In order to meet Ghana’s aim of planting 20 million trees through the Green Ghana project, the Chief of Staff has emphasized the significance of increased collaboration and broader stakeholder engagement.
Recognising the scale of the target, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare emphasised that concerted efforts and involvement from various stakeholders are essential for its successful implementation.
By involving key actors such as students, Corporate Ghana, traditional authorities, and religious bodies, Mrs Osei-Opare believes there will be some sort of shared responsibility which would foster a sense of ownership among all segments of society in Ghana towards achieving the 20 million target.
“This can only be achieved through a concerted effort and broader stakeholder involvement,” she said at the Green Ghana Day event at Achiaman Junior High School in the Ga West Municipal District Assembly.
Green Ghana Day
The Green Ghana Initiative was established in response to the loss of natural forest cover in Ghana.
According to Global Forest Watch, Ghana lost 101,000 hectares of natural forest in 2021, resulting in approximately 62.9 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions.
The initiative aims to address the environmental and health threats posed by deforestation.
“It is, therefore, more important, than ever, for us all to stand up boldly and engage in nationwide tree-planting exercises such as this. This would help reduce the serious health and environmental threats posed by deforestation to our citizens,” Mrs Osei-Opare said.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo also exercised his commitment to this laudable initiative by planting a variety of trees at the Mensah Sarbah Hall at the University of Ghana.
President Akufo-Addo has praised nurses for their dedication and sacrifices in improving healthcare in Ghana.
He said nurses were critical for the building of a robust healthcare system and national development, and as such they needed to be commended.
Launching this year’s International Nurses Day in Accra Friday, May 12, the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, said the President was particularly impressed by the sacrificial spirit they displayed nationwide, putting themselves up as frontline workers in the fight against the deadlyCOVID-19pandemic.
“Indeed, you deserve the presidential honour for distinguished service given to all health workers nationwide as part of the country’s 66th Independence Day celebration,” she said.
Day
The global theme for the commemoration is “Our nurses, our future” while the local commemoration was held on the theme “our nurses and midwives our future.”
Marked around the world every May 12, the day is to celebrate and honour nurses for their immense service to humanity while reflecting on their challenges for redress.
It is also to celebrate the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
Mrs Osei-Opare said indeed a healthy population drove productivity, and that commemoration was an opportunity to reflect on the roles and needs of nurses and midwives.
She said research showed that the global nursing shortage was declining, however, WHO data showed that in the case of Ghana, more nurses and midwives were needed due to the high attrition rate, mostly caused by the search for greener pastures, among others.
“In line with this worrying trend, a more strategic approach towards training and maintaining nurses would help to prepare adequately for any potential pandemic.
“I therefore task the association to urgently sensitise and re-orient it members to the need to remain committed to serving Ghanaians.
“It is an established fact that the wealth of a nation is dependent on the health of its citizens, government is therefore, committed to expanding healthcare infrastructure locally and also to providing the needed resources for the needed output,” she said.
Challenges
The President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, said in celebrating nurses and midwives, their challenges should also be looked at urgently.
She said logistical challenge was a major challenge to delivering quality healthcare services.
She said, locally, nurses lacked modern equipment to care for patients adequately, adding that the continuous use of obsolete equipment and limited supply of medicines and other consumables put the lives of patients at risk.
Mrs Ofori-Ampofo mentioned other challenges to include poor working conditions for nurses, low salaries, allowances in arrears and unemployed newly qualified nurses as the other challenges.
She said two and half years on, the book and research allowances of nurse educators had not been implemented.
She appealed to the ministry to fastrack the implementation because the association had presented a detailed data on nurse educators who qualified for that allowance.
She also mentioned that nurses had challenges with study leave and promotion.
Nurses
“For example, the post-basic nurses who have specialised in ophthalmic nursing; ear, nose and throat (ENT) and others have complained over the period about their inability to progress because of the excuse that there needed to be vacancies before they could be promoted and so on.
“I think that at any point in time, there can be only one head of nursing services but they can still receive that promotion to facilitate an improvement in their conditions of service to make life easier for professionals.
The Chairperson for the occasion, the Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area, Nana Kobina Nketsia, said nurses played a tremendous role in the lives of humans, and that every true nurse was not daunted by challenges.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, applauded nurses and midwives for their role in helping to abate COVID-19 locally and globally.
That is an indication that their challenges need to be looked at critically.
Managing Director (MD) of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has disclosed that power bills of former presidents are supposed to be paid by government.
He adds that the company only reads the meters of the former presidents and submits the bills periodically to the office of the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, for payment.
According to him, of the two former presidents in Ghana today, the bills of former president John Agyekum Kufuor is being fully catered for by the state unlike that of John Dramani Mahama.
