The Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana – which declared a strike on 18 May 2021, to compel the government to pay its members’ tier 2 pension contributions and also demanded the award of market premium and non-basic allowance, as well as the finalisation of negotiations of the members’ conditions of service – but later froze it upon the intervention of the National Labour Commission and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), has threatened a worse form of its earlier industrial action if the government does not fulfil the promises it made which prompted the group to suspend the strike on 11 June.

A statement signed by Mr Zakaria Mohammed, National Chairman, said at the 12th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Cape Coast on 9 and 10 July 2021 respectively, the Senior Staff Association – Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG) discussed and resolved the following:

1. The inability of Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to communicate feedback on our counter proposal to government by Wednesday, 7 July 2021 as promised;

The SSA-UoG suspended its strike action on 11 June 2021 on the promise of commitment by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission with Vice-Chancellors Ghana (VCG) as guarantors to completely resolve and conclude all outstanding issues on the negotiation table from 30 June to 19 July 2021.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=2366005940&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1626353372&psa=1&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Feducation%2FGet-ready-for-full-blown-strike-SSA-UoG-to-14-public-universities-25863&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1626353371494&bpp=4&bdt=1045&idt=576&shv=r20210708&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D1c5c17d0af58e546-226ed4446dc900e2%3AT%3D1626342090%3ART%3D1626342090%3AS%3DALNI_Mbc2-mnP2sSxLEMhlfEyqN71ERhBw&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=8489701531894&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2093536286.1626342090&ga_sid=1626353372&ga_hid=36828582&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=1752&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31060975%2C31061747%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=3414470510121829&pem=606&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=3&uci=a!3&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=Sx3EH0sCBn&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=595

Since the last negotiation meeting on 30 June 2021 on our counter-proposal to the government, the FWSC was to secure the needed mandate and communicate feedback to SSA-UoG.

This has since remained a mirage and it is creating agitations, fear and panic among our rank and file because there have been similar illusive promises in the past that never saw the light of day.

2. Computation of interest on Tier 2 and roadmap for payment;

The government requested SSA-UoG to submit names of its technical team to work hand in hand with the government technical team on the computation of interest on the outstanding Tier 2 Pension Contributions Arrears paid by Government. As requested by the government, SSA-UoG have since submitted names of its technical team to the government on 30 June 2021 which has since not been acknowledged.

It is our fervent belief that government has acted in bad faith.

3. Interestingly enough, the National Labour Commission (NLC) in all the above infractions being perpetrated against SSA-UoG and its loud silence on their part as a statutory body is not only worrying but also very shocking, as it is seen as an arbiter grounded in law.

4. The National Executive Council of SSA-UoG have resolved to resume full strike in the unlikely event that the government fails to meet the deadline as promised and agreed upon by all parties.

We, therefore, direct all the 14 public universities of SSA-UoG to keep themselves in readiness for a full-blown strike as resolved by NEC

The Government of Rwanda is expected to lockdown the country’s capital, Kigali.

It is also to lockdown eight other districts in the fight against coronavirus.

The lockdown will begin this coming Saturday.

Local media reports say President Paul Kagame chaired the meeting on Wednesday that ordered both public and private offices, except for those providing key services, closed

Police in the Ashanti Region have identified the family members of a young woman who was shot and killed at Maxima in Kumasi on Tuesday night.

According to the police, the deceased, 24-year-old Angelina Akua Serwaa Gyimah, was a hardware store attendant who lived and worked at Tanoso.

The police say their preliminary investigations show that the deceased at about 6:00pm on Tuesday told her family that she was visiting a friend around Tech Junction, but was shot immediately she got down from a commercial vehicle at Maxima.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-6359669600040540&output=html&h=343&adk=2673199636&adf=1913461552&pi=t.aa~a.23905774~i.7~rp.4&w=412&lmt=1626352963&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=1135190008&tp=site_kit&psa=0&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkessbenonline.com%2F2021%2F07%2F15%2Fkumasi-police-identify-24-yr-old-lady-shot-dead-by-men-on-motorbike%2F&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=317&rw=380&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1626352963002&bpp=33&bdt=4948&idt=-M&shv=r20210708&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D8310b0a90446f231-22feb0106ec900f1%3AT%3D1626352959%3ART%3D1626352959%3AS%3DALNI_MZ7mbA3tNsGrA00VRzUmt3_NVSYTw&prev_fmts=0x0&nras=2&correlator=8413694282586&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=228323593.1626352962&ga_sid=1626352962&ga_hid=1114165232&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=1211&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=253&eid=42530671%2C31060975%2C31061747%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=1132220365724797&pem=717&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=2&uci=a!2&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=foi7uOrSXq&p=https%3A//kessbenonline.com&dtd=419

In an interview with Citi News, the Manhyia Divisional Police Commander, ACP Kwaku Buah, said bystanders told them that two men on a motorbike attacked the victim.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-6359669600040540&output=html&h=343&adk=2673199636&adf=1397735559&pi=t.aa~a.23905774~i.9~rp.4&w=412&lmt=1626352963&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=1135190008&tp=site_kit&psa=0&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkessbenonline.com%2F2021%2F07%2F15%2Fkumasi-police-identify-24-yr-old-lady-shot-dead-by-men-on-motorbike%2F&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=317&rw=380&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1626352963002&bpp=16&bdt=4949&idt=-M&shv=r20210708&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D8310b0a90446f231-22feb0106ec900f1%3AT%3D1626352959%3ART%3D1626352959%3AS%3DALNI_MZ7mbA3tNsGrA00VRzUmt3_NVSYTw&prev_fmts=0x0%2C412x343&nras=3&correlator=8413694282586&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=228323593.1626352962&ga_sid=1626352962&ga_hid=1114165232&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=1693&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=253&eid=42530671%2C31060975%2C31061747%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=1132220365724797&pem=717&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=3&uci=a!3&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=PEpe1LdcOG&p=https%3A//kessbenonline.com&dtd=461

He said the motive behind the attack is however not clear.

“We have been able to identify the deceased lady. She is 24 years old, a hardware store attendant who lives and works at Tanoso. We have been able to get in touch with her family and informed them about the death. According to the family, when she returned from work on Tuesday, she informed them that she had to meet someone around KNUST and left home, and I believe that she got to the area late.”

“When she alighted from the vehicle, some person or persons got closer to her and, according to bystanders, they heard gunshots and a motorbike zoomed away. We are currently looking for the occupants of the motorbike. We believe that her handbag was snatched from her after she was attacked because her phone has not been found,” he added.

The police also called on members of the general public to provide them with information to assist with investigations.

“I’m appealing to everyone to be a little bit more conscious and careful wherever we find ourselves. We are yet to find out why she was attacked and why she was there. We are appealing to people who were around or have information about what happened to get in contact with the police to assist with investigations.”

source: citinews

• Ken Ofori-Atta has said a total value of GH¢20 billion has so far been processed on the Ghana.GOV platformnull

• The platform will make it easy for all citizens and visitors to make payments with convenience

• Some 624,000 persons have already registered on the platform

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has revealed the newly introduced Ghana.gov platform has so far processed over GH¢20 billion in total value during its pilot phase.

According to him, the piloting of the platform commenced from June to December 2020 and has a record of 624,000 persons registering on the platform.https://c1fff713c709963066f7a79d4464861b.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Speaking at the official launch of the platform on July 14 at the Jubilee House, Ken Ofori-Atta said Ghana.Gov is intended to make accessible government’s services to the general public in a much convenient manner.

“The Ghana.gov platform was piloted from June to December 2020 and a total of 624,000 persons have registered and over 5.8 million transactions have taken place with a total value of GH¢20.2 billion,” he revealed.

Already, the Ghana.Gov platform during its pilot phase at the Ministry of Tourism is said to have witnessed a four-fold increase in revenue at some major tourist centres in the country.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on his part believes the platform will also curb out the unnecessary bureaucracies and corrupt practices associated with offering government services to the public.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

A one-stop platform to enable citizens easily access government services, simplify payments for public services, ensure prompt payments for the services and promote transparency and visibility of internally generated funds has been launched in Accra by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Known as Ghana.gov, and accessible via the website http://www.ghana.gov.gh or shortcode *222# on any mobile phone whether smart or ‘yam’, Ghana.GOV is a payments and revenue collection platform that provides a single point of access to all services of ministries, departments and agencies of government.

Built from scratch, and two years in the making, the platform consists of 4 main components: a web portal, mobile app and USSD interface; a payment processing component; a notification component; and a complaint submission medium.

At a colourful launch ceremony at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, July 14, 2021, attended by the Chief of Staff, Ministers in charge of Finance, Digitalization and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Vice President Bawumia expressed delight that once again, Ghanaian expertise had been utilized to solve a Ghanaian problem.

“The Ghana Card, the Digital Address System, the Mobile Money Interoperability, Ghana.Gov and the Universal Q Code are the foundational enablers in our effort to maximize the potential of digital technologies in Ghana’s transformation.

“I am excited that once again, we did not have to go beyond our shores to develop and manage a platform like this. Indeed, the spirit of collaboration and innovation exhibited by the local technology companies (Hubtel, Expresspay and IT Consortium) who are powering this payments platform is most admirable.

“Their collaboration spearheaded by the Ministry of Finance with support from the Ministry of Communications also involved our own National Information Technology Agency – which I am told is doing a good job hosting and managing the call center supporting this platform.”

Dr Bawumia explained that among others, this single payments platform is expected to help grow government revenue, redefine how we all engage with government, and help boost Ghana’s international profile rankings.

“It is estimated that about 10 to 15% of government collections are lost through inefficiencies, theft and other accounting schemes. Going digital means that we can improve our revenue collections by an estimated Three Billion Cedis (GHS 3 billion) annually.

“Beyond the financial benefits of Ghana.GOV, the platform will also transform how we all connect to Government. There is currently no official Government of Ghana mobile application for the over 9 million smartphone users and the more than 30 million mobile users in Ghana. The soon-to-be-published Ghana.GOV Citizen App will have important features that will change the way we connect to official information, report issues in our communities and exchange critical data.”

As well, “This government’s aim of making Ghana a globally competitive market is anchored in the belief that increasing access to public services through technology will have a strong positive impact in the general ease of doing business within Ghana. In the process, this will boost our ranking among other nations and thereby help grow our foreign direct investments.

“Ghana.GOV will offer a simple and single user experience for all government services and will make it easy for everyone to find and pay for government services. The days where you have to make several phone calls or look for a middleman just to get information and help on a government service is coming to an end,” he remarked.

Who is on the Ghana.Gov Portal
As of now, Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Passport Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Lands Commission, National Service Secretariat, Food and Drugs Authority, National Information Technology Authority, Registrar Generals Department, and the National Schools Inspectorate Authority have all been onboarded onto the Ghana.gov portal.

The team is in the process of onboarding the Public Procurement Authority, Data Protection Commission, National Petroleum Authority, Minerals Commission, and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and Ghana Post

Registrar-General Jemima Oware

The Registrar-General’s Department (RGD) says it has commenced a review of the sample group of companies listed on its website for strike off.The exercise is to validate companies that complied with the directive for dormant companies to file their returns or risk being delisted from the companies register at the end of June 30, 2021. 

A statement from the Department,  issued and signed by Mrs Jemima Maama Oware, the Registrar-General, said the three-month-long review began on July 1, 2021 and would end on September 30, 2021.

It said the review had become necessary after the final notice was issued on March 18, 2021, to officials of dormant companies to file their annual returns to be in good standing with the Department.

It said the Department had earlier issued two notices on March 12, 2020, and December 01, 2020, and had published them in the national dailies and the Department’s website respectively in accordance with the Companies Act 2019, Act 992.

The statement said the Companies were Public/Private Companies Limited by Shares, Public/Private Companies Limited by Guarantee (Associations, Fun Clubs, Churches, etc.), Private Unlimited Companies and External Companies.

It said the strike-off exercise became necessary because the Department’s Company database became bloated with names of dormant Companies entered onto the Companies Register.

  The statement said, 257,241 Companies existing in the new database had not filed their Returns or Amendments with the Department and that also, 670,282 Companies in the Legacy system had not carried out their re-registration as at the release of the first notice in March 2020.

The statement said Companies due for strike off still in default after the three-month review would be published in the national dailies and on the Department’s website.

It said a Company’s status during the period would be classified as being inactive and would not be able to be accessed for any business transaction for 12 years except by a court order to the Registrar.

The statement said such Companies were, therefore, advised to use the three-month review to undertake all the necessary measures to be in good standing with the Department.

The Department urged all clients to visit its website http://www.rdg.gov.gh, click on news and scroll down to view the list of Companies the Registrar intended to strike off the Register.

The statement said the penalty for late filing remained GH¢450.00 with GH¢50.00 for filing of Annual Returns for each year.

It asked Company Officials to include their Beneficial Ownership information when filing their Annual Returns.

Source: GNA

At a unit price of GHS78, the government of Ghana has said it spent GHS34.8 million to buy past questions (pasco) for candidates of the 2021 WASSCE under the Free SHS programme.

On the floor of parliament on Wednesday, 14 July 2021, Education Minister Yaw Osei Adutwum, said the current unit price is 32% more than that of 2020 – GHS59.

Dr Adutwum told the house that “to help prepare the final-year senior high school students for the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the Ministry has procured 446,954 past West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) questions from Messrs Kingdom Books and Stationery at a unit price of GHS 78.00. The procurement will be funded from the Free Senior High School Account.”

“Mr Speaker, in 2020, the government, through its efforts to help students amidst COV1D-19 to prepare for the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), procured 568,755 past questions for students to try their hands on before sitting for the actual exams.”

The Ministry of Education, Dr Adutwum noted, “contracted Messrs Kingdom Books and Stationery to supply 568,755 WASSCE past questions at a contract price of GHS 33,641,043.75. The procurement of these questions was funded through the Free Senior High School Account and the results of the 2020 WASSCE was tremendous compared to previous years’ WASSCE performance.”

Also, he said the ministry is making efforts to buy textbooks for the lower level.

“Mr Speaker, the procurement process for the supply of published textbooks to basic schools is currently ongoing. The Ministry placed an advert in the Ghanaian Times on 1st June 2020, where various publishers approved by NaCCA, submitted their books and relevant documents to be taken through a Pre-Qualification procurement process.”

He also announced to the house that the ministry, in October 2019 “signed a contract with Messrs Bluegrass Group Limited to supply a total number of 853,009 Kapek Scientific Mathematical Instruments (SMI) prescribed by the West Africa Examination Council for Senior High Schools at a unit cost of CHS 75.00.

“The contract was amended and signed by both parties on 22 October 2020 to extend the deadline for submission of the Mathematical Instruments to 19 January 2021. Messrs Bluegrass Group Limited has supplied 416,060 Scientific Mathematical Instruments to the tune of GHS31,204,500.00 out of the total quantity to be supplied per the contract, hence breaching the contract under Section 24.1 (a) of the General Conditions of Contract (GCC). Due to this, the contract has been terminated

• The government is launching the GHANA.GOV, a platform that will help make access to Government of Ghana services easy

• Communications Minister Ursula Owusu said the initiative to transform Ghana through digitalization is on course

• She said creating jobs and transforming businesses are part of government’s key plans

The Minister of Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has said that the country is advanced in ensuring that technology becomes the tool used to formalize the country’s economy to rope in more revenue.

According to her, this will help enhance the growth of the country and also improve on sustainable livelihood initiatives.

Speaking at the Launch of GHANA.GOV, a digital service and revenue collection platform at the Jubilee House in Accra on July 14, 2021, the Minister said, the initiative is to modernize government services and revenue mobilizations, drive innovations, enhance entrepreneurship and create jobs for the teaming youth in the country.

“The president, since he took over, has been implementing his massive vision for the transformation of Ghana through technology and this is through the digital Ghana agenda initiative. We are using technology to formalize our economy for growth and sustainable livelihoods, to modernize government processes and service delivery, drive innovation, entrepreneurship, create jobs and transform businesses,” she said.

She explained the key features that are guiding the initiative to drive home the digital transformation agenda.

“The key pillars underpinning our digitalization include broadband infrastructure, digital financial services, digital entrepreneurship, economic activities and new jobs, digital platforms the national ID address system, the common platform, Data sharing, cybersecurity and digital skills. Ghana must evolve quickly and respond to the transforming rot brought by the internet and mobile technology,” she added.

GHANA.GOV is a digital service and revenue collection platform, created to provide a single point of access to Government of Ghana services for the public sector.

This is in pursuit of the government’s vision of digitizing the economy and modernizing the way government pays its bills and collection of fees and charges for the benefit of all citizens, residents and visitors.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Ho District Magistrate Court 1 has remanded into police custody three persons, Nervis Otu Laryea, Ebenezer Osei and Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, to assist investigations into their possession of three foreign pistols with 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition, two Toshiba laptops and 27 assorted mobiles phones.

The three suspects were arrested with the items on July 6, 2021 by a police patrol team along the Kpando-Have road in the Volta region.

The suspects Nervis Otu Laryea, 33, Ebenezer Osei aged 38 and Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, aged 37 were onboard a Toyota Corrola with registration number AC 1621-18 which was intercepted by a police Rapid Deployment Force patrol team along the Kpando-Have road.

The items were found after a thorough search on the vehicle by the police patrol team.

All 27 mobile phones have price tags, while other items including two hoody pullovers -black and green were also retrieved the suspects’ bags.

During police interrogation, suspect Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak to police that he obtained the mobile phones from a man he does not know at Alavanyo Wudidi in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta region. The suspect also failed to provide any receipts issued for the transaction.

Meanwhile, suspects Nervis Otu Laryea and Ebenezer Osei claimed to have offered a lift to suspect Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak on their way from Alavanyo, where suspect Ebenezer Osei claimed to have gone to visit a shrine for spiritual assistance in his business.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-8731784857660975&output=html&h=343&adk=2882865192&adf=1675725191&pi=t.aa~a.86673156~i.17~rp.4&w=412&lmt=1626302903&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=6320142137&tp=site_kit&psa=0&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkasapafmonline.com%2F2021%2F07%2Fho-three-in-police-grips-for-illegal-possession-of-firearms%2F&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=310&rw=372&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1626302903329&bpp=17&bdt=4164&idt=-M&shv=r20210708&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x600&nras=2&correlator=3897850707355&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1967003207.1626302902&ga_sid=1626302902&ga_hid=1171481233&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=1904&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=814&eid=31060974%2C31061746%2C31060474%2C21065725&oid=3&pvsid=1204759398141931&pem=644&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=3&uci=a!3&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=G1vN66mlTk&p=https%3A//kasapafmonline.com&dtd=74

Further investigation by the police revealed that the Toyota Corolla with registration number AC 1621-18 was also acquired by suspect Nervis Otu Laryea at Afienya from someone from Togo but without documents.

At a press briefing in Ho today, the Volta Regional Commander of police, DCOP Edward Oduro Kwanteg, urged the motoring public to at all times cooperate with the police in fighting crime.

He said, “We wish to assure the public that we are committed to fighting all forms of crime within our area of responsibility, especially violent crimes and therefore, we need the public’s support.”

“The motoring public is encouraged to at all times cooperate with the police on the road. We do not take delight in wasting the precious time of the travelling public, but sometimes there is the need to go thr extra mile in our search. The three foreign pistols were concealed in a false compartment in the car and without careful and painstaking search would have eluded us. This is one sure way of preventing the commissioning of crime,” he added.

The suspects are expected to re-appear before the court on July 22, 2021

• The Wenchi High court has once again slapped a fine on the NDC in the case it brought before it over the election in the Techiman South constituencynull

• The court has asked the NDC to pay GH¢12,000

• The NDC had earlier been charged some GH¢4,000 by the same court

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has received a total of GH¢16,000 in charges by the Wenchi High court in the last month in the case of the Party versus the Member of Parliament for Techiman South and the Electoral Commission.

The NDC dragged Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, the substantive MP, and the EC to court to contest the results of the 2020 parliamentary elections in Techiman South.

Christopher Beyere Baasongti, who was the parliamentary candidate of the NDC for Techiman South in 2020, as part of the suit against Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah and the EC, is praying the court to quash the declaration of the MP as winner of the elections.

Among the motions filed by petitioners, the NDC wanted a professional writer to record proceedings in the court, a professional auditor to audit the pink sheets to determine similarities or otherwise, and they wanted an order setting out issues for an early trial.null

The last motion, which is that they wanted to bring before the court some additional evidence in support of their case, was the only one not contested by the respondents.

The trial judge, Justice Frederick A.W.K Nawurah, slapped a fine of GH¢12,000 on the NDC, in favour of the Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah and the EC.

The case has been adjourned to July 30, 2021.

It will be recalled that on June 22, 2021, the Wenchi High Court slapped a GH¢4000 fine on the NDC after reducing the initial fine of GH¢7000.

This was, as the court explained, for the petitioner’s motions to amend the title of his suit to state that ‘no proper collation’ was done in the 2020 Techiman South Parliamentary elections, among another relief.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Finance Committee of Parliament has recommended the discontinuation of advancing car loans to Members of Parliament.

This follows public backlash at the tabling of a $28-million loan deal for MPs to buy cars by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

The Finance Committee of the chamber suggested in its report that the practice must be discontinued.

Parts of the report read: “These legitimate concerns are fueled by the fact that, of all the Article 71 officeholders, it is only members of Parliament and Members of the Council of State who benefit from these vehicle loans, a large part of which are re-paid by the state”.

“The Committee took the view that, as representatives of the people, Members of Parliament cannot continue to leave these concerns unattended”.

“That weakens the confidence Ghanaians have in us. We have a responsibility to reflect the values and ideals of the people we represent”.

“Accordingly, the Committee strongly recommends to Parliament the discontinuation of the current vehicle loan arrangement for MPs and Council of State Members”.

“Members of Parliament and Members of the Council of State should have similar duty post vehicle arrangements as other Article 71 officeholders”.

“And the Committee respectfully recommends that Parliament and the Parliamentary Service take the necessary steps to ensure that this happens”.

