Samuel Bryan Buabeng, a presidential staffer admits that times are hard and the government is working to bring relief to the citizenry in the short to medium term.
He is, however, not convinced that the main opposition leader, former president John Dramani Mahama, given his previous record can make things any better for Ghanaians.
Commenting on the prevailing economic difficulties via an October 21, 2022 tweet, Buabeng restated his belief that the government will soon fix the problem with the economy.
“We won’t be cowered or deceived by Mahama and his enablers. He doesn’t have the magic hands to make Ghana any better, we still have receipts of his moribund government, never again! We shall overcome. We have done it before. This, too, shall pass.”
The economy is facing major headwinds that have been characterized by galloping inflation, consistent depreciation of the cedi and general high cost of living and of doing business.
The government is hoping to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for an economic support programme aimed at shoring up the economy and easing the burden on ordinary Ghanaians.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has donated more than GH¢1.3 million to his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in support of the party’s upcoming internal constituency executive elections.
According to a statement issued by the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, the donation was made on Thursday, October 20, 2022.
The statement indicated that all the 138 constituency offices of the NDC are expected to get GH¢10,000 each from the donation to support their executive elections.
“The former President of the Republic of Ghana and NDC flag-bearer for the 2020 Presidential Election, H.E John Dramani Mahama has today donated an amount of GHS10,000 to each of the 138 orphan constituencies of the party (a total of GHS1,380,000) to support the conduct of constituency elections coming off this weekend,” parts of the statement read.
The NDC said that it is grateful to the former president for his continuous support of the party.
According to businessghana.com, 11, 825 candidates across the country have filed their nominations to compete for constituency executive positions in the party.
The election is slated for Saturday, October 22, 2022 and Sunday, October 23, 2022.
Read the full statement issued by the party below:
JOHN MAHAMA DONATES GHS1,380,000 TO SUPPORT NDC CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS.
20/10/22
The former President of the Republic of Ghana and NDC flag-bearer for the 2020 Presidential Election, H.E John Dramani Mahama has today donated an amount of GHS10,000 to each of the 138 orphan constituencies of the party (a total of GHS1,380,000) to support the conduct of constituency elections coming off this weekend.
The party is most grateful to His Excellency for his continuous support for the great NDC.
Sammy Gyamfi Esq.
National Communications Officer.
Supreme Court judge nominee, Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu, has acknowledged that some Ghanaians have lost trust in the country’s justice delivery system.
Speaking during her vetting at Parliament on Tuesday, October 18, Justice Ackah-Yensu, who is currently an Appeals Court judge, however, noted that, the situation is not as bad as some persons are asserting.
The Supreme Court judge nominee made these remarks while answering a question on ex-President John Dramani Mahama’s view that Ghanaians have lost trust in the judiciary.
Ex-President Mahama, at a forum held for lawyers of the National Democratic Congress on August 28, lamented that the judiciary has a ‘broken image under the leadership of the current Chief Justice.
He said that Ghanaians have lost trust in the judiciary, owing to some of its unanimous decisions, a situation he explains as dangerous to the country’s democracy.
He stated that it would only take a new Chief Justice to chart a path to regaining public trust in the judiciary.
“There is therefore an urgent need for the Ghanaian judiciary to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry and erase the widely held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest courts of the land.
“Unfortunately, we have no hope that the current leadership of our judiciary can lead such a process of change. We can only hope that a new Chief Justice will lead a process to repair the broken image that our judiciary has acquired over the last few years,” Mahama said.
But, Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu intimates that the former president’s view is wrong.
“I am aware of some loss in trust and confidence but from where I am sitting as a judicial officer, I can confidently say that it is not true, with all due respect, that generally, the populace is losing trust,” she said.
In order to get a bailout in 2015, the former president John Dramani Mahama’s administration turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He claimed that throughout his administration, there had been macroeconomic instability brought on by both domestic and external sources.
In an interview with VOA’s Straight Talk Africa program earlier this week, Mahama went into further detail, noting that the external element was primarily attributable to disruptions in commodities prices.
Regarding the internal component, he stated that an increase in worker compensation was a cause, adding that it “swallowed” up 73% of revenue produced.
The Single Spine Salary Structure was a policy for all public sector workers, no matter their area of specialization and the public organization they belong, to be placed or linked to one common salary structure.
“We are all members of the IMF. It is a body we go to when you have some macroeconomic instability and so at the time I was president, yes we suffered macroeconomic instability due to two factors: Internal and external.
“External…you will get shocked from time to time. We had the commodity price shocks; the slowdown in China. But internally, we overshot our expenditures because we introduced a new wage policy that sought to make the remuneration in the public sector more uniform and it shot the wage bill far above what we had anticipated. Almost 73% of our revenues was going to pay wages and salaries alone and so that forced us to go into the IMF,” Mahama told Hayde Adam in the interview aired on October 12.
Mahama intimated that issues such as the fight against corruption and the strengthening of state-owned institutions ought to be addressed in order for the economy to thrive.
This he said, the NDC will seek to achieve when given the opportunity to steer the affairs of the country.
He mentioned that the current return to the IMF to achieve debt sustainability and policy credibility should mark the start of governments prudently running the economy, stressing that it should be the last resort to the Bretton Woods institution.
“The economy is situated in an environment. It does not exist in isolation and so there are somethings that need to be done to create an environment for the economy to thrive. Some of them are governance issues, strengthening state-owned institutions, the fight against corruption and so many other things that create the environment for the economy to thrive.
“I think that when we go into this programme and we bring debts back to sustainable levels and we are able to get the bridging facility in other to achieve policy credibility so that investors again feel confident that they can bring back their money into Ghana, then we must start from there and maintain that prudence.
“This should be the last time we go to the IMF because going and coming, it creates a certain instability in the whole system and it also reduces the faith that people have in our democracy,” Mahama said.
Ghana initiated contact with the IMF in July after the economy experienced a downturn. The move was occasioned by downgrades of the economy by rating agencies such as Fitch, Standard and Poor and Moody’s which prevented the country from accessing the international capital market.
Ghana with its move is looking for a US$3 billion programme over a 3-year period. The government has expressed confidence that the programme will help return the country onto a path of growth.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama, has urged all African countries to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He stated that partaking in the free trade area will help develop their economies, as well as, stay competitive on the market; both locally and internationally.
Speaking at a virtual forum on Thursday, October 13, 2022, John Dramani Mahama said, “We must advantage of AfCFTA, grow our values and get ready for increased international trade.”
Meanwhile, Ghana, Egpyt, Cameroon, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya are the 7 countries participating in AfCFTA.
The products traded include ceramic tiles, car batteries, pharmaceuticals, palm kernel oil, coffee, rubber, tea, components for air conditioners, among others.
AfCFTA was introduced in 2018 with the aim of creating a single market for Africa, as well as, ensuring the free movement of goods and services on the continent.
This free movement of goods and services will help expand Intra-African trade.
This implies that goods will be sold at a relatively cheaper price because of the increase in production which will, in turn, create both direct and indirect jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.
The free trade area also provides traders and importers an opportunity to stay competitive.
Businesses when conducted in a free and safe environment will help reduce poverty in member states as well as create sustainable development.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has received much praise for turning the political conversation away from personal jabs and onto issues, particularly economic ones.
Prior to the 2016 elections, Dr. Bawumia ran on a number of issues and criticized the National Democratic Congress, which was in power at the time, for its handling of the economy.
He claimed that the economy had been dragged down by the NDC under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama and promised a recovery under the Nana Akufo-Addo/Bawumia ticket if they were elected.
On the Cedi depreciation, the NPP touted that former President Kufuor had done better in bringing the Cedi at par with the dollar however the NDC, whom they labelled as bad managers of the economy, had allowed it to depreciate when they assumed office in 2009.
Dr. Bawumia, who was hailed as an ‘economic messiah’ however promised to restore it once NPP was elected into office.
“We will stabilize the cedi and bring down interest rates. We will transform the financial sector,” he tweeted on August 25, 2012.
Having assumed office in 2017, Vice President Bawumia while giving an account of the first 100 days in office of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, indicated that they have been able to “arrest” the fall of the Ghana Cedi against the Dollar.
But the Cedi has largely lost more ground against the dollar, only intermittently stabilizing against the dollar in recent times.
The Vice President has been the target of public criticism as he doubles as the head of the Economic Management Team (EMT).
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, an aide to former President John Mahama, latched out at Dr. Bawumia describing him as a ‘liar in chief’ over failed promise to stabilize the Cedi.
He said the EMT led by the Vice President has become “hopeless and hapless” as the Cedi has fast crossed GH₵11.00 against the US dollar on the forex market
“The exchange rate is hurtling towards GHC12 to a dollar. The present managers of the economy led by Bawumia are both hopeless and hapless in the face of this unprecedented catastrophe,” Kwakye Ofosu wrote on his Facebook wall on October 13.
John Dramani Mahama, a former president of Ghana, has not made up his mind regarding whether or not he will run for the National Democratic Congress’s flagbearer position and ultimately guide the party into the 2024 elections.
However, he claims that a choice will be made on the matter early in the next year, in time for the NDC to choose a flagbearer.
Mahama stated in an interview with VOA’s Straight Talk Africa that he has not made up his mind to run for flagbearer, but added that it is “good to keep your opponents guessing” as to who will be put up.
“I haven’t,” Mahama responded amid laughter when asked if he has plans to run again in the 2024 elections.
“It’s good to keep your opponents guessing so even if I’m not running, I’m not going to say I’m not running. So a decision will be taken early next year in the first quarter. That’s when we hold our party’s primaries for the presidential candidacy and then we will see,” he added in the interview which aired on Wednesday, October 12.
Mahama’s name has come up as a strong contender in the NDC flagbearership race besides former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor who is also reportedly readying himself to mount a challenge for the slot.
Many keen watchers of the political space believe Mahama will ease past Duffuor if it ends up as a two-horse race.
It will be recalled that the former president in May this year expressed his interest in leading the NDC into the 2024 elections if the party will allow him.
Speaking in an interview with Ugandan-based NBS television, the 2020 flagbearer of the NDC mentioned that he is unperturbed if the party picks a different aspirant since the main priority is to win the 2024 polls.
“My country has given me so much, educated me, and made me who I am. So if the party lets me stand, I will,” NBS TV quoted John Mahama as saying.
“The main priority is winning the election come 2024, and if the party decides that I or someone else should stand, it’s all fine with me,” he added.
