Former Northern Regional Minister during the Mahama administration, Abubakari Abdallah, has shared his experience of facing ridicule from his community for continuing to use an old car model after leaving office.
Mr Abdallah revealed that he was mocked and called “useless” by some community members for not engaging in corrupt practices to afford a more luxurious lifestyle after serving in government for less than nine months.
Before becoming a Minister, Mr Abdallah worked as a programs director at IBIS, which enabled him to afford a 2005 model Highlander that he used throughout his ministerial tenure.
Despite leaving office after the 2016 elections, Abdallah decided to stick with his old car instead of purchasing a new one. However, some individuals in his Walewale community viewed this decision as a sign of failure or incompetence.
“I drove my old car a number of times to Walelwale and people started laughing at me. They wanted to point to how useless I have been, but to me, my uselessness was not based on my failure to deliver my mandate as a Minister but how can I am not driving lavish cars like Porsche, V8, with a potbelly that is shining out of corruption,” he said.
Abdallah emphasized that his definition of success differs from the pursuit of material wealth and extravagance; instead, he values the impact he made during his time in office.
In a society focused on lifestyle audits, Abdallah expressed a preference for life-changing socialization and education. He advocated for a complete reorientation to instill values of integrity and honesty in future generations, teaching them that wealth can be attained through legitimate means.
Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has leveled accusations against Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, alleging plagiarism of a statement from the Nigerian Communication Commission during a parliamentary briefing on the country’s network challenges.
During her presentation, the Ablekuma West MP outlined government measures to tackle internet interruptions.
However, speaking to journalists, Murtala Mohammed condemned the Minister’s alleged plagiarism, deeming it unacceptable.
He pointed out that many of the Minister’s statements were directly copied from a Nigerian Communication Commission statement.
Describing the Minister’s conduct as unacceptable, Murtala Mohammed stressed that Parliament, as a house of records, expects original information from Ministers on critical matters.
“Parliament is a house of records and when Ministers are to appear before Parliament to provide information of a very important issue like the internet interruption we are facing, the least we expect from the Minister is to tell us something that is not original.
“When the minister was making the statement, I went to the Nigerian Communication Commission website, and I realized that many of the things the minister said were taken directly from a statement which was issued by the Nigerian Communication Commission word to word and I really think it is just unacceptable.
“But some of us are not surprised, H.E. the president in his first inaugural address, plagiarized four American presidents.”
“Right now, Iran and the United States are very tense with each other,” he said.
I want both groups to stop attacking each other. He said they won’t solve their problem in Iraq. “We spent a lot of money. ”
In the last week, the price involved US air strikes that killed 17 fighters from Iranian-supported armed groups. Later, a powerful missile hit a militia commander, Abu Bakir Al Saadi, and his jeep exploded in flames on a street where people live in Baghdad. The government here criticized the attack, calling it a clear assassination without concern for civilian lives or international law. They were shocked that this came from an ally.
The minister said they need to start talking again about bringing home 2,500 US troops who have been here as advisors since 2014 to stop the Islamic State from coming back. People are saying that they have been in charge for too long, both in the government and in the community.
Most Iraqis don’t want foreign soldiers in Iraq. We will talk with the Americans who have been invited and work things out. Those who were not invited should go, and we hope they will leave through talking things out.
The people who were not invited, especially by him, are strong groups from Iran who support them and have been attacking US soldiers here. Many people are part of Iraq’s security forces. Critics say they are working for Iran as soldiers.
The minister says that the militias are now being faced with challenges, which is different from before when speaking out would lead to threats. This is a new time in Iraq.
“He said that many political leaders are now starting to talk about this. ” “Many people were too afraid to talk about it. ” This is also a part of what really happens in this country. But now we are discussing it. People tell those guys, “stop it. ”
He said the militias know that if they keep fighting, they will start a war in our country that is not our fight. He also got the message in Tehran, he says.
“Do they need to listen to Tehran. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don’t,” he says. “It could change. The Iranians say, “this is the least we will accept, and this is the most we will tolerate. ” They usually come together, but sometimes they move apart. “It’s not so clear-cut. ”
The influence of Iran is very strong here: in politics, in militias, and in the streets. Among the walls and trees, there are posters of Qasem Soleimani, a high-ranking Iranian leader who was killed in a US airstrike at Baghdad airport in January 2020. Here and there, in traffic congestion, you can see the face of Iran’s top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Some of the tuk-tuk taxis driving loudly around Tahrir Square in the afternoon sun have pictures of Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, who leads Hezbollah, a strong military group in Lebanon supported by Iran.
I asked the minister from another country if he was concerned about how much influence Iran has here. “I’m concerned about the impact of everything around us, not just from Iran. ” We want to remove all these influences. The choice about Iraq needs to be made in Baghdad by the people who live there.
Right now, the country is stuck between fighting with two of its friends: Iran and the US. Neither of them wants their conflict to get much worse, and it seems like they don’t, but it could still happen.
Iranian-supported armed groups in this area have promised to increase their attacks on US troops, following the death of the militia leader in Baghdad. “The Islamic Resistance of Iraq said that his killing broke all the rules of fighting. ” “We ask our fellow fighters to join us in resisting and removing the occupation. ”
The United Nations envoy for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, says the situation is still very unpredictable. “Iraq and the surrounding area are in a very tense and dangerous situation,” she says, “and even a small mistake could lead to a big conflict. “
The Foreign Minister of South Africa, Naledi Pandor, says that Israeli intelligence has tried to scare her after the Gaza case at the International Court of Justice. This was reported by the local media.
Ms Pandor said she was worried about her family’s safety because people were targeting her on social media.
The minister talked to Police Minister Bheki Cele about increasing her protection because she got scary messages.
“The Israeli agents and intelligence services are trying to scare us, but we should not let them intimidate us. ” “There is a reason why it’s happening,” she said.
Israel has not said anything about the minister’s comments yet.
The ICJ told Israel to do things to stop killing Palestinians in Gaza and report back in a month.
South Africa took Israel to court because they believed Israel broke the rules about how people should be treated in the conflict.
Ms Pandor said the government is committed to making sure the ICJ case is completed.
She made these comments a few days after President Cyril Ramaphosa talked about a potential campaign to resist South Africa’s actions following the ICJ ruling.
Many people think that Henry Okello Oryem’s comments are insensitive.
In 2022, a report from a human rights group said that over 2,200 people in north-east Uganda died because they did not have enough to eat.
But Oryem said that because Uganda has good weather and rich soil, people should be able to grow their own food.
“The state minister for foreign affairs told NTV Uganda that only a very foolish person would die because they don’t have enough food in Uganda. ”
“If you work hard, you can own land in Uganda. ” The weather is still good even though the climate is changing. If you work hard in the morning to plant and take care of your crops, then you will definitely have food to eat.
The report from the Uganda Human Rights Commission, which was created by the government, said that in addition to causing the death of many people, the lack of food in the north-east has left almost 500,000 people very hungry.
The minister’s words have made a lot of people very angry.
Moses Aleper, a leader in Chekwii county in the affected Karamoja region, told the media that Mr Oryem’s opinions were not correct and unfortunate, especially coming from a minister who should know what’s happening in the country.
“I come from a place in Karamoja that has lots of rain and we grow a lot of food. ” When the weather is bad, we might not be able to find food. Most people experience famine and hunger sooner or later.
Mr Aleper also said that people in the area often go hungry because of things like the climate changing, which are out of human control.
We don’t have official information about the food situation in Karamoja right now, but it usually has not enough food during dry seasons because the weather is very dry there.
Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong, has expressed his commitment to making optimal use of the Koforidua Youth Resource Centre and ensuring its proper maintenance.
The facility, part of the government’s ten multi-purpose Youth Resource Centres project, started construction in March 2018.
Despite facing delays, the Koforidua facility has become the first to be completed, with its commissioning on December 27.
Mr Acheampong aims to avoid the deterioration and poor maintenance that has affected some other sports facilities in Ghana. The Youth Resource Centres are intended to nurture talents and provide multi-purpose spaces for various activities.
“With regard to the Koforidua Youth Resource Centre, we wish to reassure you that we will take appropriate steps to ensure proper maintenance of the facility at all times so as to serve its useful purpose,” he said during the commissioning.
“We will also bring all stakeholders together to brainstorm on developing a local sports policy to leverage the facility and to a large extent create better opportunities for the youth in terms of employment.”
With the completion of the Koforidua Resource Centre, nine others are also expected to be commissioned.
The World Bank has allocated approximately $70 billion to support digital infrastructure development in Ghana and other developing nations.
The Bank is actively engaging in research and communication with African and other developing countries to identify investment needs and provide necessary assistance.
