Nigerian billionaire businessman Benedict Peters, the owner of Aiteo Group of Companies in Nigeria, finds himself entangled in a web of controversy as allegations of corruption and questions surrounding the COVID-19 testing contract in Ghana continue to swirl. A civil society group has dragged Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to court, demanding Peters’ arrest and prosecution over corruption allegations. Meanwhile, the lack of transparency regarding the USD 150 COVID-19 test at Kotoka International Airport in Accra has left travelers and Ghana’s political landscape in turmoil.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who revealed some details of the Frontier contract with the Ghana Airport Company, (GACL) stated that GACL made $10 out of every $150 collected for COVID test at Ghana’s Airport.
According to him, Frontier is estimated to have made a colossal $130m from the 2-year contract
“It is as though somebody has put a gun to their head and they are just making all kinds of offers to frontiers which are skewed, imbalance, which are against their own interest. Will you believe that this offer letter says that though we know you are going to charge $150 per test, we are only interested in $10. We will take only ten dollars. Can you believe that? he quizzed host during an interview over the phone. Per our calculation Frontier made not less that $130m dollars.”
Allegations and Accusations
Peters, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s business world, is facing a barrage of corruption allegations. The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) in Nigeria has accused him of involvement in various economic crimes, including conspiracy to commit fraud, tax evasion, corruption, and money laundering through his Aiteo Group of Companies, which includes Aiteo Eastern E & P Company Ltd, Aiteo Energy Limited, and Aiteo Energy Resources Ltd.
In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/239/2021, CESJET filed a petition at the Federal High Court in Abuja, urging the EFCC to revisit these allegations and bring Benedict Peters to justice. The petition was filed on the grounds that specific demands for the performance of statutory duties must be made on government agencies such as the EFCC before seeking a Writ of Mandamus.
The petitioners emphasized that, regardless of how highly placed an individual may be, no one is above the law in Nigeria, and there are no limitations to criminal prosecution. These allegations have significantly tarnished Peters’ reputation.
Controversy Surrounding COVID-19 Testing Contract
In Ghana, a separate controversy has been brewing over the COVID-19 testing contract awarded to Frontier Healthcare Services Limited (FHSL), a company linked to Benedict Peters. The contract involved conducting COVID-19 tests at Kotoka International Airport in Accra for a hefty fee of USD 150, a cost that has drawn sharp criticism.
One of the central issues surrounding this contract is a lack of transparency. Questions have arisen regarding who approved the contract and why it was awarded to a foreign company, FHSL, despite its incorporation only 40 days prior to the reopening of the air borders. Officials of the Akufo-Addo administration have been tight-lipped about the details of the Frontier contract, further fueling suspicions.
Ownership Suspicion and Ultimate Beneficial Owner
The ownership structure of FHSL has been shrouded in suspicion. According to Registrar-General’s documents, FHSL is owned by another Ghanaian company called Healthcare Solution Services Limited (HSSL), which was incorporated on June 3, 2020. However, HSSL itself is wholly owned by another company called The Peters Family Company Ltd, which is incorporated in Dominica, a well-known offshore tax haven.
This convoluted ownership structure raises questions about the ultimate beneficial owner of these companies. The Registrar General’s Department has no records of the actual Ultimate Beneficial Owner, leaving a trail of foreign and local directors who may be acting as fronts for the real owners.
Contract Implementation and Criticism
Despite the lack of clarity surrounding its ownership, FHSL was awarded the COVID-19 testing contract at Kotoka International Airport. However, investigations have revealed that much of the work was carried out by scientists from Noguchi and nurses from the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, with Nigerian supervisors overseeing the operations. This arrangement has raised eyebrows and led to criticism of the decision to award the contract to a foreign company.
Directors and Domain Ownership
The directors of FHSL include Jean-Laurent Louis and Samuel Bansah, with Bansah also serving as the company’s secretary. On the other hand, HSSL’s directors include Samuel Bansah, Jean-Laurent Louis, and RATKO KNEZVIC, with Chuks Chukwunwike serving as the secretary of HSSL.
Moreover, investigations into the FHSL website, where travelers were directed to pay the USD 150 fee for COVID-19 tests using credit or debit cards, have revealed copyright violations. The website is managed by First Atlantic Bank, and its domain name was purchased on August 27, 2020, by an offshore company based in Panama, expiring on August 27, 2021.
The Mysterious Peters Family Company Ltd
The mysterious Peters Family Company Ltd, located in Dominica’s capital city, Roseau, is believed to be connected to Nigerian billionaire Benedict Peters. Investigators have expressed confidence in this connection. Benedict Peters is a well-known figure in Nigeria and is the present Chairman of Aiteo Group of Companies.
Aiteo Group and Peters’ Net Worth
Aiteo Group of Companies, described as the largest indigenous oil-producing firm in Nigeria by output, is a significant part of Benedict Peters’ business portfolio. His estimated net worth stands at around USD 3 billion, making him the seventh richest man in Nigeria and the 17th richest man in Africa, according to reputable sources. Notably, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Nigeria, Peters donated USD 30 million to the country’s COVID-19 fund.
Previous Legal Encounters and Exile
Benedict Peters has had previous legal encounters with Nigerian authorities. In 2017, while he was out of Nigeria, the EFCC declared him wanted in connection with alleged crimes involving former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Maudeke. The EFCC also imposed an Interim Forfeiture Order on his properties in the UK, which were valued at billions of dollars. However, the Supreme Court of Nigeria lifted this order, accusing the EFCC of misstatements, concealment, and misrepresentation of facts.
In 2018, a high court in Nigeria ordered Peters to be removed from the wanted list, as the EFCC had failed to obtain a warrant before listing him. Following his removal from the list, Benedict Peters did not return to Nigeria but went into self-imposed exile.
Current Exile in Ghana
Intelligence gathered by GhanaWeb indicates that Benedict Peters has been in self-imposed exile in Ghana since 2018. He is reported to have close ties with former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and is known to be a friend of Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo.
As the allegations and controversies surrounding Benedict Peters continue to make headlines, both Nigeria and Ghana are closely watching developments, awaiting further clarity on these complex and intertwined issues.
The University of Education (UEW), Winnebahas strongly criticized the statement made by the Concerned Staff group, deeming it distasteful and unacceptable.
The group’s demand for the removal of Governing Council Chairman, Nana Ofori Ansah I, is described as unsavory and reprehensible by the university.
The Convener for the Concerned Staff of UEW, Professor George Kankam Senior, accused the Governing Council Chairman of blatantly going against the tenets of the university.
Professor Kankam claimed that Nana Ofori Ansah I has been dabbling in double standards by attempting to nominate someone who was not shortlisted for the position of vice-chancellor.
But the UEW in a statement described the claims by the group “as a diversionary tactic to coerce the Chairman to submit to their whims and caprices, however inimical it may be to achieving the mission and vision of the university.”
“Contrary to the impression that there is heightened tension at UEW and that the community is tipping towards a state of chaos, we wish to state unequivocally that there is absolute peace on campus with students, faculty, and other stakeholders going about their normal business.
“In fact, workers feel a renewed sense of energy and purpose in pursuing the mission and vision of the university. It is trite knowledge that this resurgent working environment at UEW has to a great extent come from the Council’s wisdom, under the leadership of Nana Ofori Ansah I, to constitute a reconciliation committee to hear aggrieved persons and the subsequent implementation of the committee’s recommendations.”
Below is the full statement by UEW
RE: STATEMENT BY CONCERNED STAFF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA (UEW)
A statement by certain concerned staff of UEW signed by Prof. George Kankam, which he later followed up with an interview on Eyewitness News of Citi FM on Thursday, 1st June, 2023, in connection with the above-mentioned subject, has come to our attention.
The contents of the release are unsavoury, unfortunate, reprehensible, and targeted at running down the reputation and the relentless effort of the Council Chairman in his leadership to bring lasting peace to UEW.
Since his assumption of office in August 2021, the Chairman, apart from the numerous responsibilities of his office, which he has efficiently delivered, has been pivotal in unifying the various factions of UEW to advance the mission and vision of the university.
We view the statement as a diversionary tactic to coerce the Chairman to submit to their whims and caprices, however inimical it may be to achieving the mission and vision of the university. Be that as it may, we wish to respond as follows:
1. Contrary to the impression that there is heightened tension at UEW and that the community is tipping towards a state of chaos, we wish to state unequivocally that there is absolute peace on campus with students, faculty, and other stakeholders going about their normal business.
In fact, workers feel a renewed sense of energy and purpose in pursuing the mission and vision of the university. It is trite knowledge that this resurgent working environment at UEW has to a great extent come from the Council’s wisdom, under the leadership of Nana Ofori Ansah I, to constitute a reconciliation committee to hear aggrieved persons and the subsequent implementation of the committee’s recommendations. This fact can be verified by any media outlet interested in reporting the truth.
2. It is important to stress that the said 2021 Search Committee’s report was never received or tabled before Council at any point. The Chairman of the Council, therefore, has no idea where the said report is, let alone its contents.
Given the situation, how could the Council Chair accept or assume liability for the implementation of a report that he hasn’t seen or has any idea of its whereabouts? Critically, the said report was meant to look for a qualified candidate for appointment as Vice-Chancellor to assume office from 1st October 2021 (i.e. replacement for Prof. Afful-Broni), but as rightly pointed out by Prof. Kankam, an injunction was placed on the university, thus curtailing the then existing opportunity to consider the said report. With the reinstatement of Prof. Avoke, the report in question became moot, necessitating a new process to find the successor to Prof. Avoke, effective October 1, 2023.
