Former President John Dramani Mahama has advised the Akufo-Addo-led government to allow the new Special Prosecutor to work without interference.
The government, the 2020 flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said, must also ensure that the office is given all the support it need to undertake its work.
The new Special Prosecutor, Mr Kissi Agyebeng, was sworn into office earlier this month.
Responding to a question during an engagement with journalists in Tamale on Thursday, 19 August 2021, Mr Mahama recounted the complaints of the previous Special Prosecutor that prevented him from doing his job effectively and expressed hope that the new one will get the needed cooperation.
“The first Special Prosecutor did not get the kind of cooperation he needed to be able to do the work that he had been given. We heard him complain about funding of the office – in terms of logistics and finance – to recruit the kind of personnel that he needed to do the job,” the former president said.
“We also heard many complaints where the executive and the political establishment had attempted to interfere in his job”.
“The beauty of the Special Prosecutor is the independence of the office and his ability to investigate corruption notwithstanding whose ox is gored”.
“When you take that independence away, it robs the office of its usefulness” he stressed, adding: “We hope that those things will be corrected under this new Special Prosecutor”.
Mr Mahama maintains that what will determine whether Mr Agyebeng will be successful or not will depend on how he is able to investigate and prosecute corruption cases that have come up within the last five years involving appointees of the Akufo-Addo-led government.
“I hope that he will move that expertise and brilliance into the job of investigating corruption across board… the fact that this particular president and government appointed you, are you going to be able to cut through that and be able to go into investigating acts of corruption that are taking place, not only under the government but with people who are very close to the centre of power? That will determine whether he is successful or not” he stated.
Mr Mahama is in the third of a scheduled 16-region tour to thank Ghanaians for the support given him and the NDC in the December 2020 elections
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he is happy that members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) have suspended their strike.
“All of us are happy that the University Teachers Association has agreed, after some long-drawn negotiations to suspend their strike and go back to the negotiating table,” Nana Akufo-Addo said when the newly-elected executives of the National Unions of Ghana Students (NUGS) called on him at the Jubilee House, Accra on Thursday, 19 August 2021.
“We are hoping very much that some strong binding arrangement would be finally agreed on by the parties, as there is a roadmap that has been established, and hopefully, both parties stay true to the arrangement and carefully implement it.
“It is in the interest of all of us that there’s no disruption to academic work and that the teachers have the wherewithal to undertake this very important obligation that they have,” he stated.
UTAG has directed its members across public universities to restore teaching and other related activities effective, Monday, 23 August 2021 after being on strike for three weeks over their conditions of service.
UTAG, in a statement, however, said a “suspended strike” is not the same as a “called-off strike” and, therefore, they will be monitoring if every word stated in a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between them and the National Labour Commission (NLC) and other stakeholders are upheld in the stated one-month period.
UTAG only suspended the strike after it reached some agreement with stakeholders.
1. That both parties (Government and UTAG) agree that there is a need to get back to the negotiating table from the week beginning Monday, 23 August 2021.
2. That a road for negotiation, as agreed at previous consultative meetings between the parties, which imposes a one-month mandatory period beginning 23 August 2021 for negotiations, shall be signed by both parties;
3. That whilst the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations in conjunction with the NLC is taking steps to discontinue all legal processes against UTAG, UTAG will also take steps to suspend the ongoing strike action;
4. That government acknowledges the need to improve the working conditions of university teachers and shall treat this with all the seriousness it deserves
The overlord of the Gonja traditional area, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa I, has described former President John Dramani Mahama as a hero.
The Yagbonwura said he is proud of Mr Mahama for not taking the law into his own hands when he lost the 2020 election, which could have sparked chaos in the country.
He, thus, expressed gratitude to Mr Mahama for exhibiting maturity after the election, which, according to him, brought peace to the country.
The Yagbonwura said these when Mr Mahama paid a courtesy call on him at his palace, as part of his Thank You tour of the Savanna region on Friday, 20 August 2021.
The Yagbonwura said: “I want to commend you for, and congratulate you as well as your teeming supporters on a battle well fought.”
“Indeed, the 2020 general election was a hurdle. Your Excellency, you are a hero”.
“This is because your participation in the fight to lead Ghana, though did not achieve success, but largely brought peace to mother Ghana and to the greatest extent, added value and respect to the Ghanaian democracy,” he stated.
The chief continued: “Your Excellency former president, you did your part by serving your sovereign country, Ghana”.
“The Almighty Allah will guide and lead you to success”, he said, adding: “We are proud of you and words of inspiration, joy and happiness cannot demonstrate our appreciation to you for not taking the law into your hands”.
“Ladies and gentlemen, these are compliments of a hero,” he added.
The Yagbonwura said: “Let me refer you to a verse in Proverbs: ‘For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes
John Dramani Mahama, former president of the Republic, has said his administration did better in fighting corruption than the Akufo-Addo government.
Former President John Dramani Mahama says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, under his leadership, fought corruption better than the current government.
According to him, during his term, members of his own party who were found culpable in the Ghana Youth Employment Development Agency, (GYEDA) scandal were prosecuted, while other ministers engaged in wrongdoings were made to resign.
He said such a development is yet to happen in President Akufo-Addo’s administration.
“You have people who were in my government standing trial. Some of them have been sent to prison. So a lot of the corruption that is happening will be happening under the current dispensation. The Special Prosecutor is virtually his only instrument in dealing with corruption. Unfortunately, his first Special Prosecutor did not get the kind of cooperation he needed to be able to do the work that he had been given,” he said.
Speaking on a Tamale-based radio station during his thank-you tour of the Northern Region, the former president charged the newly appointed Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng to be neutral in discharging his duties.
“We hope that those things will be corrected under this new Special Prosecutor, who is a young, enterprising lawyer. He’s got a brilliant career.”
As part of the visit, Mr. Mahama and his team also paid a courtesy call on the overlord of Dagbon, Ya Na Abukari Mahama II.
The overlord in his remarks commended the former president who was the flagbearer for the NDC in the 2020 general elections for the leadership he exhibited during and after the elections.
The former President will also visit the Mion, Savelugu and Tamale Chiefs to thank them for their support.
The man at the centre of kissing spree at St Monica’s College of Education, Rev. Father Balthazar Larbi Obeng has rendered an unqualified apology for his ungodly act of giving deep kisses to three level 300 students of the school at Asante Mampong last Sunday.
According to the School’s Chaplain who admitted his act was wrong, he took things for granted by adding human touch to his action which was captured in the video that went viral on social media.
He therefore requested for prayers as he goes through what he termed as challenging period after forcibly kissing the students.
In a statement he issued Friday August 20, 2021, he stated that “this unfortunate incident happened during a Church Service in appreciation of level 300 students who would be going for their Macro Teaching (campus teaching practice) when school resumed next academic year by the College of Chaplaincy Board. The three students performs extraordinary well and therefore called to be appreciated by the Chaplain.
“Accordingly, I am sorry for my action seen in the video. I seemed to have taken a number of things for granted. I did not think my bahaviour through and admit that the act and it setting are wrong even in the absence of COVID-19.”
He therefore apologised to his archbishop, the Anglican Communion, the College, the affected students and their families and the general public.
“I pray for forgiveness from all and sundry and pray that you hold me in your prayers during this trying times. May God bless us all. Thank you,” he pleads
Former President John Dramani Mahama must give credit to late President John Evans Atta Mills in connection with the construction of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) and the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) as well as the upgrading of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) and Ridge Hospital (Greater Accra Regional Hospital) among others, a former Deputy General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Koku Anyidoho has said.null
The ex-spokesperson of Prof John Evans Atta Mills who wondered if it was a crime for him to make such a demand of the 2020 flag bearer of the NDC, insisted in an interview with Blessed Sogah of Class News that: “If somebody started and you continued, that’s it. So, give credit where credit is due”.
“He [Mahama] didn’t begin it. Somebody began it, you finished it. How many times haven’t you heard him [Mahama] say that Akufo-Addo must give credit to him [Mahama] for certain things that he began? So, he [Mahama], too, must give credit where credit is due”, Mr. Anyidoho insisted.
Commenting on President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Agenda 111 project, which aims to construct 101 district hospitals, 7 regional hospitals for the new regions, including a new one for the Western Region; 2 new psychiatric hospitals for the Middle Belt and Northern Belt, respectively; and rehabilitate the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region, Mr. Anyidoho told Kwame Appiah Kubi on Accra100.5FM’s morning show, Ghana Yensom, on Thursday, 19 August 2021, that it is an incontrovertible fact that his late boss started the projects he listed.
In his view, the Akufo-Addo government’s Agenda 111 dovetails into the late Prof Mills’ ‘Better Ghana Agenda’, which caused him to invest heavily in Ghana’s health sector.
“Every political party that wants to come to power pledges development because no one will vote for any party that promises to destroy rather than build, and, so, you pledge that you’ll develop the nation and that is what we all want. And, so, if development is going on, why should any proper citizen of the country be worried that development is taking place?” Mr Anyidoho wondered.
Drawing links between Agenda 111 and his late boss’ health sector investments, Mr Anyidoho said: “As far as the Atta Mills ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ was concerned – and some of us still hold on to that ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ – when he was campaigning, President Mills promised to invest in people, expand infrastructure, build a resilient economy and change the face of governance”.null
With infrastructure expansion, Mr Anyidoho mentioned the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) as an example, saying: “In the history of Ghana, there’s no president that has built a university dedicated to health and allied health sciences”.
“There’s no university; if there’s one, mention it, apart from the University of Health and Allied Sciences that was built and set up by His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills”, he asserted.
“That was the visionary thinking of John Evans Atta Mills: the importance of health and the need to train health personnel”, he noted.
According to the former Deputy General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), who is currently contesting his expulsion from the party, “under President Mills, we got the Legon Hospital constructed and facts are facts”.
“We had quite a number of midwifery schools across the length and breadth [built]”, he added.
“Readily, Techiman comes to mind. Another one in Gauso comes to mind. Apart from that, health assistant training schools [were constructed] across the length and breadth [of the country]”.null
“I remember one I think in Jirapa. Another one in Nandom. Another one elsewhere. So, there was heavy investment in training health personnel to support our mainstream medical doctors and nurses”, Mr. Anyidoho recalled.
“And, so, the Tamale Teaching Hospital was upgraded. Other facilities: the Ridge [Hospital] reconstruction kicked in”, he noted, adding: “So, if there’s another government that has come and wants to expand infrastructure in the health sector exponentially, all I’m saying is: ‘Thank God that the ‘Better Ghana Agenda’, at least, in the health sector, is on course”.
Asked if the projects he mentioned were rather not to the credit of former President John Mahama, as has been widely touted by members of the NDC, Mr. Anyidoho retorted: “I don’t want to go into trivialities. Facts are facts. And, so, if someone doesn’t know the facts and you’re being told the facts and you get angry and think it is because somebody hates somebody else, then it is your own business. But the truth is the truth”.
To adduce further evidence to his assertion, Mr. Aanyidoho said: “I was the one who was writing the man’s [Atta Mills’] speeches. I was in charge of his PR. The records are there. Google it and you’ll find it”.
“I’m not making up stories”, he emphasized, insisting: “All these projects were President Mills’ projects, but, of course, it’s a government in continuity and John Dramani Mahama was his vice-president, so, if President Mills died and he [Mahama] became president and he continued, so be it. But the truth of the matter is that they all began under John Evans Atta Mills. Facts are facts”.
• President Akufo-Addo cut sod for the construction of district hospitals in Trede on Tuesday
• The Minority in Parliament accused government of spending the GH¢600 million in the account even before the commencement of the Agenda 111 project
• The Finance Ministry has come out to debunk the claim
The Finance Ministry has indicated that the GH¢600 million deposited in the Health Infrastructure Account at Bank of Ghana (BoG) has not been used yet.
The Ministry’s comment follows claims made by the minority in parliament that the government had already made use of the funds in the account before breaking grounds for the Agenda 111 project.
In a press release sighted by GhanaWeb, the Finance Ministry said the US$100 million which is equivalent to GH¢600 million will be disbursed to contractors according to the project work plan.null
According to the Finance Ministry, only GH£36 million has been released as part of pre-construction mobilisation for the Agenda 111 project.
“In 2020, GH¢600 million was released to the Health Infrastructure Account at Bank of Ghana (BoG) to support the implementation of the District and Regional Hospital Projects. This is the equivalent of the US$100 million as announced by government and will be disbursed to contractors in accordance with the project work plan,” part of the statement said.
The statement added, “The said amount had been released into the project account at the BoG but not utilised yet. Project commencement has just begun. So far, only GH£36 million has been released as part of pre-construction mobilisation.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut sod for the construction of district hospitals on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at Trede in the Ashanti region.
Each hospital under the Agenda 111 project will cost US$16.88 million.null
About Agenda 111
The Agenda 111 project includes 101 district hospitals, six regional hospitals in the newly created regions, two specialised hospitals in the middle and northern belts, as well as a regional hospital in the Western Region and renovation of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital.
It is aimed at transforming the country’s inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
“Johnson Kwadwo Asiedu Nketia has bitten more than he can chew. His perfidious cup has run over,” he said in a tweet.
He had dared Mr Asiedu Nketia to come out with any shred of evidence suggesting he created problems for the late Professor John Atta Mills while serving as a presidential spokesperson.
He said all the reasons adduced by the NDC General Secretary to back his alleged expulsion of him are “utter hogwash”.
In a letter to Mr Asiedu Nketia on Wednesday, August 18, Koku Anyidoho reiterated: “I have been and continue to remain a very loyal member of the NDC – glued to our values of unity, stability and development”.
He has, therefore, given the party 72 hours within which period they have to retract the notice of expulsion and, consequently, set aside the recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee against him.null
“I hope that you shall accede to my demand such that in line with the spirit of the Constitution of the NDC, we are able to bring finality to this matter internally. Else, I shall be forced to seek redress in the courts of law that are characteristically, not partial to exercising equity and fairness in all matters.”
This follows a similar letter dated Monday, August 2, 2021 and written by Mr Anyidoho to Mr Asiedu Nketia, demanding information on his supposed expulsion since he had not received any correspondence on the process.
Koku Anyidoho raises concerns how a respectable party like the NDC with learned and esteemed persons could make such “juvenile” and “ill-advised” procedural blunder.
“I shall not be pushed out of the NDC for reasons borne out of nothing but malicious perfidy,” he concludes his latest letter, which was copied to party bigwigs like Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin and Council of State member ET Mensah but not the only living former president of NDC stock, John Mahama.
Ghana’s bronze medalist at the just-ended Tokyo Olympics, Samuel Takyi, has earned a car and cash reward of $30,000 from President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The president announced on Friday, 20 August 2021 at the Jubilee House when the Olympics delegation visited him, that Takyi will get a cash sum of $10,000 for his efforts at the Olympic Games and an additional $20,000 which will be put in a fund for his future.
Apart from Takyi, each member of the 14-member team will receive a cash reward of $5,000.
In total, the president noted, the government is spending $150,000 on bonuses for the athletes.
The president, at the ceremony, said: “For the first time ever, a Ghanaian athlete, Samuel Takyi, was selected to represent Africa at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games”.
“For the first time in the history of the 4th Republic, Ghana won a medal at the Olympics”, he added.
“Out of the 52 African countries that participated at the Olympics, Ghana placed 10th on the continent”, the president said.
“This should spur us on to even greater heights in future competitions”, he added.
“On behalf of the people of Ghana, I say a big hearty ‘ayekoo’ to all of you. You made the country proud,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Samuel Takyi won a boxing bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Ghana’s first podium finish in 29 years, but his incredible Olympic journey came to an end in the semi-final at the hands of the USA’s Duke Ragan.
Takyi returned to Ghana a hero, bringing a bronze with him that represents Ghana’s first boxing medal since 1972 and the country’s first in any sport since the football team won bronze at Barcelona ’92.
The 20-year-old Takyi defied all the odds at his debut Olympics, proving that there’s much more to come from this talented fighter.
He joins the pantheon of Ghanaian Olympic boxing greats Clement Quartey, a light welterweight, who won silver in Rome 1960, Eddie Blay a bronze light-welterweight medalist from Tokyo 1964, and Prince Amartey who made history in Munch 1972
Former Deputy General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and now Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho, has lauded the ‘Agenda 111’ initiative by the Nana Addo-led government.
To him, the initiative to build health facilities across the country was also keen during late President Atta-Mills’ led government under the ‘Better Ghana’ agends.
Speaking in an interview with NEAT FM’s morning show ‘Ghana Monte’ – Koku Anyidoho noted that, any government’s major primacy is to invest in the people – something, he strongly believes President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been exceptional in doing over the years.
“If this project [Agenda 111] can be executed, then may God bless our homeland Ghana and make us great and strong. Investing in the people is very important,” he said.
Government has secured a US$100 million start-up fund through the Ghana Investment Infrastructure Fund (GIIF) for the commencement of works on ‘Agenda 111’ district, specialised and regional hospitals across the country.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo performed the ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region.
The Project Implementation Committee chaired by Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, had secured sites and land titles for 88 out of the 101 district hospitals and each unit would cost US$17 million, covering 15 acres.
Each hospital is expected to be completed within 12 months, starting from the point of commencement
The MP presenting the donation to the hospital authority.
The Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has donated the contributions he received at his father’s funeral to the Battor Catholic Hospital.
The MP’s father, Theophilius Brown Kisseh Okudzeto, 74 who died on June 24, was buried on Saturday, August 14, 2021, at Battor Aveyime which was attended by the Former President John Dramani Mahama among other Members of Parliament.
The former Deputy Minister of Education under the NDC administration who announce the donation on his Facebook wall after the presentation to the hospital said the donation made to the hospital was on the back of an announcement the family made during the funeral.
According to him, the donation will go a long way to help vulnerable patients in need of help.
He also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all and sundry who supported the family in their difficult moments
Mahama’s assertion that uncompleted projects have been abandoned is false.
• The 160-bed capacity Wa Regional Hospital and the 100-bed capacity Ga-East Municipal Hospital at Kwabenya which started under Prez Kufuor was commissioned for use in November 2019.
• Major Rehabilitation and upgrade of Tamale Teaching Hospital which started in July 2015 has been completed and handed over for use in February 2019.
• Completion and Equiping of the 579-bed capacity University Of Ghana Medical Center in October 2020.
• The construction of 10 Disease Centers(Polyclinics) at Dawurampong, Biriwa, Estii Sunkwa, Binpong Egya, Gyamera Mankrong, Akonfude, Ekumfi, Naakwa and Gomoa Potsin which started in January 2016 was completed and commission for use by the NPP government in August 2018.
• Euroget Hospital projects conceived under the NPP in 2008 which sod was cut in 2012 and 2015 at Nsawkaw, Twifo-Praso and Tepa all completed and commissioned for use as at November 2020 with that of Sewuah Regional Hospital, Afari(Military Hospital), Salaga, Konongo and Odumase ongoing and expected to be completed, commissioned for use soon.
• The Nationalwide TB Case Detection Programme which started in July 2015 was completed in August 2018 by the NPP government. Installation of all equipments had been done as at August 2018.
• The construction and completion of offices and Ministry Of Health Headquarters at Ridge closer to the NHIS Headquarters in 2020.
• The Expansion of Radiotherapy Medical Services at Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals.
• The construction of 8 District Hospital and Integrated IT Systems in Ghana which are located in Wa, Fomena, Kumawu, Abetifi, Garu Tempani, Sekondi, and Takoradi were abandoned in July, 2016. Only the Dodowa project was completed by the NDC. Value for money audit was conducted and revealed over expenditure hence recommendations were made to the Attorney General to see to the termination of these contracts
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu North, James Klutse Avedzi, has announced his decision not to contest for the seat after the expiration of his current term.
According to the MP who is in his fifth term, he has contributed his quota to the development of the Ketu North constituency and it is time for him to bow out.
In an interview on Face to Face on Citi TV, the Deputy Minority Leader in Parliament said it is time for a new person to take over from him in 2025.
“I have decided that five terms are enough for me, I do not intend to run again. 20 years is enough for me, I think someone else should take over in 2024.”
“I have already informed some of my constituents. My decision is not because I have become unpopular, I believe there is no election I run that I will not win.”