During a panel discussion at the WBG/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings in Marrakech on the topic “Building foundations for an inclusive digital future,” Mr. Axel Van Trostsenburg, Senior Managing Director, Development Policy and Partnership at the World Bank, emphasized the importance of bridging the digital divide between advanced and low-income countries. He stressed that a financial commitment is essential, as digital infrastructure cannot be built on hope alone.
In response to this need, the International Development Association (IDA), a subsidiary of the World Bank, is making $70 billion of its $93 billion replenishment available to Africa to support digital infrastructure and other developmental projects.
Trostsenburg highlighted the importance of developing physical digital infrastructure and connecting it to the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasizing the potential for significant economic growth through regional integration under AfCFTA.
He called for a multifaceted approach, including regulatory support, infrastructure development, and mobilizing private sector finance to foster digital development.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, shared Ghana’s challenges in digital acceleration, citing insufficient access to finance due to global economic difficulties. The government is exploring Private-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to increase high-speed internet access.
Despite challenges, Ghana has launched various programs to benefit people of all backgrounds, from students to the working population, including farmers and individuals with disabilities. These initiatives have led to remarkable progress, with individuals who had never encountered computers now becoming software and robotic engineers.
Ghana is set to host the first global cybersecurity capacity-building conference in November 2023, aimed at strengthening capacities in the global south and reducing reliance on costly consultants for managing digital infrastructure.
A proposed draft law aimed at tightening eligibility criteria for presidential candidacy in the Democratic Republic of Congo is being perceived as a potential tool to secure President Felix Tshisekedi’s second term in the upcoming elections scheduled for December.
This proposed legislation is one of several bills scheduled for discussion during the September session of the Congolese parliament, which traditionally also addresses budgetary matters at this time of the year.
The parliament is set to review the draft law, often referred to as the “Tshiani Law” after its author, Noël Tshiani, a 65-year-old economist with a background at the World Bank who ran for the presidency in 2018.
One key provision in the bill stipulates that only individuals born in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Congolese parents can hold positions of sovereignty or state office, including the presidency, prime minister, roles in the judiciary, and key ministries such as finance, defense, and security.
Majority MP Pitshou Nsingi Pululu, who is championing the draft law, stated, “We want to secure approximately 250 positions that we consider vital for our country’s sovereignty.”
The bill was initially proposed in July 2021 but was not adopted. Its proposals reflect a trend seen in some African countries, which often bar individuals with dual nationality from holding state positions, rather than targeting those of mixed parentage specifically.
In countries like Kenya, for example, the president, minister, members of the armed forces, parliamentarians, county assembly members, and ambassadors are prohibited from holding dual passports. The Kenyan president must be a citizen by birth, without specifying the nationality of parents, while members of the judiciary and other independent commissions can be chosen from the Commonwealth of Nations, including the East African Community.
Nevertheless, some individuals in the DR Congo believe that Tshiani’s and Pululu’s initiative is an attempt to exclude potential presidential rivals like Moïse Katumbi, who has a mixed heritage.
President Tshisekedi had refrained from commenting on the bill until a recent public appearance.
“I did not give my opinion so as not to get involved in the controversies that this law has aroused in the Congolese political class,” the Congolese leader said. “Tshiani is a Congolese — until proven otherwise — who has the right to think what he believes is good for his country. That is his right, we cannot put Tshiani on trial here because we are in a democracy where everyone has the right to express themselves.”
“I don’t think being born of a Congolese father and mother is a sufficient criterion for serving one’s country loyally, faithfully and appropriately. Because, even the most recent history of our country shows us that there have been Congolese whose fathers and mothers have participated in the ruin of this country, so it’s not a criterion, and those who think it is a criterion are free to argue.”
The “Tshian Bill” has been rejected by Congo’s opposition parties, and the Catholic clergy have described it as discriminatory.
Mr Katumbi, once an ally of President Tshisekedi, left the coalition a few months ago, fuelling suspicion the draft law targets him. He has announced that he will be a candidate in the presidential election due on December 20.
Registration of candidates closes on October 8.
Mr Katumbi, a wealthy businessman, is known most for his leadership of Congolese football club TP Mazembe based in Lubumbashi in the south of the country. His father had Greek and Italian roots, and was Jewish.
He served in Katanga Province as governor for eight years and backed Tshisekedi’s presidency.
In December 2022, he fell out with President Tshisekedi and left, declaring that “President Tshisekedi’s record is very bad and chaotic.”
“I gave advice internally, I proposed a list of tasks which was not considered,” he said on the day he quit and declared he would be a candidate in the presidential election.
Several ministers aligned with Tshisekedi resigned from the government, including Chérubin Okende, who was killed under unclear circumstances in July.
Tensions have escalated between the Katumbi and Tshisekedi factions, with some individuals connected to Katumbi facing legal proceedings. Salomon Kalonda, a close adviser, is currently on trial before the military court in Kinshasa, accused of planning a coup with Rwandans. MP Mike Mukebay from the Katumbi camp is in prison for contempt of the head of state.
During the 2018 presidential election, 21 candidates applied for candidacy. According to electoral laws and the constitution, candidates must meet specific criteria, including being of Congolese nationality by birth, at least 30 years old, possessing full civil and political rights, and holding a higher education degree or demonstrating a minimum of five years’ professional experience in relevant fields.
Candidates are also required to submit various documents, including a certificate of nationality, a valid criminal record extract, a photocopy of their voter’s card, a receipt for the non-refundable application fee of 160,000,000 Congolese francs ($100,000), and a certified photocopy of their higher education or university diploma or evidence of the required professional experience.
Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, has given a resolute assurance to farmers nationwide regarding his commitment to collaborate closely with them. The aim is to enhance yields and productivity, simultaneously curtailing the reliance on food crop imports into the country.
He conveyed that the Ministry has initiated strategic measures to ensure that farmers across the nation gain access to essential inputs and other production costs, thereby alleviating their burdens and augmenting their earnings.
The Minister provided this reassurance during a meeting with farmers, traders, and aggregators from the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) at his office in Accra. The discussions encompassed crucial topics influencing the sector’s growth.
Subjects ranged from the ongoing onion crisis leading to the impoundment of over 60 truckloads of imported onions at the borders of Benin and Burkina Faso, the forthcoming implementation of Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) 2.0, to the implications of the newly enacted Tax Exemptions Act on the prices of agricultural inputs.
Addressing the onion crisis, Mr. Acheampong stated that the government’s primary objective is to boost domestic onion production, ultimately reducing and eventually ceasing imports. He stressed that while diplomatic efforts are underway to address the locked-up goods, the Ministry’s immediate focus is to unite onion producers and devise a strategy to surmount the present challenges hampering sufficient local production.
Regarding PFJ 2.0, the Minister highlighted the modalities formulated to address key farmer concerns. With the aggregator system integrated into PFJ 2.0, farmers will access seeds, fertilizers, extension services, mechanization, and post-harvest services, only reimbursing the expenses after the harvest.
Regarding the selection criteria for aggregators, the Minister assured that existing ones would not be marginalized by the program. The Ministry remains dedicated to ensuring that the right aggregators working closely with farmers are chosen.
The Minister underlined that the program embraces inclusivity, encompassing all farmers, including youth, female farmers, and aggregators.
Regarding the Tax Exemptions Act’s impact on agricultural prices, the Minister acknowledged the issue and disclosed that cabinet is considering the inclusion of agricultural inputs for exemptions.
“However, despite the ongoing process, the Ministry continues to approve requests for exemptions for agricultural inputs by importers,” he added.
He bemoaned the fact that these importers had not adjusted their rates to reflect these exemptions and pleaded with them to do so.
He said, “Even though the proposal has been sent for cabinet’s approval, as of August alone, we have approved over 60 exemption requests from importers. The problem is when prices go up, no matter what we do, our business is unwilling to bring prices down and that is the problem. Irrespective, I will do all I can to ensure your request is granted.”
Dr. Charles Nyaaba, the Executive Director of PFAG, expressed admiration for the Minister’s steadfast commitment to collaborating with farmers for the betterment of the sector.
He assured the Minister of the Association’s collaboration and assistance to facilitate the realization of his enduring vision to establish food self-sufficiency within the country.
He appealed to farmers, participants within the value chain, and service providers to collectively contribute towards transforming Ghana into a regional food hub. He encouraged them to also present their ideas, as the Minister is receptive to input from diverse stakeholders.
Going to the police to report a theft at her home must have seemed like the correct thing to do for a government minister in Ghana, but when she was arrested, it backfired horribly.
Cecilia Abena Dapaah had a sizable sum of money stolen, according to a court charge sheet linked to individuals suspected of the theft that was filed last Thursday.
It mentions a “cash sum” of $1 million (£780,000), 300,000 euros ($333,000), and 350,000 Ghana cedis ($30,000), as well as further personal stuff such purses for $35,000 and jewelry worth $95,000.
In her resignation letter, Ms. Dapaah refuted the reports claiming that she and her husband possessed “various huge sums of foreign currencies and millions of Ghana cedis,” stating that these reports did not accurately represent what they had reported to the police.
