TIG Post

Tag: programme

  • Phillip Schofield admits having an affair ‘paid off by ITV’

    Phillip Schofield admits having an affair ‘paid off by ITV’

    Based on recent revelation, after their relationship ended, ITV allegedly gave money to the young runner Phillip Schofield had an affair with.

    ITV is said to have ‘paid off’ the young runner Phillip Schofield sensationally admitted to lying about having an affair with.

    Following his admission that he had lied about having an affair with a considerably younger guy who worked as a runner on the show, former This Morning host Schofield, 61, quit the programme earlier this month and ultimately left ITV altogether.

    The unnamed teenage runner was 15 when they first met, according to Schofield, who also claimed that the “unwise but legal” relationship started after the runner reached 18.

    This Morning has been in chaos since the bombshell confession, with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary filling in for Schofield and Holly Willoughby, who is reportedly set to return to the sofa next week.

    Former This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes has since done a tell-all interview with GB News claiming rumours about the relationship were rife, while former This Morning regular Dr Ranj Singh has also spoken out about the ‘toxic’ feeling on set.

    Now the Daily Mail is reporting that the young man who Schofield admitted an affair with was given a payment by ITV at the end of his relationship with the presenter.

    Phillip Phillip Schofield appears to be v awkward Suranne Jones Discussing Maryland on This Morning 17/05/2023 Grabs - ITV
    Former This Morning presenter Schofield admitted to lying about the affair earlier this month (Picture: ITV)

    The man had been moved from This Morning to Loose Women after his relationship with the presenter reportedly soured, which Holmes had said was a ‘promotion’ he had not asked for.

    According to the outlet, sources have claimed the runner was given a financial settlement from the broadcaster, which ITV have reportedly refused on numberous occasions to comment on or deny.

    An insider reportedly claimed someone senior at ITV must have known about the payment as it required ‘people of some seniority’ to sign off it.

    Phillip
    A source claimed a person of some seniority would have had to sign off on any payment (Picture: ITV/Rex/Shutterstock)

    It comes after Holmes’ late-night interview on Monday with GB News’ Dan Wootton, where he called for the ‘unprecedented’ promotion of the runner to be investigated, particularly ‘who authorised it.’

     Holmes claimed he heard from a reliable source that the runner would arrive via taxi from Schofield’s home on Friday mornings after they went out on Thursday nights.

    Holmes went on to claim the young man was ‘in a bad way’ and he and Holmes’ wife Ruth Langsford kept an eye on him, but he ‘never admitted’ any sort of relationship with Schofield but he would ‘phone often’ for ‘comfort’.

    ‘We never intruded, we just asked if he was okay, and we were here if he needed support. He felt alone and no one was looking after him. But there was press pressure on him.’

    He claimed there was an ‘overriding, more than suspicion’ on what was going on, and accused ITV of a ‘total cover-up’ as he claimed the ‘thorough investigation’ involved simply asking both men if they were in a relationship, which they denied, and then moved on.

    Phillip Schofield statement in full

    ‘I am making this statement via the Daily Mail to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story which they wanted to write about me a few days ago.

    ‘The first thing I want to say is: I am deeply sorry for having lied to them, and to many others about a relationship that I had with someone working on This Morning. I did have a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.

    ‘Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship. That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It is now over.

    ‘When I chose to come out I did so entirely for my own wellbeing. Nobody “forced” me out. Neither I nor anyone else, to my knowledge, has ever issued an injunction, super or otherwise, about my relationship with this colleague, he was never moved on or sacked by or because of me. In an effort to protect my ex-colleague I haven’t been truthful about the relationship.

    ‘But my recent, unrelated, departure from This Morning fuelled speculation and raised questions which have been impacting him, so for his sake it is important for me to be honest now.

    ‘I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife.

    ‘I have therefore decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.

    ‘I will reflect on my very bad judgment in both participating in the relationship and then lying about it. To protect his privacy, I am not naming this individual and my deepest wish is that both he and his family can now move on with their lives free from further intrusion, and that this statement will enable them to do so.

    ‘I ask the media now to respect their privacy. They have done nothing wrong, and I ask that their privacy should be respected.’

