TIG Post

Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

  • EC not prepared to accept NDC back into IPAC – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has said the Electoral Commission(EC) is reluctant in accepting the largest opposition NDC back into the Inter-Party Advisory Committee(IPAC).

    The former leader disclosed that several moves undertaken by the Peace Council toward reaching a middle ground with the EC, and the two leading parties on the NDC’s return to IPAC have proved futile.

    “The Peace Council has invited them for the last 8 months. The Electoral Commission can’t find time to sit with the Peace Council and after that have a joint meeting between the two biggest parties so that we can go back to IPAC. They’re not interested,” Mr Mahama told the Voice of America in Washington.

    However, the Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Bossman Asare has indicated that the EC is under no compulsion to force all political parties to attend IPAC and other EC-related meetings.

    “One thing which must be clear is that parties coming to IPAC, the EC cannot force any political party to come to IPAC,” he told Joy FM after the NDC withdrew from the IPAC last year.

    Meanwhile, the NDC has proposed that the IPAC and its advisory role in the electoral process should be given legal backing, without encroaching on the constitutional independence of the Electoral Commission.

  • Energy minister wins GH¢500,000 defamation suit against Sammy Gyamfi

    The National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has been ordered to pay GH¢500,000 damages to the Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, by the General Jurisdiction High Court (12) in Accra.

    This comes after the court, which was presided over by Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah, ruled in favour of the minister on a defamation suit he filed in 2019 against Sammy Gyamfi.

    Dr. Opoku Prempah, when he was the education minister, sued the NDC communicator for alleging that one of the suspects arrested in connection with the kidnapping of two Canadian girls in Kumasi, Seidu Mba, was his (Dr. Prempah’s) errand boy.

    The energy minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Manhyia North, asked that the court awards him GH¢1,000,000 in damages against Gyamfi.

    “A declaration that the words complained of and published by the defendant and contained in paragraph 14 herein are defamatory of the Plaintiff’s character.

    “An order of the honourable court directed at the defendant to publish an unqualified retraction and an apology with the same prominence of the defamatory words received within seven days after the judgment.

    “An order of the honourable court for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agents, assigns, servants and any person claiming authority from the defendant from further making/or publishing any defamatory words against the Plaintiff.

    “The sum of One million Ghana Cedis (GHS1,000,000) in damages for the defamation,” a declaration statement by the energy minister read.

    During the hearing on Thursday (October 13, 2022), Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah ruled that Sammy Gyamfi, by his comments, defamed Dr. Opoku Prempeh, asaaseradio.com reports.

    In addition to the GH¢500,000, the judge ordered Sammy Gyamfi to apologise and retract the defamatory statement he made with the same prominence the defamatory words received within seven days after the judgment.

    He also ordered the NDC National Communicator not to make or publish defamatory words against the energy minister.

  • Chief State Attorney Evelyn Keelson asks retired Justice Honyenuga to reject Opuni’s excuse notice

    The Chief State Attorney, Evelyn Keelson, ruffled feathers in court on Tuesday when she requested that former COCOBOD boss Dr. Stephen Opuni who is recuperating from eye surgeries, should be tried virtually.

    Dr. Opuni, who had four different surgeries on his left eye in September, has been advised to rest his eye to ensure proper healing.

    The former COCOBOD Chief Executive, Dr. Stephen Opuni, and businessman Seidu Agongo as well as Agricult Ghana Limited, have been facing 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the state, corruption by public officers and contravention of the Public Procurement Act in the purchase of Lithovit liquid fertiliser between 2014 and 2016.

    They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GH¢300,000.00 self-recognisance bail each.

    When the High Court reconvened on October 11, counsel for Dr. Opuni, Mr. Samuel Codjoe, informed the court that his client was unable to make it to court because he had been excused for six weeks due to ill health and had been advised not to get involved in any activity.

    Counsel showed the court medical records as well as the excuse notice to that effect and prayed for adjournment, stressing that his client was not waiving his right under Article 19 (3).

    But the Chief State Attorney was averse to the adjournment and therefore contested it.

    Evelyn Keelson, who has been at the forefront of the prosecution’s case, having signed the charge sheet which formed the basis for the trial in 2018, suggested means the court can circumvent Article 19 (3) cleanly.

    “My lord, in the alternative, this court can sit virtually to accommodate the first accused…It is, therefore, our submission that this court, in the exercise of its discretion, can proceed with the case without infringing on Article 19(3) since the doctor’s opinion for the accused to stay for six weeks is not binding on this court,” Evelyn Keelson told the court presided over by Justice Clemence Honyenuga who recently retired from the Supreme Court.

    She had earlier conceded: “My lord, I have seen a medical report indicating that the first accused has had surgery on his left eye, and in that report, the medical director has indicated that he needs six weeks to rest the eye for proper healing.”

    Evelyn Keelson, nonetheless, told Justice Honyenuga, “respectful my lord, this statement by the medical director is not binding on this honourable court. My lord, the medical director did not indicate the basis for the six weeks he has indicated in the report.”

    She, therefore, prayed to the court to invite the medical director who gave the excuse notice to Dr. Opuni to give further and better particulars to his request.

    Lawyer Samuel Codjoe however, told Evelyn Keelson that her submissions were “not only factually inaccurate but seek to infringe on the right of the first accused.”

    He pointed out paragraph 10 of the medical report to the. Chief State Attorney to counter her claim that the doctor didn’t give reasons for the excuse duty.

    “My lord, the chief state attorney has not gotten any medical knowledge to speak the way she is doing.

    “My lord, we don’t have any problem with inviting the medical doctor because no one has a monopoly over good health.

    “My lord, what is unfortunate is that the prosecution is saying the first accused, who is sick and is not supposed to engage in any activity, should sit in a virtual trial. So he should lie down or what? My lord, this is unacceptable even in military regimes,” he asserted.

    Lawyer Codjoe further remarked, “My lord, the prosecution is saying that despite the fact that the first accused is ill, the first accused should be put on trial. This will take us back to the dark days when we did not have a constitution.”

    Meanwhile, retired Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga, who is sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, ordered the medical director to appear before him on the next adjourned date “in order to clear any doubts about the medical report before this court”.

    The retired judge has therefore directed the Registrar of the Court to ensure that the doctor is served with the order for him to tell the court about the medical records of Dr. Opuni.

    The sitting was adjourned to Monday, October 17 2022.

  • Four years not enough for any gov’t to make needed impact – Mahama

    Former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has observed that Ghana’s four-year term for every government is insufficient for the needed investment in developing the country.

    He indicates that, unlike other countries where governments have ample time to roll out their ideas and ensure seamless development, the same cannot be said about Ghana.

    “We have a four-year term like they have in America and not as they have in other countries where there are five terms, so it is very little you can do in terms of infrastructure; we will do our best.

    We will Invest in the health sector, invest in Education, invest in the economic infrastructure, but all these must be geared towards creating opportunities, especially for young people to be able to realize their full potential and be able to find jobs in the economy. I think that’s what we will be looking at,” he said in an interview on Voice of America.

    The leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 election said another focus of a new NDC government would be strengthening public institutions in the country and intensifying the fight against corruption.

    He reiterated his calls for the review of the 1992 constitution. He believes that after 26 years of using the constitution, it will be right that some tweaking is done to help build the country.

    — Kafui Dey (@KafuiDey) October 12, 2022

  • Agradaa found the church as a haven to perpetrate her evil deeds – Christian group

    A Christian group named Ghana Need Ghana has waded into the recent arrest and controversy surrounding the founder and leader of Heavenway Champion Ministries International, Evangelist Patricia Oduro Koranteng.

    According to the group, the recent arrest of the former fetish priestess for allegedly duping her church members is a clear confirmation of their concerns about her supposed conversion into Christianity and subsequent ordination as a priest.

    At a press conference held on Wednesday, October 13, 2022, the group emphasised some of its concerns earlier raised about Agradaa’s conversion and ordination.

    “She bought a church building for her husband whilst in her fetishism craft, but retrieved it,” in a statement read by its President, Reverend Mrs. Patience Mensah, the group said

    “We don’t hate Agradaa, but as the bible states, we are implored to call out bad character so that in the end we will all not be grouped as the same. You are all aware that we raised concerns about Agradaa’s supposed calling by God. She was never called by God which is why we called on everyone to be careful about her ordination. She eventually become a priest but now we have been vindicated that she was all about the money,” Bishop Seizer George Ofori Atta, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Ghana Need Ghana, added.

    Agradaa was arrested by the Ghana Police Service on Sunday, October 9, 2022, following widespread reports that she had duped some members of her church in an alleged money-doubling scheme.

    According to the victims, they attended her church and gave out their monies in various amounts after she had advertised to give them multiples of their offerings.

    An Accra Circuit Court on Monday remanded Agradaa into custody after she was charged with two counts of defrauding by false pretences and engaging in charlatan advertising in a newspaper.

    She is due back in court later today, Thursday, October 13, 2022.

    It will be recalled that Ghana Need Ghana in July this year led a protest calling for the arrest of Agradaa.

    According to the group which presented a petition to the Ghana Police Service, there was a need to prosecute the former fetish priestess for her alleged fraud schemes.

    The protest was mostly attended by alleged victims who claim Agradaa duped them during her fetishism days.

  • Don’t tarnish your image in defending accused illegal miners – Amaliba tells Blay

    Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress, Abraham Amaliba has advised the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Freddie Blay to recuse himself from defending Chinese illegal miners in court.

    The former Chairman is representing some Chinese nationals standing trial for their alleged involvement in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey in the country.

    Critics say Mr. Blay’s move defeats the government’s effort in fighting the menace which has left many water bodies and forest reserves destroyed.

    Commenting on the issue on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, the NDC’s legal director indicated that Mr. Blay should not be seen as compounding issues for the government as it wages war against the galamsey menace.

    “So for the sake of the people of this country who are also fighting the galamsey menace,let me not involve myself in the matter. Sometimes your conscience should tell you what you should do.

    “What has even compounded the issue is that in this whole saga of galamsey, the government officials have been fingered to be engaging in it. That is a new dimension.

    “Our fight against galamsey, we are now seeing that names of appointees have been mentioned. Then you (Freddie Blay) compound the problem for the government by defending those who have been mentioned as accomplices,” Mr. Amaliba stated.

    He continued: “I think he is a senior lawyer, it is not always that you follow money. He will get his money alright but his image will be tarnished.

    “I have done similar cases and where I feel that the people see my services will create the wrong impression I’ve given those cases to colleagues, who are not in the same situation that I find myself.”

    The NDC legal director further added that Mr. Blay should hand over the case to any of his lawyers who are not connected to the NPP to handle it.

    “Don’t forget Nkrabea Effah is also there as a lawyer and you are also there as lawyer and the government officials have been fingered as contributing to the menace,” he said.

  • More shutdowns coming – GRA warns defaulting malls, shops after closure of Palace, others

    The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has issued a word of caution to companies that are yet to enroll on a Certified Invoicing System for the administration of Value Added Tax (VAT) in Ghana, following the amendment of the VAT Act 870.

    The Authority, in the past days has closed some major shopping malls including Palace and China mall branches.

    This comes after the GRA began an exercise to ensure compliance by some 50 selected tax-paying companies to be enrolled on the Certified Invoicing System.

    The move, according to the GRA, is necessary to help improve Ghana’s domestic tax mobilization efforts.

    According to the Deputy Commissioner, Operations-DTRD, Kwesi Eghan, the China and Palace malls are part of the 50 selected tax-paying companies which have failed to comply with the GRA’s requirements.

    Mr. Eghan further went on to caution other companies who he noted have also duly been informed about the system and the need to enroll, to do so before the law catches up with them.

    “For the 50 people we are talking about, if you have not yet enrolled, we plead with you to do so before the enforcement officers get to your businesses otherwise we will close your shops until you follow due process, he said while speaking in an interview with the UTV.

    Mr. Eghan indicated despite these companies having been informed about the deadline for enrolment on the system – October 12, 2022, only 25 out of the 50 entities have so far complied.