3. On the allegations relative to the appointment of a new Chancellor, it is worthy of note that Council established a Search Committee in accordance with the UEW 2020 Statutes to find the new Chancellor. It was up to the Committee to do its work. We must stress that neither the Chairman nor the Council ever interfered with the Committee’s work.
The Search Committee alone made the decision to extend the deadline. It is also important to note that, contrary to the claim that the ultimate person appointed as Chancellor was not shortlisted, the Search Committee’s report presented to the Governing Council indicates that the now-appointed Chancellor was duly shortlisted.
4. It is a complete fabrication to claim that the Council Chairman introduced Prof. Mitchual as the incoming Vice-Chancellor to the President of the Republic of Ghana. To be clear, no one has been introduced by the Chairman anywhere as the next Vice-Chancellor.
5. The assertion that, barely seven months into his tenure, the local branches of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) issued a joint press statement calling on the appointing authorities to withdraw Nana Ofori Ansah I’s appointment as the Chairman of the Governing Council falls flat in the face.
The key is that the said statement was discredited as unilateral, and as a result, the authors of the said statement have since retracted and apologised unreservedly to Nana Ofori Ansah I. One is therefore at a loss as to why that statement can be used as the basis to lay claim to anything.
6. The allegation that the Council Chairman disregarded statutes and established procedures, for instance, in the appointment of the Chancellor for the university, is a red herring relative to UEW 2020 Statute Four (4), which provides for the appointment of a Chancellor.
The provisions of UEW 2020 Statute Four were accorded full legal effect. It would, therefore, have been better for appreciation if the specific provision(s) breached were stated. In the absence of the aforementioned, it is our considered view that the frivolous claim should be disregarded with the contempt it deserves.
7. Over the years, the university has always assigned a vehicle to the Council Chairman’s office for official engagements. The vehicle is kept in Winneba and released as and when necessary.
8. It is impossible and inappropriate to compare the circumstances surrounding the appointment of a vice-chancellor at UEW to those at the University of Ghana. The University of Ghana did not wake up one day to find a rightfully appointed officer thrown out of office because of the selfish and wicked agenda of some individuals.
So situations or challenges that may appear similar may have different underlying causes and therefore require different approaches to resolving them. It was very ingenious on the part of a professor of his calibre to comfortably make such a blind comparison.
9. Ironically, Prof. Kankam is on a post-retirement contract and acted as the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for at least three years under Prof. Afful-Broni, contrary to statutory provision. Isn’t it also interesting that he claims to represent convocation on the search party when the statutes make no provision for convocation representation but rather academic board representation? In any case, why go to town with the details of a search party report when the Council is not apprised of its details?
10. It must be indicated that Prof. Kankam is known to spew lies. About two weeks ago, he wrote to the Chairman alleging the award of two contracts at the university at the cost of GHS100 million each to “pre-determined National Democratic Congress (NDC) contractors and asking the Chairman to give the said contracts to New Patriotic Party (NPP) contractors” when, in actual fact, it was an open advertisement in the national dailies for pre-qualification (expression of interests).
He has for some time made unsuccessful overtures to win favours from the chairman, hence his hatred for the Chairman and the subsequent spewing of lies. His actions come from none other than a frustrated and mischievous retiree (pensioner) who is desperately seeking an extension of his post-retirement contract and does not see his way clear.
On the basis of the aforementioned information, we implore the general public to treat his press statement and subsequent interview with the disdain they merit.
A retired Ghanaian man who lives in Frankfurt, Germany, has expressed bitterness over going abroad.
The man, identified only as Expensive Joe, remembered that despite being able to use his abilities as a shoemaker and a carpenter to run his own business back in Accra, Germany did not permit him to do so.
“I travelled to Nigeria and Libya and finally settled in Frankfurt in 1991. We normally don’t say it, but if I am to speak for myself, I will it is the wasted years of my life. Travelling abroad didn’t help me. I was a shoemaker and carpenter back in Ghana. I was my own boss back in Accra.
“But when I came to Germany, I couldn’t make use of my skills because the system here is different. I believe if I had been given that chance, I would have made fortunes while I was here,” he explained.
Touching on his family, he reiterated that he was also not fortunate with women, as he has suffered 2 divorces – from a German woman who removed her womb, and from a Ghanaian woman he sponsored abroad.
“About family, my first wife, who was a German, told me she had removed her womb so she divorced me after 3 years. After that, I brought a Ghanaian woman here. She came with her 2-year-old child. We had 2 children later together. However, we have been divorced for almost 10 years now,” he said.
Even though he is being taken care of by the German government, Expensive Joe advised young Ghanaians to think deeply about travelling overseas for greener pastures.
“Now I am a pensioner, but my first child is 21 years. I am not working at the moment, so I am being taken care of by the government. I will advise young people to really take their time. If you have the money to travel, it would be proper to stay and work in Ghana with that,” he advised.
John Mahama campaign tour | Interacts with Nsawam Delegates || WoezorTV live https://t.co/VFlCLeRXe3— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) April 12, 2023
John Mahama campaign tour | Interacts with Nsawam Delegates || WoezorTV live https://t.co/VFlCLeRXe3
Only after employing ultraviolet photography inside Matthew’s Gospel were researchers able to find the ancient Syriac text.
When Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, his followers became hungry and started to gather the grain’s heads to eat, according to Matthew, a disciple of Jesus.
The newly found version, however, reads as follows: “At that time, Jesus proceeded through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and his disciples became hungry and began to ask him for food.
But the newly discovered translation reads: ‘At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath and his disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them.’
A scribe apparently erased the chapter whilst it was being written.
Only one segment of the recovered text has been released to the public so far.
Only one segment has been released to the public so far (Picture: Getty Images)
Grigory Kessel, who made the discovery, told DailyMail.com: ‘The Gospel text found in this reused manuscript contains the so-called Old Syriac translations of the Gospels.
‘This Old Syriac translation quite often attests the Gospel text that is different from the standard Gospel text as we know it today.’
The Gospel of Matthew forms the core of the 27 books of the New Testament.
Matthew’s section begins describing the birth of Jesus and also includes early correspondence between Church leaders and Christians.
A violent husband who forced his expectant wife off Edinburgh’s Arthur’s Seat only days before she intended to leave him was sentenced to life in prison.
In September 2021, Fawziyah Javed, 31, and their unborn child were assassinated near the landmark in the Scottish capital by Kashif Anwar, 29.
Ms. Javed, an employment lawyer who was around 17 weeks pregnant when she fell 50 feet, used her final words to accuse Anwar of pushing her in front of another walker.
Daniyah Rafique, 24, managed to reach her as she lay dying on the hillside and was told: ‘Don’t let my husband near me, he pushed me.’
PC Rhiannon Clutton, 35, who rushed to the scene, said she was told by Ms Javed her husband pushed her because she ‘told him I wanted to end (the marriage)’.
Anwar, from Leeds, was convicted of murder following a week-long trial at the city’s High Court.
The judge, Lord Beckett, handed him a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years.
As he was led down to the cells, one of Ms Javed’s relatives screamed from the public gallery: ‘Die, you bastard.’
Kashif Anwar was convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh (Picture: Police Scotland)
Jurors were visibly upset after the result, some crying, and the judge thanked them for the ‘admirable way’ they performed their duties.
In a statement read on behalf of the Javed family outside court, they said: ‘Our life sentence began the day that our daughter was brutally murdered.
‘Whilst we welcome the verdict, this outcome does not feel like justice when compared to what we have lost.’
Ms Javed’s mother, Nighat Yasmin Javed, said: ‘There are just no words to describe the depth of pain and grief.
‘There’s no words in the English dictionary that go deep enough.’
She had told jurors her daughter first met Anwar at an opticians in Leeds city centre, near their home in Pudsey, where he worked as an optical assistant.
The couple had an Islamic wedding on December 25, 2020, but the court concerns were raised within months.
Mrs Javed told advocate depute Alex Prentice KC she was ‘very worried’ about her daughter, and revealed they had a secret code word she could use if she was ever unsafe.
She said: ‘I said if you feel that you are in danger, just text me “I like cream cakes”, and I will contact the police.’
Mrs Javed explained this was because of the ‘abuse, the violence, the aggression, and coercive control’ in the relationship.
She said her daughter’s calls and texts were monitored by Anwar, and that between three or four months after the wedding her daughter wanted out of the marriage.
Mrs Javed told the jury: ‘The accused was being abusive, controlling, manipulative, aggressive and violent towards her. She didn’t want to stay in a marriage like that, she wanted to leave.’
The court heard how a midwife spoke to Ms Javed after becoming worried about the way Anwar spoke to her at Leeds General Infirmary weeks before the murder.
Elizabeth Petty, 41, who was working on the L44 ward that evening, said a patient told her Ms Javed was told: ‘If you died during childbirth that would be okay. I would be free.’
The midwife told the jury that when asked if that was what was said, Ms Javed had confirmed it was, and that she appeared ‘scared’ and ‘upset’.
A week later, on August 30, 2021, a Walima– a Muslim marriage celebration event – was held for the couple.
One of the guests, Lubna Qasim, told jurors Anwar was ‘really keen on visiting Arthur’s Seat.
But Ms Qasim said her friend Ms Javed was scared of heights and had looked her straight in the eyes and replied: ‘I’m not so sure.’
The couple checked into a hotel in Edinburgh the following day.