While the governing New Patriotic Party plans to extend its tenure in office beyond 8 years in what it has christened as ‘Break the 8’, the NDC is also lacing up its boot to wrestle power from the incumbent party.
He says Ghana cannot be compared to other nations where governments have enough time to implement their plans and guarantee smooth development.
“There is very little you can do in terms of infrastructure; we will try our best. We have a four-year term like they have in America and not like they have in other nations where there are five terms.
We will Invest in the health sector, invest in Education, invest in the economic infrastructure, but all these must be geared towards creating opportunities, especially for young people to be able to realize their full potential and be able to find jobs in the economy. I think that’s what we will be looking at,” he said in an interview on Voice of America.
The leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 election said another focus of a new NDC government would be strengthening public institutions in the country and intensifying the fight against corruption.
He reiterated his calls for the review of the 1992 constitution. He believes that after 26 years of using the constitution, it will be right that some tweaking is done to help build the country.
Steve Hanke, a professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University, believes that Ghana’s economic issues won’t be resolved by a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement.
The economist mentioned Ghana’s national bond in a tweet on October 12 and noted that it has lost 50% of its value this year.
“While talk of a debt default swirls in Ghana, its sovereign bonds tank. They have depreciated over 50% this year. Now, Pres. Akufo-Addo passes the begging bowl to the IMF. SPOILER ALERT: like Ghana’s past 16 IMF programs, a new one will fail to fix Ghana’s problems,” Professor Hanke tweeted.
Ghana has since July this year been engaging IMF hoping to secure a US$3 billion deal which will be spread across a three-year duration.
Ahead of that, there are moves by the government to restructure debts of investors after the completion of a Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) by IMF.
A debt restructuring will result in a longer yield-to-maturity for government bonds and bills, or the implementation of the “haircut” strategy. Some investors’ returns on investments may be impacted by this.
Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama in an interview on VOA’s Straight Talk Africa has called for an end to the country’s continuous resort to the International Monetary Fund whenever it is confronted with economic headwinds.
He said the “going and coming” to the IMF depleted people’s faith in the country’s democracy and it also created instability.
He mentioned that the current return to the IMF to achieve debt sustainability and policy credibility should mark the start of governments prudently running the economy.
“The economy is situated in an environment. It does not exist in isolation and so there are somethings that need to be done to create an environment for the economy to thrive. Some of them are governance issues, strengthening state-owned institutions, the fight against corruption and so many other things that create the environment for the economy to thrive.
“I think that when we go into this programme and we bring debts back to sustainable levels and we are able to get the bridging facility in other to achieve policy credibility so that investors again feel confident that they can bring back their money into Ghana, then we must start from there and maintain that prudence.
“This should be the last time we go to the IMF because going and coming, it creates a certain instability in the whole system and it also reduces the faith that people have in our democracy,” Mahama said.
Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, a flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called for the scrapping of the four-year ex-gratia payments.
He said the country did not have the needed resources to honour that arrangement.
The former General Secretary of the NPP said there should be arrangements where Members of Parliament for instance could be offered “something little” at the end of their term in office instead of giving them lump sums every four years under the current system.
“Ex-gratia should be like a parachute payment. When you have served your country like a member of Parliament…it’s a difficult assignment. I would say it is like marriage. When you elevate a lady to certain level as a wife and you want to leave, that’s why they let you pay alimony,” he said in an interview in Accra.
“It cannot be right on any moral standing. We should stop it immediately. We don’t have the money as a country,” Mr Agyapong added.
Ex-gratia payments are regarded as part of the end-of-service benefits for a certain class of public servants — and it is paid every four years.
The category of workers who benefit from ex-gratia payment is Article 71 office holders made up of the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice and other Justices of the Supreme Court of the country.
The rest are Parliamentarians, Ministers of State, political appointees and public servants with salaries charged to the Consolidated Fund, but enjoying special Constitutional privileges.
There have been conflicting arguments about the essence of the payment of ex-gratia to Article 71 Office holders, with some commentators and Governance experts describing the practice as an “unfair arrangement.”
The debate resurrected when it emerged that Togbe Afede, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, returned an amount of GHS350,000 paid to him as ex-gratia for serving as a Member of the Council of State.
Togbe Afede described the amount as “outrageous” saying it was “inappropriate for a short, effectively part-time work.”
Nana Adjei Ampofo, a former member of the Council of State also called for a review of the payment of ex-gratia to members of the Council to meet the economic realities of the day.
Former President John Dramani Mahama recently pledged to implement recommendations of the Constitutional Review Committee as well as review ex-gratia payments in the next NDC administration.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has shared nuggets that can put Africa on the right footing in seeking to better the lot of people on the continent.
He identified among others absolute accountability of institutions, ethical and moral uprightness and stoic fidelity to the truth as three such values Africa needs.
His views were contained in a Facebook post dated October 9 sharing portions of a speech he delivered at the Liberty University’s convocation event last week in the United States.
“Absolute accountability, not just by government but by the institutions of state in service to the people and not themselves, will go a long way to remedy many of the systemic problems that affect our African people.
“In Africa, we need ethical and moral uprightness as guiding principles, and a stoic fidelity to the truth and to do right by our people above all other considerations,” his post accompanied by photos of his engagement read.
Mahama was a special guest of honour at the 2022 Liberty University Convocation in Lynchburg, Virginia where he delivered a speech to a packed auditorium.
He described Ghana as “an island of religious calmness in a sea of turbulence,” citing how “almost all our surrounding neighbours have in recent times experienced some major form of insurgency, coup d’etats or other conflicts, including religious conflicts.”
He explained the situation in Ghana’s northern neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, where insurgents are running roughshod.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has called on the Judiciary to take keen interest in investigating criminal cases and delivering impartial justice.
The former President, in a tweet on Sunday, was not excited about the execution of works by some institutions while asking them to do better.
“A judiciary owes it a duty to deliver impartial justice to the people; an Ombudsman owes a duty of care to the people to investigate all issues of malfeasance; a police force should exist to serve the people and not rein terror on them.”
In the same tweet, he added that the Electoral Commission (EC) must also take responsibility to include citizens in the electoral processes and desist from satisfying the interest of the incumbent government.
“An electoral commission owes a sacred duty of care to the people by ensuring they are included in the electoral process & not excluded in the interest of the incumbent administration; an independent media owes it to the people to not only report facts without bias, but to hold the government of the day accountable.”
In Africa, we need ethical and moral uprightness as guiding principles, and a stoic fidelity to the truth and to do right by our people above all other considerations. pic.twitter.com/SITGKSatSw
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) October 9, 2022
Absolute accountability, not just by government but by the institutions of state in service to the people and not themselves, will go a long way to remedy many of the systemic problems that affect our African people. pic.twitter.com/AbtNHvO2TH
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) October 9, 2022
A judiciary owes it a duty to deliver impartial justice to the people; an Ombudsman owes a duty of care to the people to investigate all issues of malfeasance; a police force should exist to serve the people and not rein terror on them; an electoral commission owes …
1/2 pic.twitter.com/PIWJYsZ1tS
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) October 8, 2022
Absolute accountability, not just by government but by the institutions of state in service to the people and not themselves, will go a long way to remedy many of the systemic problems that affect our African people. pic.twitter.com/AbtNHvO2TH
The former Chief of Staff of Ghana, Julius Debrah, has narrated the circumstances that led to him becoming the Chief of Staff of former President John Dramani Mahama.
Speaking in an interview with Kwahu Ambassador, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, Julius Debrah said that he never expected in his wildest dream to become the Chief of Staff of Ghana just months after losing a parliamentary election.
According to him, after losing his bid to become the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Suhum Constituency in the 2012 Election, he surprisingly got his first appointment under President John Dramani Mahama as the Eastern Regional Minister in 2013.
After serving as Eastern Regional Minister for just one month, he was appointed Greater Accra Regional Minister, a position he held for less than a month. After serving as the Greater Accra Regional Minister, he was once again appointed the Eastern Regional Minister, which he held for less than a month.
Julius Debrah added that because of his hard work, ex-President Mahama had come to love him and he (Mahama) appointed him Local Government and Rural Minister in June 2014.
He said that the greatest shock of his life was when President Mahama appointed him as his Chief of Staff while he was on an official government assignment abroad.
“The president one day sent me on an official assignment in Kenya; I was leading a delegation there. So, I went to the president a day before leaving for the assignment to appreciate better what he needed me to do, so I will not go and waste the state’s money. So, the president told me what he needed from me when I went to the programme.
“The surprising thing is that the president never told me that he wanted me to be his Chief of Staff. After I had arrived in Kenya and was resting, I received a call from Ras Mubarak, who started congratulating me. So, I asked him why he was doing that. And he told me to stop pretending.
“I asked him what he was talking about and he said I was the new Chief of Staff. I could not believe him. I was asking myself whether this could be true because I was just with the president just the day before and he did not tell me anything but the calls kept coming and people were congratulating me,” he narrated in Twi
“I cannot explain how this happened. In less than two years, I was a minister for two regions, a cabinet minister and a chief of staff,” he told the host.
Brief profile
Mr Debrah studied at Mpraeso Secondary School and then moved to Achimota Secondary School for A-Levels from 1987 to 1989.
Following this, he gained admission to the University of Ghana where he obtained a BA in Archaeology and Sociology.
Debrah spent 18 years of his working life in the Real Estate Agriculture sector.
A native of Obomeng Kwahu, Debrah is married with two children.
The award, presented after his keynote presentation at the Official Opening Dinner of the 2nd 500 CEO Summit, is to celebrate President Mahama for governing wisely, “advocating and achieving a consistent track record on economic development, women’s participation in education, and enhancing economic growth.”
Dean of the Liberty University School of Business Dr. Dave Brat says, “President Mahamawas chosen for this award because he demonstrates all of the successful traits of Christian leadership under the greatest pressure and responsibility of governing and being the Chief Executive for a Nation, Ghana.”
Amidst applause from the audience of global CEOs attending the Networking the Nations CEO Summit, Dr Brat said, President Mahamaexhibited a warmth and joy that resonated with everyone at the summit.
Under Mahama’s presidential oversight, the School of Business Dean noted, Ghana saw massive infrastructure development drive in all sectors of its economy, including education, health, ports and harbors, rail, oil, and gas.
Liberty University, the world’s largest Christian university is hosting over 600 chief executives, political leaders, athletes, and faith leaders at the 2nd 500 CEO Summit.
President Mahamaand the Lt. Governor of Virginia on Wednesday addressed a Convocation of the student body.