“The instant vehicle loan arrangement for MPs and Council of State Members before us today should therefore be the last one the state is sponsoring.”

• Ghana is still receiving supplies of coronavirus vaccines

• In August, Ghana will receive some 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer vaccines

• This was announced by the Ghana Health Service in a press briefing in Accra

Before the end of August this year, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) will take stock of 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccines, as the country looks to meet its target of vaccinating its 20 million citizens.

Making this known at a press briefing to update the country on the pandemic in the country, the Director General of the GHS, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, said the doses are part of the bulk of vaccine requests it has made.

“We are expecting about 1.2 million Pfizer vaccines from the US through COVAX, and we are hoping that latest by the middle of August, it should be available,” he said.null

Across the world, it has been established that, in comparison, the Pfizer vaccine is more potent against the new delta variant of the virus, which has been recorded in communities.

So far, the country has recorded 144 cases of the delta variant between July 1 and July 14.

The strict adherence to the safety protocols, Dr. Kuma-Aboagye has stressed, will save the country from the possibilities of a third wave of the pandemic, one that he confessed Ghana’s healthcare system cannot handle.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Acting President of the Nandom Traditional Council, Naa Domepreh Gyereh III, has described the interventions undertaken by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in the Nandom Municipality, as unparalleled.

According to Naa Domepreh Gyereh III, “the people of Nandom are grateful for the development projects and programmes your leadership has provided. One of our age-long problem, which was our road, under your leadership has seen massive facelift”.

The Urban Roads Project, which was described by the Chief as the brainchild of President Akufo-Addo, “has made our town beautiful, and so we say barika.”

The Acting President of the Nandom Traditional Council made this known on Wednesday, 14th July 2021, when President Akufo-Addo paid a courtesy call on the Traditional Council, at the end of his 2-day visit to the Upper West Region.

The Chief acknowledged further government’s efforts in completing the tarring of the Lawra-Nandom-Hamile Road, adding that “we are also happy to note that the EU, through your Government, has considered developing fourteen (14) of our deplorable farm roads. This, in our estimation, will enhance agricultural activities in the area.”

Touching on the President’s vision for education, Naa Domepreh Gyereh III indicated that the introduction of the Free SHS policy has brought great relief to parents.

He added that President Akufo-Addo’s support for Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) has resulted in the upgrading of St. Anne’s Vocational Institute in Nandom, with modern infrastructure for skills development, and appealed for the extension of similar facilities to St. John’s Technical Institute, also in Nandom.

“Your Excellency, again we wish to offer our appreciation to you for elevating Nandom District to Municipal status. Out of this deed has resulted in the improvement of services to our people,” Naa Domepreh Gyereh III said.

Additionally, he expressed the gratitude of the Chiefs and people of Nandom to the President “for the commitment you kept with us in your first term in terms of Planting for Food and Jobs, 1-Village-1-Dam, 1 million dollars per constituency, jobs for youth, physical infrastructure, water and sanitation, and most important health in the midst of the coronavirus which has affected most economies.

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says with the coming into being of the single platform for all Government of Ghana (GoG) services, (Ghana.Gov dashboard), persons responsible for revenue leakages, he described as public sector “demons and principalities” will be eliminated.

Addressing financial sector players and other attendees at a ceremony to officially launch the single platform for all Government of Ghana services (www.ghana.gov.gh) at the Banquet Hall of the Jubilee House today the 14th of July 2021, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia said the new services and payments platform will go a long way to boost the country’s revenue collection drive up to about three billion Ghana cedis (GHc3,000,000,000.00), thereby doing away with public sector workers responsible for massive revenue leakages in the country’s tax architecture.

“For starters, Ghana.Gov is a one-stop shop to enable citizens easily access government services, simplify payments for public services, ensure prompt payments for the services and promote transparency and visibility of internally generated funds,” the Vice President said.

“It is a real weapon in the fight against demons and principalities in the public sector. Instead of those who demand public services handing cash over to administrative staff, they will switch to a mobile payment system. Transactions will be recorded instantly, avoiding any bribery and corruption regarding the quoted service fee, and curtailing the risk of embezzlement,” Vice President Bawumia added.

*Finance Minister*

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta in his brief remarks noted that the new Ghana.Gov platform will be deployed to cover all state institutions to ensure that government can secure all its revenue generation avenues.

Revenue collection according to the Minister for Finance, is expected to receive a big boost with the coming into force of the single platform for all Government of Ghana services.

The Finance Minister in his address also indicated that his office has done some analysis on regional basis when it comes to the payment of taxes and the Greater Accra Region is responsible for 80% of the total tax revenue of the state with Western Region contributing 8% and the Ashanti Region which is the second biggest region in the country in terms of economic activity, contributing just 7%. The Eastern Region the Minister says, also contributes just 6% of the nation’s total tax revenue.

He noted that while it is surprising that the Ashanti Region and the Eastern Region contribute 7% and 6% respectively, it is hoped that the new services and payment platform will help shore-up tax revenue in the low performing regions in the country.

*Background*

The Government of Ghana’s domestic revenue mostly constitutes tax/non-tax revenue and MMDA collections. According to the 2017 Auditor-General’s report, inefficiencies in revenue collection resulted in losses of over GHS2 billion. With only about 254 MMDAs and some 127 public organizations operating more than 2,000 physical points of services with mostly manual processes, revenue collection is bound to have challenges.

Modern technologies presents a simple, proven solution to address these challenges and significantly grow revenues. The Ghana.gov.gh website is designed to enhance revenue mobilization of the state. Over all, promoters of the all-inclusive dashboard are hopeful that six (6) benefits will be derived from the coming onboard of the Ghana.gov.

*Six Targeted Benefits*

First, it is expected that the platform will help increase revenue collection as a result of the impact of electronic payment on the systemic collection losses that are prevalent today. It is estimated that about 10-15% of GoG collections are lost through theft, fraud and other schemes. Digitizing collections will therefore enable the government to improve their revenue by an estimated three billion Cedis (GHS 3 billion)

Secondly, digitizing government services will afford government savings not only directly from the reduction in direct input costs that will be saved from the digitizing activities (such as printing costs, transportation etc), but also from an increase in productivity. This latter savings will allow government to deliver more value from the same labour force currently employed. It is anticipated that the country will derive expense savings of approximately forty million Cedis (GHS 40 million) a year as a result of this platform.

The third target is reduced government borrowing. Currently government receives funds collected by various parties between 2 and 4 days from collecting agents. There are cases however where funds were not remitted for over 6 months.

Ghana.gov, however, will ensure that funds are received by GoG the next business day after collection. In addition, Ghana.gov will enable pre-payment of the government collections by parties who want to collect the funds. This innovation will provide extra liquidity to the government and essentially reduce the borrowing needs of the Government thereby saving the interest expense that would otherwise have been incurred.

Fourthly, boosting Ghana’s country profile is expected to be the next benefit of the new platform. Simplifying services and access to government services and increasing transparency of service delivery should have a positive impact on the ease of doing business rankings of the country and ultimately, foreign direct investments.

Countries such as Rwanda, Estonia, and the UK have all seen significant uplift in the investments as a result of their efforts to digitize and adopt a more cashless stance. By aggressively pursuing a cash-lite agenda, Ghana will become a clear example for other African countries to emulate.

Employment & local capacity building is the fifth benefit of the platform. The Ghana.gov project will create a large number of high skilled technology jobs in other areas. It is important to note that a number of these jobs will have no direct cost to government as they will be within the private sector. This will also help improve the capacity of Ghanaian firms. It is estimated that the full roll out of digital government services in conjunction with Ghana.gov, will ultimately involve over one hundred companies and creation of over 1000 jobs. The rollout of Ghana.gov will also see the establishment of government resource centers, run by small scale entrepreneurs, who will not only assist the general public access government services, but also help in the efforts and activities of GoG to widen the tax net by engaging directly with the informal sector.

Lastly, the growing of export revenues is also a major target of the project. Ultimately, Ghana.gov which is made in Ghana by Ghanaians, will also be an export product opportunity. Successful deployment of the Ghana.gov platform will provide an opportunity for the service to be resold to other governments in Africa and beyond who are also looking to implement a cash-lite and digitization strategy. Revenue from the platform used in other countries will be remitted back to Ghana and the government will earn both foreign exchange and tax revenue as a result

The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has referred the MP for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong to the Privileges Committee of the House following threats on Luv FM’s Erastus Asare Donkor.

This comes after Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini moved a motion for the Assin Central lawmaker to be referred to the Committee over what he calls inciteful comments against the Multimedia Journalist.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-8731784857660975&output=html&h=343&adk=2436342407&adf=2721445443&pi=t.aa~a.86673156~i.5~rp.4&w=412&lmt=1626299580&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=6320142137&tp=site_kit&psa=0&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkasapafmonline.com%2F2021%2F07%2Fbagbin-refers-ken-agyapong-to-privileges-cttee-over-threats-on-luv-fm-reporter%2F&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=310&rw=372&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1626299580573&bpp=12&bdt=3365&idt=-M&shv=r20210708&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D3c52d9dd28c93525-221d2b8d6dc90097%3AT%3D1626299578%3ART%3D1626299578%3AS%3DALNI_MaWmDbP3Ka-s3grYcYi7mZlTGovaQ&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x600&nras=2&correlator=5785228216791&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2013744214.1626299579&ga_sid=1626299579&ga_hid=444380352&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=903&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=42530672%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=2816878189627516&pem=112&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=3&uci=a!3&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=4hnN48Oi10&p=https%3A//kasapafmonline.com&dtd=108

The NET2 TV owner, on the same station, had allegedly called for ‘serious’ beating of Erastus Asare Donkor. He also threatened in a live telecast that if he (Honourable Agyapong) “were the president of Ghana, he would have ensured that Erastus Asare Donkor is beaten mercilessly”.

Moving the motion, Mr Suhuyini said “order 78A reads ‘unless any order otherwise provides, notice shall be given of any motion which is proposed to make except the following: a motion relating to contempt of parliament.’ Mr Speaker, I rise on this motion to pray you to exercise your powers under order 27 which also reads ‘notwithstanding anything contained in these orders, Mr Speaker may refer any questions of privilege to the Committee of Privileges for examination, investigation, and report.’”

He went on “I, therefore, call on you to exercise your powers under Order 27 to refer Hon Kennedy Ohene Agyapong whose acts and conducts continue to offend the dignity of Parliament and bring it into disrepute as captured under order 30(2).”

The Speaker referring Mr Agyapong to the priveledges committee said “the House’s attention is drawn to the conduct of one of our members and under Order 27, which I want to quote says “notwithstanding anything contained in these orders, Speaker may refer any question of privilege to the committee of priveledges for examination, investigation, and report.”https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-8731784857660975&output=html&h=343&adk=2436342407&adf=2710808160&pi=t.aa~a.86673156~i.13~rp.4&w=412&lmt=1626299580&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=6320142137&tp=site_kit&psa=0&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkasapafmonline.com%2F2021%2F07%2Fbagbin-refers-ken-agyapong-to-privileges-cttee-over-threats-on-luv-fm-reporter%2F&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=310&rw=372&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1626299580573&bpp=10&bdt=3366&idt=-M&shv=r20210708&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D3c52d9dd28c93525-221d2b8d6dc90097%3AT%3D1626299578%3ART%3D1626299578%3AS%3DALNI_MaWmDbP3Ka-s3grYcYi7mZlTGovaQ&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x600%2C412x343&nras=3&correlator=5785228216791&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=2013744214.1626299579&ga_sid=1626299579&ga_hid=444380352&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=2179&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=42530672%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=2816878189627516&pem=112&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=pBSY8vNLPE&p=https%3A//kasapafmonline.com&dtd=147

“In spite of the word notwithstanding, the speaker in giving his discretion may request any question of Privileges. I think that’s why the honorable member is seeking my intervention to refer the matter to the privileges committee.”

He added “this is my first time hearing this matter. As it is now, I am compelled to refer it to the priveledges committee. It’s a matter the priveledges committee will have to go into and then report to the House and it is for the house to decide whether the hon. member is contemptuous of the House.”

“In the circumstance, I direct that this matter be directed to the committee of privileges for investigation and report, I so direct.”

Meanwhile, the Multimedia Group has filed a formal complaint against the MP for threatening the life of the journalist.

In the letter, dated July 13, 2021, addressed to the Deputy Regional Commander, Ashanti Region, the media group demanded security protection for Erastus Asare Donkor.

It also called for a thorough investigation into the threats issued by the legislator

General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu has taken a swipe at Ghanaians over their comments compelling the First and Second Ladies of the Republic to refund their allowances.

First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Second Lady Samira Bawumia have both returned their monies to the State following a public backlash regarding the Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee recommendations for the two leading women to officially receive monthly salaries.

The Committee report was submitted to President Nana Akufo-Addo in fulfilment of Article 71 provision of the 1992 Constitution which enjoins every sitting President, before the end of his four-year mandate, to set up a Committee to make recommendations on the emoluments for Article 71 office holders.

As part of the report, they recommended the payment of a salary equivalent to a Cabinet Minister who is a Member of Parliament (MP) to the First Lady while her husband is in office and with the Second Lady, the payment of a salary equivalent to a Cabinet Minister who is not a Member of Parliament (MP) was recommended for her while her husband is in office.

1st/2nd Ladies Return Allowances

First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, in a statement dated 12th July 2021, decided ”not to accept any monies that have been allocated to be paid to her pursuant to the recommendations of the Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa-Badu Committee, as approved by Parliament”.

She was moved to refund her money following what she terms as “extremely negative opinions” from critics seeking to portray her as a “self-serving and self-centered woman”.

Therefore, she “in consultation with the President of the Republic, has decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office, i.e., from January 2017 to date, amounting to GH¢899,097.84.”

Mrs. Bawumia also indicated she will refund GH¢ 887,482 she’s received as allowances from January 2017 to March 2021.

John Boadu Blasts Ghanaians

However, after the wives of the sitting President and Vice President have refunded their allowances, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority says they should pay interest on the refund.

A section of the general public too have taken the act by the First and Second Ladies with a pinch of salt as they don’t believe in the authenticity of the action by the President and Veep’s wives.

In reply, John Boadu has sought to find out what the real problem of Ghanaians are  because, to him, the refund should be enough to rest the case.

He questioned the logic in lambasting Mrs. Akufo-Addo and Mrs. Bawumia, not allowing them to enjoy their peace of mind even after they refunding their allowances.

“What is strange to me is that those who spoke against it also asked why she refunded the money and I replied; ‘so what do we want?’ The very people who were out there making all the comments fueled by John Mahama’s comments as well and now she has refunded it too, some say why did she refund. Others even say it’s not true she’s refunded it. I believe we should have patience for some of these things, he fumed on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/bb2x_ln-msQ

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

John Boadu, General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP), has come to the defence of the Members of Parliament over their $28 million car loan.

The Finance Ministry presented a loan agreement before Parliament for all 275 Parliamentarians to purchase vehicles and another $3.5 million car loan for members of the 8th Council of State to also buy vehicles.

This request has however been condemned by the general public as they argue the money should be used to alleviate the plight of Ghanaians, particularly to salvage them from the ravages of the Coronavirus pandemic.

But to John Boadu, the MPs acquiring cars is in the right order.

He believed the MPs have even been cheated because the State buys cars for members of the Judiciary and Executive.

He, therefore, questioned why it should even a loan agreement for MPs to buy cars whereas the other two arms of government get cars without taking a loan.

Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, John Boadu said; “All the other two arms of government with the level of Parliamentarians, the government buys cars, fuel them for their drivers and also maintains the cars for them. When it comes to Parliamentarians, they go for a loan for it to be deducted from their salary for them to use their car in their line of duty, but because we say they’re receiving loans, then we (the citizens) become angry because of how we’ve poisoned it. The alternative will be more expensive to this country than what they’re doing now. In my view, they are being cheated.”

”I don’t also understand the Parliamentarians for accepting that kind of arrangement. I don’t understand!”, he added.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bp0amz7PRMc

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

President Akufo-Addo with Kpembewura

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has indicated that he is looking forward to the Kpemberwura Babanye Ndefosu II prediction for the 2024 general elections.

In September 2016, Paramount Chief of the Kpembe Traditional Area, Kpembe Wura Babanye Ndefosu II, predicted that the 2016 general election then-candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will not secure less than 53 per cent of the total valid votes cast saying “I predict nothing less than 53% victory for you.”

The Kpembewura made this known when then-candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, together with national and regional party stalwarts, paid a courtesy call on him at his palace at Kpembe in the Salaga South Constituency of the Northern Region.

The chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) Charlotte Osei, declared the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, the winner of the 2016 elections, securing 53.85 per cent to beat President John Mahama.

Former President Mahama, who contested the elections on the ticket of the then governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), secured 44.40 of valid votes cast.

At the kpmebewura’s palace during his two-day tour of the Savannah region, President Akufo-Addo described the paramount chief of the Kpembe Traditional Area as the election prediction prophet and said “I am looking forward to your prophecy for 2024 general elections.”

President Akufo-Addo thanked the people of the Savannah region for the massive votes during the 2020 general elections but was however disappointed by the NPP’s failure to retain that Salaga south constituency seat saying “ after the 2020 elections, NPP seats has increased from 1 to 3 but my ambition is to work harder so that 2024 Salaga South Constituency will come back to the NPP.”

Mr President assured that the East Gonja municipality will get its share of the National cake in his second term in office

The Ghana Infectious Disease Center has warned Ghanaians against the seeming non-adherence to the Covid-19 safety protocols as it notes that government can not be of help should anyone fall severely ill.

The Ga East Municipal Hospital has disclosed that the facility lacks adequate nurses needed to take care of the increasing number of Covid-19 patients at the facility.

The Hospital is also in need of oxygen for the patients at the Hospital’s Infectious Disease Center’s Intensive Care Unit.

The number of active Covid-19 cases in the country has catapulted to 2,314 in the past two weeks as Ghanaians have let their guard down on the safety protocols.

Meanwhile, Presidential Advisor on Health Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare has warned of a third wave of COVID-19.

Acting Director of the Center, Dr Joseph Oliver-Commey said the ICU designated for Covid patients is full to capacity while the ward for critical cases can not take on new cases.

Dr Oliver-Commey noted, “the only reason why you can take patients into your ICU is when you have oxygen and adequate staff to handle them.”

“At the moment we are constrained by lack of oxygen and it is not only the infectious disease centre, almost all the ICU centres are constrained by oxygen including the use of high flow oxygen, very expensive that patients cannot afford.”

He added “we are not saying we can’t look after the patients but the things to use to look after them, the nurses, the oxygen is a problem. You narrow it down only to oxygen, I said oxygen plus the personnel, so I could have the oxygen but not the personnel and if I don’t have the personnel, why do I put a patient on the bed?”

“This is my humble plea to all Ghanaians, if you fall sick and you fall severely ill, government cannot help you, I would not be able to help you and so is your next door neighbour, so consciously prevent yourself from getting COVID-19,” Dr Oliver-Commey urged in an interview with Asaase radio

The Inter-Ministerial Committee investigating the circumstances that led to deaths in Ejura in the Ashanti region following the death of activist Ibrahim Kaaka will bring their public hearing to a close today.

The three-member committee has dedicated the day to the Ejura Traditional Council. The Nifahene of Ejura Nana Osei Kwadow Ansebie has been first to appear before the committee.

Meanwhile, one of the neighbours of the slain social media activist confirmed the police’s claim that a brother of Kaaka is behind the assault which led to the death of the activist.

Police had earlier arrested Mohammed’s brother based on information from an unnamed informant who alleged that he was involved in the murder of the deceased.

Following the incident and the alleged killing of some irate youth in Ejura by some military men, President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, in a statement from the presidency instructed the Interior Minister to conduct a public inquiry into the chaos that resulted in the death of two persons.

Appearing before the committee on Tuesday, July 13 Fuseini noted that even though he wasn’t in the town at the time of the killing, his wife told him she had seen the suspect at the crime scene.

He said “My Lord, the incident that happened in EJura started on Friday but on that same Friday I was as in Tamale. The incident that happened, it was my wife who saw. She was in her room performing ablution and she heard the sound of a motorbike coming.”

“Our house is on a one and a half plot with the other plot remaining, and their building is in the same line. So, when she heard the sound of the motorbike, suddenly she heard a certain noise. So, she just heard that somebody was screaming like the person being strangulated but that time she came out

Ghana’s Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has been invited to be part of a High-Level Advisory Group for Mission 4.7, a new global initiative to put into practice the bold vision articulated by the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) on education and target 4.7.

Mission 4.7 is a partnership between the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), United Nations Economic Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Ban Ki-Moon centre for Global Citizen, and the Centre for Sustainable Development at Columbia University.

Dr. Adutwum would be delivering a virtual keynote address on July 20th, 2021 between 09:00 and 10:00 am during one of the group’s meetings.

This was stated in an invitation letter dated 23rd June 2021 and signed by Jeffrey D. Sachs, President, United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and Stephanie Giannini, Assistant Secretary-General, UNESCO on behalf of Audrey Azoulay, Patron, Mission 4.7 and Director-General UNESCO.

It is expected that Dr. Adutwum, who is a career educationist with a barrage of experience, brings to bear his remarkable leadership in global education to benefit the rest of the globe.

Mission 4.7 will be led by two Patrons: Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the 8th Secretary-General of the UN and Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO.

The Advisory Group on the other hand would be co-chaired by Ms. Stephanie Giannini, the Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah, the Chairman of the Sunway Group, Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and the representative of Pope Francis and Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, the President of SDSN.

In his response letter to the Agency dated July 9th, 2021, Dr. Yaw Adutwum reaffirmed his readiness to take part in the project to get the best for practising the bold vision articulated initiative.

He said it was prudent for all to put their expertise to bear to help generate ideas and initiatives that stood the chance of supporting the development of education in every part of the world.

The Education Minister was upbeat that, the assemblage of such a powerful team of education experts would go a long way to gather the best of ideas and visions which could bring great change to the world through the transformation of education.