Mr Bright Wereko – Brobbey, Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations , after the court sitting
The Accra High Court has struck out a suit filed by the National Labour Commission (NLC) against the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) for embarking on a strike.
Justice Frank Abodwe Rockson struck out the suit as withdrawn after lawyers for the NLC informed the court that the NLC had decided to discontinue the case.
Counsel for the NLC , Mr Yehoda Kotey , said the discontinuance of the case was subject to UTAG calling off it’s three week strike per a memorandum of understanding between the government and UTAG.
Counsel for UTAG , Mr Kwasi Keli-Delataa , said his client and government met and agreed that the best way to resolve the impasse was not in the courtroom.
Good news
The Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations , Mr Bright Wereko-Brobbey , said the peaceful resolution of the case was good news for university students.
“It’s a big victory for university students, lecturers, parents and the country as a whole,” he told the media after the court hearing.
Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party and Secretary of a group calling itself #Fixing The Country, Kwame Baffoe aka Abronye DC says anyone who is calling for the second coming of John Mahama as President is a thief.
According to him, “Anyone who is calling for John Mahama to return is a thief, those people want Mahama back in power so that they can steal money as they use to”, adding that “such people want Mr. Mahama to return so that they can find ways of amassing wealth”.
Abronye who was speaking on the Seat Show on Net 2 TV, on Wednesday, said “the reason why some people are peeved with the Akufo-Addo led administration is that they feel the President has shared the national cake equitably rather than giving it out to a select few”.
He alleged that during the Mills/Mahama administration, the NDC kingpins hid behind the veil of organizing capacity-building seminars as a means to steal money from the state purse.
Abronye questioned that if not corruption, what could be the motive behind persons who are calling for the return of Mahama, and asked whether such people cannot see the social interventions, infrastructure development, and the economic growth that has taken place in Ghana during the era of President Akufo-Addo
The construction of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), University of Ghana Medical Centre (Legon Hospital), as well as the upgrading of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) and Ridge Hospital (Greater Accra Regional Hospital) are among of a plethora of health infrastructure started by Prof John Evans Atta Mills during his presidency before passing ways, President of the Atta Mills Institute, Mr Koku Anyidoho has said.
Commenting on President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Agenda 111 project, which aims to construct 101 district hospitals, 7 regional hospitals for the new regions, including a new one for the Western Region; 2 new psychiatric hospitals for the Middle Belt and Northern Belt, respectively; and rehabilitate the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region, the spokesperson of the late Prof Mills told Kwame Appiah Kubi on Accra100.5FM’s morning show, Ghana Yensom, on Thursday, 19 August 2021, that it is an incontrovertible fact that his late boss started the projects he listed.
In his view, the Akufo-Addo government’s Agenda 111 dovetails into the late Prof Mills’ ‘Better Ghana Agenda’, which caused him to invest heavily in Ghana’s health sector.
Drawing links between Agenda 111 and his late boss’ health sector investments, Mr Anyidoho said: “As far as the Atta Mills ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ was concerned – and some of us still hold on to that ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ – when he was campaigning, President Mills promised to invest in people, expand infrastructure, build a resilient economy and change the face of governance”.
With infrastructure expansion, Mr Anyidoho mentioned the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) as an example, saying: “In the history of Ghana, there’s no president that has built a university dedicated to health and allied health sciences”.
“There’s no university; if there’s one, mention it, apart from the University of Health and Allied Sciences that was built and set up by His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills”, he asserted.
According to the former Deputy General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), who is currently contesting his expulsion from the party, “under President Mills, we got the Legon Hospital constructed and facts are facts”.
“We had quite a number of midwifery schools across the length and breadth [built]”, he added.
“Readily, Techiman comes to mind. Another one in Gauso comes to mind. Apart from that, health assistant training schools [were constructed] across the length and breadth [of the country]”.
“And, so, the Tamale Teaching Hospital was upgraded. Other facilities: the Ridge [Hospital] reconstruction kicked in”, he noted, adding: “So, if there’s another government that has come and wants to expand infrastructure in the health sector exponentially, all I’m saying is: ‘Thank God that the ‘Better Ghana Agenda’, at least, in the health sector, is on course”.
Asked if the projects he mentioned were rather not to the credit of former President John Mahama, as has been widely touted by members of the NDC, Mr Anyidoho retorted: “I don’t want to go into trivialities. Facts are facts. And, so, if someone doesn’t know the facts and you’re being told the facts and you get angry and think it is because somebody hates somebody else, then it is your own business. But the truth is the truth”.
To adduce further evidence to his assertion, Mr Aanyidoho said: “I was the one who was writing the man’s [Atta Mills’] speeches. I was in charge of his PR. The records are there. Google it and you’ll find it”.
“I’m not making up stories”, he emphasised, insisting: “All these projects were President Mills’ projects, but, of course, it’s government in continuity and John Dramani Mahama was his vice-president, so, if President Mills died and he [Mahama] became president and he continued, so be it. But the truth of the matter is that they all began under John Evans Atta Mills. Facts are facts
Professor Ransford Yaw Gyampo, incoming Secretary of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), University of Ghana Chapter is lauding Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Education Minister, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum for the high level maturity exhibited in ensuring the that UTAG members susepnd their strike.
UTAG has been on strike for about weeks demanding for the implementation of a 2012 Single Spine package which put entry-level lecturers on a salary of $2,084 among others.
Several weeks of being on strike and refusal to call off, which landed in court, the teachers finally had agreed to return to the negotiation table by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Government to suspend the strike action.
In order to affirm the stand of UTAG and giving insight to what transpired behind the scenes, Prof. Gyampo in a social media post lauded the Vice President and the Education Minister for the level of maturity exhibited to calm nerves.
He stated that “Thankfully level headed leaders like the Vice President and the Minister of Education were humane enough in empathizing with our poor conditions of service and demonstrated palpable commitment towards bringing a finality to the impasse.”
Below is his post:
1. We were negotiating in perpetuity with no end in sight. We were talking about our poor conditions of service with authorities, and no one was giving us the needed attention. Some officials of state who had the mandate to engage us in negotiations, treated us with disrespect. They scheduled meetings and never showed up. They scheduled meetings and were never punctual. They scheduled meetings and asked people who had no mandate and power to commit government, to negotiate with us. We endured gross disrespect from the very people we trained and made, through teaching, for close to ten years.
2. The National Labor Commission, clearly a very moribund and incompetent body, had simply no clue in dealing with our challenges as an independent arbiter. They could not call successive governments to order, for failing to meet their own agreements to us. But they could cheaply fathom the idea of using the courts to intimidate those who teach the laws interpreted by the courts.
3. Well, we are happy we ignored, disregarded and refused to be intimidated by their attempt to intimidate us. We also went to court to challenge their interlocutory injunction and the matter was about being heard. We weren’t fined, as court fines bothers on guilt and criminality. Certain processes had not been fully filed at the time our case to set aside the flawed NLC interlocutory injunction was about to be heard. Typical of a bias arbiter, the NLC raised issues with our filing processes and asked the judge to award a cost of 10,000 cedis against us for wasting time. The judge however awarded a cost of 3000 cedis, which we could easily pay, in spite of our pour conditions of service.
4. Our substantive matter challenging the NLC’s interlocutory injunction was expected to be heard on Thursday 19th August 2021. We were going to appeal against any unfavorable ruling up to the Supreme Court and even there, seek a review of their decision, if it had been unfavorable. But we were at the same time, not happy about the potential close down of the public universities and the attendant disruption of our academic calendars. Thankfully level headed leaders like the Vice President and the Minister of Education were humane enough in empathizing with our poor conditions of service and demonstrated palpable commitment towards bringing a finality to the impasse.
5. They met with us and this culminated in the signing of an MoU, which inter alia, states that the NLC must discontinue its suit against us, whiles we take steps to SUSPEND (not called off) our industrial action, get back to the negotiation table and within one month, agree on something for ourselves. Our industrial action, has been fruitful to the extent that, it has given us the needed attention and forced officialdom to a one month negotiation time-frame, within which all the issues are expected to be addressed.
6. It must be reiterated that, UTAG has not called off its strike, as no demand has been met yet. The strike, as per the MoU, has only been suspended, pending the outcome of the one month negotiation period. The line of demarcation between “a called off strike” and “a suspended strike” must be clearly articulated and caution must be sounded that, a more deadly industrial action, that elicit massive support from all labor unions in Ghana, and makes the country ungovernable, would be proposed, and organized to bring equity and social equilibrium, should University Teachers feel deceived, cheated or lied to, after the one month negotiation period. We would keenly monitor the negotiations. We won’t fight government. and we won’t team up with the opposition. But we would ensure that UTAG is no longer taken for granted from now onwards.
7. Special commendations must go to His Excellency, the President of Ghana, who I am told, was very upset about how we were being treated; the Vice President for his intervening efforts behind the scenes; the Education Minister, who from now onwards must be referred to as the MASTER LEADER for his civility and calming down language; the Deputy minister for Employment; and the entire student body for their unflinching support for us. The only state institution that malfunctioned, is the NLC. Its incompetence would remain a monumental embarrassment to governments, if efforts aren’t made to change its leadership. Not all positions of state, must be occupied by party apparatchiks, and if for some reason, a party loyalist must be appointed, care must be taken to ensure that such a person can actually lead in times of crisis. The current NLC has outlived its usefulness as an independent arbiter, in dealing with labor crisis, and the earlier something is done about the Commission, the better for all of us.
8. UTAG will take the steps to SUSPEND (not call off) it’s strike for now, as a sign of empathy for our students, and respect for all agreements reached, culminating in the signing of the MoU. The actual calling off of our strike, is contingent on the outcome of the one month negotiation period, and we all pray that it is good, and gets counted as one of the great legacies of President Akufo Addo.
9. Let me counsel government to begin to rethink the discrimination imposed by article 71 of the 1992 Constitution that grants juicy conditions of service to a few people, with relatively low educational background, and ignores all other Public Servants who are given pittance every month, and whose deaths are hastened every year, for poor pension they receive on retirement. For, politicians and all other article 71 Office Holders would from now onwards, know no peace, so long as they continue to enjoy fat salaries whiles the rest of the population wallow in poverty. They cannot continue to tell us to tighten our belts, whiles they eat good food to protrude their tummies and loosen their belts. If there is no money, we must all suffer. If there is money, it must be equitably distributed. This is one key way to consolidate our peace and stability for development.
Yaw Gyampo A31, Prabiw PAV Ansah Street Saltpond & Suro Nipa House Kubease Larteh-Akuapim
A bus carrying some 35 foreigners has been intercepted by officials of the Ghana Immigration Service at Nandom in the Upper West Region.
The aliens were reportedly smuggled into Ghana through unapproved routes and were heading to Accra, Kumasi and Sunyani when they were stopped at the Nandom Hospital Junction on Tuesday, 17 August 2021 at about 6:40 pm.
According to a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Immigration Service in the Upper West Region, Assistant Inspector Ibn Yussif Duranah Abdul-Mumin Seidu, the illegal immigrants comprised eleven Burkinabes, 19 Malians, 2 Sierra Leoneans and 3 Guineans.
The GIS further reiterated its resolve to combat illegal migration, especially through the country’s borders.
“As part of our mandated duty to combat illegal migration to and from Ghana, and, stemmed from the presidential directive on land borders closure, we urge the general public to collaborate with state security agencies to win the battle. The preparedness of the Ghana Immigration Service to combat illegal migration is non-negotiable.
“To the few unscrupulous persons who facilitate the activities of irregular migration, we can assure you that your days are numbered”, adding: “The law would catch up with you and mercy would have been too late”.
“We’re unfazed because we have the backing of the state”, the statement added
On Wednesday, 18 August 2021, in the Ashanti Region, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education inspected TVET projects at the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI) and Kumasi Technical University (KTU).
The Vice-Chancellor of AAMUSTED, Professor Fred Kweku Sarfo, Vice-Chancellor of Kumasi Technical University, Professor Nana Osei Wusu Achaw and the management of Kumasi Technical Institute expressed their appreciation to the government and the Ag. Director-General of CTVET, Dr. Fred Asamoah for the relentless efforts they are making to make Technical and Vocational Institutions more attractive to train more technical people for the job market.
From the Ashanti Region, the Committee will move to the Eastern Region to inspect TVET projects at St. Paul’s (Kukurantumi), Liberty Specialist Institute and Koforidua Technical University
Ghana’s Energy minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh has called on the United States to take advantage of, and invest in West Africa’s oil and gas industry for the mutual benefit of American companies and African countries.
Dr Prempeh said this on Wednesday, 18 August 2021, in his keynote address at the West African Oil and Gas Forum on the theme: “US-West Africa: Sharing Prosperity in Oil & Gas Resources”.
The forum was held on sidelines of the ongoing 2021 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, USA.
It is aimed at exploring ways for West Africa and the US to partake in the prosperity and opportunities that the oil and gas industry brings for mutual benefit.
Dr Prempeh noted that the Africa continent is blessed with abundant natural resources, including oil and gas, and that nearly half of the countries in West Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Gabon, Guinea and Senegal, are producing oil and gas, making the sub-region an important hub for the sector.
He bemoaned, however, that a lot of the countries in the West African sub-region do not have the capacity to exploit these resources by themselves and have had to rely on foreign companies over the years.
Dr Prempeh recalled: “In Ghana, for instance, our first oil field (the Saltpond field) was discovered by an American company called Signal-Amoco Consortium in the 1970s and several years later, two American Companies (Kosmos Energy and Anardarko) and their partners, discovered Ghana’s most prolific oil fields (Jubilee Field) and subsequently the TEN Field in a separate contract area.”
Touching on the importance of US companies in the exploration of oil and gas in the sub-region, Dr Prempeh noted: “US companies remain strategic partners in oil and gas exploration in West Africa, with huge investments”.
“Several million barrels of oil and million standard cubic feet of gas are produced on a daily basis in West Africa and Africa as a whole, owing to the efforts of these foreign partners, including Cheveron, ExxonMobil, Hess and others”.
“It is, therefore, important to look at ways in which both sides – those in whose territories these precious resources sit; and those with the finances and the technology to exploit them – can derive mutual benefits from their collaboration in order to benefit the citizens of those countries and the shareholders of the oil companies.”
To do this, Dr Prempeh said “we must examine, in turn, how each side could benefit from our contractual arrangements”.
He, however, pointed out: “One unfortunate reality in several West African countries, particularly, in the resource-rich areas, is the fact that the standard of living of the people is normally not commensurate with the wealth of resources”, a situation, he noted, which leads to “social and political agitation in several instances.”
“To address this, in Ghana, there are established programmes and plans to have E&P companies give back to society through corporate social responsibility programmes and direct employment of indigenes to improve their economic conditions,” he stated.
The Ghanaian minister added that E&P companies are also expected to train and transfer knowledge to indigenes and offer significant contracts to local firms to render services pertaining to the petroleum operations.
“This must be beyond peripheral areas such as security, transport and catering; and look at areas that are core to the oil and gas industry. These are all mechanisms of empowering the indigenes economically, as the E&P companies grow in their operations and finances,” he said.
He said clear objectives should be established for the use of the revenue coming from oil and gas and be strictly adhered to, adding that it is only through these measures that everyone can benefit from the oil and gas resources.
In Ghana, for instance, the Manhyia South MP noted that the Petroleum Revenue Management Act determines how revenue from petroleum should be disbursed.
He said: “The Act does not only prescribe the use of petroleum revenues for the development of other sectors of the economy but also insists on the reservation of such revenues for future generations”.
“Again, in the area of skills training, it is important for governments to make the necessary investments, particularly, in the youth, to ensure that they possess the necessary skills to meet the demands of the highly specialised labour force that the oil companies require to ensure smooth operations”. Africa, he noted, has “a young, dynamic and energetic population”, adding that technical, vocational education and training are huge drivers in industrialisation, economic empowerment and job creation.
Dr Prempeh further detailed that oil and gas exploration remains “a key component of our economic mix in the short-to-medium-term and Africa needs more, not less exploration, for which reason we are open for business and will continue to push for investments in our sub-region.”
Touching on how oil-rich West African countries can attract investors, Dr Prempeh said: “First, I believe West African countries should be ready to make available adequate and quality data on oil blocks to improve the length of time between exploration and discovery”.
“This is particularly important in attracting investment into the sector in a sense that the oil companies have reduced workload in conducting exploratory activities which saves them a lot of cost”, Dr Prempeh mentioned. Secondly, he added, “for any investor to have the confidence to head to a particular destination, there should be the confidence that there is a robust and supportive framework in place to ensure that its assets and interests will not be threatened”.
“This means the country must be stable, its legal systems must be robust enough to deliver justice in the event of a dispute, and that its regulatory and fiscal regimes are competitive transparent and predictable”, he noted.
“Further, we must also find ways to align petroleum activities with the current trends in modern technology. For instance, promotion of licensing rounds in virtual format to ensure wide publicity without large congregations of people, which obviously in this pandemic era is not advisable. It should also be possible for foreign companies to assess data from Africa in their offices through virtual data rooms. These approaches will not only reduce cost but also save time and improve efficiencies,” he added
The CEO of MTN Selorm Adadevoh says his outfit will ensure that the new innovation delivers value to its stakeholders in Ghana
Selorm Adadevoh, the chief executive officer of MTN has said the telecoms giant is poised to roll out 5G in Ghana next year.
Speaking at the MTN@25 Business Executive Breakfast series on Wednesday (18 August) on the theme: “Conversations with MTN Ghana – 25 Years of Brightening Lives and Beyond”, Adadevoh said the telco has always been at the forefront of technology innovation.
The MTN CEO said his outfit will ensure that the new innovation delivers value to its stakeholders in Ghana.
Adadevoh added that MTN is currently focused on becoming a complete Digital Operator by 2023, while pursuing its Agenda 2025 strategy to drive the digital Ghana agenda.
“MTN has for the past 25 years been at the forefront of technology innovation in Ghana, having been the first to bring GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, Mobile Money and hopefully 5G by next year
Mr Bernard Allotey Jacobs, a former member of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has met former President John Agyekum Kufuor to apologise to him for demonising the former Ghanaian leader in the past.
The former Central Regional Chairman of the NDC, who later got expelled from the party, announced his meeting with Danquah-Busia-Dombo stalwart on his social media pages.
According to Mr Allotey Jacobs, the meeting was at Aburi.
He said he apologised to the former president for the “propaganda” he waged against him in the past, confessing that he knew there was “no iota of truth” in the things he said about Mr Kufuor at the time.
“And, as a great statesman, he forgave me and had lunch with me”, Mr Allotey Jacobs said, adding: “Thank you President J.A. Kufour. God bless you and keep you safe
President Nana Akufo-Addo has accused some civil society organisations of campaigning against his re-election bid in the 2020 general elections but says he will nonetheless give an ear to their commentaries.
At a meeting with members of the Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition at the Jubilee House, Mr Akufo-Addo assured the CSOs: “I’ve not shirked, in any way, my commitment that we should try and develop a state whose agencies act not in the personal interest of those who man them at any given time but in the interest of those who they serve”.
“I’ve not retreated in any way from that”, he insisted.
The president, however, pointed out to the CSOs that “I think, also, there are some things that none of us can overlook: the highly-politicised atmosphere in which many of these accusations are raised in Ghana”.
“Some of you even, some of the CSOs are privy to and complicit [of], where the line between them being independent commentary and being politically-related commentary, is very very thin and, in many many cases, there are lines that are, in fact, crossed”, the president complained.
According to him, “there are civil society organisations that mounted campaigns to make sure that I did not continue to sit in this seat”.
“I don’t know, for myself, I think that there are a lot of objective people that will appreciate the positions that I take”, the president posited.
“But nevertheless”, he observed, “when you are in this seat, you are required to listen to everybody, especially to people like you [CSOs], to take into account the statements and the commentary that you make and then we’ll move forward from it”.
“I think the thing that we all have to be thankful about in Ghana is that we now have an atmosphere where this kind of discourse can take place without the fear of the midnight knock because it has not always been like that in this country”, the president noted.
The president also said his government’s commitment toward the fight against corruption unwavering.
According to him, the records can show that his administration, since 2017, increased resource allocations to anti-corruption institutions such as the judiciary, police, Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO), parliament, the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), among others.