The former President also took part in an Africa Orientation panel and interacted with with students from Africa.
On Thursday, President Mahama participated in a Doing Business with Africa panel together with the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo HE Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge, Finance Minister of the DRC Nicolas Kazadi Kadima Nzuji, US Congressman, The Build Act Ted Yoho, and USAID’s former Acting COO Max Primoric.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has underscored the need for government to tackle the growing rate of youth unemployment in the country.
He asserts the high rate of youth joblessness is a matter of national security concern that requires serious tackling.
“Government owe it as a responsibility to do all they can to secure the peace and safety of the nation, but above all to reduce youth unemployment. This is necessary to ensure that the young people do not become easily recruitable to fill the ranks of the insurgence due to frustration and lack of opportunity”, says Mr. Mahama.
He was speaking as a special guest of honour at the 2022 Convocation at Liberty University in Michigan of the United States.
The former President while condemning the activities of Boko Haram in the sub-region revealed that the youth stand a chance of being recruited if opportunities are not created for them.
“Ghana is an Island of religious calmness in a sea of turbulence as almost all our surrounding neighbours have in recent times experienced some major form of insurgency, coup d’états or other conflicts, including religious conflicts.”
“In all these acts, one thing is clear, leadership at all levels including the family, the school, the church, the government all have the responsibility to educate and inform the impress young members of our society about the imminent threats and dangers out there”, he emphasized.
Terrorist activities happening in Sahelian countries such as Burkina Faso and Malihave become a major concern to the government, hence the need for stringent measures to ensure the safety of the citizenry.
Ghana’s security agencies have been put on high alert over threats of terrorism in the country.
The government said several efforts are underway to ensure that the country is protected from any form of attack following reports that terrorist groups are looking to expand southward, with countries such as Ghana in focus.
Former President John Dramani Mahama underscored the role of religious co-existence in bolstering Ghana’s peace in a lecture delivered at an American University on October 5. 2022.
As a special guest of honour at the 2022 Liberty University Convocation in Michigan, the 2020 NDC flagbearer delivered a speech to a packed auditorium.
He described Ghana as “an island of religious calmness in a sea of turbulence,” citing how “almost all our surrounding neighbours have in recent times experienced some major form of insurgency, coup d’etats or other conflicts, including religious conflicts.”
Mahama explained the situation in Ghana’s northern neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, where insurgents are running roughshod.
He further cited the case of Boko Haram in Nigeria and how their activities are far from the variant of Islamic jihad that they professed.
He said Boko Haram “is a terrorist group that operates mainly in Nigeria and around the Lake Chad region. This terrorist group gained world infamy when they abducted over 200 girls from a secondary school in a town called Chibok.
“Many of these groups lay claim to a puritanical concept of Islamic jihad. But the fact that they are indiscriminate over who they attack, including killing their own fellow Muslims, gives us an indication of the extent of their perversion,” he stressed.
“There are also ISIS and bandits operating in the Sahelian region,” he added before stressing the need for leadership at all levels, the family, school, church, and government with the view to taking responsibility to inform youth about threats out there.
Governments, John Mahama noted, must guarantee peace and security and avenues to combat youth unemployment so that youth don’t become easy recruits due to frustration and lack of opportunity.
Boko Haram is a terrorist group that has for over a decade been operating across Nigeria but predominantly in the Northeastern states of Borno, Yola and Adamawa.
Their operations also extend across the Lake Chad region, that is northeastern Nigeria, parts of Niger and Chad as well as the far north region of Cameroon. A Joint Multinational Taskforce has largely tried to deal with its cross-national threats.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has underscored the need for government to tackle the growing rate of youth unemployment in the country.
He asserts the high rate of youth joblessness is a matter of national security concern that needs serious tackling.
“Government owe it as a responsibility to do all they can to secure the peace and safety of the nation but above all to reduce youth unemployment. This is necessary to ensure that the young people do not become easily recruitable to fill the ranks of the insurgence due to frustration and lack of opportunity”, says Mr. Mahama.
He was speaking as a special guest of honour at the 2022 Convocation at Liberty University in Michigan of the United States.
The former President while condemning the activities of Boko Haram in the sub-region revealed that the youth stand a chance of being recruited if opportunities are not created for them.
“Ghana is an Island of religious calmness in a sea of turbulence as almost all our surrounding neighbours have in recent times experienced some major form of insurgency, coup d’états or other conflicts including religious conflicts.”
“In all these acts, one thing is clear, leadership at all levels including the family, the school, the church, the government all have the responsibility to educate and inform the impress young members of our society about the imminent threats and dangers out there”, he emphasized.
Terrorist activities happening in Sahelian countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali have become a major concern to the government, hence the need for stringent measures to ensure the safety of the citizenry.
Ghana’s security agencies have been put on high alert over threats of terrorism in the country.
The government said several efforts are underway to ensure that the country is protected from any form of attack following reports that terrorist groups are looking to expand southward, with countries such as Ghana in focus.
John Dramani Mahama, a former president, has urged the administration to make sure that it strikes a deal with the IMF (IMF).
He added that because the country’s economic hardship had grown intolerable, a financial bailout from the Bretton Woods organisation was required.
John Dramani Mahama said in a tweet seen by GhanaWeb that an IMF agreement may stabilize the sputtering economy.
“Distressing! Every passing day makes our economic situation worse. Gov’t must work with greater alacrity to lock in a programme with the Fund in order to create a more predictable economic outlook,” the former president wrote on the micro-blogging site.
On October 3, 2022, international rating firm, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Ghana’s long-term issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to Caa2 from Caa1.
According to Moody’s, the downgrade reflects the recent macroeconomic deterioration of Ghana’s economy which resulted in further heightening of government’s liquidity, debt sustainability difficulties and posing an increased risk of debt default.
It however explained that the initiation of the review for downgrade is prompted by the ongoing negotiations between the government of Ghana and the IMF over a funding programme that may include a condition for debt restructuring to ensure debt sustainability.
It would be recalled that in June this year, government engaged the International Monetary Fund for a financial bailout amidst the economic challenges.
Subsequently, a team from the IMF arrived in the country from July 6 to July 13, 2022, to engage Ghanaian authorities for a possible economic support programme
Mahama stated that the current state of the economy is “distressing” in a tweet and urged the administration to quickly and eagerly secure an IMF program to stabilize the economy.
“Distressing! Our economic position worsens with each passing day. In order to secure a program with the Fund and generate a more predictable economic future, the government must act with greater urgency “He read his post.
The NDC flagbearer for the 2020 elections comments come after rating agency, Moody’s downgraded Ghana’s long-term issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to CAA2 from CAA1 and placed the ratings on review for downgrade.
The CAA2 downgrade reflects Ghana’s recent macroeconomic deterioration, further heightening the government’s liquidity and debt sustainability difficulties and increasing the risk of default.
This follows the recent downgrade of Ghana’s credit rating to ‘CC’ from ‘CCC’ by Fitch.
Despite Ghana’s tightening of monetary policy in response to the global price shock, it said inflation continues to rise from high levels and the currency has been under very significant pressure, adding, “combined, a sharp rise in interest rates, high inflation and a rapidly weakening currency exacerbate the government’s debt challenges”.
“Without external support, the government’s policy levers to arrest a worsening macroeconomic backdrop and heavier debt burden are extremely limited; the government’s small revenue base, largely and increasingly absorbed by interest payments, further intensifies the policy dilemma between competing objectives, including servicing debt while meeting essential social needs. As a result, the risk of an eventual default has increased”, it pointed out.
Ghana is at the IMF for US$3 billion to help the country navigate through the hostile economic crisis it finds itself in as a result of the adverse effects of the deadly coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
President Akufo-Addo has stated, on occasion, that “we have decided to seek the collaboration of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to repair, in the short run, our public finances, which have taken a severe hit in very recent times as a result, whilst we continue to work on the medium to long-term structural changes that are at the heart of our goal of creating a Ghana Beyond Aid, that is building a resilient, robust Ghanaian economy.”
Former President John Dramani Mahama finds news that some $100 million has been diverted from petroleum funds for unapproved expenditure disturbing.
He insists that there can be no justification for diverting revenues from the nation’s share of petroleum resources into any other account besides the Petroleum Hold Fund (PHF).
He said this amounts to a violation of Section 3 of the PRMA (Act 815) which “explicitly says that all Petroleum revenue due the Republic derived from whatever source shall be assessed, collected, and accounted for by the Ghana Revenue Authority.”
“Section (15) of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act (Act 919), is also clear that “Any borrowing exceeding the cedi equivalent of thirty million United States Dollars for the purpose of exploration, development, and production shall be approved by Parliament and shall be in consonance with the Petroleum Revenue Management Act,” Mahama added in a statement.
He asked the Minister for Finance to immediately return all such illegal payments back into the PHF “as there is no record to confirm parliamentary approval on any such loans acquired by GNPC in their work programme.”
The Minority in Parliament last week raised concern over the whereabouts of over $100 million accrued from Ghana’s Petroleum lifting in the first quarter of 2022.
The Minority in a statement said the revenue from the Jubilee and TEN fields to a company was transferred without Parliamentary approval.
The Minority also claimed that the Finance Minister has ceded shares from the 2021 Occidental (Oxy) transaction in respect of the Jubilee and TEN Fields to an offshore company known as JOHL “in a very surreptitious and opaque manner.”
The Minister of Finance, Kenneth Ofori-Atta, received a harsh warning from the minority in Parliament last week to repatriate all money earned from oil revenue into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF).
Because revenues are not being paid into the Fund, the Minority claims that the government is acting in violation of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA).
The caucus alleged that monies accruing from oil sales from the Jubilee and TEN fields are being transferred to an off-shore company.
“The decision by the current NPP Government to transfer revenues accruing from about 944,164bbls of crude lifting in the Jubilee and TEN fields to a company established in a safe haven (outside Ghana) without Parliamentary approval, amounts to a gross violation of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815) and Public Financial Management Act (Act 921),” the Minority stated on Thursday, September 29.
The statement signed by Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee John Abdulai Jinapor also alleged that Capital Gains Tax was not assessed and collected by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the sale of the 7% interest by Anadarko in the Jubilee and TEN Fields in 2021.
Therefore, the Minority said about $100 million cannot be accounted for.
“This is surely another ‘Agyapa’ deal in the making and we as a Minority will not sit aloof for this Government to raid the national purse, especially at a time when the nation is struggling to raise much needed revenues for critical expenditure.
