The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, has ordered the Kumasi city authorities to pull down over 300 structures which have been identified to be on watercourses.

That, the Minister said, would help avert further flooding in the future, with the onset of the rainy season.

Mr Asenso-Boakye gave the advice last Monday when he visited some areas in Kumasi that were affected by the heavy rains recorded last week and which left two people dead in the metropolis and rendered many others homeless.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-9851803229604827&output=html&h=343&adk=3559006387&adf=3229197991&pi=t.aa~a.2816640267~i.6~rp.1&w=412&lmt=1625138309&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=1604435693&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peacefmonline.com%2Fpages%2Flocal%2Fsocial%2F202107%2F447669.php%3Futm_source%3Ddlvr.it%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=319&rw=382&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1625138309394&bpp=25&bdt=3763&idt=-M&shv=r20210628&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D93f66605289de410-22e9a5214fc90002%3AT%3D1625138222%3ART%3D1625138222%3AS%3DALNI_MabH4oNtfylmNo64iZNMrrKH1mPXQ&prev_fmts=0x0%2C412x343%2C412x343%2C412x343&nras=2&correlator=4687092642862&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1554202681.1625138223&ga_sid=1625138223&ga_hid=961071279&ga_fc=1&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=1262&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=447&eid=31060031%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=4257247044110366&pem=939&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=6&uci=a!6&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=J31TwvTBTZ&p=https%3A//www.peacefmonline.com&dtd=104

He said it was important to take the difficult decisions now to avert disaster in the future, saying the incidents of flooding being recorded in recent times in Kumasi could be attributed to building on watercourses.

Enforcement

According to Mr Asenso-Boakye, managing flood was not the responsibility of only the Ministry but also the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), as well as their chief executives, who had been mandated to manage flood at the local level and help solve the perennial floods across the country.

He explained that the pulling down of illegal structures was the responsibility of MMDCEs, since they were in charge of the planning of the city, as affirmed by the  Local Government Act.

He said the issuance of building and development permits was also the core mandate of the MMDAs, and that any time regulations with regard to structures and construction were breached, it was the responsibility of the assemblies to make sure that those buildings were pulled down.

Affected areas
 
In the company of the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei Mensah, and the Director of Urban Roads, Nana Poku Agyemang, the Works and Housing Minister visited Atasomanso, Santasi-Anyinam, Bantama, Asafo Market, the new Kejetia Market, Aboabo, Asawase, Anloga Junction and Atafoa.

Atafoa

At Atafoa, where a developer was putting up a washing bay and adjoining stores along a watercourse, the Minister ordered the KMA to pull the structure down with immediate effect.

He wondered why city authorities would sit aloof and allow residents to put up structures on watercourses, a situation he described as not only unlawful but also detrimental to the development of the city.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-9851803229604827&output=html&h=343&adk=3559006387&adf=3974360050&pi=t.aa~a.2816640267~i.38~rp.1&w=412&lmt=1625138309&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=1604435693&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peacefmonline.com%2Fpages%2Flocal%2Fsocial%2F202107%2F447669.php%3Futm_source%3Ddlvr.it%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=319&rw=382&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1625138309394&bpp=17&bdt=3763&idt=18&shv=r20210628&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D93f66605289de410-22e9a5214fc90002%3AT%3D1625138222%3ART%3D1625138222%3AS%3DALNI_MabH4oNtfylmNo64iZNMrrKH1mPXQ&prev_fmts=0x0%2C412x343%2C412x343%2C412x343%2C412x343&nras=3&correlator=4687092642862&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1554202681.1625138223&ga_sid=1625138223&ga_hid=961071279&ga_fc=1&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=3120&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=447&eid=31060031%2C31060474&oid=3&pvsid=4257247044110366&pem=939&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=7&uci=a!7&btvi=4&fsb=1&xpc=6UT4ZHZp6D&p=https%3A//www.peacefmonline.com&dtd=129

Mr Asenso-Boakye said he had gathered that the developer pulled a gun on the authorities when they confronted him (developer) to stop work, describing that incident as criminal.