    “We want to improve compliance. We are more interested in collaboration than chasing businesses to pay their taxes. But we have no option at this moment than to move swiftly to ensure the right thing is done,” he said in an interview with the media.

    Meanwhile, Kwesi Eghan has noted that the GRA hopes to enrol 600 large taxpayers into the system in its first implementation phase, which is expected to end in December 2023.

    He added that by 2024, all taxpayers would have been fully integrated into the platform.

     

  • Redeveloping Koforidua Jackson Park collapses, injures 2 workers

    Parts of the Koforidua Jackson Park which was undergoing major renovations have collapsed, following a rainstorm in the area, citinewsroom reports.

    The roofing of the building reportedly came off after heavy winds.

    According to the report, two construction workers at the site were injured after a section of the building collapsed on them and are currently receiving treatment at the Koforidua Government Hospital.

    Some residents in the area have since blamed the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly for what they say is the supervision of substandard work.

    “It is unfortunate that, government invested money into this new project, and it has just collapsed. I doubt the competence of the contractor. I am shocked and blame the Assembly.”

    “The Assembly must take lessons from this incident and ensure that something similar does not happen in future”, citinewsroom quoted some residents as having said.
    The project which was launched in July 2021 had former Mpraeso Member of Parliament, Seth Acheampong, leading same.

    New Juaben South Municipality received funding from the World Bank to embark on the project which is being executed by four separate contractors.

  • Galamsey fight: Gov’t should use trackers to stop menace – NDC communicator

    A Communication Team Member of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), TT Caternor, has advised government to intensify its fight against illegal mining by adopting technological innovations to monitor mining equipment and concessions.

    He is advocating the use of trackers to monitor excavators’ operations, which he said are critical industrial machines.

    Speaking with Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Adwenekasa on Accra-based Original FM 91.9, he said, “Just put a tracking device on the excavator, and so when it is registered, you will track it. Any time it is moving, you will be told where they are. Immediately you see that a lot of them are converging around Dunkwa, for instance, it should trigger something, like a probe, as to what those excavators are doing in Dunkwa.”

    He tasked the government to implement measures and enforce mining regulations to bring sanity to the small-scale mining (SSM) sector.

    Excavators are one of the main pieces of equipment used by illegal miners in their operation, which leaves devastating effects on Ghana’s land and water resources.

    President Akufo-Addo believes the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, can be won if it is not politicized.

    He holds the view that until the menace is treated with a nationalistic approach, the fight against it cannot be won.

  • ‘Ayilo’: Ghana’s white gold that has quietly boosted the economy for decades

    In the first place, this is not gold that comes from the ore that is mined from many kilometers beneath the earth’s surface per se, but this product is as cherished as the jewelry you wear on your wrist or neck.

    Known differently to different tribes in Ghana by name: Agatawoe in Ewe; Ayilo for the Gamɛi; shirew by the Akans; and kaolin in English, this product is also known as food that is loved by mostly pregnant women.

    It is believed that it is because of its unique smell that pregnant women are so drawn to it.

    Formed from a type of clay, ayilo is used for many other things including it being a reliable material for electro-porcelain fabrication, as well as a major material used for making wall and floor tiles.

    In Ghana, Anfoega is one of the locations where this product is mostly produced from, through a process of moulding the freshly mined clay soil into lumps, oven-baked and distributed to markets.

    The industry in Anfoega in the Volta Region, for instance, is such a big one, almost everyone in the town has benefited from the economic gains that come with it.

    According to a Facebook post shared by Kofi Semamu Atsu Adzei, he said that this ‘white gold’ has created many rich people and prominent business people from the community.

    “This is white Gold, yes you heard me right. This can be found in Anfoega and it’s called Agatawoe, the Gamɛi call it ayilo, it is shirew by the Akans and kaolin in English.

    “Almost everyone in Anfoega has benefited from the economic gains of this white gold. Anyone into the white gold business is a rich person. Ask anyone from the holy village of Anfoega about it and you will marvel,” he wrote.

    Uses of Ayilo:

    Apart from the already stated uses of kaolin, the product is also used by many to manage nausea, while others claim it helps in the prevention of things like diarrhoea, discomfort and other pregnancy-related conditions, a report by graphic.com.gh said.

    Further details online show that some experts explain that kaolin has absorbent qualities that make it a good addition to helping with diarrhoea.

    Also, the use of kaolin is said to help improve conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and leaky gut.

    Ayilo is also used for as a beauty enhancement and is said to be used for many traditional and medicinal purposes.

    “It is also a key ingredient in some cleansers, shampoos, toothpastes and beauty products, as it is claimed to gently cleanse and pull impurities from the pores
    without causing redness,” a report stated.

    Effects of Ayilo:

    But there have also been reported after effects of using this product, some of which researchers say is that when pregnant women, for instance, consume too much of it without taking more nutritious foods, it can expose them to anemia.

    Besides, because of its source and composition, it is believed that ayilo could carry some amounts of worm eggs, and as such, should it be consumed, the eggs could hatch in the body, leading to the worms feeding on the red blood cells and posing great health risks to an individual.

    With chemical elements such as Aluminium, Arsenic, Boron and Nickel, the product poses even more harmful threats to anyone who consumes it.

    Find some photos of kaolin, or ayilo, below:

  • Former PPA Boss back in court

    The former Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority, Mr. Adjenim Boateng Adjei, is expected to appear again in court today, Thursday, October 13, 2022, following charges preferred against him by the Special Prosecutor earlier this year.

    The ex-PPA Boss has been slapped with 17 charges by the Special Prosecutor.

    He pleaded not guilty to all the charges when he was arraigned on May 25, 2022 before the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court.

    Mr. AB Adjei denied seven counts of using Public office for profit and 10 counts of directly and indirectly influencing the Public Procurement process using his office.

    The second accused person Francis Kwaku Arhin, his brother-in-law also pleaded not guilty to one count of using Public officer for profit.

    The two were months ago granted bail in the sums of GHc5 million cedis each with two justified sureties.

     

     

     

     

  • My Twi, other local language kills my major advantage – Elvis Ankrah shades Fiifi Kwetey

    Contender for General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has said his ability to speak in various local languages is a major boost for his campaign to be elected General Secretary of the opposition NDC.

    Speaking on Asempa FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Mr. Afriyie Ankrah said he considers his local langauge skills a major selling point to delegates across the country with whom he relates well, although he didn’t mention any other candidate’s name.

    “I can speak many local languages. Everywhere I go I speak their language.”, he boosted of his human relations and language skills.

    The NDC General Secretary hopeful said a similar language statement he made in the past was misconstrued to mean another contender cannot speak Twi but according to him, he didn’t mention anyone’s name or referred to any person.

    Another contender, Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey has been accused of being unable to speak the popular local language Twi or Akan lanaguages. His critics said this could affect his relationship with the predominantly Akan speaking Radio and TV stations across the country.

    However, Mr. Ankrah said he never referred to any other aspirant when he was touting his local language skills.

    He said he was only “marketing” himself and language was one of his skills and selling advantages.

    “I didn’t say someone cannot speak Twi… I said Twi language is my plus… it is one of my major selling points. I speak Ga.. I speak Ewe, I speak Twi…. … There is no constituency in Ghana that I don’t have a contact…” He said.

    Mr. Afriyie Ankrah spoke Ga, Ewe and Twi to listeners of Ekosii Sen to prove his point.

    The race to replace Johnson Asiedu Nketia as General Secretary has become very heated.

    Among persons who have expressed interest in the position including, former Obuasi district chairman of the NDC, Abdul Ishaq Farrakhan; ex-Deputy Minister of Finance, Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey; current Deputy General Secretary of the party, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor and Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.

    Mr. Fiifi Kwettey and Elvis Ankrah both won opinion polls conducted by Kevin Taylor and Ghanaweb respectively.

     

  • 400 SMEs to benefit from Women SME Innovation Programme

    About 400 women-led Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will benefit from the Women SME Innovation Programme – Digitalize for Jobs (D4J) to fully leverage the potential of digitalisation and to better organise their business information.

    The programme will also support the women with efficient record-keeping and financial management practices to facilitate their access to finance, expand their customer base and turnover and develop new products and services.

    Mrs Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) at the launch of the programme, said SMEs today were critical to the growth, employment, and poverty reduction in the country.

    The programme is supported by the special initiative on training and job creation, which operates under the brand ‘Invest for Jobs,’ an initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

    Implemented by GEA and supported by “Invest in Jobs”, the project sought to provide capacity-building to women-owned/led SMEs on different aspects of digitalization and how their companies can grow from its use and increase their process efficiency and competitiveness by providing access to knowledge, and digital tools.

    It will create a digitalized business environment conducive to the rapid growth of SMEs in Ghana and this will ensure that they are creating jobs after the programme

    The SMEs will also be trained to build their online visibility via company-owned websites and social media to reach more clients.

    The CEO said the SMEs account for over 50 per cent of private output, nearly 70 per cent of employment, and 90 per cent of businesses in Ghana.

    “Consequently, the importance of the SME sector and the role it plays in national development and economic transformation cannot be underestimated,” she added.

    She said the Programme was a scale-up measure of the COVID-19 SME Innovation and Digitalisation Support Scheme, which helped 500 SMEs to ensure business continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby sustaining 6,750 jobs.

    Mrs Yankey-Aryeh said SMEs, with a focus on those that were women-owned/led, were faced with challenges that compromised their ability to function effectively and to contribute to the economy.

    He said over the years, GEA had encouraged SMEs, especially women-owned to adopt digital methods to augment business growth and competitiveness.

    “So far more than 11 million dollars have been utilized to train or support over 10,000 Women Entrepreneurs,” she said.

    Mr John Duti, Team Leader of Invest for Jobs at GIZ Ghana, said if SMEs were to remain competitive in the global world, they have no choice but to digitalise.

    He said focusing on women-owned and led enterprises represented an opportunity to reduce the digital gender gap, which brings social and economic benefits for the whole country given the significant role of women and their enterprises in Ghana’s socio-economic development.

    “Female empowerment is a powerful tool to make everybody’s life richer and successful,” Mr Duti said.

    He commended the entire GEA team which ensured the excellent delivery of the first phase and subsequently played a major role in securing the scale-up of our partnership.

    He said digitalisation involved a lot of investments in modern software and hardware, as well as capacities in its applications and these costs involved indeed, could not be borne by most of the SMEs.

    He expressed optimism that the programme would provide the tools and skills to benefit from digitalisation and harness SMEs’ potential for sustainable growth and job creation in the digital area.

  • Customer service should be a priority for businesses not just a department – Odelia Ntiamoah

    The Chief Executive of the SnB Group, Odelia Ntiamoah, has charged businesses to adopt a holistic approach to maximize customer experiences.

    According to her, when customer experience becomes a priority for the entire brand, revenue will be generated even in difficult times.

    Speaking at the 2022 CPX Ghana Conference, she noted that even though most companies think about money when it comes to delivering good customer experiences, strategy is the most important step to take.

    She said “There are so many institutions that we have engaged in recent times then again coming back to the research and what we have seen is that they are not engaging their customers, it’s not money now it’s about strategy.

    “So, for example, if these companies are sitting on digital platforms how are they engaging their customers within that space. Most of the time we have left that sort of engagement sitting with the CopiComs department. If the customer experience and the customer engagement are not left in one department but it becomes a holistic responsibility of the whole brand it will surprise you that our behaviours and how we decide to treat customers will bring us even the revenues in difficult times,” she noted.

     

  • Most Ghanaian contractors hardly test for material standards – Ghana Standards Authority

    Many Ghanaian contractors hardly present their building materials to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for standardized testing in direct contravention of the building code.

    The building code mandates that materials for building and road construction must be tested.

    Genevieve Baah Mante, Head of the Material Science Department, GSA, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in Tema in an interview that local contractors do not willingly do so.

    “But on the contrary, the foreign companies mostly visit the GSA for testing for the specification of their building materials, which include water, concrete mixtures, sand, and iron rods, aggregate for road construction, thermoplastic marking paint, among others,” she said.