“We demand that the Minister of Finance and for that matter Government, must with immediate effect repatriate all such illegal transfer payments back into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF).
“Failure to comply with our ultimatum will compel the Minority to use the necessary parliamentary processes to haul the Minister of Finance to parliament for possible censure.”
Commenting on this, Mr Mahama explained that Section 3 of the Peoruleum Revenue Management (PRMA) (Act 815) is explicit that all Petroleum revenue due the Republic derived from whatever source shall be assessed, collected and accounted for by the Ghana Revenue Authority.
Also referencing Section (15) of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act (Act 919), he said it states clearly that “Any borrowing exceeding the cedi equivalent of thirty million United States Dollars for the purpose of exploration, development and production shall be approved by Parliament and shall be in consonance with the Petroleum Revenue Management Act.”
Therefore, Mr Mahama said there can be no justification for diverting revenues accruing from the nation’s share of petroleum resources into any other account aside the PHF.
“The Minister for Finance must as a matter of urgency repatriate all such illegal payments back into the PHF without delay as there is no record to confirm parliamentary approval on any such loans acquired by GNPC in their work programme,” he said in a Facebook post on Monday October 3.
Aide to former president John Dramani Mahama, Madam Joyce Bawah Mogtari, has lauded organizers of the annual Ayawaso Basic Schools quiz competition.
Whiles delivering a speech as the guest of honour for the just ended edition of the competition, she tasked the Zongo Inspiration Team, ZIT, to stay the course and improve the event year-in and out.
“I have been following the programme for quite some time and I think it is awesome what Zongo Inspiration Team is doing.”
Addressing the contesting students and others present, she stated: “Many years ago, we were all like you people and somebody had to inspire us and encourage us to do better and to do more.
“I think it is fantastic that you bring all these children here under one roof, spend time preparing m for their exams.”
She noted that, given the distinct and advancing communities that Zongos are, education has been and will continue to be a gamechanger.
She further extended greetings from office of John Dramani Mahama, who she said was out of town and as always held great interest in education.
The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Basic School located in Accra New Town were crowned winners of the Quiz Competition.
The school defeated three others in the final of the event that took place last Thursday, September 29, 2022 at the Nima-Mamobi Kathy Knowles Library, near the National Mosque, Kanda.
The winning team comprised Sagoe Desmond, Donkor Hannah Kissiwaa, Tamora Theresa and Kanyi Bettymood.
The competition which started earlier this month aims at pooling public and private schools in the Ayawaso cluster with the view to promoting out-of-class academic engagement with healthy competition.
The contest is specifically for Junior High School students.
Sixteen schools set out in four groups of four, with elimination of two schools after each contest, culminating in the semis and the finals that had the winning school, St. Kizito Roman Catholic Junior High School, Apostolic Hope School and Ring Road East ‘1’ Basic School.
For their award, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial team were awarded a giant trophy and sets of books among other prizes.
The event has other strands including entertainment and importantly the issue of role modeling, which entails sharing inspiring stories of professional Muslims with the young ones.
Sarkin Samari of the Hausa Community in Greater Accra, Alhaji Salisu Maude who awarded the finalists with cash prizes, encouraged them to aspire to achieve greater heights in life.
Aside Madam Mogtari, also present was Member of Parliament for Ayawaso East, Yussif Jajah; CEO of youth empowerment enterprise, ZongoVation Hub, Mahmoud Jajah and Umaru Sanda Amadu, a journalist with Citi FM.
Each of them shared their experiences and words of motivation with the students and other members of the audience.
ZIT describes itself as, “a career guidance and mentoring organization aimed at counseling, inspiring and building the capacities of young students in Zongo communities across the country.”
The organizers have expressed fulfilment at this year’s programme with the view to improve on all aspects of the 2023 edition.
The event which is the 4th edition had support from EPP book services, OP Studios, Alfirdaws Modern Bakery and Pastries and Manasseh Azure.
The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has turned down his chances of becoming the party’s running-mate for the next flagbearer in the upcoming 2024 general election.
According to the incumbent national chairman, it is not within his ambition to either become a running mate or a flagbearer for the NDC.
He made the declaration on Angel FM’s Anopa Bofo morning show, Thursday, September 29, 2022, in response to a question on whether or not he would like to be the next running of the party.
Although he played an active role in the camp of Mr. John Dramani Mahama who was running mate to Prof John Atta Mills in the lead up to the 2008 elections, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo said he harbours no intention to be Mahama’s running mate should he win the NDC’s upcoming flagbearership contest.
“No, I won’t accept flagbearer, I won’t accept running mate position. What I want to do now is party work. Whoever the party elects and appoints as flagbearer and running mate, I will use my energy and wisdom gathered in the game to support them to win the [2024] election,” Ofosu Ampofo told host of the programme, Nana Yaa Brefo.
He maintained that his main priority is centered on helping the party come back to power for him to be addressed as ‘Chairman of a ruling party’ [NDC] in January 2025 and not as opposition chairman as he holds currently.
The former Eastern Regional Minister further explained that his undesired running mate position has to do with his political ambitions and has nothing to do with claims that he was at loggerheads with Mr. Mahama which he said are “false”.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari, an aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, has urged Adansi Asokwa Member of Parliament, Kobina Tahir Hammond, to wake up to the dawn of a new dispensation for the youth.
Her comments come on the back of the MP’s viral video in which he is seen interacting with journalists and making critical comments about the youth for booing President Akufo-Addo at the Global Citizen Festival over the weekend.
In a Twitter post on September 28, the aide said the youth were now more at the center stage of affairs and had a huge voice – a deviation from the past status quo of silence.
She mentioned that as a result, they have become influential and cannot be overlooked the world all over.
“Hon K.T Hammond should please wake up and smell the roses! All over the World, young people have taken center stage! They have a huge voice, are a huge constituency and should not be overlooked or described in such disparaging terms,” Bawah Mogtari tweeted.
What K. T Hammond said
In an interview with journalists earlier this week, the legislator expressed his disgust at the booing of President Akufo-Addo while arguing that it was not right for the youth to disrespect the president and by extension elders in the society, especially for political reasons.
He urged the youth to at all times remain humble and accord the necessary respect to people who are advanced in age.
K. T Hammond added that the platform on which the president spoke was not a political one to warrant the reaction he had from some patrons of the event.
“We don’t live in a country and do that. Let’s be humble. Whatever we do, the president is the executive head of this country. When he came, he didn’t say anything. It wasn’t even a political platform,” he stated.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama is optimistic that Ghana will beat Nicaragua in the friendly match scheduled to be played this evening.
The leading member of the National Democratic Congress was disappointed just like all Ghanaians last Friday when Brazil took the Black Stars to the cleaners.
At the end of that contest, Brazil beat Ghana 3-0 in fine fashion.
Ahead of the second friendly match of the September international break today, John Dramani Mahama says a win for Ghana will do the Black Stars a lot of good.
The ex-president says he is trusting the team to beat the opponent this evening.
“Need to shake off the glitch in the 1st half of the Ghana/Brazil game. An emphatic victory against Nicaragua in this friendly soccer match will boost the confidence of the Black Stars. Trusting the team to deliver as we continue to support them.
“Go Black Stars Go,” part of a post on the Facebook page of the former president reads.
This evening’s friendly match between Ghana and Nicaragua will be played at the Estadio Francisco Artes Carrasco in Lorca, Spain.
After 17 years of serving as the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Kwadwo Asiedu Nketia has decided to hang up his boots at least from this position.
The role of Asiedu Nketia, who is popularly known as General Mosquito, as the General Secretary of the NDC, from 2005, cannot be overemphasized. Under his watch, the NDC has won 2 presidential elections and has also been the majority in Ghana’s parliament on two occasions.
Replacing General Mosquito will no doubt be a tall order for the NDC, given his vast political experience having served as a Member of Parliament for 12 years and a deputy minister for four years in addition to his service as the General Secretary of the NDC.
Some brave members of the NDC have been tipped to replace the outgoing General Secretary, whose tenure is expected to end in about three months.
GhanaWeb takes a look at four of these party members who are likely to fill the ‘big’ shoes of General Mosquito.
Abdul Ishaq Farrakhan
Abdul Ishaq Farrakhan is one of the names that have been mentioned as a replacement for Johnson Asiedu Nketia. This will not be the first time Abdul Ishaq Farrakhan has been tipped to be the General Secretary of the NDC.
In 2014, he was the only person who dared to challenge General Mosquito for the party’s General Secretary position even though he lost.
Ishaq Farrakhan, who is 52 years old, previously served the party as its district chairman in the Obuasi Municipality in the Ashanti Region.
In the run-up to the 2014 NDC executive election, Farrakhan can be remembered for saying that he was going to spray General Mosquito with a mosquito insecticide.
In 2018, Abdullah Ishaq Farrakhan was one of 11 people who contested in the party’s Deputy General Secretary elections which he lost to Dr. Peter Boamah Otokonor.
Even though he has not stated his intention, many party folks have indicated Farrakhan is one of the people who can replace General Mosquito.
Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey
Another name that has come up as a replacement for General Mosquito is Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, the former Member of Parliament for the Ketu South Constituency in the Volta Region in Ghana’s 6th and 7th Parliaments.
Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, in addition to his role as MP, was the deputy minister of finance, from 2009 to 2013. He was also appointed by former President John Dramani Mahama, to serve as the Minister of State at the Presidency in charge of Financial and Allied Institutions. He also served as the Minister of Food and Agriculture and the Minister for Transport.
Before his roles as MP and minister, Kwetey served as the party’s chairman at the University of Ghana, Legon. He was also an advisor to the late former President Jerry John Rawlings and was also voted as the party’s chief communicator, otherwise known as the Propaganda Secretary. He is now the National Communication Officer.
The former Ketu South MP is yet to confirm whether he will be contesting in the upcoming national election which is slated for December 2022.
Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor
The current Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, has stated his intention of contesting in the NDC’s General Secretary race.
The Deputy General Secretary of the NDC is also the Deputy Director of Research of the NDC and the Registrar for the Ghana Institute of Social Democracy (GISD).
Dr. Otokunor previously contested in the NDC primaries for the Ablekuma Central Constituency parliamentary seat in 2015 which he lost. He has served in various positions in NDC governments including the Deputy Coordinator for the National Youth Authority (NYA).
He had recently worked as the Senior Researcher at the Communications Directorate (Office of the President) prior to being the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority of Ghana.
Elvis Afriyie Ankrah
Another person who has clearly stated his intention to contest in the party’s General Secretary race is the party’s Director of Elections, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.