“It is unfortunate that the perception is that the commitment of government is waning, especially when two or three facts are taken into account”, the president pointed out.
“I don’t think that any government has mobilised resources to give the opportunity for anti-corruption agencies of the state to function as efficiently as this government has done. It is a matter of record,” he said.
“If the institutions of the republic that are meant to take the struggle are not capable to do so, all talk about fighting corruption remain meaningless,” he noted
Vice-president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has reiterated the commitment of the Akufo-Addo government to support the development of women’s sports.
Speaking at the Jubilee House during a courtesy call on him by Hasaacas Ladies to present the CAF Women’s Champions League Zone B trophy they recently won in Cote d’Ivoire, Dr. Bawumia said the government is impressed by the outstanding success of Hasaacas Ladies at the international level, and is resolved to help the development of women sports.
Last year, the government announced a support package of GHS500 monthly allowance for female athletes in the country, including professional footballers under the Youth Employment Agency.
Dr. Bawumia assured Hasaacas Ladies that in him and in President Nana Akufo-Addo, they have committed leaders who will champion the cause of women’s sports development.
Hasaacas Ladies were at the Jubilee House to also express their gratitude to the Vice-president, who donated $10,000 to them to prepare for the tournament.
The team, including players, technical and management team members, expressed their utmost gratitude to Dr. Bawumia for his support.
“Your Excellency, you set the pace and others followed. We could not have reached this far without your kind support,” the coach of the side Yusif Basigi said.
By winning the CAF Zone B Women’s Champions League, Hasaacas Ladies have qualified to compete in the finals of the CAF Women’s Champions League tournament in Egypt in November.
The Vice-president urged them to replicate the outstanding performance in Egypt and bring home the ultimate trophy.
Vice-president Bawumia presented GHS50,000 to the team for winning the CAF Zone B trophy, and promised further support to not just Hasaacas Ladies, but women’s sports, including soccer.
“Expect me at some of your matches when the league resumes,” he pledged.
The Hasaacas delegation was led by the Chairperson of Women’s Premier League Committee of the GFA, Madam Hilary Boateng.
It also included the President of the club, Nana Benyin Eyison
Former President John Dramani Mahama says no matter how long it may take, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will take over the administration of the country again to improve the living conditions of Ghanaians.
He said the NDC, as an opposition party, was ready to play its role effectively and not obstruct government but would hold it accountable and collaborate with it in the right direction to improve the living conditions of the citizenry.
“One day, however long it takes, we will take the administration of this country again. And the country must survive so that when we come into office, we will be able to continue from where whoever left off,” the Former President said.
Mr Mahama said this when he addressed the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs in Bolgatanga as part of activities to mark his “thank you” visit to the Region to express gratitude to the Chiefs and people of the Region for the massive support he got in the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
Mr Mahama noted that, “The Upper East Region did not disappoint us. Indeed, our show in this Region was the most impressive amongst all the five Northern Regions. We got the highest percentage in Upper East Region than any of the other five Northern Regions.
“To have come from just above 4,000,000 votes to almost 6.3million votes, was a very impressive achievement, and we could not have done it without the support we enjoyed in the Upper East Region here.
“And so let me through you, thank all the people of the Upper East Region for the support they have shown me in the last election. Tell them that NDC appreciates what they have done,” he told the Chiefs.
He also urged the Chiefs to continue to play their roles as custodians of the land, guide government when it goes wrong, and continue to be agents of development in their traditional areas.
The President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, Pe Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam III said the Former President’s initiative to call on the House, showed the respect he had for the traditional authority in the country.
“We very much acknowledge your calm composure while you were a sitting President and out of office. The obvious observation is that you do not only preach peace, but you are an epitome of peace.
“Even in the face of extreme provocation, you always had a way of diffusing tension. Your recent handling of the election petition ruling spoke volumes of the type of person you are,” Pe Ayagitam III, who is also the Paramount Chief of the Chiana Traditional Area, said.
According to the Chief, the peaceful attributes of Mr Mahama placed the country on a high pedestal in democratic governance, “We encourage you to keep it up”.
He said conflicts retarded development and the citizenry must collectively guard against actions that could plunge the country into chaos.
Pe Ayagitam III thanked the former President for the development projects he undertook in the Region during his tenure as President, and prayed for God’s blessing for him.
Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has attributed the delay in the completion of some health infrastructural projects in Ghana, to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Agyeman-Manu’s statement follows former President John Mahama’s claims that the Akufo-Addo-led government has abandoned projects he started while in office.
The lack of continuity of projects, according to Mr John Mahama, has left the unfinished projects in a deplorable state.
“No reasonable Ghanaian can feel happy when taxpayer funds are put into projects and they are not ready to be used for the benefit and use of projects just because the government changed and, so, the projects are left standing without being completed,” the 2020 flagbearer for the main opposition party National Democratic Congress (NDC) said on Bolgatanga-based URA Radio, as part of his Thank You tour on Tuesday, 17 August 2021.
But Mr Agyeman-Manu told the media at the Meet the Press series on Wednesday, 18 August 2021, that: “I’m proud to stand before you to say that since I joined the ministry, no project has been abandoned”.
He noted: “Last year, we did a lot of sod-cutting on some projects. We’re being asked questions as to why these projects have not started or been completed”.
He explained that the European contractors for the projects were supposed to have begun soon after the sod-cutting ceremonies but the impact of COVID-19, such as the second wave in Europe, flight restrictions and quarantining among other setbacks, hindered the arrival of European contractors assigned to take up some of the projects.
He further outlined some achievements chalked ever since his appointment as Health Minister and hinted at an infrastructural tour in the coming days “to show Ghanaians what is actually on the sites we’re talking about
A former Deputy General Secretary of the biggest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Koku Anyidoho, has given the General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and its other leaders, a 72-hour ultimatum to retract a notice of his expulsion from the party or face him in court.
Mr Anyidoho also wants Mr Nketia to set aside the recommendations of the National Disciplinary Committee with regard to his expulsion since, according to him, they are “founded on an illegality and is void ab initio”.
Mr Anyidoho was sacked from the NDC a few weeks ago, for anti-party behaviour.
He alleges his expulsion is a vile personal vendetta against him by Mr Nketia.
In a letter addressed to Mr Nketia in connection with his expulsion, Mr Anyidoho noted that he was never a party, nor privy to any disciplinary proceedings against him, as required by the constitution of the NDC.
“In your expulsion letter, which, you, in true gutless fashion, have failed to serve on me personally, you state that I was expelled for anti-party conduct and indiscipline. I must state that these terms are so broad, vague, amorphous and can be subjected to gross abuse as has been in the present case”, Mr Anyidoho argued.
“What really constitutes anti-party conduct?” Mr Anyidoho asked in his letter.
He further asked: “Article 47(G) of the NDC’s constitution enjoins all party members to uphold the fundamental human rights and freedoms as enshrined in Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, so, how come you are, per your arbitrary actions, violating my rights as a citizen of Ghana?”
“Does your arbitrariness also not breach the constitution of the NDC and amount to anti-party conduct? Must you also not be expelled for blatantly breaching the constitution of our great party? Or do you only reserve this honour for the people you hold a personal vendetta against?” he wondered.
The embattled former Deputy General Secretary stated that he has been and will continue to remain a very loyal member of the NDC and glued to the party’s values of unity, stability and development, which, according to him, are “evidenced by the diligence that characterised my work at the presidency with His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory.”
“You, sir, never worked at the presidency, yet you choose to rant about my working relationship with President Atta Mills, hitting at my integrity and claiming ‘I created problems for President Mills’. Do you have any concrete evidence to back such loose vicious talk? Or is your vile vendetta against me so strong that it is causing you to conjure imaginative untruths?”
He reminded Mr Nketia that: “I worked as your deputy for four years (acting in your stead on countless times when you were either on leave or on official assignments) with an unblemished record, thus, it comes as no surprise, your inability to question my sincerity, loyalty and work ethics and makes it sufficiently clear that you deliberately made ill-intentioned remarks about my working relationship with President Atta Mills just to score some cheap points. I implore you to provide even a shred of true evidence that I ever created any problems for you.”
Mr Anyidoho further said the party failed to serve him with any hearing notice and, therefore, wonders why the executives rushed to banish him from the party, adding: “And, even more concerning to me is how such a respectable party headed by such learned and esteemed persons, could make a procedural blunder this juvenile and ill-advised? The answer is that it was purely and coldly calculated.”
Mr Anyidoho stated that he will be forced to seek redress in the courts of law if he is not reinstated as a member of the party within 72 hours, insisting that he would not be pushed out of the NDC for reasons borne out of nothing but malicious perfidy.
A former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has said any effort to expand access to healthcare in Ghana should be embraced by all Ghanaians.null
Commenting on the Agenda 111 project commissioned by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, August 17 which will lead to the construction of 111 hospitals across the country, Mr. Anyidoho who is also the Director of the Atta Mills Memorial Institute said in a tweet that;
“Expanding access to quality healthcare must be embraced. Under the Atta-Mills Better Ghana Agenda, we got a new University of Health & Allied Sciences to give us solid manpower. The new UG hospital was also built. We are getting additional 111 hospitals? God bless our Homeland.”
President Akufo-Addo said the Agenda 111 project will be providing 20,000 jobs for health professionals when completed.
He said the Ministry of Health is going to recruit more doctors, nurses, and pharmacists when the project is done.
He also said that more indirect jobs are also going to be created by the project implementation.
The president further indicated that the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed years of under-investment in Ghana’s health sector.null
To that end, he said his administration is improving on the investment in the health sector of the economy.
He said “I am glad that the biggest ever investment in the nation’s healthcare is being made. We have met this morning because of the ravages of Covid-19 which have affected every country on the planet. For us in Ghana, not only has the pandemic disrupted our daily lives, but it has also exposed the deficiencies with our healthcare system because of the years of under-investment and neglect.”
Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu said during the event that the surest way for the government to improve on the healthcare delivery of the people is to provide infrastructure, To that end, he said the government is committed to providing the needed health infrastructure.
He said “As you know, a healthy people guarantee a healthy nation, and government being mindful of this fact has proved to show to the people its commitment to improving the health status of all residents in the country.
“The surest way to improve healthcare is through providing new infrastructure or improving just existing ones across the length and breadth of the country.”
On Sunday, August 15, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah revealed that an amount of $100million has been budgeted for the Agenda 111 project to provide 88 hospitals across the country.null
He announced that the government has secured 88 sites as part of the move to construct new hospitals, adding that the titles to the parcel of lands have also been secure.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Sunday, August 15, Mr. Kojo Oppong -Nkrumah who is also a Member of the Parliament of Ofoase Ayirebi said “The agenda 111 project which aims at providing 111 district hospitals will commence on Tuesday 17 August 2021. The project will also see to the provision of two specialized hospitals, one for the middle belt, one for the northern belt. These are psychiatric hospitals and then the redevelopment of the Accra Psychiatric hospital.
“There will also be the development of the six new regional hospitals and one extra-regional hospital for the Western region. The district hospital project as you recall was first announced in April 2020 by President Akufo-Addo during his 8th Covid update to the nation. It is programmed to take between twelve months to complete each one from the point of commencement Since this announcement the project implementation committee chaired by Chief of Staff Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare has been delivering a number of objectives
“One, to secure the physical location of 111 sites. Currently, they have secured 88 of those 111 sites. Not just the physical location but also securing title to the parcels of land. 88 out of 111 so far each of these parcels is about 15 acres.
“They have also been procuring the services of consultants. The master project itself has its consultant than for every one of the 111 sites like it is done in every construction project you need the consultant and the contractors working on it, they have also been delivering on this. They have also been working to secure funding for it and commencement funding of $100million dollars has been made available to the project through the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund. For the project themselves, it is budgeted US$17million for each of the district hospitals, the district and specialized hospitals are being funded by the government of Ghana.”
President Nana Akufo-Addo in his eighth Covid-19 address to the nation last year announced the construction of hospitals in some 88 districts across the country.null
“There are 88) districts in our country without district hospitals; we have six (6) new regions without regional hospitals; we do not have five infectious disease control centers dotted across the country, and we do not have enough testing and isolation centers for diseases like COVD-19. We must do something urgently about this.
That is why the Government has decided to undertake a major investment in our healthcare infrastructure, the largest in our history. We will, this year, begin constructing 88 hospitals in the districts without hospitals,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo also reiterated the government’s plans of building regional hospitals in the six new regions to boost healthcare delivery in the country.
“Each of them will be a quality, standard-design, one hundred bed hospital, with accommodation for doctors, nurses, and other health workers, and the intention are to complete them within a year.
We have also put in place plans for the construction of six new regional hospitals in the six new regions, and the rehabilitation of the Effia Nkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, which is the regional hospital of the Western Region.”
Infectious disease control centersnull
Additionally, President Akufo-Addo gave an indication that work will soon commence on three infectious disease control centers for each of the zones of the country to improve Ghana’s testing capacities with regards to contagious illnesses.
“We are going to beef up our existing laboratories and establish new ones across every region for testing. We will establish three infectious disease control centers for each of the zones of our country, i.e. Coastal, Middle Belt and Northern, with the overall objective of setting up a Ghana Centre for Disease Control.
The recent, tragic CSM outbreak, with over 40 deaths, has reaffirmed the need for ready access to such infectious disease control centres, even though, in our time, nobody should die of the disease.”
The third girl who was kissed on the lips by the priest in the viral video has been left traumatised by the incident, reports claim.
Speaking to Accra-based Starr FM, one of the students who was given a holy kiss by the priest said she is a virgin and feels dirty after the incident happened days ago.
This was revealed by a student of St. Monica College of Education who claims the third girl confined in her.
Reverend Father Balthazar Obeng Larbi, according to the student, kissed the three Bible readers as a sign of appreciation for their hard work since level 100.
She told Starr FM that the third student who was kissed in the viral video told her colleagues she hesitated in allowing the priest kiss her because she is a virgin.
The informant added that the student felt livid and unclean after the Priest kissed her because she felt like her virginity has been broken by the unholy act.
Striking University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has agreed to call off its two-week strike after an emergency meeting with the National Labour Commission (NLC) and Employment and Labour Relations and Education Ministries.
They have agreed to go back to the negotiation table from Monday August 23, 2021, according to a memorandum of agreement between government and the university teachers.
Additionally, steps are being taken by the National Labour Commission to discontinue all legal processes against the striking lecturers
It would be recalled that the National Labour Commission had secured an interlocutory injunction to compel UTAG members to call off their strike.
The injunction from the Labour Court 1 secured on Friday, August 6, 2021, ordered all members of the Association to immediately return to work. The industrial action by the group has reportedly had a consequences on academic activities in various campuses.
Authorities of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Ghana suspended indefinitely their end-of-semester examinations.
UTAG is demanding the implementation of a 2012 Single Spine package which puts entry-level lecturers on a salary of $2,084.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has denied sponsoring the leadership of the #FixTheCountry movement, as was speculated on social media.null
According to Mr. Mahama, the #FixTheCountry demo was not about only the government and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but an expression of disappointment against the collective leadership of the country.
He noted that the allegation that he had financed the campaigners will not wash and described it as a lie.
He called on the political class and chiefs to listen to the cry of the youth and create sustainable jobs for them because no leader will be spared their wrath if they [youth] decide to go on the rampage over it as their Nigerian counterparts did in the #EndSARS movement.
According to Mr. Mahama, if he were president, he would have called a national strategy meeting on “how we can create youth employment, sustainable jobs because no one party has the answer.”
Speaking at a meeting with the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, as part of his Thank You tour on Tuesday, 17 August 2021, Mr. Mahama said: “One of them has been hounded out, ‘Afia Something’ because she can’t take it anymore and, so, she has dropped out but her dropping out has not solved the issue of youth unemployment, it’s still there staring us in the face and the government communicators go and lie that I have given them 85,000 pounds and I’ve given them GHS1.5 million for their demonstration; absolute lie”.
The 2020 flagbearer of the main opposition party noted that “those old Machiavellian tactics won’t work”.null
“I haven’t given ‘Fix It’s one single cedi and yet [they want] to demonize their leaders and create the impression that their leaders have collected monies so that you can detach the leadership from their following. For me, I take them seriously because those young people are our children and whether you demonize them or not, the problem of youth unemployment remains and it will continue to grow.”
Mr. Mahama explained to the chiefs that he was bringing the issue before them “because you, as our fathers and as a moral voice of society, should be conscious of what is going on”.
“There’s growing insecurity because young people don’t have jobs, many of the armed robbers they are arresting today are our children, they are Ghanaian youth who have dropped out of JHS and SHS or who have finished tertiary institutions and there are no opportunities to find work”, he bemoaned.
“Formerly, if there was an armed robbery, we said it was Nigerians [but] today when you catch armed robbers, you’ll find our Ghanaian youth amongst them”.
“Right now, there’s insecurity in this part of the region. In the night, you must not risk traveling on our highways because your chances of running into highway robbery are very high and, so, these are all things we need to be mindful of.”
Mr. Mahama noted that, as the biggest opposition party, the NDC is ready to play its role and will not obstruct the government but wants to hold the government accountable and to collaborate with the government where they are doing the right thing in order that life will be better for the Ghanaian people “because one day, however, long it takes, we’ll take the administration of this country again and the country must survive so that when we come into the office we’ll be able to continue from where whoever left of.”
The group said members decided to lay down their tools because the government has failed to provide them “with the needed resources”
The Environmental Health Workers in charge of the burial of COVID-19 dead bodies have declared an industrial strike effective Wednesday 18 August 2021.
The directive was issued by the leadership of the Environmental Health Officers Alliance-Ghana (EHOA-GH) made up of over 7,000 health practitioners.
Speaking to Asaase News on Wednesday, the group said members decided to lay down their tools because the government has failed to provide them “with the needed resources for us to be able to discharge our duties.”
The president of the group, Yaw Akwaa Lartey, stressed that “we’ve laid down our tools for now. Our members are contracting COVID-19, so we’re laying down our tools until the government gives us equipment.”
He said: “We’re not burying the bodies again. We’ve families.”
Touching on the logistics they require, Lartey said: “We need disinfection materials and PPE. We need a private hearse stationed at the assemblies, specifically for COVID-19 dead bodies. We’re forced to use the same hearse for ordinary bodies which is wrong. We’re using private hearse and unfortunately when it is not available we’re forced to use the KIA trucks that convey foodstuff to Accra.”
Lartey told Asaase Radio’s Jonathan Ofori in the Ashanti Region that they have written several “letters to the minister of health, minister of local government and the COVID-19 response team since May 2020, and nothing has happened.”
He warned the incident could affect the fight against the virus if government fails to respond to their demands.
Increasing cases
The indefinite strike comes amidst a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.
At least 524 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) pushing the country’s active cases to 6,265
The death toll hits 945 after 15 additional fatalities were recorded across the country, an update on the GHS COVID-19 dashboard reveals.
So far, 128 persons are in severe condition while 51 remain critical, according to GHS. Cases detected at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) are 2,523 with 2,361 recoveries.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has expressed his disappointment with the Electoral Commission’s refusal to receive the post-2020 electoral reform proposals submitted by the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking in an interview on URA Radio in Bolgatanga, Mr Mahama said the Commission, in refusing to receive the proposals, asked the NDC to rather send the document to the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).
This, the 2020 presidential candidate of the NDC said, is not practicable.
The Electoral Commission (EC), he noted, houses IPAC and can receive the proposals and present them at the next IPAC meeting for consideration.
President Mahama urged the EC to act and be seen as a neutral arbiter, bringing the political parties together and working in consensus.
Mr Mahama has started a nationwide tour to thank Ghanaians for their support and voting for him and the party’s parliamentary candidates.
Responding to a question about the NDC’s rejection of the 2020 presidential election results, Mr Mahama said the widespread irregularities recorded during the election accounted for the widespread questioning of the legitimacy of the results by Ghanaians.
He mentioned acts such as voter suppression tactics, the killing of eight innocent Ghanaians by the security personnel and the hostile posturing of the EC, as factors that cast a dark cloud over the 2020 elections.
The elections, he maintained, were not free and fair.