Dr. Adutwum assured the world of his preparedness to spend quality time towards the planning, discussion, and implementation of any good vision for the good of the world.

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 aims to ensure inclusive education and promote lifetime learning opportunities for all.

Several targets under SDG 4 are concerned with access to various levels of education, especially for vulnerable populations.

Timely data on school locations is essential for the assessment of students and student’s needs, planning for resources allocation and access to other services such as health facilities, and policy planning that can improve the quality of education for students.

To support the call to action, the UN SDSN’s SDG’s is providing an accessible product using open-source data to share national population counts within various travel distances and time from recorded educational facilities

The goal is to engage local students, communities, and other actors in the ongoing development of this dataset and learn how to work with education ministers and statistical offices to complement official data sources.

Background

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, who is also a Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe in the Ashanti Region, is an educationist who has spent all his life teaching, studying, and managing education at different levels and in different parts of the world.

This makes his appointment to the world-class platform not a surprise to most Ghanaians, especially looking at his performance in the past five years as a Deputy Education Minister and his recent elevation to the substantive position of Minister for Education.

He has been very instrumental since the beginning of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government in rolling out of the novel Free Senior High School initiative, the Double Track admission system among others.

All these coupled with others were part of the reasons why the President re-assigned him to be the substantive Minister for Education

President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has commissioned the Tumu Business Resource Centre, which has been established by the Ministry of Trade and Industry to provide strategic support and assistance to the domestic private sector operating within the Sissala East district and neighboring districts. So far, thirty seven (37) Business Resource Centres (BRCs), including the one at Tumu, have been established and have already commenced operations, with 30 additional ones at various stages of completion.  The BRCs are being financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), through the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.  It will be recalled that, upon the assumption of office of by the NPP Government in 2017, the Ministry of Trade and Industry took steps to realign the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) to respond to the emerging opportunities under the Government’s Industrial Transformation Agenda, such as  the 1-District-1-Factory initiative, and other related interventions. Indeed, the Rural Enterprises Programme is currently establishing some 63 1D1F projects, plus the establishment of five large Technology Solutions Centres to support industries. All BRCs are being managed by experienced professionals, have been equipped with modern office logistics, and will soon be connected together digitally through a Virtual Private Network to facilitate efficient delivery of their operations. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has engaged and signed MOUs with some key business regulatory agencies to enable them use the BRC as agency representatives to deliver their services at the district level. These include the Registrar Generals’ Department (RGD), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Ghana Investment Promotion Centre( GIPC) and Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). The BRCs are established as operational wings of the Ghana Enterprises Agency. In addition to supporting 1D1F companies, at the district level, the BRCs provide the following services to other MSMEs: training in management and entrepreneurship; business counselling and advisory services; preparation of business plans; facilitating access to financial services and credit; and facilitating access to markets. The President expressed his gratitude to the Chiefs and people of Tumu, and urged the people to offer their support to ensure that the Centre is able to provide the requisite assistance to the private sector to enhance the development of the local economy of the Sissala East district and the surrounding communities.

Lawyers for the Multimedia Group (operators of radio stations including Joy FM and Adom FM) say the media conglomerate is considering its legal options after the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong accused its staff of demanding money from government officials.

In a statement issued on its behalf by an Accra-based Law firm, A-Partners B Law, Multimedia said it “takes a serious view of the outright falsehoods of wrongdoing, including the unethical hack of saboteur reporting against Government, criminal blackmail, corruption and war-mongering”.

Mr Agyapong reportedly made the allegation on Friday, July 9, 2021, on Net 2 TV.

Agyapong’s meeting with Multimedia CEO

The statement said although the CEO of the Multimedia Group, Mr Kwasi Twum had a meeting with Mr Agyapong, the purpose of that engagement was about a petition against the move to reduce the transmission coverage radius of certain radio stations to 45 kilometres.

“This petition, delivered to and received by the sector ministry on May 11, 2018, was issued and signed by the management of ten radio stations including KENCITY MEDIA LTD’s OMAN FM. A copy, used in court on the subject, is attached hereto for the avoidance of doubt.

“That the group of stations operating including 100km coverage radii, fearing the devastating impact of the threatened reduction to their established audience reach and investment made on the strength of the existing frequency reach, felt, out of courtesy, that the said meeting be had with him as then Chairman of Parliament’s Communications Committee.

“That it bears stressing that neither did the CEO step out of his known character and established professional business conduct to discuss anything personal nor such as separately privately concerned Joy FM/MGL as a business and certainly never a word about the falsely alleged concerns of its staff”.

Staff meetings with Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko

On the sighting, of its staff at the residence of a leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, the statement said they were there on official business related to media interviews, interactions and the possibility of joining Asaase Radio.

• Sammy Gyamfi has disclosed that Lordina Mahama earned GH¢8000 every quarter as allowancenull

• Lordina Mahama is under pressure to refund the allowance she enjoyed as First Lady

• Sammy Gyamfi says first ladies enjoy other benefits aside the allowance

Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress has moved to quell the confusion about the quantum of allowance enjoyed by former First Lady Lordina Mahama.

Sammy Gyamfi told Okay FM on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, that contrary to some figures in circulation, Lordina Mahama was paid GH¢8000 every three months.

He explained that the payment of the emolument was a convention that had been practiced to provide support to spouses of former Presidents who are no more.null

He noted that aside the quarterly allowance, the first ladies also enjoyed other benefits form the state including free security and healthcare.

“The agreement was that all former first ladies who were facing some challenges were going to receive some allowance every three months. The Rawlings government did for Fathia (Nkrumah), Busia’s wife and other former first ladies.

“They also did it for sitting spouses that every three months, they’ll be given some allowances. The money was not huge. In fact former first lady Lordina Mahama took GH¢8,000 every three months. The allowance was not the only thing the country did for them, they were given offices for their charity works and other activities. Government paid for the operation of their offices and gave them cars,” he added.

Sammy Gyamfi’s revelation comes on the back of mounting pressure that Lordina Mahama refunds all monies paid her as First Lady.

Following the decision by current first Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo to refund and subsequently reject every form of allowance, John Boadu, the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party tasked Lordina Mahama to also refund hers.null

“Schandorf, let me say this emphatically. Former President Mahama’s wife, Lordina Mahama, must, as a matter of urgency, refund all monies paid to her since January 2017 till now. Those she received as far back as 2009 should also be refunded. The monies she has received from that time till now would amount to GH¢3.2 million,” he said on TV Africa on Tuesday, 13th July 2021.

First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo refunded her allowances following backlash from the public.

“The First Lady in consultation with the President of the Republic has decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the president’s assumption to office i.e. January 2017, to date, amounting to GH¢899,097.84.

“The First Lady has also decided not to accept any monies that have been allocated to her pursuant to the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee, as approved by Parliament.

“She is doing this as a purely personal decision, without prejudice to the rights of others, and not to undermine the propriety of the process undertaken by Parliament,” the statement from Rebecca Akufo-Addo said in part.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

A witness in the ongoing hearing by the Ministerial Committee probing the Ejura killings Tuesday told the Committee she saw the elder brother of Kaaka, one Baba Iddi, dragging him (Kaaka) to the bathroom the night he was attacked.

Sadia Fuseini, the witness, a tenant in Kaaka’s house, said she heard a loud sound moments after Kaaka returned home that fateful night.

“I was in my room when I heard the sound of Kaaka’s motorbike approaching the house and suddenly heard a loud sound but I thought it was Kaaka’s motorbike that had fallen,” she told the Committee.

“I came out of my room and heard someone groaning in pain so I got closer and saw Baba Iddi dragging Kaaka on the bare ground towards the bathroom.”

She said she quickly knocked the door of Kaaka’s wife to draw her attention to the incident but before she could come out Baba Iddi had already absconded.

According to her, another co-tenant who was also attracted to the scene saw Iddi as he ran out of the house.

The witness said she could not initially disclosed the identity of Iddi after Kaaka was rushed to the hospital because they were brothers and was hoping Kaaka would recover to expose Iddi himself.

She said after the death of Kaaka, her husband, who had travelled when the incident occurred, suggested that they informed the police to assist them in their investigations.

Husband of the witness, Fuseini Ibrahim, and the co-tenant who also came to the scene, Muniratu Alhassan, corroborated her story when they later appeared before the Committee to testify.

They said they had been forced to leave Ejura after their disclosure due to several threats on their lives by people who accused them of falsely implicating Baba Iddi.

Mother of Mohammed Awal Misbaw, a 16-year-old auto mechanic apprentice, who got injured during the riot, told the Committee that her son’s leg had been amputated and was still on admission.

She appealed to the Government, through the Committee, to support the boy’s recovery process.

Madam Salamatu said she did not know what the future held for her son, having lost a leg at this tender age and called on the authorities to assist him to earn a living.

The death of Kaaka sparked a violent protest in Ejura on June 29 as angry youth of the town hit the streets to demand justice for their slain colleague.

Abdul-Nasir Yussif and Mutala Mohammed died from gunshot wounds when the youth clashed with security personnel deployed to maintain peace and protect lives and property.

Meanwhile, three persons have been remanded by the Asokwa District Court following their arrest over Kaaka’s death.
Issakar Ibrahim, also known as Anyas, Fuseini Alhassan, and Baba Iddi, the brother of Kaaka, are facing two charges – conspiracy to commit crime and murder.

The three-member Committee, chaired by Justice George Kinsley Koomson, has been tasked to probe the circumstances leading to the death of the two civilians during the violent protest.

Other members of the Committee are Prof Vladimir Antwi-Danso, a Security Analyst and Ms Juliet Adima Amoah, Executive Director of Penplusbyte, a Civil Society Organisation.

Ms Marie Louise Simmons, a Principal State Attorney, is the Secretary to the Committee.

GNA

• Cassiel Ato Forson says the NDC government did not make any payments of salaries and allowances to First and Second Ladiesnull

• He asserts that a document purportedly released by the Finance Ministry on payments made to the wives of former president and vice is fake

• He has therefore asked the Finance Ministry to come clear on the matter

Former Deputy Finance Minister under the erstwhile Mahama administration, Cassiel Ato Forson, has rubbished reports asserting that like the incumbent government, their predecessors paid salaries to the then First and Second Ladies.

Reacting to a recent document purportedly released by the finance ministry, Mr Ato Forson described the figures put out as fake, urging them to clear the air on the matter.

He maintained that as an official in charge of Government Budget at the Finance Ministry the National Democratic Congress never paid any salaries to Mrs Lordina Mahama and Matilda Amissah Arthur as being alleged by the purported document.https://352c9010bd121af1555169a27abd992c.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

In a tweet sighted by GhanaWeb, the former deputy finance minister and MP for Ajumako-Enyan-​Esiam posted the document highlighting the alleged payments and labelled it as Fake News.

Read his tweet below:

“As deputy minister of finance responsible for budget from April 2016 to Jan 2017, I can state categorically that the Ministry NEVER PAID these purported salaries to both the First and Second ladies. I urge the Ministry of Finance to issue a statement to clear the air! #FakeNews.”

At the time GhanaWeb filed this report, the Finance Ministry had not commented or reacted to the statement in public domain.

In a related development, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu has charged Mrs Lordina Mahama, wife of former president John Mahama to refund all monies paid to her as salaries and allowances between January 2009 and June 2021.null

Speaking in an interview with Paa Kwesi Schandorf on TV Africa on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, John Boadu challenged the former First Lady to follow the steps taken by Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo.

“Schandorf, let me say this emphatically. Former President Mahama’s wife, Lordina Mahama, must, as a matter of urgency, refund all monies paid to her since January 2017 till now. Those she received as far back as 2009 should also be refunded. The monies she has received from that time till now would amount to GHC3.2 million.”



Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah, must do the needful and apologise to first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the wife of the Vice-president, Mrs Samira Bawumia, for “falsely” saying in a TUC statement that “salary arrears dated back to January 2017 have since been paid to the wives of President Akufo-Addo and Vice-president Bawumia”, in accordance with the emoluments committee’s recommendation which was approved by both majority and minority MPs, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, has said.

According to Mr Arhin, Dr Baah was “clearly wrong” in his statement dated 11 July 2021 asking the president to stop the payment of salaries to his wife.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fefarhin%2Fposts%2F10158620025421387&show_text=true&width=500

The TUC had kicked against payment of salaries to the presidential spouses as recommended by the Ntiamoa-Baidu committee.

A statement signed by Dr Baah kicking against the move, read: “We have followed the ongoing spirited public debate on the payment of salaries to spouses of presidents and vice-presidents”.

Here are the facts we have gathered so far:

1) The payment of allowances to spouses of presidents and vice presidents was introduced by the first Government of 4th Republic under the late former President Rawlings.

2) These allowances have been handled administratively by the Office of the President.

3) The Presidential Emoluments Committee chaired by Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu recommended that, henceforth, the wives of presidents and vice presidents should be paid monthly salaries at the level paid to cabinet ministers, as part of the privileges recommended for presidents and vice presidents.

4) The 7th Parliament, which was dissolved on 6th January 2021, approved the recommendation by Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee to convert these allowances to monthly salaries.

5) Salary arrears dated back to January 2017 have since been paid to the wives of President Akuffo-Addo and Vice-president Bawumia, in accordance with the Committee’s recommendation which was approved by NDC and NPP Members of Parliament.

The spouses of presidents and vice-presidents are not specified under Article 71 of the Constitution of Ghana. The question is: why should they receive salaries pegged to emoluments and privileges for officeholders specified under Article 71?

It is true that salaries of some presidential staffers not specified under Article 71 receive emoluments that are the level of ministers or even higher, in accordance with the Presidential Office Act, 1993(Act 463), Legal Service Act and other acts. But it should be noted that the duties and responsibilities of Article 71 officeholders and all jobholders in the public service, including presidential staffers, are clear. The spouses of presidents and vice presidents have not been officially assigned any such duties and responsibilities. Therefore, they are not qualified to receive salaries from the public purse.

Ghanaians appreciate what the first and second ladies are doing to support women’s rights, child rights, and other noble initiatives towards social and economic development of our country. But neither the Constitution of Ghana nor the laws of land assign them any official duties and responsibilities.

Therefore, the Trades Union Congress cannot support the payment of salaries to the spouses of presidents and vice presidents even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries. It is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries. The Committee probably sought to regularize the payment of allowances which were being paid already. But you cannot regularize the payment of allowances which has no legal basis.

The ongoing passionate debate indicates clearly that this issue is very important to Ghanaians. We would like to advise President Akufo-Addo to use all the powers accorded him by the Constitution of Ghana, first, to stop the payment of the salaries to his wife and the wife of the Vice President immediately, until they are officially assigned duties and responsibilities. The President should also ensure that all such payments made to his wife and the wife of the Vice-President are refunded immediately.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=2732832048&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1626187654&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FSpousal-salary-You-were-wrong-apologise-to-first-lady-Samira-Eugene-Arhin-to-TUC-boss-25818&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1626187653781&bpp=3&bdt=1427&idt=1137&shv=r20210708&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D22a84e3d43b575f4-2248b68f6bc900a0%3AT%3D1626187654%3ART%3D1626187654%3AS%3DALNI_Ma2KRLwNqs9qqiWItWn17dYbf6qVw&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=1990516595135&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=489498785.1626187654&ga_sid=1626187654&ga_hid=1754377543&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=5423&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=42530672%2C31060474%2C31061683&oid=3&pvsid=3530859795048603&pem=156&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C515%2C996&vis=1&rsz=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=1024&bc=31&ifi=6&uci=a!6&btvi=4&fsb=1&xpc=bCNPZTAEO6&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=1184

When the time comes for spouses of presidents and vice presidents to be assigned official duties and responsibilities that will qualify them to receive salaries from taxpayers’ money the executive arm of government should remember the spouses of the Speakers of Parliament (the heads of the legislative arm of government) and the spouses of Chief Justices (the heads of the judiciary arm of government). They can also perform some official duties.

We would also like to advise the President to initiate a process towards the establishment of a Committee/Commission made up of experts from various fields to advise the government on salaries for all jobholders in the entire public service to ensure fairness. The current system appears to favour politicians at the expense of other jobholders in the larger public service in terms of salaries, allowances and other job-related privileges. Under no circumstance should sections of the public service receive unfair advantage over others in the same public service. The wrongs that have been perpetuated over nearly past three decades at the blind side of taxpayers must stop now.”

[SIGNED]

DR. YAW BAAH SECRETARY-GENERAL

TRADES UNION CONGRESS (GHANA)

11TH JULY, 2021, ACCRA.

Meanwhile, Mrs Akufo-Addo and Samira Bawumia have both rejected any proposed salaries to be paid them. They have also promised to refund all allowances paid to them since 2017 to date following public backlash

Shaida Huudu swearing an oath to testify

SHAIDA HUUDU, the wife of the late, Ibrahim Mohammed aka ‘Macho Kaaka’, says the constant leakage of rots in society on social media, claimed the life of her husband.

According to her, some people, in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ejura, for some time, felt uncomfortable about the social media activities of her deceased husband.

She claimed that such people, whose names she could not disclose, had cautioned Kaaka to refrain from his activities, else they would deal with him.

The widow claimed that Kaaka, informed her about the verbal threats that he (Kaaka) had been receiving threats from these so-called NPP members she could not name.

Shaida Huudu therefore stated that the constant threats and the circumstances that led to Kaaka’s death, shows that he was killed because of his social media activities.

She made the disclosure yesterday when she appeared before the three-member committee, probing the mayhem at Ejura, which claimed two lives in Kumasi, following the death of Kaaka.

Shaida Huudu was asked by the committee about what might have accounted for the demise of her late husband, and she retorted that “it may be his social media activities.”

She said her husband, who was a popular social media activist in Ejura, posted several videos exposing rots in the community on social media and by so doing; he may have stepped on some toes.

According to her, the husband was a staunch NPP member in Ejura but his association with the NPP did not deter him from exposing what was not going on well in Ejura.

She therefore, reiterated that she was convinced that some people that did not support her late husband’s cause, worked to eliminate him.

Key Question

Shaida Huudu during the interaction, asked the committee about their real motive in conducting the probe, and in response, the committee said they were not investigating Kaaka’s death.

Chairman of the committee, Justice George Kingsley Koomson, said “the police would investigate the death of Kaaka and apprehend the culprits to face prosecution.”

“The committee would also probe the events and occurrences that led to the riots and make recommendations for appropriate action to be taken to stop its reoccurrence,”

She responded that “conduct your investigations well, and find out the one who caused my husband’s death. The one who testified against my husband’s brother should be called. We live in the same house. She told me that she didn’t see anything, but she said she only heard the sound of my husband entering the house. She didn’t see anything because all of us went to the scene to see what had happened.”

She added that “there was one of the young men who got up and threatened him that they had been warning him to stop what he has been doing, but he doesn’t want to listen. My husband asked him what he was complaining about, and he told him that all the posts he makes on social media have been tarnishing the image of the party, so they want him to stop.”

“My husband asked him how he knew about his activities on Facebook since he (the young man) doesn’t use a Smartphone. The young man got angry and wanted to fight my husband,” the widow recounted

Rainy weather conditions in the Upper West Region capital of Wa have delayed the landing of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his scheduled tour of the Region.

President Akufo-Addo is expected to be in Wa for a working visit, having been in the Savannah Region in the past two days.

Despite the gathering of dignitaries of the Upper West Region to welcome the president on Tuesday, July 13, an announcement was made that he could not land because of poor weather.

Our correspondent Abdul-Gafur Yakubu reports that the rains are falling heavily in Wa.

The President on Sunday told a gathering at the Yagbonwura’s palace that he has elected to visit each region at least once a year to keep up with ongoing development projects in the country.

Source: 3news.com

The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is calling for the establishment of an Independent Emoluments Committee (IEC) to address concerns over emoluments due Article 71 officeholders.
According to the MP, the current Article 71 emoluments regime whereby the Executive approved the emoluments of the Legislature and the Legislature approved the emoluments of the Executive was “incestuous” and lent itself to a quid pro quo system.

Review

In an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Mr Ablakwa said it had become evident that Ghanaians were not in support of the current Article 71 emoluments regime and the leaders of the nation must review it through a constitutional amendment.

“I agree with the 2010 Constitution Review Commission that it is too incestuous, I want that whole arrangement changed and I want us to learn from the United Kingdom where they now have an Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority which determines the salaries and conditions of members of the House of Commons,” Mr Ablakwa said.

“The current emoluments regime has created an apartheid regime where our conditions of service are so different from the rest of the workers in the public sector and the rest of the country. So, even when the tri-partite committee meets to deliberate on wages, it doesn’t seem to affect us,” he stated.

He said the current arrangement for approvals was shrouded in secrecy because successive Presidents had always kept the formation of the Emoluments Committee until the last hours of their tenure when it was likely to be rushed through Parliament.

“I can understand that in the beginning, the framers of our constitution wanted to do these things, particularly so that Presidents will have confidence in leaving office so that they won’t hold onto power and have input on their conditions of service and retire on their salaries.

Stability
 
Mr Ablakwa said that regime might have served the country well to stabilise the early years of democracy but just as other jurisdictions such as the UK had carried out reviews, “it is time for us to carry out a review if you look at the level of animosity and anger for those of us who fall into that category such as judges, CHRAJ, NCCE and Controller and Accountant-General and it is not in our interest because it creates the impression that there is a certain special class that only looks out for themselves and milks the system dry”.

MP vehicle loans

The legislator said he and other like-minded MPs would not be supporting a $28 million loan agreement for the purchase of 275 vehicles for members of the 8th Parliament.

He said MPs must be treated like other Article 71 officeholders who were assigned vehicles by the state for official use.
 
Mr Ablakwa said under the current arrangement, 40 per cent of the total sum for the MPs’ vehicle loan was deducted from their salaries from the beginning of the year.

“Take ministers, take district chief executives, take chief executive officers, take presidential staffers, security services, the state is able to provide vehicles for them. For some of them, there is a pool and you are able to access vehicles from that pool, including the judges who also are provided vehicles but when it comes to MPs, you have a totally different regime.