  • ECG to clamp down on illegal connections – Managing Director

    ECG to clamp down on illegal connections – Managing Director

    The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), has said that preparations are being made to launch a new initiative that would concentrate on unauthorized power connections in the country.

    According to Samuel Mahama, illegal connections cost grave losses to his outfit, therefore, the need for the outfit to undertake the exercise.

    He further added that people who would be culpable of the act will be tried in court for stealing.

    “So let’s take it that I am giving everyone a head start. Anybody who believes their meter has been tampered with and there is a bypass, note that the utility court is being set up and you are going to be charged with stealing.

    “You will not be charged with bypass and we know stealing is imprisonment, so if you’ve bypassed the meter please correct it,” he said on Tuesday.

    Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr Mahama used the platform to caution people who are illegally connected to the grid or using fake meters to address the issue before the exercise is rolled out.

    He stressed that there will be no favours on the day of reckoning.

    “This thing is a big moral and responsibility and values fight. We need to stop,” he stressed.

    Mr Mahama decried the losses the power distributing company has endured due to the illicit behaviour.

    Citing a newspaper, he said illegal connections cost ECG at least GH₵2 billion.

    “For every percentage lost, it costs ECG GH₵100 million, and right now, ECG’s losses is at about 28 percent so that is GH₵2.8 billion,” he stated.

    In March, the power-distributing company started an ambitious programme to recover GH₵5.7 billion owed by its customers.

    Private manufacturing industries and mining firms are the highest debtors, followed by some government institutions.

    Touching on the topic, ECG’s Managing Director said his outfit is halfway through the debt collection exercise.

  • UTAG throws out govt’s request to include pension funds in revised debt servicing deal

    UTAG throws out govt’s request to include pension funds in revised debt servicing deal

    The government’s newest alternative offer to include pension funds in the current debt restructuring has been rejected by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).

    Government has said, the decision to include pension funds in the programme is aimed at alleviating the cash constraints on the government in the coming years, while fully compensating the Pension Funds for the value of their current holdings.

    But in a memo, UTAG said any move to add pension funds in the debt restructuring programme will overburden its already poor members.

    “We are still unable to participate in any intervention that would worsen the plight of the already impoverished Ghanaian University Lecturer. We therefore write to unequivocally reject the request to use our Pension Funds i.e GUSS, SSNIT and any other pension fund that affect our members for the new alternative proposed offer by government.”

    “his request by the government comes after organized labour fiercely rejected the inclusion of pension funds in the Domestic Debt Exchange programme.

    “We warn that governmental intransigence in this matter would not be countenanced as we are willing to fight to ensure that no one robs our members of their pensions funds”, UTAG added in its statement.

    What Finance Minister has been saying

    The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta had explained that the proposal has been “crafted to facilitate the execution of the MoU, addressing the Government financial needs while maintaining the value of the pension funds.”

    “The proposed offer entails exchanging your current holdings of Treasury Bonds, ESLA bonds and Daakye Bonds for a menu of the currently outstanding New Bonds (issued in February 2023 and maturing in 2027 and 2028 respectively. New Bond 2027 and New Bond 2028 featuring an average coupon of 8.4 % with a ratio of 1.15x, thus entailing an increase in patrimonial value.”

    “This complemented by an additional cash payment of 10% (strip coupon). The stream of coupons to be received as part of this proposal will therefore be 21% compared to the current 18.5% of the outstanding old bonds,” he added.

    He further indicated that “in 2023 and 2024, both instruments will pay 5% coupon in cash and the remainder will be capitalized into the nominal amount of the two bonds in order to comply with the cash constraints and the macro-framework defined under the programme with International Monetary Fund (IMF).”

    He says the alternative offer has been designed to “(i) achieve the same average maturity as pension funds current holdings of the old bonds (currently between 4 and 5 years), (ii) achieve a similar average coupon (currently at 18.5%) while(iii) alleviating the cash constraints for the government over the first two years.”

    The Finance Minister thus urged the Board of Trustees of pension funds to consider the proposal, indicating that “government is targeting to settle the offer by end of April 2023.”

  • Vaccine Shortage: Akufo-Addo doesn’t appreciate the essence of urgency – Akandoh

    Vaccine Shortage: Akufo-Addo doesn’t appreciate the essence of urgency – Akandoh

    The Ranking member of the parliamentary health committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has expressed disappointment in President Akufo-Addo for failing to provide precise timetables for the purchase of children vaccines.