“When you have these strange happenings and things like that happen it doesn’t give much confidence to the Electoral Commission that is supposed to be a neutral arbiter in terms of our electoral process. The posturing of the Electoral Commission before, during and after our elections has just shown a certain hostility toward our party.”
According to Mr Mahama, “when you have an election that everyone accepts and is happy with the results, it gives a certain legitimacy to even the person who governs
Former Ghana Blackstars captain, Asamoah Gyan has reiterated he has not retired from international football, stating everything is possible with a likely return to the national team.
The Legon City forward is currently in Younde, Cameroon as part of the legendary African footballers selected to make the group stage draw for the AFCON 2022 to be staged in Cameroon.
Asamoah, speaking from Cameroon in a telephone interview with Kessben Sports said he was a bit surprised but however not also much surprised to have been part of the selected legends to run the draw. “I was a bit surprised but not surprised that much because of the level I have got in the game. I will really want to thank CAF for the recognition. I feel honoured” Asamoah said.
“Let’s support the coach and squad. We are all Ghanaians. Some Ghanaians will not pray for us to lose but will feel guilty when we lose in their rooms when they don’t support”
Reacting to a question whether or not if he’s done with the national team, this is what Asamoah Gyan had to say, “Everything is possible, I haven’t retired. I had Physical problems with my weight. It has not come into my mind to retire. I came to the scene very early, maybe that’s why but what is important is to get back to my normal shape. When I get to my normal shape we will see, I came to Legon city but had problems with my weight and couldn’t really help me assess myself well. Will play for one more season and see. I have seen great African footballers come out from retirement to play for their national team so everything is possible”. Asamoah Gyan added
Former President John Dramani Mahama has said the youth are disappointed in the country’s democratic governance and its leaders and has, therefore, called on the political class and traditional leaders to listen to the cries of young people and create sustainable jobs for them.
According to Mr Mahama, youth unemployment is a threat to the nation and no leader will be spared the wrath of the youth if they decide to go on the rampage over it.
Comparing the #EndSARS movement in Nigeria to the #FixTheCountry movement in Ghana, Mr Mahama said the Ghanaian youth demonstrators were civil and their call must be heeded.
The former Ghanaian leader told the chiefs: “Our youth are getting disappointed in our democratic governance; they don’t see any future for themselves. Youth employment has been a problem for governments all over the world but it’s, particularly, a problem for governments in Africa”.
“We have 12 million graduates coming out of universities and tertiary institutions all across the African continent and yet we are producing between six to seven million jobs a year, and, so, what happens to the other five million graduates who cannot find employment? And it’s beginning to show in other countries”, he said.
“In Nigeria, they had the SARS movement. It was like a rebellion against police oppression but who are those who took part in the SARS movement? It was unemployed youth and the point is: let’s not think if you’re enriching yourself, you are safe. When the youth rise up, they think that everybody living a good life is one of the people oppressing him; that’s why he cannot get a job.”
“And, so, in Nigeria, they went on the rampage on the streets. If you’re driving a nice car, they will break your glass and molest you. Meanwhile, you’re probably not part of the government; you’re a doctor or something and your hard-earned money has bought that Mercedes-Benz car but when they see it, they say: ‘It’s because of you that they cannot get jobs’, and we must not allow that situation to happen in Ghana,” Mr Mahama warned.
He noted: “In Ghana, it is more civilised. What have they [#FixTheCountry Movement] done? They’ve not gone on the rampage. They’ve not destroyed anything and, so, what we should be doing, as leaders, is to listen to them because these are our children and the youth of this country.”
“’Fix it’ is not a problem of only NPP, it’s a problem of Ghana, a problem of all of us and, so, when people in government think that these young people, ‘we must demonise them’, it’s not because of NPP, it’s all of us; they are expressing disappointment in all our collective leadership and the earlier we listen to them, dialogue with them [the better],” he stated.
According to Mr Mahama, if he were president, he would have called a national strategic meeting on “how we can create youth employment, sustainable jobs, because no one party has the answer.”
“One of them has been hounded out, ‘Afia Something’ because she can’t take it anymore and, so, she has dropped out but her dropping out has not solve the issue of youth unemployment, it’s still there staring us in the face and the government communicators go and lie that I have given them 85,000 pounds and I’ve given them GHS1.5 million for their demonstration; absolute lie,” Mr Mahama said.
The 2020 flagbearer of the main opposition party noted that “those old Machiavellian tactics won’t work”.
“I haven’t given ‘Fix It’ one single cedi and yet [they want] to demonise their leaders, and create the impression that their leaders have collected monies so that you can detach the leadership from their following. For me, I take them seriously because those young people are our children and whether you demonise them or not, the problem of youth unemployment remains and it will continue to grow.”
Mr Mahama explained to the chiefs that he was bringing the issue before them “because you, as our fathers and as a moral voice of society, should be conscious of what is going on”.
“Formerly, if there was armed robbery, we said it was Nigerians [but] today, when you catch armed robbers, you’ll find our Ghanaian youth amongst them”.
“Right now, there’s insecurity in this part of the region. In the night, you must not risk travelling on our highways because your chances of running into highway robbery is very high and, so, these are all things we need to be mindful of.”
Mr Mahama noted that, as the biggest opposition party, the NDC is ready to play its role and will not obstruct government but wants to hold the government accountable and to collaborate with the government where they are doing the right thing in order that life will be better for the Ghanaian people “because one day, however, long it takes, we’ll take the administration of this country again and the country must survive so that when we come into office we’ll be able to continue from where whoever left of.”
Former President John Dramani Mahama has told President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that he has set a bad precedence following the closure of some radio stations that delayed in renewing their license.
Mr Mahama said this in the Upper East region on Tuesday August 17 when he was thanking the chiefs and people of the region after the 2020 elections.
He said “The constitution guarantees freedoms, human rights, freedom of association and so many other things, freedom and independence of the media and indeed there is a whole chapter on media freedom.
“Unfortunately, even when you have the best constitution you can have governments that try to bend it to be able to achieve whatever ends they have in terms of limiting our democratic rights. So today government can say that a radio station has delayed in paying its license fee and so we are shutting you down.
“When I talk about it I talk about it because of the precedence it can set .Because the shoe can be on the other foot the next day, they say the stick that is used to beat Takyi, it is the same stick they will use to be Baah. So the stations you don’t like you can close them down today, when another government comes and it decides to do the same thing to the stations they don’t like too, what kind of country will we be building?”
The National Communications Authority (NCA), the broadcasting and telecommunication frequency regulator in Ghana, shut down Radio Gold and Radio XYZ, both based in Accra and aligned to the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
A statement issued by the NCA in Accra on May 9, 2019, said the closures were carried out in line with Regulations 65 (1) of the Electronic Communications Regulations, 2011, L. I. 1991, which states that “A person shall not use a radio frequency without authorisation from the Authority.”
Referring to a 2018 ruling by the Electronic Communications Tribunal on the status of FM stations with expired authorisation, the NCA said “Companies whose authorisations had expired reverted to the same position as a fresh applicant,” adding that “these applications shall go through the required procedure for new FM Broadcasting Authorisation.”
The regulator did not mention the two stations, implying that it was a general exercise. However, only Radio XYZ and Radio Gold have been closed so far. Officials of the NCA, backed by armed police officers, stormed the premises of the radio stations to enforce the shutdown in the afternoon of May 9.
This is the second time in less than two years that the regulator has flexed its muscles against “defaulting stations.”
In September, 2017, the NCA carried out a massive purge of the broadcasting industry that saw a total of 34 radio and television stations being shut down for various infractions, in enforcement of Section 13 of the Electronics Communications Act (2009), Act 775.
The regulator also imposed fines on a number of stations ranging from GHC50,000 (US$11,000) to GHC61,000,000 (US$13.8 million) depending on the infraction and the duration the infraction persisted.
Former President and 2020 Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, says the party has learnt its lessons following the controversial loss in the 2020 elections.
Addressing party executives and supporters in Bolgatanga in the Upper East region, President Mahama assured them that the NDC, in the 2024 elections, would put all measures in place to win on the ground and avoid going to the Supreme Court for redress.
“That lesson has been painfully learnt and shall not be forgotten. Elections are won or lost at the polling stations and collation levels and doing everything right, not at the Supreme Court” he added.
The former President also said the NDC increased its votes from around 4 million to over 6 million votes in the Presidential elections adding “but for arm twisting, we would have had 145 seats, and won a clear majority in Parliament.”
He also hailed the people of the Upper East Region for their contribution to the NDC’s effort by giving the party 14 out of the 15 seats in the parliamentary elections.
He stated that, “we have learnt from our mistakes. Next time we’ll score 15 over 15 in this region.”
President Mahama is on a tour of the country to thank Ghanaians for their support and for voting for him and the NDC parliamentary candidates in the 2020 elections.
The first phase of Ghana’s first-ever Creative Arts Senior High School (SHS), being constructed at Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region, will be completed in December 2021.
The project which is been executed by two main contractors, Messrs Golden Mainland and Upton Engineering, is currently 60 per cent completed.
Facilities being worked on included an administration block, a 750-capacity girls’ dormitory as well as a 500-capacity boys’ dormitory, classroom blocks, and a studio laboratory.
The work on the project commenced in 2019, and upon completion, would spearhead the nation’s bid to identify and harness young talents in areas encompassing literature, music, drama, visual arts, film, dance, sound engineering, and film production.
The Minister of Education, Yaw Osei Adutwum, who visited the site to inspect the project noted that “The government is committed to diversifying the economy by grooming young talents for the creative arts industry to enhance job creation and poverty alleviation.”
According to him, “The vision of the government is very clear. That, in promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, we do not have to leave out the creative arts”.
He said the creative arts industry had many prospects for the younger generation, adding that the government was committed to investing in the sector to brighten the future of the youth.
The Minister of Education said a team of experts had been put together to develop the curriculum for the institution, adding that the operationalization of the nation’s premier Creative Arts SHS was expected to commence soon.
Mr Daniel Ohene, the Project Coordinator for Messrs Golden Mainland, who guided the delegation for the project inspection, assured of the contractors’ resolve to complete the work on schedule.
He said the authorities had been monitoring the project to ensure its successful completion.
The Minister of Education was accompanied by Dr Kingsley Nyarko, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso, and Agyenim Boateng, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE)
Each of the 111 hospitals to be constructed by the Akufo-Addo government will cost $16.88 million.
They will be completed in 18 months.
Laying the brick for the project to begin on Tuesday, 17 August 2021, at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region, President Akufo-Addo said: “So far, sites have been identified for 88 of the 111 hospitals and after cutting the sod, work on the other 87 sites will also commence today.”
“The acquisition of the remaining 13 sites will be completed shortly for work to begin”, he noted.
He added: “Each hospital is being constructed at a cost of $16.88 million, i.e. $12.88 million for construction and $4 million for medical equipment and all the hospitals are to be completed in 18 months and works will begin on the regional and other hospitals in the latter part of the year.”
Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah recently announced that the government of Ghana has set aside US$100 million for the project.
Agenda 111 aims to build 101 district hospitals in areas without one.
It also involves the provision of two specialised hospitals for the middle and northern belts, the redevelopment of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital plus the development of six new regional hospitals and one extra regional hospital for the Western Region.
Briefing the media about the project on Sunday, 15 August 2021, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said the government of Ghana calls on all, especially the local beneficiary communities, traditional leaders, the youth and all actors in the local health sector, to give their full support to this project for the benefit of the Ghanaian people.
“Currently, commencement funding of US$100 million has been made available to the project through the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Funds”, Mr Oppong Nkrumah told journalists.
He said: “For the project itself, it is budgeted at nearly US$17 million for each of the district hospitals”.
“The district and specialised hospitals are being funded by the government of Ghana but for the regional hospitals, EPC arrangements have been made” for them, he noted.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah said: “This project will naturally go across three budget cycles”.
“So, allocations have been made across the various budget cycles in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework for what the government of Ghana is bearing”, he noted.
Out of the projected US$17 million for each district hospital, US$12.88 million will cater for civil works, with about US$4 million going into equipment required.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah noted that “contractors for the projects have been secured, with the first set beginning work this week”.
“We are starting off on Tuesday at Trade and the other contractors, soon afterwards, will also begin theirs at the various districts across the country,” he added
All is set for the official draw of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations which comes off in Cameroun in January next year.null
The draw which will take place at Palais de Congres Hotel in Younde will see the 24 participating teams divided into six groups of four.
Ghana are placed in Pot 2 with record champions Egypt, two-time holders Cote D’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea. Host Cameroon are in Pot 1 with champions Algeria, 2019 finalists Senegal, three-time champions Nigeria and 1976 champions Morocco.
The 24 qualified teams are allocated to four pots of six teams each, based on the FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking released on 12th August (the last ranking released before the date of the draw).
The minister of information Hon Kwadwo Oppong Nkrumah has revealed that the president’s quest to build 111 hospitals hit a snag in Greater Accra Region and some districts as a result of unavailability of lands for the projects. So far the committee led by the Chief of Staff to oversee the construction, securing of lands, consultancy services, contractors, cost and other things have been able to secure about 88 sites of 15 acres of land each to begin the project pending further search for lands for the remaining 23 projects.
According to the minister as a result of the compact nature of Greater Accra region, it is very difficult to get that big tracts of land to undertake that projects. Besides being capital, there are existing hospitals, polyclinics and clinics all over to provide health services for the inhabitants. The minister said the committee had to visit Ashanti Region for the second time for a crunchy meeting to convince the chiefs, opinion leaders and families before they were able to secure lands for the projects as a result of the size of land they requested for the projects.
“Let me say land acquisition for the project was a real tough encounter as some traditional areas initially didn’t want to release lands . In some instances it took the starture of the Chief of Staff to talk through to secure the lands. Besides, the committee wanted unencumbered lands devoid of litigation and quarrels”.
He intimated that all the necessary documentation and fees have been paid before they gave the greenlight for the projects to begin. “People are saying the projects have delayed but a project of this magnitude, you need to do all the necessary ground work, documentation, feasibility studies , consultancy, contractual processes among other things.
He emphasized that the contractors are mostly Ghanaians and they have only twelve months time space to complete the projects. Each project will cost around 17 million dollars and government has put down initial 100 million dollars for initial funding and it’s purely government of Ghana project without foreign funding. The minister indicated that funding will come from our own taxes and so he urged Ghanaians to pay their taxes to enable the project to be completed on time. Oppong Nkrumah advised all Ghanaians to support this project and desist from the discouraging attitudes as the project is for all Ghanaians.
In all, 101 district hospitals , two psychiatric hospitals for the Northern and Middle belts , six new regional hospitals for the new regions and the rehabilitation of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital are all part of the project. The media would be made to monitor the various stages of the project to inform the populace at regular intervals. The projects involve bungalows, layout and other facilities and it’s supposed to employ thousands of Ghanaians health workers, paramedics, ancillary and other staff when completed to work there
Former President John Dramani Mahama has debunked suggestions that the economy is in a crisis because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the 2020 flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), COVID-19 just exacerbated the situation but already, the management of the economy was in a crisis long before the pandemic hit.
Speaking on Bolgatanga-based URA Radio, as part of his thank you tour on Tuesday, 17 August 2021, Mr Mahama who reiterated his earlier assertion that the economy is in crisis said “with the way the economy is going, something needs to give”, adding that he “won’t be surprised if this administration eventually goes into some sort of programme with the IMF.”
“It’s easy for everybody to see that the economy was in a crisis before COVID-19 hit”, he said.
“In 2019, it was obvious that the rate of borrowing was excessive and things were not going correctly. COVID just exacerbated it but already, the management of the economy was in a crisis long before COVID arrived”, he asserted.
Meanwhile, the World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mr Pierre Laporte, has said Ghana’s debt-to-GDP ratio was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on Class91.3FM’s Class Morning Show on Monday, 16 August 2021, Mr Laporte told Kofi Oppong Asamoah that the situation has led to Ghana being at high risk of becoming debt-distressed.
This, he noted, however, does not mean the country’s debt is higher than others.
Ghana, before COVID-19, recorded positive growth and was considered as one of the fastest-growing economies but like many countries, COVID-19 has negatively impacted the country’s growth.
Although Ghana is one of two countries that recorded a small growth in 2020 despite the pandemic, its debt is quite high, resulting in the country being characterised as having a high risk of becoming debt-distressed.
Ghana’s public debt stock shot up by GHS27.8 billion in April 2021 and May 2021 to GHS332.4 billion, according to the Bank of Ghana.
Mr Laporte said: “Ghana’s economy before COVID was one of the highest growing economies in the world actually and we are talking about 6 or 7 per cent annually”.
“Of course, COVID-19 hit Ghana like it hit everyone [but] the encouraging thing is that most countries in the world also declined in growth in 2020 and Ghana happened to be one of the two countries that still recorded a small positive growth because it handled the COVID-19 economic effect better than others and also what we observed is that the recovery has been stronger than the rest of the region…”
The World Bank Country Director was, however, worried about the country’s high debt.
“In the case of Ghana, what the latest figures show is that Ghana’s debt-to-GDP ratio is close to 80 per cent or about 78 per cent and it should be noted that before COVID, it was a bit lower than that; it was in the 60s, so, COVID-19 has contributed to Ghana’s debt like every country in the world”, Mr Laporte said.
“So, what we are saying is Ghana is at a high risk of debt distress. What this means is that Ghana is more at risk of going to default or distress if certain things happen. For instance, Ghana depends on oil, so, if oil prices were to crash, this will put Ghana in a much more uncomfortable position vis-à-vis payment of its debt”, Mr Laporte explained.
“If gold prices or commodities Ghana export go down, if for whatever reason domestic revenue, which are already very low, go so low because of a shock, then Ghana will have trouble fully servicing its debt”, he indicated.
Mr Laporte, however, clarified that this “characterisation doesn’t mean because you are high risk your debt level is higher than others, it means that other factors or risks of occurrences happening like external or domestic shocks, then you’re at risk…
The 2020 presidential candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has asked President Nana Akufo-Addo to endeavour to complete all infrastructural projects that were begun by previous governments.
The continuity of projects, according to Mr John Mahama, will prevent the wastage of taxpayers’ money.
“No reasonable Ghanaian can feel happy when taxpayer funds are put into projects and they are not ready to be used for the benefit and use of projects just because government changed and, so, the projects are left standing without being completed,” the former president said on Bolgatanga-based URA Radio, as part of his Thank You tour on Tuesday, 17 August 2021.
“It’s not just the E-blocks”, he said, adding: “The E-blocks have been one example but there are also hospitals that we were building”.
“Bolga Central Hospital, we did the first phase”, Mr Mahama pointed out.
“We were supposed to get some equipment from Saudi Arabia to finish equipping it so that we could utilise the first phase and we had also programmed the second phase but that has come to a standstill over the last five years”, the former president said.
According to him, “there are hospitals in other regions that we were putting up that have come to a standstill”.
“In many places, the wind has blown off the roofs of the buildings, fire has burnt some of the buildings”, he bemoaned.
Mr Mahama noted: “It is sad to see something like that because, as I said during the campaign, it is not my money”.
“The money didn’t come from John Mahama’s pocket. It’s our money as a country. And, so, when it goes to waste like that, I think it’s not something that is reasonable at all”.
“I think that the government should avert its mind and try to finish some of these projects, including some of those that they themselves have initiated”.
Mr Mahama recounted that he promised on his campaign trail prior to the 2020 elections that if he won, he would commit to completing abandoned infrastructural projects.
“Right now, our focus should be on encouraging this president and this government to do what is right so that things get better in our country so that anybody who takes over in future can move it to the next level”.
• Local artisans to get jobs under government’s Agenda 111 project
• The president disclosed this at the groundbreaking ceremony of the project
• Agenda 111 project is to solve the health deficit in the country
A total of 25,000 Ghanaians will be employed for the construction and design phase of the government’s Agenda 111 project in the health sector.
These workers to be employed are architects, engineers, masons, carpenters, painters, and other professionals.
According to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, these direct and indirect jobs to be created will help develop the country.n
He said, “The strategy of direct and indirect job openings to stimulate the economy of various communities which the facilities are to be created. These include the creation of an estimated 25,000 jobs during the construction and design phase. i.e., jobs for architects, civil mechanical and electrical and biomedical engineers, quantity surveyors, masons, carpenters, welders, steel benders, painters, tailors, and related professionals and artisans as well as other indirect jobs.”