    Madam Mante explained that “the GSA has developed a building code that gives specifications for different products for the construction of buildings, and roads, but we have observed that mostly it is the foreign companies that bring their products there for checking.”

    She stated for example that foreign contractors of a lot of the buildings at the airport area, and the motorway interchange construction tested the materials and even the water used for the projects.

    She said more awareness must be created among the local contractors while urging the district assemblies to make it a requirement for the issuance of building permits.

    Giving the benefit of testing building materials, she indicated that the land that the building would be put on must be tested because if it contained a lot of organic matter the buildings would have problems.

    “The water that you use to mix the concrete if it contains a lot of salt and other materials, it will not help you to get the kind of binding property of the concrete that you need to have for a consistent product,” she said.

    Madam Mante observed that roads and buildings that could not last for their expected life span could be attributed to the lack of testing of the materials.

    She explained that the GSA is legally mandated to undertake national standards development and dissemination, testing services, inspection activities, product certification scheme, calibration, verification, and inspection of weights, measures, and weighing and measuring instruments.

    The Authority also undertakes pattern approval of new weighing and measuring instruments, destination inspection of imported high-risk goods, and promoting quality management systems in the industry.

    Madam Mante said the Authority also advises the Ministry of Trade and Industry on standards and related issues.

    She emphasized that the services rendered by GSA were essential for economic growth, stressing that, “this is because standards bring technological, economic and societal benefits.

    “It helps to harmonize technical specifications of products and services making the industry more efficient and breaking down barriers to international trade as conformity to standards helps reassure consumers that products are safe, efficient and good for the environment”.

    For business organizations, Madam Mante said standards are strategic tools and guidelines to help companies tackle some of the most demanding challenges of modern business.

    “Standards ensure that business operations are as efficient as possible, increase productivity and help companies and institutions to access new markets,” she said.

  • Exorbitant tax policy killing businesses – Solomon Owusu

    A member of the communications team of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Solomon Owusu, has bemoaned the exorbitant tax policies which he says are slowly killing Ghanaian businesses.

    According to him, too much tax and the increasing exchange rate have left business people with sleepless nights as their businesses are struggling to survive.

    His comment comes on the back of traders in the Kumasi Central Business District having to close their shops in protest over what they say are exorbitant tax policies affecting their businesses.

    The traders have vowed not to rescind their decision until the Government intervenes to address their concerns.

    The traders have also been concerned with the strength of the cedi. The Ghana cedi has depreciated by 37.5% to the US dollar as of the end of September 2022 according to the Bank of Ghana.

    Commenting on the development on Ghana Kasa show on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV Wednesday, Solomon Owusu who himself is a businessman urged the governent to step up its efforts at stabilizing the Cedis while reviewing aspects of the tax policy to address concerns of business persons.

    “Taxes paid in this country are too much, and the exchange rate keeps increasing by the day and people are losing their capital. Businessmen and women are in great difficulty, where we find ourselves is very scary. No businessman is able to have a good sleep and because the policy rate increases, the loan repayment rate also increases. Business people are dying slowly, it is not funny, it’s very serious.”

    “The country will see the effect of the action of the traders between December to February 2023. It takes some time before vessels arrive with imported items, so if we don’t encourage traders to import early, but import later, it will take about a month or two before the items will arrive in Ghana. So between that period when the items will arrive in Ghana, how are people going to survive,” he asked.

  • 187 ‘galamseyers’ jailed in Eastern Region since 2017 – Attorney General

    The Minister for Justice and the Attorney- General, Godfred Dame, has disclosed that up to 187 illegal small-scale miners (galamseyers) have been jailed in the Eastern Region since 2017.

    According to him, out of the 187 illegal miners jailed, 29 were nationals of Niger, seven Nigerians and three Chinese with the remaining 148 being Ghanaians.

    The Attorney-General indicated that most of the ‘galamseyers’ were given a minimum fine of three thousand penalty units or an imprisonment term of not more than five years for the offence of buying or selling minerals without a licence under Section 99(1) of Act 703 of the 1992 Constitution.

    He also indicated that some of the illegal small-scale miners were sentenced for the offence of mining without a licence and were given a minimum fine of one thousand penalty units or an imprisonment term of not more than three years under Section 99(2) of Act 703.

    Also, the AG indicated that 33 persons involved in small-scale mining were convicted under the new mining laws, the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995), between August 2021 and September 2022 and are currently serving various prison terms of 15 years, 20 years and 18 years.

    The AG, who disclosed these details at a press briefing, added that 11 of these 33 people are offering nationals.

    He also indicated that his office has secured convictions for 48 new cases with only one on appeal.

    Dame added that 43 new cases are being trialled in courts in Koforidua with 250 other cases which involve some Chinese pending.

    The AG further stated that details of the prosecution of illegal miners in other regions, particularly, the Ashanti, Western and Greater-Accra Regions will soon be provided.

  • Man wrongfully jailed for murder freed after 33 years

    A 75-year-old man, Emmanuel Tetteh who was wrongfully sentenced to death for murder has been finally released from prison after thirty-three years.

    Tetteh, Tengey [who was the murder suspect], and one Grumah who was also innocent, were jailed together.

    According to Tengey, Tetteh and Grumah were innocent of the crime but he accused them of being his accomplices in the murder case when he was being tortured by the police to name his accomplices.

    “I was tortured by police officers at gunpoint to name my accomplices. I could not withstand it so initially, the name that came to my mind was Tetteh. The beatings did not stop so I mentioned Gruma’s name too as another accomplice. They arrested him too and they arraigned us before the court. I regret my actions and I ask for forgiveness,” he pleaded.

    Despite heavy protestations from Tetteh and Grumah that they knew absolutely nothing about the case, they were still sentenced to death with Tengey after police investigations.

    In an interview with Tettey, Grumah died out of shock after spending three months in prison.

    Tetteh said his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.

    During a crimecheckghana.org’s interview with Tengey and Tetteh four years ago at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison, Tengey confessed that his so-called accomplices knew nothing about the murder but he deliberately named them with the hope that he will be spared the torture.

    After spending thirty-three years in prison, Tetteh has been freed through presidential pardon but unfortunately without compensation.

    Mr. Tetteh’s sad story did not end after his release as his best friend back in the village in the Western Region has taken over his household and married his wife with whom they now have four children.

    He said his wife, when she heard of his return jilted her new husband to come back to him.

    “When I was released, I went to the village. Many people thought I was dead so it was difficult for them to believe it was me. They thought I was a ghost. It was after five days, my wife heard I had returned. I did not bother to see her because of what she did. However, she came to see me and I forgave her.”

    Background to the story

    Mr. Tengey said he was hired by a neighbor to work for him on a payment term.

    He claimed the neighbor did not pay him for ten months and when he demanded what was due him, the neighbor attacked him with a broken bottle.

    “I worked for him in his house and did any other job he wanted me to do for him. After ten months, he sacked me without paying me and when I went to ask for my money he rather attacked me with a broken bottle with which he injured me. There was no nearby police station to report the issue so I could not let go,” he said.

    Mr. Tengey said three months later, he met his neighbor whom he had worked for on his way to his farm. He said he demanded his money and a misunderstanding ensued between them.

    He said during the altercation, he butchered his neighbor with the machete he was holding resulting in his untimely death.

    “I was arrested the following day after the incident. At the police station, I was subjected to severe torture, which I could not withstand. The police officers pointed a gun at my head amid the torture to mention the name of my accomplice. I committed the crime alone but they insisted that I did it with somebody. I only saw Tetteh when he came to visit the man I had worked for to collect a refund of his money. His name came to my mind so I mentioned it to them,” he recounted.

    Tetteh, Tengey, and Grumah who was later named as an accomplice were sentenced to death by hanging in 1988.

  • CEO of Ghana Free Zones Authority embarks on regional tour

    The CEO of the GFZA, Amb. Mike Oquaye Jr has kicked off a week-long engagement with licensed free zone companies in the Ashanti and Western Regions of Ghana.

    With two enclaves in the western region and one in the Ashanti region, Ghana’s lead agency for regulating the free zones scheme and Ghana’s Special Economic Zones remains ready to do more.

    Amb. Mike Oquaye Jnr. and his team kicked off the customer-facing engagement in the Ashanti Region.

    His first stop was at Angel FM, where he answered questions from listeners and the presenter centered on the mandate of the institution and the plans Ghana has to accelerate the development of the Great Kumasi Industrial City Project.

    The CEO stressed the need for Ashanti-based industrialists with export orientation to take advantage of available incentives.

    “It is our mandate as an institution to support you to achieve more exports as Ghana takes the needed steps to address its structural economic setup. Accelerating our export drive is imperative to becoming the Ghana we want,” Amb. Mike Oquaye Jr.

    As part of the regional tour, the team visited Juaben Oil Mills Limited, an agro-processing company at the heart of adding value to oil palm, among others.

    After touring the factory and engaging with its leadership, the GFZA team then paid a courtesy call to the Omanhene of the Juaben traditional area, Nana Otuo Siriboe II.

    Amb. Mike Oquaye thanked Nana for his continuous support for industrialization and for guiding and shaping the growth of Juaben Oil Mills from inception to date.

    Nana Otuo Siriboe II commended Amb. Mike Oquaye for his stellar performance at the GFZA and urged him to do more to achieve the mandate given to him by the President on behalf of the Good People of Ghana.

    The GFZA then visited OLAM Ghana Limited, one of Ghana’s largest licensed agro-food processing firms. OLAM Ghana is an adept buyer and exporter of processed cocoa, cashew, and rice in Ghana.

    Amb. Oquaye encouraged OLAM to do more for the sector as he committed to working closely with the company to clear bottlenecks that might impede their growth

    The next company visited by the team was Logs & Lumber Ghana Limited, one of the leading timber logging and processing companies in Ghana and the West African sub-region. Amb. Mike Oquaye noted the company’s concerns and committed to working with other state actors to address them.

    In the Western Region, Ambassador Oquaye and the team paid a working visit to the Regional Minister, Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, to discuss pertinent land-related issues before heading to the Lands Commission with the team.

    Before meeting the Regional Minister, Amb. Mike Oquaye was interviewed extensively on Skyy FM during which he updated listeners on a wide range of issues about Free Zones and its activities in the Western Region.

    The GFZA team then met with the CEO and management team of Wayoe Engineering & Construction Limited, one of the largest privately-owned Ghanaian engineering and construction companies in West Africa.

    The group toured the new factory of the company to get a sense of the investment the company had made and its growth potential. Amb. Mike Oquaye committed to working closely with the company to find lasting solutions to some identified problems.

    The team then visited Amalitech Limited, a social enterprise that harnesses the potential of remote work to build the future of work in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Speaking at the end of the one-week working visit, Amb Mike Oquaye expressed satisfaction with the achievements of many of the institutions in the two regions.

    He also charged the regional heads of the GFZA to continue delivering value to all GFZA-licensed businesses.

    Mr. Ziblim Alhassan, Director of Administration and Human Resources; Mr. Jesse Agyepong, Director of Corporate Affairs; and Mr. Lawrence Osei-Boateng, Director of Business Development and Research, accompanied Ambassador Mike Oquaye on the working visit. He was also accompanied by Mr. Ricky Osei Owusu, Regional Head of the Ashanti Region; Hajia Hanatu Abubakar, Regional Director for the Western Region; Mr. Fred Agyei-Gyane, Manager in Charge of Compliance; and Mr. Harry Ansah, Personal Assistant to the CEO.

  • Agradaa returns to court on Thursday

    Evangelist Patricia Oduro Koranteng, alias Agradaa, is expected to be in court on Thursday, October 13, 2022.

    The founder and leader of Heavenway Champion Ministries International has been charged with two counts of defrauding by false pretences.

    This comes after an Accra Circuit Court on Monday remanded her into custody and ordered that she appear at the adjourned date.

    Agradaa was arrested on Sunday after widespread reports that she had duped some members of her church in an alleged money-doubling scheme.