He called on the KMA to report the incident to the police for action to be taken against the developer to deter others from going contrary to the law.

Solid waste

The Works and Housing Minister also singled out the indiscriminate  disposal of solid waste, especially into drains, as the main cause of the flooding and advised residents to desist from that unlawful practice, as it did pose a danger to their health and could lead to the outbreak of cholera.

Mr Asenso-Boakye, said when the team of engineers visited the area soon after it got flooded,  it observed that residents had dumped all kinds of waste into the drains, which caused them to get choked.

He said it took community action, led by the Assembly Member for the area, Mr Kwabena Boateng, and his team, who went into the tunnel and pulled out debris to allow free flow of water through the drains.

“The fact is that we are the cause of our woes,” he reiterated, saying it was about time residents took responsibility, instead of blaming officialdom.

“Nana Akufo-Addo has spent GH¢450 million to fight flooding in this country”, he said, saying all that investment would go to waste if the citizenry did things the same old way.

 

Source: graphiconline.com

The Ashanti Regional Boss of NABCo, Dennis Kwakwa has promised the scheme will pay all allowances to Nation Builders’ Corps (NABCo) beneficiaries.

Speaking on Kessben FM’s “Maakye” hosted by Omanhene Yaw Adu Boakye, said the process to pay the beneficiaries have started with the Bank of Ghana. “The good news is that all NABCo beneficiaries will be paid their April, May, and June allowances by the close of next week 9th”

The Nation Builders Corps, also known as N.A.B.C.O, is a Ghanese initiative to provide jobs to unemployed post-secondary school graduates (graduates of universities, training colleges, etc.) It was introduced by the government of Ghana.

Source: kessbenonline.com/ Story by Ray Charles Marfo

Deputy Education Minister-designate and Member of Parliament for Assin South Rev. John Ntim Fordjour has assured teachers their welfare concerns are a priority to government.

According to him, plans are underway to launch a Teacher Welfare App to promptly address teachers’ welfare grievances.

The deputy minister-designate argues welfare of teachers is a major concern to government and assured all outstanding issues relative to teacher upgrading, recent promotion challenges, allowances and other concerns would be tackled with urgency required.

As a measure to holistically deal with concerns of teachers, Rev. Fordjour has disclosed a deployment of case managers to every region for timeous resolution of the concerns of teachers as part of efforts to improve their conditions of living.

The app, an initiative of the Minister for Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, is expected to help mitigate to a large extent, the many challenges relating to the welfare and management of teachers.

Speaking to the media at the 90th-anniversary celebration of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in Accra where he represented the sector minister, John Ntim Fordjour charged the teacher unions to have confidence in the ability of government to find solutions to the current challenges in the sector.

The occasion which was also used as an investment forum was on the theme: “Beyond Teachers’ Fund; Making the Teacher Economically Sound.”

Addressing the leadership and members of GNAT, he intimated that teachers across the country have contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the nation. He reiterated government’s commitment to timeously address teacher welfare concerns.

He expressed delight at the judicious and productive initiatives undertaken by GNAT in their bid to improve the lots of its members. He particularly commended the business exploits of GNAT including the acquisition of majority shares in Unique Insurance and the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre. He also commended the GNAT for its investments in real estate and the rolling out of a housing scheme for members.

Rev. Ntim Fordjour assured teachers that the Ministry of Education will in due course make available 280,000 laptops to teachers on cost-sharing basis to equip them deliver more effectively.

He called on all teachers across the length and breath of the country to join hands with the Ministry of Education to build a world-class education system

A former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, has justified the government’s decision to terminate the power agreement with independent contractor, Ghana Power Generation Company (GPGC).

The power contractor has won a 170 million dollar judgment debt against the Government of Ghana at the London Commercial Court of international arbitration.

The news has sparked serious conversations, with many calling for the prosecution of the officials involved in the termination.