They were due to return to Yorkshire on September 4, which would have been Ms Javed’s 32nd birthday.
But jurors heard she planned not to return to Anwar’s home but go to her parents’ house and contact police to retrieve her belongings.
She was pushed to her death from the landmark in Holyrood Park on September 2.
CCTV showed the couple walking arm-in-arm through Waverley railway station towards Arthur’s Seat.
A selfie of the pair was taken on Ms Javed’s phone at about 8.30pm – the last picture of her alive.
Firefighter Sean Stratford was one of the emergency responders dispatched to the scene just after 9pm.
He said he was approached by a man, who he could not identify: ‘He said that he stood up to take a selfie, he slipped and bumped her and she had fallen.
‘She was not in a very good state at all.’ Ms Javed was declared dead on the hillside at 10.18pm.
In the early hours of the next morning, PC Sean Henderson, 37, said Anwar was told of the news.
He told jurors: ‘There wasn’t much of a reaction, in my opinion, he didn’t say much to it and didn’t have any obvious physical reaction.’
Anwar told PC Henderson: ‘I know how this looks. We had our problems as a couple, but … ”
The court was told Anwar never finished what he was saying as more officers entered the room and he was arrested on suspicion of murder.
PC Henderson told the court: ‘From start to near finish, he was very calm and composed throughout. I was actually struck how calm his demeanour was throughout.’
Detective Constable Steven Cavallero told the court when Anwar was in custody he asked: ‘How many years do you think I will get? Double figures? Maybe 15 to 20 years you reckon?
Mr Bernard Oduro Takyi gave this advice in an interview on the mid-day news on Accra 100.5 FM on Tuesday, January 24, 2023.
According to him, this is the best deal ever offered by the government since the announcement of the implementation of the Domestic Debt Exchange (DDE) programme.
This agreement, according to a statement jointly signed by the two parties, “encompasses final improvements to the terms of the DDEP.”
It includes “an agreement to pay a 5% coupon for 2023 and a single coupon rate for each of the 12 new bonds resulting in an effective coupon rate of 9%, clarity on the operational framework and terms of access to the Ghana Financial Stability Fund (GFSF) and the removal or amendment of all clauses in the Exchange Memorandum that empowers the Republic to, at its sole discretion, vary the terms of the Exchange.”
According to him, this deal with the Association of Banks is the best deal possible under the current economic situation.
This is better than the earlier zero coupons announced by the government, he stressed
He argued that a five percent coupon is the best deal for the bondholders and further commended the government for reviewing its stance on the payment of zero coupons.
He quickly warned the individual bondholders to take their principal and coupon, and henceforth shy away from all government bonds.
“Make no mistake by further rolling over the principal in government bonds because investment in bonds is not lucrative like it used to be. Bonds under this government are nothing to write home about for bondholders to roll over,” Mr Oduro Takyi cautioned.
He said it is only a “madman” who will reinvest in government bonds after this melee.
He claimed that the government’s strategy for addressing the economic problem in the nation “appears like trying to fool or surprise the market.”
He stated, “We know that Ghana is in a profound crisis; in fact, in terms of economics, if there was any word beyond crisis, that is what we would be saying right now.” in an interview with peacefmonline.
Read the entire article as it appeared in its original form on Peacefmonline on December 10, 2022.
“The approach government is using in managing all of these appears like trying to trick or surprise the market . . . we know that Ghana is in a deep crisis, in fact in economics if there was any word beyond crisis that is what we will be using now . . . we all do acknowledge that we have to come out of this . . . ” he said.
Speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’, Prof Bokpin said to come out of this situation government needs to have “some moral authority” and call various stakeholders for a “broader consultation”.
” . . Broader consultations, the humility to acknowledge where we have gone wrong and where we can do better, that brings everybody to the table is very critical now . . . we need negotiations, to do so you have to come to the negotiation table with some moral authority . . . failure to do that, it’s going to be difficult for us to get out of this,” he averred.
“Consensus building is the way to go and to do this, it requires honesty and transparent,” he added.
The Central regional capital, Cape Coast, has hosted a three-day market session titled the “Bronya Farmers Market.”
Minister Justine Marigold Assan of the Central Regional is the one who started it.
It was developed so that locals may buy for holiday food at a discount.
The trading day lasted from Wednesday, December 21, 2022, until Friday, December 23, 2022.
At Adisadel College in Cape Coast, farmers from all over the area congregated to sell a variety of delicacies, including plantains, yams, coconuts, and poultry, among other items.
Addressing the media, the minister stressed the important role farmers play in society and the country as a whole.
She said: “I don’t take farmers for granted. Most of the time, we hear various professionals embarking on strike action; however, farmers never go on strike. So, they are very dear to my heart.”
She, however, bemoaned the little earnings farmers make after harvesting and selling their farm produce.
“What’s painful about it is, when they put in so much to cultivate their crops and they harvest and want to sell to take care of their kids in school, and buy food, it becomes difficult. We go to buy from them and sometimes, they don’t make a lot of profit. They even struggle to sell them,” she observed.
The Central Regional Minister stressed that the initiative has not only afforded farmers the opportunity to sell but also residents of the region the chance to purchase foodstuffs at cheap prices.
“So, we’ve brought all of them together here at the Bronya Farmers Market. You can see all the things here are fresh. We’re doing this so that the farmers can reap the benefit of their rewards.”
“The upside about it, too, is what they are selling is like buying directly from the farm, so, it’s cheaper. We all know the times Ghana finds herself in,” the Regional Minister added.
Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has described as ridiculous the Ghana Revenue Authority’s decision to ensure Ghanaians get a tax clearance certificate for the registration of vehicles and renewal of professional driving licences.
He said the revenue collection authority cannot forcibly take the meagre money unemployed people have for tax clearance.
Speaking on the floor of parliament, the Adaklu MP entreated all to reject the move by the government to introduce a tax clearance certificate requirement for the registration of vehicles and the renewal of professional driving licences.
“Mr Speaker, as I speak, there is no GRA office in Adaklu; you are telling me that the trotro operator should look for a GRA office before registering for a driver’s licence,” he said.
“I agree if the professionals should have tax clearance before they re-register for certificate. It is absurd to ask ordinary Ghanaians to get a tax clearance before obtaining driver’s licences, the guy is unemployed, so which tax do you want him to declare? We must all oppose because you can not squeeze tax out of people who are unemployed,” Kwame Governs Agbodza stated.
According to the Ghana Revenue Authority, a tax clearance certificate is issued by the Commissioner General to confirm a taxpayer has met all applicable tax obligations, i.e., filing of returns and payment of taxes, or has satisfactory arrangements for installment payments for arrears with the GRA at the date of issuance.
The Ghana Revenue Authority has now moved from issuing physical TCCs to Electronic Tax Clearance Certificates (E-TCC) to fasten the tax payment process.
In addition to being the richest Black person in the world, Dangote also has an 86 percent share in Dangote Cement, which is currently valued at $8.49 billion. His closely owned fertilizer plant, which has the ability to produce up to 2.8 million metric tonnes of urea annually, is responsible for an additional $5.15 billion of his wealth.
The recent decline in Dangote’s net worth can be attributed to the decline in the market value of his flagship company, Dangote Cement, Africa’s largest cement company.
The slump in the company’s shares comes after the cement manufacturer received shareholder approval to buy back up to 10 percent of its outstanding shares for N406 billion ($917 million).
The shareholders who participated in the voting at the company’s Extraordinary General Meeting in Lagos gave their unanimous approval, with many of them praising the process and describing it as beneficial to all parties involved.
Recently, Dangote has committed more than $700 million to expand the operation of his sugar company, Dangote Sugar Refinery, by increasing the refining capacity of one of its plants, DSR Numan, from 3,000 tonnes of cane per day (tcd) to 6,000 tcd, 9,800 tcd, and 15,000 tcd.
The leading billionaire announced that the investment will create at least 300,000 jobs in Nigeria as he continues to strategically invest in his sugar business in accordance with the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan requirements.
Despite the recent decline in his net worth, Dangote remains the richest man in Africa, a formidable force in the business world, and one of the wealthiest individuals in the world. His diversified portfolio and unwavering dedication to success will likely continue to propel him to new heights.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has changed its mind on going on statewide strike beginning on December 27, 2022.
The union wanted to use the planned walkout to express its opposition to earlier government intentions to incorporate pension money in the debt exchange program.
The union has additionally advised the government against making any additional preparations in that direction.
However, following the government’s decision to exclude pension funds from the programme, the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah, at a news conference, said the planned industrial action was effectively cancelled.
Professor Stanley Okolo, Director-General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), who made the announcement, said five manufacturers from Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria had already been chosen to participate in the programme.
The project will cost $122 million and will be completed in five years. According to reports, the sub-region needs around 370 million immunizations.
“We will strike the ground by July, 2022, and in 12 months put up the facility and start with the trials,” said Kofi Nsiah Poku, Managing Director of DEK Vaccines, one of the selected producers in Ghana.
“We will ensure that the first COVID-19 vaccine is developed in Ghana and distributed throughout Africa by 2024,” he added.
WAHO is having a high-level meeting in Accra with vaccine manufacturers in the sub-region to design a framework for the producers to work together to build the regional hub.
Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Chairman of the Vaccine Manufacturing Committee, and Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Presidential Advisor on Health, are two of the speakers.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Industry and Private Sector Promotion Mamadou Traore believes that Africa will develop a vaccine production powerhouse. She believes that if all parties involved work together, the region can achieve this.