    According to the victims, they attended her church, and gave out their monies in various amounts after she had advertised to give them multiples of their offerings.

    The charges against Agradaa, who pleaded not guilty at the court’s previous sitting, include charlatanic advertisement.

    According to her, she is innocent of the charges as she never duped anyone, as being alleged.

    Meanwhile, there is divided public opinion over the arrest of Agradaa, who had in the past been hit with similar allegations.

    According to some members of the public, the former fetish priestess has mastered the use of religion to con gullible persons.

    There are, however, those who have accused the victims of being victims of their own greed.

    “It is sheer greed that led people to her. It is just like lotto. It is either a won or a loss for you,” a trader stated in an interview with Oman Channel.

    “This same woman was accused of duping some people in her days as a fetish priestess. Now she is saying God has called but has asked people to bring money to be doubled. I don’t blame her but those who fell for such a ploy. I would rather ask that she is freed and her church closed down because she didn’t force any of them to bring their money to him,” another trader who sells some few metres away from Agradaa’s church said.

    There is, however, a growing call for her prosecution to serve justice to her alleged victims.

  • Defence exhibition, conference underway in Accra

    An International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEC) to enhance the capability of participants to address Africa’s security challenges is underway in Accra.

    The two-day event, which is also aimed at improving combined combat operations and regional development initiatives on the continent, is on the theme: “Strengthening international collaboration to combat terrorism and transnational organised crimes.”

    It is being participated by Defence Chiefs of Staff and senior officers and executives of security agencies and global partners, as well as advanced solution providers in the field of military technology and manufacturing.

    The delegates are from Brazil, Italy, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Senegal.

    The rest are Cameroon, Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Uganda, among other countries.

    Military gear, including weapons and vehicles, as well as defence technological tools, such as drones and communication equipment, are also on display at the event.

    The Dubai-based Great Minds Events and Exhibitions organised the event, in partnership with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute (GoGMI).

    Collaboration

    The Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, called for effective collaboration among armed forces on the continent and their counterparts around the globe to deal with terrorism and transnational crimes.

    He also said establishing strong cooperation and agreement among states worldwide would facilitate mutual legal assistance and extradition to help in the prosecution of cases transcending national borders.

    According to him, transnational organised crimes presented great challenge to the rule of law, economic and social development and the protection of human rights and security, as countries usually had to readjust on trade, economic growth and development after terrorist incursions.

    The minister said political turbulence and corruption continued to hinder Africa’s economic development and technological innovation.

    “It is, therefore, important that we build on the endeavours of Africa’s armed forces to enhance combined capabilities to counter the insecurities that plague the continent.

    “Insecurity directly affects the public financing capabilities of states and can obstruct economic development through tax evasion.

    “Our gathering here today is because our countries’ armed forces and security architecture have a huge stake in dealing with matters governing regional instabilities and security,” Mr Nitiwul said.

    Development

    The minister also said the measures and strategies put in place to revive economies across the African region would largely depend on how countries cooperated and collaborated to eradicate the menace of transnational crimes and terrorism, adding: “International trade cannot flourish without a secure sub-regional peace and security.”

    “My expectation is that concrete networks will be established at the sub-regional, continental and global levels to integrate our strategies and efforts at holistically dealing with these threats,” he added.

    Mr Nitiwul expressed the hope that the delegates would come up with meaningful and workable solutions to issues of transnational organised crime, terrorism and related threats to global peace and security.

    Strategy

    The Chief of the Defence Staff, Vice-Admiral Seth Amoama, said combating transnational crimes required a multi-dimensional strategy that safeguarded the citizenry and broke the financial strength of criminals and terrorist networks.

    Such collaboration, he added, disrupted illicit traffic networks, defeated transnational crime organisations, fought corruption, strengthened the rule of law, bolstered judicial systems and improved transparency.

    “The major outcomes that we expect from this conference and exhibition, in line with the theme, are a common understanding of the problem and developing a regional and international framework to deal, in particular, with the challenges of terrorism and transnational organised crimes, “ Vice-Admiral Amoama said.

    For his part, the Managing Partner at Great Minds Event, Noel Greenway, said peace and security had become a necessary tool for every nation, and that it could only be achieved through collaborations.

    IDEC, he said, provided an ideal platform for global defence suppliers to showcase their latest products and services and also meet defence buyers to negotiate fresh supplies.

     

  • Gobah launches book on Kente

    The book also captures the social, cultural and economic values; facts that settle the indistinct and blurring stories about kente.

    This translates into a much greater appreciation for the kente industry.

    Titled “Kete/Kente- A Priceless gem of Ghana”, the 64-page book also provides an elaborate history of how the early weavers in Ghana, Gobtensed Kente Limited, have sustained the family Kente business since 1821 to date.

    Written by Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gobtensed Kente Limited, the book additionally tracks the strides of Kete/Kente from the 11th century in the Ancient Ghana Empire, detailing every developmental phase by putting together catalogued sources of information.

    Some of the highlights of the book included; the step by step breakdown of the weaving process, names of kente and their meanings, kente weaving tools and terms, among others.

    The book was launched last Sunday and it coincided with Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh’s 78th birthday celebration.

    Appreciation

    In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Togbi Gobah Tengey Seddoh noted that it was time Ghanaians appreciated their own and what they brought to the table.

    “It has become common that we don’t appreciate ourselves, what we have and stand for, this must stop. Let’s appreciate goodness, because Africa is one of the greatest species in the world,” he said.

    Reading

    He added that Ghanaians should cultivate the habit of documenting and reading what belonged to them.

    “So, you read about the history book of Jews, among others, but do not read what is written about you, why? because we do not believe in what we have? this must stop, no one can tell our story better than ourselves. I thank you all for being with us and I know God will bless all of us and when he does, keep on blessing others closer to you,” he said.

    A teacher

    Trained as professional teacher at Amedzofe E.P Training College, Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh taught from 1968 to 1980 in various parts of the Volta Region and beyond before wearing the amour of an astute kente weaver.

    He was elected as the District GNAT Secretary from 1972-79. Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh has travelled extensively in the United States of America giving lectures and exposition in universities on our cultural heritage and the history of kente weaving.

    The family business, which spans more than 200 years with the late Liberty Yao (LY) Gobah being the first Managing Director, Wellington Gobah, Sylvanus Gobah, Alice Adjormadoh, David Gobah, Mary Gobah and Timothy Gobah as directors.

    Political life

    Apart from being a businessman, industrialist and philanthropist, Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh has had a stint with politics. He was once upon a time appointed Volta Regional Treasurer of Action Congress Party, led by Col. Bernasko.

  • Aisha Huang’s Circuit Court trial adjourned to October 27

    The Accra Circuit Court 9 has once again remanded alleged illegal mining kingpin, Aisha Huang, and three other persons facing trial with her into custody.

    During court proceedings on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, Inspector Isaac Babaye, who stood in for the prosecution officer, asked the court for a time.

    According to the prosecution, the state has constituted a panel of experts to look into the matter, while an advice from the Attorney General’s Office is awaited.

    Following the prosecution’s request for time, lawyers for the accused persons prayed to the court for their clients to be granted bail.

    According to the defence lawyers, their clients do not pose a flight risk and will not interfere in the state’s investigations if granted bail.

    In the case of the second accused person, Franklin Kumatoh argued that his client was only a victim of circumstance.

    According to him, she only paid a visit to the house of Aisha Huang and was arrested together with the others during a swoop by state security officials.

    The lawyer noted that his client is gainfully employed in Ghana and is ready to meet conditions for bail if the court were to grant her bail.

    Mr. Kumatoh added, “Since the prosecution does not know the time to conclude the investigation and is now seeking expert advice, we believe it will be fair in the interest of justice if the second accused person is admitted to bail.”

    The prosecution, in their opposition to the application for bail, noted that it had demonstrated in previous sittings of the court that the accused persons are a flight risk.

    “What we have now is that most of the accused persons have multiple passports with different names on them. Therefore, if they are granted bail, they will not appear to stand trial and defeat the purpose of bail,” Inspector Babaye told the court.

    The defence counsel, however, rebutted the claim, noting that the claim by the prosecution is embellished with speculation to prejudice the mind of the court.

    The court, presided by Bright Acquah, after listening to both arguments, maintained its previous decision to deny the accused persons bail.

    Aisha Huang, aka Huang Ruixia, and the three other accused persons: John Li Hua, Huang Jei, and Huaid Hai Hun, are being held for engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a valid license.

    Aisha, 47, is facing an additional charge of engaging in mining without a licence.

    All the accused persons have denied the charges pressed against them.

     

  • Fire destroys house at Mataheko

    Fire has destroyed a residential apartment at Mataheko in Accra

    The incident happened Wednesday [October 12, 2022] morning.

    According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), three fire pumps from the Greater Accra Regional Headquarters Substation, National Headquarters and Circle Fire Stations were sent to the scene to control the fire.

    The Public Relations Office of the Greater Accra Regional GNFS said they received the distress call at 4:52 am and the firefighters arrived at the scene at 5am.

    “The fire was well lit and upon assessment, the first crew requested assistance and 2 fire engines were dispatched to augment firefighting efforts,” the PR office said in a post on Facebook.

    “The raging fire was brought under control at 0544hours and finally extinguished at 0658hours. No casualties were recorded and fire was contained from spreading to 3 Adjoining houses”.

    It said the cause of fire was under investigation.

  • NSS releases 2022/2023 postings; Personnel can print appointment letters from October 17, 2022

    The National Service Secretariat has released the 2022/2023 national service postings.

    The release of the postings was announced in a press statement issued Wednesday afternoon.

    The press statement signed and issued by the Executive Secretary of the NSS, Osei Assibey Antwi, said a total of 115,240 prospective national service personnel who enrolled to undertake their mandatory service have been posted.

    The number includes those who enrolled from accredited tertiary institutions in Ghana this year and those who defaulted in the previous years and private registrants.

    It said printing of appointment letters by service personnel and endorsements by respective user agencies can only be done from Monday, October 17, 2022 .

    However, validation and registration at all regional centres across the country would begin from Monday October 24, 2022 till Friday December 30, 2022.

    Below is a copy of the press release by the NSS

    PRESS RELEASE

    NSS RELEASES POSTINGS FOR 2022/2023 SERVICE YEAR

    1. Today, OCTOBER 12, 2022, the Management of the National Service Scheme (NSS) has released the postings of a total of ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY (115,240) prospective national service personnel who enrolled to undertake their mandatory national service for the 2022/2023 service year.
    2. The prospective service personnel include the year 2022 eligible Ghanaian graduates from accredited tertiary institutions in the country, defaulters who submitted their applications for postings, and private registrants.
    3. Prospective national service personnel should log onto the Scheme’s website at http://www.nss.gov.gh to check their placements.
    4. Printing of appointment letters by service personnel and endorsements by respective user agencies can only be done from Monday, October 17, 2022 However, validation and registration at all regional centres across the country would begin on Monday, October 24, 2022, and continue bill FRIDAY, December 30, 2022, to accommodate prospective service personnel who are yet to complete their academic programmes.
    5. To minimize excessive crowding at the validation centres, all national service personnel must schedule appointments online and visit the validation centres on the scheduled date and time for validation with strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocol
    6. The Management further directs all prospective service personnel who have been duly posted, accepted by their user agencies, and validated by the NSS, to begin their national service on Tuesday, November 1, 2022.
    7. All national service personnel who have been deployed are hereby entreated to accept their postings as part of their divic obligations and contributions to national development.
    8. The Management extends its best wishes to you all.

    Thank you.
    SIGNED.
    HON. OSEI ASSIBEY ANTWI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NSS

  • We can’t pay VAT anymore – Kumasi traders

    Some traders in Kumasi have called on the government to adopt more sustainable and business-friendly tax policies that would help the government to optimise its revenue mobilisation while promoting business growth.

    According to them, the current Value Added Tax (VAT) policy being implemented by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) “does not support our system.”

    “The tax structure and its administration do not support the features of our market. The policy introduced taxation for each item as it travels along the distribution channel,” the Executive Secretary of the Ashanti Business Community, Charles Kusi Appiah-Kubi said at a media briefing in Kumasi today (October 12, 2022).