    Notwithstanding reports by the National Health Insurance Authority that more than GH70 million had been authorized for the purchase of the vaccines, certain regions of the country have been affected by a lack of vaccines in recent months.

    President Akufo-Addo in his State of the Nation Address on March 8, 2023, said steps have been taken to ensure the vaccines are procured and supplied as a matter of emergency.

    “In accordance with our desire not to become part of this global trend, Government has taken steps to ensure that stocks of these vaccines are procured and supplied, as a matter of emergency. The Ghana Health Service has developed an elaborate programme to catch up on children who have missed their vaccinations immediately stocks arrive.

    “I want to encourage all parents and caregivers to ensure that eligible children are vaccinated, once this programme begins. No child should be denied access to vaccination. Mercifully, so far, not a single child has died as a result of the outbreak,” the President said.

    But speaking to journalists, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the government is denying children access to good health care with the shortage of vaccines in the country.

    “What is the meaning of emergency? What is the meaning of soon? They should be telling us the timelines. In the first place, we shouldn’t have gotten here. It looks like the President doesn’t appreciate the essence of urgency. For me, I’m simply uncomfortable and disappointed”.

    “He had the opportunity to vaccinate his children and grandchildren. Children are born today and every minute, and they have no opportunity to be vaccinated. You are denying the people the right to good healthcare which is against the constitution of the land. In some jurisdictions, this is a crime for Christ’s sake, and I’m getting emotional about it,” the MP laments.

    However, the former Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, who currently serves as the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong disagrees.

    “He [President] said that no child will be left out without a vaccination, that is a promise and that is what we have to follow through. By the end of the vaccination period, if a child is left unvaccinated, then we know that he lied to us, but this is so early to say so,” the former MP said.

  • Vormawor interrupts Ofori-Atta’s address to pensioners

    Vormawor interrupts Ofori-Atta’s address to pensioners

    Today, Wednesday, February, 15, the minister of finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, was interrupted by the convener for pressure group, Oliver Barker-Vormawor when addressing pensioner bondholders at the Finance Ministry.

    The Minister was seeking to understand the concerns of the picketers but was interrupted by Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a convener for pressure group #FixTheCountry who had come to lend support to the picketers accusing the minister of untrustworthiness.

    This interruption infuriated the Minister who was whisked away by security.

    The Minister told the pensioners that following the closure of the programme and the attainment of the successful participation rate, the continuous picketing by the pensioners was unnecessary.

    “Really, there is no reason for us to be sitting here because that assurance has been given on paper. I want to know what it is that you are afraid of or that you think will not happen. My issue is that, that, now you have very little of the old bonds existing. This means that, in the event of a crisis, your ability to trade your papers is diminished. But that is the choice you made.”

  • Ofori-Atta should start over and revise his plan – Sophia Akuffo

    Ofori-Atta should start over and revise his plan – Sophia Akuffo

    The recently-retired Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, Sophia Akuffo, has urged the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to revise his plans and come up with a strategy that will exclude bondholders.

    “The Minister of Finance had better go back to the drawing board and come back with a better proposal, otherwise nobody is going to… I am encouraging people not to agree to sign up for anything, and if need be, we can all go to court,” she said.

    Sophia Akuffo said this when she joined pensioners who are picketing at the finance minister’s office against his decision to include the investment of pensioners in the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.

    The pensioners have vehemently rejected the move, stating that they do not want their monies included in the programme because they survive on the returns on such investments.

    The former Chief Justice, who clarified that she was not affected by DDEP, said she was there in solidarity with her fellow retirees.

    She stressed that these retirees have served the nation well and do not deserve the treatment they are being given.

    “These are all people who have worked. They have worked very hard. They could have left the country when others were going, but they stayed and worked for the nation. And we’ve had our ups and downs and everything… We have been through times when all your savings have become nonsense due to some government policy… quite a number of people here today when they retired, they put everything in government bonds,” she added.

    Ghana is seeking an IMF bailout of $3 billion, but the Fund wants to be sure that the government’s debts are sustainable, hence the voluntary Domestic Debt Exchange Programme to deal with its domestic debts.

