners.
Residents said unknown persons came from outside the community to prospect and eventually destroy the land with their illegal mining activities.
Some of the pits in the area had been left for up to eight years.
Despite the government’s rhetoric in the fight against illegal mining, illegal miners were still at work in this particular district.
A resident who spoke to Citi News noted that the situation has become dire.
“This is the most dangerous aspect. People have their cocoa farms, they sell them and after taking the money, that’s all. Some invest the money in other businesses, but that is not favourable for everyone.”
Members of the Ashanti Regional Council of Bissa chiefs and the Bissa Development Association (BDA) together with the National Council have launched Bissa Sukuma Ashanti 2022 in Kumasi.
Sukuma’, which means gathering or togetherness in the Bissa language, will be the largest gathering of the Bissa Chiefs and the Bissa people in the Ashanti Region. It will also be represented by government and political leaders as well as other tribal leaders, the general public, and other Bissa people across Ghana.
Alhaji Shaibu Musah Gutare, National President of the Bissa Development Association, speaking to the gathering during the launch said, that Sunday’s program precedes the main event which is scheduled for December 18, 2022, at Jubilee Park.
The Bissa Sukuma among other events, which largely used to be witnessed in Bawku necessitated an extension into the other regions after the Bawku area had been characterized by the Kusaase – Mamprusi conflict.
According to the Bissas (Buzanga people) in the Ashanti region, they have for a long time not had the opportunity to showcase their culture and traditions, and this had been the moment they were waiting for.
The national president speaking on the theme, “Maintaining Our Cultural Identity: The True Path to Unity’, said, the good news was that all the various groups had come to the conclusion that they all pursue one common goal which is promoting Bissa development through Bissa culture and traditions.
“Development could indeed be achieved through the two popular adages in our great Bissa language that says “Wokakoman Nyisi Girls and Zekula N’Pangna’ hence must be vigorously pursued and applied,” he said.
He added that the reconnection of the Bissa chiefs and people in the Ashanti region as one big family was to also seek the development of the Bissa communities.
Touching on how to achieve such goals, he said, there was a need for unity to reign amongst the people so that the dream could be realized with ease. He also pleaded with the people of Bawku to as matter of urgency maintain peace at the expense of the current conflict we are witnessing in the area.
He further revealed that the Bissa Development Association (BDA) has drawn six(6) strategic goals to help its development agenda. He mentioned that the goals included; Financial upliftment, Renovation of BDA zonal and Regional structures, Provision of Educational support for the Bissa communities, Selling of Bissa Culture through singing and dancing, etc, Improving wealth creation of the Bissa people, and lastly, Raising the political consciousness of the Bissa people where he indicated that the people were going to be made to understand that belonging to different political parties do not make one your enemy.
A former Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has presented the party to Ghanaians as the calvary that will save the country from its current economic woes.
The aspirant for the position of the General Secretary of the party stated that the challenges people are going through currently would not come to an end through any special help from above.
Rather, he said, the NDC is the right party to bring the needed relief to Ghanaians as they have been hoping for.
Speaking during the presentation of his nomination forms at the party headquarters in Accra, Elvia Afriyie Ankrah explained that the struggles for democracy could not just be allowed to be wasted by non-performing leaders.
“The sacrifices of the 1980s were endured by all primarily because farmers from Yeji to Dodi Papase, where I was born, fishermen and women from Elmina to Denu, market women from Makola to Kumasi, all knew then that if they could endure it one more time, they will be able to build a democracy, an economy and an enabling environment that will allow the fourth republic to thrive and last for the benefit of all.
“However, that fourth republic is under attack by a clueless bunch of people led by a man who could only be described as the greatest mistake of our democracy and the worst experiment of the fourth republic. As catastrophic as that is, the real nightmare is that we still must endure it till 2024 before help comes,” he said.
He, however, stated that the return of the NDC to power would restore the needed confidence that Ghanaians hope to have in the country.
He added that together with his party members, the NDC would restore hope to Ghanaians.
“However, there’s no special help coming from above, ladies and gentlemen; there’s no calvary coming with the sunset or the roaring seas. We, the National Democratic Congress, are the calvary. You and I are the only ones who can save this country one more time. And you, the delegates, are the ones upon whose shoulder rest the sole responsibility to restore hope and give Ghanaians the much-needed assurance of a better tomorrow,” he said.
Elvis Afriyie Ankrah will face competition from Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, the current Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, and Fifi Kwetey, a former Member of Parliament for Ketu South and Deputy Minister of Finance for the slot of the party’s General Secretary.
The dilapidated office building of the Bekwai Ambulance Service
The current state of the Bekwai Ambulance Service office building after first phase of the renovation