Afriyie Ankrah served as the Deputy National Campaign Manager for the 2008 and National Campaign Coordinator for the 2012 Presidential Campaigns of the National Democratic Congress and both Presidents, John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama.
Many years after the declaration of African unification, he claimed that the obstacles of a shared currency, intra-African trade, and free movement of people and products remain.
According to Mr. Mahama, “Kwame Nkrumah truly never dies because his words will ring true for Africa across eternal millennia.”
In a tribute to the memory of Dr Nkrumah to mark Nkrumah Memorial Day which falls on his birthday on September 21 each year, President Mahama said “the visionary words by the Founder of our nation, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, span the timeless future of Africa.”
In front of 31 other African heads of state who met in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on May 24 1963, Nkrumah appealed, cajoled, and did everything in, perhaps his greatest speech ever, to convince his colleagues to go the whole hog and create a strong continental union. Sadly, they decided otherwise.
“It is clear that we must find an African solution to our problems, and that this can only be found in African unity. Divided we are weak; united, Africa could become one of the greatest forces for good in the world,” Dr Nkrumah said
On September 21, 2022, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day will be observed. Mr. Mahama claimed the nation’s founder had the vision to free Africa from its current economic problems in a Facebook post.
“It is obvious that we need an African answer to our issues, and that this can only be achieved through African unity. Dr. Nkrumah was quoted by the former President as saying, “Divided we are weak; united, Africa may become one of the greatest forces for good in the world.
According to him, “These visionary words by the Founder of our nation, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, span the timeless future of Africa.”
“Many decades later we are still facing the challenges of common currency, intra-African trade, and free movement of people and goods across our continent,” Mr. Mahama added.
He said truly, Kwame Nkrumah never dies! “Because his words will ring true for Africa over timeless millennia!”
It is a blatant untruth for the Akufo-Addo Government to say that they have been paying the rent for President John Mahama’s Cantonments office. It is a brazen falsehood for Akufo-Addo’s Government to say that they have been negotiating or engaging in talks with former President John Mahama for an office for him.
We are in the sixth year of President Akufo-Addo’s reign of terror, and simple constitutional requirements have been disregarded with impunity.
It is a real shame! The shame goes to President Akufo-Addo and to his Chief of Staff, Frema Opare. I mention Frema’s name, specifically, because at her level in government there are a number of matters she deals with that do not come to the attention of the President.
If she is competent, she will have a list in front of her of the emoluments of ex-presidents and their spouses. She should know, off the cuff, what President John Mahama is entitled to and should be ticking the items off one after the other as soon as the constitutional commitments have been fulfilled. Unless, of course, she is following orders from President Akufo-Addo to violate the laws of the land.
She should know that, without a doubt, President John Mahama is entitled to a fully functional office after his term as President and this office should be provided by Government. This includes an office building, office furniture, office equipment, and salary payments for a limited number of office staff. Indeed, the Edu-Buandoh Emoluments Committee in its August 2016 report described this as “furnished and up-to-date office and communication equipment”.
When the honourable gentleman says that he has not been given an office and that he has rented one and pays for it himself, representatives of government-run around spewing garbage and pointing to certain payments for staff that have been done.
Are the members of staff supposed to sit on trees to do their work? If so, who will allow them into their compounds to sit on their trees? Would the government take it lightly if they saw them perched on trees along the highways or byways of the capital doing their job, with their boss perched on another tree receiving their work and giving directives?
Ask Papa (President Kufuor) if we ever disrespected him in this way. Indeed, he accepted an office, which we fully furnished. He labeled it as his temporary office and directed that we get him a permanent office. He inspected the location of the permanent office himself and confirmed that he liked it.
He sent us architectural drawings and we built it from scratch to his specifications, despite a tight financial situation.
When you act like this, it provokes comparisons that disturb the well-deserved peace of our ex-presidents.
First, your representative, Richard Ahiagbah fabricates stories that he has a document showing that government pays for JM’s Cantonments office. Really? Then he later claims the so-called document shows that government is rather in talks with JM to provide him an office. Wow! This is pathetic!
I, Valerie Sawyerr, am the representative for President John Mahama in transactions on his Cantonments office rental. I challenge you, Chief of Staff Frema Opare, or any of your representatives to come up with the so-called evidence that government pays for JM’s office at Cantonments.
Also, what are these rants and raves on an alleged GHS14 million supposed to have been paid to JM in 2013 as ex gratia?
Documents on the release of funds for ex gratia can easily be located at the Ministry of Finance. That is where the funds are released from. There will also be copies of the Chief of Staff’s records and/or the records of the Chief Director of the Office of the President.
Frema, the allegations are not true. You know that they are not true. The least you can do is to clear the air to restore your reputation that is being dented day by day by your failure to execute.
Why must a situation be created where President Mahama has to offer to show his bank statement to journalists to prove that he never received such an amount? Why should that be when you know the allegations are not true?
Per the Ewurama Addy Emoluments Report, the ex-president was entitled to ex gratia amounting to the sum of:
a.Six(6)months consolidated salary for each year served.
b. Installation grant of (1)month’s consolidated salary.
c. Resettlement Grant of one (1) month’s consolidated salary for each year served.
The Committee pegged the President’s monthly salary at Twelve Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHS12,000,00). In January 2013, when ex-gratia for January 2009 to January 2013 term would have been calculated, JM had only served approximately five (5) months as President from the date of death of President John Evans Atta Mills.
His ex-gratia would therefore have been the above-outlined formula scaled down to the five-month equivalent. Plus, ex-gratia as vice president, which is similar to the above but five (5) months instead of six (6) months consolidated salary for the three (3) years and seven (7) months he served as vice president.
The Ewurama Addy committee pegged the Vice President’s monthly salary at Ten Thousand Eight Hundred Ghana Cedis (GHS10,800.00).
Do the calculations. How can a rational human being arrive at a figure of GHS14 million by any stretch of his or her warped imagination? Your minions must do some research work so that when they formulate Kweku Ananse stories they do so along credible lines.
One must, however, ask why we are even bothering ourselves with this matter. Soon and very soon, President Akufo-Addo will be an ex-president. Aloooo? Is he going to collect all his benefits before he leaves office on January 7, 2025?
Ha ha ha! We dey here cool333. We dey watch.
Note that President John Mahama did not complain to the world that his legal entitlements had not been fulfilled by Government. He has not clamoured for any monies or goodies.
That is not the issue because, ‘tafrats3’, even if JM cannot pay for office space it will only take a few loved ones to put money together for office rental for him. The issue is the lack of dignity that is sought to be imposed by attempting to reduce an ex-president to the level of groveling for what he is entitled to by the laws of the land.
The attempt to belittle him cannot be justified. But even in that, you have failed miserably. President John Mahama still stands head and shoulders above President Akufo Addo.
With the terrible mismanagement of the economy, the pathetic interventions of Vice President Bawumia, the incompetence and lack of cohesive productivity of the members of Government, and the constant corruption scandals, it is clear that the people of Ghana have given up on your government and are passionately clamouring for the return of President John Mahama.
JM … No size! I am for peace … Shalom!
Dr. Valerie Esther Sawyerr is an Adviser to H.E John Dramani Mahama. She was a Senior Policy Adviser to President Mahama and also a former Deputy Chief of Staff
He explained that the salary differentials has been occasioned by President Akufo-Addo taking a 30% salary cut in July this year as a result of economic crunch.
Addressing a press conference on September 19, Abronye DC reiterated that the government continues to fund the activities of Mahama despite he being out of office.
“In 2021, we all saw in the Emolument Committees report and the salaries of ministers up to that of the president. As I speak today, John Dramani Mahama receives more salary than Akufo-Addo.
“He receives GH₵35,000 without a Cedi deduction but for Nana Akufo-Addo’s GH₵35,000, 30% percent is deducted from it and other government appointees also take the cut since 2021. So you [Mahama] who is sitting at home not working, when you are traveling the state funds it, your salary is bigger than that of President Akufo-Addo and his Vice Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia ,” he charged.
Abronye DC has in recent times taken on the former president over issues concerning his finances, particularly ex-gratia.
Background
Abronye DC has alleged that former President Mahama took ex-gratia of GH¢14 million in 2013 and GH¢15 million in 2017, a claim the former president has denied.
He alleged that the former president took the GH¢14 million ex-gratia through his Agricultural Development Bank Account and that he (Mahama) also received retirement benefits including his salaries, accommodation allowances, travel allowances, and salaries of his staff that summed up to GH¢15 million.
But Mahama has denied the GH¢14 million and has also said that he does not receive his full retirement benefits.
“They haven’t given me an office, I rent an office in East Cantonments, I pay the rent myself, I pay for my own fuel, the state doesn’t give me fuel. I pay my own domestic staff; I pay my own medical bills. I pay for my own air tickets when I travel,” the ex-president said in a TV3 interview last week.
Mahama paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled for seven decades, in a Twitter post on September 19.
He commended her for being a great woman who promoted harmony and had a good sense of humor.
Mahama recalled the encounter he and his wife, Lordina, had with the British king in 2014 at Buckingham Palace.
He said that coming into contact with her leaves one struck by her “dignity and grace”.
“An era has come to an end. The world salutes a very great woman. She was the commonwealth; such a diplomat, who took it upon herself to bring diverse nations together. Her visits to Ghana in 1961 and 1999 are perfect examples. Fare thee well, Queen Elizabeth
“I recall my visit to the Buckingham Palace in 2014 with my wife, Lordina, and our interaction. One is struck by her dignity and grace. She had a good sense of humour and clarity of thought. Fare thee well, Queen Elizabeth,” Mahama tweeted.
Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96 and has since been succeeded by King Charles III.
World leaders are attending the funeral ceremony which takes place today in London.
An era has come to an end. The world salutes a very great woman. She was the commonwealth; such a diplomat, who took it upon herself to bring diverse nations together. Her visits to Ghana in 1961 and 1999 are perfect examples.
On September 19, Mahama paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled for seven decades, in a tweet.
He praised her for being a great woman who promoted harmony and had a sense of humor and clarity.
Mahama recounted when he and his wife, Lordina, met the British monarch in Buckingham Palace in 2014. He indicated that an encounter with her leaves one struck by her “dignity and grace”.