“Why is it that we are able to provide vehicles for some officeholders but for MPs we cannot, I would have thought that it would have been a lesser burden on the taxpayer where MPs can access and leave the vehicles behind for their successors”.

Personal loans

Mr Ablakwa suggested that if the state could not afford vehicles for MPs, it must allow legislators to broker personal loans for their vehicles because the current regime portrayed them as being insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians.
 
“Fortunately, the loan has not been approved yet. It has just been laid and some of us (MPs) are really passionate about this proposal and we are taking steps to actualise it

The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has charged the wife of former President John Dramani Mahama, Mrs. Lordina Mahama, to refund all monies or allowances paid to her between January 2009 and June 2021.

In a one-on-one interview with Paa Kwesi Schandorf on TV Africa on Tuesday, 13th July, 2021, Mr. Boadu admonished Mrs. Lordina Mahama to replicate the gesture made by Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-6359669600040540&output=html&h=343&adk=2673199636&adf=1913461552&pi=t.aa~a.23905774~i.3~rp.4&w=412&lmt=1626179644&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=1135190008&tp=site_kit&psa=0&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkessbenonline.com%2F2021%2F07%2F13%2Fall-allowances-paid-to-you-since-january-2009-refund-it-john-boadu-to-lordina-mahama%2F&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=317&rw=380&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1626179644117&bpp=24&bdt=7645&idt=-M&shv=r20210708&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3Da36f39884c6ba89c-2267ee976bc900ef%3AT%3D1626179641%3ART%3D1626179641%3AS%3DALNI_MZMLFA7p8Fqrl94ucBeffW7Xj-jLQ&prev_fmts=0x0&nras=2&correlator=2296299244726&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=141221971.1626179641&ga_sid=1626179641&ga_hid=721456349&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=0&ady=1208&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31061486%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=623358936094811&pem=856&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=2&uci=a!2&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=Bwpfb9YsIs&p=https%3A//kessbenonline.com&dtd=814

“Schandorf, let me say this emphatically. Former President Mahama’s wife, Lordina Mahama, must, as a matter of urgency, refund all monies paid to her since January 2017 till now. Those she received as far back as 2009 should also be refunded. The monies she has received from that time till now would amount to GHC3.2 million,” John Boadu said.

The call on Lordina Mahama to refund monies paid to her as allowances come on the heels of Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo having decided to refund all monies paid to her since 2017.

The Ghanaian media landscape has been awash with criticisms of the Ntiamoa Commission’s decision to regularize allowances paid to First and Second Ladies, whether past, present or in future.

An impression was created by a section of the general public including the TUC, NDC and some Civil Society Organizations that only Mrs. Rebecca Akuffo-Addo and Hajia Samira Bawumia are beneficiaries of these allowances being turned into salaries.

These misconceptions and vitriolic attacks have led to the First Lady declining the decision of the Committee and indicating her decision to refund all monies paid to her since January 2017.

Source: Peacefmonline.com

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Monday, 12th July 2021, commissioned the Salaga Water Supply Project, and a newly constructed Astroturf football pitch for residents of Salaga in the Savannah Region, as part of his 2-day tour of the Savannah Region.

It will be recalled that during the President’s working visit to Salaga in 2017, he indicated, in his remarks, that demand for water in the town had outstripped supply, and directed the Ghana Water Company Ltd to transform the water supply in the town, which was constructed in 1962, from a rural water supply category into an urban water supply one. 

The completion of the project, which cost some GH¢13,906,629, now means the Salaga water supply project has the capacity to supply some 20,000 gallons of water a day to residents. 

The Salaga Water Project resulted in the rehabilitation of two (2) steel elevated tanks, the construction of twenty-one (21) standpipes, the provision of ten storage tanks in Salaga, Kpembi and Masaka, the rehabilitation of the existing water treatment plant structure, and the replacement of the old treated water transmission pipelines. 

The Project also involved the renovation of two (2) quarters for staff of the Ghana Water Company Ltd in Salaga, as well as the provision of a new 100KVA transformer, and the installation of a new booster station to distribute water from the new concrete underground tank at ‘Nkwanta Junction’ to the new GRP tank at Kpembe.

President Akufo-Addo also commissioned the Salaga Astroturf football pitch, a project which was commenced in 2018 by the then Ministry of Inner City and Zongo Development. 

Constructed at a cost of GH¢1.9 million, the purpose of the astroturf pitch in Salaga, like those constructed in Madina, Bolgatanga, Kyebi, Walewale, Bolgatanga, and Yeji, is to help promote sports and sports development in the Municipality, and help unearth sporting talents in the municipality. 

The President admonished the youth to make good use of the facility, and called on the Muncipal Assembly to undertake routine maintenance of the pitch to ensure its longevity.

Bunjai-Fufulso Road

Whilst in Salaga, President Akufo-Addo also inspected ongoing work on the 71-kilometre Bunjai to Fufulso road, which connects Bunjai to Yapei through Tuluwe and Kusawgu to Fulfulso.

Upon completion, the road will help ensure connectivity between the Eastern and Western parts of the Savannah Region, without commuters having to use Tamale in the Northern Region, and also reduce travel distance between Damongo and Salaga by some 60-kilometres.

The project, which was started on 27th February 2020 and is expected to be completed on 25th August 2023, will help in the carting food stuffs from the Eastern part of the Savannah Region to the Western part, and to the Bono and Ahafo Regions.

According to the Contractor, M/S Mawums Limited, the project is currently 30% complete, and assured President Akufo-Addo that it will be completed on time. 

The First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, says she can’t accept the emoluments approved for her by Parliament.

She has thus decided to refund to the state all the monies paid her since 2017 which amounts to GHS899,097.84.

This was captured in a statement signed by Korkor Bleboo, Director of Communications at the Office of the First Lady.

“The First Lady in consultation with the President of the Republic has decided to refund all the monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office, i.e., from January 2017 to date, amounting to GHS899,097.84.”

“The First Lady has also decided not to accept any monies that have been allocated to be paid to her pursuant to the recommendations of the Ntiamoa-Baidu committee, as approved by Parliament. She is doing this as a purely personal decision, without prejudice to the rights of others, and not to undermine the propriety of the process undertaken by Parliament.”

In the statement, Mrs. Akufo-Addo’s Director of Communications argued that the First Lady did not request to be paid any allowance and that “She only received that which existed and attached to her status, albeit informally.”

According to the statement, the wife of the president took the decision because the discussions that greeted the announcement of the allowance payments have been laced with some extremely negative opinions, which she finds distasteful as such commentaries only seek “to portray her as a venal, self-seeking and self-centered woman, who does not care about the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.”

Background

The First Lady’s action comes on the back of the backlash government had received after it came to the fore that, a recommendation for the First and Second Ladies to receive monthly salaries had already been approved by Parliament.

Ghanaians were further livid because it was disclosed that, the First and Second Ladies will be receiving salaries equivalent to cabinet ministers

 Ibrahim-Mohammed

The family of the late Ibrahim Muhammed, also known as Kaaka, whose death led to disturbances at Ejura in the Ashanti Region two weeks ago, will now appear before the Justice Koomson committee probing the unfortunate incident after an earlier snub.

An earlier statement signed by the family’s Spokesperson, Nafiu Mohammed, said the family felt let down in the committee’s work in the past couple of days, hence their decision to stay off the hearing.

“Events over the past few days, have left us less certain of the scope, focus, real intent, and even utility of the ongoing inquiry. As such, we feel let down in our enthusiasm for what we assumed would provide a much-needed opportunity for truth, soul-searching, and institutional accountability for state-sanctioned violence,” the statement added.

Representatives of the family including the mother of the late social activist, his wife, and two other brothers on Monday, July 12, 2021, went to the venue for the sittings to join other relatives of the deceased who will appear to testify.

Background

The violence in Ejura occurred during protests that followed the death of Ibrahim Muhammed.

Ibrahim Muhammed, alias Kaaka Macho, died after he was attacked by unknown assailants on June 27 while returning home.

He’s believed to have been killed because he was critical of the government.

The 45-year-old was noted to be vocal on both local and national issues using his Facebook page.

Police in the Ashanti Region have since arrested three persons in connection with his death and put them before the court.

Ibrahim Muhammed was buried on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, alongside the two others who died in the protest.

A ministerial committee is currently probing the disturbances. The committee is expected to complete its public hearings on Friday, July 16, 2021.

Source: citinews.com

The linguist to the Dagomba Chief of Ejura, Abdul-Wahab Alhassan, has charged the three-member committee investigating the disturbances that ensued in the town two weeks ago to ensure that the truth of the matter is unravelled.

According to him, that is what the people of Ejura want. The Dagomba chief’s linguist made the call on Monday, July 12, 2021.

Abdul-Wahab Alhassan who was speaking on behalf of the Dagomba chief when he appeared before the committee thus urged the team probing the disturbances to ensure justice is served to the families of the victims.

“The President has set this committee up for the truth. And we know you are part of the elders of the committee and whatever you people say, it will be accepted by all.”

“We want you to say the truth as it is and not shield anyone. All we want is justice. Let the truth be told. That is all that we are interested in,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked what measures the elders of the town took when the riots started, he said they were in the process of conferring with each other but were unsuccessful.

“When we heard the riots, we were preparing on the measures to speak to the youth to stay calm, and unfortunately, we heard his grandson had been killed. With the help of the authorities, there is calm in the town [at the moment].”

Background

The violence in Ejura occurred during protests that followed the death of Ibrahim Muhammed.

Ibrahim Muhammed, alias Kaaka Macho, died after he was attacked by unknown assailants on June 27 while returning home.

He’s believed to have been killed because he was critical of the government.

The 45-year-old was noted to be vocal on both local and national issues using his Facebook page.

Police in the Ashanti Region have since arrested three persons in connection with his death and put them before the court.

Ibrahim Muhammed was buried on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, alongside the two others who died in the protest.

A ministerial committee is currently probing the disturbances. The committee is expected to complete its public hearings on Friday, July 16, 2021.

Source: citinews.com

• The Jomoro MP has said her constituents are having broken marriages because of the closure of land bordersnull

• She said others have also committed suicide

• She’s therefore calling on President Akufo-Addo to order the reopening of borders

Since the closure of land borders in March 2020 due to the outbreak of the global pandemic; coronavirus, several trading activities were halted.

According to the Member of Parliament of Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, marriages have broken down because her constituents have been badly affected by the closure of borders.

She also noted that several people have committed suicide because of their inability to refund loans from banks and other financial institutions.null

The Jomoro MP indicated that her constituents are swarmed with hardship, hence, the need for the reopening of borders for them to continue with their various businesses.

Dorcas Affo-Toffey, whilst responding to questions on the impact of the closure of land borders on her constituents in an interview on Starr News, said, “their livelihoods have been really affected, businesses have been closed and a lot of people have moved from the area. Marriages are broken, people have committed suicide because they’ve borrowed a lot of money from the banks and they are not able to repay. And so it’s a lot of hardship going on in the area.”

She described the hardship her constituents are facing as sad.

“Anytime I visit my constituency especially if I go to the border town, like Elubo for instance, a lot of people will come to me for different kinds of help like money, food, etc. it’s something they really need,” she said.

The Jomoro MP said if nothing is done about this problem, the only means is for the people to demonstrate, hold press conferences and team up with other Members of Parliament who are also in border towns for their grievances to be heard.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Some aggrieved teachers on Monday morning picketed the head office of the Ghana Education Service (GES), demanding their promotion letters and upgrades.null

According to the teachers, who numbered close to 300, GES has treated them unfairly after making them believe that they have passed the 2020 Teachers Promotion Examinations and had only some documents to submit to gain their promotions.

They claimed they later received messages that they were unsuccessful after they had visited the GES headquarters to submit their documents for verification.

“In any case, the GES could not have requested unsuccessful applicants to submit documents for further verification,” they stated in their petition to the Director-General of GES, Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa.

“The essence of requesting for further verification was to ensure that successful applicants were indeed qualified to be promoted. No examiner requests further particulars from failed candidates.”null

They claimed this was clearly an error on the part of GES and they cannot be made to be at the receiving end of that error.

“It is our opinion that the GES has not been fair to us,” they stated.

“This is a calculated attempt to deny us promotion for reasons best known to them. We cannot unduly suffer for their ‘mistake’. They have no justification to fail us after making us believe that we were successful in the exams and that we were promoted.”

They, therefore, are demanding their promotions by Friday, July 17 or embark on further action.

Source: 3news.com

Ernest Thompson

The Office of the Attorney General has refiled its witness statements for the trial of former Director-General of Social Security and National Insurance Trust Fund (SSNIT), Ernest Thompson and four others arraigned for allegedly causing financial loss to the state.

The filing was a result of a new charge sheet in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, which affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal that the initial charges did not contain enough particulars to help the accused persons properly prepare their defence.

Mr. Thompson together with then General Manager of Management Information Systems at SSNIT, Caleb Kwaku Afaglo, then General Counsel of SSNIT, Peter Hayibor, as well as John Hagan Mensah, Information Technology Infrastructure Manager of SSNIT and Juliet Hassana Kramer who is a private businesswoman, are being tried for the roles they allegedly played in the Operational Business Suite (OBS) contract entered into by SSNIT between 2011 and 2017.

Witness Statements

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mrs. Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, told the court last Friday that they had refiled the documents as indicated.

She, however, stated that it appeared the defence lawyers and the accused persons had not been served with the documents.

All the defence lawyers indicated to the court that they had not yet received their documents.

Samuel Codjoe, counsel for Mr. Thompson, told the court that the DPP had just informed them about refiling of the witness statements but they could not tell at that point whether they would be asking for discoveries since they had not been served yet.

“At this juncture, the fact that we have not been served, we will just ask for a date because we are not able to make an informed opinion as to whether we will even ask for discoveries. We don’t know whether the documents given to us initially form part of the present documents filed,” he said.

The court, presided over by Justice Henry Anthony Kwofie, a Court of Appeal judge sitting as an additional High Court judge, therefore adjourned the case to July 29, 2021.

Main Trial

The five are facing 29 counts of conspiracy, willfully causing financial loss to the Republic, defrauding by false pretences as well as the contravention of Public Procurement Act contrary to Section 92(2)(a) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).
The charges generally related to payments made under the Operational Business Suite project which the prosecution said had already been paid for under the controversial OBS contract.

Detailed Charges

Per the new charges as signed by the DPP, the ex-SSNIT Boss Ernest Thompson, John Hagan Mensah, Juliet Hassana Kramer, and Caleb Afaglo have been charged with 18 counts of willfully causing financial loss of $14,803,299.5 to the state between September 2013 and April 2016.

The charge sheet indicated that Ernest Thompson, John Hagan Mensah, Juliet Hassana Kramer and Caleb Afaglo between December 2015 and April 2016 caused a financial loss of $5,465,909.14 to the state by causing payment to be made under “Change Order 7 for the purchase of IBM advanced hardware (2 Enterprise Class IBM Power8 E870, 2 Clustered V9000 flash systems, 1 V9000 system for disaster recovery) for Operational Business Suite project when same had already been paid under the Operational Business Suite Contract.”

Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Kramer and Peter Hayibor are also facing a charge of willfully causing a financial loss of $5,141,905.66 to the state by back-dating the warranty and Service Level Agreement of the Operational Business Suite project between January and September 2016.

Again, Ernest Thompson, John Hagan Mensah and Juliet Hassana Kramer have been accused of willfully causing financial loss of $2,292,048.23 to the state when they caused payment to be made “under Change Order 2 for the upgrade of hardware for the Operational Business Suite project when same had already been paid under the Operational Business Suite contract.

Change of Order

The three have also been accused of having between October 2013 and April 2014 causing financial loss of $1,079,334 to the state when they caused payments to be made under “Change Order 3 for digitisation of existing member records for the Operational Business Suite project when same had been already paid under the Operational Business Suite Contract.”

Further charges indicate that Mr. Thompson, Mr. Mensah and Mrs. Kramer between June 2014 and January 2015, willfully caused financial loss of $100,895.70 to the state by causing payment to be made on invoice presented by Mrs. Kramer for the procurement of hardware related to member registration and re-registration exercises for the Operational Business Suite project when it had already been paid for under the contract.

The three again are accused of having between August 2015 and September 2015 willfully causing financial loss of $502,227.00 to the state by causing payments to be made on invoice presented by Mrs. Kramer under Change Order B for the supply and installation of 45 Fujitsu Fi-6770 and Fi-6800 scanners for the Operational Business Suite project when same had already been paid for under the Operational Business Suite contract.

Perfect Business System

Juliet Hassana Kramer is also facing charges of having between October 2011 and May 2017 defrauding SSNIT of the sum of $66,783,148.08 under a contract to Perfect Business Systems (PBS) Limited, a non-existent company, and Silverlake Structured Services by representing that she was the Chief Executive Officer of PBS and Silverlake, authorised to sign on behalf of Silverlake, the tenderer of the OBS contract.

Mr. Thompson is also facing a charge of contravening the PPA Act by approving the sum of $9,536,652.50 for “Change Request for the Operational Business Suite Project, an amount which is above the threshold of the head of the entity.”

Forged Certificate

Caleb Afaglo is facing charges of possession and altering of forged Bachelor of Science in Computer Studies from Georgia Institute of Technology

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will embark on a two-day working visit to the Upper West Region beginning from, Tuesday, July 13, 2021.

On arrival on Tuesday, President Akufo-Addo is expected to commence business with a courtesy call on the Wa Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, the Overlord of the Wala Traditional Area before honouring a radio programme at Radio Upper West.

After the radio programme, the President will then depart for Tumu in the Sissala East Municipality, where he will pay a courtesy call on the Tumu Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton VI, Paramount Chief of the Tumu Traditional Area and Member of the Council of State.

President Akufo-Addo is then expected to commission a Business Resource Centre in Tumu before returning to Wa where he will pass the night.

On the second day, Wednesday, July 14, 2021, the President will depart for Lambussie District, where he will call on the Lambussie Kuoro Salifu Dy-Yaka, Paramount Chief of the Lambussie Traditional Area.

President Akufo-Addo will then leave for the Nandom Municipality where he will also call on the Acting President of the Nandom Traditional Council after which he will inspect some projects in the Municipality.

After concluding on the inspection of projects, the President will have a radio programme at Nandom before departing for Wa to fly back to Accra.

It is not clear who are going to be part of the president’s entourage into the region but Mr Dominic Nitiwul, the Defence Minister had confirmed to the GNA he will be in Wa with the president for the visit.

It is expected that the President will use the opportunity to comment on the military brutalities on some citizens of the Wa municipality almost a fortnight ago when he visits the Wa Naa.

Source: GNA

Former Director of Communication at the Presidency under the erstwhile late President John Evans Atta Mills government, Samuel Koku Anyidoho says first and second ladies play significant roles in their husbands’ administration.null

According to the Founder of the Atta Mills Institute, the first and second ladies are already being taken care of by the State as they have been assigned State security and dispatch riders who are on the government payroll to help them perform their functions.

Speaking about the salary saga of the First and Second Ladies, the former Deputy General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) noted that the work of the First Lady is such an important one to the extent that they have ladies-in-waiting who are foreign service officers to perform the functions of the Director of State Protocol at official functions of the First Lady.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Atta Mills Institute speaking from experience, stressed that the First Ladies’ activities are mandatory to champion certain social and humanitarian courses as it is modelled around the American system.

“First Ladies in America are mandated to pick a social course or a humanitarian course and champion it. So, Madam Theresa Kufuor, Mrs Naadu Mills and the rest of the former First Ladies picked up a social course and championed it . . . the office that the First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo is occupying now is the same office that former First Lady Lordina Mahama used to occupy,” he explained.null

He again explained that the First Ladies engage in social courses since they cannot formally do any private business; hence, the humanitarian courses help them to be busy supporting their husbands and for that matter the nation and not idle around.

“In the fixed traditional system, First Ladies are mandated to be in charge of some state banquets, by making sure that the things are done in a certain way that their husbands like . . . the First Ladies have their itineraries on the side-line but because the President is the number one newsmaker, he gets the front page and the First Lady gets the middle page unless what she is doing is critical and prominent to get a front-page,” he posited.

“If you don’t know these protocols and details of their work, you can sit on the touchline and make a lot of ignorant noises . . . ignorance is the biggest challenge we are having in this country…,” he slammed.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ceBZAOu4AoE

Source: peacefmonline.com

The Upper East Regional Police Command on Sunday, 11 July 2021 arrested three persons alleged to be involved in several armed robbery cases in the Nabdam and Zebilla Districts in the Region.

Suspects Maxwell Ziaba a.k.a Strongman aged 19, Bodozina Awudu a.ka. Network Absorber aged 20 and Yidaana Shamshudeen aged 23 were arrested at various hideouts at Pelungu and Dakota.

Items retrieved from them included a locally manufactured pistol, ammunitions, a double-edged knife, two unregistered motorbikes, five gold detectors and mobile phones.

The Police said the suspects have admitted being involved in robberies at Tarkwa and Obuasi mining communities near Tongo and Gbane in the Talensu Districts of the region.

They have also been identified by some victims who have also identified their stolen items among the retrieved items

The Appointments Committee of Parliament will vet the Attorney General’s nominee for Special Prosecutor, Mr Kissi Agyebeng, on Thursday, 22 July 2021.

Mr Agyebeng is the Chairman of the Electronic Communications Tribunal.

He was nominated as Ghana’s second Special Prosecutor following the resignation of Mr Martin Amidu.

Mr Amidu resigned from the position on 15 November 2020 citing interference by President Nana Akufo-Addo in his job.

In a letter to the Presidency, Attorney General Godfred Dame said: “Kissi Agyebeng possesses the requisite expertise on corruption and corruption-related matters and is of high moral character and proven integrity and satisfies all the other requirements stipulated in section 13(1) and (2) of Act 959.”