As of May 1, 2022, there had been 837,442 Covid-19 instances reported, with 11,348 deaths.
The COVAX Facility and other donors have provided the region with 179,122,060 vaccination doses thus far.
Ghana’s COVID-19 active case count has dropped to 47, a month after the easing of preventive measures including the wearing of facemasks in public places.
This was contained in figures published by the Ghana Health Service which also indicated that all the 47 active cases were located in the Greater Accra Region with the remaining fifteen regions of the country having no active cases of the illness.
When the revisions to the COVID-19 prevention measures were announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 27, 2022, the country had 72 active cases and over 13 million vaccinated persons.
Since then, the country has as of May 10, 2022, administered a million more doses (14,944,182).
Among the preventive measures that were revised included a return to full capacity in-person activities such as church services, mosques, conferences, workshops, private parties, events, cinemas and theatres provided that the audience and all participants are fully vaccinated.
Additionally, President Akufo-Addo also directed that outdoor functions and sporting events, entertainment spots, political rallies and funerals could resume at full capacity provided that all persons at such events are fully vaccinated at those venues.
He directed that handwashing and hand sanitising points be made available at venues where events were held in full capacity for vaccinated persons.
Ghana has recorded 161,280 cases of COVID since the first case was recorded in March 2020 with 1,445 deaths.
The Central Regional Health Directorate has expressed worry about the reluctance of eligible residents in the region to receive or complete doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
This, the directorate indicated, was making the vaccine deployment in the region difficult and hampering the Ghana Health Service’s vaccination campaign.
Of the 1.3 million eligible persons in the region who have received the vaccine so far, only 32 per cent have received the complete dose, while four per cent have received the boosters.
About 50 per cent of them have received only the first dose.
Addressing the media on developments on the pandemic and attempts to remedy the situation in the region, the Central Regional Director of Health, Akosua Agyeiwaa Owusu Sarpong, said the skepticism towards receiving the vaccine stemmed from a variety of factors.
This, she said, included the belief that the virus was a hoax, while others believed that the vaccine could cause other illnesses.
She told the press that it was critical for residents to participate in the vaccination exercise so that the region could develop herd immunity and avoid the destruction the COVID-19 virus could wreak.
“Some individuals have developed vaccine resistance, which is not good for the vaccination campaign in general,” she stated.
She emphasised that “vaccinations have been around for a long time and our children are still living, and females are reproducing and so the misinformation going round is really disturbing the campaign and we are doing our best to mitigate these impacts by continuing to educate the public.”
Situation
Mrs Sarpong further reported that individuals had been less concerned about COVID-19 preventive measures such as handwashing and the use of face masks.
“Before, when you went to any public place, you would see people mounting the Veronica buckets and strictly enforcing the handwashing measure but that and other restrictions have been eased”, she said, emphasising that it was unsettling.
Mrs Sarpong added that the region’s status as having no COVID-19 cases currently could only be maintained if residents continued to follow the instructions.
“Thankfully, there are no active COVID-19 cases in our region but we can only keep this status if we all follow the guidelines and get the vaccines,” she said.
She emphasised that the Regional Health Directorate had subsequently taken steps to guarantee that all eligible persons in the region were properly vaccinated, particularly the half of the eligible population who had only gotten the first dosage and had not attempted to receive the second dose.
She urged key stakeholders in the region to join the campaign aimed at assuaging public worries and educating them on the necessity of the vaccines.
General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Dr. Yaw Baah, has urged the government to put measures in place to ensure the public servants get the conditions of service due them.
Dr. Baah said that the government cannot continue to use current happening in the world as an excuse to deny workers improved conditions of service.
The General Secretary, who made these remarks at the Organised Labour pre-May Day Forum on Thursday, April 22, added that the current increase in the cost of living required that the condition of workers are improved.
“… Before Ukraine and Covid in Ghana was not too good, especially with employment, therefore nobody should hide behind Covid and Ukraine to say that Ghana is in this his state because of these two events, we will not accept that this year, therefore, what is due us will come to us.
“If (the) exchange rate is behaving the way we are seeing it, it shows very much in our pocket and nobody should tell us…because just go to the pharmacy you will see that prices go up every day and these are medicines.
“… go to the market the food prices are going up every day and these are the conditions we have found ourselves in and you know it is very easy to blame the Covid and Ukraine war for this,†he said.
Meanwhile, members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association Ghana (CLOGSAG) have been on strike since Thursday, April 21, over the inability of the government to pay their neutrality allowance.
CLOGSAG in a statement it issued, directed all its members at the Ministries Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as well as the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to stop going to work because the government had failed to honour an agreement they had with them, on January 20, 2022, to pay the allowance.
President Nana Adoo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed that the country has spent a whopping GHC17.7 billion fighting the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020.
Delivering the 2022 State of the Nation address in Parliament on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, the president said, “In all, data from the Ministry of Finance tells us that an amount of GHC17.7 billion (or 4.6% of GDP) has been spent in containing the pandemic since 2020.”
He noted that the economic devastation of COVID-19 has been further aggravated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine since the beginning of this year, which has worsened the economic outlook of the entire world.
President Akufo-Addo added: “We, in Ghana, have not escaped this development, and the consequences are being felt in rising living costs at our markets and at fuel stations”.
“The terrible events in Ukraine have a direct impact on our lives here in Ghana. Mr Speaker, 30% of our wheat flour and fertilizer imports come from Russia. 60% of iron rods and other metal sheets are imported from Ukraine, and almost 20% of Ghana’s manganese is shipped to Ukraine.”
“The bombs might be dropping on cities half a world away, but they are hitting our pockets here in Ghana. Even so, we have managed to ensure that fuel supplies have not been disrupted, unlike in several other parts of the world.”
The Minority in Parliament has notified the Accra Regional Police command of their impending demonstrations and picketing at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra if the government does not make COVID-19 test free.
In the notice, the Minority added that the protest is also against what they described as the continuous illegal unconscionable and extortionist COVID-19 antigen testing at KIA.
They said the series of protests and picketing will start from 30th March 2022 and they will converge at the precincts of the Airport from 2pm to 6pm each day.
“It is our firm determination to sustain these mass picketing actions until such a time that the Akufo-Addo-led government curtails the illegal, unconscionable and extortionist COVID-19 antigen testing conducted by the iffy Frontiers Healthcare Services Ltd,†a portion of the letter explained.
The letter is signed by three members of Parliament namely Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Kwame Agbodza and Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.
The Minority in Parliament has called for a downward review of the cost of the mandatory COVID-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport.
Addressing the press on Tuesday, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, complained that the pandemic was being used to unduly make money.
“For non-Ghanaians to be compelled to pay an amount of $150 in the name of COVID test in which its procurement is questionable, and raises eyebrows on the fact that Covid is being used as a caveat to make money instead of combating a pandemic, we do not think that persons travelling to Ghana from abroad be made to pay $150.â€
He also maintained that the testing should be free for Ghanaians.
Mr. Iddrisu added that he would be a party to a motion demanding accountability from the company handling the testing.
“We consider this a rip-off and too high. Even $50 for Ghanaian citizens is too much. It should be free for Ghanaians. I would lead a motion very soon, supported by the Hon. Ablakwa and Hon. Akandoh to demand accountability from Frontiers, in order to account for all the $150 they charge travellers.â€
The Minority has previously expressed concern that Ghana was short-changed in the deal with Frontiers Healthcare Solution Services Limited with regard to COVID-19 testing services at the Kotoka International Airport.
The government engaged Frontiers Healthcare Solution Services Limited to conduct the rapid COVID-19 tests at KIA following the reopening of the airport to international passenger flights in September 2020.
The 30-minute PCR COVID-19 test initially attracted a $150 fee but was subsequently reviewed.
While the amount was maintained for non-ECOWAS citizens, those from any of the West African countries were to pay $50 for such services at Kotoka International Airport.
Thomas Kusi-Boafo, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Sector Reforms Secretariat, has disclosed that the government saved all public sector jobs at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when all signs pointed to the need to retrench some workers.
According to him, even though the economy was not all that good at the time the pandemic hit, COVID-19 dealt a further blow to the economy.
He stated in an interview on Accra-based Okay FM that 15% of public sector workers were retained and duly received all payments at a time the private sector was either cutting jobs or salaries.
“Ghana needed to retrench 15% of workers at height of the pandemic. That 15% would have given us the (fiscal) relief but the government agreed to let them stay on and to be paid.Â
“Many companies reduced salaries by 25% but who in government was impacted in terms of salaries or pensions?†he asked before adding that President Akufo-Addo has shown great commitment in seeing to it that the economy rebounds as quickly as possible.
“Whoever says it is not COVID that has devastated the entire global economy, excuse me to say, they need a psychiatric examination,†he added.
Whereas government insists the pandemic and its effects was largely to blame for the economic woes being experienced, the opposition says the government is using the pandemic as an excuse to cover up its horrible economic management.
The World Bank Country Director, Pierre Laporte, recently disclosed that even pre-pandemic, the Ghanaian economy was not strong and that it is in a dire state, a situation government and other stakeholders have admitted.
Thomas Kusi-Boafo, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Sector Reforms Secretariat, has disclosed that the government saved all public sector jobs at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when all signs pointed to the need to retrench some workers.
According to him, even though the economy was not all that good at the time the pandemic hit, COVID-19 dealt a further blow to the economy.