    It has also come up with some measures, including the country joining the Paris Club to deal with its international debts – to have the foreign debts delayed or forgiven.

    With the DDEP, the government is seeking to restructure approximately GH¢137.3 billion of the domestic debts it accrued through bonds it issued, including the E.S.L.A. Plc and Daakye Trust Plc, and per the requirement of the IMF, 80 percent of the country’s total debts must be subject to this debt exchange programme.

  • Govt expects overwhelming support for debt exchange programme – Finance Minister

    The Government of Ghana expects overwhelming support for the debt exchange programme that has been introduced in the 2023 budget, the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has said.

    In his view, the programme is the surest way of restoring the Ghanaian economy back on track to create jobs and protect income of the people.

    Launching the programme in Accra on Monday December 5, he said the government expects an overwhelming support for the programme.

    He said after citing best practices in countries such as Greece, that the debt exchange programme “is an orderly way to put our economy back on track in order to create jobs, protect income and restore hope to the Ghanaian people.”

    “the govt expects overwhelming support for this exchange programme,” he stressed.

    He further dismissed speculations that there is going to be haircuts following the programme.

    “There will be no haircuts,” he said.

    He further justified the introduction of the debt exchange programme.

    He stated that it has become necessary because of the enormous challenges with debt servicing.

    He revealed that debt servicing is consuming “almost of government’s revenue and also 70 per cent of tax revenue.”

    “Which is why we are announcing this to restore our capacity to service debt,” he stressed.

    Under the debt exchange programme, he said, ” domestic bond holders will be asked to exchange their instruments for new ones.”

    He added “Existing domestic bonds as of 1st December will be exchanged for a set of four new bonds maturing in 2027, 2029, and 2037.”

    The annual coupons on all of these bonds will be set at 0 % in 2023, 5% in 2024 and 10% from 2025 until maturity.

    “Coupon payments will be semi annual ‘ he stressed.

  • Debt restructuring: Ghana can go into recession – Expert

    A banking consultant has said that Ghana’s economy may be headed toward a recession if the financial managers do not act appropriately.

    According to Dr. Richmond Atuahene, the country’s high debt levels, which have led to debt restructuring, will make 2023 quite difficult if things are not aligned properly.

    “We’re not going to have it easy. It’s going to be very difficult because everybody is talking, but they haven’t taken into consideration the debt-restructuring process. That itself can affect the economy so much that we will possibly go into recession,” myjoyonline.com quoted him.

    Dr. Atuahene added that when recessions occur, the affected countries are not able to bounce back within a short period.

    According to him, measures such as; debt-reduction, debt profile, debt restructuring, debt rescheduling, and debt swap as cited in the 2023 budget, hinder cash flow, therefore businesses are bound to suffer when these measures are indulged.

    Meanwhile, a financial analyst, Professor Williams Peprah, has stated that the government should not conduct debt restructuring in a way that discourages investors from investing.

    According to him, interest payments can be postponed whiles principals are paid under the possible programme.

    Earlier, reports have revealed that some domestic investors were losing their investments due to an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission to banks.

    The supposed order was for banks to use the mark-to-market approach to pay investors.

    The investors have since lamented the inconveniences that this has caused while adding that some have begun losing part of their principal.

    However, Prof. Peprah advised the government to restructure debt in a way that gives room for people to be able to access their principal when they want due to rising inflation in the country.

    He said: “For the bonds, loss of confidence in the Ghanaian economy, it is better to defer interest payments and then pay principals so that people will be able to get cash flow to survive.”

    “The reason why we’re seeing a lot of people trying to dump or discount their bonds now is because they need cash to survive because of the high inflation. So, government will have to have a metric where a certain class of investors is allowed to receive some funds to survive,” he said.

  • Gov’t playing hide and seek with IMF over debt restructuring roadmap – Minority

    The minority in Parliament has disclosed the government is not showing any commitment towards getting a deal with the IMF.

    According to the NDC MPs, government is playing hide and seek with the Fund while pursuing other options which they argue are not favorable to the survival of the country’s economy.

    Addressing journalists in parliament, a minority spokesperson on finance, Isaac Adongo disclosed the IMF bailout has been delayed as a result of government’s refusal to announce a debt restructuring roadmap.