President Nana Akufo-Addo’s response to the situation disappointed anti-corruption campaigners, as it seemed to pre-judge the outcome of the ongoing investigations. He expressed confidence that Ms. Dapaah’s integrity during her time in office would ultimately be proven.
Having served as a minister since President Akufo-Addo’s initial election in 2017, Ms. Dapaah held roles in both aviation and, later, water and sanitation. As one of only three women in the president’s cabinet, she was well-known.
Now, her political future remains uncertain as the special prosecutor conducts an investigation to ascertain whether she did indeed possess such substantial amounts of cash in her house and, if so, where the funds originated from.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor, which deals with graft allegations against high-level officials, announced that it had arrested and was questioning Ms Dappah for “suspected corruption and corruption-related offences regarding large amounts of money and other valuable items reportedly stolen from her residence”.
Late on Monday evening, she was granted bail following searches conducted at her official and private residences in the capital city, Accra.
The chain of events started with a reported burglary, or potentially a series of burglaries, at the minister’s private residence, where she lives with her husband and daughter.
At the heart of the accusations are two female domestic workers who were employed by the family. One of them is suspected of acting as a lookout, while the other is alleged to have been involved in stealing the cash and other belongings. As for the three other individuals accused in the case, they have not offered any comments on the charges.
According to the “brief facts” of the case attached to the charge sheet, last October Ms. Dapaah’s husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, returned home to “an unusual noise” coming from his bedroom. He then went to investigate and discovered one of the suspects crouching behind the door.
The couple only realized that items were missing after some time had passed, but they waited for seven months before reporting the incident to the police.
The reason for the significant delay remains unclear, but during that time, the accused individuals are alleged to have engaged in an extravagant spending spree.
One of them reportedly purchased a three-bedroom house on the outskirts of Accra, along with various household items such as a double-decker fridge, a television, a washing machine, a chest freezer, a gas cooker, and a water dispenser. Additionally, she allegedly provided money to her boyfriend to buy two cars – a Hyundai Elantra and a Honda Civic.
The couple is also accused of renting another three-bedroom house in a different city, as well as a store room.
The other former employee of Ms. Dapaah is said to have used some of the stolen money to build her own three-bedroom house.
As for the former minister herself, the origin of the funds that supposedly financed this extensive shopping spree remains a mystery.
In her resignation letter, Ms. Dapaah refuted the reports suggesting that she had “various huge sums of foreign currencies and millions of Ghana cedis,” asserting that they did not accurately represent what she and her husband had reported to the police.
President Nana Akufo-Addo’s response to the situation disappointed anti-corruption campaigners, as it seemed to pre-judge the outcome of the ongoing investigations. He expressed confidence that Ms. Dapaah’s integrity during her time in office would ultimately be established.
Having served as a minister since President Akufo-Addo’s initial election in 2017, Ms. Dapaah held roles in both aviation and, later, water and sanitation. As one of only three women in the president’s cabinet, she was well-known.
Now, her political future remains uncertain as the special prosecutor conducts an investigation to ascertain whether she did indeed possess such substantial amounts of cash in her house and, if so, where the funds originated from.
A major news figure in Ghana, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, became the subject of public interest in 2019 due to two significant aspects of her story.
It all began with an audio from the Multimedia Group, where an intern called the minister to request an interview.
In the audio, Dapaah was heard fuming, claiming disrespect for being contacted directly by an intern without proper authorization.
The public reacted strongly to the contents of the interview, leading the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to respond.
The ministry explained that the minister was in a meeting when the call came and requested the reporter to call later.
They emphasized that the minister does not intend to intimidate or show rudeness to any media personnel, acknowledging the media’s role as a key partner in national affairs.
The intern, Rahinatu Abdul Bach, a student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism at the time, shared her perspective on the matter in an opinion titled “Sanitation Minister nearly shattered my dreams – The story of a young female journalist.” She detailed feeling demeaned during the interview with Cecilia Dapaah.
Currently, there are calls for the former minister to be investigated regarding significant sums of money allegedly stolen from her house. The matter is before an Accra Circuit Court.
The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, has announced that Cabinet has approved the National Space Policy.
The policy aims to leverage space science and technology for national development, acting as a framework to drive progress in this field.
During a Minister’s News briefing in Accra, Dr. Afriyie presented the government’s plans to establish the Ghana Space Agency in collaboration with relevant ministries and the private sector.
This agency will oversee the development of human capital, infrastructure, and overall growth in the space science sector.
Additionally, the Minister highlighted his Ministry’s work under the Ghana-Korea K-Innovation Partnership Programme, where a comprehensive 10-year masterplan was unveiled to enhance research and innovation commercialization in the country.
Furthermore, Dr. Afriyie emphasized his Ministry’s commitment to global disarmament efforts. In partnership with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the Ministry is actively reviewing the Biological and Toxin Weapons Bill to implement the 1972 Convention on the Prohibition of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons.
In order to save expenses, 17 dormant State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) will have their assets sold, according to Joseph Cudjoe, Minister for Public Enterprises.
He said that the operations for disposal will start in the coming months after the Cabinet authorized the procedures for evaluating the assets of the concerned SOEs.
The Central Stores of the Aboso Glass Factory, the bungalow of the Bolgatanga Meat Factory, the clinic at the Bonsa Tyre Factory, the research facility at Ghana Consolidated Diamonds, the regional office of the Ghana Food Production Corporation at Srodae, and the guesthouse of the State Construction Company on Dagomba Street in the Northern Region are just a few of the SOEs whose assets will be put up for auction.
At the Minister’s News Briefing held by the Ministry of Information in Accra on Wednesday, Mr. Cudjoe made this announcement.
The Minister had the chance to inform the public about the different policies and interventions his Ministry had been working on during the media interview.
Since taking office in 2021, Mr. Cudjoe claimed to have visited 44 Boards and Managements of various Specified Entities, communicated with them, and assisted them in finding solutions to some pressing problems affecting their day-to-day operations.
He claimed that the Ministry had set up workshops for some SOE Board and Management members to develop their competence in the areas of corporate governance, financial stewardship, legal and regulatory framework, and public procurements.
The market worth of the State’s equity holdings in 63 active Specified Entities as of December 2016 was estimated by a research the Government conducted and finished in 2019 to be GHS 35.7 billion, according to the Minister.
92 percent of the total was made up of SOEs, while the remaining eight percent was made up of State stock in Joint Venture Companies (JVCs), he continued.
The Minister revealed the government’s plans to reorganize a number of SOEs through their listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange, liquidation, strategic investment, and outright disposal.
He stated that in 2021 a Public Enterprises League Table (PELT) was launched as a tool for measuring the performances of the Specified Entities and to foster healthy competition among them for enhanced performance as part of measures to promote effective and efficient administration of the SOEs.
The first edition of PELT, which was published in 2022 and greatly sparked public attention, inspired numerous SOEs to strengthen their position on the table in later editions.
Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, stated that the establishment of the Dedicated Container Terminal (MPS Terminal 3) has significantly increased the capacity of Tema Port to handle the largest vessels in the industry effectively.
He emphasized that the presence of the DCT has positively impacted the reputation of Tema Port as a rapidly growing hub on the West Coast of Africa.
The minister also revealed that the construction of a Dry Terminal, along with other infrastructure enhancement projects, has enhanced the overall efficiency of Ghana’s seaports.
This was announced during the 14th edition of the Maritime Law Seminar for Judges of the Superior Courts of Judicature.
“This is in addition to many other service improvement initiatives including but not limited to the Paperless Ports; Ghana Single Window (ICUMS); Deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV); Rollout of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI); Deployment of e-payment solution among others”
He emphasized that government will continue to implement strategies to ensure that stakeholders in the maritime industry can seamlessly conduct business and reduce the cost of business operations at the ports.
“For the foreseeable future, the maritime industry will remain the primary engine of domestic and foreign trade which will in turn stimulate economic growth and development.
Government will continue to make the necessary investment to ensure the maritime sector is projected to attract stakeholders and investments to position Ghana as the preferred business destination within the sub-region,” Ofori-Asiamah concluded.
Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has said that his successor, Kissi Agyebeng lacks understanding with regards to the duties and responsibilities of his office.
According to him, the “OSP was not established as a corporate fisheries entity to go into the oceans, rivers, and other water bodies of crime, casting its net widely to scoop in every fish the net can catch, and then decide which type of fish meets its fancy to be retained as game or food for sacrifice to the gods of persecution and which to release back into the oceans.”
His comment follows the arrest and subsequent bailing of former Environment Minister, Fimpong-Boateng.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng was invited by the OSP on May 16 as “a person necessary for the investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of the activities and expenditure of the dissolved Inter-ministerial Committee on illegal mining, IMCIM.”