President Akufo-Addo made these comments during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Agenda 111 project at Trede in the Ashanti region on Tuesday, August 17, 2021.
In his speech, he noted that the outbreak of coronavirus has exposed the deficits in the health sector.
It is for this reason that the government announced the construction of hospitals to solve this problem.
As President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut sod for the construction of district hospitals he promised in his 8th address to the nation sometime last year, he’s made a revelation about the designers of the health project.
He said the design of the health project was done by 20 Ghanaian consulting firms.
President Akufo-Addo said the impact of climate, socio-cultural conditions and traditional practices have all been factored in the design of the project.
“20 Ghanaian consulting firms made up of architects, civil structural, electrical and mechanical engineers, quantity surveyors, bio-medical engineers and other technical teams have designed all these hospitals to reflect our unique domestic requirements including the impact of climate, socio-cultural conditions and traditional practices,” he said.
Each hospital to be constructed under the Agenda 111 project will cost US$16.88 million.
Aside from the health facility, there will be accommodation for nurses, doctors and other health workers for there to be smooth running of services.
About Agenda 111
The Agenda 111 project includes 101 district hospitals, six regional hospitals in the newly created regions, two specialised hospitals in the middle and northern belts, as well as a regional hospital in the Western Region and renovation of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital.
It is aimed at transforming the country’s inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed years of under-investment in Ghana’s health sector.null
To that end, he said his administration is improving on the investments in the health sector of the economy.
He said this while delivering a speech during the sod cutting for the Agenda 111 project in the Ashanti region on Tuesday, August 17.
He said “I am glad that the biggest ever investment in the nation’s healthcare is being made. We have met this morning because of the ravages of COVID-19 which have affected every country on the planet. For us in Ghana not only has the pandemic disrupted our daily lives, but it has also exposed the deficiencies with our healthcare system because of the years of underinvestment and neglect
Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has said during the event that the surest way for the government to improve on the healthcare delivery of the people is to provide infrastructure, To that end, he said the government is committed to providing the needed health infrastructure.
He said “As you know, a healthy people guarantee a healthy nation, and government being mindful of this fact has proved to show to the people its commitment to improving the health status of all residents in the country.null
“The surest way to improve healthcare is through providing new infrastructure or improving just existing ones across the length and breadth of the country.”
On Sunday, August 15, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah revealed that an amount of $100million has been budgeted for the Agenda 111 project to provide 88 hospitals across the country.
He announced that the government has secured 88 sites as part of the move to construct new hospitals, adding that the titles to the parcel of lands have also been secure.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Sunday, August 15, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who is also a Member of the Parliament of Ofoase Ayirebi said “The agenda 111 project which aims at providing 111 district hospitals will commence on Tuesday 17 August 2021. The project will also see to the provision of two specialized hospitals, one for the middle belt, one for the northern belt. These are psychiatric hospitals and then the redevelopment of the Accra Psychiatric hospital.
“There will also be the development of the six new regional hospitals and one extra-regional hospital for the Western region. The district hospital project as you recall was first announced in April 2020 by President Akufo-Addo during his 8th Covid update to the nation. It is programmed to take between twelve months to complete each one from the point of commencement Since this announcement the project implementation committee chaired by Chief of Staff Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare has been delivering a number of objectivesnull
“One, to secure the physical location of 111 sites. Currently, they have secured 88 of those 111 sites. Not just the physical location but also securing title to the parcels of land. 88 out of 111 so far each of these parcels is about 15 acres.
“They have also been procuring the services of consultants. The master project itself has its consultant than for every one of the 111 sites, like it is done in every construction project you need the consultant and the contractors working on it, they have also been delivering on this. They have also been working to secure funding for it and commencement funding of $100million dollars has been made available to the project through the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund. For the project themselves, it is budgeted US$17million for each of the district hospitals, the district and specialized hospitals are being funded by the government of Ghana.”
President Nana Akufo-Addo in his eighth Covid-19 address to the nation last year announced the construction of hospitals in some 88 districts across the country.
“There are 88) districts in our country without district hospitals; we have six (6) new regions without regional hospitals; we do not have five infectious disease control centers dotted across the country, and we do not have enough testing and isolation centers for diseases like COVD-19. We must do something urgently about this. That is why the Government has decided to undertake a major investment in our healthcare infrastructure, the largest in our history. We will, this year, begin constructing 88 hospitals in the districts without hospitals,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo also reiterated the government’s plans of building regional hospitals in the six new regions to boost healthcare delivery in the country.null
“Each of them will be a quality, standard-design, one hundred bed hospital, with accommodation for doctors, nurses, and other health workers, and the intention is to complete them within a year. We have also put in place plans for the construction of six new regional hospitals in the six new regions, and the rehabilitation of the Effia Nkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, which is the regional hospital of the Western Region.”
Infectious disease control centers
Additionally, President Akufo-Addo gave an indication that work will soon commence on three infectious disease control centers for each of the zones of the country to improve Ghana’s testing capacities with regard to contagious illnesses.
“We are going to beef up our existing laboratories and establish new ones across every region for testing. We will establish three infectious disease control centers for each of the zones of our country, i.e. Coastal, Middle Belt, and Northern, with the overall objective of setting up a Ghana Centre for Disease Control. The recent, tragic CSM outbreak, with over 40 deaths, has reaffirmed the need for ready access to such infectious disease control centers, even though, in our time, nobody should die of the disease.”
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, 17th August 2021, cut the sod for the commencement of Agenda 111, which he has described as the biggest ever investment in the nation’s healthcare sector is being made.
The project will involve the construction of (101) district hospitals, the construction of seven (7) Regional Hospitals for the new Regions, including a new one for the Western Region, the construction of two (2) new psychiatric hospitals for the Middle Belt and Northern Belt, respectively, and the rehabilitation of the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region
Addressing the gathering at Trede, in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region, President Akufo-Addo indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic did not only disrupt lives and livelihoods, but also exposed the deficiencies of the nation’s healthcare system, because of years of under-investment and neglect.
With eighty-eight (88) out of the one hundred and one (101) sites identified for the commencement of work on the construction of the district hospitals, he assured that the acquisition of the remaining thirteen (13) sites will be completed shortly for work to begin.
“Each hospital is being constructed at a cost of US$16.88 million, that is US$12.88 million for construction and US$4 million for medical equipment. All the hospitals are to be completed in eighteen (18) months. Work will commence on the regional and other hospitals in the latter part of the year,” he assured.
These modern, fully equipped state-of-the-art hospitals, according to the President, will have facilities for outpatient services, including consultation facilities for medical and surgical cases, ophthalmology and dental services, a physiotherapy unit, maternal and child health unit, public health unit, four (4) state of the art surgical theatres for maternity, obs and gynae, accident and emergency, and for general surgery and imaging facilities.
“In addition, each hospital will have the full complement of male, female, paediatric and isolation wards. Provision has made for support facilities, which will include a kitchen, laundry, sterilisation department, mortuary, energy centre, maintenance department, and staff accommodation for doctors, nurses and other health workers,” he said.
Describing Agenda 111 as a “Ghana First” agenda, which has been carefully thought through to inspire activity and growth in various sectors of the economy, and help also bring jobs to the youth, the President explained that a consortium, comprising some twenty (20) Ghanaian consulting firms, made up of architects, civil, structural, electrical and mechanical engineers, quantity surveyors, bio-medical engineers, and other technical teams, have designed these hospitals to reflect the nation’s unique domestic requirements.
“They will also supervise the construction of these hospitals, which will be built by some two hundred and fifty (250) domestic contractors, and maintained by domestic facility management professionals, as part of Government’s policy of developing domestic capability in the building and construction sectors of the economy. This will, undoubtedly, help retain most of the money in the country, to engender further investment in the economy,” he added.
With all hospitals being of a standard design, the President noted that the execution of Agenda III will require significant domestic inputs, which will give impetus to private sector investments into the “One-District-One-Factory” policy.
Once completed, the President told the gathering at Trede that it will provide job opportunities for some twenty thousand (20,000) health professionals, and, thus, enable the Ministry of Health recruit more doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health professionals.
“In addition to these, there will be many indirect jobs for residents in the local economy, for example, for persons who will sell food, drinks, hospital consumables to the hospital, its staff, patients and visitors. I am confident that this important investment will have a positive impact on many lives and livelihoods in the respective communities,” he added.
West Africa’s medical Hub
Beyond the building of these new healthcare facilities, President Akufo-Addo indicated that his vision is to help make Ghana the Centre of Excellence for Medical Care in West Africa by 2030, leveraging on Ghana’s favourable status in the Region as the most peaceful country in West Africa, a beacon of democracy on the continent, and a land of opportunities.
To this end, President Akufo-Addo explained that, during his first term in office, a programme to revitalise health care infrastructure in Ghana’s premier hospitals was put in place.
“Investments were made at the Korlebu Teaching Hospital in Accra to build a new four hundred-bed Maternity and Gynaecology Block, and a new one hundred-bed Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence. Government will build on this foundation, and include two additional projects, currently in the planning stage, namely, the Trauma and Acute Pain Centre and a new Surgical Services Block with modern in-patient facilities. These major investments in the Korlebu Teaching Hospital will contribute to its transformation into a modern world-class teaching hospital,” he said.
The President continued, “Further investments are being made at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, beginning with the new five hundred and fifty (550) bed Maternity and Children Block. Specialised centres for infectious diseases, orthopaedics, cancer treatment, cardiovascular health, specialist eyecare, amongst others, will be assigned to some of the Regional Hospitals, including those to be constructed under Agenda 111.”
Whilst upgrading these facilities, he stated that Government will invest in medical education and training of the nation’s health personnel, including expanding the use of IT for medical diagnosis and treatment in the Agenda 111 healthcare facilities being developed.
This network of primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities, he stressed, will form the backbone of the vision to make Ghana the leading health care destination in West Africa.
“It is envisioned, under a Public Private Partnership, that the Ghana Medical Corps, a volunteer corps of medical specialists which will tap into the skills and resources of Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians locally and abroad, using IT and telemedicine to support the delivery of health care and training, will be established by 2023. This will offer, in particular, to Ghanaian medical experts resident outside Ghana, the opportunity to give back to their motherland in ways that will support and expand healthcare delivery,” he added.
All these programmes, collectively, according to the President, will position Ghana as a leading medical travel destination in West Africa, with the potential to add some two billion dollars (US$2billion) to the nation’s GDP by 2030, and, in the process, create some fifty thousand (50,000) jobs in the sector.
About 12 telecommunication companies in the country are owing the National Communications Authority (NCA) a total of GH¢213,656,226.27.
A report of the Auditor General said the telcos debt to the NCA which is under the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, is between 2012 and 2020.
The companies cited in the report as owing the government included Glo Mobile Ghana Limited (Globacom), Airtel-Tigo Ghana Limited, Vodafone Ghana, Vodafone Business Ghana, Scancom Plc (MTN), Telstar Communication Limited, Harmony Telecom Ghana Limited, D.Com Ghana Limited, Call Between Limited, K-Net Limited, Surfline Communication, and IS Internet Solutions.
The report, which covers accounts of Public Boards, Corporations and Other Statutory Institutions for the year ended December 31, 2020, disclosed that the outstanding payments relate to international gateway services, microwave services, licences, international incoming traffic services, microwave link, licence renewal, Vsat services and penalty for non-compliance with quality-of-service requirements.
Globacom
The report indicated that revenue due from Globacom included $736,330.76 and GH¢17,014,402.26 accrued as a result of various services provided by NCA, including licences issued to Globacom Ghana to enable it operate within Ghana’s telecommunications space.
Section 91 of the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 912) requires that the Board of Directors of a public corporation governed by this Act shall ensure the efficient management of the financial resources of the public corporation, including the collection and receipt of monies due the public corporation.
“We also noted that an amount of GH¢2,292,004.93 included in the revenue totaling GH¢17,014,402.26 due by May 2018 was outstanding as of July 2019,” the report pointed out.
The Auditor General recommended to the management of NCA to increase supervision and tighten controls in the area of revenue management/accounting to avert the likelihood of the above anomaly repeating itself.
It also urged the management to recover the unpaid balance of GH¢17,014,402.26 and US$736,330.76 with interest at the prevailing Bank of Ghana treasury bill discount rate with evidence of recovery for audit certification.
The report indicated that NCA management, in a response, said it was aware of the indebtedness by Globacom and that “continuous effort are being made to retrieve all outstanding amounts owed the Authority, including interest charges as per section 83(2) of the Electronic Communications (Amendment)Act, 2009 (Act 786).”
It noted, however, that Glo had communicated to the NCA that it had challenges with its cash flow and that the company was working to improve upon its payment, intimating that “a new payment plan has been approved by the Authority effective July, 2019 for the settlement of all debt owed by Glo.”
“Glo Mobile Ghana Limited (Glo) has since settled $386,355.99 out of the $736,339.76 on 29th March, 2019 by a transfer into the Authority’s Account 1028631540037 with the Bank of Ghana. Additionally, an amount of GH¢1,160,840.74 out of the GH¢17,014,402.26 have also been paid by Glo on the 30th of October, 2019.”
According to the report, the auditors noted that other revenues due from Globacom are GH¢19,927,559.96 and $14,301.73 covering a period between 2012 and 2020 for services rendered by NCA.
Vodafone
The report said auditors noted during their auditing that an invoice with serial number QOS111804 dated November 23, 2018 and referenced NCA/GT/VOL.46 with a face value of GH¢ 8,890,000.00 due for payment on December 21, 2018 in respect of billing for September 2018 on account of non-compliance for quality-of-service requirements was as of July 2019 not honoured by Vodafone Ghana.
The report entreated management of NCA to recover the unpaid amount with interest as stated in Section 83(2) of the Electronic Communications Act, 2009 (Act 786), and further recommended to management to ensure that all amounts owed the authority under transactions of similar nature are retrieved from the beneficiaries with documentary proof for audit verification.
The Auditor General noted that NCA management indicated in a response that the amount was in connection with Quality of Service (QoS) sanctions against Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited (Vodafone) for non-compliance with quality-of-service requirements in the third quarter of 2018 for their 3G Licence.
“Vodafone have appealed against the sanctions and the issue is currently before the Electronic Communications Tribunal,” the report stated.
It said Vodafone also owed the NCA $23.5 million for renewal of licence of 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, while Vodafone Business Ghana owed GH¢329,082.50 for microwave link covering 2019 to 2020.
The report added that the $23.5million was due for payment on January 26, 2020 whereas the GH¢239,082.50 was due for payment on April 18, 2020, arguing that Section 91 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) requires that the Board of Directors of a public corporation governed by this Act shall ensure the efficient management of the financial resources of the public corporation including the collection and receipt of monies due the public corporation.
On the $23,500,000, the report intimated that Vodafone in a letter dated March 18, 2020 and June 19, 2020 wrote to the NCA requesting for an extension of the due date for payment of the licence fee for the renewal of their 2GHz Licence.
“The company has informed the Authority that it is liaising with the Ministry of Finance and partners for the settlement of the amount. The NCA responded in a letter dated 25th March, 2020 and granted Vodafone an extension to 24th June, 2020 to make payment.
“Vodafone in another letter dated 19th June, 2020 wrote requesting for extension to finalise its negotiations with the Ministry of Finance and partners,” the report further stated.
It said the Authority in a letter dated August 13, 2020, wrote to Vodafone granting their request for extension up to December 24, 2020 to make payment, whilst Vodafone had requested for another extension and the NCA has granted them up to March 31, 2021 to settle the balance.
Airtel-Tigo
The report also cited Airtel-Tigo Ghana Limited owing GH¢2,100,000.00 for international gateway licence granted in 2015, indicating that the company had written to the Authority and indicated that they had paid the said fees as part of its 1% regulatory fees for mobile services.
“Detail reconciliation is being conducted as part of the revenue assurance exercise being conducted for confirmation after which necessary action would be taken,” the report noted.
The report continued that Airtel-Tigo Ghana Limited also owed NCA GH¢3,540,556.51 for microwave link fees, and that a total of GH¢2,655,417.39 had been paid.
“Management is engaging with Airtel-Tigo to ensure the outstanding amount is paid,” the report quoted NCA management as saying.
Scancom Plc (MTN)
The report said Scancom Plc owed the NCA GH¢3.5 million for international gateway licence annual regulatory fees in 2014, and said Scancom in a letter dated October 23, 2019 referenced SK/CS/0639/OL/19 to the NCA indicated that the company had paid the said fees as part of their 1% regulatory fees for mobile services.
“Detail reconciliation is being conducted as part of the revenue assurance exercise being conducted for confirmation after which necessary action would be taken,” the report asserted
The Labour Court in Accra presided over by Justice Frank Rockson Aboadwe has awarded a cost of GHc3000 against the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).
This was after lawyers of UTAG failed to comply with Section 20(14) of the rules that govern their application before the court.
The UTAG has since August 2 been on strike and efforts made by NLC to have them call off their strike have proven futile including a court interlocutory injunction.
In court, on Monday, August 16, a lawyer for UTAG Keli Delataa while on his feet to move the application for the court to set aside its earlier order as per an exparte application, counsel for the National Labour Commission (NLC) objected to the move.
It was the case of NLC that, the exhibit counsel for UTAG was relying on to move his application has not been certified as per order 20 (14).
According to the NLC, that section is instructive in nature and therefore the application was not properly before the court.
He prayed the court not to allow UTAG, the applicant to move the application.
Counsel for UTAG, in his response to the objection, said every document they have attached to their processes has been stamped by the registrar of oath.
Justice Aboadwe after listening to them said it was minded not to strike out the case but gives UTAG an opportunity to come properly. The court said, the provision in the said section was mandatory and ought to be fulfilled.
To this end, the lawyer of NLC asked the court to slap a GHc10,000 cost against UTAG on grounds that, the case is of public interest.
Lawyer of UTAG though agreed that NLC deserves some cost, offered to give GHc500.
Justice Aboadwe subsequently awarded a cost of GHc3,000 in favour of the NLC.
EIB Network’s Court Correspondent Murtala Inusah reports that the case has been adjourned to August 19 for UTAG to come back and move their application.
The court prior to adjourning the matter beseeched the parties to settle the matter at hand.
According to the Court, this is a matter that could be settled by both parties and urged them to do so if possible before the next court sitting.
The parties indicated to the court they are committed to that effect.
Meanwhile, an application for contempt against the leadership of UTAG has been served on them and that case is expected tomorrow.
The Commission on Friday, August 6, secured an interlocutory injunction from the court to compel UTAG to call off their strike which started on Monday, August 2, 2021.
UTAG has, however, refused to comply with the order, indicating that the premise is false.
While the NLC said that UTAG cannot remain on strike while negotiations with the government are ongoing, UTAG insisted that there is currently no active negotiation between them and the government.
UTAG subsequently filed a motion to set aside the injunction.
The 2012 Single Spine package put entry-level lecturers on a salary of $2,084 while the current level puts lecturers’ salaries around $900.
The strike by UTAG has severely affected academic and some non-academic work at the various tertiary campuses
Some eight more patients have succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana as of 12 August 2021, according to the latest figures from the Ghana Health Service.
This takes Ghana’s death toll since the disease entered the country in mid-March 2020 to 930.
However, the active cases keep falling.
The number is now 6,004.
Out of that, 60 are severe and 114 severe.
In total, Ghana has recorded 111,232 cases out of which 104,298 have recovered.
A 33-year-old man Emmanuel Kwofie has shot himself dead after killing his mother-in-law Elizabeth Nkruma, 66, at Apremudo, in the Efia Kwesimintim municipality.
Both were confirmed dead after being rushed to the hospital.
Reports say the deceased Emmanuel Kwofie and his ex-wife Dora Essandoh had been in a relationship for the past ten years and had a son, aged 8.
The deceased three years ago left for Spain for greener pastures and on his return some days ago, found out that Dora Essandoh, whom he had not performed marriage rites for, had taken another man. Though the deceased was not on talking terms with the mother of his ex-wife, he is believed to have mistaken her for his former partner and shot her.