    “In the meantime, they are buying themselves time to see whether that can disappear, but they will need to take that bold decision on debt restructuring because it’s not an option. Ghana as we speak today does not comply with the requirement of IMF for a funded programme because the IMF does not lend into an unsustainable situation and Ghana’s debt has been concluded to be unsustainable. And this fact was communicated to government in its 8th memoir that the IMF issued the last time before it left. So there is no way we can have an IMF programme that is supported by funding without undertaking steps to bring our debt to sustainable levels so that we’re in compliance with the IMF own internal requirements.”

    The deputy ranking member for the finance committee further disclosed government is struggling to put together the 2023 budget thus the inability to present it by the stipulated November 15 per the public finance management Act.

  • Upper West: 33,868 students benefit from Free SHS, says minister

    At least 33,868 students in the Upper West Region have benefited from the government’s flagship Free Senior High School programme, according to official figures.

    Addressing journalists over the weekend, the regional minister Hafiz Bin Salih attributed the increment in secondary school enrolment in his region to the visionary leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo in making education accessible to all.

    “The introduction of the Free SHS programme in 2017 saw all 35 public SHS/SHTS/TVET schools in the region being enrolled onto the programme. So far, the programme has benefited 33,868 students in the region,” Salih said.

    He said though the region was faced with the challenge of inadequate infrastructure when the programme was first introduced in 2017, the government through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has completed 33 new educational projects, with 11 facilities being constructed in different areas within the region.

    “In addition, from 2017 to date, the GETFund has completed 33 new infrastructural facilities, and 11 new facilities is in progress. These projects include dormitories, classrooms, science laboratories, administrative blocks, accommodation among others,” he added.

    In addition, the minister said strenuous efforts are being made to complete a further 52 stalled GETFund projects in the region. These projects, he said, include some critical infrastructure including the Hilla Limann Technical University, some senior high schools and basic schools across the region.

     

  • Don’t touch pension funds during debt restructuring – Public Sector Workers to gov’t

    The Forum for Public Sector Associations and Unions have asked the Government not to apply a “haircut” to Tier 2 Pension Funds as part of a “probable” debt restructuring programme.

    The Forum said it had taken note of media reports suggesting that about 94 percent of Tier 2 Pension contributions placed in government securities might be affected by the said debt restructuring agenda.

    At a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 20, 2022, Mr Isaac Bampoe Addo, Chairman of the Forum, said any such decision on the Tier 2 Pensions would contravene provisions of the National Pensions Act, 2008.

    “If the Government was to pursue the restructuring of Ghana’s debt by touching pension funds placed in government securities, it would be tantamount to the deceit of benefits envisaged under the Three Tier Pensions Scheme,” he said.

    Mr Addo said following the media reports, the Forum officially wrote to the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) for clarification.

    He said the NPRA, in its response to the Forum, assured that: “there’s no such policy or decision at the moment to restructure Ghana’s debt and as regards the 94 per cent of Tier 2 pension contributions placed in government securities.”

    Mr Addo said the decision to place a larger proportion of Tier-2 funds into Government Securities, was due to the fact Government paid all the Temporary Pension Fund Account (TPFA) at the Bank of Ghana in government securities. He said the Occupational Pension Schemes had efficiently grown the Tier-2 Pensions Funds that would allow the schemes to pay “better lump sum” to its contributors on retirement.

    “Thus, if the government would want to touch these funds, that are privately managed, it would be tantamount to the Government reaping where it has not sown,” he said.

    The Forum is made up of nine public sector Unions and Associations, including the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, the Ghana National Association of Teachers; the Ghana Medical Association; the Ghana Registered Nurses’ and Midwives’ Association, and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT).

    The rest are the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana, Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana, and the Ghana Hospitals Pharmacists Association. The Forum constitutes about 70 per cent of the public sector payroll. Ghana’s Pension Scheme is in three tiers. The First Tier is the Basic National Social Security Scheme for all workers in Ghana. It is a defined benefit scheme and mandatory for workers to have 13.5 per cent contributions made on their behalf, and managed by SSNIT.

    The Second Tier is a defined contributory Occupational Pension Scheme mandatory for workers with 5 per cent contribution made on behalf of members.