Although this action by Mr. Agyebeng has been widely criticised especially by the minority NDC, the former has defended the arrest, insisting that the former Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Prof Frimpong-Boateng is not the only person being investigated and neither is he the only government appointee who has been invited.
He argued that he has a charge to keep.
“I respect the credentials of the Professor, and I doff my hat to him. You know me very personally, I am an academician as well, and so I respect such people on all scores. I mean the CV is unbelievable, I respect that, and I applaud him for that, but I have a charge to keep. The charge I have to keep is to the Republic of Ghana and to the public. I have been put in this office to investigate corruption and corruption-related offences, to recover assets for the country.”
But rubbishing this defense, the citizen vigilante said, the “deficiencies in the investigatory and prosecutorial experience of Mr. Kissi Agyebeng is what has haunted him into overdrive to think that he can earn the trust of Ghanaians by appearing to talk tough and threatening to investigate and prosecute “everyone and every person” on mere suspicion of the commission of a corruption offence without first establishing reasonable grounds for such suspicion as though he was on a fishing expedition.”
In Mr Amidu’s write-up sighted by JoyNews, he explained that, “the ethics governing professional investigators as well as prosecutors do not permit such specialized public officers to intimidate and frighten citizens with threats of arrest and prosecution for the generic offence of corruption and corruption-related offences created under the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) without indicating to a suspect the specified crime(s) committed or about to be committed within the generic corruption offences.
Again, “There is no crime under Act 959 known as “alleged or suspected corruption and corruption[1]related offences”. The mandate of the OSP is to “investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences” (Emphasis supplied). The specific cases of offences the OSP is enjoined to investigate and prosecute are defined under Section 79 of Act 959. Consequently, the citizen is entitled to know from the invitation letter or at the point of arrest the specific offence of alleged or specified suspected corruption and corruption-related offences for which he is reasonably suspected of having violated. The Ghana Police Service which hitherto was responsible for investigating all criminal offences under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), is not permitted to invite or arrest a citizen for the commission of crime generally without specifying the particular crime or offence for which the citizen is reasonably suspected of commission or about to commit,” Mr. Amidu added.
In the view of the first Special Prosecutor who resigned from the role after a clash with the government, “The fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizen to fair and impartial investigation and prosecution upon reasonable suspicion of the commission of crime are guaranteed under the Constitution and the Special Prosecutor cannot decide at his whim when and how the guaranteed rights may be enjoyed by the citizen on account of the mandate of his office to investigate and prosecute specified cases of alleged or suspected corruption.”
The threat against a media outlet over its coverage of a scam involving cooking oil has been supported by Kenyan President William Ruto’s trade minister.
Moses Kuria had warned government departments not to advertise with the Nation Media Group (NMG) after the report which alleged that certain private firms were allowed by his ministry to import cooking oil tax-free.
The report noted that the specific exemption under Kenyan law could only be made for emergency relief goods – with the entire deal potentially leading to the loss of more than $100m (£78m).
On Twitter, Mr Kuria also called journalists working at NMG “whores”.
His comments caused outrage in the media sector, even earning him a rebuke from the industry regulator.
Mr Kuria vowed never to apologise for his remarks, accusing the media of being biased.
By Wednesday, a high court had issued an order barring Mr Kuria from uttering any demeaning or insulting words against journalists, pending a case filed by a human rights activist that the minister’s outburst made him unsuitable to serve as a public officer.
But President Ruto said that people should be allowed to call out the media: “We must also defend the rights of those who hold the media to account when the media goes rogue.
“We must defend the rights of people like Moses Kuria to speak their mind the same way we are defending the media to say all the things they want including the wrong ones.”
The government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s minister for information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has indicated that he does not receive any additional compensation for his position.
According to him, ministers who are also Members of Parliament do not receive a separate salary or allowance from the government.
Addressing concerns regarding the size of the government, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah clarified that the public’s focus should not be solely on the compensation budget but should also consider the division of funds between political appointees and non-political government workers.
He highlighted that the compensation budget encompasses both categories, with a significant portion allocated to non-political appointees such as rotational nurses and police personnel.
“If you talk about the size of the government…I believe you are talking about the size of the compensation budget, more especially the money which is used to pay government workers. That is divided into two parts, one part has to do with those who are not political appointees, like those I have been mentioning this morning, the rotational nurses, police, and others, when you talk about the compensation budget, there is part of it…but I believe that the one people are talking about has to do with political appointees.
“It is true that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo explained why he choose a certain number of ministers but there was a clause he added in which he explained that the majority of ministers he has appointed are Members of Parliament, and because they are members of parliament, they don’t take anything extra, it doesn’t cost the taxpayer anything extra on the compensation side.
“For me, that I am talking to you… they don’t pay me one cedi as Minister of State, because Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s policy is that, if you are a Member of Parliament and he gives you a minister or deputy minister, it is not even up to you to make a choice that you want this or not, you get paid on your MP salary. So, when people make this argument about the size of the government, the reality is that the majority of ministers who are Members of Parliament, don’t get paid extra,” he said.
Speaking in an interview with Peace FM’s Kokrokoo on May 19, 2023, he further emphasized that President Akufo-Addo’s policy stipulates that if an MP is chosen to serve as a minister or deputy minister, they continue to be paid based on their existing MP salary and as a result, no extra burden is placed on taxpayers.
Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, has stated that he will not accept any ministerial position from any government again. He said he remains an active politician, but he does not want to be part of the cabinet.
“I am still a politician but to accept a ministerial appointment, no, it will never happen again,” he said on UTV.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng also defended his role as the former Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining. He said he was not scared or intimidated by any lawsuits or allegations against him over the ‘galamsey’ report. He said he did his best to fight illegal mining, but some people in government sabotaged his efforts.
“I fear God, I respect people but I’m not afraid of humans. And you cannot intimidate me,” he said.
He advised government officials to be honest and upright in their work and not to compromise their integrity for personal gain.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng served as the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation from 2017 to 2021. He is a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon and the founder of the National Cardiothoracic Centre.
Minister of Interior, Mr.Ambrose Dery, has proposed that the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) implements a system that will substitute fire personnel who die in the line of duty with relatives who meet the necessary requirements.
To the Minister, this scheme, if well implemented, will go a long way not only to ease the pain of family members who have lost a loved one in the service but also to boost the morale of fire officers.
Mr. Abrose Dery said rewarding and honouring personnel who die during duty are the best motivating factor in any field of work.
He, therefore, charged the GNFS to come out with modalities on how the scheme seeks to replace personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty with family members with the right qualifications.
The Minister also touched on benefits for firefighters who die of diseasesin the discharge of their duties.
So far, five firefighters have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, a former minister of communications, has petitioned President Akufo-Addo to instruct the Health Ministry to change its “no lift policy.”
Dr Boamah does not see any reason in the directive.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Medical Doctor insisted that the directive would limit access to the Ministry by vulnerable individuals.
He has thus asked President Akufo-Addo to immediately order the Ministry to reverse same.
“No elevator/lift days at the Ministry of Health ‘sɛn’? I mean, how! So, how does your government expect these vulnerable people, including pregnant women and children, to access the affected parts of the building that houses Ghana’s Ministry of Health (MoH) with the no-lift days policy?
“Therefore, I urge you Mr. President to cause the Ministry of Health to immediately reverse the policy of “no elevator/lift…” at theMinistry of Health in the best interest of people living with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women and for that matter children,” he said in a Facebook post.
The Health Ministry in Memorandum instructed its staff not to access the elevators from the 1st to the 3rd floor on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Ministry explained this directive has been necessitated by the government’s debt restructuring and the huge amount of money used in maintaining the elevators.
But the former Communications Minister says the decision is untenable.
A second time bail has been rejected for a Ugandan cabinet minister accused in a scandal involving the theft of thousands of metal roofing sheets.
The sureties put out by Mary Goretti Kitutu Kimono’s attorneys were rejected by a magistrate at the anti-corruption court as insufficient.
After entering a not guilty plea to corruption last Thursday about 14,500 corrugated iron sheets that were supposed to be delivered to at-risk villages in the northeastern Karamoja region but never arrived, Mrs. Kitutu was remanded in detention.
The 60-year-old politician is the minister for the region that for decades has faced persistent droughts and flooding when it rains, leaving many in the semi-arid area dependent on aid.
At least 10 other senior government figures are alleged to have received some of the stolen metal sheets.
These include the vice-president, the prime minister, the parliamentary Speaker and other ministers.
Earlier this week, police said more files related to the scandal had been sent to the prosecutors and indictments may follow.
President Yoweri Museveni has said those who took the corrugated iron must return them or pay back the cash equivalent.
The Speaker of Parliament has asked the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, not to touch monies belonging to pensioners.
Alban Bagbin said the current economic crisis can be solved without the funds of the pensioner.