He stated in an interview on Accra-based Okay FM that 15% of public sector workers were retained and duly received all payments at a time the private sector was either cutting jobs or salaries.
“Ghana needed to retrench 15% of workers at height of the pandemic. That 15% would have given us the (fiscal) relief but the government agreed to let them stay on and to be paid.Â
“Many companies reduced salaries by 25% but who in government was impacted in terms of salaries or pensions?†he asked before adding that President Akufo-Addo has shown great commitment in seeing to it that the economy rebounds as quickly as possible.
“Whoever says it is not COVID that has devastated the entire global economy, excuse me to say, they need a psychiatric examination,†he added.
Whereas government insists the pandemic and its effects was largely to blame for the economic woes being experienced, the opposition says the government is using the pandemic as an excuse to cover up its horrible economic management.
The World Bank Country Director, Pierre Laporte, recently disclosed that even pre-pandemic, the Ghanaian economy was not strong and that it is in a dire state, a situation government and other stakeholders have admitted.
The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, John Boadu, has said the government lost huge sums of money to COVID-19 compared to what it received from donors.
Speaking to Nana Aba Anamoah on Starr Chat Wednesday, Mr. Boadu disclosed that the figures available make the government vulnerable adding that the government still incurs costs due to the pandemic.
According to him, the issues of COVID come in two dimensions but comparatively the amount of revenue lost and expenditure of the government outweigh donations from the IMF and others.
“The effect of COVID was higher and bigger, for instance, if you take revenue shortfall in the year 2020 was close to fourteen billion Ghana cedis. As a result of non-collection of import duties and all that. If you take COVID expenditure alone this is an extraneous item. Because without COVID we have nothing like that as part of our expenditure for the year.
“So the combination of just that two in the year 2020 alone is twenty-four billion Ghana cedis, put together all the monies that we got as a result of a donation from IMF and all those places does it amount to twenty-four billion, it is not.â€
The NPP General Secretary, however, added that Ghanaians have every right to demand accountability but there are institutions mandated to expose any issue on the government expenses.
“The negative effect is enormously more than the direct positive effect. The indirect effect is also huge the government lost a lot of revenue and it continues to lose as we speak now. So there is no argument at all as to the impact of COVID on the entire economy.
“I am talking about the government but go to the departments and agencies the cost of running their businesses and all that. But that is not to say that Ghanaians should not be asking about the nitty-gritty of the expenses. It will come there, as I told you Public Accounts Committee or the Auditor General at the end of the year they will have the opportunity to go through,†he reiterated.
An amount of $60.6 million is being processed to be given to Ghana as an additional COVID-19 fund from the World Bank, myjoyonline.com has reported.
According to the news portal, the aforementioned amount is pending approval and would be handed over to the Government of Ghana before the end of March this year.
The gesture by the World Bank comes after an auditing firm, Betton Wood institution, conducted an audit into the US$435.8 million that the World Bank had earlier disbursed to Ghana to help government contain the global pandemic – coronavirus.Â
So far, the Government of Ghana has made use of US$435.8 million injected into the local economy.
Myjoyonline reported that, “$2.5 million was rechanneled from a previous Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Project (MCHNP); $65.0 million from the CERC of the GARID project; $35.0 million of the Ghana COVID-19Emergency Preparedness and Response Project and its 1st and 2nd additional financing of $130 million and $200 million, respectively as well as $3.3 million from the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF).”
Executive Director of Media Foundation for West Africa, Sulemana Braimah, says Ghana’s economy has collapsed, and the collapse is not because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, the economy has collapsed because of the menace of corruption and the government’s misappropriation of the country’s resources.
“… the economy is collapsed. Don’t blame COVID. COVID did not happen only in Ghana. All countries, including our neighbours, were affected by COVID. It’s all because of corruption, mismanagement and PR (public relations) governance,” a tweet of Mr. Braimah read.
Sulemana Braimah also has stated categorically that the government will be going for an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout whether the government implements the E-Levy or not.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently stated that Ghana’s economy was one of the fastest-growing economies in the World before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
“It is encouraging for my government and party, the New Patriotic Party, to recall that the rate of growth of the economy, 5.6%, against the background of the exceptionally difficult circumstances of the COVID-era, is still considerably better than the 3.4% we inherited (in 2016) in calmer times from our predecessor administration.
“… prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, we witnessed average annual GDP growth rates of seven per cent (7%) in 2017, 2018, 2019 and part of 2020, when our economy was then, generally, acknowledged as one of the fastest-growing in the world,” 3news.com quoted the president.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has also indicated Ghanaians have two choices, either to accept the E-Levy or the government goes for an IMF bailout,
He added that going for an IMF loan would be disastrous for the country.
“When we were in the IMF programme, we couldn’t pay for nurses and teachers; we couldn’t hire anymore because there were restrictions on that.
“So, we can deal with them for them to give us advice, but we need not ever get into an IMF programme [again]. If we don’t do this E-levy, we’re just pushing ourselves in a way that would potentially end up in such a disaster,” he said.
Read tweet of Sulemana Braimah below:
With or without E-Levy, Ghana will be going to IMF. The The Economy is collapsed. Don’t blame COVID. COVID did not happen only in Ghana. All countries, including our neighbours were affected by COVID. It’s all because of corruption, mismanagement and PR governance.
Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are warning the public not to drop their guard against Covid-19, as the country enters a period that has, in the past, seen higher infection rates.
Public Health, Hygiene, and Prevention Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani on Monday said the country has seen the lowest infection rates in the last three weeks, but warned there is a threat of a fifth wave if Covid-19 protocol were ignored now.
He said that “the analysis of data from the first two years clearly indicates that the [prevalence] of the Coronavirus in our country is in the middle and end of the year.
“This indicates the likelihood of a fifth wave between April and July this year, said Patrick Muyaya, government spokesman, quoting the Minister for Health in a statement the Minister gave to the Council of Ministers earlier on Monday.
Dr. Jean-Jacques Mbungani himself called on the people “to remain vigilant, to wear masks, to keep washing their hands and to be vaccinated in order to fight effectively Covid19.Â
“This is the first time that the Covid-19 pandemic has declined simultaneously. This is thanks to responsible and appropriate management. Our government has done everything to contain this fourth wave. The big drop has been observed for the last 3 weeks.â€Â Â
But with less than having achieved just about 1 percent of the vaccination rate at Covid-19, the DRC, a country of about 90 million people, still faces a threat of a new wave.
Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the head of technical secretariat for the response to Covid and Director General of the National Institute of Biomedical Research, called for the urgency “to improve on the trend of low vaccination rate in order not to become an endemic country.â€
“The world will be divided into two parts because the disease will become endemic and therefore there will be continents where the disease prevalence is low…
“Because these countries have a very high vaccination rate and countries with high endemicity such as African countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo because the vaccination coverage is very low,” explained Dr. Jean Jacques Muyembe on Monday.
As of 10 February, less than 90,000 people have been fully vaccinated against the Coronavirus in DRC.
The third wave of the COVID-19 Households and Job Tracker conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service has revealed that the majority of households are yet to recover from the shock of the pandemic.
Data for the exercise was collected in the first two weeks of December 2021 and all the answers are self-reported.
It said two-thirds (68.3 percent) surveyed said their income had not been recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
According to the survey, only 26.7 percent of respondents indicated that their total household income stayed the same as compared to the period before COVID-19 (March 16, 2020).
It said 5.1 percent of respondents indicated that their total income increased.
The survey revealed that most households resorted to borrowing in the heat of the pandemic to eke out the living.
“The survey identified that approximately 86.7 percent of households used some sort of coping strategy to deal with the negative effects of COVID-19 since March 2020,†the survey revealed.
It said the most common coping strategies included relying on savings (43.0 percent) and reducing food consumption (42.9 percent).
The survey revealed that households spent GH12 on Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) per week on average.
“The median expenditure on PPEs (masks, sanitizers, face shields per household on the seven days before the interviews were 12.0 and the mean expenditure 22.0. Median expenditure was slightly higher in urban areas (14) than in rural areas (10.3),†the survey, said.
It said of the zones, both the median (15) and mean (25.3) expenditure was the highest in the coastal zone, while 68.2% indicated that their household income decreased, adding that different sources of income, non-farm family business income saw the biggest reduction.
The survey said 77.3 percent of households with income derived from a non-farm family business saw a decrease in income and only 4.4 percent reported an increase in income.
The 4.2 percent of households who got income from pension saw the smallest change of this income source. 76.7 percent, however, reported no change in pension income, 13.0 percent, a reduction and 10.3 percent an increase.
It said 73.4 percent indicated that they experienced an increase in the price of major food items consumed and 46.5 percent indicated that they were affected by the increase of the price of inputs.
The survey revealed that 58.7 percent o of households indicated that they were affected by the school closures, but the majority (92.1 percent) of households indicated that this shock occurred in 2020.
It said for the purpose of the survey the regions had been combined in geographical zones. Western, Central, Greater Accra, and the Volta Region into the Coastal zone, Eastern, Ashanti, Ahafo, Western North, Bono, Bono East, and Oti Region into the Forest zone and Northern, North East, Upper West, Upper East, and Savannah Region into the Savannah zone.
The majority of Ghanaians have never tested for Covid-19 because of the fear of stigma around testing positive, a Ghana Statistical Service survey has shown.
The survey conducted in the first two weeks of December 2021 showed that only 21.6 percent of Ghanaians had ever been tested for Covid-19.
Apart from the fear of stigma, some of the people interviewed cited the unavailability or distance to a testing facility for not getting tested for Covid-19.