    The contribution is managed privately by approved Trustees. The Third Tier which includes all Provident Funds and all other Pension Funds outside Tiers I and II is a voluntary scheme.

    Section 102 of the Pensions Act states: “the accrued benefits of a member in an occupational pension scheme shall not be attached in execution of a judgment debt or be used as a charge, pledge, lien or be transferred, assigned or alienated by or on behalf of the member.”

  • 400 SMEs to benefit from Women SME Innovation Programme

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Vivo Energy Ghana launches 2022 ‘Stop, Think & Drive’ road safety campaign

    Energy retailing giant, Vivo Energy Ghana, in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), has launched a road safety campaign dubbed, “Stop, Think & Drive”.

    The campaign aims to improve road safety consciousness among commercial drivers and motorcyclists to help ensure the reduction of road accidents involving public transport vehicles.

    As part of the campaign, Vivo organized training sessions for the drivers on best practices in driving and first aid among others.

    Speaking to commercial drivers at the launch of the campaign in Accra, on Thursday, the HSSE Manager of Vivo Energy, Joseph Kankam, said that the campaign will abreast drivers with the needed knowledge they will need to ensure that they continue to drive safely.

    He added that Vivo will be sharing the best practices its drivers have been using to transport their products with the commercial drivers.

    “Because we transport our product on the same road as you (commercial divers). We want to collaborate with you so that today together with the National Road Safety Commission, the DVLA and other partners, we can resolve the major challenge on our roads which is road accidents and its related deaths and injuries.

    “This campaign will enjoin on us the need to drive safely so that we can avoid needless deaths and injuries on our roads,” he said in Twi.

    As part of the programme, the drivers were also taken through an eye screen exercise.

  • Akufo-Addo’s government deserves commendation for YouStart programme – Nii Ashitey Ollenu

    Aspiring New Patriotic Party Parliamentary Candidate for Ledzokuku Constituency. Nii Ashitey Ollenu has commended the government of President Akufo-Addo for introducing policies to empower the Ghanaian youth.

    Speaking on Top FM’s Final Point programme, the philanthropist and youth activist noted the need for deliberate actions aimed at empowering the youth of Ghana.

    “My focus is on youth empowerment, unfortunately, some people have boxed up the youth with unfulfilled promises. So all the time the youth are living in disappointment. So it is about time the youth get empowered to bring out the giants in them,” he told the host of the programme, Kwabena Owusu Agyemang.

    He however lauded the government for introducing the YouStart programme which aims at providing funding and technical guidance to youth of Ghana to go into entrepreneurship.

    “One thing I believe the government of President Akufo-Addo deserves commendation for is the introduction of the YouStart programme. It is a youth-focused programme and if it is administered as it had been planned the youth will be relieved

    “My doors are always opened and I am also glad that the Ghana Enterprises agency which is formally the National Board for Small Scale Industries is the agency behind the policy,” he added.

  • Obuobia launches IGNITE series to empower young girls

    A public speaker and broadcaster, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has launched the IGNITE Youth Empowerment Initiative, to engage, empower and embolden young ladies to become better versions of themselves and position them strategically for leadership.

    The first edition of IGNITE was held in September as part of the mentorship programme to inspire young ladies with untapped potentials to learn how to communicate persuasively.

    A pioneer in applying successful mentorship practices to young girls, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, said: “This initiative is a dream that means a lot to me because it’s a dream coming to fruition. This is what personally makes me a happy girl. That quest, that desire, to develop your talent, pursue your dream and wanting to lead change is a good thing.”

    Continuing with the commitment to build the capabilities of young girls in the non-profit sphere, the Obuobia Foundation, has completed a mentorship programme with over 300 young girls at the University of Ghana, Law Faculty in September.

    She noted that the initiative mentored about 300 young girls within the ages of 18 and 25.

    “I think for the registration and the virtual registration alone is giving us an impression. And an idea on the kind of people who have shown interest in this programme.

    “Because what we realised is that the age has been between 18 and 25, and those are our targets. So, we think that we have achieved our target. We believe that we have achieved our target. So, at least we know that we have made that impact,” the business executive said.

    She said, “I always ask myself how I can achieve this? Working with likeminded persons to provide an opportunity for our younger sisters to have a learning opportunity that encourages. And also network amongst themselves to get support for their steps towards success and leadership training.”