    He said the current system where the tax was applied to every single item along the distribution line was making the cost of items more expensive and beyond the reach of customers.

    Point of entries

    Mr Appiah-Kubi proposed that the government should collect all tax at the point of entry of the goods into the country and allow those in the value chain to operate free of intimidation and harassment.

    He said the current practice where the same item was charged from the key distributor down to the last consumer, was overburdening the consumer and making goods more expensive.

    He said the tax should be collected just once at the point of entry, either at the ports or at the factories, thereby allowing the businesses to operate freely.

    “Government should take all its revenue from the points of entry. Take all the charges you want to charge at the point of entry or at the manufacturing and leave us alone,” he said.

    “We are ready to pay our corporate income tax and our Pay As You Earn (PAYE), but we can’t pay the VAT again,” he said.

  • Bagbin urges African MPs to prioritize climate change

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has urged Parliamentarians across Africa to pay much more attention to climate change.

    Addressing the 145th Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Conference in Kigali, Rwanda Ghana’s Speaker emphasized on the risk of climate change on the continent.

    “I can tell from the Members of Parliament from CVF countries and observer states in attendance that as parliamentarians we have made a clear and conscious decision to rise to the challenge of ensuring action on climate change. That is very encouraging indeed.

    “We should also consider what we can do to mobilize other key actors within the space to create a lot more awareness and readiness to act so that in a concerted manner, we can confront today’s climate change demands. In unity, as we told, lies strength. We can achieve a lot more together than if we leave national institutions, state and global actors to operate in silos,” he stated.

    As the leader of the Ghana’s delegation to the conference, Mr. Bagbin touched on the effects, risks and challenges of climate change and the critical role of Parliaments and Parliamentarians have to focus on.

    “Yes, the world is facing serious threats from the impacts and risks of climate change, but we also have an opportunity to seize upon new technologies and approaches that can help us adapt and build our resilience to this challenge.

    “For example, today, a lot more people are using digital devices for their work, for communication and for storing information. Consequently, it has led to a reduction in the reliance on paper, which goes to reduce deforestation. Bear in mind that trees, by being an important source of oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide, help to reduce climate change.”

    The Speaker also commended Hon Dr. Emmanuel Marfo, who was confirmed Chairman of the GPG during the conference.

    Dr. Emmanuel Marfo is also the Chairperson of the Environment Science and Technology Committee, which is the relevant Committee in whose remit climate change issues fall in the Ghana Parliament.

    “I place my utmost faith in his capabilities to ensure the success of the priorities of the CVF GPG and in support of the CVF priorities of 1.5ºC Ambition, Adaptation, Loss and Damage and Finance.

    “The Parliament of Ghana is committed to support the work of the CVF GPG through the Chairperson of the CVF GPG. May I also take this opportunity to thank our Host Parliament, the Parliament of Rwanda, and Rt. Honorable Speaker, Donatille Mukabalisa, for hosting us. My appreciation also goes to the Secretary General of the IPU for facilitating the meeting of the CVF GPG.”

  • Put the interest of people you serve first at all times – CJ to new JUSAG Executives

    The Chief Justice, Kwesi Anin Yeboah has admonished the newly elected executives of the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) to put the interest of the people they are elected to serve first at all times.

    According to Justice Anin Yeboah, who was adjudged the best labour friendly CJ by the association earlier in August, his office will continue to accord the new leadership of JUSAG all the necessary support they need to ensure that their term in office is a success.

    The CJ made this call during the swearing-in of new JUSAG executives after the two terms of Mr Alex Nartey had come to an end.

    On August 4, this year, members of JUSAG elected their new leadership during the association’s 1st Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference held at the University of Health and Allied Sciences.

    The conference was on the theme: ‘Enhancing rule of law through e-Justice in the digitized economy: The role of the Judicial Service.’

    The six-member executive team led by Samuel Afotey Otu who took over from Alex Nartey were sworn-in by Her Ladyship, Justice Charity Irene Larbi, a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

    New JUSAG Executives

    The new executives of JUSAG for the next four years are Samuel Afotey Otu, president, Samuel Lartey, Vice president, Brother Abdulai Yakubu, General Secretary, Joyce Assan, Deputy General Secretary, Brother Owusu Kankam, Treasurer and sister Hannah Boachie, Women’s Commissioner.

    Legacy

    The outgoing president of JUSAG, Mr Alex Nartey, in his handing-over message, touted some of his administration’s achievement including staff having to pursue higher education without resigning from the service.

    He also indicated that, his two terms from (2014 to 2022) has seen several developments that has led to the improvement of the lot of judicial service workers.

    He said, during his time in office, they negotiated judicial service workers out of the single spin salary structure, got the policy of study leave which was abolished by the service re-instated, leading to about 50 staff of the judicial service going on to study law to become lawyers.

    Open door policy

    The new president of JUSAG, Samuel Afotey Otu, in his statement after the swearing-in ceremony, expressed that, his team are deeply grateful for the confidence reposed in them by the staff of the judicial service.

    He assured that, he will keep an open door policy throughout his period in office.

    “The good of JUSAG depends on every little contribution from each and every one of us. Yes, we are the leaders, but we need everyone’s cooperation to be able to lead well. Every thought, suggestion and experience are all welcome to make JUSAG more resilient and beneficial to all,” Afotey Otu, the JUSAG president said.

  • Abandoned AngloGold Ashanti pit swallows 10 people at Okyereko – Chief alleges

    Odikro of Okyerekrom in the Akrofuom district, Nana Adyei Amoako Gyampa II, has expressed worry about an abandoned pit dug by AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) mine.

    According to the chief, AGA has turned deaf ears to this concern raised after the pit collapsed in 2012 posing as a threat to farmers who have their farmlands around the pit.

    The pit, which has allegedly claimed 10 lives since 2012 has remained one of the major concerns of the chief and residents in the area.

    Addressing the press, Nana Amoako Gyampa II gave a two-week ultimatum to AngloGold Ashanti to reclaim the pit or face their wrath.

    Some residents noted that their relatives who ply their farming activities around the pit kept going missing after the pit collapsed.

    They added that harmful chemicals such as cyanide and mercury used in retrieving gold by the company in 2012 has polluted the river they use to feed their various homes.

    The chief and residents, however, cautioned the mining company to reclaim the dangerous pit or face their anger after the 14-day given ultimatum.

    Abandoned AngloGold Ashanti pit swallows 10 people at Okyereko – Chief alleges.

  • Level 400 students’ portal, academic records updated – UEW Management

    Management of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has said that all challenges students faced in accessing their portals and grades have been resolved.

    A press release dated October 10, 2022 said Level 400 students who were affected the most, by the issue, can now have full access to the proper records of their academic work.

    The school’s Management admitted that the challenges it had in updating the portal dates back to 2018 but “the current Management took the audacious initiative to resolve the challenges with the results of over 8,000 students as far back as June, 2022.”

    “Having come this far to successfully update students’ portals based on bulk data collated from the activities of the Students’ Help Desk, we expect our level 400 students to access their portals to check the updated results and resort to laid down processes to address their concerns if any are identified,” part of the press release said.

    On Monday, October 10, some level 400 students of UEW demonstrated against the school’s Management over what they described as not a true reflection of their academic work.

    The students, clad in red and black, said the Management has not shown any urgency in resolving their complaints.

    They insisted that it is a deliberate attempt by school authorities not to release their results on the students’ portal.

    “We wish to state that we are on the same page with our Level 400 students in the quest for accurate and clean results to enable them to graduate. Consequently, we are prepared to stay with them side-by-side on this cause to ensure that every single issue with their results is resolved.

    “We expect, on the other hand, that our level 400 students will resort to dialogue for all genuine concerns to be addressed if any are identified in the process to meet our collective goal,” the press release added.

    Meanwhile, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) says it will be deploying auditors to the University this week to audit the grading system.

  • Game branch at Accra Mall shut down over E-VAT Invoicing system

    The Ghana Revenue Authority has shut down the Game shopping centre in Accra Mall over non-compliance with the E-VAT Invoicing system.

    This brings to 10, the number of shops and supermarkets locked up by the tax collector since Monday.

    Major chains like Palace Mall and China Mall have also been closed down.

    All customers making purchases at the time of the visit were asked to move out after the management of the mall consulted with their head office in South Africa.

    The GRA has stressed that it will not relent in its efforts at ensuring compliance with its electronic invoicing system.

    Addressing the media earlier, Kwasi Eghan, Deputy Commissioner of operations in charge of GRA’s Domestic Tax Revenue Division, said he was hopeful that all businesses expected on the platform would do so by the end of this week.

    “I am sure some people are just trying to see what will happen if they do not hook on, we will close you down. If we close down, you are not going to reopen until we are done with the process of hooking you up,” he said.

  • Metro Mass workers on sit down strike over unpaid salaries, other issues

    Workers of Metro Mass Transit Limited are embarking on a sit down strike over their two months unpaid salaries.

    The workers also say that the nationwide strike action is as a result of five years of incompetent administration by the management of the company.

    They want the immediate removal of the management team.

    Anthony Secretary to the Senior Staff division of the Union, Anthony Appiah spoke to Citi News saying, “everything of ours is not working. If you have been given room for five years as executives and for the first time in the history of this company, there are three managing directors and we are not seeing anything from them in terms of growth, workers’ welfare and service to the nation, we have to embark on a sit-down strike.”

    In Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, both senior and junior workers at the depot of the company joined in the nationwide sit-down strike over their conditions of service.

    According to them, aside from not receiving salaries for months, several other pertinent concerns that have been raised over the years have not been addressed.

    A visit to the Metro Mass terminal in Kumasi by Citi News‘ Middle Belt Bureau Chief, Edward Oppong Marfo showed that indeed the drivers have refused to work as all vehicles have been parked.

    Management members at the terminal have also laid down their tools, saying the failure to resolve their concerns has made life unbearable for them.

    “For about three months now, about 90 percent of workers have not been paid, and they haven’t given us any tangible reason. It’s pathetic”, one of the management members spoke toCiti News on condition of anonymity.

     

  • Somalia president attains PhD in Peace, Governance and Development

    President of Somalia is officially an academic “Dr.” after the completion of his PhD programme on Tuesday, October 11.

    President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who returned to the presidency in keenly contested poll this year completed his PhD Program of Peace, Governance and Development at PEACE University.

    “We are thrilled to welcome you to our Alumni ranks! @HassanSMohamud,” the University said.

    Mohamud lost his re-election bid in 2016 to immediate past Mohammed Abdullahi Farmaajo. Years on, he staged a comeback to defeat Farmaajo to stage a successful comeback.

    With a background in education, the former peace activist’s election campaign was focused on ensuring Somalis are united and are at peace with the rest of the world – something he did not fail to mention immediately after he was sworn in, the BBC said in a profile of the president in May 2022.

    Hassan Sheikh is said to have joined the Centre for Research and Dialogue in 2001 as a researcher in post-conflict reconstruction – a body sometimes criticised as being too closely affiliated to the West – and has worked as a consultant to various UN bodies and the transitional government.

    President @HassanSMohamud receives a PhD in Peace, Governance and Development from the United Nations Peace University #DalsanNewsDesk #Somalia pic.twitter.com/4UNNmKk3rV

    — DalsanTV (@DalsanTv) October 11, 2022

    Congratulations to President @HassanSMohamud, now PhD.

    Dr Hassan Sheikh Mohamud setting a good example for leadership and younger generations.

    Education is a lifelong process.

    — Rashid Abdi (@RAbdiAnalyst) October 12, 2022

  • Prepare for more flood – NiMet tells Nigerians

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) have cautioned Nigerians in some states, especially in the North Central, South East, and the South Western States that they should be expecting more floods soon.

    The Director-General, NiMet, Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, and Director-General, of Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Mr. Clement Nze, made this known during a ceremony of the workshop on Hydro-meteorological status and outlook system (HydroSOS).