Police investigations say on Sunday, August 15, 2021, Dora Esandoh accompanied by her brother Emmanuel Eessandoh, went to the Kwesimintsim police station and reported that her ex-husband, now deceased, came to their house at Apremdo with a single barrel gun and shot her mother on the left thigh and also shot himself in the abdomen.
She indicated that both were rushed to Kwesimintsim hospital for treatment. Police accompanied by the complainant proceeded to the said hospital where victim Elizabeth Nkrumah was met being attended to by the medical officers and the suspect also referred to Effia-Nkwanta government hospital for further treatment but they were both later pronounced dead by the medical officers.
According to the police, both bodies were photographed, conveyed, and deposited at the Effman eternity funeral home for autopsy
Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor has revealed that the future NDC administration will find all means to remove the current Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Adukwei Mensa, from office just as her predecessor was kicked out.
According to him “When we (NDC) come to power, we will use all means and procedure used in sacking Madam Charlotte Osei to also kick Jean Mensa out”.
Mr Otokunor, revealed this in an interview with Kumasi-based Hello FM.
He claimed that Mrs Mensa does not deserve to occupy the position looking at the way she conducted the 2020 general elections which were characterized by violence and saw at least seven people dead across the country.
He continued that “I have said it and will say it again that, considering Jean Mensa’s duty as Electoral Commissioner, she does not deserve to occupy that position, not even for another day but because President Akufo-Addo does not work by democracy, she will still be there”.
He added that “But when we (NDC) come into power, we will use all means by the same procedure used in sacking Charlotte Osei to kick Jean Mensa out”.
Meanwhile, the NDC earlier, in a press statement issued by the party’s Director of Elections, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah had outlined 34 Electoral reforms after it boycotted the Electoral Commission-led efforts towards reforms.
The opposition party says it wants the appointment of the EC chairperson to have prior approval of Parliament.
It also insisted the voting period of 7am to 5pm on Election Day to be maintained.
The statement further categorically explained that their proposals for electoral reforms and the resultant consultations are borne out of the “serious flaws and failings” the NDC observed during a comprehensive review and audit of the 2020 elections that “affected the credibility of the elections.”
Mrs Mensa was appointed as the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana on 23rd July 2018 after the removal of Ms Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei by the Akufo Addo-led government
The government of Ghana has secured US$100 million for its Agenda 111 project, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has revealed.
Agenda 111 aims to build 101 district hospitals in areas without one.
It also involves the provision of two specialised hospitals for the middle and northern belts, the redevelopment of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital plus the development of six new regional hospitals and one extra regional hospital for the Western Region.
Briefing the media about the project on Sunday, 15 August 2021, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said the government of Ghana calls on all, especially the local beneficiary communities, traditional leaders, the youth and all actors in the local health sector, to give their full support to this project for the benefit of the Ghanaian people.
Work on the project starts on Tuesday, 17 August 2021.
“Currently, commencement funding of US$100 million has been made available to the project through the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Funds”, Mr Oppong Nkrumah told journalists.
He said: “For the project itself, it is budgeted at nearly US$17 million for each of the district hospitals”.
“The district and specialised hospitals are being funded by the government of Ghana but for the regional hospitals, EPC arrangements have been made” for them, he noted.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah said: “This project will naturally go across three budget cycles”.
“So, allocations have been made across the various budget cycles in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework for what the government of Ghana is bearing”, he noted.
Out of the projected US$17 million for each district hospital, US$12.88 million will cater for civil works, with about US$4 million going into equipment required.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah noted that “contractors for the projects have been secured, with the first set beginning work this week”.
“We are starting off on Tuesday at Trade and the other contractors, soon afterwards, will also begin theirs at the various districts across the country,” he added
The government of Ghana has increased surveillance at the borders in order to stem the importation of Ebola and Murburg Virus Diseases into the country.
While The Ivory Coast has confirmed an outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease, Guinea has confirmed an outbreak of the Marburg Virus Disease.
Briefing the media in Accra on Sunday, 15 August 2021, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, said: “The Ghana Health Service and its partners have activated our systems since the outset” of the outbreaks.
According to him, “alerts have been sent to the regions and the district about the Marburg operation”.
“The Ebola one will be leaving today but we have started discussions with all our regional leaders, so they start preparations for that”, Dr Kuma-Aboagye added.
He said: “The good thing is that some interventions that are currently in place can also be used to respond to this”.
“Ghana has the capacity to test such cases at Noguchi for both the Ebola and Marburg Disease. Public education and sensitisation have already been initiated”, he said.
“We are going to heighten the public health surveillance at our borders, especially the Western border where we have Ivory Coast and countries where we have discovered the virus”.
“Currently, the borders are closed, we have to ensure that those necessary checks are done for those who will enter illegally”.
“So we are currently collaborating with the Immigration Service to ensure that these things are sorted out. We are equipping our port health staff, so they can screen and look at that”.
Social Commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs was asked if he’s holding a grudge against the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the National Chairman.
His response was: “I don’t want to see the General Secretary or the National Chairman; I don’t want to see their faces”.
According to him, “they’re destroying the NDC….they’re using the youth to destroy people who have helped this party“.
He was speaking in an interview on Kumasi-based Hello FM.
The Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta and Wife Prof Lamendorf Ofori-Atta through the Ken and Angela Foundation under the auspices of Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin have built and handed over a 6-unit bedroom edifice to the Kyebi Government Hospital in the Eastern Region.
At a brief handing over ceremony on Friday, August 13,2021 at Kyebi, the Etwienanahene, also the Ahenenanahene of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area , Barima Kwaku Duah on behalf of the Ken and Angela Foundation said the Kyebi government Hospital serves a larger population beyond Abuakwa South Municipality however it was observed that Medical Doctors and other essential healthcare workers were reluctant to accept posting due to accommodation challenges in the area.
He said one of the priority areas of the foundation is improving quality healthcare in Kyebi and Akyem Abuakwa by extension.
“One of the fundamental requirements in the development of any society is the provision of Good Healthcare. It is indisputable that the vital component in the provision of quality healthcare is by ensuring that its healthcare personnel are treated properly with respect and dignity in all areas of their livelihood. This is a key factor in motivating personnel to give off their best which in turn boost health delivery and improves healthcare “. He said .
Barima Kwaku Duah also stressed that the foundation has provided Medical logistics and supports to the Kyebi Government Hospital.
According to Dr.Richard Nii Darku Dodoo, Medical Superintendent of Kyebi Government Hospital, due to inadequate accommodation, some essential clinicians posted to the facility were yet to assume office.
“Kyebi government Hospital has 4 medical officers and one dental officer. Two of the medical officers are being housed in a temporal accommodation. The dental officer is yet to start work because of housing issues. The hospital has also received an anesthesia and a pharmacist but all have been put in a temporal accommodation,” he said.
He was therefore hopeful that the accommodation facility gifted the hospital will help ameliorate the housing challenge which has bedeviled the hospital for decades.
Chief of Kyebi Adadentem Barima Gyansie Koree on behalf of Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin admonished management of the hospital to ensure high maintenance culture for longevity.
The Abuakwa South Municipal Health Director Augustina Nartey told Starr News the Kyebi Government Hospital is a referral center for health facilities in the Municipality and other surrounding districts, therefore, needs enough of the essential healthcare workers provided accommodation closer to the facility to enable them respond quickly during emergency situations.
Decent accommodation challenge remains a major setback to clinicians posted to peri-urban and rural areas in the country.
The situation has resulted in many physicians refusing posting to such areas creating huge gaps and inequitable distribution of health workforce.
Currently, about 50% of medical doctors in the country are concentrated in the Greater Accra region while about 20% are in the Ashanti region
President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Advisor on Health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, has said Ghana is billed to receive more doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to bolster the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Ghana took delivery of 177,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine recently as part of the first batch of the Africa Union’s African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) initiative.
Residents in eleven districts – seven in the Greater Accra Region and four in the Greater Kumasi metropolis – are the first beneficiaries.
Some doses of the vaccine are being administered in the Greater Kumasi areas.
People in Greater Accra will start receiving the J&J doses from Monday, 16 August 2021.
Ghana has vaccinated some 1.2 million people so far with about half of million of them yet to receive their second dose.
Dr Nsiah-Asare says J&J vaccine does will rejig Ghana’s inoculation drive.
“The good news is that we are going to have more and more of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines coming in over a period of time”, adding that it will be “regularly because we are getting it from the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust”.
“I know that there will be another batch in addition to the other one that came last Saturday”, he said.
“That will even be more than the first batch”, Dr Nsiah-Asare promised.
“It will come every other week or so – that is what I have heard.”
The single-dose J&J vaccines are for people who have not had any vaccination at all.
Dr Nsiah-Asare, thus, said they will be given to “a different cohort and not for those who have taken the AstraZeneca”.
“If you have taken the two doses of the AstraZeneca, then you have finished and fully covered but if you have taken only one dose, I am assuming that the second dose will come very soon.
“So, let’s concentrate on those who haven’t taken it at all so they come for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine”, he said
Greater Accra Regional Minister Henry Quartey has said discussions are ongoing toward setting up a scholarship scheme for GaDangme students and building a research centre for that ethnic group.
Addressing the 2021 Homowo Lecture series in Accra, Mr Quartey, who has been at the helm of the ‘Let’s Make Accra Work’ agenda, which has seen the decongestion of many parts of the city, said: “We’ve had discussions” on the proposed scholarship.
“I need your help to ensure that GaDangme students from JHS receive scholarships from us”, he told the traditional leaders and stakeholders.
He said the beneficiaries should be from “Ada to LADMA”, adding, “even if we are awarding ten scholarships in each place, they could become graduates and serve as civil servants, which will be good for us”.
“I’ll institute a committee to make this happen,” Mr Quartey promised.
On the establishment of a GaDangme research centre, Mr Quartey said: “I’ll advise that we should set aside a place to build a centre to preserve our GaDangme books, history, and archives”.
“We will lobby to get people to donate computers for the facility”, he said, noting: “Everything is now moving online”.
“We should work on what I’ve spoken about”, he urged, adding: “We can call it the GaDangem research centre, so, our history and everything about us is kept there.”
“We can even roll out the scholarship initiative I spoke about through the secretariat of the research centre. We have to ensure that the facility is ready in a year’s time”, Mr Quartey said.
He also said he is making good his promise to have the Ga language taught in school in Accra.
“During my vetting, I promised that the Ga language would be taught in schools in the region. I’ve already discussed this with the Education Minister” and the “Ministry will soon put a system in place to bring in more Ga teachers for the schools
Ghana’s Chief Justice Anin-Yeboah has called for the effective implementation of the Case Tracking System (CTS) activity nationwide.
He said stakeholders must ensure that the CTS activity was firmly rooted to enable efficiency and effectiveness in the criminal justice system, while promoting transparency and accountability at every stage of the process.
“As we seek the support of citizens, we as stakeholders must forge ahead with a common purpose to achieve the full implementation of the activity.”
Justice Yeboah made the call at a sensitization workshop on the CTS, on Thursday in Accra.
He said the CTS, launched in May 2018, sought to support government’s capacity to effectively investigate and prosecute criminal acts in a transparent and accountable manner.
“It is targeted at improving Ghana’s ability to track criminal cases from their introduction into the system to prosecuting the case in court, enhancing information sharing communication among Ghana’s law enforcement and judicial authorities.null
It is also to increase efficiency and effectiveness of investigation of criminal cases of all types especially corruption, security and cybercrimes.”
He said since its launch, five thousand staff in all six Justice Service institutions had been trained to use the system in seven regions. Eighty-nine per cent of officers have commenced its use.
The CJ said the new system was a new initiative designed to improve the work of stakeholders and benefit the criminal justice system, and urged them to continue giving it their fullest commitment in order to ensure its complete rollout and sustainability.
“I urge you to continue to strengthen the collaboration and coordination to ensure that the task is done well despite the challenges.”
“Already there are genuine concerns about the long term sustainability of the system because of the usual drying up of funds, equipment, lack of follow-ups in the regions which may result from the withdrawal of focal persons, and the usual attitudinal resistance to change among others,” he said.null
The CJ however noted that the challenges would be addressed if all stakeholders remained committed to the overall objective of the system given its obvious importance in addressing the major challenges in the criminal justice system.
Mr Enock Jenhre, Rule of Law Specialist, said “access to justice means access to state-sponsored health, welfare, education and legal services, particularly for the poor, or fair opportunities and treatment in the allocation and use of social, public services and goods.”
He said there were two avenues for access to justice including formal and informal avenues, as well as other avenues for administrative complaints.
He said some challenges in accessing justice services included the high cost of initiating or defending suits, limited or no knowledge about legal rights and entitlement, or legal and social responsibilities, high perception of corruption, and executive or political interference, limited and ineffective real access to court, among others.
Mr Jengre said “the CTS looks at Tracking criminal cases from one justice sector institution to the other and there should be more lawyers to work with the Legal Aid Commission to defend people who could not afford the services of lawyers.null
70 per cent of lawyers in the country are centred in the Greater Accra Region, while 20 per cent are in the Ashanti Region and the remaining 10 are scattered across the rest of the regions, a situation which does not auger well for the judicial service system in the country.”
He said the Legal Aid Commission by virtue of Act 2018 was mandated to support persons who could not afford the services of lawyers, adding that the CTS would go a long way to help information flow among such institutions.
Mr Jengre applauded the regions using the system, saying “this is something that is quite useful and we cannot ignore it. So let us all support each other and advocate for it.”
Mr Dan Botwe, Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development has said the infrastructural projects in the Volta region showed that the government was making sure the people got what they deserved.
He said it was also to improve the living conditions of the people.
Mr Botwe who inspected construction works on a modern market in Hohoe as part of a three-day visit to the Volta and Oti regions commended the contractors for work so far undertaken on the structure and urged them to carry out good quality work and finish on time.
The Minister said they were monitoring efficient use of the money and time was of the essence in regards to executing and completing the project adding that the Ministry had a loan from the World Bank for urban development in 25 Municipalities in Ghana including; the Ho and Hohoe Municipalities.
Mr Botwe said additional funding or support would be available if efficient use of money and timeliness were met and noted that Hohoe had been known as a thriving business environment and the market would help it continue in that regard.
He said he was happy that all stakeholders were involved in the ongoing works on the facility and urged them to continue.
President Akufo-Addo will on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 perform a ceremony to commence government’s “Agenda 111″ projects at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti region.
The short ceremony is billed to start at 8:00 am on Tuesday, a circular issued by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah to all MPs and MMDCEs in the region said.
The letter sighted by Kasapafmonline.com noted:” As important stakeholders in this very important national agenda, you are respectfully invited to attend the programme as scheduled above and to grace the occasion with your presence.”
This comes on the back of questions raised by a section of the public about the whereabouts of the eighty-eight (88) new district hospitals the president promised.
President Akufo-Addo in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic promised to complete the project in a year, during a national update on Covid-19 last April.null
“I know all the district hospitals drawing have been done and awards have been given to some contractors and we’ll be meeting them this week. We want to move the process forward and so very soon you’ll see His Excellency and the Vice President going round cutting the sod for the work.”
“Government wants to construct 100-bed capacity district hospitals in all districts without hospitals.”
“The government is putting up 101 hospitals across Ghana and secondly the government is putting up a secondary facility, that is regional hospitals in all the new regions created and a new one at the Western region and convert the Effia Nkwanta Hospital into a metropolitan one.”
He continued that, “Government is going to construct two psychiatrist hospitals; one to serve the middle belt and one to serve the northern belt and so this makes the Agenda 111.
Media mogul Dr. Kwaku Oteng, who owns the Angel Group of Companies, believes that marrying many women is the surest way to peace of mind.
Polygamy remains a controversial issue in Ghana, especially among Christians. Still, Dr. Oteng, also Christian, points out that notable prophets and men of God in the Bible had multiple wives.
“It was Paul who suggested that if it is possible, a man should marry one wife or none at all. So when you consider the disciples at the time, they were all married to one wife. So marrying more than one woman is not a sin. It rather gives you peace of mind,” he told the Vaultz Magazine.
Polygamy is illegal in Ghana – as of 2015. However, they are arguably considered to be legal under customary law.
The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and the Member of Parliament for Sunyani West in the Bono Region, Ignatius Baffour Awuah has been involved in an accident.
The accident happened on Saturday afternoon on the Fiapre- Dumasua road when the Minister’s car crashed with a tipper truck. Ignatius Baffour Awuah
The Minister and other occupants of the vehicle have been rushed to the Bono Regional Hospital in Sunyani.
Information gathered has it that the Minister was in the company of the NPP Charmain for Sunyani West Constituency, Kusi Boadum and another person who is yet to be identified.
No life has been lost at the time of filling this report.
The Ghana Health Service has directed all regions, districts, and health facilities to initiate preparedness and response plans following the confirmation of the rare, but highly infectious Marburg virus disease in Guinea.
“All Regional and District Public Health Emergency Management Committees should include Marburg on their agenda. Additionally, regions, districts, health facilities, post health units at all border posts particularly along the Western border and landing beaches are to heighten surveillance for Marburg using the standard case definition attached,” a letter issued by the GHS dated August 11 to all Regional Directors of Health Service said.
It added that the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research has the capacity for confirmation of the Marburg virus and hence samples of suspected cases must be transported there.
The Marburg virus belongs to the same family as Ebola, and previously outbreaks have erupted elsewhere across Africa in Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and now Guinea.
Marburg symptoms include high fever and muscle pains, and some patients later bleed through body openings like eyes and ears.
There is no approved drug or vaccine for Marburg, but rehydration and other supportive care can improve a patient’s chances of survival.
Case fatality rates have been as high as 88% in previous outbreaks, but WHO said the figure has varied, based upon the strain and how cases were managed
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday expressed appreciation to the people of the Ahafo Region for their strong support and loyalty to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the past years.
The President said winning four out of the six parliamentary seats in the region in the Election 2020 was an indication that Ahafo remained a stronghold of the NPP stressing his government would accordingly facilitate the progress of the region.
President Akufo-Addo gave the commendation when he paid a courtesy call on the Hwidiem Traditional Area, as part of his two-day working visit to the Ahafo region.
The President said he was highly impressed about the loyalty of the Ahafo people to the NPP, however, he challenged the people to work hard and ensure the NPP captured the remaining two parliamentary seats -Asutifi South and Asunafo South constituencies from the NDC in Election 2024.
President Akufo-Addo assured his government would also ensure Ahafo region received its share of the national cake and promised to facilitate the completion of some major road projects in the region.
Osuodumgya Barima Appia-Dwa Boafo II, the Paramount Chief of Hwidiem Traditional Area earlier appealed to the government to ensure nationwide equitable distribution of the national cake.
He commended President Akufo-Addo for the creation of Ahafo, which he noted had facilitated accelerated development of the region.
Osuodumgya Boafo II expressed regret about the influx of illegal miners in the area, which had contributed to the increase in crime wave, and appealed for a District Police Command.
The Paramount Chief said the Kenyasi-Hwidiem road project was very dear to the people and appealed to President Akufo-Addo to ensure that construction work was completed as soon as possible to deepen the confidence of the people in his government.
Osuodumgya Boafo II further appealed to the President to ensure that the Maabeng-Abuakwa-Goaso stretch were all asphalted to facilitate movement of the people and their economic activities and opened up the region as well.
He said the Hwidiem Senior High School required urgent pavement and bus, while the 5.3 kilometre access roads in the town needed to be constructed.
President Akufo-Addo later inaugurated a newly constructed girl’s dormitory with two bedroom house mistress bungalow for the Hwidiem SHS and constructed by the Middle Belt Development Authority.
• The politician disclosed this after having battled the virus for three weeks
• He received treatment from two major hospitals before his recovery
Founder of All People’s Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga, has recovered from Coronavirus which saw him spend three weeks on admission at two major hospitals.
The outspoken politician contracted coronavirus which is fast spreading.
Announcing his recovery in a Facebook post sighted by GhanaWeb, he thanked International Maritime hospital and the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital for their assistance while he was seeking medical care at their facilities.
Hassan Ayariga said, “I have just been discharged from the hospital after three weeks of COVID-19. I thank God and my family for all their support and efforts…Help me thank all the Doctors, Nurses, EMT, Orderlies and all medical officers and personnel of International Maritime hospital ( IMAH) and KBTH for their wonderful and excellent service and treatment.”