The data was collected from a total of 7,999 households in the first two weeks of December 2021 across the country.
In a brief on the impact of the Covid-19 Households and Jobs Tracker Survey Report, Mr Victor Boateng Owusu, Senior Statistician, and Project Coordinator said the survey revealed that Covid-19 was not a major reason for people not working, adding that only 4.3 percent of the respondents gave Covid-19 as a reason for not working.
Touching on the nine indicators of the wellbeing of children between four and 17 years old, Mr Owusu said improvements were reported compared to the period before January 2021 when schools were reopened.
He said Children felt less distressed, less afraid, and less sad but also less likely to experience physical punishment and less likely to work.
Mr Owusu said only 26.7 percent of Ghanaians indicated that their total household income stayed the same as compared to the period before Covid-19, adding that 5.1 percent of citizens indicated that their total income increased while 68.2 percent indicated that their household income decreased.
“Of the different sources of income, non-farm family business income saw the biggest reduction. 77.3 percent of households with income derived from a non-farm family business saw a decrease in income and only 4.4 percent reported an increase in income,†it
He said 4.2 percent of households, who got income from pension, saw the smallest change of this income source while 76.7 percent reported no change in pension income, 13.0 percent a reduction, and 10.3 percent an increase.
It said the median expenditure on Personal Protective Equipment (masks, sanitisers, face shields, etc.) per household on the seven days before the interviews was 12.0 Ghana cedis and the mean expenditure of 22.0 cedis, adding that the Median expenditure was slightly higher in urban areas (14 GH?) than in rural areas (10.3 GH?).
Approximately, 87 percent of households used some sort of coping strategy such as relying on savings and reducing food consumption to deal with the negative effects of Covid-19 since March 2020.
It stated that 73.4 percent indicated that an increase in prices was the most common shock experienced by households due to Covid-19 since March 2020.
“Rural households were less food secure than urban households and the coastal zone was more food secure on all indicators than the national average with the exception of the percentage of households that indicated they ran out of food,†Mr Owusu said.
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director General of the GHS speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ said the number of cases is dropping because of people’s adherence to the COVID protocols.
“Let’s pray that this goes on…I know very well that because of the Omicron surge, people started raising their self-protection and so if this continues we know it will come down further” he stated.
Data on the GHS COVID-19 update page indicates that as of 10th January 2022 the active cases stood at 9,020 from a previous of 10,889.
Travelers to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Accra will now have to show proof a 24-hour negative Covid-19 test result before the scheduled departure time.
The result must be obtained within 24 hours before the departure and only hard copies of such negative results with barcodes for verification would be accepted.
In a press statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, sighted by MyJoyOnline.com, the stringent measure recommended to be implemented by government is to “convince the UAE government to reconsider its decision and lift the travel restrictions of travelers from Ghana to UAE.â€
According to the statement dated January 12, five laboratories have been approved to take such tests. They are Leding, Frontiers, Airport Clinic, Akai House and MDS Lancet laboratory.
Earlier, it was notified that people travelling from Uganda and Ghana to UAE on transit flights should have a negative Covid-19 test conducted with 48 hours and a Rapid-PCR test which will be done at the airport within six hours of departure.
But the Ministry says relevant UAE authorities have proposed new measures.
As part of its proposition, “Passengers will additionally be required to present a negative Covid-19 rapid or rare time PCR test certificate with QR code for a test conducted at the airport within 6-hours of departure.â€
The approved labs to provide such services are Leding and Frontiers.
Meanwhile, airlines that ply the Accra-Dubai routes have been urged to comply with the recent measure.
Concerned Doctors of Ghana have called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to, with immediate effect, put a hold on the rollout of the COVID-19vaccine.
According to them, the impression by government that the vaccine prevents infection and spread is false.
Classfmonline reports that the concerned doctors indicate that recent studies show the vaccinated population is becoming more relevant in the spread of COVID-19, adding that, the vaccinated individuals have rather become a source of outbreaks.
The doctors in a letter addressed to President Akufo-Addo said, “during the early days of the pandemic, the general sentiment was to hold on for a vaccine to come and save the day. We were told that these vaccines were our only way out of this pandemic, providing immunity against infection, preventing severe/critical disease hospitalisations and death. Overtime, however, all these have been shown to be false assertions.â€
They also urged government to immediately stop the mandatory requirement of proof of vaccination. Backing their argument with data, the concerned doctors indicated that the assertion that these COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of hospitalization and death, has been shown to be inaccurate as well.
They said “in the state of Vermont, USA, it has been shown that 79% of deaths in September 2021 were among fully vaccinated individuals.
“Over the month of September last year in the UK, approximately 79% of deaths were among fully vaccinated individuals as well. There are even schools of thought that theorise that the vaccinated are the main drivers of the pandemic,” classfmonline.com quoted them as having said.
They added that relevant metrics indicate that, Ghana and Africa have done better than most of the world, they however recommend that many Ghanaians can strengthen their immune system by eating local dishes and fruits as recommended by the president in the early days of the pandemic.
“Per your dietary advice during the early days of the pandemic, Mr. president said many Ghanaians may have strengthened their immune system after eating more of our local dishes and fruits which tend to be high in vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients,†they added.
They urged government to conduct further research into locally made remedies and treatment for COVID-19.
General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association Dr. Justice Yankson, has noted that the risk associated with the COVID-19 in the case of doctors and other frontline health workers was still high.
The medical doctor stated that the risk levels are prevalent in the face of the cases increasing in line with the national figures.
Speaking on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he said: “when you look at the speed at which the cases are increasing, it is becoming more difficult for doctors and other frontline health workers.â€
He advised the Ghanaian public to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 protocols.
He bitterly complained that there had been several breaches in the adherence to the safety protocols, especially during the festive season.
This, he said, has increased our cases, and if care was not taken, we would witness challenging times.
When asked if we could witness a situation where some health facilities could shut down due to the increase in our case, he said: “it is very difficult to predict, but theoretically, it is possible. For example, we recently heard Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital planned to shut down the emergency unit because the majority of the doctors and nurses had tested positive.
“And so, if you go the facility and there ten doctors and 8, 7 or 9 have tested positive, and cannot perform their duties, you would have to go understand that we would experience a shortage and the remaining number of doctors would be able to work. If they do, it will put more stress and risk on them. Apart from Covid-19, existing health conditions are still around, and as Covid-19 increases, the hospital begins to suffer because the human resource available is reduced.â€
He stressed the need for the public to act responsibly so the number of cases would be reduced to minimize the risk associated with the work of our frontline health workers.
The Ghana Health Service reports that Ghana’s COVID-19 caseload currently stands at 146,119 with an impressive clinical recovery figure of 132,391.
The tally of active cases has hit 12,422 according to the latest statistics provided by the GHS. The number of new infections that took the tally past 12,000 mark was 1,067.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 related deaths have reached 1,306 following the death of five patients.
GHS also called on the citizenry to undertake a number of preventive measures among others: observe the safety protocols, wear a mask always, wash your hands regularly with soap under running water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, practice social distancing and get vaccinated.
Authorities have in the past bemoaned the lack of adherence to safety protocols, with a spike in infections expected after the festive season.
Ghana's Covid-19 case count as at 30th December 2021. Let’s continue to observe the safety protocols: ●Wear a mask always ●Wash your hands regularly with soap under running water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer ●Practice social distancing ●Get vaccinated NOW pic.twitter.com/ff3H3aZU3b
The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research has announced that staff working at the COVID-19 Walk-in testing centre would be on break from 1st to 3rd January, 2022.
In view of that the research centre said there would be no COVID-19 walk-in testing at the Institute during the period.
“COVID-19 testing for the new year will commence on 4th January, 2022,†a statement from the institute said.
As of Christmas Day some 1,074 new cases of COVID-19 were discovered in Ghana bringing the total number of active cases to 9,534.
The death toll is 1,287.
Since mid-March 2020, Ghana has recorded a total of 141,295 cases.
Out of that number, 130,474 have recovered.
Meanwhile, the Health Service has intensified its vaccination drive.
So far, a total of 8,458,155 vaccine doses have been administered.
The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research has announced that staff working at the COVID-19 walk-in testing centre would be on break from 1st to 3rd January 2022.
In view of that, the research centre said there would be no COVID-19 walk-in testing at the Institute during the period.
“COVID-19 testing for the new year will commence on January 4, 2022,†a statement from the institute said.
As of Christmas Day, some 1,074 new cases of COVID-19 were discovered in Ghana bringing the total number of active cases to 9,534.
The death toll is 1,287.
Since mid-March 2020, Ghana has recorded a total of 141,295 cases.
Out of that number, 130,474 have recovered.
Meanwhile, the Health Service has intensified its vaccination drive.
So far, a total of 8,458,155 vaccine doses have been administered.
Ghana cannot afford to go through a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, has said.
To that end, he said, the government, through the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has taken the vaccination exercise a step higher in order to get as many as possible inoculated.
Vaccination centres, he stated, are being created closed to the people in the communities including market areas to make it easier for them to go through the exercise.
He was speaking on the Key Points on TV3/3FM with Dzifa Bampoh regarding the measures introduced by the GHS to prevent a fourth wave of the virus in Ghana.
“We cannot afford a fourth wave,†he said, adding that “we can all do this together if you are vaccinated.â€
Allaying the fears of persons who are worried about the potential reaction from taking the vaccine, he said “If you are vaccinated and you feel a slight headache it means the vaccine is working very well.â€
The GHS had declared the month of December as the vaccination month.