    According to Matazu, with high-intensity rains and with the dams being let open, there will be more floods.

    He said: “Remember, we issued the forecast in February and we followed up with the monthly updates that we’re going to have above-normal rainfall in most parts of the country. So in terms of the rainfall-induced floods, we’ve seen the peak but remember we told you that this rainwater gets collected into the reservoirs and dams, and whenever they are filled, it gets spilled. So, on September 13, the Lagbo Dam was released. And also Kainji and Shiroro dams were also released. So what we’re witnessing now is riverine flooding.

    “And from the information, we’re getting from NIHSA we’re going to see more floods. And now the rain is concentrating on the North Central and the southern states. So that will be a combination of short duration, high-intensity rain, which riverine flooding. So we’re going to see more of these floods in the north-central states as we are seeing in Kogi and also southeastern and southwestern states as we are beginning to see in a number of parts of South West.

    “In Africa, water-related hazards such as flood, drought, etc. have become a major cause of food insecurity, strains on livelihoods, health risks, and conflicts in many parts of the continent.”

     

  • Africa needs ‘ethical and moral uprightness as guiding principles’ – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has shared nuggets that can put Africa on the right footing in seeking to better the lot of people on the continent.

    He identified among others absolute accountability of institutions, ethical and moral uprightness and stoic fidelity to the truth as three such values Africa needs.

    His views were contained in a Facebook post dated October 9 sharing portions of a speech he delivered at the Liberty University’s convocation event last week in the United States.

    “Absolute accountability, not just by government but by the institutions of state in service to the people and not themselves, will go a long way to remedy many of the systemic problems that affect our African people.

    “In Africa, we need ethical and moral uprightness as guiding principles, and a stoic fidelity to the truth and to do right by our people above all other considerations,” his post accompanied by photos of his engagement read.

    Mahama was a special guest of honour at the 2022 Liberty University Convocation in Lynchburg, Virginia where he delivered a speech to a packed auditorium.

    He described Ghana as “an island of religious calmness in a sea of turbulence,” citing how “almost all our surrounding neighbours have in recent times experienced some major form of insurgency, coup d’etats or other conflicts, including religious conflicts.”

    He explained the situation in Ghana’s northern neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, where insurgents are running roughshod.

     

  • Measles cases spike in Juba and Terekeka counties in South Sudan

    The minister of health in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State has said there has been a marked increase in the highly contagious infectious measles disease in Juba and Terekeka counties.

    According to Minister Najuwa Juma Murshal, 50 new cases were registered in five Payams of Juba County while 8 others were recorded in two Payams of Tereka County over the last week.

    “What I know is that there are 50 cases recorded in Juba County on Sunday last week of October. There are also 3 cases in Muni, 4 in Terekeka, and another in Gemeza Payam of Terekeka County,” she said. “We have sent the state and county rapid response team to do vaccination there. My message to the public is that they need to follow the preventive measures and report suspected cases to the county health departments and health ministry.”

    “I also call on our health partners to stand with the ministry of health in stopping the spread of the disease in the reported areas,” Minister Juma added.

    On his part, the Central Equatoria State information minister, Andruga Mabe, said the state council of ministers in its Monday meeting directed the state finance ministry to allocate and approve an emergency budget to contain the disease.

    “The council passed the health emergency plan and directed the minister of health to implement the plan with immediate effect,” he said. “And the council also directed the minister of finance to avail necessary funds to meet the cost of implementation of this emergency plan.”

    According to the Central Equatoria State health minister, the areas in Juba County which recorded measles disease include Northern Bari, Rajaf, Mangala, Amadi, Luri, and the three Blocks of Kator, Munuki, and Juba.

    South Sudan’s national health ministry declared an outbreak of measles disease on 27 July after 5 deaths.

  • Ashanti Regional Minister commissions three Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Projects

    The Ashanti Regional Minister Hon Simon Osei Mensah on Monday, October 10, 2022, commissioned three Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Projects in the Region.

    The WASH projects which were financed by UNICEF with support from the Danish Government provided three ultramodern toilet facilities for three basic schools in the region.

    The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kwadaso Municipality, and the Asokore Mampong Municipality are the beneficiary assemblies.

    In attendance at the event were the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, H. E Tom Noring, and the Country Rep for UNICEF, Anne-Claire.

    Commissioning one of the projects at Kwadaso M/A Basic school, Hon Simon Osei Mensah commended the WASH programme and noted that, the project has come at a time the region was keen on improving the sanitation of people, especially girls and women.

    “Growing up in a clean and safe environment is every child’s right. Access to clean water, basic toilets, and good hygiene practices not only keep children thriving but also give them a healthier start in life,” he said

    Hon Simon Osei Mensah assured the Danish Ambassador and UNICEF country Rep of government’s preparedness to support any projects that will improve both, the economic and social well-being of the people of Ghana.

    For his part, the Danish Ambassador to Ghana Tom Noring pledged the Danish government’s commitment to supporting girl child education.

    He added that the projects were also to help Ghana completely overcome the Covid-19 pandemic.

    “Despite COVID-19 putting the spotlight on the importance of hand hygiene to prevent the spread of disease, there billion people worldwide, are hundreds of millions of school-going children, who do not have access to handwashing facilities with soap.”

    “People living in rural areas, urban slums, disaster-prone areas, and low-income countries are the most vulnerable and the most affected,” he said.

    “This is the main reason why we have teamed up with UNICEF to provide WASH facilities to schools in Ghana,” he noted.

  • Speeding vehicle kills 12-year-old girl at Kotwi

    A young girl believed to be 12-year-old has met her untimely death after she was knocked down by a speeding vehicle at Kotwi in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti region.

    The unfortunate accident occurred on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, around 5:00 pm.

    Some eyewitness who narrated the story to OTEC News Kwame Agyenim Boateng said the girl was crossing the road when the Nissan Navara Pick-Up with registration number AC-884-21 hit her.

    “She had just gotten off a commercial vehicle and was crossing the road, but was knocked down by the vehicle.”

    “Some Emergency Medical Attendants and Paramedics who rushed to the scene declared the girl dead and left her at the scene”. A witness told OTEC News.

    Meanwhile, police in the area were at the scene to help ease the vehicular traffic caused by the accident.

    The body was however conveyed to the mortuary for further investigations.

     

  • FDA raises red flag over contaminated sausages

    The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is cautioning the general public against the consumption of AIA Wudy and Pavo sausages.

    This comes after the products, produced by Agricola Tre Vali, were recalled by Italian authorities due to the presence of Listeria bacteria in these sausages made from poultry meat.

    Two batches with codes 1785417 and 01810919 with an expiration date of November 30, 2022, are implicated.

    According to the FDA, following the recall activities ongoing in Europe and other countries, it has also conducted a market surveillance activity and Pavo Frankfurt sausages with an expiry date of November 2022 were found in Ho in the Volta Region.

    The products have since been detained for safe disposal. So far, no AIA Wudy sausages have been found on the Ghanaian market.

    The FDA has however directed that anyone in possession of the above-mentioned products should immediately take them to either their Head Office or Regional Offices across the country.

    “The FDA wishes to assure the public that its surveillance teams continue to monitor the markets for any of the above-mentioned products,” it concluded.

    Listeria infection is a foodborne bacterial illness that can be very dangerous for pregnant women, people older than 65 and people with weakened immune systems.

    It’s most commonly caused by eating improperly processed deli meats and unpasteurised milk products.

    Healthy people rarely become ill from listeria infection, but the disease can be fatal to unborn babies, newborns and people with weakened immune systems.

    Prompt antibiotic treatment can help curb the effects of listeria infection.

    Listeria bacteria can survive refrigeration and even freezing. So people who are at higher risk of serious infections should avoid eating the types of food most likely to contain listeria bacteria.

     

  • 3 things that can transform Zongo communities in Ghana – Expert reveals

    The Founder of ZongoVasion Hub, Mahmoud Jajah, has stated that there are three main things that can totally transform Zongo communities in the country.

    Speaking on GhanaWeb’s sociopolitical programme that focuses on the facts about issues that matter to Ghanaians, the Lowdown, he explained that there is huge potential in the Zongo communities that can be enhanced through these three pillars.

    “Education is supposed to give you a new perspective about your society and that’s why this time around, we have a lot of people from the Zongo communities pursuing higher education and I always tell them that, ‘Let your education reflect in the way you live in a society.

    “Education is the key, but I always use three things. I believe strongly that if we are to focus on these three things, we’ll be able to transform the Zongo communities within the shortest possible time.

    “One is education – we need to educate more of our young people. Two, is sports – sports is big business and it is one of the easiest ways we can get more young people out of poverty, and then three, is technology – technology is like a miracle and that is where my focus is because among these three things, technology is the easiest which can make a lot of impact,” he stated.

    Mahmoud Jajah also explained some of the reasons he believes that Zongo communities are getting better by the day, gradually correcting the erroneous misconceptions people have had about them for a long time.

  • KNUST Architecture student designs amphibious buildings with local materials, waste plastic bottles

    We are faced with uncertainties about the future due to the impacts of climate change on communities and our livelihoods.

    In the past decades, severe flooding in major cities and towns across the globe has resulted in loss of human life, damage to properties and infrastructure facilities, and destruction of crops among others.

    Coastal cities and island communities are among those facing the highest risks of climate change impact due to rising sea levels.

    Despite their huge tourism potential and economic opportunities, most island communities in Ghana are at risk of being abandoned due to climate crisis and limited investment.

    Azizakpe Island, located in the estuary of the Volta River, is one such example.

    Azizakpe has been in existence for more than a hundred years. However, in recent years, the island community faces existential threats due to severe flooding and erosion. About 20 acres of Azizakpe’s land has been lost to erosion.

    Farming and economic activities such as coconut oil production, crab hunting, boat making, fish mongering, weaving and broom making, etc. have been severely disrupted by this climate crisis and the emigration of most residents.

    To revitalize the community and make it attractive to both residents and visitors, a final-year Architecture student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Miss Rhoda Osei-Nkwantabisa), has designed resilient structures that can help the community withstand the impacts of floods and erosion.

    The proposed structures were designed based on the concept of Amphibious Architecture. This approach to design allows buildings to float on the surface of rising floodwater rather than succumb to inundation. The designer adapted local materials such as mangrove trees, thatch roof, woven coconut leaf walls, and bamboo raft floors.

    To enable the buildings to float without submerging, the designer created a bamboo cage at the base of each building. The cage is filled with waste plastic bottles for buoyancy in the event of a flood. The shape of the structures was inspired by the roots of the mangrove tree due to its ability to withstand floods and erosion.

    If sea levels rise in the future as has been predicted, the structures are designed to stay afloat with the aid of the bamboo cage and supporting mangrove sliding stilts.

    Due to the use of locally available materials and low-cost construction techniques, construction cost is estimated to reduce by 40 percent. This proposal, if implemented, will benefit the community socially, economically, and environmentally.

    The plastic bottles used to create buoyancy will reduce plastic waste in the community and its environs. The facility will also help to generate income for the community and the nation at large. It could serve as a model for the revitalization of island communities in Ghana.

    This research was supervised by Dr. Martin Larbi and Arc. Isaac Annor. The author gratefully acknowledges the support of Mr Emmanuel Kankam in the construction of the 3D impressions.

    This research was supervised by Dr Martin Larbi and Arc. Isaac Annor. The author gratefully acknowledges
    the support of Mr Emmanuel Kankam in the construction of the 3D impressions.

  • GhCCI demands GH¢10bn debt arrears owed by gov’t for work done by members

    The Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI) is demanding a total of GH¢ 10 billion as debt arrears owed by government for various development projects executed by its members.

    They have therefore threatened to go to court if government failed to fulfill its financial obligation to the contractors to retrieve their monies.

    The Chief Executive Officer of GhCCI, Mr Emmanuel Cherry, disclosed this at a news conference in Accra yesterday to brief the media about the outcome of the chamber’s 4th annual general conference held at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

    It was on the theme; “financing and funding methodology for infrastructure development: The case of GhCCI and delayed payments with associated interest and matters arising”.