Section 13(8) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) requires the President to appoint a person qualified for appointment as Special Prosecutor to that position, within six months of the Office of Special Prosecutor becoming vacant

The Chief of Staff, Mrs Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, has said the development of Ghana’s cocoa sector remains key to the country’s socio-economic advancement, with significant contribution toward the enhancement of livelihoods in cocoa-growing communities.

She was speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a six-unit school project by Cargill Ghana, a cocoa-processing and licensed-buying company and CARE International Ghana at Adjei Kojo in Tema West Municipality.

The project, which is part of Cargill’s plan to build six schools in five cocoa production districts, and one in Tema West, is a corporate social responsibility initiative.

It comprises three primary schools, two kindergarten blocks, and one junior high school in the Western North Region and Adjei Kojo in Tema West municipality.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=2366005940&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1626110321&psa=1&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fgeneral%2FCocoa-sector-key-to-socio-economic-advancement-Chief-of-staff-25783&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1626110320615&bpp=21&bdt=1194&idt=1139&shv=r20210701&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3Da1c73f65f0d82695-223dddc46ac90069%3AT%3D1626110238%3ART%3D1626110238%3AS%3DALNI_MZSDYMuuzroa53JMYmxvJUs8hbHPg&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=3211476558821&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1868038925.1626110237&ga_sid=1626110321&ga_hid=619033062&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=1383&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31060973%2C31061486%2C31061745%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=3962084683864188&pem=686&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=3&uci=a!3&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=UENO3qMbeY&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=1164

Mrs Osei-Opare said the president remains committed to supporting efforts aimed at encouraging growth and investment in the cocoa sector.

The Managing Director of Cargill Ghana Limited, Aedo Van der Weij reiterated Cargill’s commitment to supporting access to quality education.

Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Education, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, described access to education as key priority of the government, as it had invested monumentally in education, directly aligned to the Sustainable Development Goal four of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting life-long learning opportunities for all.

He also commended Cargill for their investment in education

The Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah has rejected claims that he received an amount of $5 million to supposedly influence a court case.

He has subsequently petitioned the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the allegation made against him by one Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV and his lawyer, Akwasi Afrifa.

“His Lordship has directed that a formal complaint be made to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service for investigations and the necessary action,” the petition signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo said.

Akwasi Afrifa had alleged that the Chief Justice had demanded a US$5 million bribe to allegedly influence a court case against his client, Ogyeedom Kwesi Atta IV.

The lawyer made this allegation in response to a petition filed against him by his client at the disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council (GLC).

Chief Justice responds

But the Chief Justice has debunked the bribery claims.

“His Lordship is saddened that, without any shred of evidence, his name has been dragged into this sordid and potentially criminal matter. His Lordship confirms that he does not know the plaintiff and has not met or seen him anywhere, except in the courtroom when he rises to announce his name when his case is called. His Lordship asserts that he has had no personal interaction either with the plaintiff or his lawyer on this matter or in any other matter,” the Chief Justice said in the petition.

The Chief Justice has also directed that a petition should be lodged with the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council in respect of the specific matter.https://www.youtube.com/embed/nEnAuo4P2xU

The client – Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV dragged Akwasi Afrifa to the GLC for allegedly taking US$100,000 from him but failing to ensure he gets a favourable judgement on his case as promised.

Akwasi Afrifa in his response denied these claims, saying his client rather asked him to refund an amount of GH¢300,000 paid as legal fees to enable him to raise a US$5 million bribe for the Chief Justice in order to get a favourable decision in a pending legal dispute – an allegation the latter has denied.

Some public school teachers have lashed out at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over his comment that teaching is not a profession for persons hoping to be millionaires.null

The President made the statement while addressing the leadership of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) at the Jubilee House, Accra last week.

He said, “we understand that, but nevertheless, I don’t think that there’s anywhere in the world that people go into teaching expecting to become millionaires and make money. If you want to do that, you do other things.

“You only do teaching because you want to make a contribution to the welfare of the society and you’ve done that very well.”

But teachers who spoke to Starr News in reaction to the comments made by the president are unhappy.

A teacher at Adaeso in the Eastern region, Adjei Ansah, said “for me, I was shocked when I heard the president’s statement and I asked myself whether it’s a crime to be a teacher. I think the president should apologize to Ghanaians and all teachers as well.”null

Another said, “if this should continue in the next ten to twenty years to come, no one will want to go to a training college to become a teacher since the person would want to be a billionaire and not to be a poor teacher who would even be insulted when the person asks for a better condition of service. It’s best if he apologizes”.

“As a teacher, I must say I am highly disappointed in the president for saying this. I don’t know where it is a crime to be a teacher. I don’t know why in our part of the world we tend to look down on teachers this way. I am highly disappointed. I don’t know what to say but at this point, I regret being a teacher,” a third teacher lamented.

The fourth teacher from Tema asked the president to come again saying “Mr president should come again. I mean if today you’re telling us my work is a sacrificial job, it’s mostly on service, fine, it’s the hard truth, but is this what you tell teachers? The timing and the tone, I’m forced to advice myself.”

He added, “so, this time the extracurricular activities I do, since its a sacrificial job, it’s voluntary.”

Source: starrfm.com.gh

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor on Friday inaugurated the newly reconstituted 50-member Ashanti Regional Lands Commission with a call on members to, as a matter of urgency, put in their maximum support and effort to accelerate the needed reforms in land administration.

He said the move, will help boost public confidence in the Lands Commission and push further the socio-economic development agenda of the country.

The Minister explained that, “Our quest to transform our national economy, to bring about the much-needed development and prosperity, cannot be achieved if we fail to anchor an effective land administration.”

He also bemoans the encroachment on the Barekase and Owabi Dams, which serves as the main sources of water for the Kumasi township and its environs, some of the encroachers have resorted to the use of poisonous chemicals in the water bodies, dumping of refuse, and deforestation among others.

The Sector Minister reiterated his directive to the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission and the CEO of the Forestry Commission to take immediate steps and reverse the situation in the region, adding that, “I expect this to be rectified in a matter of weeks and not months.”

He also thanked the outgone members of the Ashanti Regional Lands Commission for their dedicated service and congratulated the New Chairman and members of the Commission on their appointment to the very important office.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah said, most landowners in the region do not have valid land titles and called on the Lands Commission to facilitate public education on the need for landowners to have their title registered after securing allocation notes.

In a speech read on his behalf, he commended the Ashanti Regional Lands Commission for their sterling performance within the last four years stating that, “I am reliably informed that the turn-around time for land Service delivery in the region has significantly reduced.”

Asokore-Mamponghene and Representative of the Asantehene, Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah pledged the support of Nananom to the Lands Commission and government and called for education on the New Land Act particularly for Nananom in the region to help solve some of the land-related challenges.

The Ashanti Regional Chairman, Nana Nsuase Poku-Agyeman III, on behalf of the Regional Lands Commission, expressed his appreciation to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the government for the opportunity given them to serve.

Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/isaac@peacefmonline.com

Ghana has settled the $42 million debt it owed Nigeria Gas Company (N-Gas), making it possible for the two countries to start on a fresh page.

The settlement of the debt, among other things, enhances the country’s quest to use clean fuel for its power generation and gives the two countries an opportunity for further discussions going forward.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of N-Gas, Mr Aliyu Aminu, said settling the debt was a testament of the Ghana government’s commitment to deepen its long-standing relationship with the company and Nigeria.

 At a meeting with Ghana’s Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Mr Aminu commended the leadership of the minister, saying, “Since he took office in March, the Nigerian petroleum company has experienced a deeper collaboration with the Ministry of Energy.”

He said it was a great relief that N-Gas’ debt of $42 million had finally been settled, adding that “We are confident the relationship between Nigeria Gas and Ghana would continue to thrive under your tenure as minister.”

For his part, Dr Opoku Prempeh expressed the government’s commitment to key partnerships with all stakeholders and that the Ministry of Energy was resolved to work assiduously in that direction.

“The payment of this legacy debt was crucial because it provides the basis for a clean state for fresh negotiations which are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks,” Dr Opoku Prempeh noted.

He expressed the hope that the current synergy was a sign of good future between Ghana and Nigeria with regard to gas and its role in Ghana’s development, the minister urged N-Gas to continuously improve the reliability and integrity in their service delivery.

Background
 
The accumulation of the debt owed N-Gas started in 2014 due to the inability of VRA to pay the company.

By the end of 2016, the accumulated total debt stood at $169 million.

However, in 2017 through strategic government intervention programmes such as ESLA, tranches of payments were made to the company.

Ghana at the Committee of Ministers meeting in Lome, Togo, in December 2020 made a commitment to settle the remaining debt this year and, therefore, on the back of that, on assumption of office, Dr Opoku Prempeh ensured full payment was made.

 
 

Source: graphiconline.com

 Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah

The NIA has begun talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) to get two separate certifications to make the Ghana Card move a reality

Ghanaians will soon be able to use the Ghana Card as a passport for travelling across the globe, the National Identification Authority (NIA) has said.

The NIA has begun talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) to get two separate certifications to make the move to the Ghana Card a reality.

Professor Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, the executive secretary of the NIA, who announced this move during an interview with Kojo Mensah on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (12 July), said: “We had a beautiful meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Friday. We are talking about the modalities for getting two things done.

“One is the onboarding of the passport, data integration with the Passport Office and also even how you get to use the Ghana Card to travel.

“I indicated that the Ghana Card is a powerful tool. It already has an electronic passport on it which is valid for travel within West Africa.”

Attafuah added: “The conversation we had with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NITA is to get the appropriate certification and International Standardisation Organisation certification and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) certification, so that the Ghana Card itself can be a valid passport for travel to Europe, the American countries.”

He also revealed that his authority is poised to begin registration of Ghanaians abroad for the Ghana Card.

“There are about 55 … Ghanaian missions abroad. We are going to work with the missions to register through the ministry to register Ghanaians abroad.

“We are going to do so using staff, as we are required by the laws of these missions.

“So we will train them, provide the equipment, and they will carry on with the business of registering Ghanaians abroad,” Attafuah said

The leaders of three political parties and a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have endorsed the approval of salaries for Presidential spouses.

According to them, “the spouses of the Presidents and Vice Presidents play a vital role not only in encouraging and supporting the two gentlemen of the country but also garnering the support of the local community to address social issues through their foundations.”

The parties are Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), the All People’s Congress (APC), the People’s National Convention (PNC) and Mr Razak Kojo Opoku, a member of the NPP.

Interview

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic, the founder and leader of the LPG, Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo, explained that since the First and Second Ladies of Ghana under the Fourth Republican constitution were already receiving allowances from the state, formalising it would promote accountability and transparency.

He said unlike previously when no one knew how much was given out as allowance, Ghanaians would now know how much the state paid to presidential spouses and would be better positioned to demand accountability.

“It will give the nation an opportunity to ask them to declare their assets like all Article 71 office holders. As it is now, no one can compel them to declare their assets and the President, who is mandated by law, may decide to channel his/her assets to his wife in order to avoid declaration but now that their spouses are being paid, both will be required to declare their assets.”

Valuable advisers

For his part, Mr Ayariga said spouses of presidents had a stake in building the nation.

“They have contributed so much to the development of the nation. Most of them, one way or the other, assist the President in decision-making but it is just because we do not see what they do, we do not get to appreciate the role they play.

“Spouses play a key role in governance through the advice they offer to their partners even before it gets to Cabinet for deliberation, therefore, paying them salaries is in order. They are making some sacrifices, the trauma the President has to go through will affect the family so I do not see anything wrong when the state decides to pay them,” he stated.

PNC

The PNC in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Janet Asana Nabla, in support of the recommendation to pay salaries to Presidential spouses, stressed that the First and Second ladies were being taken care of by the state in the form of allowance provisions since the inception of the Fourth Republic thus the move to regularise the allowances now was in order.

“We rather see this to be an issue of gender parity on the part of those who are against it. It is disheartening to see some civil society organisations, NGOs, political parties and individuals kicking against the first and second ladies being on salary and citing a section of the Constitution to buttress their point when they have contributed in disregarding sections that advocate for gender equality,” the statement said.

It said opponents of the scheme should know that they were not fighting against the First and Second ladies of the land but the economic status of women in Ghana and the Affirmative Action Bill.

Razak Opoku

In a related development, a Member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Razak Kojo Opoku, while supporting the payment of salaries to the First and Second ladies, proposed that the government should present an official Bill (1st & 2nd Ladies Salaries Bill) to Parliament for deliberations, consensus building and subsequent approval.

“Through the Bill, we will be able to fine-tune the proposal and get the necessary backing from Ghanaians. We will also be able to outline in detail the job description, roles and responsibilities of First and Second Ladies under the Fourth Republican Constitution,” he said.

Source: graphiconline.com

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has kicked against the payment of salaries to the wives of President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia.

There is public outcry over the agreement of parliament to pay the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia’s wife, Mrs Samira Bawumia, salaries equivalent to that of cabinet ministers.

The salaries have also been backdated to January 2017.

Adding its voice to the many groups and individuals that have condemned the move, the TUC, in a statement, said the spouses of presidents and vice-presidents are not specified under Article 71 of the Constitution of Ghana and, therefore, wonders why they should receive salaries pegged to emoluments and privileges for officeholders specified under Article 71.

“It is true that salaries of some presidential staffers not specified under Article 71 receive emoluments that are the level of ministers or even higher, in accordance with the Presidential Office Act, 1993(Act 463), Legal Service Act and other acts. But it should be noted that the duties and responsibilities of Article 71 officeholders and all jobholders in the public service, including presidential staffers, are clear. The spouses of presidents and vice-presidents have not been officially assigned any such duties and responsibilities. Therefore, they are not qualified to receive salaries from the public purse,” the statement said.

The TUC stated that although Ghanaians appreciate what the first and second ladies are doing to support women’s rights, child rights, and other noble initiatives towards social and economic development of the country, neither the Constitution of Ghana nor the laws of land assign them any official duties and responsibilities. “Therefore, the Trades Union Congress cannot support the payment of salaries to the spouses of presidents and vice presidents even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries.”

The statement added that “it is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries.”

The TUC has, thus, advised President Akufo-Addo to use all the powers accorded him by the Constitution of Ghana, first, to stop the payment of the salaries to his wife and the wife of the Vice President immediately, until they are officially assigned duties and responsibilities.

Below are details of a statement by the TUC:

We have followed the ongoing spirited public debate on the payment of salaries to spouses of presidents and vice presidents.

Here are the facts we have gathered so far:

1) The payment of allowances to spouses of presidents and vice presidents was introduced by the first Government of 4th Republic under the late former President Rawlings.
2) These allowances have been handled administratively by the Office of the President.
3) The Presidential Emoluments Committee chaired by Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu recommended that, henceforth, the wives of presidents and vice presidents should be paid monthly salaries at the level paid to cabinet ministers, as part of the privileges recommended for presidents and vice presidents.
4) The 7th Parliament, which was dissolved on 6th January 2021, approved the recommendation by Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee to convert these allowances to monthly salaries.
5) Salary arrears dated back to January 2017 have since been paid to the wives of President Akuffo-Addo and Vice-President Bawumia, in accordance with the Committee’s recommendation which was approved by NDC and NPP Members of Parliament.

The spouses of presidents and vice presidents are not specified under Article 71 of the Constitution of Ghana. The question is: why should they receive salaries pegged to emoluments and privileges for officeholders specified under Article 71?

It is true that salaries of some presidential staffers not specified under Article 71 receive emoluments that are the level of ministers or even higher, in accordance with the Presidential Office Act, 1993(Act 463), Legal Service Act and other acts. But it should be noted that the duties and responsibilities of Article 71 officeholders and all jobholders in the public service, including presidential staffers, are clear. The spouses of presidents and vice presidents have not been officially assigned any such duties and responsibilities. Therefore, they are not qualified to receive salaries from the public purse.

Ghanaians appreciate what the first and second ladies are doing to support women’s rights, child rights, and other noble initiatives towards social and economic development of our country. But neither the Constitution of Ghana nor the laws of land assign them any official duties and responsibilities.

Therefore, the Trades Union Congress cannot support the payment of salaries to the spouses of presidents and vice presidents even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries. It is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries. The Committee probably sought to regularize the payment of allowances which were being paid already. But you cannot regularize the payment of allowances which has no legal basis.

The ongoing passionate debate indicates clearly that this issue is very important to Ghanaians. We would like to advise President Akufo-Addo to use all the powers accorded him by the Constitution of Ghana, first, to stop the payment of the salaries to his wife and the wife of the Vice President immediately, until they are officially assigned duties and responsibilities. The President should also ensure that all such payments made to his wife and the wife of the Vice-President are refunded immediately.

When the time comes for spouses of presidents and vice presidents to be assigned official duties and responsibilities that will qualify them to receive salaries from taxpayers’ money the executive arm of government should remember the spouses of the Speakers of Parliament (the heads of the legislative arm of government) and the spouses of Chief Justices (the heads of the judiciary arm of government). They can also perform some official duties.

We would also like to advise the President to initiate a process towards the establishment of a Committee/Commission made up of experts from various fields to advise the government on salaries for all jobholders in the entire public service to ensure fairness. The current system appears to favour politicians at the expense of other jobholders in the larger public service in terms of salaries, allowances and other job-related privileges. Under no circumstance should sections of the public service receive unfair advantage over others in the same public service. The wrongs that have been perpetuated over nearly past three decades at the blind side of taxpayers must stop now.

[SIGNED]
DR. YAW BAAH
SECRETARY-GENERAL
TRADES UNION CONGRESS (GHANA) 11TH JULY, 2021, ACCRA

A suspect who had been arrested for alleged rape has escaped from custody while receiving treatment at the St. Anthony Hospital at Dzodze in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region.

The suspect who escaped last Saturday morning, July 10, 2021 has been identified by sources in the hospital as 26 years old Mawuli Adzitso. He was receiving treatment under Police guard.

Daily Guide understands that until his escape, Mawuli was on remand at the Dzodze Central Police station over rape charges, until Monday, July 5, 2021 when he complained of chest pains.

He was rushed to the hospital for treatment, but escaped on Saturday morning, when his police guard permitted him (Mawuli) to use the washroom.

A police wireless message sighted by Daily Guide says the hospital alerted the police at about 3:30pm, several hours after the escape.

Apparently, the police guard, one G/Constable Stephen Kobi who was assigned to the suspect at the hospital had not reported the incident to the station as yet.

He was subsequently contacted and he confirmed that the prisoner escaped at about 9:00am last Saturday.

The constable explained that the suspect requested to attend nature’s call. To this end, he removed the handcuffs from the hands of the prisoner for that purpose.

After waiting for some minutes, he could not locate the suspect, who had escaped.

“As a rule, the constable has been given ten days to search and recapture the prisoner,” the message pointed out.

From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has assured the Ghanaian public that “no one will be left behind” as it has scheduled a mop-up exercise for the 2021 Population and Housing Census from July 12 to July 18.

Some Ghanaians have complained that they have not been counted in the ongoing exercise.

The GSS initially scheduled the exercise for March 2020 but rescheduled it to June 2020 and later postponed to 2021 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Updating Ghanaians on the progress of the census so far at a press conference on Sunday, 11 July 2021, Government Statistician Prof Samuel Kobina Annim said “data has been received on 80% of the expected households as at the 12th day of enumeration with 12 out of the 16 regions above 80%. This ranges from 97% in the North East to 55% in Greater Accra.”

He, however, said the completion rates in some districts based on the data received by the 12th day indicate that the enumeration will have to continue.

Explaining why there are low enumeration in some districts, Prof Annim said there is “some reluctance of residents in specific households to participate in the census” as well as “unwillingness of entire communities to participate in the census due to boundary issues, inaccessibility of respondents (persons leaving early for work and returning late in urban areas, farming and mining communities)” coupled with “larger-than-expected number of structures/population in rapidly expanding urban areas”.

He also noted that “whenever a member of the public calls with questions/concerns about the completeness and content of the interview, an investigation must be conducted which involves the enumerator and supervisor being pulled from the field”.

He noted that members of the public who have not been counted should contact the census call centre on the toll free number 0800-426-426 or on 059- 147-6893, 059-147-6895, 059-476-884, or 020-685-0157

Below is the full speech delivered by Prof Annim:

2021 POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS

Press Briefing

Ghana Statistical Service

| 11th July 2021 |

1. Ghana Statistical Service expresses its appreciation to the public for their cooperation with census officials during the period.

2. The interest of the general public in being counted is high. The call centre has received over 2,000 calls from the public with concerns of not being listed or enumerated; questions about the exhaustiveness of the interview, and concerns about enumerator identity. In some cases, they are also calling the District Census Officers, Regional Statisticians and other Census Officials directly.

3. Data has been received on 80% of the expected households as at the 12th day of enumeration with 12 out of the 16 regions above 80%. This ranges from 97% in the North East to 55% in Greater Accra.

4. To put these figures in context, the numbers are based on the data that has been transmitted electronically to Headquarters. In some areas, Enumerators are unable to transmit their data due to poor or absent internet connectivity.

5. Out of the 272 statistical districts, 181 are on course to complete data collection today.

6. Currently the completion rates in some districts based on the data received by the 12th day indicate that the enumeration will have to continue.

These include: a. Ga West

b. Ga North

c. Ayawaso West Municipal

d. Adentan Municipal e. Ga East

f. Ledzokuku

g. La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal

h. Kpone Katamanso i. Shai Osudoku

j. Tema West

7. Reasons for the below expected pace of work in selected areas

a. Reluctance of residents in specific households to participate in the census b. Unwillingness of entire communities to participate in the census due to boundary issues

c. Inaccessibility of respondents (persons leaving early for work and returning late in urban areas, farming and mining communities).

d. Larger than expected number of structures/population in rapidly expanding urban areas

e. Whenever, a member of the public calls with questions/concerns about the completeness and content of the interview, an investigation must be conducted which involves the Enumerator and Supervisor being pulled from the field 8. Field closure activities have begun in Supervisory Areas where work has been completed.