“We collate all former presidents’ bills and we send them to the Chief of Staff for payment. Let me break it down, former President Kufour’s bills are with us, we gave them to the Chief of Staff and she has worked on them,” he disclosed in an interview with Accra-based Peace FM on April 18, 2023.
He explained how come the bills of Mahama were not at the moment being absorbed by the state.
“We also had former President John Mahama’s own…we tried to get in touch with him, and when we got the bills, for him, he has already been paying his own bills…Yes, he pays his own bills,” he added.
Dubik Mahama revealed that during a meeting with the Chief of Staff, she expressed her disappointment with the ECG’s failure to properly carry out its responsibilities with respect to Mahama’s bills.
“…so, we had a meeting with the Chief of Staff and she told us her piece of mind and she told us exactly what we have to do because a lot of people would like to drop the problem at the political doorstep which is wrong,” he said.
He maintained that ECG will open discussions with the former President to ensure that his bills are settled by the state, in accordance with the country’s constitution.
“So, from now onwards we are going to have discussions with him (John Mahama) so that moving forward it would be absorbed.
“I won’t put the blame at his doorsteps or make it political, it is my office, we were supposed to read his meter and take action by informing him that we will handle it, so, we now have put those structures in place after a very comprehensive conversation with the Chief of Staff.
Mahama in an interview with TV3 in 2022 said that all he receives from the government is his monthly pension and that all other bills the state must cater for have not been attended to since he left office in 2017.
Mahama said he is footing a myriad of bills, including light, fuel, office rent, and travel expenses.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has disclosed that the Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, lambasted the company for failing to submit a bill for payment on behalf of former President John Dramani Mahama.
According to the Managing Director (MD) of ECG, Samuel Dubik Mahama, has disclosed that the Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, criticized the company for not properly carrying out its duties, particularly with regard to the payment of bills by former President John Dramani Mahama.
According to the ECG MD, the company is responsible for reading the former president’s meter and submitting the bills to the Chief of Staff’s office for payment. However, this has not been done, leading to the Chief of Staff’s dissatisfaction.
The MD revealed that during a meeting with the Chief of Staff, she expressed her disappointment with the ECG’s failure to properly carry out its responsibilities. She stressed the need for the company to improve its services.
“We collate all former president’s bills and we send them to the Chief of Staff for payment.
“Let me break it down, former President Kufour’s bills are with us, we gave them to the Chief of Staff and she has worked on them. We also had former President John Mahama’s own…we tried to get in touch with him, and when we got the bills, for him, he has already been paying his own bills…Yes, he pays his own bills.
“…so, we had a meeting with the Chief of Staff and she told us her piece of mind and she told us exactly what we have to do because a lot of people would like to drop the problem at the political doorstep which is wrong,” he said.
Speaking in an interview with Peace FM’s Kokrokoo on April 18, 2023, Samuel Dubik Mahama maintained that there will be discussions with the former President to ensure that his bills are settled by the state, in accordance with the country’s constitution.
“So, from now onwards we are going to have discussions with him (John Mahama) so that moving forward it would be absorbed.
“I won’t put the blame at his doorsteps or make it political, it is my office, we were supposed to read his meter and take action by informing him that we will handle it, so, we now have put those structures in place after a very comprehensive conversation with the Chief of Staff.
He further assured Ghanaians that ECG is committed to providing reliable and uninterrupted power supply to its customers and that it will continue to work towards improving its services and addressing any challenges that arise. He urged all customers to ensure that they settle their bills promptly, to avoid disconnection and any inconvenience that may arise as a result.
It may be recalled that John Dramani Mahama in an exclusive interview with TV3 in 2022 said that all he receives from the government is his monthly pension and that all other bills the state must cater for have not been attended to since he left office in 2017.
Mahama said he is footing a myriad of bills, including light, fuel, office rent, and travel expenses.
According to her, the government expects SOEs to prioritise the management of the audit report.
“The government expects all SOEs to ensure the following: Prioritise the preparation of their respective management and preparation of the auditor’s account in a timely manner; to collaborate with SIGA and the office of the Auditor General to urgently clear the back law of unaudited accounts by the end of the year to prepare management responses to audit queries and red flags raised by auditors. Lastly but not the least, keep an updated asset register and land title registrations at all times”, she noted.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I would like to remind management of our specified entities that the payment of monetary fees is mandatory as SIGA requires these funds to effectively carry out its mandate,” she charged.
Madam Frema further assured SIGA of the government’s commitment to solve the inconsistencies of the authority by providing the necessary amendments.