“An era has come to an end. The world salutes a very great woman. She was the commonwealth; such a diplomat, who took it upon herself to bring diverse nations together. Her visits to Ghana in 1961 and 1999 are perfect examples. Fare thee well, Queen Elizabeth
“I recall my visit to the Buckingham Palace in 2014 with my wife, Lordina, and our interaction. One is struck by her dignity and grace. She had a good sense of humour and clarity of thought. Fare thee well, Queen Elizabeth,” Mahama tweeted.
An era has come to an end. The world salutes a very great woman. She was the commonwealth; such a diplomat, who took it upon herself to bring diverse nations together. Her visits to Ghana in 1961 and 1999 are perfect examples.
John Mahama stated that in order to minimise government expenditure, he would decrease the amount of money the state pays to some Article 71 holders in
his next administration.
Speaking at the 2022 Te Za (Yam Festival) of the Asogli Stateon Monday, September 12, said, “I want to assure all Ghanaians that the next NDC administration will revisit the act, especially the matter of Article 71 emoluments, especially the issue of ex-gratia payment and the size of government to cut down on expenditure.”
Article 71 of the 1992 constitution states that salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities available, to the President, the Vice-President, the chairman and the other members of the Council of
State; Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers, being expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund, shall be determined by Parliament on the recommendations of the committee (of not more than five persons appointed by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State.)
The “salaries” in question include allowances, facilities, and privileges, as well as retirement benefits or awards.
The payment of ex-gratia to former statesmen has come under heavy criticism in recent times as the country faces intense economic challenges.
For most Ghanaians and the Paramount Chief and Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, it is unwise for such spending to continue in recent times when the government is supposed to cut back on its expenditure, as it currently spends more than it generates.
It will be recalled that Togbe Afede XIV made headlines when he turned down more than 365,000 as allowance for serving on the Council of State from 2017 to 2020.
“I returned the ex-gratia amount I was given not because I didn’t need the money. In fact, at that particular time, I needed money very badly to meet various family obligations. But I truly believe that money was not deserved,” Togbe Afede XIV said at a youth empowerment forum and anti-corruption day celebration ahead of this year’s Asogli Yam Festival.
The Paramount Chief was lauded for his actions by Ghanaians on social media, as well as former statesman John Mahama.
“As people in authority, we must not massage the truth but we must be bold always and fearless in speaking the truth, and I must say one traditional leader who has always spoken the truth no matter who is hurt is Togbe Afede XIV,” the former President said.
According to Togbe Afede XIV, anyone who voluntarily gives his time to work for the country should be considerate and not demand ex-gratia “because our country is very poor.”
Ghana has reached out to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to obtain an economic program to address its economic challenges.
It is expected that the government. and the Fund reaches an agreement by the end of the year. Ghana has requested a USD 3 billion from the IMF.
“The unfortunate situation with our judiciary is exacerbated by a President who is packing the courts and appointing openly partisan judges to both the superior and lower courts. To make matters worse, the president and his legal team believe in weaponizing state prosecutions against political opponents. Not only has this government targeted former appointees who are being prosecuted on frivolous charges, but they are also prosecuting other persons and targeting business people perceived to belong to opposing parties,†he said.
President Akufo-Addo since 2018 has appointed fifteen (15) Supreme Court judges including four new recent ones, making him one of the Heads of State with the highest appointments in Ghana, only next to John Agyekum Kufuor.
Among the new appointments made by President Akufo-Addo is Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, who was captured in a 2016 poster as a contestant for the Ho central constituency seat on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party; the ruling party.
Former President John Dramani Mahama eulogised the deceased Northern Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), at the Islamic funeral rites held for him in Tamale.
As part of the funeral service, Muslim leaders prayed to Allah to have mercy on the deceased, which was led by Sheikh Abdul-Salaam, Northern Regional Chief Imam.
Mr Mahama said Alhaji Mobila was one of his key advisers during and after his 2020 presidential campaign.
Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Chairman of NDC, also in a tribute on behalf of the Party, said the death of the Chairman was heartbreaking not only for the party but also to the families and friends as well.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary of NDC said the late Chairman dedicated himself to the cause of party unity in the region as well as his commitment to return the party to power.
Mr Ibrahim Hamshawu, son of the late Alhaji Mobila, who read a tribute on behalf of the family, said his father was a charitable man, who lived for others, always helping people.
He said his father was a great teacher, who always taught the family the way to God by encouraging them to practice the Islamic teaching.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader in Parliament, expressed appreciation to all sympathizers for their support for the funeral.
Alhaji Ibrahim Mobila died at the age of 84 on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at the Tamale Teaching Hospital where he was undergoing treatment for a short illness.
He was also Chief of Tugu Yapalsi, a farming community on the Tamale-Yendi Road.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has entreated Ghanaians to continue to support the victims of the Appiatse explosion which claimed some lives and rendered many homeless.
According to him, support to the Appiatse explosion victims has declined and appealed to organisations, philanthropists, and individuals to continue with the assistance to bring their lives back to normalcy.
During a visit to the victims at the Appiatse Disaster Relief Camp on Tuesday to commiserate with them and assess the extent of damage, Mr Mahama said the government had done well in terms of support “but I believe the property they have lost should be taken into consideration.â€
“About eight months have passed since the incident happened and we can see that most of the things the government promised have been put in place. I am happy to be here to witness this day,†Former President Mahama said.
“We have secured funds for the housing project for the Appiatse Community but as the spokesperson for the victims touched on their well-being and the challenges they go through daily. The victims deserve some form of compensation, and the President should intervene.â€
The Former President presented 500 bags of rice,100 boxes of canned tomatoes, 50 boxes of mackerel, 50 boxes of cooking oil, and 100 pieces of mattresses to the victims.
He also added GHï¿ 5000.00 to settle the medical bills of those injured and pledged to offer more support on his next visit.
Mr Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, the Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-Valley, appealed for more resources for the Appiatse Disaster Relief Committee to ensure they worked effectively for the wellbeing of the people.
Dr Isaac Dasmani, the Municipal Chief Executive, Prestea Huni-Valley, expressed gratitude to the former President for the support and said 498 people were affected by the explosion but six were still in critical condition.
The tragic incident occurred on Thursday, January 20, 2022, along the Bogoso-Bawdie road when a vehicle transporting explosives to a mining company exploded, killing14 people and injuring many others.
For the Ga people, Saturday, August 13, 2022, was another historic day as they lavishly celebrated the Homowo celebration.
It was a proud occasion for the chiefs, leaders, families, and residents of Ga Mashie as well as for the visitors from all walks of life who had come to see one of Ghana’s most well-known festivals being celebrated.
In accordance with tradition, Your Majesty, Nii Dr Ayi Bonte II, Gbese Mantse, sprinkled the first “kpokpoi” to signal the start of the hooting at hungry for the other chiefs to follow.
The British High Commissioner, Naa Okaitoo Nrami I, Gbese Noyaa Manye was actively involved in the celebrations. Harriet Thompson who is the Development queen-mother of Gbese gleefully took part in all activities as she walked the principal street with Nii Dr Ayi Bonte II.
The Gbese Mantse sprinkled the traditional food -‘Kpokpoi’- along the principal streets of Accra which included Ussher Fort and its environs, which used to be the ancestral home before the arrival of the colonial masters.
It was a beautiful day as the traditional leaders painted the capital with their colourful red regalia and warrior attires, with the indigenes, including visitors in red attire.
The streets were busy at around with people, mainly young men and women moving from house to house and street to street to meet family members and friends.
The Gbese Mantse was honoured with the visitation of former President H.E John Dramani Mahama as well as vice-president H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to his Palace.
On November 5, 2022, the late Highlife musician, AB Crentsil, will be laid to rest in Ewoyaa, close to Saltpond in the Central Region.
This was announced at his memorial service which was held a week after his death on Saturday, August 13, 2022, at the Bethel MethodistChurch in Tema Community 8.
A family member, Joseph Kofi Quainoo who announced the funeral and burial plans said a wake keeping and thanksgiving service will be held on November 4 and 6 respectively.
The Highlife star died at The Bank Hospital, Accra on Wednesday, July 13, 2022.
The memorial service was characterised by the singing of a series of hymns, a biography of the deceased and brief eulogies from selected guests.
Many sympathisers, friends and family converged at the Bethel Methodist Church and later at the Community 8 Park in Tema to celebrate the life of Highlife great, AB Crentsil.
Also in attendance are political figures mostly from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Former President John Dramani Mahama was in attendance to mourn the late AB Crentsil, who he described as a personal friend.
He eulogised AB Crentsil for his music prowess and stage craft.
Mr Mahama was accompanied by the General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC, Joseph Ade Coker, some Members of Parliament including, Isaac Ashai Odamtten,( Tema East), Joseph Tetteh, (Kpone Katamanso) and other officials of the party in the Tema East, Central and West constituencies.
Also present are a number of musicians and officials of the Musican Union of Ghana(MUSIGA) and other players in the creative industry including, Diana Hopson, Bice Osei Kuffour(Obour), who is also MD for Ghana Post, Rex Omar, Ahuma Ocansey,, Clement Bonney, known in showbiz circles as Mr Beautiful, Kwasi Kyei Darkwah(KKD), Bessa Simmons, Lady Talata, Smart Nkansah among others.
Biography
Alfred Benjamin Crentsil, known in local and intemational music circles as AB Crentsil, was born to Alfred Benjamin Crentsil Snr and Esi Yaaba on January 15 1943 at Prestea in the Westem Region.
He had his formal elementary schoo! education at the Bedu Addo Methodist Primary and Rev. Cleveland Middle Schools.
After his middie school education, he was apprenticed as an electrician, following in the footsteps of his father who was himself an astute electrician, employed in the service of the Railway Company in Takoradi.
However, this venture was shortlived, because his interest in music, which seed was planted at the tender age of thirteen (13) years while in Middle School under the tutorship of his mentor, Mr. Tandoh, gradually superseded any interest he had developed in the trade he was engaged in.
In no time, he abandoned the trade and engaged all his energies in pursuing music as a career.
AB Crentsil quickly mastered the rudiments of guitar playing and readied himself to play in live bands.
He was profoundly gifted in the art of music composition and vocals. With these hamessed talents tucked under his armpit, he joined his first band, Strollers Dance Band which was based in Takoradi, in 1968. Subsequentty, he played in other bands such Os Lantics in Takoradi and El Dorados at Aboso.
He was a founding member of the Sweet Talks Band which was based at the Talk Of The Town Hotel in Community No. 2, Tema, alongside seasoned musicians such as Smart Nkansah, the late Jewel Ackah and Pope Flynn. He formed his own band the Ahenfo Band in 1982.