He however entreated Ghanaians to adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols to safeguard their lives.
“I’m very grateful to GOD for my life. COVID-19 is real and it’s no respecter of persons. Wear your nose mask, wash your hands and stay safe,” he added.
The Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has filed a defamatory suit against Kwame Baffoe Abronye, the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party and Kencity Media over some claims Abronye allegedly made against him regarding the Sputnik V saga.
In a suit sighted by GhanaWeb, Mintah Akandoh is praying the Accra High Court to grant GH₵1million in damages against Abronye for lowering his reputation in the eyes of the public.
Akandoh is also requesting the same amount as damages against Oman FM and Kwabena Kwakye, the host of the program where Abronye allegedly made the defamatory statements.
He is also demanding from Abronye and the media house and seeking perpetual against the defendants from making any statement about him.
“An order of the Honourable Court directed at the Defendants to publish an unqualified retraction and an apology on Oman 107.1 FM with the same prominence the defamatory words received within 7 days after the judgment”.
The suit is also demanding an “An order of the Honourable Court for perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants, their agents, assigns and servants from further publishing any defamatory words against the Plaintiff.
“The sum of One Million Ghana Cedis (GH₵1,000,000.00) in general damages against the 1st Defendant.null
“The sum of One Million Ghana Cedis (GH₵1,000,000.00) in general damages against the 2nd and 3rd Defendants”.
Abronye is alleged to have accused Mintah Akandoh of making some propositions to Kwaku Agyeman-Manu over the Sputnik V fiasco.
The NPP bigwig said the vice-chairman of the ad-hoc committee that probed the deal, demanded money from Kwaku Agyeman-Manu to stop the investigations.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee has also raised a red flag over some monies allegedly paid for another consignment of vaccines.
“There’s another leg coming up because about GHC109 million has been paid and that’s got to do with #COVID-19 vaccines. That was captured in the midyear review budget but it did not come to the House. I’m a ranking member of the health committee so I would have known or seen it but it is not anywhere in the House. They did not bring it to the House,” he said.
Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has said he has always acted in ways that protect the public purse.
Mr Agyeman-Manu was heavily criticized by some Ghanaians following the botched Sputnik V contract, with some calling on him to resign or be fired by the President.
For instance, Dr Seidu Alidu, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, said he should be punished for the alleged procurement breaches in the Sputnik V contract in order to serve as a deterrent to others,
Dr Alidu said, in spite of the fact that the country was going through a crisis of this nature the right procedure, as well as the rules and regulations should have been followed by the Minister of Health in procuring of the vaccines.
He said on the Key Points hosted by Dzifa Bampoh on TV3 on Saturday, August 7 that “We don’t live in a jungle, we live in a democracy and democracy prescribes institutions and procedures for doing everything.
“There are institutions, there are set laws, there are regulations governing how things should be done in this manner and the processes under which it should be done. Even though we are facing an unprecedented health crisis, when the president wanted to fight this, he had to go to parliament and seek permission.”null
“With restrictions of movement, the president could have said that we are facing crisis so we shouldn’t come out but he thought that we are in a democracy and he needs to use the right procedure to fight the crisis. I think the minister should not have lost sight of the fact that regardless of the circumstances we are still in a democracy and the appropriate rules and procedure must be applied.”
“This is not first time minister, he is very experienced minister and he has even been a chairman of the PAC when issues of this kind came he presided over them.”
“I don’t think we should just stop at retrieving the money. Something has to be done so that people just don’t think you can do things and be asked to retrieve the money. We need to set a very serious precedent and make the breaches of the law more costly.”
But a statement issued by the Minister who is also lawmaker for Dormaa Central said “In all my public life as Deputy Minister, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and now as Minister, I have been guided by the mandate to protect the public purse at all times and as Minister of Health to also safeguard Ghanaian lives especially during this pandemic.
A sprinter bus has crushed into a cargo truck causing 4 lives, injuring 9 others.
Four people have died in an accident at Nobwem – New Koforifua in the Asante Juaben municipality on Friday, August 13, 2021.
This was confirmed by the Konongo Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) in the Ashanti Region.
Eyewitnesses say the Sprinter bus with registration number, AC 910-19 crashed into a cargo truck with number, AS 5818-P causing nine others to sustain injuries.
Both vehicles were heading from Accra towards Kumasi when the incident occurred at about 3:00am.
One of the survivors, Agyeman Joseph, told Adom News, “there were between 22 and 24 passengers on the car at the time of the accident.”
Joseph Agyeman further explained they cautioned the driver to reduce the speed on that stretch of the road, but he paid no heed.
“I slept for a while but when I woke up, I realised our bus has smashed into another truck. It was crazy,” he told Adom News‘ Isaac Amoako ‘Poncho’.
The injured are receiving treatment at the hospital.
Meanwhile, a Senior Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) of Asante Akyem Central, Charlotte Ofobiri, who was one of the first responders at the scene, pleaded with government to provide them with personal protective equipment to improve their services.
Charlotte Ofobiri added the erratic supply of electricity posed a challenge to their efforts to save lives of accident victims.
According to her, one of the survivors who needed blood to be sucked out of her system, had to wait in pain as electricity supply had been disrupted.
The medical officers waited for the electrical power to be restored before they could administer the procedure to save the patient’s life.
A policeman attached to the Workshop of the Ghana Police Service in Accra has been crushed to death by a motorist on the Accra-Tema motorway.
The deceased identified as Chief Inspector Donnie Ahiable was said to be traveling on his motorbike from Accra to Tema when the unfortunate incident occurred.
Information available to DGN Online indicates that the policeman’s motorbike for unknown reason slipped on the expressway thereby falling under a motion trailer which moved and killed him instantly.
His remains have been deposited at the morgue of the Police Hospital in Accra.
As part of fixing the problems facing the country, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said that customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) can now buy prepaid credit on their mobile phones without having to go through difficulties in long queues to do so.
Enumerating the number of projects and policies introduced in tackling the problems facing Ghanaians especially, the youth, Dr Bawumia said, “ECG customers can now easily buy prepaid electricity units conveniently from wherever you are from your mobile phones.”
With passport acquisition, he said, “The online passport applications processes are helping many people and making it easier to obtain a passport.”
Dr Bawumia had said that Akufo-Addo has delivered on his promise by largely reducing the hardships of Ghanaians, especially the youths.
He said although challenges still remain in the country owing to the pandemic, the government of Mr Akufo-Addo has through policies and programmes managed the hardships in the country properly.
He said these in a Facebook post to mark the International Youth Day on Thursday August 12.
He said “Yesterday, we marked the International Youth Day in Ghana and across the world. I would like to remind the youth of our dear country that the NPP promised to reduce the suffering Ghanaians were going through under the economic mismanagement of the NDC.”
“After four years in office, what is clear is that even though many Ghanaians are facing challenging times especially as a result of the economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of the NPP under the leadership of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has, through policies implemented, delivered largely on its promise of reducing the suffering of Ghanaians even though we have a lot more to do in that direction.
Mrs Akosua Frema Osei Opare (2nd right), Chief of Staff, observing a demonstration of the capacity of the tricycle ambulance. Picture: Samuel Tei Adano
The Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Mrs Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, yesterday received two Rural Motor King tricycle ambulances from LK International Company Ghana Limited as proof of the company’s production capacity.
The donation was the company’s symbolic appreciation of government’s support in enrolling it under the flagship One, district, One, factory (1D1F) programme.
Fabricated in Ghana, the tricycle ambulance is fitted with first aid box, collapsible stretcher, seats, lights, sirens and has double back tyres for stability.
The machines are to be transferred to rural communities, particularly difficult-to-access areas with such a need.
Receiving the ambulances, Mrs Osei-Opare said the government was working to ensure that no Ghanaian, irrespective of their socio-economic status and location, was left out in health and education.
She explained that it was for that reason that it instituted the Free SHS and One, ambulance, One, constituency programmes, while providing extra fleet for the Ghana Ambulance Service as back-up.
Agenda 111
Mrs Osei-Opare announced that all was set for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to break the ground for work to commence on the construction of 111 hospitals, code-named Agenda 111, across the country to make healthcare delivery available to all Ghanaians.
“We also recognise that one ambulance would not be enough [for a constituency] so this facility will also help to mop up the areas that are inaccessible. It can also be an intermediary for the ambulances,” Mrs Osei-Opare noted.
She said it was a good innovation from one of the 1D1F facilities that was creating jobs for the people in their localities and decreasing the rate at which people would move to the cities in search of jobs.
Mrs Osei-Opare said the vehicle would help to bring healthcare delivery closer to the vulnerable, especially pregnant women in labour who were sometimes transported in uncomfortable means.
She urged local assemblies, organisations and individuals to purchase and deploy such tricycles to particularly deprived areas to augment efforts to improve healthcare delivery.
A Manager of LK International Ghana Limited, Ms Margaret Amaki Boni, said the donation was made to the 1D1F Secretariat under the Presidency for their support to the company, and noted that it was also to support government’s efforts at delivering quality health care to the public.
She said the ambulance was of exceptional difference and an innovative solution which was convenient and faster in saving lives in rural areas, especially in areas that were not easily accessible by the regular ambulance.
She said the machine, designed in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Ambulance Service, could be used as a mobile pharmacy and clinic
•Pratt has wondered why the country is still struggling to raise funds when Bawumia is in charge
•He reckons Ghana’s failure to widen its tax net is a major problem
•He says government has adopted a lazy approach to addressing the problem
Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr identified that Ghana’s progress is being crippled by its inability to find innovative ways of raising funds.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, he said that the country reliance on taxes and interventions from other countries and institutions is holding it back from progress.
Even with the tax system, Pratt asserts that the failure of successive government’s to expand the tax net has led to the unavailability of funds for developmental projects.null
He says that the country has adopted a ‘lazy’ approach in dealing with the revenue generations issues and that is a huge problem.
Kwesi Pratt proffered that the country is ‘broke’ and requires urgent moves to address its problems.
“We have a situation where 91% of total national revenue and grant is expended on debt servicing and public sector emolument. You are broke. This country is broken to the core and that is the reality. My worry is that it is clear that what we’ve adopted is a lazy man’s option to filling that huge hole in national revenue.
“We’ve adopted a very lazy man’s option. So we do know that we move huge volumes of petrol, so slap taxes on petrol and then we slap all kinds of taxes on petrol. More than 12 taxes which then tends to make petroleum products so expensive. We say slap taxes on hotels and we slap 20 taxes on hotels,” he said.
Kwesi Pratt laughed off suggestions that by merging the National Identification card and Tax Identification Numbers, the tax will automatically be widened.null
He mocked the government and charged Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to steer the country out of this challenge.
“The last time I heard we were being told that the tax net was going to be widened by the use of NIA numbers as TIN numbers and I laughed. If you convert all NIA numbers into TIN, it does not solve the problem of widening the tax base. It does not in any way expand the tax base.
“We’ve always known that we are a country with a 30 million population and that by itself does not solve the problem of a small tax net that needs to be expanded. All those things are propaganda that takes us nowhere. Our reality today is that we cannot depend on taxes alone to finance our development. I’m not saying something that is new, this was the song sang by Bawumia some eight years ago.
“That we should get to production as a way of generating resources for national development. I’m not the first person to say this, Dr Bawumia has said it many times over. Now he has been given the chance as vice president and five years we are still sermonizing,” Kwesi Pratt Jnr stressed.
The Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mr Dan Botwe, has stated that a decentralised system of local government based on the Constitution remains the vision and quest of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He said he had demonstrated his commitment to the “unfinished business” of decentralisation through the reorganisation of the ministry to meet his agenda, and that the ministry would work “closely” with the Regional Coordinating Councils to “ensure the President’s vision is achieved.”
The minister said this when he met the leadership of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council and the Ho Municipal Assembly while on a working visit to the Volta Region, and shared with them the ministry’s plan to sink decentralisation to the deepest roots.
He said local governance would become more effective with deeper stakeholder participation if the assemblies led the efforts at sensitising the public and empowering them to undertake advocacy for development.
“Central Government would together ensure that we all follow the laws and make sure the assemblies get the people sensitised. Stakeholder participation is necessary and the President’s representatives in the local assemblies must deepen stakeholder engagement”, he said.
“Assemblies must create awareness on local level decentralisation and grassroots participation. It is important that as we lead the people we also educate them to understand the sets of relations that exist between us”, he added.
“We should seek their understanding and support to further our drive for development,” Mr Botwe said.
The minister noted that the Local Government Act provided for the public key stakeholder roles, and, therefore, encouraged all acquainted with its provisions to pursue active participation in the local governance process.
“It is important that all of us address ourselves to the functions that are under the Act. Government intends to make sure we all go by the Act,” he said.
Local governance
Mr Botwe added that the government was keen on transforming the local governance structure, and had, therefore, opened a portal to provide the public with information as outlined in the passage of the Right to Information law.
“We give meaning to decentralisation when we do all these,” he stated.
The minister, during the visit, inspected ongoing projects being provided under the Secondary Cities Project from a $100 million grant from the World Bank for 25 top performing municipalities in the country.
The Kaneshie District Court has fixed Monday, August 16 to conduct committal proceedings of the two Kasoa ritual boy killers.
The court presided over by Her Worship Rosemond Douduaa Agyiri fixed the date after the accused persons and their lawyers were served with the bill of indictment.
A juvenile offender, Nicolas Kani, and one Felix Nyarko have been held for the death of 10-year-old Ishmael Mensah.
On July 29, the Chief Justice Anin Yeboah ordered the case to be transferred from Kasoa to Accra.
Before the Kaneshie District Court for the first time, the accused persons were present with their lawyers.
When the case was called Nana Adoma Osei, a Senior State Attorney told the court that, they were ready for the committal but she has been informed that the exhibits to be tendered were with Investigator who was on his way to the court.
Though the State Attorney pleaded that case be stood down, the court adjourned the matter to Monday, August 16.
At the Kasoa District Court on July 29, the prosecutor Chief Inspector Ernest Agbo told the court the prosecution has received the bill of indictment and summary of evidence from the Attorney General’s Office for committals to be held.
He however added that he has received an order signed by the Chief Justice requesting for the transfer of the case to Accra.
The court presided over by Her Worship Mr. Oheneba Antwi-Bosiako has since transferred that case to Accra
The Acting Inspector-General of Police (Ag. IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has today August 12, 2021 launched the “Horse Patrol operations” at the National Joint Operations Headquarters,Accra.
The patrol, which is part of the Ghana Police Service’s method of crime prevention and detection, will provide security in a friendly and interactive manner, with officers on horseback, to augment other patrol duties such as Community Foot Patrol, Motorbike Patrol, Visibility Patrol, and recently deployed Motorcycle Traffic Management and Mobility Teams in Tema and Accra, among others in our communities.
In a brief remark, the Director-General Information Communication Technology (ICT), COP. Mr. Edward Tabiri assured the officers of communication logistical support during their duty tours in order to communicate efficiently for assistance.
Speaking on behalf of the Acting Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General National Patrols Department (NPD), COP Mr.Yaagy Akuribah, advised the Police Officers (Troopers) detailed for such duties to demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of their work for excellent services. He reiterated that the Troopers should assist in building the trust and public confidence within the communities since they are among the first point of call when it comes to security.
Present at the launch were the Director-General Research and Planning, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr. Paul Awini Manly, the Director-General National Protection Directorate, COP Mr. Patrick Atampugre Akolgo; the Director-General Special Duties, COP Mr. Vincent Redeemer Dedjoe; and the Director-General Operations, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr. Mohammed Fuseini Suraji, and other senior officers.
Picture Shows a crowd at the Gas Filling Station after the Incident
The Royal Gas Filling Station at Tegbi-Xekpa in the Anloga District of the Volta Region has suffered a robbery attack that left one person dead.
The news of the robbery attracted a large crowd to the scene to see the deceased who was in charge of security at the facility at the time of the robbery.
The deceased, 53-year-old Edem Kpodogah, is the security man of the facility which is reported to belong to Makafui Woanyah, the Volta NPP Chairman.
Reports from the staff of the facility say the incident happened on Monday, August 9, 2021.
The deceased who was initially nowhere to be found was later found behind the gas filling station in a pool of blood with his mouth and arms tied with pieces of cloth. The robbers also took away a safe containing an unquantified amount of money.
The Manager of the gas filling station, Innocent Kwasi Havor speaking to the media said one of the staff who arrived that morning at about 6:10 am a noticed break-in. He said the doors to the facility appeared to have been forced open.
“He quickly searched around for the security man. He could not find him; even in his room. Instead, he saw bloodstains on the floor of the room.
He then went into the room that housed the safe of the company. The safe was gone. The staff then called the manager and informed him of the suspected robbery,” he said.
Mr Havor said he rushed to the facility and realized all their money was gone. He then conducted another search for the security man. This time he found the security guard lying motionless in blood behind the facility.
The Police were alerted and they came to inspect the crime scene. A preliminary assessment showed that the security guard might have been hit in the head.
The Keta Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Leonard Abakah called for calm and assured that a thorough investigation is being conducted to track down the perpetrators. He said a team from the Regional Police Command will be working with those on the ground to get to the bottom of the case.
A bounty of Ghc30, 000.00 has been placed on the head of the perpetrators. The public was urged to provide prompt information to assist in the investigation.
Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Keta Municipal Hospital morgue pending an autopsy
President Nana Akufo-Addo says the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has endured a lot of suffering at the Ministry.
President Akufo-Addo made the remarks when he lauded Mr Agyeman-Manu as one of the illustrious sons from the Bono Region who has served well in his administration.
The President was addressing the chiefs and people of Sunyani in the Bono Region as part of his two-day working visit in the area.
The Minister is currently under intense criticism for breaching procurement processes in his quest to secure the Sputnik V vaccines for Ghana.
Though President Akufo-Addo did not emphatically comment on the deal, his statement, which cracked ribs at the durbar, came barely 24 hours after the Minister proceeded on two-week work leave.
The President at the durbar also commended other appointees from the region who have also served in his administration.
“There are a lot of people from the Bono Region in my government; including the Minister of Health, who is currently receiving slaps from Ghanaians. He is an indigene from Dormaa.
“He has really suffered in that Health Ministry and is still suffering,” he said amid laughter.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday reminded Ghanaians to continue adhering to the COVID-19 protocols, as his government ensures majority of the populace are vaccinated against the virus.
He said at least about 20 million Ghanaians would be vaccinated by the close of the year to prevent the spread of the disease.
President Akufo-Addo gave the advice when he paid a courtesy call on the Berekum Traditional Council as part of his two-day working visit to the Bono Region.
Responding to a request by Daasebre Amankona Diawuo II, the Paramount Chief of Berekum Traditional Area, the President said next week, he would cut the sod for the construction of 101 district hospitals in the country to improve healthcare delivery services.
He explained the government had already allocated funds, while contractors had also been selected for the projects.null
Describing Berekum East and Berekum West as strong NPP territories, President Akufo-Addo rallied the support from the people so that the NPP would retain power in 2024 and continue with good governance.
The President commended the chiefs and people of Berekum for the prevailing peace in the area and asked them to preserve the peace, saying without peace the country could not progress.
Daasebre Diawuo II, indicated Berekum had equally benefited from the national cake under President Akufo-Addo’s government, but added that the Municipality required more development projects.
He appealed to the government to facilitate the establishment of a university in the area and assured that the people of Berekum would continue to support the President to achieve his vision for the nation.
Providing an update before Parliament last week, the Railway Minister revealed the top slab on the concrete drain along the route at Avenor had been completed with a curing period beginning.
“After the completion of the construction, the approaches of the culvert will be filled and the tracks will be laid back to allow for test runs and certification by the Ghana Railway Development Authority before the commencement of shuttle services,” Amewu told lawmakers.
The rehabilitated Accra-Tema railway system is expected to reduce travel time significantly.
It is estimated that many passengers will be recorded annually as they use the train service, which will in turn help reduce traffic congestion, accidents and pollution
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has said that despite government’s creation of thousands of jobs through various initiatives in the past four years, creating more opportunities for the youth remains a top priority of the Akufo-Addo government.