    According to her, “there are many young ladies with untapped potentials who are deferring their dreams and will do with deliberate mentorship and programming. With the right mentorship programmes we can fuel the birth of a new revolution that harnesses the energy and potential of our teeming women for social economic transformation.”

    “I’m sure a lot of you are asking what my goal is. It is to build that critical young women who will lead change and champion progress in all sectors of life. IGNITE is here to engage, empower, embolden young people. This is not the usual mentorship programme or you are my role model cliché. IGNITE is and will be different,” Darko-Opoku said.

    Speaking at the youth empowerment initiative, the Special aide to former president John Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari encouraged young girls to speak with conviction.

    “The only thing lacking is that sometimes we speak without conviction. Communicating is ideal for us. I think one of the greatest things any leader can do is to learn how to be effective and intentional about what they want to sell, and how they want to do it,” she said. “It is important to reject gender straightjackets. In your attempt to be a female leader you will meet a lot of people who will tell you it’s not possible.”

    She added: “These are the things that worked for me and I think they will work for you as well in trying to speak with clarity. A lot of time when people are standing in front of you even with a microphone you can’t hear them because they are mumbling.”

    “You don’t have to mumble you need to be confident enough to open your mouth for your words to roll off your tongue, in such a way that every word you use is easily spelt by the person listening to you.”

    Other speakers at the forum included Dr Ike Tandoh and Nana Aba Anamoah.

  • Finance Ministry, BoG begin debt sustainability analysis with IMF

    The Ministry of Finance has confirmed that its officials and that of the Bank of Ghana have commenced a comprehensive debt sustainability analysis with the
    International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion support programme.

    A statement from the ministry said: “the Government of Ghana is putting together a comprehensive post-Covid-19 economic programme, which will form the basis for the IMF negotiations.”

    “The programme seeks to establish a macro-fiscal path that ensures debt sustainability and macroeconomic stability, underpinned by key structural reforms and social protection.”

    The ministry added that it is “optimistic about making progress in our discussions.” “Government remains
    committed, and shall continue to actively engage all stakeholders, both public and private, in a clear and transparent manner as we seek to fast-track this process.”

    An IMF team is in Ghana until October 7 to continue discussions with the government on policies and reforms that could be supported by a lending arrangement. The meeting with the IMF comes amid concerns that Ghana is about to start talks with domestic bondholders on a restructuring of its local-
    currency debt.

    Reports indicate that major local investors, including local banks and pension funds, are preparing to engage in discussion on debt
    reorganization. This could entail the extension of maturities and haircuts on principal and interest payments.

    Ghana’s debt-service costs in the first half amounted to GH¢20.5 billion, equivalent to 68 percent of tax revenue.

  • Week two of Ghana Rugby Barbarians Men and Women 15s ends in Accra

    The week two of the Ghana Rugby Barbarians Men and Women’s 15s games were played at the St. Thomas Aquinas School Pitch last weekend.

    The event saw players from Greater Accra, Central, and Northern Region. They included new and old players blending with experience to showcase the beautiful game of Rugby.

    The event started with the Get Into Rugby (GIR) activity. The GIR boys from Kanda Cluster of school and Alwaleed boys played a 7s game to cheer the event.
    They exhibited their talents to show to the world the road to the future is at the grassroots. A Ghana Rugby-World Rugby programme, GIR, is a priority target for the development of the game of rugby.

    The event continued with women’s 15s games between Accra Barbarians and Northern Barbarians which ended with 15 – 5 against the Northern Barbarians.

    It was with joy to see the women passionate about the 15s games indicating that the future of women’s rugby in Ghana is bright and that includes the 7s games.

    Finally, the Men played also the 15s game between the Greater Accra Barbarians and Central Region Barbarians with a score of 31 – 00 against the Central Region.

    The women ended the day with a women’s 7s game between Accra and Northern Region to complete the desire for all the categories of rugby.

    An official from the National Sports Authority Mr. John Kennedy Koranteng who is also the former Technical Director of the Ghana Rugby Football Union, was there to witness the event.

    Also, present to witness was the former Vice President of Ghana Rugby Football Union Mr. Ernest Hanson.