9. An initial mop-up period of 12th to 18th July has been scheduled to complete the work in the outstanding enumeration areas.

10.GSS wishes to assure members of the public who are yet to be counted that no one will be left behind. Members of the public who have not been counted should contact the census call centre on the toll-free number 0800-426-426 or on 059- 147-6893, 059-147-6895, 059-476-884, or 020-685-0157

11.Census Management is appealing to the members of the public who are unwilling to be enumerated to cooperate with Enumerators. 12.To persons yet to be counted, please make yourselves available by using the call back card or informing your neighbours when you will be available

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Sunday, 11th July 2021, commissioned the 85-bed Central Gonja District Hospital, located in Buipe, in the Savannah Region, at the start of his 2-day tour of the Region

The Buipe Hospital, whose construction commenced in 2018, is one of six (6) medical installations for which Government secured an 80-million-euro facility from Raiffesen Bank of Austria.

The hospital, together with five (5) others in Somanya, Sawla, Bamboi, Tolon, and Ketu North, was constructed by Vamed Engineering GmbH of Austria, with President Akufo-Addo, on 20th October 2020, commissioning the sixty (60) bed Ultra-Modern Hospital for Weta, in the Ketu North District.

The Buipe Hospital is an 85-bed hospital which is fitted with an out-patient department, Radiology unit, Laboratory, Pharmacy, Dental Unit, male and female wards, as well as paediatric and maternity units.

Indeed, prior to the construction of the hospital in Buipe, its residents had to rely on the Teaching Hospital at Tamale, or the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman. Considering the distances to be travelled from Buipe to Tamale or to Techiman, it had become imperative that Government constructs a health facility in Buipe to take of the health needs of the people of the Central Gonja District.

The President was hopeful that the hospital will help improve the health needs of the people of the district.

Indeed, in addition to the newly constructed Buipe District Hospital, President Akufo-Addo also revealed that Government has constructed health facilities in Mpaha, Digma and Tosinape and Kigberipe, all in the Central Gonja district.

Earlier in the day, the President paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of Gonja, the Yagbonwura, Tutumba Boresa Sulemana Jakpa, to thank him and the Region for the support offered the New Patriotic Party in the 2020 elections.

Touching on the request for potable drinking water made by the Yagbonwura, President Akufo-Addo indicated that he had already cut the sod for the construction of the Damongo Water Supply to address the problem.

He explained that COVID-19 had delayed the implementation of the project, “but I am happy to inform you that by the first week of August the contractor will be moving to site to begin work.”

Reiterating his commitment to construct some 1,500 kilometres of asphalt roads in 2021, he assured the Yagbonwura that the Savannah Region will be a beneficiary of this project, and re-assured the Overlord of Gonja that the construction of the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs will also commence in earnest.

New RCC Building
President Akufo-Addo also visited the site of the construction of a new 3-Storey Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) Administration Block for the Savannah Region, located at Damongo.

The RCC building is currently 70% complete, with concrete works, blockwork, plastering works, roofing, door frame, electrical pipework and cabling and plumbing pipework all completed.

Indeed, in line with directives of the President to ensure a spatial allocation of state institutions in the newly created regions, a 2-Storey Administration block for Regional Education Directorate is also being constructed at Damongo, a 2-Storey Administration block for Regional Health Directorate at Daboya, a 2-Storey Administration block for Regional Agric Directorate at Bole, and a 2-storey Administration block for Regional Feeder Roads Department at Salaga

Former Head of Monitoring Unit of the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu, has hit hard at NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, and NDC MP for Ningo Prampram, Sam George, over their threats to sue government over the official decision to pay First and Second Ladies’ salaries.

Parliament has approved that wives of the President and Vice President should receive salaries but this has been vehemently condemned by the two politicians and a section of the general public.

Kwame Baffoe, popularly called Abronye DC, has dragged the Attorney General to the Supreme Court praying the court for a “declaration that, the approval by Parliament to pay salaries to the First and Second Ladies is inconsistent with ARTICLE 71 CLAUSES 1 AND 2 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and consequently be declared null, void and unenforceable’’ and an order that “per Articles 108 and 178 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; parliament cannot, on its own accord, initiate or approve payment of any such emoluments; which would necessarily be paid from public funds; without a bill to that effect emanating from and introduced by the Government and dully passed into law’’.

Sam George, also threatening a law suit, argues that the First and Second Ladies are not Public Officers, therefore the Parliamentary approval is in breach of Article 71 of the constitution.

“As far as I am aware there was no arrangement for that, the President’s wife and the vice President’s wife are not article 71 holders.”

“I am a Member of Parliament, I personally do not subscribe to that, whether it is an NDC President or an NPP President, your wife is not a Public Officer, you wife is your wife. Are we also going to say that the Spouse of the Chief Justice , the spouse of the Speaker must also be paid? Where do we draw the line? Already they get allowances, they get protection from the state at the expense of the taxpayer and I don’t have a problem with that”, he said in an interview on Neat FM.

Addressing the issue on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”, Charles Owusu rubbished the law suits asking ”if we cancel the payment to the First Ladies, what will happen in this country? Will it cause people to die or have life?”

”Today, this or that person is going to court saying we won’t accept it…The thing is also that they are being paid already and the fact that you’re going to court doesn’t mean the government will decide today that it won’t have a budget for the First Lady’s office and the office of the Second Lady. Then we should close the office. Then we should propose that it’s not necessary to give an office to the First and Second Ladies any longer”, he expressed his disappointments.

He argued that ”just as we pay their husbands, they must also be paid. If they work, then we must pay them”.

To him, it is petty for any person to come against the salaries.

”Let us love ourselves. The pettiness is too much”, he therefore advised.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tITmwx7HdW8

Source: peacefmonline.com

President Nana Akufo-Addo is expected to tour the Savanna Region from today, Sunday, 11 July 2021.

The president will start the two-day tour from the regional capital, Damongo.

He will pay a courtesy call on the overlord of the Gonja traditional area, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boressah at the Jakpa palace.

The president will later be hosted by Damongo-based community radio station PAD FM, for an interview.

Subsequently, the president will inspect ongoing construction work on the office complex of the regional coordinating council.

Later, he will move to Buipe to inaugurate an accident and emergency centre.

On the second day of his working tour, Mr Akufo-Addo will inspect water and road projects at Kpembi and Salaga.

In Salaga, the president will also open AstroTurf and then proceed to inspect the ongoing Bunjai-Fufso road project.

Nana Akufo-Addo will leave the Savanna Region for Tamale, the capital of the Northern Region on Tuesday

Senior Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo Maafo says the debate over who takes credit for the construction of the Pokuase Interchange is not relevant.

Mr. Osafo Maafo, who cut the sod for the construction of the project three years ago, argued that governance is a continuous process.

President Akufo-Addo on Friday, July 9, 2021, commissioned the 4-tier Pokuase Interchange in Accra.

Already there is a raging debate over who takes the credit for the project with many saying the Mahama administration played a major role before handing it over to the NPP administration.

“Governance is a continuous process. There is nothing static about governance. Therefore someone will have to start and another will implement it. The government started before independence. Osagyefo brought that independence. We cannot talk about government as a singular action.”

“Yes, it is important to congratulate the government that initiated it. But somebody must take it through the implementation process, and that is what this government has done.”

He however said the Akufo-Addo administration should be given a pat on the back for maximising the resources allocated for a three-tier interchange and producing a four-tier interchange.

“This government managed the budget for a three-tier interchange and produced a four-tier one. This is something worth noting. And I think that the government should be commended for protecting the public purse.”

About the project

The Pokuase Interchange is a four-tier interchange situated at Pokuase junction, connecting motorists to Awoshie, Kwabenya, Amasaman and Achimota.

The project is being undertaken by Messrs China Zhongmei Engineering Company Limited.

The sod-cutting ceremony for work to start was done in July 2018, with the project initially expected to be completed in October 2020, but that was changed to March 2021.

The government, in May 2021, promised that the project would be completed in the first week of July 2021

Amidst the inquiry into the violence in Ejura, the Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr., says it is imperative that the source of the bullets that killed two persons is established.

“It’s a critical requirement that the bullet that killed them must be available because then we’ll be able to tell which gun shot that bullet,” Mr. Baako said on Joy FM’ Newsfile on Saturday, July 10, 2021.

Though gunfire from soldiers are believed to have killed two men protesting after the death of a social activist, the Commander of the 4BN of the Ghana Armed Forces, has suggested that some protesters armed with guns may have wounded or killed some protesters.

But Mr. Baako expressed his doubts about the suggestion from the military.

“If it were true, they would have done that crime scene management and in the process would have located shells that would be part and parcel of their defence. They don’t have it. They didn’t send it because it doesn’t exist.”

He further said the state may have to consider exhuming the body of the deceased protesters so as to unravel the truth.

“If we are not going to get the bullets that killed them because of a certain emergency situation, so we’ve buried the bullets together with the human bodies, my goodness, what are we doing? This is an exercise in futility then.”

But ultimately, Mr. Baako stressed that he did not believe that the protesters opened fire on the military.

“It cannot be true. Look, we’ve seen different types of videos. They were armed, maybe machetes, knives, sticks, but nobody can convince me that they were armed with weapons firing at the military and the police. So I cannot be convinced,” he said.

Source: Citinewsroom

Mr Alan Kyeremanten, the Minister of Trade and Industry, has assured victims of the Makola Market fire that Government will find means to alleviate their plight.

“We have told them to take their time to salvage a few more of their goods … and itemize everything and bring their lists so that we can compile and bring it to government for compensation,” he stated.

Mr Kyerematen said this when he visited the fire scene to assess the situation.

He said it was unfortunate that another fire outbreak was experienced in the central business district at a time the traders were recovering from the ‘blows’ of COVID-19, but assured of Government’s support.

Mr Kyerematen said Government had set up a committee to look into the cause of the fire incidents for more permanent and practical solutions to address them.

He said Government was reviewing the report and working closely with the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) to develop a policy framework to deal with the issues.

Dr Joseph Obeng, President of GUTA, described the recent fire incident as unfortunate and demanded the release of all investigative reports on previous fire incidents, particularly in the country’s commercial centres to enable authorities to guard against future occurrences.

He said, “we want the Government to submit the reports of forensic audits from previous fire outbreaks. That way, a committee can be set up to find a lasting solution to the issue.”

The Monday morning fire outbreak razed over 50 shops.

Source: GNA

The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo has been told that the Lead Investigator at the CID Headquarters who investigated the kidnapping case of the two Canadian girls is dead.

Samson Agharlor, alias Romeo, Jeff Omarsar, Elvis Ojiyowe and Yusif Yakubu have been charged among other things for unlawful imprisonment.

They have pleaded not guilty and are standing trial for the offenses.

In court on Friday, July 9, Detective Corporal Augustine Dery, one of the investigators told the court that, the lead investigator Chief Inspector Matthew Anokye died on May 4, 2021.

Detective Dery made the decision known when he was giving his Evidence-In-Chief as the 11th Prosecution Witness in the ongoing trial.

The Witness told the court that, he is a police officer with the Ghana police service stationed at the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit of CID headquarters in Accra.

He said, he been at the unit for six years, but has been a police officer for 12 years.

“I was part of a team of investigators who investigated a kidnapping case of the accused persons and others.

“My Lord, Myself and Chief Inspector Chief Matthew Anokye who was the Lead Investigator. Chief Inspector Anokye is dead. He died on May 4, 2021. I have with me the invitation to the funeral of Chief Inspector Anokye and identified the Invitation Card to prove that, the Chief Inspector was dead,” he told the court.

“We had a good working relationship as we were in the same unit. aside from investigating this case as a team, we have also worked together in other cases,” the witness said of the late Chief Inspector.

The witness also told the court, “I have had a professional working relationship with him for six years.”

Signature and handwriting

He told the court that, he was “familiar with the signature of the late chief Anokye as well as his handwriting.”

According to him, by way of investigating this case, the late Chief Inspector Anokye was the Lead Investigator, and so he did most of the investigative work.

‘My Lord, he was the one who cautioned and obtained further investigations cautioned statement of the accused persons and others after the BNI has handed over to us.

According to him, the late Chief Inspector “forwarded the 10 mobile phones to the Cyber Crime Unit for Forensic Analysis. Again, he forwarded the weapons to the ballistic experts for examination. I know that he gave a statement on investigations and followed it up by giving the witness statement to the office of AG.”

“What I have stated is not exhaustive of all that he did. what I have mentioned is what readily comes to me.

Evidence Act

The State Attorney prior to tendering the statement through the witness, made reference to Section 118/116 of the Evidence (Act1975) NRCD 232 to tender the statement of Chief Inspector Anokye through the investigator on the box.

BNI investigations

Touching on how investigations were done, the witness said, on June 17, 2019, “BNI handed over the accused persons and others and some exhibits to my unit for investigations.”

Regarding the said others, he told the court that, “the accused persons before you, there were others that we brought along with the accused and they are Sofianu Abubakar, Abdul Nasir, Seidu Abubakar MBA, and Abdul Suleiman alias Wofa.”

The case has been adjourned to July 16, 2021

• Politicians are killing to rise to and stay in power

• According to Assin Central MP, the practice is unacceptable

• Kennedy Agyapong slammed the media for engaging in acts that could destabilize the country

Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, has slammed fellow politicians who use unconventional tactics to arrive in and maintain power.

According to him, there are politicians who will kill their fellow human beings if that is what it takes to get power.

GhanaWeb monitored comments he made when he was interviewed on the July 6, 2021 edition of Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana talk show.

“Politicians are also part of the problem because they don’t care killing human beings to come to power but the Bible says: ‘What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his life?’”

He expressed disgust at such politicians who he said acted as though they were not going to die themselves: “You want to come to power, so you kill brothers, sisters because of power? And when they are talking like that, they forget that one day they are also going to die,” he added.

He had earlier in the programme slamed the media asserting that the kind of reportage that some of them churn out on sentitive national issues could plunge the country into a state of war.

Asked whether he was concerned about the security situation in Ghana as has played out recently, he replied: “very concerned, about the media. I have always said that if Ghana will go to war, if Ghana will be destroyed; it will be from the media. The comments they make.”

“Typical example is the case in Ejura, a brother kills a brother and it is reported out there that #FixtheCountry advocate has been killed because he was talking about fixing the country,” he submitted.

Agyapong said, he was in Turkey when he read the news of Kaaka’s death, adding, he felt bad about the supposed political reasons reported by the media, “… until I came back to Ghana and I got to know the true story of it. Who is causing problems?

“Other people have died because of false reportage, we are all losing the facts because we are not looking at where the problem started. The problem is from the media,” he stated adding that it was the reports that infuriated the youth to protest leading to more deaths.

“We have to be careful in this country, the way we give information especially with social media. I don’t write anything, I don’t have time,” he added.

Agyapong, however, said he will mark the state of Ghana’s security as nine over ten because compared to other countries mentioning especially Nigeria, Ghana was in a state of peace and security.

He slammed the main opposition National Democratic Congress, submitting that, the party had no legitimacy to comment on Ghana’s security situation because they are notorious mismanagers of security whenever they were in office.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen Aidoo, says Switzerland can strengthen its existing economic ties with Ghana by supporting the effort of the Ghanaian government to expand the local cocoa processing and value addition sector.

Such support, he explained, can be in the form of partnerships to establish more processing factories in Ghana to feed the international market with finished or semifinished processed cocoa.

He added that other avenues which can be explored together include the promotion of organic and sustainable practices on cocoa farms; the modernisation of cocoa farming, particularly, through the provision of irrigation systems; and advocating for farmers to earn a decent income from their produce.

The COCOBOD Boss made this call when he joined a team led by the Swiss Minister for Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, Simonetta Sommaruga, to tour the Yayra Glover warehouse and FairAfric chocolate factory at Suhum, in the Eastern Region.

The tour was organised as part of a four-day working visit to Ghana by the Swiss Minister.
Also on the tour was a delegation from the Swiss Embassy in Ghana, including the Ambassador, Philipp Stalder.

Mr Aidoo said the visit by the Swiss Minister was timely because it coincided with the period when Ghana is engaged in discussions with the European Union (EU) on sustainable cocoa production.

He noted the policies of COCOBOD are aligned with the global common agenda to maintain and improve forests.
As such, COCOBOD is championing the practice of agroforestry in Ghana. Cocoa trees, he stated, are forest trees which grow best in the company of other forest vegetation and that is why farmers grow other crops on their farms and as well, grow tall permanent shade trees.

Satellite images reveal that the parts of Ghana which have lost most of their vegetation over the years are parts where cocoa is not grown but through cocoa agroforestry, these parts can be made green again and their vegetations restored, he said.
COCOBOD, Mr Aidoo added, also teaches farmers the advantages of organic cocoa farming. The use of pesticides and weedicides on cocoa farms have also been banned because of their negative effect on biodiversity.

The Swiss Minister, Simonetta Sommaruga, acknowledged the importance of Ghana’s cocoa sector to Switzerland. She stated with the growth in global demand for more organic products, it is important that Ghana continues to encourage more organic cocoa cultivation.

She said, she was in the country because Ghana and Switzerland have signed an agreement on climate change which means that her country will invest in climate protection projects in Ghana. “This agreement is good for both Ghana and Switzerland”, she noted, “and for sustainable investments. I’m very glad because cooperation between our two countries works very well.”

Government spent over GHC I billon Ghana cedis in 2020 to import fertilizers, Minister of Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has disclosed

According to him, this alone demonstrated the government’s commitment towards the development of agriculture across the country.

Dr Afriyie Akoto made the disclosure while addressing farmers, inputs dealers, regional agriculture directors, district agricultural directors at Ahinsan in the Ashanti Region last Thursday as part of his regional tour.

It was in reaction to calls by especially the farmers on government to reduce prices of fertilizers.

He said government in its quest to make farmers richer has subsidised fertilisers in particular, by 40% stating “this means the farmer has extra money for savings.”

At the Amanfrom prison, the Commandant, ADP Francis M. Yelpuo, said the prison has a total of 40 acres of oil palm plantation which gives a year round harvest.https://a045521780ca592bba0330757997356f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

He said the facility has a 45 sow piggery with current total of 373 pigs, offering a comprehensive practical training to inmates and officers.

He also said the prison could boast of 73 sheep and 59 rabbits in addition to a 2-acre vegetable farm.

He continued that the prison can also boast of a 40-acre of maize and 10-acre swamp land, the multiplication of taro suckers for the ministry of food and agriculture (MoFA) for onward distribution to farmers.

The commandant appealed to the minister for a 3000L Polytank and nipple drinkers to improve the health of the animals.

But Dr Afriyie Akoto entreated the command to concentrate on projects they can commercialise to resource others

“I can’t promise you free tractors but I can offer you one with 40% reduction and that’s what we can do,” he added.

Later the minister called on the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace.

At the Manhyia Palace, Otumfou Osei Tutu II acknowledged the efforts of government in raising the level of agriculture in the country, particularly in the Ashanti Region.

He pledged his support to sustain the gains made in the agriculture sector.

Source: atinkaonline.com

Nine years after the demise of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, his emoluments have not been paid.null

According to the Founder and Chief Executive Officer Of Atta-Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho, the late former President would have been paid monthly salaries, given an office and other benefits but these have not been done since the demise.

Mr. Anyidoho made these revelations in an interview with Onua TV and Onua FM’s Maakye on Friday hosted by Captain Smart.

“President Mills’ entitlements have not been paid. If he were to be alive, he would have been entitled to an office as a former president, entitled to emoluments and all these have not been done. There are issues,” the former aide to the late Mills added.

Reacting to the news on the payment of allowances to spouses of Presidents and Vice Presidents, Mr. Anyidoho said “It’s an issue of the 1992 constitution. It’s a very critical issue because after 8-years of Rawlings, after 8-years of Kufour, when Prof Mills came, he said if we don’t do something about the 1992 Constitution, it will haunt us because it’s a living document.”

He said “President Mills wanted us to review it and that was why there was the Constitutional Review Commission.”null

“The report was ready and just after President Mills died, where is the report? Why did they issue only the white paper? Where is the report?”

Mr. Anyidoho added that “there was work in progress when the late president died so on the issue of first and second ladies we have to discuss it passionately. It’s a matter of fact that they have to be given office by the state.”

“They are already officials of the state who are being paid. They have police who are also being paid so if you don’t know, you will think they are not being paid…but they are already being paid but the committee thinks they are being paid so they are just regularizing it”.

“Husbands don’t pay their wives…its part of their duties and President Mills never sent anything like that to Parliament for approval.”

Source: 3news.com

• Kweku Baako suspects that some of the persons who appeared before the committee were not candid with their testimonies

• He does not believe the story that the Ejura youth had guns

• He is worried that the falsehood being peddled could destroy the integrity of the report

Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper has rejected claims by the police and military that the protesting youth of Ejura among other weapons wielded guns.

Baako whiles speaking on Metro TV on Thursday, July 8, 2021 said he has no reason to trust the allegations being made against the youth by the two institutions.

He said that if the police indeed made such recoveries, they should have made it public and not wait till the committee to make such disclosures.null

He warned that the peddling of falsehood could impugn the integrity of the institutions they represent as well as the committee.

“The point about the people were armed and shooting. Maybe I should be careful but I don’t believe it. I have to be honest and I know what I’m doing may not be the best but I don’t believe that story. The story that people the people had guns and shot, I don’t believe it. I’m told they had machetes, knives and sticks but if you told me that they had guns and fired …

“With forensics there should have been some evidence by now. Integrity of such enquiries are critical and integrity of institutions who testify are very critical so if there is a split-second doubt, that is the end of the integrity of the findings the committee will make. If the people were shooting, some of all these videos, you’d see signs,” he said.

The assertion that the youth of the Ejura carried guns was first made by the Commander of the 4th Infantry Battalion and re-echoed by the District Police Commander of Ejura, DSP Hammond.