She made these assertions at the presentation of the 2021 Audit Infractions Joint Report in Accra.
Additionally, SOEs must work with the State and Interest and Governance Authority, SIGA, to check for and eventually clear out all backlogs of audits for specific agencies.
She pleaded with the CEOs to always keep the Assets Register and Land Titles current.
The Chief of Staff made the point in Accra while she received from SIGA and the Ghana Audit Service the Joint Report Technical Report on the 2021 Audit Infractions, for onward transmission to President Akufo Addo.
The report came on the heels of a directive by President Akufo Addo after he held a meeting with Boards Chairpersons and CEOs of Specified Entities on October 3, 2022, where he charged SIGA and the Attorney General, AG’s Office to investigate the cause of the infractions of Entities cited in the 2021 Audit Report and make recommendations per the law.
Infractions amounting to 17.4 billion Cedis were flagged by the Auditor-General in its latest report.
He disclosed that SIGA intends to work with Governing Bodies of Specified Entities to develop asset revaluation policies for best practices in accounting.
The Minister for Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe, Deputy Auditor General, Godfred Addison, Frank Mante of the Public Procurement Authority, Mac-Effort Adadey of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department among others were present at the presentation of the Joint Committee Report on the 2021 Audit Infractions.
Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, and Ambassador Edward Boateng, Director General of SIGA later held a closed-door meeting with the CEOs and the Monitoring Agencies to chart the way forward.
Government hints of possible sanctions meted out to non-compliant Specified Entities
The State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) has identified some infractions which have culminated in various financial mishaps as captured in the 2021 Auditor General’s report on Ministries Departments and Agencies.
According to the Director General of SIGA, Ambassador Edward Boateng, there has been a lack of effective supervision, monitoring and evaluation on the part of CEOs, Heads of Finance and others.
“A lot of the CEOs do not pay attention to the Auditor General when they assume office,” he noted. “The second finding from our report showed that in a haste to achieve certain goals within Specified Entities, there is a lack of due process on the part of persons within the organisation. Also, we realised there was misapplication and misappropriation of funds in certain instances,” Ambassador Edward Boateng said in his findings of the report.
The SIGA Director-General added that some defaulters have since been cited in its 2021 Audit Infractions Joint Report for the appropriate sanctions to be taken against them.
“There is also the issue of Risk Management which has been identified in the report and this must be brought to the attention of government to ensure that persons put in key positions must understand the results of their actions and inactions,” he added.
He further pointed out the lack of collaboration between auditors and Specified Entities.
“We realised that some of these CEOs did not take seriously their exit interviews prior to assuming office and this is something that has been key to the infractions captured in the 2021 Auditor General report,” Ambassador Boateng stressed.
The SIGA boss said many institutions have also been saddled with a lack of financial support which forces them to operate on tight conditions while taking certain decisions which later result in these infractions.
Touching on some recommendations captured in SIGA’s 2021 Audit Infractions Joint Report, Ambassador Boateng charged the Heads of Specified Entities to have adequate training on their various Acts governing Specified Entities.
He noted that training on the Public Financial Management Act 216, Act 921 and its regulations as well as the Public Procurement Act must be compulsory for Heads of Specified Entities.
The SIGA Director General in his concluding remarks charged the Boards and Chairpersons of the Specified Entities to undertake a thorough implementation of the audit findings.
“What we realised was that a lot of the issues captured in the 2021 Audit Report date back to many years and more and the challenge is if these issues are not resolved, they will keep recurring in subsequent reports which in turn makes the government look bad.”
“We need to effect the report’s recommendations to achieve the President’s vision of Specified Entities contributing significantly to Ghana’s GDP,” he concluded.
Receiving the report on behalf of the President, the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, reiterated the President’s unwavering support for the SOE sector.
She noted that Akufo-Addo’s “strong belief in public enterprises is rooted in his vision of putting Ghana in charge of her own destiny by transitioning the country’s economy to a prosperous and self-sustaining one.”
She claims that the economy will recover in the upcoming year [2023] despite the fact that the nation recently missed debt payments while also requesting an IMF bailout to, among other things, restore macroeconomic stability.
In a Christmas video message posted by the Presidency, Akosua Osei-Opare said the measures implemented by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo has already begun to yield some results.
She, therefore, called on Ghanaians to work together in supporting the president and government in running the country and addressing its challenges.
She further urged citizens to remain kind and generous to the poor during this festive season.
“A year by this time all things will go well for Ghanaians… the country is already moving in the right direction, thanks to God’s Grace and measures of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians should unite as one people and support the president,” the Chief of Staff said.
The Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, has urged Ghanaians to maintain their composure and optimism for better times despite the country’s current economic challenges.