    The organisers of the event were Ms. Rafatu Inusah of the National Sports Authority and Board Member of Ghana Rugby Football Union and World Rugby and Coach Educator, Ms. Anita Atieku a coach, Mr Rahman Salisu the National Team Manager, Mr. Jeffery Chiwanda the Head of Referees and a Coach, Mr. Prince Kweku Boamah, Mr. Percy Christian Adamson, Andre Hammond executive manager with Coach Lovemore Kuzorera advising.

    The referees of the day were Mr Francis Donkor and Mr Jeffery Chiwanda.

     

  • Mankessim murder: I share a wall with Nana Clark – Captain Smart expresses shock

    The host of Onuaa Maakye on Onua TV, Captain Smart, has become the latest personality to express shock over the murder and secret burial of a 25-year-old Georgina Asor Botchwey at Mankessim in the Central Region.

    According to the broadcaster, his shock about the incident stems from his personal knowledge of one of the two suspects who have been arrested in connection with the murder.

    Captain Smart, speaking on the Thursday, September 22, 2022, edition of his programme, noted that his family shares a wall with Nana Onyaa Clark whose house the deceased’s body was exhumed from.

    “Do you know the murder incident in Mankessim is right behind my house? From my house to the place where the aspiring nurse was killed is like from where we are sitting [the studio] to the newsroom. That is the distance between us, it is just a wall that separates us,” he said.

    Describing the suspect as a well-respected man, Captain Smart said he is a man he would never have thought to be a murderer.

    “The truth before God is had it not been for the body that was exhumed in his house, I would never believe that Nana Clark could kill even a lizard,” he said.

    Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of the deceased, whose body has been exhumed from the house of one of the suspects.

    The two suspects are Michael Darko Amponsah, a self-styled pastor, who is also a fiancé of the deceased’s sister; and a local chief, Nana Onyaa Clark.

    The two have been charged with two counts, namely: conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit murder and murder, contrary to section 46 of the Criminal Offenses Act 1960, Act 29.

    The Cape Coast District Court II remanded them into custody to reappear on October 4, 2022.

  • 70 ladies undergo skills training conducted by Central Region CNC

    The Central Regional Centre for National Culture (CNC) has organised a graduation ceremony for more than 70 ladies who enrolled to take part in a year’s C-Carl Oparebea Annual Marketable Skills Training held in Cape Coast, Central Regional capital.

    The programme provided hands-on training for the women to acquire skills in bead making, crocheting, basic sewing, decoration, facial makeup, painting, hair dressing, dreads locking, hair braiding and fascinator making.

    This year’s event, the sixth to be organised under the C-Carl Oparebea Skills Training was on the theme: “Promoting Economic Growth and Development Through Arts and Culture.”

    The acting Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture (CNC), Ms Salamatu Alhassan, in her address, noted that the skills training was part of the Centre’s contribution towards reducing unemployment in the Cape Coast metropolis.

    She indicated that the training was in line with the core mandate of the National Commission on Culture under which the CNC falls in implementing government policies and programmes.

    “The responsibilities of the Centre for National Culture with regard to promoting youth in the arts arena cuts across all spheres of education,” she said.

    The practical aspect offered as part of the training, she said, was imperative in providing an opportunity for people to acquire employable skills to operate their own businesses.

    Ms Alhassan indicated that, past trainees from the programme, were excelling in their respective businesses and were also impacting the lives of individuals by training them, saying, “However, some of them are facing challenges of funding as a start-up.”

    He appealed to the government to resource the centres across the country in order for them to function effectively.

    The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, in an address read on her behalf, commended the CNC for initiating and sustaining the programme aimed at identifying, developing and rewarding creative talents in the region.

    “The flagship programmes are highly commendable as they are in line with government’s realignment of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) under the supervision of the Ministry of education,” she stated.

    She further said: “The government has been working to promote skills training and development for industrialisation and generate greater awareness of the importance of TVET.

    Mrs Assan expressed the readiness of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in supporting the CNC as it strives to make an impact and supports the growth of the region and the nation in general.

    She called on residents in the region to assist in creating a congenial atmosphere that would ensure steady growth and development of their societies.

    “This will help to compliment the government’s efforts to extend development to every part of the country,” she said.