    According to Mr Cherry, the debt government owed the contractors had been in existence since 2016 adding “This does not include interest and other associated costs.”

    “This debt includes roads fund, COCOBOD, consolidated fund as well as  Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). We’re even being charitable because if we should log all together with interest upon interest on delay payments, it will be more than that. So just imagine, government owing contractors such portfolios, you can imagine what it can do for the economic fibre of the country,” he added.

    He stated that, the delay in payment had taken a toll on their businesses and causing most of its members to incur more debts on the loans they acquired in executing the projects.

    “We’ve waited for too long and the time has come. We know government has tried but the approach is not the best so that’s the reasons why we are saying, the chamber together with the government through the Ministry of Finance will be calling for a stakeholder engagement.

    “We have certain recommendations and solutions that we want to table and we believe if government should buy into that, it will help us all collectively to settle some of this course once and for all. But if it should drag, we have no other choice than to fight for the collective interest of our members,” he said.

    Mr Cherry called on government through GETFund, Ghana Road Fund and Ghana Cocoa Board to make payment plan available to the contractors, consultants and suppliers for them to schedule project execution to reduce agitation and forestall negative perceptions of the principle of first come first paid method adopted.

    He also called for lists to be made available to the GhCCI for transparency and good practices in payment management and monitoring.

    The Chairman of GhCCI, Mr Emmanuel Tetteh Martey urged government through the Ministry of Roads and Highways to as a matter of urgency appoint a representative of the chamber to serve on the classification and Re-classification Committee.

    He charged the government through the Minister of Finance to disclose the inflows from the E-levy and proportion that had gone into infrastructure Development since its inception and as a matter of urgency pass the new Ghana Building

    Regulation which had been prepared by the Ministry of Works and Housing into law, to ensure standards was followed in the construction industry.

    “We also entreat government to take a serious and exceptional view of the current ‘galamsey’ menace in Ghana which is having a toll on the infrastructural projects of the country and we will fully support government in it’s desire to bring it to an end using legitimate processes and systems,” Mr Tetteh Martey added.

  • President urges Africa’s military to combine efforts to deal with continent’s insecurity

    President Akufo-Addo has called on Africa’s military to combine their capabilities to counter the insecurities that plague the continent.

    According to the President, the link between transnational organised crime and terrorism was a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, posing a concrete threat to international peace and development of states.

    Mr. Dominic Ntiwul (third from right) with some digniteries inspecting some equipment at the exhibition stands. Photo Geoffrey Buta

    President Akufo-Addo said this in a speech read on his behalf at the opening ceremony of a two day International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEC) 2022 at Burma Camp, Accra and was under the theme “strengthening international collaboration to combat terrorism and transnational organised crimes.”

    The two-day event brought together delegates from the top hierarchy of Armed Forces, law enforcement agencies, academia, military solution providers and other stakeholders in the defence industry from Africa and beyond.

    Also present were international security experts and over 60 exhibitors from across the globe.

    The event was aimed at deliberating on the growing threat of terrorism and other transnational crimes that posed significant security concerns in the region and adopt strategies to comprehensively address the emerging security concern.

    President Akufo-Addo said there were close linkages between terrorism and criminal groups, whose main agenda was to exploit porous borders and weak governments hence the need to ensure effective and efficient international and regional cooperation in dealing with criminal matters related to terrorism.

    “Establishing strong cooperation agreements among member states worldwide will help facilitate request for mutual legal assistance and extradition which plays an important part in the prosecution of cases transcending national borders,” he said.

    He mentioned that the use of electronic surveillance, undercover operations and use of informants had proven to be effective techniques that had assisted investigative agencies to combat organised crime and transnational crimes.

    “We need to develop and strengthen legislation to criminalise the laundering of proceeds of crime, train officials and increase the ability to identify and interdict cross-border transportation of illegal cash or other negotiable instruments as a major step in stopping organised crime in the sub-region and the world at large,” President Akufo-Addo said.

    He explained that tackling the insecurities in the sub region was of urgent importance to the government of Ghana considering the fact that most of the factors hindering the continent’s economic development included public borrowing, trade deficit, military expenditure, low level of technological innovation, political turbulences and corruption.

    The Chief of  Defence Staff (CDS), Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, said in order to  achieve the aim of the event  there was the need for a multi-dimensional strategy that safeguards citizens, breaks the financial strength of criminals and terrorist networks.

    He also indicated that there was the need for an approach that disrupts illicit traffic networks, defeats transnational crime organisations, fights corruption, strengthens the rule of law, bolsters judicial systems and improves transparency.

    The CDS mentioned that the first day of the event would focus on terrorism and transnational organised crimes and  while today would be for open discussions on initiatives to counter-terrorism and transnational organised crimes at an offsite location which would be hosted separately by the various Service Chiefs of the Ghana Armed Forces.

  • 80 more foreign nationals in police grip at Kenyase-Duase

    Eighty more foreign nationals said to be in fraudulent online businesses were at the weekend arrested by the Tafo Pankrono Divisional Police Command in Kumasi.

    They were busted at Kenyase-Duase in the Kwabre East District of the Ashanti Region.

    Out of the number, nine were females, all from Burkina Faso, and the rest of them from Nigeria and Niger.

    While the females have been kept at Kenyasi police custody the rest were kept at the Tafo Pankrono Divisional Police Command.

    They were all said to be living in a chamber and Hall apartment in the area.

    Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Stephen Kwakye, Tafo Pankrono Divisional Commander confirmed the arrest but would not give any details.

    Meanwhile, the Unit Committee Secretary for the area, Kofi Kakari, said there were suspicious moves by the suspects and compelled some residents in the area to report them to the police.

    He claimed that he led some elders in the community to question them on their activities in the area but they failed to give tangible reasons.

    This brings to 128 the number of such suspects being investigated by the police with 48 arrested in two separate operations in connection with alleged terrorism and other fraudulent acts, barely two weeks ago.

    Twenty One of the suspects were arrested earlier, while 27 were also arrested later.

    They were said to be from Niger, Nigeria, Kenya and Mali.

    In the operation, the Ejisu Divisional Police Command made the arrest at Ekyem, a community in Ejisu Municipality, based on a tip off.

    The investigation is focused on whether they have links to any terrorist group, following a recent terrorist acts in some neighbouring counties.

    Some of the suspects have been placed in police custody at Fumesua and others at Donyina and Ejisu.

    Throwing more light on the incident, the Assemblyman for Akokoamon-Achiase-Ekyem electoral areas, Daniel Owusu, said the community members had observed the “suspicious activities” of the suspects for some months and therefore, decided to report them to the police for further investigations.

    He said they did not know what exactly was happening in the house but “you will always see them making calls for hours in the evening”.

    “Out of curiosity, I entered the house one day and asked them of their mission, but they claimed they were learning because the place is a school.

    The move, he said, followed the “See something, say something” campaign being spearheaded by the National Security as a citizens’ awareness campaign aimed at protecting the country against terrorist attacks.

    He said the 27 suspects had rented five bedrooms of a storey building while the 21 were also occupying a 13 bedroom house, both at Ekyem.

    A search in their rooms saw some teaching boards and documents. The arrest followed a tip off by some community members in the area who noticed the abnormal behaviour of the foreign nationals in the area.

  • My clients are not guilty – NPP’s Freddie Blay defends Aisha Hung’s accomplices

    The immediate past national chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Freddie Blay, has expressed shock at the backlash he and his firm has received because of their decision to defend some foreign nationals standing trial for alleged illegal mining offences.

    Law firm Blay and Associates is the law firm defending the four accomplices of En Huang, popularly known as Aisha Huang, who has been charged with the others for engaging in illegal mining activities in Ghana.

    The decision of Mr Blay’s firm to defend these foreign nationals, when his party and government is battling an ongoing galamsey menace has raised eyebrows but the astute lawyer in a radio interview said every accused person is entitled to legal representation.

    Mr Blay who is a stalwart of the NPP due to his immediate past position says it is rather unfortunate that he has been subjected to attacks.

    Speaking to Joy FM on Wednesday, October 12, Mr Blay said, “My clients are not guilty; we’ve sworn an oath to defend them.

    They came to instruct us and we as professionals, we have sworn an oath to defend our clients to the best of our knowledge and ability and that is exactly what we are doing in accordance with the Constitution of this country.

    “They are not guilty. They’ve been brought before the court, they’ve pleaded not guilty and are being defended,” Mr Blay said as quoted by Graphiconline.

    According to him, the four accused persons may have a relationship with Aisha Huang because in 2017 they bought a supermarket from her.

    Meanwhile, the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame has assured Ghanaians that his outfit will not relent in its effort to prosecute all illegal miners in the country, adding that, for Aisha Huang, who has gained notoriety for the galamsey trade she will pay for both her past and present offences.

    Godfred Dame was speaking to the press after the now-famous galamsey kingpin Aisha Huang was denied bail on Tuesday, October 11.

    “In respect of Aisha Huang, we have filed most of the documents we will rely on. We have filed witness statements with four witnesses, we need about four more. But the Judge in her discretion decided to adjourn to 24th October for us to come and conduct the case management conference and we are ready to conduct the trial on a day by day basis and the Judge has also indicated the inclination to conduct the trial in that manner. So we are happy with the progress of the matter. And it is important to indicate to the world our full commitment to prosecute all these illegal mining offences. It is something that is of utmost importance to the nation.”

    Aisha Huang, a Chinese national, previously deported/repatriated for dealing in illegal mining in 2018 was re-arrested this year.

    She is currently standing trial with three other Chinese nationals for mining without a license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals.

    All three were remanded into the custody of the National Investigation Bureau pending the final determination of their case.

  • Meet the 3 NPP lawyers who have represented Aisha Huang in court since 2017

    Chinese National, Aisha Huang is in court over her involvement in some galamsey activities.

    Her present charges include two of mining without a license and engaging in the sale and purchase of mineral and four others; including undertaking a mining operation without a license, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry.

    But prior to this, Aisha Huang had been in court in 2017, over some charges including undertaking a mining operation at Bepotenten in the Ashanti Region between 2015 and 2017 without license contrary to Section 99(2)(a) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, Act 703, as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act 2019, Act 995.

    The second accusation was facilitating the participation of four Chinese; Gao Jin Cheng, 45; Lu Qi Jun, 39; Haibin Gao, 26; Zhang and Zhang Pen, 23, to mine at Bepotenten without a license. This was an offence because she employed foreign nationals contrary to Section 24 of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573.

    Aisha Huang was accused of providing excavators to small-scale mining companies around February 2015 to May 2017, without a valid license from the Mineral’s Commission.

    The first case was however dismissed by the prosecution after a nolle prosequi was filed by the state.

    She was said to have been expatriated to her home country afterwards.

    With the case back in court, government, headed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, have said they will do all in their power to ensure that the case is fairly heard and the accused persons duly prosecuted if found guilty.

    Meanwhile, it has been noted that all lawyers who have sat in for Aisha at the various points of her case are members of the ruling government.

    In this piece, GhanaWeb takes a look at all 3 lawyers from the ruling New Patriotic Party who have defended Aisha Huang in court:

    Bernard Owiredu Donkor:

    Bernard Owiredu Donkor was lawyer for Aisha Huang during her case in court in 2017.
    As a member of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Donkor was a 2020 parliamentary candidate for Akwatia in the Eastern Region contesting against 3 others; Ernest Yaw Kumi, Robert Boateng Ampratwum and Mercy Adu Gyamfi.

    He is a private legal practitioner and electoral coordinator for Kusi electoral area, Mr Donkor holds a BSc Chemistry from the University of Ghana.

    In 2009, he enrolled at the University of Ghana Law Faculty, graduating with a Bachelor of Law (LLB) in 2011. He entered the Ghana School of Law the same year and was called to the Bar in 2013.

    He also holds a Certificate in Insurance Claims and Re-Insurance from the National Insurance College.

    The multilingual lawyer also worked briefly as Quality Assurance Manager at a food processing company in Tema before pursuing Law.