Wrapping up on the business of the House on Thursday, February 16, the former Nadowli Kaleo MP said Parliament will resist any attempt to include funds of pensioners in the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
“…what I can tell you is that leave our pensioners alone. You can solve the problem without touching their small money.”
Already, the Finance Minister has confirmed that all pensioners who failed to tender their old bonds for new ones under the exercise have been exempted from the programme.
Addressing Parliament on the state of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, Mr Ofori-Atta said the pensioners have nothing to worry about.
Mr Ofori-Atta added that he has officially written to the pensioner bondholders who did not sign onto the Programme about their exemption from the exercise.
“Mr Speaker, Government remains committed to the well-being and dignity of our Senior Citizens and Pensioners.
“Indeed, it has personally caused me great distress as a number of them have picketed at the premises of the Ministry of Finance since Monday, 6th February 2023.
“As I have already indicated in my Press Release dated 14th February 2023, government will honour their coupon payments and maturing principals, like all Government bonds, in line with Government’s Fiscal commitments.”
Ghana is currently requesting a $3 billion bailout from the IMF to bolster the struggling national economy.
Before the Bretton Woods institution’s board would evaluate Ghana’s request, one of the requirements is the domestic debt restructuring scheme.
A staff-level agreement between Ghana and the IMF was achieved in December, opening the door for the $3 billion rescue.
At the invitation of the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, Ghana’s former president, John Agyekum Kufuor, experienced something in the southeastern Asian country that forever changed his mindset about presidential tenures.
Narrating how that came to be, during his engagement with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) on Reviewing the 1992 constitution recently, Kufuor said that on arriving in the country he came face-to-face with two realities.
He said that after learning that Malaysia got its oil palm seedlings from Ghana, he arrived in the country to an even more eye-opening discovery of how well the country had utilized the ‘gift’ it got from his very own country.
“I was invited to Malaysia by Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, who was Prime Minister; I was president and it must have been 2005-2006 and it was a great eye opener to me. I had learnt that Malaysia took the oil palm seedling from here (Ghana) there. I got to Kuala Lumpur, the plane, as it was coming to land, you’ll see miles and miles of palm trees all over, and very modern agriculture.
“And then when I got there, probably, they just wanted to show me something, they took me to where they had refined palm oil into some oil that will be used even as engine oil. And then they used the husks for fertilizer for the palm trees, so every bit of palm.
“So, I said these people got this thing from us and we do not know how to do this. See what they are doing with it themselves. Then, at a point, he invited me to his offices in New Kuala Lumpur; the office is like a mosque, he took me to the rooftop, and Dr Mohammed, perhaps not taller than 5 feet… and then from there, I saw the layout of the city: the streets – beautiful, and the development,” he said.
President John Agyekum Kufuor also explained that having been quite surprised at the expanse of development and innovation that the Malaysians had used the oil palm seedlings for in their country, he asked Dr. Mohamed how they did it.
In response, he said the Malaysian Prime Minister asked him a question that jolted his mind so much, he came to the realization that there is the need for Ghana to relook at its constitutional arrangement for the tenure of its presidency.
“So, I gasped and said, ‘Oh, Mr. Prime Minister, since when have you been doing this?’ So, the man looked me up and down. The question he asked me was, ‘What’s your term of office?’
“I said, 4 years. So, he said back, what can you do in four years? By then he had exceeded 10 years and I’m not suggesting we go that way, but definitely, 4 years, he made the point forcefully that you don’t really create so much in 4 years,” he added.
Economist Joe Jackson has retracted and apologized for recent comments to the effect that budgetary allocations to the Agric Ministry were less than that of the Council of State.
He made the said comments while commenting on details of the 2023 budget presented to Parliament by the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
According to him, the government failed to apply sound judgment in preparing the budget with the lopsided allocations in respect of the two entities.
In a tweet of November 29, 2022; he said: “Profound apology: I got my numbers wrong on the issue of the budget allocation to the Council of State. The statement went viral and I apologize to everyone on this issue.”
He attached a link to the GhanaWeb story that carried his views as reported in a JoyNews interview.
What Joe Jackson said:
He alleged that the government ignored key ministries with the capability of pursuing the nation’s economic recovery by starving them of funding while allocating significant funds to some agencies with questionable usefulness.
“I’ll be honest just this evening I got what I thought was a reliable version of the tables and I started looking through, some of the numbers just don’t make sense to me. Why is there 80 billion still there for the Cathedral? Forgive me, I don’t know. Why is there a contingency vote of 1.4 billion?
“The office of government machinery, I don’t care where you came from, why is it at 1.4 billion? Guess what? Ministry of Food and Agric, do you know how much we’re giving them? 1.2billion. Do you know how much we’re spending on free SHS? 2.9 billion. The Council of State is receiving more money than the Food and Agric Ministry,” he said on Joy News PM Express.
In his view, the government missed an opportunity to deal with the nation’s debt and economic crisis through the 2023 budget statement and economic policy.
“The point is this, we want reassurance, we want to believe that this government can even carry the rest of the country with the austerity budget it has to impose. We want to believe somebody is trying to bridge the trust gap between the government and the public. That can be done when you trim down and all of us feel that you’re taking the pain as much as we have to take the pain,” he said.
The government of Ghana is hoping to rescue the country’s challenging economy through several policies outlined in the 2023 budget.
Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah is urging the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament to work in close collaboration to get a feasible budget program that will propel the Ghanaian economy onto the path of recovery.
In a tweet, the Minister hinted that government’s economic blueprint for next year which will be presented to Parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022, will focus on prudent economic policies that will help reboot the economy, hence, needs the collaboration of both sides of the house.
“The 2023 budget is supposed to be the foundation of our recovery. Majority and Minority will have to work together in the national interest to arrive at a feasible budget program,” he tweeted.
Hinting on some key pillars of the budget, the Minister said it will focus on restoring macroeconomic stability, arresting the escalating cost of living, achieving moderate growth and completing ongoing government projects across the country.
This, he said the budget statement is a prerequisite for securing an IMF deal and therefore must be carefully crafted in order to get the buy-in of all segments of society.
The eight-member ad-hoc committee probing the censure motion against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to present its report to the plenary on Tuesday, November 22, 2022.
This follows its conclusion of public hearing into allegations levelled as the basis for the censure motion against the Finance Minister last Friday.
In his concluding remarks, a Co-Chair of the committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine announced plans to seek an extension of time from the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin to finalize its report.
“We will apply to the Speaker for an extension of time to be able to file our report and the purpose of the report will simply be to continue the debate on the motion for the vote of censure and the report will be laid in Parliament hopefully on Tuesday.”
KT Hammond, another co-chair, announced that the committee would have to present a draft copy of the report to the Finance Minister to ensure that his responses are properly captured before the full report is tabled before Parliament for debate.
Seven allegations have been levelled against the Finance Minister by the Minority in Parliament, calling for his removal from office.
The Minister is accused of conflict of interest, gross mismanagement, recklessness of the economy among others.
The committee was given seven days by the Speaker to probe the censure of motion, which ended today.
The Committee was set up by the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, chaired by Dominic Ayine and K.T Hammond.
The fate of the Finance Minister will be known after the committee had presented its report to the Speaker, as to whether the censure of vote will go in his favour or otherwise.
Gabby Otchere-Darko, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party, has disputed claims by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, that he said the Majority Leader was behind moves to get the Finance Minister removed.
Responding to reports that the Majority Leader also accused him of trying to undermine his attempt to be the Suame MP, Mr. Otchere-Darko said on Facebook: “I have since sent him a message on this denying same.”
Reports indicated that Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said Mr. Otchere-Darko had called him the ringleader behind the NPP MPs calling for the resignation of the Finance Minister.
Mr. Otchere-Darko is alleged to have sponsored a failed candidate against the Majority Leader in the NPP parliamentary primaries in Suame leading to the 2016 general elections.
These claims by Mr. Otchere-Darko are said to have come during a broadcast on Asaase Radio.
But he refuted these claims in his Facebook post.
“I have said no such thing on Asaase Radio or any other radio station or media house, whether on air, online, or in print, either directly or indirectly. Indeed, my position, so far, on this issue in Parliament within the Majority Caucus, has been to deliberately stay away from commenting on it publicly.”
“I have never sponsored any candidate against the Majority Leader for the Suame seat. I would never do such a thing to a person I considered a strong loyalist, even within the NPP,” he posted.
Charles Adu Boahen, the dismissed Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, has opened up about how investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye P.I team in 2018, attempted to entrap him.
According to him, he did not involve himself in the act the journalist is accusing him of in his latest undercover investigation dubbed ‘Galamsey Economy.’
In a statement issued on the morning of November 14, 2022, following the release of a newspaper version of the exposé, Adu Boahen indicated that “It has come to my attention that a documentary to be aired by Tiger Eye PI, and an article published in the Crusading Guide on (14 November 2022) seeks to accuse me of brokering deals for the Vice President of the Republic.