AB Crentsil had 25 albums to his credit: some of his songs which caught both local and international attention are Papa Samo, Landlord Abodwese, Devil, Osokoo among others.
AB Crentsil was baptised into the Methodist Church from infancy and remained in the faith until his demise. For a good part of the fifty-two (52) years that he lived in Tema, he worshipped at the Bethel Methodist Church at Community No. 8, Tema.
AB Crentsil left behind his beloved wife Elizabeth and eight children.
Sermon
The Bishop of the Tema Diocese and Chairman of the College of Bishops, Action Chapel International, Bishop Koffy Oko-Adjei in a brief sermon on the theme, Impossible to finish all said as humans, it is not possible to finish our tasks on earth adding that people must pitch their task on earth on Christ, who is the only one who was able to accomplish whatever task was assigned to Him by God.
Very Rev Major Ebo Ephraim (rtd) Superintendent Minister, Tema North Circuit of the Methodist Church who presided over the service urged all to remember the family in prayers.
Speaking to the family during a visit to announce the burial and funeral arrangements for the late singer, Mr. Mahama said: “it is God who gives, and it is He who takes.â€
He assured the family of his continued support explaining that “he was like my elder brother… we all grew up on his music.â€
Sound engineer, Fred Kyei Mensah better known as Fredyma, confirmed it via a Facebook post.
“FAREWELL AB CRENSTIL. The original composer and singer of the famous and controversial songs, ‘Moses and Atia’, AB Crenstil,has died! He had a stint with a lot of bands before joining the Sweet Talks Band with Smart Nkansah and then his own band, Ahenfo. His hit songs, ‘Juliana and Obi ba wiase’, cannot be forgotten,” the post read.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, Fredyma intimated that the veteran singer had been sick for some time now.
His comment came on the back of claims by President Akufo-Addo that John Dramani Mahama superintended over the worst economy in Ghana.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in an interview on Wontumi TV said, “This is the man (Mahama) who presided over the worst statistics in the economic history of our country, who also picked an economy and oil company and then sunk it into a 3.4 percent rate of growth.â€
Former Finance Minister, Seth Terkper has disagreed with President Akufo-Addo’s assertion that former President John Mahama superintended over the worst statistics in the country’s economic history.
Speaking on Ashanti regional-based Wontumi TV on Saturday, August 1, President Akufo-Addo said: “This is the man (Mahama) who presided over the worst statistics in the economic history of our country, who also picked an economy and oil company and then sunk it into a 3.4 percent rate of growth.â€
In a one-on-one interview on Neat FM’s Me Man Nti programme, the former Finance Minister in the erstwhile Mahama administration said someone who presided over the worst economy would not have set up ESLA (Energy Sector Levy Act).
“ESLA has brought in nearly GH¢20 billion…if we have this much revenue why do we still have bailouts not being paid? Why are we issuing bond without interest for five years? This is revenue which was described as a nuisance tax… the fact that they (NPP) said they will cancel it…so when my President (Akufo-Addo) describes his predecessor as worst… ”
He went further to give evidence to back his claim that Mahama did well in managing the economy.
Speaking to the family during a visit to announce the burial and funeral arrangements for the late singer, Mr. Mahamasaid: “it is God who gives, and it is He who takes.â€
He assured the family of his continued support explaining that “he was like my elder brother… we all grew up on his music.â€
He stressed that access to financial services is a critical driver of economic and social development and that WhatsApp banking will play a significant role in spurring commerce and helping African entrepreneurs grow both on the continent and beyond.
According to him, WhatsApp banking will enable businesses and individuals to interact with their banks and manage their finances without going through the usual stresses.
He added that, it will benefit both consumers and businesses as it allows for crucial financial services to be incorporated into a well-known service that people use on a regular basis.
“WhatsApp banking represents a great opportunity for traditional financial institutions to improve financial inclusion and serve the underbanked. WhatsApp banking has the potential to help entrepreneurs in several ways. It makes simple enquiries and transactions easy, but can also be used to manage complex transactions like Forex trading and swift transfers meeting the varied requirements of entrepreneurs.
Partnerships with technology businesses help these institutions improve their understanding of modern business methods, enabling them to offer innovative new products tailored to local markets such as Ghana,†he said in an interview with the B&FT.
Mr. Addo-Quaye added that in terms of cross-border transactions and payments, WhatsApp banking can be integrated into all forms of payments and channels including cards, wallets, mobile money and bank transfers, saying banks can leverage existing APIs and technology to help roll out these services across borders to suit the needs of their customers.
“Network International is committed to helping businesses and economies prosper by simplifying payments and commerce. Financial markets are recovering across Africa, thanks in part to an accelerated transition towards digital payments during the pandemic, and this presents a brilliant opportunity for us to improve financial inclusion for a diverse range of markets and people,†he said
The appointment by the president follows the resignation of Justin Frimpong Kodua who has been elected as General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party.
A letter dated August 9 and signed by Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante said the appointment takes effect from Wednesday, August 10.
“Further to the resignation of Justin Kodua Frimpong as the Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency and in accordance with Section 12(1) of the Youth Employment Agency Act, 2015 (Act 887), the President has appointed you to act as Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the Governing Board of the Agency, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission,†the letter read.
Meanwhile, Kofi Baah Agyepong has been handed 14 days to either accept or reject the appointment.
This was to aid the new Regional Headquarters of the Agency in the North East Region begin full operations and in line with the president’s vision of Job Creation, decentralisation and infrastructural development, actualising equitable implementation of the One Million Jobs Agenda.
President Akufo-Addo, who on the occasion also commissioned another newly built magnificent edifice to serve as the Administrative head of the North East Region was elated at how infrastructure is speedily coming to the Region, premised on his response to traditional authorities and the people of Ghana to create new Regions, Municipalities and Districts.
Speaking at a brief ceremony to mark the commissioning, President Akufo-Addo called on all and sundry to support the Employment Agenda of his government in every diverse way possible, an initiative he believes will continue to instil peace in the Region and Ghana and also bring about development.
Alhaji Ibrahim Bashiru, Deputy CEO in charge of Operations at the Youth Employment Agency acting on behalf of the CEO, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua thanked the president for his Resourcefulness and Support for the Agency since 2017.
Alhaji Ibrahim Bashiru explained the realisation of a massive deficiency which impeded the operations and effective implementation of modules of the Agency that had been infested with corruption in the previous years. “Management took a bold decision of revamping and reforming the Agency into an enviable one, a result of which we are experiencing today”, he said.
According to Mr Bashiru, two of such Regional offices have been completed and/or commissioned in the Oti, Western North and Ahafo Regions. Several others are at various stages of completion in other Regions and Districts. He explained that all of these are intended to bring life to the Agency’s innovative programmes like the Agric-based Flagship projects, YEA Jobcentre, Artisan Directory, CHWS etc.
Mr Bashiru further assured the president and the entire country of consistent hard work and innovation to bring more development and create more jobs for the youth of Ghana.
North East Regional Director of the Youth Employment Agency Nurudeen Mohammed was particularly thankful to the president, CEO Lawyer Kodua Frimpong and Deputy CEO Ibrahim Bashiru for the immense support and for bringing the Agency closer to the people.
The event was graced by His Excellency President Akufo-Addo, the Overlord of the Mamprugu traditional area Naa Abdulai Mahami Sheriga, North East Regional Minister Mr Zakaria Yidana, Local Government Minister Mr Dan Botwe, other cabinet ministers, presidential staffers, staff of YEA among others.
China’s live-fire military drills around Taiwan are threatening to disrupt trade and commercial travel in East Asia, forcing vessels to reroute away from one of the world’s busiest waterways and putting further pressure on strained global supply chains.
On Thursday, China kicked off drills involving the navy, air force and other military forces in the seas and airspace surrounding Taiwan. The drills — unprecedented in number — are a direct show of force in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the self-governed island, which Beijing repeatedly warned against.
The Chinese Defense Ministry on Tuesday released a map of six zones around the island where it said it would conduct air and sea exercises as well as long-range live-fire exercises that will last until Sunday. Ships and aircraft have been warned to stay out of the areas during the drills.
Taiwan has said the military exercises are tantamount to a “maritime and aerial blockade” and have “violated Taiwan’s territorial waters and its contiguous zone.”
They also threaten to disrupt trade flows in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
The Taiwan Strait, a 110-mile-wide artery separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia, is a key trade route for vessels carrying goods between major economies in northeast Asia such as China, Japan, and South Korea, and the rest of world.
The London-based shipping consultancy VesselsValue said there are currently 256 container ships and other vessels in Taiwanese territorial waters, with a further 60 estimated to arrive between Thursday and Sunday, when the drills will be performed.
“There is potential for substantial disruption to trade in the region,” said Peter Williams, a trade flow analyst at VesselsValue.
Shutting down trade routes around Taiwan, even temporarily, “raises concerns about whether China might successfully do this again, and what this could mean not just for future trade, travel and economic patterns, but potentially defensive and security scenarios as well,” said Nick Marro, lead analyst for global trade at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Repercussions ahead
It’s not yet clear what the long-term impact will be, but shippers expect delays due to rerouting, potential lost sales and higher costs for workers pulling longer hours.
Global supply chains have already been rattled by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which disrupted the flow of goods and drove up inflation in many parts of the world.
Any conflict in Taiwan, which dominates the semiconductor industry, could exacerbate the global shortage of computer chips, which are vital components for virtually all modern electronics.
Taiwan has seven major ports. The Port of Kaohsiung, located on the southwestern coastline, is the largest harbor in Taiwan and the 15th largest in the world, according to the World Shipping Council.
Taiwan’s Maritime and Port Bureau issued three notices on Wednesday, asking vessels to use alternative routes for ports in the cities of Keelung, Taipei, Kaohsiung and others.
Taiwan reroutes international flights
Taiwan also rerouted 18 international flight routes following negotiations with Japan and Philippines. Approximately 300 flights would be impacted as a result of the rerouting, Taiwan’s Transportation Minister Wang Kwo-tsai said Wednesday.
“It is not over, the repercussions, for they are only just beginning,” said Clifford Bennett, chief economist at ACY Securities, an Australian brokerage firm.
“Far worse will be any economic retardation in the relationship between Taiwan and China as a result of the Pelosi visit,” he said.
China has already hit Taiwan with some trade curbs since Wednesday, including the suspension of some fruits and fish imports from Taiwan, and exports of natural sand to the island.
The whole event may “continue to reverberate doing further damage for months, even years, to both the relationships of Taiwan and the USA with mainland China,” Bennett said.