    He has been involved in other high-profile cases including the Kwabenya Police shooting case, the SSNIT OBS case, among others. He is currently a retainer lawyer for many entities, including the Denkyembour District Assembly.

    Government fully committed to bringing Aisha Huang, others to book – Lands Minister

    Ellis Owusu Fordwouh:

    Messer Ellis Owusu Fordwuoh has also been mentioned by Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, as one of the lawyers who represented Aisha Huang in court in 2017.

    He is a known member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a retired Commissioner of Police.

    He is also a former Director of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) formally the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

    He is also a farmer at Kwaafokrom, a cocoa farming community in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

    Nkrabeah Effah Dartey:

    He is said to have taken over Aisha Huang’s case in 2018 and was present in court when government filed its nolle prosequi discharging Aisha Huang and her accomplices in 2018 December.

    Nkrabeah Effah Dartey is the current lawyer defending Aisha Huang in court.

    New Patriotic Party stalwart, Captain (Rtd) Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, showed up at the Accra Circuit Court 9 to represent Aisha Huang and rose for the accused persons.

    As a politician, Captain Effah-Dartey, who resigned from the Ghana Armed Forces in 1983, represented the people of Berekum Constituency as a Member of Parliament for two terms between 2000 and 2008.

    He also worked as a Deputy Minister for Interior over the period.

    Having been away from active politics, Captain Effah Dartey is now operating his private law firm.

    Meanwhile, Freddie Blay, former National Chairman of the NPP is lawyer for the four other persons in court with Aisha over illegal mining activities.

    We are ready to prosecute alleged galamsey kingpin – Attorney General.

    The 3 Chinese Nationals and a Vietnamese National are standing trial for their various roles in illegal small scale mining in the country.

    The three (Shi Yang alias Philip, Li Wei Guo and Shi Mei Zhi) are facing the charge of engaging in illegal mining activities in the country, while Aisha Huang has been charged with mining without a license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals.

    Aisha is also facing four other charges, including undertaking a mining operation without a license, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry.

    A fourth suspect, Vietnamese national, Nguyen Thi Thanh Tuyen, is however being charged for remaining in Ghana after the expiration of a permit contrary to sections 20(1) and 52(1)(d) of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).

    Frederick Worsemao Armah Blay, popularly called Freddie Blay, is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. He was a Member of Parliament in Ghana and served as the First Deputy Speaker in the Fourth Parliament of Ghana.

    He lost his seat in the general elections held on 7 December 2008 to Armah Kofi Buah of the NDC. He was a member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) but resigned to join the New Patriotic Party after being criticized by some CPP stalwarts for not campaigning for the CPP flagbearer Paa Kwesi Nduom, instead endorsing NPP’s presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo.

    After joining the NPP, he stood for and got elected to the post of Vice Chairman of the party in April 2014. After the party expelled its Chairman Paul Afoko, it appointed Blay as its acting Chairman. He stood for and was elected as substantive Chairman of the party at an NPP party national conference in Koforidua that took place from 7 to 8 July 2018.

    In the prelude to the Chairmanship race, a lot of controversies were generated when Blay promised to and eventually bought 275 buses for the 275 constituencies of the party for a purported cost of 11 million dollars. The opposition asked for an investigation.

    Blay’s opponent in the election called it vote-buying. Blay stated that the buses were bought with a loan facility from the Universal Merchant Bank to be run by State Transport Company on the behalf of the NPP’s constituents.

    He was also appointed to the position of Board Chairman for the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation GNPC.

    Lands Minister defends Mireku Duker over galamsey allegations

    He is currently the Senior Partner at Blay and Associates.

    He is also the board chairman and majority shareholder of Western Publications Limited, publishers of the Daily Guide newspaper, the flagship of the Group, Business Guide, News-One, and Young Blazers.

     

     

  • NPA fines 9 companies for unlawful fuel lifting

    The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has fined nine oil marketing companies GH¢2.22 million for engaging in illicit Third-Party trading of petroleum products, and unlawful lifting of petroleum products.

    The companies include Bello Petroleum, Jas Petroleum, Oval Energy, Kros Energy, Safety Petroleum and Santol Energy.

    The rest are Riseglobe Energy, Sayon Energy and Cigo Energy.

    In a statement, the NPA said it had directed Cigo Energy to pay a fine of GH¢725,000 comprising GH¢30,000 for engaging in third party supplies for the second time, and GH¢695,000 for the unlawful lifting of petroleum products.”

    Sayon Energy was fined GH¢425,000, made up of GH¢10,000 for engaging in third party supplies for the first time and GH¢415,000 for the unlawful lifting of petroleum products.

    Bello Petroleum was slapped with a fine of GH¢120, 000 comprising GH¢10,000 for engaging in third party supplies for the first time and GH¢110,000 for the unlawful lifting of petroleum products.

     

  • Former Groupe Nduom staff appeal for release of Provident Fund

    Former workers of the defunct Groupe Nduom (GN) Savings and Loans Limited have appealed to the government to facilitate the immediate release of their locked up provident fund (PF).

    According to the aggrieved workers, their PF, which had been outstanding since August 2019, was locked up with the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA).

    The group, therefore, urged the NPRA to remove the embargo placed on the trustee for the fund to be advanced to them.

    They further entreated the National Peace Council (NPC) to intervene to ensure “this matter is resolved expeditiously to save the lives and livelihoods of the vulnerable beneficiaries”.

    This was contained in a statement issued by the former staff who refer to themselves as concerned ex-employees of GN Savings and Loans Ltd.

    Establishment of fund

    They explained that a pension fund scheme was established for them during their active service with the bank but it was subsequently stalled.

    “The PF was stalled as a result of the revocation of the financial institution’s licence and entrusted to Pentrust Limited for disbursement to contributors,” they said.

    The group, however, claimed that after refunding 50 per cent of their money in November and December 2019, Pentrust Limited halted subsequent payments, with claims that the rest of the 50 per cent was non-refundable because it had been invested at GN.

    According to the group, the trustee further claimed that the ex-workers required validation and payment from the receiver, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), before the rest of the money could be paid.

    “For over three years since the bank’s licence was revoked, the remaining 50 per cent of our PF contributions remains unpaid to date.

    “The real value has diminished over time through inflation and the depreciation of the cedi. The non-payment of the fund has been very devastating, with many losing hope in life due to the harsh economic conditions in the country,” they added.

    The group said on August 16, this year, Pentrust announced that the receiver had released a portion of the money to be refunded to qualified beneficiaries, and that payment would resume forthwith.

    “However, the refund was not made,” they said.

    They also alleged that when they called on the NPRA to intervene, the authority responded by asking the “trustee and the custodian bank to suspend all processes underway for the payment”.

    The authority also proposed the appointment of a new trustee to handle the matter, they said.

    “Our PF scheme effectively came to an end at the revocation of the GN licence. The beneficiaries cannot make any more contributions, since they are out of job.

    “We trust that this matter will be resolved expeditiously to save the lives and livelihoods of the vulnerable beneficiaries,” the group added.

  • 21 Nigerian youth repatriated

    The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) yesterday repatriated 21 Nigerian youth who were rescued from a group of Nigerian human traffickers that was operating in the country.

    The rescued youth, aged between 15 and 20 years, were picked up by EOCO last month during a swoop to arrest some people allegedly involved in cyber crime.

    However, after investigations, it was established that they were rather victims of human trafficking going on in the country, hence the decision by EOCO to send them back to their country.

    At a press conference, the Deputy Executive Director in charge of Operations at EOCO, Nana Antwi, said the arrangement for the repatriation exercise was a collaborative work among EOCO, an NGO and the Nigerian High Commission.

    The swoop

    He disclosed that the swoop was organised on September 26 through an intelligence-led operation at a location in Accra.

    The victims and seven suspects, he said, were picked up in a house where all the Nigerians had been housed by the suspected human traffickers and were being trained in Internet cyber fraud.

    Relating what had happened, Nana Antwi said: “On that day, 28 people were arrested. We had the firm conviction that the arrest covered both the victims and the organisers of the trafficking. Subsequent investigative processes revealed that, in actual fact, of the number, 28 young males whose ages were not above 20 years were trafficked from Nigeria and brought to Ghana, housed, given computers and other accessories and were being trained on how to conduct criminal activity with the gadgets.”

    The seven suspects, he said, had since October 3 been put before court to answer charges related to the crimes of which they had been accused.
    “As a result of the sorting and critical analysis, we found it prudent to separate the victims from the suspects,” he said.

    Security Agencies support

    Nana Antwi commended the security agencies whose support led to the successful operation and subsequent deportation of the victims.

    “In fact, an hour from now, they will start the journey towards their home country, Nigeria. There has been close collaboration with the Nigerian anti-human trafficking authorities and other relevant agencies.

    “The Ghana Immigration Service too is in this exercise and all local related agencies are also involved, just as our police counterparts who gave us a very good backing during the September 26 operation,” he said.

  • Nation loses 7% GDP to psychological distress

    Psychological distress, a mental health condition, costs the country about seven per cent (GH¢8.6 billion) of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a clinical psychologist, Professor Angela Ofori-Atta, has disclosed.

    She attributed the loss of national revenue to the many hours and days of unproductiveness because workers were in psychological distress.

    Presenting a paper at a lecture to commemorate World Mental Health Week by the Department of Psychiatry of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra last Monday, Prof. Ofori-Atta quoted the findings of a research conducted by a group of scholars from the University of Ghana and the Yale University in the US to indicate that 55 per cent of the population reported some form of psychological distress.

    “When you calculate the number of days people say they went to work but were unable to do anything — one hour at work lost, half a day lost — when we calculate all this lost productive time, the country is losing at least seven per cent of its GDP to psychological distress,” she said.

    She spoke on the topic, “Prioritising mental health and wellbeing for all”, which is the theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day.

    Survey

    Throwing more light on the survey, dubbed: “Ghana health and socio-economic survey”, Prof. Ofori-Atta, who is the immediate past Head of the Department of Psychiatry of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and the University of Ghana Medical School, described it as the first national mental health survey.

    She said the survey did both economic analyses and psychological measurement of distress and established that the prevalence of psychological distress was 18.7 per cent.

    The condition, she noted, was more prevalent among lower-income groups, the less-educated and less-empowered women.

    Recommendations

    Prof. Ofori-Atta said the country had to improve on its investment in the mental health and wellbeing of the population.

    As part of the many interventions, she suggested that the country could adopt cognitive behavioural therapy, which is a psycho-social intervention that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, primarily depression and anxiety disorders.

    It focuses on challenging and changing cognitive distortions (such as thoughts, beliefs and attitudes) and their associated behaviours to improve emotional regulation and develop personal coping strategies that target solving current problems.

    It also involves communication and healthy lifestyles.

    Although it was originally designed to treat depression, its uses have been expanded to include the treatment of many mental health conditions, including anxiety and substance use disorders.

    Gross Domestic Happiness Index

    Prof. Ofori-Atta said the country could also adopt the use of Gross Domestic Happiness Index (GDHI) which, among others, measured the collective happiness and well-being of a population.

    She said it also measured how people felt about their lives, using happiness as the measure of development.

    “Gross national happiness was designed in an attempt to define an indicator that measures quality of life or social progress in more holistic and psychological terms than only the economic indicator of GDP,” she said.

    Prof. Ofori-Atta mentioned the components of the index to include psychological well-being, health, time use, education, cultural diversity and resilience, good governance, community vitality, ecological resilience and living standards.

    “We have the Ghana Statistical Service conducting the living standards survey over every five years and so it will not be difficult for the country to actually have a happiness index,” she said.

    Citing some benefits Bhutan derived from the index, she said the very poor country, based on the adoption of the index, was graduating out of the least developed country category, had been able to track what mattered to its population and gained happiness for its people and wealth for the nation.

    “Growth increased between 3.1 and 8.1 per cent between 2011 and 2019. This shows the association between focusing on the happiness of people and the wealth of a nation,” she said.

    Writer’s email: doreen.andoh@graphic.com.gh