“This follows an attempt to entrap myself and other persons in 2018. Substantively, I have not been involved in this act of which I am being accused.”
He continued: “I do not however wish to be a distraction to Government and the Ministry of Finance at this crucial moment.
“Consequently, I have submitted my resignation to the President of the Republic. I will however look forward to a full investigation which I hope will reveal that I have not committed this act.” The post has since been deleted from his Facebook handle.
Adu Boahen, the dismissed Minister of State was indicted in the latest undercover investigative piece by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Anas in a post on his Facebook timeline barely hours before the premiering of his investigative piece dubbed ‘Galamsey Economy’ noted that the minister made some shocking revelations to his team in a hotel in UAE, when they posed as possible investors to Ghana.
He said, Adu Boahen alleged the vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will require about USD200,000 as an appearance fee from an investor to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.
He said, when his Tiger Eye PI team met Adu Boahen in the UAE, he spoke about Bawumia’s financial demands before agreeing to assist any investor.
“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff? I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really, he’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020,” Charles Adu Boahen is quoted to have said.
But Dr. Bawumia in a statement on Monday, November 14, denied the accusations and called for an investigation into the allegations.
The message from the dismissed minister has since been deleted.
“We are going to link up with the farm gate so that we make all the arrangements to ensure that we put up kiosks on our compounds at the ministry, specifically for food from here [Sefwi Wiaso] and we are going to give it a lot of publicity,” the minister said.
With a 122% increase in food prices, the nation has achieved the toughest achievement in sub-Saharan Africa.
In recent months, food costs have risen significantly since the beginning of the year in a number of nations throughout the world, primarily as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
According to the World Bank, Ghana is the nation in Africa with the highest food prices. According to the World Bank’s October 2022 Africa Pulse report, Ghana is the sub-Saharan African nation with the highest rate of food inflation.
He opined that the Minister had lost the people’s trust and that the best thing for him to do was to save his integrity by resigning.
Mr. Kotei stated on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm’s Frontline, “Ken Ofori-Atta should have resigned a long time ago. As of now, he has failed to propose any practical solutions to the economic crisis.”
“Your debt-to-GDP ratio has surpassed 100. It means that you do not have an economy. He is unwilling to go wandering around and waiting for the IMF to release the funds.”
He stated that the IMF is not Santa Claus and that they expect action from you.
“What actions do you plan to take in order for the IMF to take you seriously?”
Mr. Kotei emphasized that if the censure against him is successful, he will be politically harmed.
“If the censure against Ofori-Atta is successful, he will suffer political consequences. He is unwilling to leave, and the president is unwilling to fire him. So he’s just hanging around, hoping that the year will end and people will stop talking about him.”
He concluded by saying that despite the numerous loans we had obtained, nothing came from them because we used them for consumption.
He stated that the banking sector clean-up produced no results, the Ghana card exercise produced no results, the creation of new regions produced no results, and the flagship programs that cost us Ghc60 billion produced no positive results.
“You’ve lost control of the foreign exchange market, fuel prices are skyrocketing, and where would you get money to manage Ghana?” So it is best for Ofori-Atta to leave. I’m not sure why he’s still at the post, claiming to be negotiating.”
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has said he is determined to move the motion of vote of censure to get the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta removed from Office, on Thursday November 10.
He explained that the Minority will need the support of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament to achieve their desire to remove the Minister.
The Tamale South lawmaker said any move by the NPP lawmakers to rescind their quest to get Mr Ofori-Atta removed will hurt Ghana’s democracy by weakening the oversight role of Parliament.
Admittedly, he said, the National Democratic Congress Lawmakers do not have the required number, two thirds, to push their motion through hence, will need the support of the NPP MPs who earlier called for the sacking of Mr Ofori-Atta, to achieve that.
“I’m determined to move the motion of censure,” he said while speaking at the political dialogue series organized by Media General on Wednesday November 8.
He added “Admittedly, the Minority MPs, standing alone, may not achieve the two thirds number and so when the Majority said they will support us, it was comforting. If they chicken out, it will weaken Parliament, it will weaken oversight role of Parliament and the minister will run riot.”
He added “Anywhere in the world, Mr Ofori-Atta should have been gone by now, taking full responsibility for what has happened.”
The Speaker admitted the motion which was filed by Asawase Member of Parliament Muntaka Mubarak and dated October 24, 2022.
The opposition lawmakers believe the Finance Minister has failed in managing the economy.
In tweet, North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said ” In compliance with Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the NDC Caucus in Parliament has successfully filed a motion for his immediate removal.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu earlier said in Parliament after the Speaker’s ruling was challenged by Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin that “The Speaker has ruled, and we must show respect to the Speaker. If there are any disagreements with the ruling, they know what to do.
“Ordinarily, any civilized democracy in the world, you don’t even need a motion for the Minister of Finance to go home.
“He, upon self-appraisal of where he has led the country and economy to, in all conscience, will bow out and save the nation. So, we have brought a competent motion.”
Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery says government is committed to justice for the victims and families of those who died during the 2020 elections.
At least five people died in separate violent incidents across the country during the election that saw president Akufo-Addo win a second term.
Two years after the incidents, there have been no arrests or prosecutions.
At a press conference, the Interior Minister promised government’s willingness to get to the bottom of the murders.
“We want to investigate the murders and the investigations are ongoing. The police service did not have a department that handles cold cases, but now it has. As soon as we find the people, we will deal with them, but I can assure you that we are investigating those people who were killed.”
For instance, in the last polls, two persons lost their lives in the Techiman South constituency after being hit by warning shots from security personnel, while six others sustained gunshot wounds.
The incident started after a misunderstanding ensued over the declaration of the election results.
Members of the NPP in the constituency, in March 2021, petitioned the Interior Ministry to investigate the shooting incident.
Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, the Member of Parliament for the area, has said some measures are being taken to secure justice for persons who suffered the brutalities.
He said the violence is regrettable and must not recur.
The MP has stated that he is aware that police investigations into the matter have been concluded and that there would be further action on the outcome soon.
Economist, Professor Lord Mensah, has said the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta must resign for a new person to take over the management of the economy.
According to him, the Finance Minister is trying to dissociate the economic dynamics from its management adding that what Mr. Ofori-Atta is doing is not real and it doesn’t happen anywhere.
The Economist explained that economic management goes with economic dynamics.
“Obviously it has to do with management so if the entire population is calling for his head. It sends the signal that what is on the grounds is not good. So for him to say that we should focus on the IMF and possibly restore the economy it’s uncalled for.
“For me his understanding of the management and influence of economic dynamics, he should understand that the economy is not on autopilot, the economy must be managed. If at the end of the day those that are supposed to feel the impact of the economy are saying that things are not going well with them that he should resign, he has to. He is not the one to come and explain and tell us that we have to focus on how we can restore the economy,” Prof. Mensah told Starr News.
He further stated that a new hand can give Ghanaians breathing space.
“I think his resignation will bring about some confidence to the economy and as a result of that maybe the economy will head in the right direction. Trust me you cannot dissociate human thinking when it comes to economic dynamics from the real numbers that are on the ground. We are waiting for him to resign so that we can have breathing space. As we speak now his presence as a Finance Minister has brought about a whole lot of uncertainty in the economy.
“People cannot even plan, investors cannot even look ahead and look at the next moment. As we speak now there are so many things going on at the back side of the economy that we don’t even know.”
Embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has spoken about how invested he has been in the management of Ghana’s economy citing the exertions that he has been going through.
In an interview posted on Joy FM’s social media handles, the Minister is heard stressing that the managers of the economy understood the task at hand.
He stressed that they were dealing with incessant challenges and taking cognizance of the available resources.
“Just to assure you that you have a finance minister who has gone through all the pains and aches and nobody can really come and say we don’t understand what we are doing.
“The question is what resources do we have and how we are going to deploy them in the nation that we have in very difficult circumstances but being very confident that the nation is purposed for greatness and we are blessed to have the opportunity to lead where we are going,” Ofori-Atta added.
“Let me assure you all that your best bet is still Ghana,” he told the gathering believed to be a group of investors but the time of the meeting is, however, unknown.
Calls for Ofori-Atta, Adu Boahen to be axed
A group of NPP MPs, numbering over 80, on October 25 held a press conference demanding the removal of the Finance Minister and Minister of State at the Ministry, Charles Adu Biahen, over management of the economy and hard times that citizens were facing.
President Akufo-Addo intervened and got a concession on two grounds, that the Ofori-Atta be allowed to conclude initial talks with the International Monetary Fund and present the 2022 budget and see to the passage of its appropriation.
The president has also addressed the nation on the economic challenges and how the government intends to tackle them.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has recently stated that the view advanced by the Ken Must Go MPs is now the Majority position.