Taking his turn before the three-member ministerial committee probing the incident, DSP Hammond said he did not set eyes on the gun but heard shots that he is convinced were from a pump action gun.null

He disclosed that aside the guns, the protesters also had stones, machetes and other missiles which were targeted at the police.

“The angry mob were charged, they started throwing stones, missiles, offensive weapons and sound of a pump-action gun was also heard. I moved the Police to the scene because they were under my command. They were moved from the Regional Command, so on the grounds, they were under my command,” he said.

“Did you personally see the youth or demonstrators or rioters holding these weapons?” a member of the Committee asked.

DSP Philip Hammond replied stating: “I didn’t see but I heard the sound. They were firing, I heard the sound of the pump action gun but the missiles, stones and other offensive weapons, they were throwing them.”

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The family of the slain Ibrahim Kaaka says it will not testify before the committee probing the killings in Ejura.

In a statement, the family said even though they are grateful for the establishment of the three-member committee, they do not believe the focus of the committe of will bring them the justice they require.

“In addition, having sought and obtained independent legal advice as to the work of the Committee, and our rights vis-à-vis the Committee, we have become apprehensive of the substantive and procedural regularity of the Committee’s work. We are also now concerned that the Committee’s work does not provide the appropriate framework for a full, faithful and impartial inquiry, as envisaged under Article 278 of the 1992 Constitution. In this connection, we note, in particular:

“(1) Our regret with the decision to not establish this inquiry using the powers provided for under Article 278 of the 1992 Constitution. We are concerned that the failure to institute a proper Commission of Inquiry under Article 278, means that this Committee of inquiry does not have the powers, rights and privileges of the High Court or a Justice of the High Court at a trial. As such, the Committee has no power to (a) enforce the attendance of witnesses and examine them on oath,” the statement said.

It added: “Watching the proceedings over the past few days, we have found the Committee’s inability to enforce the attendance of witnesses and examine them on oath as well as to compel any documents, to be very puzzling. We are also concerned that these restrictions put the Committee in a position where it can neither vet, validate nor substantiate any statements made before it; nor cross-examine the testimonies of the witnesses on the basis of facts independently procured”.

Meanwhile, the three-member Ministerial Committee probing the killings has asked for more time to complete the assignment.

The Committee chaired by a High Court judge Justice Koomson is asking for an extension of its 10-day mandate.

In a statement, the committee requested that their deadline is extended by six days to enable them to complete the work given them. It is hoping to complete its work by July 16,2021.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Ejura in the Ashanti region Mohammed Salisu Bamba has denied reports that two out of the three individuals arrested in connection with the killing of Ibrahim Kaaka are his bodyguards.

When asked if the suspects were his bodyguards by the three-member committee probing the killings in Ejura, he retorted: “Not at all. They are our polling station executives. My house is such that anytime any political figure comes to the area, a lot of people come to the house and everybody knows that”.

The MCE who appeared before the Committee Thursday also confirmed that Kaaka is a known member of the ruling party who attends party meetings and events.

So far three people including the brother of the Kaaka have been picked up in connection with the murder

It has emerged that government will absorb 60% of the loan being granted to Members of Parliament and Council state to purchase vehicles.

The state will also pay the interests that will accrue on the loans to be given to these public officeholders under Article 71 of the constitution.

This means both the Members of the 8th Parliament and Members of the Council of State will have to pay back only 40% of the loans without interest.

This was contained in the emolument committee report which has been approved by Parliament. According to the document, each member of these two bodies is to receive a loan of $100,000 for the purchase of a vehicle.

The government on Tuesday laid before parliament the $28 million interest-free facility with the National Investment Bank for lawmakers.

The MPs are supposed to repay the loan within four years.

A $3.5 million separate facility from the same bank has also been laid for the purchase of vehicles by members of the council of state.

“The repayment of the facility by the beneficiaries shall be made from deduction at source by the Parliamentary Service of Ghana to the NIB. The repayment by the beneficiaries and the Government of Ghana shall be made at the end of every month for the duration of the agreement,” the loan agreement presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister said.

Commenting on the development, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare said the state is giving the public officials a gift and not a loan.“Government gives the beneficiaries $27,500,000 (i.e., $100,000 * 275) and the beneficiaries pay government $11,000,000 ($40,000 * 275) over 45 months. The difference of $16,500,000 plus the interest of $4,561,666 are non-taxable wealth transfer from government to the beneficiaries.”

“You cannot give someone $100,000 plus interests and ask that they give you $40,000 over 4 years and call that a loan. Plainly, you are giving the person a non-taxable gift of $60,000 plus interest structured to disguise its substance. Let us call a loan a loan and a gift a gift”

The largest aircraft in the world, “Antonov An-225 Mriya” has landed at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

Only two of such aircraft were built.

The current Antonov An-225 Mriya, which is the only one in operation, according to Aviation Ghana, flew from Leipzig and successfully landed at KIA shortly after 4pm on 7 July 2021.

It is a six-engine plane.

The arrival of the aircraft gives credence to the fact that Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport is capable of hosting all types of aircraft.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya is a six engine, strategic heavy lift cargo transport aircraft designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau (ADB) of Ukraine. The term Mriya refers to the word dream or inspiration in English. Its NATO reporting name is Cossack.

The aircraft was derived from the An-124 Ruslan (NATO: Condor). Cossack is the heaviest fixed wing aircraft in the world to carry 640t of cargo. It is bigger than an Airbus 380 airliner, the An-124 and the Boeing 747 Freighter.

Source: www.dailymailgh.com

The Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Eric Kyei-Baffour, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as a High Court judge, has acquitted and discharged Ms Kate Quartey-Papafio, the Managing Director of Reroy Cables Limited, in the ongoing trial with three others (William Ato Essien, founder of the now-defunct bank; Rev. Fitzgerald Odonkor, the Managing Director of the bank and Mr Tettey Nettey, the Managing Director of MC Management Services, a company said to be owned by Essien) accused of conniving to steal some GH₵620 million of liquidity support given to Capital Bank by the Bank of Ghana, which led to the bank’s collapse.

They all pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing, abetment to stealing, conspiracy to steal and money laundering.

Ms Quartey-Papafio’s lawyers, however, filed an application of no-case resulting in her acquittal and discharge.

Her role, in the scheme of things, was also described as childish by the judge.

According to Justice Kyei Baffour, the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against Ms Quartey-Papafio to warrant a defence, since no evidence showed she intended or acted in a way to steal money from the bank but was just a trustee for another person who wanted to purchase shares from the bank but had no knowledge that the said money was part of the liquidity support.

Also, the court held that the GH₵70 million in question was still in the custody of the Consolidated Bank and had not been appropriated or stolen by the businesswoman.

“A prima facie case has not been established against her. Rather, she acted childishly in the deal. The law does not punish the fool but the one with evil intention,” the court ruled.

The court, however, ruled that the three other accused persons have a case to answer since the prosecution successfully established a prima facie case against them.

The three were, thus, ordered by the judge to open their defence.

Capital Bank went under in 2017 during the Bank of Ghana’s onslaught on struggling banks

The Baastona police command has rescued 10 Nigerians from their traffickers at Coastal Estates Down on the Spintex road.

The police said on 6 July 2021 at about 4 pm, a distress call indicated that someone needed help from a house at Coastal Estate Down.

The police followed up to the scene anddiscovered that one Amas Ekhosuehi, 24, a Nigerian and his five accomplices, also Nigerians, had lured 10 Nigerian young men into Ghana through the closed borders to engage them in cyber fraud.

The young men, who looked pale and malnourished, according to the police, had several marks of assault on their backs.

The victims claimed they were lured in batches to Ghana to seek greener pastures but camped in a house and prevented from going out once they arrived.

They were also physically abused each time they requested food or failed to swindle unsuspecting victims to send money, the police noted.

The five other suspects gave their names as Apostle Sunday, 27, from Akwa Ibom State; Monday Echeh, 25, from Edo State; Aboki O.C, 21, from Edo State; Patrick Odez, 26, from Cross River State; and Henry Ochuko, 26, from Edo State.

Their victims are between the ages of 21 and 24.

The police retrieved 14 laptops from the house where the victims had been camped.

The suspects are in police custody and being processed for court.

The Ghana Immigration Service and the Human Trafficking Unit are being involved to assist the police with the investigation

DCOP David Agyemang Adjem

The Ashanti Regional Police Command say they were overwhelmed by the events that led to the death of two persons during the June 29 Ejura youth protest, which turned violent.

Ashanti regional Deputy Regional Police Commander Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) David Agyemang Adjem, , told the Ministerial Committee investigating the Ejura Disturbances that the Command did not anticipate the event, in the Ejura-Sekyedumase District in the Ashanti Region, to degenerate into such violence.

Four other persons were injured in the incident, which followed the burial of Ibrahim Muhammed, alias Kaaka Macho.

Kaaka, 45, described as a social media activist, died at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Hospital, on Monday, June 28, while receiving treatment from injuries he sustained from attacks by some unknown assailants, when returning home on his motorbike on Sunday dawn.

DCOP Agyem said though the Police had intelligence that there could be a protest after the death of Kaaka, they did not expect the situation to get out of hands, especially with the presence of the military.

He said the Police had assumed that the presence of the military would have scared the protesters and stated that the assumption was miscalculated.

Answering questions on why his men on the field did not use teargas and other safer riot control mechanisms, he responded that the team did not have teargas on that particular day.

He said both the Police and the Military did not deploy personnel to Ejura to kill anyone but to protect lives and property, therefore, it was unfortunate that two lives were lost.

He said despite the professionalism exhibited by the security personnel, the angry youth pelted them with every object they could lay their hands on.
This, he explained, forced the Police to retreat for the Military to take over the operation.

The Police operations, according to the Deputy Regional Commander, focused more on protecting vital government installations, such as the Municipal Assembly’s building and the Police Station because they had picked intelligence that the youth were targeting those facilities.

Abdul-Nasir Yussif and Mutala Mohammed died from gunshots during the incident.

This sparked public outcry over the deployment of the military in domestic riot control operations and the use of safe but effective riot control mechanisms.

Meanwhile, three persons have been remanded by the Asokwa District Court following their arrest over Kaaka’s death.

Issakar Ibrahim, also known as Anyas, Fuseini Alhassan and Iddi Mohammed, the brother of Kaaka, are facing two charges – conspiracy to commit crime and murder.

The three-member Ministerial Committee investigating the Ejura disturbances, is chaired by Justice George Kingsley Koomson, a Court of Appeal Judge, with Prof Vladimir Antwi-Danso, a security analyst and Ms Juliet Adiema Amoah, Executive Director of Penplusbyte, a civil society organisation, as members.

The sittings, which started on July 6, are held at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi.
The Committee has 10 days to present its report after their investigation.
GNA

Lordina Mahama, the wife of former President Mahama, was a businesswoman. My sources close to the former first family say, at a point in the life of her husband’s political career, proceeds from her business were what kept the family.

Could she still have been a businesswoman when her husband became the President of Ghana? Could she have put in bids for government or private contracts without having an undue advantage over her competitors or being cited for conflict of interest?

What about the important roles they play and the projects, programmes and causes they champion? Are those roles not useful to Ghanaians?

If we have forgotten what former first ladies did, what about what is happening now? Yesterday, we were praising Rebecca Akufo-Addo for mobilising resources to build critical healthcare facilities. Samira Bawumia, on the other hand has undertaken projects, including a literary project that saw the award of handsome prizes to young writers across the country.

Today, I hear people saying the first lady does nothing. That is not true. The “witches” of Gambaga should still remember the role the Lordina Foundation played in their lives.

I am strongly in favour of paying salaries to the wives of the President and Vice President if it is done according to law.

I have read well-reasoned arguments from the likes of H Kwasi Prempeh on the matter. I agree that in the current loose arrangement, it will be illegal to include them in Article 71 bracket. We cannot also pay them like public office holders without any well-defined roles and accountability.

But what is the reality currently? If those opposing the paying of salary knew the amounts of resources that are channeled into the running of the Office of the First Lady, they would want the office normalised with spelled out functions and avenues for accountability.

What we cannot stop, let us regulate, especially when the argument that “they don’t do anything” isn’t true.

The presidential spouses, beyond the projects and programmes we see them undertake, also play very important roles using soft power and diplomacy to resolve certain grievances. They have international engagements and are sometimes required to follow their husbands on official trips, and we spend on them.

Properly defining their role and paying them while they are in office will help us to hold them accountable. We may be getting value for money instead of the current arrangement appears very opaque and can be abused easily.

I am in favour of paying them, but it should be done within the confines of the law.

• Kennedy Agyapong has reiterated that he has no presidential ambitionsnull

• The Assin Central MP believes the 2024 elections could be won by the NDC

• He says if he ever becomes president, he will be an effective and thorough leader

The Assin Central Member of Parliament has reiterated that he is not interested in becoming president of Ghana but if that possibility presents itself, he will discharge his duty with ruthless efficiency.

According to Kennedy Agyapong, as president of the republic, he will heed to calls to fix the country and that he will do so in a space of 24 months.

GhanaWeb monitored comments he made on the Good Evening Ghana show on Tuesday, June 6. He said: “If I want to be president, I will be president in style ooo, I will whip you good.null

“You want to fix the country? You will see that in two years Ghana has been fixed. Even if your tie is crooked, I will let you know and ask you to straighten it, because that is what we need,” he stressed.

He added that the 2024 presidential election was for the ruling New Patriotic Party to lose if they do right by Ghanaians.

He is quick to point out that the party will have to to deal with the 8-year cycle where a ruling party is traditionally kicked out of office.

He said all known aspirants who were pushing their candidacy in subtle ways were not helping the cause of the party and the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Meanwhile, you can nominate personalities and organisations for the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards, the people’s choice award scheme aimed at acknowledging personalities, groups, and organisations who have contributed immensely to the development of Ghana.null

Nominations are unlimited and end on August 31, 2021.

Below are the seventeen categories and their criteria to guide your nominations.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

 Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has explained that the payment of allowances to spouses of Presidents and Vice Presidents is not a new phenomenon.

According to him, the allowance payments were instituted under the Kufuor administration, but were only being formalised by the current government.

“President Kufuor, in his wisdom, instituted this because of the bad situations of some spouses of some former heads of states then. President Mills and Mahama even increased the rates of these benefits during their time.”

This issue is gradually dominating discussions in the country following claims that President Akufo-Addo had given approval for his wife, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and the wife of Dr. Bawumia, Mrs. Samira Bawumia to receive the same salaries as Cabinet ministers.

Oppong Nkrumah told Daily Graphic that those claims were misleading.

“The President does not approve salaries and benefits for the Executive. Under Article 71, the First Lady and Second Lady are not office-holders, so no one can determine their benefits under that article.”

“However, a committee [on emoluments] only recommended that an arrangement for the spouses be made formal and that received approval from Parliament,” he indicated.

The Information Minister in the interview disclosed that: “The truth of the matter is that, all surviving spouses of Heads of State, current and former, have always received salaries. Lordina Mahama, Naadu Mills, Matilda Amissah-Arthur, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Faustina Acheampong, Fulera Liman etc have all been receiving salaries since President Kufuor’s time.”

“What has happened now is that the arrangement has been made formal, but that was done legally based on the recommendation by the Emoluments Committee [in 2019],” the Information Minister clarified.

The Emolument Committee

The five-member emolument committee was set up in June 2019 by President Akufo-Addo to make recommendations to him and to Parliament on the salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities and privileges available to article 71 officeholders.

Under the chairmanship of Prof. Ntiamoa-Baidu and which also had former Majority Leader and former Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Dr Edward Kwapong, the current Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency, Dr Eric Oduro Osae, and a former Managing Director, Donewell Life Insurance Co. Ltd, Mrs Stella Segbawu, the committee had two terms of reference.

They were charged to make recommendations in respect of emoluments and other privileges for article 71 officeholders, as specified under the Constitution; and also to examine any other relevant matter which the Committee deemed appropriate to its work.

Similar committees set up in the past were at various points chaired by Prof. Miranda Greenstreet, Mrs Mary Chinery-Hesse, Mr Ishmael Yamson, Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy, and Prof. Francisca Edu-Buandoh.

Source: citinewsroom.com

The Vice-Chairman of Finance Committee of Parliament Patrick Yaw Boamah has described as unfair and misplaced criticisms against a $28million facility for procurement of vehicles for lawmakers in the 8th parliament.

According to the Okaikoi Central MP, the Legislature is the only arm of government where individuals purchase and fuel their own vehicles.

The government on Tuesday laid before parliament a $28 million interest-free facility with the National Investment Bank for lawmakers to purchase vehicles.

The MPs are supposed to repay the loan within four years.

A $3.5 million separate facility from the same bank has also been laid for the purchase of vehicles by members of the council of state.

The development as always has generated public outcry.

Speaking to the media Mr. Yaw Boamah asked his colleagues to reject the deal so the state is compelled to purchase official vehicles for MPs just as it does for ministers and other members of the executive and judiciary.

He told parliamentary correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan “if I have the power I’ll ask my colleagues to reject the facility. The simple reason that all the other arms of government, vehicles are procured for them without having to go through this process where the media is always on the back of MPs for contracting a loan.”

“I don’t see the reason why we should be the subject of this public bashing. Because it’s a loan agreement that the finance ministry contracted with the Investment Bank of Ghana for MP’s and members of the council of state.”

He stressed: “like you rightly said, it’s done after every four years but I’ve never heard of anybody talking about why we procure loans for members of the Council of State. Because MPs are easy targets, it’s a necessary evil.”

“But nobody has asked of why the state from the executive and the judiciary are given vehicles without having to procure a loan. That’s why I’m saying that if I have my way I’ll ask MPs to reject the loan and ask the government to procure vehicles for us to use in the performance of our duty. After four years we leave the vehicle for them.”

He added, “before I started taking my salary in the eighth parliament, I was given a notice that from February a certain amount of money will be deducted from my salary in anticipation of this loan which is yet to be approved in July.”

“So, from February this year, I started paying even though I hadn’t s seen the loan. That one nobody saw anything wrong with 

The police in Bawku in the Upper East Region has arrested one Solomon Alima, 28, and Mumuni Bawa, 33, for stealing and dishonestly receiving, respectively.

Suspect Alima, according to the police, sold a stolen motorbike to Bawa and when they were exchanging the bike for cash on the dawn of Sunday, 4th July 2021, they were arrested upon a tip-off.

A search at the residence of Bawa at Gingande, a suburb of Bawku, led to the retrieval of another motorbike and eight fake motorbike registration numbers.

Several notes of dollars (USD), suspected to be fake, were also retrieved.

Bawa admitted to regular purchasing of stolen motorbikes from different persons and selling same at Bawku and the surrounding communities or at Dapango, a community in neighbouring Togo.

In another exercise, suspect Atampulgri Akolgo, 44, was arrested for the robbery of a motorbike by the regional police command.

The police has warned of the sale of stolen motorbikes to innocent purchasers and encouraged the buyers to come forward to assist with the investigation.

Seasoned journalist, Kweku Baako has commended the Police and the ”March for Justice” organizers for a peaceful protest on Tuesday, July 6, 2021.

Some members and supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) hit the streets of Accra to convey their grievances to the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo.

They protested against the killing and citizens’ brutality by security forces.

Clad in red, the protesters held placards with various inscriptions including “Akufo-Addo, you are a dictator“, “Kum Yen Preko“, “We feel your silence Akufo-Addo and Bawumia“, “Ghanaian lives matter”, “Ahmed Suale deserved to live“, “No justice for the dead“, “no peace, #WeAreAllKaaka” among others.

Discussing the protest on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”, Kweku Baako expressed delight that the protesters were allowed to exercise their right to demonstrate in a peaceful and lawful manner.

”I was very happy that the demonstration took place and that it was peaceful…I was pleasantly happy when I heard the Police had agreed to allow the organizers of this NDC youth demo to come off on the 6th and these are the routes…I was damn happy and what is more is it was also peacefully done. It went so good. Perhaps, they laid the foundation for the [you know] continued relaxation of the restrictions”, he said.

To him, the cooperation between the protesters and the Police sends a right message about Ghana saying ”the organizers and the Police collaborated well and cooperated very well, and, at the end of the day, it’s a plus for Ghana; a plus for our democratic consolidation exercise. I’m damn, damn happy…I salute the Police, Ghana Police. I salute the organizers of the demonstration as well; fantastic job done!”.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mk5Yr5FZ5LA

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has submitted to Parliament for approval a loan agreement of US$28 million pending consideration by the Finance Committee.null

This is for the purchase of 275 vehicles for members of the 8th Parliament.

Parliament has also approved a US$200 million World Bank loan to buy COVID-19 vaccines.

The amount which was approved on Tuesday, July 6 will also be used to cater for other activities to strengthen the health system.null

A report by the Finance Committee indicated that out of the US$200 million, UA$137.15million will be spent specifically on vaccine procurement.

Portions of the report read “The committee was informed that each dose of the vaccine is estimated to cost US$10.55.”

The report added that, “this financing would provide improved access to affordable and equitable COVID-19 vaccines, strengthen the system for effective deployment as well as enhance preparedness and response to the Ghana COVID-19 strategic preparedness and response programme.

”Source: 3news.com

Government is set to endorse a comprehensive National Integrated Maritime Strategy that will enhance interagency cooperation and thereby boost the collaboration among Land, Sea and Air Forces and key stakeholders in the country, Vice President Bawumia has disclosed.

The Strategy is part of ongoing efforts by government to put in place a framework, in collaboration with other stakeholders across the world, to address the surge in attacks by Pirate Action Groups (PAGs) and increasing incidences of Kidnapping For Ransom (KFR) in the Gulf of Guinea, a key maritime highway for international commerce. 

Addressing participants at the ongoing International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEC ‘21) in Accra on Wednesday, 07 July 2021, Vice President Bawumia said government is determined to modernize and re-equip the Ghana Navy and other sectors of the Ghana Armed Forces as well as key stakeholders to scale up their level of readiness to face the growing challenge.