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana (COPEC-GH) has urged the government to immediately resolve pending Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) issues with industry players to restore the supply of the product in the country.
It said the Ghana National Tanker Drivers Association (GNTDA); Liquified Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies (LPGMCS) and the Ghana Liquefied Petroleum Gas Operators Association (GLIPGOA) had withdrawn their services effective yesterday because their concerns had lingered for a long.
A statement issued in Accra yesterday by COPEC Executive Secretary, Duncan Amoah, said consumers would continue to bear the brunt as all LPG outlets remain non-operational.
It said the concerns of the industry players included general welfare and a ban on all new LPG sites which has affected their operations and finances over the past five years.
Touching on the genesis of the problems, it said after the Atomic gas explosion about five years ago, the NPA under its former Chief Executive, HasanTampuli, directed the freezing of the permits of a number of stations under construction.
“Several years down the line and this ban is yet to be lifted thereby leaving the various companies who had invested heavily in the construction of these retail points heavily debt distressed as they are constantly harassed by their banks and other financial entities who had advanced various loans to put up these stations,†it said.
According to COPEC, the ban had led to about an 11 percent reduction in volumes for the operators over the past one year instead of a projected 15 percent increase year on year.
The statement said efforts by actors within the LPG space to get the issues resolved had all proven futile because authorities do not seem to understand the pressures the operators were going through.
“We call on the NPA under the leadership of Dr. Mustapha Hamid to ensure a speedy resolution of the deadlock between the operators and authorities to ensure the immediate reopening of these outlets across the country.
“We further call on the Energy Ministry to ensure all grievances of the various operators within the LPG space are attended to forthwith without fail as the looming pressures on the Ghanaian LPG user could only exacerbate with further delays in addressing these challenges,†it said.
But there’s good news for the inflation-weary among us: Stores are finally starting to offer some discounts again.
Remember discounts? In the olden days, you’d go to a store, and some of the regular prices had a big red X through them, and another, lower price would appear next to it. And when you checked out, you paid the discounted price! Shoppers born after 2019 have no idea what we’re talking about, but that’s really the way life was like once upon a time.
Well, shoppers are going to get treated to a healthy dose of discount nostalgia soon when they show up to some big chains. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Bath & Body Works and others are starting to slash prices to clear out their warehouses.
At the same time, a global supply chain meltdown left shelves bare. So retailers bought up everything to ensure they had enough to stock their stores.
But predictions of a permanently changed world proved to be premature. People started to venture out again and live with Covid. Those Pelotons morphed into the world’s most expensive clothes-drying racks. People started going to the movies again, and they stopped auditioning for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
Oh! And inflation hit four-decade highs. So folks were less inclined to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for stuff that wasn’t completely necessary.
WHERE ARE THE DISCOUNTS?: To clear out their inventory, big stores are offering big deals. The only problem: You’ll have to buy stuff no one else wants — clothing, electronics, furniture, home goods and bath items are getting the biggest price cuts, my colleague Nathaniel Meyersohn reports.
Still, when some prices are falling for the first time in months, that’s a good thing. It’s not the end of inflation, but we’re tired of surging prices and desperately need to lie down. Good thing beds are on sale!
NUMBER OF THE DAY: $20
Tito’s Handmade Vodka is actively trolling canned cocktail brands by selling an empty can for $20, my colleague Jordan Valinsky reports. Sure, you can get a Jack & Coke in a can, a screwdriver in a can or a margarita in a can. But with its way-too-expensive refillable can, Tito’s is trying to play a power move: Make your own cocktail (preferably with Tito’s) and take it to go.
A LAZY DRINKER’S TAKE: It’s a funny promotion (for charity, so kudos), but Tito’s is missing the point. A lot of us out there just want to get tipsy on something tasty without the effort of measuring, muddling, mincing or mixing. Of course I can make my own cocktails — but sometimes after a hard day of writing or editing Nightcap, I just want the alcohol delivery system to cut out the middle man.
THE SWEETEST JOB OPENING EVER
If you would like to get paid $78,000 to eat candy while sitting on your couch, you’re in luck: Candy Funhouse, an online Canadian candy store has a work-from-home job posting for a Chief Candy Officer.
The job entails: “leading candy board meetings, being the head taste tester … and all things fun.”
The Chief Candy Officer position is open to applicants as young as 5 years old, my colleague Alexandra Peers reported. Although the winning candidate will be treated to a bunch of familiar chocolate bars and fruity candy, the company told CNN Business that it’s also into some “weird” stuff, including “candy cigarettes,” “gummy hot dogs” and something called “Toxic Waste Nuclear Fusion Hazardously Sour Candy,” which seems like overkill.
Look, there’s a lot of cynicism in this world. The climate crisis is upon us, there’s a war in Europe, and the secretary general of the United Nations yesterday said the world is “just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation.”
On the other hand, there’s a non-zero chance you could get paid a handsome salary to taste candy from the comfort of your house. Sometimes you’ve just got to smile.
Ghanaian actor and party faithful of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), Mr Beautiful, has stated that his colleagues who supported and endorsed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been put to shame considering what he described as a woeful performance of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The actor in a recent interview on Metro TV called out Agya Koo, Matilda Asare, Kalybos and other celebrities who he claim misled the public with the NPP’s message of hope during the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections that witnessed the party’s flagbearer being voted into office.
The die-hard supporter of the NDC and former president John Mahama, however, noted that political differences should not create enmity between celebrities.
“Forever and ever, I will involve myself in politics because, in your house, there is politics. Everywhere you are there is politics. I buy fuel and pay my children’s school fees. Therefore I will rally behind someone who I know can rescue the nation.
“The fact that we support different football clubs doesn’t make you my enemy. You are simply not mature. So, nothing can stop me. I will encourage each and everyone,” he stated.
According to the popular actor, his single decision to endorse the NDC back in the 2012 general elections paved way for his colleagues to openly campaign for political parties.
“When I came out in 2012 and openly supported His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, it paved way for the likes of Agya Koo, Matilda Asare and others to support this government (NPP) in 2016.
“These people, Agya Koo, Matilda, Kalybos should all bow their heads in shame because the party they supported has failed. Look at what the man I supported, Mahama, did for the nation,” he added.
The rehabilitation of the dilapidated structure which began two years ago is expected to accommodate some 665 traders and ease congestion in the Central Business District (CBD).
She assured that the Assembly would rehabilitate all the sheds in the markets as part of efforts to transform the markets in Accra.
“There are lots of people selling outside the markets but the Assembly does not take delight in chasing traders off the streets and pavements hence the need to get all of them into the markets…There were some people here, so definitely they will have their sheds back, after which we are also looking at those sitting by the roadside, on the streets and the pavements because it is risky,” she stated.
She reiterated the Assembly’s commitment to redeveloping the market and called on stakeholders to come on board and help make the markets more convenient for traders.
“Now we need to transform the market by rebuilding and giving them the necessary ultra-modern market space, as we speak, my outfit is working effortlessly to bring on board some partners to help us, so I would also like to use this opportunity to call on stakeholders to join the course in rebuilding our markets,†she averred.
President of the 31st Makola Market, Christiana Laryea, in an address, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Mayor and the AMA for rebuilding the market shed and urged traders on the streets and pavements to relocate to the market.
Present at the event were chiefs from neighbouring communities such as Okaishie, President of Greater Accra Markets Association Mrs Mercy Needjan, officials from the AMA, and some market women.
The funeral of Northern Ireland’s former First Minister Lord Trimble – one of the key people involved with the Good Friday agreement – takes place on Monday.
The historic peace deal has been in the spotlight because of the UK’s departure from the European Union (EU).
What is the Good Friday Agreement?
The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was a political deal designed to bring an end to 30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles.
It was signed on 10 April 1998 and approved by public votes in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Image caption, U2’s Bono endorsed Lord Trimble and SDLP leader John Hume’s calls for peace ahead of the Good Friday Agreement
What were the Troubles?
Northern Ireland was created in 1921 and remained part of the UK when the rest of Ireland became an independent state.
This created a split in the population between unionists, who wish to see Northern Ireland stay within the UK, and nationalists, who want it to become part of the Republic of Ireland.
From the late 1960s, armed groups from both sides, such as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), carried out bombings and shootings – and British troops were sent to Northern Ireland.
The Troubles lasted almost 30 years and cost the lives of more than 3,500 people.
What does the Good Friday Agreement say?
Image caption, The prime minister at the time, Tony Blair, and then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern sign the Good Friday Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement is based on the idea of co-operation between communities.
It set up a new government for Northern Ireland, representing both nationalists and unionists.
The Westminster government gave this government control over key areas such as health and education – a process known as devolution.
A new parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, was set up and sits in Stormont, in Belfast.
Other parts of the agreement are about respect for people’s rights, whichever part of the community they come from.
Northern Ireland is part of the UK and this can change only through a referendum – if most people in Northern Ireland want it to
People born in Northern Ireland can have Irish or British nationality or both
As part of the agreement:
Armed groups agreed to dispose of their weapons
People who had been involved in violence were released from prison
The UK government agreed to aim for “normal security arrangements” – including the scaling back of the British military presence
What does the Good Friday Agreement have to do with Brexit?
After Brexit, Northern Ireland became the only part of the UK with a land border with an EU country – the Republic of Ireland.
Checks are required on goods transported between the UK and the EU’s markets.
But both sides agreed this should not happen on the Irish border, to protect the Good Friday Agreement, because it was feared the cross-border co-operation could be threatened if new checkpoints were set up.
During the Troubles, people crossing the border were subject to British army security checks – and surveillance watchtowers were placed on hilltops.
And although the agreement does not specifically refer to the border, it does mention removing all security installations.
What has been proposed?
To keep the border clear, the UK and EU agreed the Northern Ireland protocol. Goods are checked to ensure they comply with EU rules when they arrive in Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK (England, Scotland and Wales).
Supporters of this plan, including the nationalist Sinn Fein party, say it is necessary to protect the Good Friday Agreement.
But unionist parties, including the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), say this actually undermines the agreement because it separates them from the rest of the UK.
The DUP has refused to take part in power-sharing until its concerns are addressed.
This means the devolved government set up by the Good Friday Agreement is not currently functioning.
The UK government has also criticised the protocol, saying it has been “upsetting the balance of the Good Friday Agreement”.
It is trying to ditch parts of the agreement, with new legislation.
This has led to the current stand-off with the EU, which says the protocol is the “one and only solution” to protecting the peace process in Northern Ireland.