Meanwhile, the Minority Caucus is pushing a vote of censure t remove Ofori Atta from office.
The government will in the coming days limit the availability of forex for the import of some goods into the country, the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said.
The move forms part of an initiative by the government to limit the importation of goods that can be produced locally.
Speaking in an interview with Kwaku Nhyira-Addo on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (1 November), Opong Nkrumah said,” We want to limit the importation of a number of things; rice, poultry, fruit juices, vegetable oil, because we produce all of them here in Ghana.”
“… We want to gradually fade these things out by reducing the availability of forex for those imports while supporting local production and in about six months, we can do a full review and if it becomes necessary to do an outright ban having improved local production then you can get into that area.”
An economist, Dr Sam Ankrah, has said the markets will respond favourably towards the economy if the President heeds calls to remove the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta. According to him, the economy was in dire strait and needed one who will inspire confidence and command the respect of the international community to restore the economy to its former glory.
Dr Ankrah was reacting to calls by some members of Parliament of the ruling New patriotic Party (NPP) who held a news conference a few hours ago to demand the removal of the Finance Minister from office.
The latest development comes amidst growing pressure from all sources for Mr Ofori-Atta to either step aside or face a sack from the President.
Dr Ankrah said the current developments in the economy and the reactions of the markets demonstrates a lack of confidence in the Finance Minister and noted that, if the President responds to the call, his action will restore confidence and the aftermath will be in the interest of the country.
“Let us remember that we play a key role in the international markets and therefore, any move that gives confidence will result in an action. That is what the markets are waiting to see,” he said.
Economy in Q3
The local currency, the cedi, suffered a steep decline in value against the world’s major currencies in the third quarter of the year.
It depreciated against the US dollar, the British pound, and the Euro by 37.5 per cent, 24.1 per cent, and 27.5 per cent respectively on a year-to-date (YTD) basis as of September.
Headline inflation rate accelerated to 37.2 per cent at the end of September 2022 compared to 29.8 per cent at the end of June 2022.
Food and non-food inflation for the end of September 2022 were 37.8 per cent and 36.8 per cent respectively, as compared to that of June 2022 which were 30.7 per cent and 29.1 per cent respectively.
These developments have created unbearable hardship for business leading to retrenchments due to high cost of operations. On the individual side, the developments have heavily eroded their disposable income making life unbearable.
Meanwhile, the country and the international community awaits what the President’s response will be after meeting various interest groups in an attempt to find solutions to the disturbing economic phenomenon.
Renowned gender advocate, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo (Previously Nana Oye Lithur), has called on President Akufo-Addo to resign, if he cannot resolve the prevailing economic crisis.
According to the former Gender Minister, there is no need for the President to stay at post, if he lacks the ability to lessen the prevailing hardship.
Speaking in an interview on the AM Show on Thursday, she bemoaned the present state of the economy and lamented government’s inability to meaningfully address the challenges.
The former government appointee said the increasing cost of living has become a headache for many citizens, hence the need for government to fast track efforts to make the situation better.
“The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo get serious. This is leadership. You undertook to lead Ghana and lead our government. We have a problem. Solve that problem or resign. People are dying. People are stressed out. People are hungry. The economy of Ghana has collapsed. We’re in a dire situation”, she told host, Benjamin Akakpo.
In her submissions, the former Gender Minister added that the widespread public anger needs to be addressed by government.
According to her, the angst amongst the masses is similar to what fueled the 1948 riots, hence government must take a serious view of the President’s recent booing.
Madam Oye Bampoe Addo’s comments adds to the series of lamentations about government’s failure to better the situation.
Currently, Ghana is in a dire economic situation with citizens feeling the brunt of the hardship.
The economic crisis is evident in the constant depreciation of the local currency, in addition to the rising rate of inflation.
These developments have become very topical, with stakeholders constantly bemoaning the situation.
Meanwhile in the wake of the widespread public agitations about the state of the economy, government maintains that it is working tirelessly around the clock to put the smiles back on the faces of Ghanaians.
According to the government, the economic situation has been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ambassador Virginia Evelyn Palmer, United States Ambassador to Ghana, has called on stakeholders in the agribusiness sector to leverage partnerships to tackle challenges hindering the growth and development of the sector.
She noted, particularly the difficulties in accessing agribusiness financing in the country and, therefore, said working together could possibly expand access to affordable and commercial financing for farmers and agribusinesses, thereby promoting food security and sustainable economic growth.
Ambassador Palmer made the call when she addressed the 2022 Agribusiness Investment Summit held in Accra on the theme: “Strategic Partnerships for Sustainable Agricultural Financing,” organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-supported Feed the Future Ghana Mobilizing Finance in Agriculture (MFA) Activity.
The Summit provided a platform for stakeholders in the agribusiness space to share information and knowledge on innovative agricultural financing in the country and showcased economically viable agribusiness investment opportunities in the maize, soy, groundnut, cowpea, mango, pineapple, cashew, and shea value chains.
Ambassador Palmer expressed concern about economic challenges confronting the country and called on the government to adopt steps to improve the nation’s macro-economic conditions.
“It is a challenging time for farmers and the finance sector, in particular because of high inflation and depreciation of the cedi. Additionally, fertilizer prices have been high, reducing usage which could lead to smaller yields in the coming months”, she said.
The US government, she indicated, was creating opportunities to promote job creation and support of incomes in the country.
“In just the past two months, our programmes facilitated US$16 million in financing through 15 financial institutions.
This financing in turn supported more than 7,500 agribusinesses, including 3,600 female-led enterprises”, Ambassador Palmer added.
In a speech on his behalf, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, entreated financial institutions to support the development of climate-smart agriculture interventions to increase food productivity.
This would help financial institutions to manage climate change risks in agricultural lending, he said, adding “agricultural financing needs to be innovative to attract private capital and deepen the resilience of agriculture finance markets.”
Dr. John Apontuah Kumah, a Deputy Minister of Finance, said the government had adopted a paradigm shift to transform agricultural financing to reposition the sector and make it a true driver for sustainable economic growth and development.
He said the Ministry had created a special unit to liaise with key sector players for collection of data, policy analysis on the agriculture sector, and research on agribusiness financing options to boost commercial agriculture in the country.
Dr. Victor Antwi, the Chief of Party of MFA Activity, said the Activity would help mobilize more than US$260 million in financing for the agribusiness sector.
He announced “in approximately two years of the activity, MFA has mobilized over US$178.5 million (72.5 percent from commercial banks) for 18,636 farmers and agribusinesses, including 54 per cent female-led agribusinesses in the country.
The Activity is also implementing a US$2.77 million COVID-19 Relief and Resilience Challenge Fund to benefit more than 29,000 smallholder farmers with 66 per cent being women, Dr. Antwi stated.
President Akufo-Addo says there is no basis for him to sack the Finance Minister Ofori-Atta.
According to him, Ken Ofori-Atta has discharged his duties “excellently” and he cannot relieve such a person of his position.
President Akufo-Addo speaking on OTEC FM on Monday said he has full confidence in the Minister who is his cousin.
He insisted that Ofori-Atta cannot be blamed for the current economic woes the country is facing.
“I came to office in 2017 under a stringent IMF programme. This same man was able to manage the affairs of our economy in such a way that in my first term, we were one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
“An average growth rate of 7% which allowed us to initiate programmes such as Planting for Food and Jobs. So somebody who has been able to do that. The current difficulties are not his fault. So how do I do it (sack him)? What will be the basis? What will be the rationale.”
President Akufo-Addo thus said calls for him to sack the Minister is unjustified.
“If we were to say he didn’t do well in the first term, then why did I renominate him for my second term? So for me, his performance in my first time was excellent. Let me use that word. Excellent,” he added.
Some Ghanaians have called on the President to relieve the Minister of his duties due to the poor state of the Ghanaian economy.
Ghana is currently seeking support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to stay the economy afloat, but despite the gloom, President Akufo Addo insists he will keep the Finance Minister.
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian cedi exchanged for ¢12 to $1 in many places on Friday, selling at ¢12.10 at most forex bureaux or the retail market.
This development comes within a week after the cedi earlier depreciated against the dollar.
Meanwhile, scores of Ghanaians have taken to social media to bemoan the situation; urging the government to take urgent steps to address the persistent depreciation of the country’s currency.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has jumped to the defence of his Deputy, George Mireku Duker who has been hit with allegations of involving himself in illegal mining activities.
According to the minister, he has no reason to believe such allegations as he is confident that his deputy would not be involved in such illegality.
“I think that the matters are still at play and the minister has denied it flatly. I have full confidence in the minister in my ministry and I don’t think he will ever be involved in any such conduct,” the minister told the press on Tuesday, October 11, 2022.
Amidst public calls on the government to take drastic measures in the fight against galamsey, George Mireku Duker and some members of the current government, as well as members of the ruling New Patriotic Party, have been accused of being involved in galamsey.