“For a start, the government is acquiring Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Fast Patrol Boats and Crafts. In addition, the government is making funds available for the timely completion of the Forward Operating Base at Ezinlibo and there are plans to establish similar bases on our coastal frontiers.  The government will also see to training and welfare of the Naval Personnel to put in their best and to remain professional in the discharge of their duties.

“Other stakeholders are not being left out of the task as the Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the Fisheries Sector, the various institutions in the oil and gas sector and the entire maritime industry, are being supported and encouraged for their own transformation. 

“That is not all, government is set to endorse a comprehensive National Integrated Maritime Strategy that will enhance interagency cooperation and thereby boost the collaboration among Land, Sea and Air Forces and key stakeholders in the country. This is required because securing the maritime domain for a developed blue economy entails coordinated actions among all key stakeholders in the country” he emphasized. 

Citing statistics, including a 34% increase in actual and attempted pirate attacks in 2020 in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as a rise in the number of cases of Kidnapping for Ransom (KFR) and hostage-taking, which indicate that in 2020, 130 out of 135 persons kidnapped globally were reportedly abducted in the Gulf of Guinea alone, Vice President Bawumia reminded participants that criminals are not bothered by international boundaries. 

“It is important to remind ourselves that the threats to maritime security and safety transcend borders. They affect international trade. A threat to one coastal nation is a threat to others. The sea is the super highway for global trade and Africa’s quest for a Continental Free Trade Area cannot be successful without a secured maritime domain. 

“A more serious concern is the fact that the criminals at sea are evading counter-piracy measures and have even become emboldened thereby scaling up the insecurity and threat profile in the Gulf of Guinea.  Reports indicate Pirate Action Groups have increased their operational range while the spread of attacks has also changed from the primary enclave in the Niger-Delta extending both westwards and south-eastwards to the whole of the Gulf of Guinea region.

“The Ghana government therefore deems it important to ensure effective cooperation and positive collaboration among Regional Navies through coordinated maritime law enforcement activities especially the integration of the Naval and Air Forces’ efforts in suppressing insecurities in the maritime sector, building trust among partners through information-sharing and application of best management practices

The commanding officer of 4BN, Lieutenant Colonel Kwasi Ware Peprah, has told the three-member committee investigating the Ejura disturbances that led to the shooting to death of two protesters who were marching to demand justice for slain social media activist Ibrahim Kaaka Mohammed, that he suspects the bullets that killed the marchers could have been from their colleague gun-toting demonstrators.

“The aim was not to kill”, he told the committee, adding: “It was just unfortunate”.

“If the aim was to kill, I would have gotten not less than 100 people dying”, Lt. Col. Peprah told the committee.

“As a matter of fact”, he noted, “I even suspect the weapons that fired from the protesters might have killed one of them”.

According to him, “the soldiers started firing into the air” but “If you are not a professional and there’s another rifle firing, you wouldn’t know and that is how come some people are saying that they were not handling weapons”.

“When an M16 rifle fires, I know. When a G3 rifle fires, I know. But the ordinary civilian doesn’t know. The media wouldn’t know. All you hear is gunshots into the air and it started when the soldiers came, so, you assume that it’s only soldiers who are firing”, Lt Col Peprah said.

Earlier, another military officer told the committee that some of the Ejura protesters started firing first at the security personnel before they also responded by targeting those who shot at them.

Brigadier General Joseph Aphur, General Officer Commanding Central Command told the committee that the security personnel first issued verbal warnings and fired warning shots but that did not deter the angry youth.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=520316108&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1625671004&psa=1&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FBullets-from-gun-toting-Ejura-protesters-may-have-killed-their-colleagues-4BN-C-der-25691&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1625671003356&bpp=4&bdt=1094&idt=965&shv=r20210630&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D55f561b29627dbae-22c4318063c90069%3AT%3D1625670130%3ART%3D1625670130%3AS%3DALNI_MaPOZ4fBUuwMEFPM6xoz6_3yPT7Ig&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=5341844063708&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1797350425.1625670129&ga_sid=1625671004&ga_hid=110651958&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=2352&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=44&eid=31060474&oid=2&pvsid=13533390887820&pem=924&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=yNQWloMHDJ&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=985

He said they had no choice but to fire into the crowd targeting those who were firing gunshots at them.

Brigadier Aphur explained: “When we got to the general area of the cemetery, and they [protesters] started issuing warning threats to the police and military team, we started giving verbal warnings, which we do in the military, but they didn’t listen”.

“So, we fired warning shots, and we realised that some shots were also fired from the crowd. At that stage, it was becoming too bad for civilians to be firing at the security personnel.”

“I think the commander, at that stage, then had to use minimum force by ordering his personnel to begin firing at those who were firing from the crowd to maim them”.

“After our fire, we didn’t have instant deaths. They were evacuated to the hospital, where we later heard two died”, he said.

“But, at the instant of our fire, the crowd withdrew and everything came under our control,” he added.

He further told the committee that the situation could have been worse if they had not taken those steps.

“Of course, when you [security personnel] fire warning shots, and you see people firing from the crowd, certainly you have to use live ammunition to maim them because after, we also arrested two persons with weapons that we have reported to the police.”

Wednesday is day two of the committee’s sitting.

The Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, under the instruction of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, appointed the three-member committee on Thursday, 1 July 2021, to enquire into the circumstances that led to the shooting of two civilians by military personnel during a demonstration by angry youth of Ejura, following the murder of Ibrahim Mohammed aka ‘Kaaka’, a social media activist

After requesting for the presence of the Military at a civil protest in Ejura as Chairman of the Ashanti Regional Security Council, Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, says he does not know the identities of the soldiers who shot and killed two protesters and injured four others.

According to him, a preliminary investigation conducted into the matter is yet to reveal the identities of the operatives.

Two residents of Ejura, Nasir Yussif and Murtala Mohammed, were shot dead by soldiers during a protest against the killing of another native of the town, Ibrahim Mohammed alias Macho Kaaka.

Out of the four other persons who sustained gunshot wounds, one of them, a sixteen year old boy, has had one of his legs amputated at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Taking his turn at the ministerial committee hearing in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional Minister justified the inclusion of the military during the operation to restore calm in the town.

“…As I was informed, the military moved forward for the police to be behind them because their method to disperse the crowd failed. It was during that period that I was told the shooting incidents or whatever took place, but as to who gave the shots, I have not been informed yet or to say it has not been established yet.”

Mr. Osei-Mensah, however, defended the military involvement in the protest.

According to him, he needed to restore calm to save lives and property, and does not think the collaboration between the two agencies should end. He said he acted in line with the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 1030.

“I’ve used this strategy all this while. This is the first time we have casualties, and I think we should continue with it,” Mr. Osei-Mensah said.

Background

The violence occurred during protests that followed the death of Ibrahim Muhammed.

Ibrahim Muhammed, alias Kaaka, died after he was attacked by a mob on June 27 while returning home.

He’s believed to have been killed because he was critical of the government.

The 45-year-old was noted to be vocal on both local and national issues using his Facebook page.

Police in the Ashanti Region have since arrested three persons in connection with his death and put them before the court.

Ibrahim Muhammed was buried on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, alongside the two others who died in the protest.

Source: Citinewsroom.com

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested five persons for their involvement in the Ntonso-Aboaso clashes on Monday, July 05.

The skirmishes, said to have been sparked by tension between two youth groups in the kente-weaving community, located within the Kwabre-East District, resulted in the damage to property, with minor injuries to some members of the feuding factions.

Vehicles were smashed and some shops vandalized in the heat of the confrontation, which necessitated a police reinforcement to maintain law and order.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Godwin Ahianyo, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), briefing the media in Kumasi, said after screening by the Command, three out of the five suspects were charged with rioting with weapons.

They include Nantogma Shau, a barber, 20, Ernest Boakye, a driver’s mate, 22, and Kwadwo Manu, a driver’s mate, 23, who are all expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, July 07.

The other two persons, according to the Police PRO, had been cautioned and granted police enquiry bail.

A visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to Ntonso-Aboaso on Tuesday, saw a police patrol team on duty to deal with any emergency.

There had been an uneasy calm amongst some youth groups in the area recently, a development which reportedly ignited the clash.

Source: GNA

Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, says government will investigate the cause of the fire incident at Makola on Monday morning and reach out to the victims.

The MCE who visited the fire scene to assess the situation said it was unfortunate that another fire outbreak was experienced in the central business district, but assured of government’s support.

The fire, which started around 7:30am on Monday was brought under control after about five hours.

Firefighters had to be moving to Alajo, Ministries, and Nkrumah Circle to refill their fire tenders to control the inferno, which razed two floors of a four storey building trading centre.

The Mayor noted that the major challenge to the firefighting exercise was low pressure hydrants in the business district and said, “Moving forward, we have to work closely with the Ghana Water Company to look closely into the water pressure but alternatively we are thinking of looking at a bore hole in some of these strategic areas to see if they can help in getting enough water to fight fire within the central business district.”

Mr Sowah said the population and trading activities made the place a high risk area, needing constant attention.

Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo Constituency, Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye, commended the GNFS for saving parts of the building and other shops around.

He said after dousing the fire, a structural integrity assessment would be done for the building to know if it was fit for occupancy.

Earlier, a Fire Officer who sought anonymity told the GNA that congested access was hindering firefighting activities.

The source said dozens of firemen had a hard time extinguishing the fire and only managed to control it after five hours of fighting, with the main challenge being congested access.

The GNA gathered that 10 fire tenders, including; one from the Military, were used in controlling the inferno.

Divisional Officer II, Ellis Robinson Okoe, the Head of Public Relations, GNFS, told the media that it was difficult for personnel of the Service to save two floors of the storey building.

He said the GNFS had a distress call at 0900 hours and arrived at the scene within 10 minutes but had difficulty accessing the place.

The PRO also noted that all fire hydrants at the Makola Market did not have the needed pressure for, which reason they had to go to Alajo, Nkrumah Circle, and the Ministries to refill their water tanks.

He observed that though many shops at the Market had fire extinguishers, the shop owners could not use them when the fire started because they did not know how to operate the extinguishers.

“…But at the moment, we have been able to bring the fire under control and we are going to break the containers to ensure pockets of fire are completely doused,” he stated and asked traders and shop owners to be patient.

The incident affected trading activities at the Central Business District with many shops closed.

Some traders blamed the Fire Service for allowing the fire “to get out of hand before acting.”

Madam Cecilia, a trader, said the fire started around 0730 hours and claimed they called Fire Service but they allegedly underestimated it.

The police were called in early to cordon off the area for safety and effective firefighting.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
GNA

 Nana Akufo Addo

The NDC says protesters will demand answers for the families of the men recently killed in Ejura and seek social justice for all unemployed young people in Ghana.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo through the Minister for National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, has instructed the Ghana Police Service not to be provoked by the “March for Justice” protestors but to remain calm and protect every single protestor.

The police according to the instructions of the president have been ordered to apply the lowest of minimal force necessary to protect lives and property along the route of the street protest. 

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is embarking on a demonstration dubbed “March for Justice” today, 6 July 2021. The party says the street protest is aimed at demanding justice for all the recent killings of civilians, register their displeasure with alleged state of insecurity in Ghana and “to seek social justice for all unemployed youth in the country.”

NDC statement

A statement issued and signed by Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the general secretary of the NDC, said the protest will remind President Akufo-Addo of his responsibilities towards the people of Ghana, especially in the area of public safety and security.

“The National Democratic Congress (NDC) wishes to urge all Ghanaians, particularly the youth and members of the party to massively participate in the upcoming demonstration which is being organised under the auspices of the youth wing of the party,” the statement said.

“The planned demonstration and street protest, which has been scheduled for Tuesday, 6 July 2021, is to help raise awareness about the state of insecurity and lawlessness in Ghana and compel President Akufo-Addo to wake up from his slumber and act with urgency,” the NDC statement added.

 Petitions

The protestors are expected to present a petition first to the president during their first stop at the ceremonial gate of the Jubilee House, the seat of the country’s Presidency. Subsequently, they will proceed to the country’s parliamentary enclave to present a second petition to the Speaker of Parliament. 

Route of the MFJ protest

The route of the “March for Justice” protest as announced by the police is to start from the Accra Mall. The protestors will walk through the liberation road, Opeibea House, Aviation road, switchback road and to Jubilee House. 

From the Jubilee House, the protestors will proceed to Parliament through the Ako-Adjei interchange.

Source: asaaseradio.com

Police in Kuntenase in the Ashanti Region have picked up a suspect in the death of a cab driver, Israel Agyei Manu, whose severed head was found metres away from his body last Sunday at Feyiase in the Bonsomtwe District in the Ashanti Region.

The police have named the suspect as Rashid Ibrahim, who has reportedly confessed to the crime.

He is said to have killed Manu who was also a headteacher of Rogel Montessori Basic School at Atonsu Kumasi.

Manu owned a Toyota Vitz vehicle with registration number GE 3170-21, which he used on part-time basis as a Bolt driver.

Confession

The police said the suspect initially gave an “untenable alibi,’ but later confessed to committing the crime and led police to retrieve the machete which he allegedly used to behead Agyei Manu at Feyiase New Site on July 4, 2021.

The suspect is in police custody pending arraignment.

Shocking incident

The Feyiase community was last  Sunday afternoon thrown into a state of shock when a headless body of a man was found in front of an uncompleted building at Feyiase New Site.

The man, who was later identified as Israel Agyei Manu, and believed to be in his mid-30s, was said to be a teacher of a private school at Atonsu and a part-time online hailing cabbie allegedly killed by some unknown assailants who requested his services.

The incident has thrown the community into a state of fear and panic as it was the first time such an incident was being recorded in the area.

Residents suspected an act of ritual murder and not robbery.

Lying some few metres away from the body was his head, and close to it were his mobile phone and wallet

Also, a Toyota Vitz, with registration number GE 3170-21, which he was said to be using for the cabbie services, was also found at the crime scene.

Assembly member

The Assembly member for the Feyiase Electoral Area, Mr Samuel Yaw Kwae, told the media that he received a call around 2p.m. last Sunday that a decapitated body had been found lying in front of an uncompleted building at Feyiase New Site.

He said he informed the police and together they went to the scene and found the body without the head.

Mr Kwae said the team searched the area and found the head about some 200 metres away from where the body was lying.

The head had wounds suspected to have been inflicted by machete.

Manu was said to be visiting his fiancée at Feyiase when he had a request for a trip and decided to drop passengers off.

The body of Manu has since been deposited at the morgue of St Michael Hospital at Pramso

President Nana Akufo-Addo must change his dictatorial ways which have dented Ghana’s democratic credentials, Deputy General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said.

He told journalists during the party’s march for justice on Tuesday, 6 July 2021 in the national capital, Accra, that: “The people are here in their numbers, and I think that should be a loud statement to the government. The cause that we are fighting for, is a universal cause that transcends age. We are fighting against state-organised killing and murder and citizens’ suffering”.

“This should be a wake-up call”, Mr Otokunor said of the thousands of protesters, adding: “This should be a reminder that we need to change the cause”.

“President Akufo-Addo should review the authoritarian dictatorial tendencies that he has brought bare on our democracy,” he demanded.

In his view, the president’s style of governance has hurt Ghana’s democracy.

“The situation is so bad that you cannot sleep in your room and sleep in peace”, he complained, noting: “Everybody is worried”.

“People are dying”, he said.

“They are killing ordinary citizens. They are killing security officers”, Mr Otokunor added.

“We are not seeing the end to these investigations and the military and police are engaged in state-organised aggression on people”.

“That is worrying and the government must know that enough is enough”, he noted

Buem MP Kofi Adams has said the “recent happenings in the country are worse than COVID-19”, thus, justifying a demonstration by the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Tuesday, 6 July 2021 despite the threats posed by the pandemic in Ghana, especially with the recent confirmation of the Delta variant in Ghana.

The demonstrators are demanding justice for lynched social media activist Ibrahim Kaaka Mohammed and two other demonstrators who were killed by military gunshots at Ejura, Ashanti Region, as they marched to demand justice for their slain colleague Kaaka.

Justifying the demonstration, Mr Adams said: “Kaaka, who is gone, did not die because of COVID-19”.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=2366005940&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1625577527&psa=1&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FBrutalities-killings-under-Akufo-Addo-worse-than-COVID-19-Kofi-Adams-25653&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1625577525920&bpp=8&bdt=1298&idt=1114&shv=r20210630&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D8936ae9927596ff8-22bef26665c90095%3AT%3D1625577233%3ART%3D1625577233%3AS%3DALNI_MZzplqOx9ST9NviQf6QHo7q91eIIQ&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=360820375944&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1689536011.1625577234&ga_sid=1625577527&ga_hid=1252664191&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=1593&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31060474&oid=3&pvsid=298854976838552&pem=724&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=3&uci=a!3&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=SGR7dptm7a&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=1148

“Those who died after him did not die because of COVID-19”, he noted.

Mr Adams also noted that the recent brutalisation of some civilians in Wa, the Upper West Regional capital, by soldiers, was another reason to hit the streets.

“The people in Wa, who suffered various forms of injuries were not harmed by COVID-19”, he said.

“The young man who lost his limb” as a result of the Wa military brutalities, “was not as a result of COVID-19.”

“If Ghanaians who deserve to be protected by the state are rather being killed and maimed by the institutions, then there is the need to draw the attention of the state to press the brakes,” he said

Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said he had a meeting with some traders from Makola and Okaishie markets on Monday, 5 July 2021 on their concerns concerning the operation of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.

Present at the meeting were Yaw Osafo Maafo (Senior Presidential Advisor), Abena Osei Asare (Deputy Minister of Finance), Mr Amishadai Owusu Amoah (Commissioner-General, Ghana Revenue Authority), Mrs Georgina Kusi (Member of the Council of State) and other officials.

The traders, the vice-president said, “narrated stories of alleged intimidation, bullying and harassment by some Ghana Revenue Authority official and Accra Metropolitan Assembly officials through audits, seizures, shop closures, etc”.

He said a “re-examination of the manner of tax collection in this largely informal sector is needed”.

The Ministry of Finance, GRA and the city council were, therefore, tasked to come up with a “friendly system that will ensure easy assessment of and compliance with taxes for mutual benefit

Angry Asante residents in Ntonso in the Kwabere East district of the Ashanti region have clashed with the Zongo youth in the area.

The clashes started Sunday evening when the two youth groups met at a drinking pub known as NO SIZE PUB.

Early Monday morning, the Zongo youth started vandalizing the shops belonging to the Ashantis. The Ashanti youth in anger also mobilised and retaliated.

The two youth groups subsequently went on a rampage and destroyed properties including cars.

Several victims have in been injured and hospitalized.

The Police are currently in the community to maintain calm and order and to prevent further damage.

Member of Parliament (MP) for the Effutu Constituency Alexander Afenyo Markin, has donated another modern building and two vehicles to the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to aid effective policing in his constituency.

It formed part of his social responsibility to help the Government check crime rates and increase the peace and security of the ever-growing communities in and around Winneba.

The facility, named Effutu North District Police Station, adds up to two others constructed and commissioned in Ntakofam and Essuekyir respectively all undertaken by the legislator to serve his constituents.

Mr Afenyo Markin who is also the Deputy Majority leader for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) indicated that it was his dream to make his constituency crime-free and complement the Government’s fight against crime.

He urged his constituents particularly, traditional leaders to support his efforts in developing the constituency irrespective of their partisan affiliations or views.

“The Effutu Constituency deserves better and this is one of the numerous projects I have undertaken, I intend to do more to benefit us all and I can only do this with your undying support” he added.

He also announced that discussions were underway for some investors to establish a tissue paper factory in the municipality which he believed would create jobs for his people.

Commissioning the structure, James Oppong-Boanuh, Inspector General of Police (IGP) said the jurisdiction of the Winneba Division; Effutu East and West were inadequate to ensure effective police visibility, crime prevention, and incident response.

He indicated that the new Police station was very timely and would cover about 14 towns which would in the long run ensure better, effective, and efficient police operations.

The IGP called for a civilian partnership to aid policing adding that modern security had become a shared responsibility.

He said the Police were both committed and determined to maintain law and order, respect and protect human dignity and uphold the rights of all persons.

He also promised to donate two laptops and printers to complement the MPs efforts.

For her part, The Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Habiba Twumasi-Sarpong stated that the police station would boost the morale of Police officers as they execute their duties in a friendly working environment.

She said in terms of security, the Region was relatively calm because the command had put in measures to fight crime “but together with the public, the police are active partners to enhance safety and improve security for all”.

She further expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the MP for what she called ‘a kind gesture’ and urged all well-meaning persons to emulate so that together the country would become the future all wanted to see.

GNA

The Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has been invited by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to serve on its Mission 4.7 High-Level Advisory Group as an Honourary and Meritorious Member.

In the letter of invitation dated 23 June 2021 and co-signed by Dr Jeffrey D. Sachs, President of the SDSN and Ms Stefania Gianini, Assistant Secretary-General of UNESCO, it was revealed that the Mission 4.7 High-Level Advisory Group is a new global initiative to put into practice the bold vision articulated by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on education and Target 4.7.

“This invitation is only extended to those who have extraordinarily to supporting target 4.7 and quality education globally. This membership enables you to still continue your engagement with Mission 4.7 as the new Minister of Energy for Ghana”, the letter continued. The letter concludes by thanking Dr Prempeh for his continued and remarkable leadership in education.

Dr Prempeh, who is also popularly known as ‘NAPO’, served as the Minister for Education from 2017 to 2021 and was responsible for driving the NPP government’s flagship education policy, the Free SHS programme, which saw the student population of the country’s Senior High Schools jump from 800,000 in 2016 to over 1.2 million by the time he left office. Other important reforms implemented during his tenure include a new curriculum for basic schools, TVET and teacher reforms, among others.

In May 2021, Dr Prempeh was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of Education, Winneba, and in 2017 and again in 2018, he was voted Best Minister of the Akufo-Addo administration.  He was also the recipient of the 2020 Harvard Ministerial Medal of Achievement in recognition of his exemplary leadership style