Director-General Dr Patrick Kumah-Aboagye speaking at a press conference in Accra on Sunday, November 28 said vaccination was the surest way to deal with the virus.
He further assured that the authorities are going to scale up surveillance measures at the Kotoka International Airport during the Christmas season to ensure that Covid infections do not increase.
He further said that the mistakes that were made in December last year which occasioned the escalation of infections in January this year, will not be repeated.
There is going to be a “strict enforcement of the protocols at the KIA. We are going to increase surveillance. We are expecting increased number of people to arrive in the country.
“We are going to ensure that our logistics are prepared, we will continue our surveillance to be able to look at that, we are going to look at isolation centres,†he said.
He added “Our contact tracing will be strengthened.
“We are going to engage with religious organizations to ensure that activities in done in Christmas are in accordance with coronavirus protocols.”
The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) says it has detected 34 cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country.
The Institute in a series of tweets said the imported cases were detected in 120 samples collected between November 21 and 25.
“The Omicron variant was detected in 28% (34 out of 120) of returning traveler samples (collected from 21-25 November) sequenced. These are the first imported cases of the variant into Ghana, and we are closely monitoring its potential spread in the local population.
“We encourage the general public to continue adhering to the COVID-19 prevention protocols,†the NMIMR said in a tweet.
The Ghana Health Service on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, announced Ghana has recorded two cases of the new variant which were detected at the Airport.
The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) says it has detected 34 cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country.
The Institute in a series of tweets said the imported cases were detected in 120 samples collected between November 21 and 25.
“The Omicron variant was detected in 28% (34 out of 120) of returning traveler samples (collected from 21-25 November) sequenced. These are the first imported cases of the variant into Ghana, and we are closely monitoring its potential spread in the local population.
“We encourage the general public to continue adhering to the COVID-19 prevention protocols,†the NMIMR said in a tweet.
The Ghana Health Service on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, announced Ghana has recorded two cases of the new variant which were detected at the Airport.
The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, revealed that the virus was detected in persons travelling from Nigeria and South Africa into the country.
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Wednesday donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to 160 selected schools to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
The items are 640 handwashing units, 480 gallons of liquid soap, and 320 packs of tissue.
Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the Deputy Minister of Education, received the items and presented them to Professor Kwasi Opoku- Amankwa, the Director-General of Ghana Education Service, for onward distribution to the schools.
Reverend Ammishaddai Owusu- Amoah, the Commissioner-General, GRA said the gesture was part of the Authority’s corporate social responsibility to respond to the needs of the students in protecting them from the New Delta Variant of the pandemic.
He said the Authority, over the years, had supported schools in diverse ways to improve teaching and learning to help in the development of the country.
The Commissioner-General said even though the Authority aimed to collect revenue for the country’s development, it was necessary to respond to societal needs for national growth.
He said the gesture would endure, adding that the Authority would continue to partner with the Ministry of Education to support underserved schools in the country.
Rev Owusu-Amoah advised the students to take their lessons seriously and observe the COVID-19 health protocols to protect themselves from the virus.
Rev Fordjour commended the Authority for the gesture and appealed to other corporate organisations to support in curbing the virus.
He said since the outbreak of the pandemic, the government had made huge investments through the purchase of vaccines and provision of PPEs to protect the lives of the citizenry.
The gesture, the Minister, said would imbue in the students the civic duty of paying tax and remaining law-abiding for the development of the country.
He said the government would soon deploy the COVID-19 Tracker to monitor and track cases of the virus for the prompt response and called for stakeholder’s support for the initiative to be successful.
Ghana has received an extra 249,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines from the United Kingdom government.
This was announced by the UK government through its official Twitter handle, @UKinGhana and retweeted by the Ministry of Health, Ghana, handle @mohgovgh.
“This morning 249,000 Flag of United Kingdom-donated #COVID19 vaccines arrived at #Kotoka Int. Airport, now they are being transported across Flag of Ghana to health workers, those most in need & those waiting for their 2nd dose. Thank you to our partners: @_GHSofficial, @UNICEF, @gavi, @CEPIvaccines & @mohgovgh,” the tweet read.
Retweeting this, the Ministry of Health page wrote, “AstraZeneca vaccine. Thank you @UK Government.”
On August 8, Ghana took delivery of its first batch of 177,600 Johnson & Johnson vaccines to augment the national vaccination exercise against the Coronavirus.
Ghana has received an extra 249,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines from the United Kingdom government.
This was announced by the UK government through its official Twitter handle, @UKinGhana and retweeted by the Ministry of Health, Ghana, handle @mohgovgh.
“This morning 249,000 Flag of United Kingdom-donated #COVID19 vaccines arrived at #Kotoka Int. Airport, now they are being transported across Flag of Ghana to health workers, those most in need & those waiting for their 2nd dose. Thank you to our partners: @_GHSofficial, @UNICEF, @gavi, @CEPIvaccines & @mohgovgh,” the tweet read.
Retweeting this, the Ministry of Health page wrote, “AstraZeneca vaccine. Thank you @UK Government.”
On August 8, Ghana took delivery of its first batch of 177,600 Johnson & Johnson vaccines to augment the national vaccination exercise against the Coronavirus.
The Johnson & Johnson single-shot Coronavirus vaccines are the first of monthly supplies under an arrangement with the African Union, making the country one of the first in the region to receive the vaccines that were manufactured in Africa, the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, said in the statement.
Ghana is gradually becoming severely hit by the third wave of COVID-19 with the month of July recording the highest number of cases.
The Ghana Health Service disclosed the surge was a result of the opening of the Kotoka International Airport for international travels on September 1, 2020.
According to the latest figures from the GHS, there are 409 new coronavirus cases increasing the number of active cases in the country to 6,969 as of August 5, 2021.
The total death toll has also shot up to 874 following 20 additional fatalities recorded nationwide. The update on the GHS website noted that, while 87 of the cases are severe, 36 patients are in critical condition.
About 1,271,393 Ghanaians have been vaccinated. However, the GHS cautioned that being vaccinated does not entirely exempt one from contracting the virus.
The Service warning of a possible crisis about the surge of the pandemic has urged the general public to take the safety protocols like proper wearing of a nose mask, washing of hands, and the use of sanitiser serious.
Meanwhile, Government through the Health Ministry has disclosed it has taken delivery of some 177,600 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
The vaccines will be administered as single-shot doses to immunize citizens, to help curtail the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The consignment, according to the Ministry of Health was procured under the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) initiative.
The Ghana Health Service has bemoaned the increasing disregard for safety protocols despite the spike in coronavirus cases.
Speaking at a press conference held on Wednesday, August 5, 2021, the Director-General said the carelessness such as the wrongful use of nose masks, hands not frequently sanitized or washed poses a challenge especially because Ghana is in the third wave.
Aside from the improper use of nose masks, the Service called for an ‘all-hands-on-deck approach to intensify the fight against the deadly pandemic.
“If households, service providers and institutions strictly ensure that people they admit into their spaces adhere to the safety protocols, particularly the washing of hands, proper wearing of face masks and the social distancing rule, the numbers will come down.
“The current trajectory of cases, with low adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols, poses a significant risk of a higher third wave,†he said.
Clearing the notion that an individual being vaccinated means exemption from contracting the virus, Dr Kuma-Aboagye said the vaccine was not a 100 per cent protective measure
“Vaccination will not prevent you from infection, but chances that you might not fall sick are very high and you are highly likely not to die from COVID-19.
“But a fully vaccinated person who is a carrier can transmit to more vulnerable people, which include those who have not been vaccinated, and they might be severely hit by the virus, even if they do not die,†he explained.
He urged the public not to abandon the safety protocols as it’s the sure way to secure lives.
The new coronavirus pandemic has caused at least 4,227,765 deaths worldwide since the WHO detected the disease in China at the end of 2019, according to the AFP balance based on official data.
More than 198,247,050 cases of infection have been officially diagnosed since the start of the pandemic.
The values ​​are based on the balances communicated daily by the health authorities of each country but exclude revisions carried out later by some statistical bodies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, due to direct and indirect mortality, related to Covid-19, this balance maybe two or three times higher than what is officially released.
A significant proportion of less severe or asymptomatic cases remain undetected despite the increase in screening methods in many countries.
On Sunday, the 1st of August, 7,236 more died of SARS-CoV-2 and there were 455,312 new cases globally.
The countries with the highest number of deaths in the most recent reports are Indonesia with an additional 1,568 deaths, Russia (785), and Brazil (464).
The United States is the most affected country in terms of the number of deaths and cases, with 613,228 deaths and 35,003,546 cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University count.
After the United States, the most affected countries are Brazil with 556,834 deaths and 19,938,358 cases, India with 424,773 deaths (31,695,958 cases), Mexico with 241,034 deaths (2,854,992 cases) and Peru with 196,438 deaths (2,113,201 cases).
Among the hardest-hit countries, Peru has the highest number of deaths in relation to population, with 596 deaths per 100,000 population, followed by Hungary (311), Bosnia (295), Czech Republic (284), and Northern Macedonia (264).
Latin America and the Caribbean totaled, as of 10:00 am today, 1,375,285 deaths and 40,901,761 cases, Europe 1,203,546 deaths (58,536,165 cases), Asia 675,820 deaths (44,999,056 cases), United States and Canada 639,828 deaths (36,434,778 cases), Africa 170,998 deaths (6,746,432 cases), Middle East 160,907 deaths (10,543,800 cases) and Oceania 1,381 deaths (85,064 cases).