According to her, the coming year [2023] will see an improvement in the economic situation even as the country recently defaulted on its debt payments amid seeking an IMF bailout to restore macroeconomic stability, among others.
In a Christmas video message posted by the Presidency, Akosua Osei-Opare said the measures implemented by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo has already begun to yield some results.
She, therefore, called on Ghanaians to work together in supporting the president and government in running the country and addressing its challenges.
She further urged citizens to remain kind and generous to the poor during this festive season.
“A year by this time all things will go well for Ghanaians… the country is already moving in the right direction, thanks to God’s Grace and measures of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians should unite as one people and support the president,” the Chief of Staff said.
Amb. Boateng shared the dynamics and success stories of female leaders who have brought about change while addressing the inaugural gathering of SIGA’s leadership and networking forum for female CEOs and Board Chairs of Specified Entities. She also urged those in attendance to be inspired and strive for change regardless of the difficulties they may encounter.
“No organisation is perfect; however, the new addition is you, the appointed head. And therefore it is expected that you drive and cause the required change. Do not be limited by challenges that may be in your way. They are steps that can be surmounted, and once you are able to jump those hurdles the ultimate prize will be attained,” he said.
The Special Guest of Honour at the maiden edition, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare- Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, congratulated all participants present and added that their appointments were based on competency, and therefore it’s in their best interests to achieve set targets and soar higher.
“You are all here because of your competency, and so it is in your best interests to deliver and cause change. It is indeed a testament to the diligence and excellence women possess,” she added.
She also highlighted the conscious and deliberate effort by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to project women and provide equal opportunities for them in leadership; and hence encouraged all present to work at achieving the president’s vision to make Ghana a centre of excellence.
She pledged her unflinching support to the projection of female leaders and thanked Ambassador Edward Boateng, Director-General of SIGA, for initiating the strategic and futuristic forum.
Participants expressed their profound gratitude and appreciation to SIGA and the Chief of Staff for creating a unique platform to address their concerns and spur them to success.
Present at the maiden edition were Dr. Edith Dankwa, Board Chairperson of Ghana Museums and Monuments Board; Rev. Dr. Nana Yaa Prempeh, Board Chairperson of Ghana Domain Name Registry; Nana Serwaa Bonsu Amoako, Chairperson of National Fertiliser Council; Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, CEO of Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA); Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, CEO of Ghana Enterprises Agency, and other notable female leaders.
Sika Osei has celebrated her first wedding anniversary on October 23, 2022, with some stunning images from her wedding exactly a year ago.
37-year-old Sika took to Instagram on Sunday to mark the occasion with a simple but beautiful message indicating she was ready for the challenges that came with marriage and the beauty as well.
She wrote in the caption to her over 600,000 followers, “❤️ 1 year Down….Forever to go! #sesilove2021.”
A year ago, the actress and her husband, Sele Douglas, had a fairytale nuptial that was climaxed with a stylish white wedding.
The official wedding ceremony occurred at the Sandbox beach club, followed by a private reception at De-Icon in East Legon.
Guests included family, friends and colleagues including Ghana’s Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Berla Mundi, Eku Edawor, and many more.
The wedding reception also saw performances from Ghanaian A-list singers Kidi, Efya and Camidoh.
According to renowned broadcaster Kwasi Kyei Darkwa, often known as KKD, the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, is receiving directives from some people in the Presidency.
KKD asserted that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not been able to sack appointees who are failing in their duties and those who are engaging in all forms of corrupt activities because the chief of staff is being influenced.
The broadcaster in an interview on Onua Tv, added that what is happening under Frema Osei-Opare will never happen under the Chief of Staff of ex-President John Agyakum Kufour, Kojo Mpiani.
“My uncle Kojo Mpiani told President Kufuor that he had to sack his brother Richard (an appointee at the Ministry of Health). Kufour pleaded on behalf of Richard, saying that he has helped the country with the work he has done at the Ministry of Health, but Mpiani insisted that he had to be sacked for impregnating a woman at a conference he attended.
“He (Richard) was a good friend of Kufuor, but he was sacked because he (Kufuor) had a Chief of Staff who had power. But look at what is happening now.
“Frema is not a bad person but is she given a chance to do her job, or are some people beneath her instructing her on what to do? The Chief of Staff is supposed to fire appointees of the president if they fail in their duties or are engaging in corrupt activities,” he said in Twi.
KKD made these remarks as he was criticizing President Akufo-Addo for his failure to achieve his promise of protecting the public purse.
He questioned why the president, who seems to have good intentions, surrounded himself with corrupt people.
He added that the president has also failed in his promise not to make his government an avenue to enrich themselves.