Speaking at the launch of University of Ghana Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme (UGIEP) at the University’s campus on Friday, the Vice President said majority of Ghana’s population (about 52%) is made up of the youth, and with a growing number of young people joining the job market in search of jobs every year, government cannot relent in its efforts at creating jobs and enabling environment for more entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth, especially in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Some 250,000 young people enter the job market every year, putting pressure on the limited employment opportunities. Getting this population employed remains our major socio-economic challenge. We need to create new jobs or help provide access to existing job vacancies,” Dr. Bawumia noted.
“The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the realities exposed, show us that creating gainful employment for young people now more than ever is crucial to our development.”
The UGIEP is a non academic programme, under the auspices of the Vice Chancellor’s Office, which seeks to foster entrepreneurship and innovation in the University of Ghana by developing knowledge and capabilities necessary to create and grow products and services that add social and economic value to society.
The Vice President commended University of Ghana for the initiative, adding that the UGIEP should collaborate with government’s employment and youth development agencies to create more opportunities for the youth.
“At the heart of the UGEIP is empowerment, leverage and value creation. These objectives are in line with our government’s strategic focus for the economy and human capital development within this COVID-19 era,” Dr. Bawumia said.
“It is the expectation of government that the UGIEP, being launched today, will work with existing initiatives like the National Youth Authority, Youth Employment Authority, Youth Enterprises Fund, National Entrepreneurship and Innovative Programme, Ghana Enterprises Agency and others, to help our young people create sustainable jobs opportunities.”
“Government’s strategic anchors of Human Capital Development, Entrepreneurship, Skills development, and education will also provide a platform for this and similar programs to be scaled up leveraging on our digitalization agenda.”
Stressing on the importance of digitization in entrepreneurship, Dr. Bawumia said entrepreneurship will not thrive in an environment with difficulties in doing business, hence the government’s digitization drive to eliminate all bottlenecks in doing business as fast as possible.
“The use of National Identification Card as a unique identifier, the digitization of the processes at the Registrar General Department and the passage of Act 992, give specific focus to business as part of the institutional innovation to grow and support entrepreneurship.”
“Our pledge as a government is to continue to create the right environment to allow the initiatives and companies started through this program to thrive. In so doing I am optimistic that this program will unearth innovations and support and grow companies.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, 10th August 2021, opened the $16 million Weddi Africa Tomato Processing Factory, a company operating under the 1-District-1-Factory initiative, at Domfete, in the Berekum West District of the Bono Region.
Government, through Ghana Exim Bank and ADB Bank Ghana, facilitated the acquisition of the loan facility to support the establishment and operations of the factory owned by Weddi Africa Limited, a wholly owned Ghanaian company.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the establishment of the factory is an example of the critical role the private sector can play in Ghana’s industrial transformation, adding that the setting up of this manufacturing facility, outside the traditional areas of Accra, Tema and Takoradi, underscores the commitment of Government to decentralize industrial development, and, thereby, stimulate economic activity in the rural areas.
He explained that Domfete was chosen for the siting of the factory because the town happens to be one of the major catchment areas for the cultivation of fresh tomatoes, and will help in reducing rural-urban migration.
The factory will process some 40,000 metric tonnes of fresh tomatoes per annum, and also has a 500 metric ton cold room facility to store fresh tomato fruits. In addition, a model farm and research centre designed to conduct seed trials and train farmers on best farm practices, as well as an agric-input Shop to supply inputs to the farmers at affordable prices, have been established by the company.
This, the company explains, will boost the profitability of the factory and improve income levels for the farmers engaged by the company.
Additionally, a 2,400-acre farmland as nucleus farm has been set up by Weddi Africa, with the company also spearheading the establishment of a Tomato Outgrower Farmers Association in Tano North and Berekum West districts, with 2,000 registered farmers from Ahafo and Bono regions.
These 2,000 farmers are on schedule to receive seeds, fertilizers, other inputs, and technical services from the relevant MDAs. These Government supported mechanisms have been put in place to provide the requisite support services to ensure the profitability and sustainability of the factory.
Thus far, the factory has created some one hundred and fifty-eight (158) direct jobs, with some two thousand, one hundred (2,100) indirect job opportunities also created for the people of Berekum West District and surrounding communities.
Government, President Akufo-Addo assured, is committed to supporting private sector operators like Weddi Africa Limited to position themselves to become globally competitive, and, thereby, take advantage of market integration frameworks, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose Secretariat has been established in Accra.
Indeed, the Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with relevant MDAs, has established an institutional mechanism to provide strategic support and assistance to the local private sector operating at the district level.
This is in reference to the establishment of Business Resource Centers as one-stop enterprise support centers in 67 districts across the country, 37 of which have already commenced operations and 30 are under construction. The 1D1F companies will benefit from the assistance to be provided by these BRCs.
The President commended the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), Food & Drugs Authority (FDA) and various Stakeholders for the support they have provided to the company.
He also commended the Chief Executive Officer of Weddi Africa Limited, Mr. Yaw Boahene, and his Team for establishing such a modern manufacturing facility in Domfete near Berekum in the Bono region, in support of Government’s Industrial Transformation Agenda
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) from Saturday, August 21, 2021, to Friday to August 27, 2021, will hold Constituency Annual Delegates Conferences in all the 275 Constituencies in reference to Article 7(27) of the Party Constitution.
The Party General Secretary John Boadu in a statement has therefore directed that all Party Executives, Members, and for that matter Delegates ensure that the Conferences are held in strict compliance with the following guidelines.
“In order not to spread the Covid -19, the party has directed that all delegates/Attendees to each Constituency Conference should not exceed 250 people.
In other words, the Conferences shall be held in groups of 250 on the average, at the same or different venues within the constituency depending on its peculiarities,” the statement said.
The statement noted that each of the conferences should be held in an open and airy environment, and also in strict adherence to social distancing protocols.
It further urged the members to wear a nose mask, ensuring that all members who storm the venue, washed their hands with soap and use hand sanitiser.
The Party further instructed them to hold the conference for only two hours in line with the President’s recent Covid-19 directives.
The statement concluded that “the Party is assuring its members and the general public that it is taking all the necessary steps to ensure strict adherence to these guidelines in the conduct of the Constituency Conferences across the country”.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, has directed all security councils in the various assemblies, to embark on routine checks at public places, including schools, lorry stations, markets and in commercial transports, especially trotros, to ensure strict compliance to COVID-19 protocols.
He also called for the mandatory adherence to all COVID-19 safety protocols at all events at all times in the region.
In a statement issued in Accra on Monday, 9 August 2021, Mr Quartey, who doubles as the Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), said the directive was in compliance with the 26th presidential address on COVID-19 given by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Mr Quartey also tasked all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to collaborate with their respective police commanders and other security apparatus in ensuring that all activities associated with funerals were held in open-air spaces and not exceed the two-hour duration, as part of efforts to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols in the region.
He, therefore, assured that the Regional Coordinating Council would continue to play its supervisory role with random spot checks on all public places.
“However, we appeal to our revered traditional, political, religious and opinion leaders to be at the forefront of this drive and campaign in order to curtail this steep increases of COVID-19 cases in the region,” he added
On Tuesday, 10th August 2021, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo commenced a two-day working visit to the Bono Region, with visits to Sunyani, Berekum, Domfete and Wamfie.
Amongst others, he paid a courtesy call on the Sunyani Traditional Council and visited the palace of the Omanhene of the Berekum Traditional Area, Dasebre Dr. Amankona Diawuo III.
Nana Akufo-Addo also opened the $16 million WEDDI Africa Tomato factory in Domfete in the Berekum West constituency; paid a courtesy call on the Omanhene of Wamfie; and inspected ongoing work on the construction of the 36km Wamfie-Adiembra road
Supreme Court Judge Samuel Marful-Sau has died, Starr News has learnt.
The judge is reported to have passed Tuesday afternoon. He was 64.
His recent high profile case was the 2020 election petition where was sat as a member of the 7-member bench that affirmed President Akufo-Addo’s victory in the polls against former President John Mahama.
He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2018 by President Akufo-Addo.
Marful-Sau was admitted to practice in Ghana as a Barrister-at-Law and Solicitor in 1984 and served briefly as a prosecutor in the office of the Special Public Prosecutor from August 1984 to July 1986.
In 2002, he was appointed a Justice of the High Court and was elevated four years later to the Court of Appeal where he served until he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2018.
Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare has granted a 2-week leave to the health minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu to attend to some personal needs, according to Accra-based Citi FM news.
The minister has been in the news with calls for his resignation or he is fired by the president after it emerged that Ghana paid $2.8 million to Sheikh Al Maktoum for the procurement of Sputnik V vaccine despite his earlier claim that the state has not expended any money towards the procurement of the vaccine through the Dubai-based businessman.
A letter dated August 2, 2021, and signed by the Minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, and addressed to the businessman requested a refund of the amount paid for undelivered doses of the vaccine, to which he has agreed.
Mr. Kwaku Agyemang Manu in the letter said, “By this letter, I also wish to formally request for the refund of the remaining amount for the non-supplied doses, which should be the total amount paid to your office minus the amount due for the 20,000 doses you already supplied, in line with your earlier e-mail dated 25th July 2021 in which it was affirmed that on the 13th of April 2021, funds were transferred into your accounts as fifty percent (50%) advance for the initial batch of 300,000 doses.”
The letter was in reference to an earlier one dated August 5, 2021, from Sheikh Al Maktoum to the Ministry of Health.
“The Private Officer of His Highness, per the correspondence has honourably agreed to refund an amount of two million four hundred and seventy thousand dollars (US$2,470,000.00) being the balance left on the 50% advance payment of two million eight hundred and fifty thousand United States Dollars (US$2,850,000.00),” portions of the Health Ministry’s letter to the Finance Ministry read
The Ghanaian football fraternity has suffered a devastating blow with a confirmation of the death of one of the top brains in the country’s game, Jones Abu Alhassan in Abidjan.
The top Ghana football official, who is a luminary in the country’s game passed away in Abidjan where he was accompanying Hasaacas Ladies to the Wafu B Champions League qualifiers.
The man, who is credited for bringing the Ghana FA President Kurt Okraku into office two years ago, passed away in Abidjan on Tuesday morning. He was 64.
The Black Stars management committee member fell ill on Friday evening as he prepared to return to Ghana following Hasaacas Ladies’ annexation of the WAFU B Clubs Championship title last week.
He was immediately hospitalised as his condition deteriorated but could not survive after spending just three days in hospital.
Alhassan, who was the long time manager of legendary Ghanaian footballer Abedi Pele, was an astute football administrastor and football agent for several top players in the country.
He served in various capacities of the giants of the north Real Tamale United before branching out to play a major role for Tamale City Football Club
Workers of Ghana Airport Company are demanding the immediate release of their locked up deductions for Staff Welfare, Insurance, Credit union, and SSNIT benefits.
The demand follows a physical assault of a worker by the Managing Director for the company Yaw Kwakwa during a staff meeting over their 13-month arrears.
The said assault which was captured on video in possession of Starr News has heightened the agitations from the workers who have been demanding the removal of Mr. Kwakwa over mismanagement for a while now.
SSNIT has, however, sued the Ghana Airport Company over its failure to pay the contribution of workers.
Speaking to Starr News about the development, the chairman for the local chapter of the Public Services Workers Union, Abdul Isaka Bamba described the physical assault on the worker as unfortunate.
According to Mr. Bamba failure to release the funds has brought untold hardship on staff who are unable to access loans from their credit union
Former member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Stephen Atubiga has questioned the rationale behind members of his former party criticizing Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s for his strategic appointments.
He says when the NDC was in power, they could not take advantage of the opportunities to empower party loyalist who had in the past sacrificed for the party.
He disclosed that if an experienced politician like Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is awarding loyalty, the NDC needs to keep quiet and learn from his wisdom.
Atubiga was sad because he was aware of several unoccupied positions during the period NDC occupied power but because of greed and wickedness, those positions were not occupied.
“Those hypocrites who have soon forgotten the number of unoccupied jobs vacancies rotting away till the NDC lost, should be ashamed of themselves criticizing the president for his strategic appointments towards 2024.”
Kwame Sefa Kayi was appointed to the board of the National Petroleum Authority. His appointment has raised a number of questions with a number of persons confirming their suspicions of him being a sympathizer of the NPP.
Read His Writeup Here
Atubiga writes :
Any powerful strong government with a weaker political party can never win election. Especially wanting a second bid. Example is how the NDC incumbent lost 2016 to the npp as opposition.
Same as a weaker government with a very strong formidable and strategically positioned political party will always win power anytime, any day. Example is how npp won election 2016 from incumbent NDC, and how they won 2020 election as incumbent.
The greediness and selfishness leadership of today’s NDC, failed to create jobs to employ the youth and rewarding loyalty when they were in power. They should rather be learning and complimenting our able President Nana Addo for showing them how loyalists and hardworking supposed to be rewarded.
Those hypocrites who have soon forgotten the number of unoccupied jobs vacancies rotting away till the NDC lost, should be ashamed of themselves criticizing the president for his strategic appointments towards 2024.
What is wrong with individuals working at private institutions getting an appointment?
Ask incomeir national executives, members, and former appointees are board members today of the NPP-affiliated businesses?
Not talking of those holding shares in their companies and deals to guarantee them protection in case of power overturns.
Most of you NDC-affiliated jobless professionals hoping for the same opportunities under NDC should be applauding him for rewarding loyalty. Especially those in the media being hypocritical hoping to also be rewarded under NDC when power overturns in their favor
I can only agree to we calling on them to be professional on the jobs, and putting the interest of the nation first when delivering their national duties.
We should all remember, the winners takes it all will always kick others out of a job.
NPP inn NDC out or NDC inn, NPP out.
Or NLC inn, NPP/ NDC out after victory.
Love you all.
Note
—————————————-
The Constitution gives the president the powers to appoint anybody, anyone he deems fit in helping him.
• Muntaka is of the view that the health minister is mocking Ghanaians
• He said, as the chairman for PAC, he surcharged public officials who do not follow procurement processes
• He said the health minister lied when he told the committee that he had no idea of the 50% negotiated money paid
Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, Minority Chief Whip, says the health minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu is mocking Ghanaians over his actions which saw the country paying 50 per cent of some ‘overpriced’ Sputnik V vaccine.
Muntaka explained on Joy FM, “Are they not making a mockery of all of us? I mean, with the greatest of respect, even the common trader in Makola or Kejetia market will tell you that when they want to buy things abroad, they would rather raise letters of credit so that when the person pays, the person is assured that his or her money is held, so that upon delivery, pays the money.
Now we have a government system that goes ahead to pay money when they’ve not received the product and now they are telling the private individual to return the money. This strengthens our belief that the health minister is deliberately acting.”
He indicated that Kwaku Agyeman-Manu as the Chairman for Public Accounts Committee surcharged public agency heads and individuals from government institutions “for failing to adhere to procurement practices” so, he as the health minister “knew everything he was doing. He is exactly knowledgeable about everything he was doing.”null
Muntaka Mohammed further stated: “The Minister of Health is a very Senior Member of Parliament, he has been Deputy Minister, he is a Chartered Accountant, He has Chaired our Public Accounts Committee and later he became the Chair for four years… they’ve surcharged public agency heads and individuals… to refund money in some instances recommended for them to be prosecuted.
The 20,000 Sputnik V vaccines, when was it received? Where was it stored? Where was it administered? Where is it as we even speak? We didn’t find answers to that” so, he [health minister] claiming that he had no idea that the money has been paid is “an absolute lie”.
“If they are claiming that so far as his knowledge was concerned, he was not aware it was paid, then that opens us more for further investigations on who authorized the Ministry of Finance to make the payment, why didn’t the Ministry of Finance follow through to ensure the documentations were right? Why did the Bank of Ghana move ahead to transfer the money,” he asked.
A letter has emerged following the revelation by the nine-member parliamentary ad hoc committee that some 50 per cent of the negotiated amount has been by the Ministry of Health to Sheikh Al Maktoum. The letter is requesting a refund of the money paid for the non-supplied doses of the Sputnik V vaccines.
In the letter, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu wrote, “by this letter, I also wish to formally request for the refund of the remaining amount for the non-supplied doses, which should be the total amount paid to your office, minus the amount due for the 20,000 doses you already supplied, in line with your earlier e-mail dated 25th July, 2021, in which it was affirmed that on the 13th April, 2021, funds were transferred into your accounts as fifty per cent (50%) advance for the initial batch of 300,000 doses.”
• Several Ghanaians hit the streets of Accra on August 4 to demonstrate
• They held placards to relay their grievances
• But Sam Pyne has accused the NDC of being behind the writings on the placards
Ashanti Regional Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sam Pyne, has alleged that the placards displayed by #FixTheCountry demonstrators on August 4 were written by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He indicated in an interview that he has evidence to buttress his claim.
“I have evidence that the NDC wrote the placards,” he said on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ on Monday, August 9, 2021.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: “Where are the 88 hospitals Nana Addo?. I may not return home alive from this demo and if I don’t, Mama, remember I died fighting for the betterment of the next generation.”
“We are suffering, we need jobs. Young people cannot pay rent, Fix the country. Reduce fuel and gas prices”, other placards read.
Over hundreds of Ghanaians joined the protest to register their displeasure with some occurrences in the country which the government has been silent about.
They were also demanding accountability, good governance, and better living conditions from the government.
Sam Pyne who was reacting to the protest said the group will soon transform into a political party.
“I can assure you that after this round, they will form a political party; mark it!!! If you claim both the NDC and the NPP are not options which political party is?” he queried.
•Sheikh Maktoum has agreed to refund US$2.4 million to Ghana
•This comes after the health minister made a request for the refund
•There have been growing calls for Kwaku Agyeman-Manu to resign from his position as health minister
A Dubai based businessman, Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum, who has been at the centre of the botched controversial Sputnik V vaccine deal has agreed to refund an amount of US$2,470,000 of the US$2.8 million paid to him as he only supplied 20,000 doses to Ghana from an expected 300,000 before the contract was terminated.
The development comes after the health minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, in a letter made a request for a refund of the money.
In a letter sighted by GhanaWeb, Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum asked the Health Ministry to provide account details necessary to undertake the refund.null
“We acknowledge receipt of your letter, Ref No. MOIVOM/LL1/7/2I, dated 2nd of August 2021, with a formal request to refund the remaining amount of the non-supplied doses from the 50% advance transferred to our accounts.”
“We, hereby, request to kindly acknowledge and confirm the above-mentioned amounts to be refunded, further to which we shall initiate the refund process to your bank account. Please share with us the bank details where the refund needs to be processed,” the letter read in part.
Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has subtly replied the #FixTheCountry campaigners by stating that “many things” have been fixed in the country.
“And we are fixing more,” he insisted.
The Vice President made these remarks over the weekend when he addressed leadership and members of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON), the student wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), at the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region.
He noted that the first term of the Akufo-Addo-led government saw to “competent” work done, leading to the victory in the elections of December 7, 2020.
“We have begun our second term which is a build-up on what we did in the first term,” he noted.
“As our 2020 manifesto indicated, this term will see to the consolidation of the many laudable initiatives we undertook in the first term, many of which have led to solutions that have never been seen since independence.”null
On that score, he insinuated that many of the ills the government inherited are being fixed by the policies and programmes of the current administration.
“We have implemented some bold policy initiatives and fixed quite a number of things that needed fixing. In fact, we have fixed many things in the country and we are fixing more.”
He cited policies and programmes such as the Free SHS, banking sector clean-up, restoration of teacher and nurse trainees allowances, ambulances for each constituency, digitalization agenda, One District One Factory, jobs and end to dumsor as being fixed, if not fixed, by the government.
“Ladies and gentlemen, as indicated earlier, many of these challenges we have fixed had not been addressed since independence,” he stated.
“Yes, there are a lot more to fix but we are proud of what we have been able to achieve in the first term and we will build on them.”null
This comes days after a youthful group of patriotic Ghanaians took to the streets to demand improvement in the living conditions of Ghanaians.
Dubbed #FixTheCountry, the street protest, which began at the Obra Spot near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange and ended at the Black Star Square on Wednesday, August 4, saw hundreds collectively demanding a new constitution.
Similar protests at the regional level are planned to be held in the next few days.
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