This assessment was based on data collected by France Presse delegations from national authorities and information from WHO.
The Ghana Health Service has refuted claims by some passengers that Covid-19 test results at the Kotoka International Airport are fake.
According to the Service, the testing procedure meets all international standards and is constantly being monitored by the Foods and Drugs Authority.
The reassurance comes after some disgruntled passengers who tested positive for the virus at the airport claimed that government officials are intentionally exploiting passengers by giving out untrue Covid results so they can be isolated for a fee.
They also alleged that they have been held captive at these isolation centers.
But in a statement by the GHS dated July, 31 to address these allegations, the GHS noted “Ms. Mavis Boateng in the viral video made a lot of allegations including the fact that she presented a negative PCR test from her country of origin and as such, she alma test positive on arrival.â€
“li is worth noting that a person can present a negative PCR test on arrival and still test positive at KIA because he or she may be incubating the virus. Also, your test result status is specifically with reference to the date of doing the test, so any risky activities alloy/anis can change your status.â€
It added “she also made an allegation that test/result at KIA are fake. This is also not true because the test conducted at KIA meets all international standards and is constantly being monitored by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
Active cases of COVID-19 in Ghana are surging at a faster pace currently standing over four thousand, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed.
According to the President, a total of one million, three hundred and ninety-four thousand, five hundred and forty (1,394,540) tests have been conducted, out of which one hundred and one thousand, one hundred and seventy (101,170) persons have been infected with the virus, and ninety-six thousand, two hundred and fifty-five (96,255) persons have recovered.
“As of Wednesday, 21st July 2021, ten (10) weeks later, the Ghana Health Services is now reporting that our total number of active cases stands at four thousand and ninety-four (4,094). A total of one million, three hundred and ninety-four thousand, five hundred and forty (1,394,540) tests have been conducted, out of which one hundred and one thousand, one hundred and seventy (101,170) persons have been infected with the virus, and ninety-six thousand, two hundred and fifty-five (96,255) persons have recovered.
“Thirty-six (36) more people have died from COVID over the last ten (10) weeks, bringing the cumulative number of deaths to eight hundred and twenty-three (823) since the onset of the pandemic. Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan areas remain the hotspots of infections. This entire development is very alarming, especially as we are being told by officials of the Ghana Health Service, that the recovery rate is on the decline,†the President noted in his update number 26 since the outbreak of the virus in Ghana.
“The President has also banned all post-funeral receptions in the country. All events associated with funerals must be held in open-air spaces; there must be observance of the one (1) metre social distancing rule by sympathisers; the wearing of masks is mandatory, and persons must respect the enhanced hygiene protocols; funerals should not go beyond the two (2) hour time duration; post-funeral receptions are banned; handshakes must be avoided; one-week funeral celebrations are restricted solely to family members, and should not exceed a duration of two (2) hours.â€
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has placed an embargo on holding post-funeral receptions in Ghana.He has also said funeral ceremonies should not go beyond two hours.All these, he said, are measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus.
“The wearing of masks is mandatory, and persons must respect the enhanced hygiene protocols. Funerals should not go beyond two hours and post-event receptions are banned†President Akufo-Addo, said in his address to the nation on Sunday July 25.
He added “I have emphasised the need for the strict observance of safety protocols at funerals and weddings, and the measures are a set of enhanced protocols which must be adhered to by all at funerals and weddings.â€
He further raised concerns about the failure of some Ghanaians to adhere to the facemask wearing protocol.
He saidd that it is obvious from the data released by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) on the coronavirus pandemic that that “we have let our guard down, with many going about their daily duties in clear breach and disregard for the protocols.â€
Addressing the nation on Sunday July 25, he said at a time when the economy is on the rebound, and business activities picking up, “we must do everything possible to contain this outbreak.
“We cannot afford to return to the days of partial lockdowns, which brought considerable hardships and difficulties for all of us.†He added “You returned me to office in the elections of 7th December with a clear and decisive mandate to protect lives and livelihoods, and steer our nation out the grips of the pandemic, and onto a path of sustained economic growth and progress.
“Fortunately for us, we have tried and tested response protocols which we have implemented since March 2020. They have stood us in good stead, and we have no choice but to return to the strict implementation of some of them.â€
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has placed a ban on wedding and funeral receptions amid rising active cases as Ghana experiences its third wave of the Coronavirus pandemic.
In his address to the nation on Sunday, July 25, President Akufo-Addo stated that the latest move was because the COVID-19 Taskforce team had recommended that some public gathering needed to be further restricted.
The President noted that in order to prevent an increase in the number of active cases all weddings and funerals must be held in open spaces under strict Coronavirus protocols.
He said, “the wearing of masks continuous to be mandatory, and persons must respect the enhanced hygiene protocols; funerals should not go beyond the two-hour time duration.
Adding, “all such events must be held in open air spaces. Thirdly, the duration of such events is limited to two hours. There must be observance of the one (1) metre social distancing rule and fifthly, handshakes must be avoided.
“Furthermore, given that people seating together to eat, laugh, dance and talk in large gatherings without masks are the riskiest activities for spreading the virus. All post event receptions particularly referring to wedding and funerals are banned,†he added.
According to him, “the protocols surrounding churches and mosques remain the same including schools.â€
President Akufo-Addo also urged institutions and businesses to go back to working in shift systems.
Ghana is 26 cases away from hitting the milestone 100,000 cases of Coronavirus since the deadly viral disease was first detected in the country on Thursday, March 12, 2020.
In its latest update, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) puts the cumulative total infections at 99,974.
Out of this number, 818 persons including notable public officers did not survive.
Others including the President recovered from the infection and were discharged. They make up 95,538.
Currently, 3,618 persons are battling the disease with fears that the country may be plunged into a third wave.
Out of this number, 26 are in severe condition while 15 are in critical condition.
These are figures for the country as of Sunday, July 18.
So far, a total of 1,379,016 tests have been run in communities as regards contact tracing as well as at the Kotoka International Airport for returning passengers in an effort to curb the spread of the disease.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has recommended the introduction of rapid diagnostic tests at all points of entry as the COVID-19 cases surge.
Addressing the media at the end of its two-day high-level strategic meeting on COVID-19 at Fumesua in the Ashanti Region, the Director-General, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, said this will help to test trucks and cargos that carry people on arrival.
Speaking on its recommendations to tackle the third wave of the COVID-19, he said they will increase surveillance and screening at the seaports and land beaches.
Dr Kuma-Aboagye said they will also ensure monitoring of the situation at the Kotoka International Airport and institute appropriate measures to contain the importation of the virus.
He said the GHS will scale up its testing capacity while antigen testing will be used as part of their rapid response in locations where there are outbreaks such as schools, workplaces and points of entry.
Dr Kuma-Aboagye said the contact tracing, quarantine and isolation will also be strengthened.
Speaking on challenges faced, Dr Kuma-Aboagye said total disregard for safety protocols, limited access to COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, inadequate number of ICU beds, vaccine hesitation and misinformation and oxygen supply in case of a higher surge in cases are some of the challenges.
The number of active COVID-19 cases has shot up to 3,446, the latest figures from the Ghana Health Service indicate.
Some 304 new cases have been confirmed.
The death toll has also risen to 817.
Since mid-March 2020, a total of 99,734 cases have been recorded.
Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye has debunked claims that Achimota School was going to be closed down after a total of 135 students and teachers tested positive to various variants of COVID-19 including Delta.
Dr Kuma-Aboagye over the weekend confirmed the presence of the Delta variant at Achimota School but however did not disclose the number of Delta variant cases.
Speaking further during a panel discussion on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokooo’, the GHS boss said the Achimota cases have been contained on the campus and that there will be no need to close down the school.
“Achimota school has so far produced about 135 positive cases and we’re still waiting. We have tested 844 people and we have 500 results so far,” he added.
Delta Variant
Ghana is said to have recorded the Delta Variant of the SARS-Cov-2 virus in a community after news broke that the variant had been detected at the Kotoka International Airport.
Six persons were reportedly picked up by the authorities for testing positive.
The detection of the Delta variant within a community in the country was confirmed by the Ghana Health Service on Friday, July 2, 2021 with the announcement made on the Facebook wall of the Ministry of Information-Ghana.
The Delta variant, which originates from India, is known to be the most contagious among all the Coronavirus variants.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced that 89 out of the 135 students of Achimota school who tested positive for the deadly Delta variant of the coronavirus have recovered,.
Between the 14th and 16th June 2021, 3 students were presented to the Achimota School Sickbay with influenza-like symptoms, a statement said on Sunday July 4.
All 3 were investigated for COVID-19 in line with laid down protocols.
They tested positive prompting the activation of the Public Health Emergency Rapid Response Teams (PHERRT) of the Greater Accra Region and the Okaikoi North Municipal of the GHS.
All 3 students were isolated following existing protocols •Other symptomatic students and contacts were identified, listed and also tested for COVID-19. All contacts placed in mandatory quarantine on campus.
The statement added “As of the 3rd July 2021, 843 students and staff had been sampled. 348 boarding students, 459 are day students, 36 teaching and non-teaching staff tested. Results available for 550 samples, total positive 135 ,pending results- 293 (samples collected on the 3rd July for day students)
“All 135 cases at the time of diagnosis were either asymptomatic or had mild to moderate illness •One staff among those affected •Approximately two-thirds of cases have recovered.â€