But the minister for lands and natural resources emphasised that it will only be through an investigation that the allegations against his deputy can be established or otherwise.
“They have denied it and if there is any substance to any such allegations, I think the best way to proceed is to conduct investigations,” he said.
Mr Jianpor who was addressing the press after alleged Chinese galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang was brought to the Accra High Court noted government’s commitment to fight galamsey by all means possible, including through prosecutions.
“As you can tell, this Aisha Huang lady, the government of President Akufo-Addo is committed to bring her and other persons who are involved in illegal mining to face the full rigours of our laws in this country,” he said.
Aisha Huang remanded indefinitely for trial
Chinese National, Aisha Huang, who is in court for her involvement in illegal mining activities (galamsey) in Ghana, has been remanded to police custody by the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court.
Presiding Judge Lydia Osei Marfo, during a sitting on Friday, October 11, 2022, refused the plea of her lawyer, Nkrabea Effah Dartey, after the latter argued that his client deserved bail.
According to the judge, all arguments previously made against his plea for bail, including his client’s flight risk, remain and will not be changed.
She added that his constant presence in court with his client would be the only way to ensure the case is heard accordingly for the determination of his client’s fate.
State Prosecutor Godfred Dame, on his part, reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring the case is duly heard and that the accused are prosecuted if found guilty.
Aisha Huang is in court over charges of mining without a license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals, four other charges, including undertaking a mining operation without a license.
She is also facing four other charges, including undertaking a mining operation without a license, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry were filed at the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court on Friday, September 16, 2022.
Her case has since been adjourned to October 24, 2022, for case management.
Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has warned that Ghana might soon be unable to export cocoa and coffee to some international markets.
According to Oppong Nkrumah, the ban might happen because of a new legislation in Europe.
In a post shared on Facebook, the minister indicated that the government was warned of this move by the Ghana Embassy in Belgium, which has started working to ensure that the ban does not come into force.
“In Europe, there is a new legislation that could soon make Ghanaian cocoa and coffee unexportable to many international markets.
“The Ghana Embassy in Belgium under the leadership of Ambassador Sena Boateng has moved swiftly to bring this to the attention of the Government of Ghana. It has also commenced work on realigning Ghanaian and European interests in cocoa and coffee,” parts of the post read.
He added that Ghana and other cocoa-producing countries in the West African sub-region must act swiftly to ensure that they are on the same page with European countries.
“Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire need to act quickly to secure the industry while meeting the interests of European markets else millions of households and our entire economies could be significantly affected soon,” he said.
The European Commission in November 2021 tabled a legislative proposal that aims at curbing deforestation and forest degradation driven by the expansion of agricultural land used to produce specific commodities, namely cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soya and wood, as part of its efforts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
The legislation will mandate European countries to come up with regulations that will ensure that their import of these commodities from countries like Ghana are not only legal but are harvested, extracted and processed in a sustainable manner.
“The proposed regulation should cover high-carbon stock and biodiversity-rich ecosystems other than forests (such as wetlands, peatlands or savannahs), to avoid the problems of conversion and degradation being shifted to these landscapes,” parts of the legislation read.
The commission also indicated that sanctions on exporting countries who fail to meet the set standards should include a ban on their export.
The founder and leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Percival Kofi Akpaloo, has doubted the ability of Agriculture Minister Owusu Afriyie Akoto to manage the government’s flagship Planting for Food and Jobs programme.
He argued the sector minister has run out of ideas to add any progress to the development of the agricultural sector.
“There was a major problem with the prices of the raw materials, especially maize and soybean. Maize, for instance, went up by 100%, and then wheat and soybean all went up,” he said.
“Why must we import frozen chicken and maize while we can grow some in Ghana? President Akufo-Addo has to relieve him of his post, “Kofi Akpaloo exclusively told Accra-based Angel FM.
He further revealed that the Minister for Agriculture had disobeyed the president’s directives to save the local poultry industry.
President Akufo-Addo has often touted the progress of the planting for food and jobs programme, alluding to the feat it has achieved.
This, he said, is a complete misapplication of the subsidies.
He believes it would only be proper if the sector minister is relieved of his position.
A former Minister of Defence under the John Agyekum Kufuor government, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, has intimated that the first cabinet put together by the former president was one of Ghana’s best ever.
According to him, the calibre of the people handpicked by the former president, many of whom cut across many spheres of life, made it a delight for him to work with them.
Contained in his memoir titled, Gold Coast Boy, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, the former minister carefully outlined the qualifications of the people who made up that cabinet, stressing that they made meetings a delight to be in.
“I have taken the trouble to highlight the professional and political backgrounds of the members of the first cabinet put together by President Kufuor for two main reasons. First is to exemplify Micheavelli’s wisdom in the quotation at the beginning of the chapter. The ‘men’ the president had ‘around him’ were ‘capable and faithful.’
“The second reason is to stress the point that citizens who wish to serve their nation at the executive level must have acquired the requisite training and experience, in their respective fields, so that they are better able to serve. Ideally, politics should be regarded as an avenue of service to one’s compatriots, and not a platform for employment.
“The quality of the president’s cabinet was such that it was almost always a pleasure to attend meetings and listen to discussions on proposals and position papers. It always appeared that members had researched and prepared for discussions; they showed so much familiarity with the documents and their content. And they spoke and argued cogently, logically and with some authority,” he wrote.
Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor added that due to this, he was of the belief that Ghana had been blessed with some of the finest brains in any political dispensation in the country.
“I always felt that the people of Ghana were lucky to have men and women of such calibre helping the president to manage the affairs of state at the time,” he added.
In the photo snippets of the book below, you can read the full details of all that he said in this regard:
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah has asked road contractors who are unable to undertake road contracts awarded them to return their contract certificates.
There abound a litany of roads awarded on contracts, yet contractors are not on site as some have abandoned work midstream with the excuse of they not being paid by government for works so far executed.
“There are a lot of road contracts in the western region, what we have seen is that some contractors are not doing their best. What we are saying is that any contractor who is not ready for the contract should write a letter to the ministry detailing his or her inability to fulfill the contract so that we re-award it. We are not ready to plead with any contractor again”, he emphasized.
The Western Region in recent times has seen some agitations by chiefs and indigenes over poor roads for which politicians keep emphasizing are on contract. The attitude by the contractors is seen as unfair by the Western Regional Minister.
“When the contractors were coming for the tendering process they brought along letters from their respective banks assuring the government that they had enough money to complete the contract. So if all of a sudden you turn around and complain of insufficient funds to complete the work then it means you are trying to deceive the government.”
he fumed over.
Just this week, chiefs in the Ahanta West Municipality have had to take to demonstrating over poor roads at Sankor – Cape 3 points although for the past 2 years they kept being impressed upon that the roads are all on contract since 2020 yet no contractor is on-site till date.
The Minister of Labour in Austria is considering a mask requirement for football to return in the country.
This is expected to guarantee the safety of the players amid coronavirus pandemic.
Red Bull Salzburg returned to training this week with Ghana youth international Majeed Ashimeru spotted wearing a face mask.
Samuel Tetteh also returned to training with his Austrian Bundesliga side LASK Linz.
In Germany, the Bundesliga has been warned that playing games behind closed doors could pose a public health risk because fans will gather in front of stadiums.
The authorities are looking for a way to resume the 2019-20 campaign despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Schools in Wales will not reopen next week and a change to that is not imminent, the Welsh education minister has said.
Kirsty Williams said when schools do reopen “it won’t be business as usual” and only some children may return.
The closure will only end when she receives advice it is safe to do so, the minister said.
Education institutions across the UK shut because of the coronavirus outbreak in March.
The Easter break was due to end next week, but some schools have remained open to provide care for children of key workers.
Ms Williams said that during the first week of the Easter holidays, there were around “430 settings open, with around 2,700 children attending daily”.
There were more than 250 open on Good Friday and Easter Monday, with up to 680 children attending.
“We should prepare ourselves for a significant period of disruption to our education system,” the education minister told the daily Welsh Government press conference.
“I will only re-open schools when I have the advice from the chief medical officer and the chief scientific officer that it is safe to do so.
“And at this moment I have not received that advice.”
She added: “The scientific advice is very clear in terms of the continuation of social distancing practices, so what are the practicalities of actually operating that within the school? We may be in a situation where we can have part of the school cohort going back.”
Support for parents
Ms Williams said Wales will become the only government to provide “national guidance and tools” for children learning at home.
It includes guidance for teachers on supporting pupils and for parents on how they can help their children.
“The package will be inclusive, to meet the needs as many learners as we can, and support learning in both Welsh and English,” she said.
“Let me be clear, we don’t want, nor do we expect, parents to be formal teachers, but we do need to provide support for parents to help them help their children.