Others have also suggested that Mr. Boakye Agyarko, who was the then Energy Minister, failed to engage extensively on exploring other options instead of a cancellation of the agreement

But the former Energy Minister in a Citi News interview has defended the government’s decision to terminate the said contract.

According to him, the country would have lost more from excess power generation if the agreement had remained.

For that reason, he insists that Ghana is “better off” with this judgement debt.

“We have paid almost over $1 billion for excess capacity. The review committee estimated that the contract as they were if they were allowed to stand, the country will be paying at the end of the 13th year $7.2 billion in excess capacity charges. Now if the country is going to be saddled with $7.2 billion for excess capacity, we needed to rethink. In the PPA review, what it said was that if we could get the termination and the management of all the excess capacity, the liability that we will be faced with is about $600 million out of pocket.”

“Now $600 million in year one compared to $7.2 billion, now even if you do the next present value calculation and bring the $7.2 billion into a one-year payment, we are still better off. I don’t understand why the people whose time these excess capacity contracts were signed now have the guts and the audacity to accuse people who are trying to manage the mess they created

Members of the Private Road Transport Operators have hinted at increasing fares again.

The decision, according to them, follows the recent three per cent hike in the price of fuel at the pumps.

According to the group, the government is also making frantic efforts to increase road tolls, complaining that “transport operators are going to bear the brunt should it be implemented.”

The group further expressed its disappointment with the government for its inability to have kept the “assurances given to transport operators that it will ensure that fuel prices and spare parts remain stable.”

The transport operators, in a statement, entreated customers and the general public to bear with them, explaining that their transport business is reeling under a lot of pressure following the rising cost of inputs.

Commercial transport operators recently announced a 13 per cent increase in fares which took effect on 5 June 2021.

They explained back then that the hike was “to accommodate, predominantly, an increase in the price of fuel”.

The reviewed transport fares covered inter-city(tro-tro), inter-city (long-distance) and shared taxi vehicles.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=1624371160&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fbusiness%2FTransport-operators-hint-at-increasing-fares-again-25290&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1624371159897&bpp=3&bdt=1897&idt=632&shv=r20210617&cbv=%2Fr20190131&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=2510407797055&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1860494323.1624371160&ga_sid=1624371160&ga_hid=874401774&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=2032&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=733&eid=31060474%2C31061218&oid=3&pvsid=3968994018193665&pem=427&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=1&fsb=1&xpc=zHRCeQOPNz&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=652

PRESS RELEASE JOINT STATEMENT BY PRIVATE ROAD TRANSPORT OPERATORS ON DECISION TO INCREASE LORRY FARES FOLLOWING THE FATHER’S DAY 3% FUEL PRICE GIFT AT THE PUMP, ON MONDAY, 21ST JUNE, 2021.

Following the Father’s Day 3% gift of increase in fuel price at the pump, Ghana Committed Drivers Association, Concern Drivers Association and True Drivers Union, wish to inform our numerous customers and the general public of our resolve to also adjust upward our lorry fares.

The percentage increase will soon be announced. As a result of the 3% increase in fuel price, a gallon of fuel, which was sold for GHC 27. 22 pesewas is now being sold for GHC 28. 035 pesewas. The resolve to adjust upward our lorry fares is in fulfilment of our statement issued on 16th May 2021, in which we announced 20% upward adjustment in lorry fares.

In that statement, we said, “We have therefore resolved that any time fuel prices, spare parts, and other levies relating to road transport go up, we will also adjust our lorry fares to reflect the increment”. We also said “It is our considered view that we will only go by the decision to increase lorry fares twice yearly if the powers that be can also ensure that prices of petroleum products and spare parts are not increased in the course of every year so as to guarantee stable prices and lorry fares”.

As we speak, the government is making frantic efforts to increase road tolls and transport operators are going to bear the brunt should it be implemented. We are deeply disappointed in the government for its inability to have kept assurances given to transport operators that it will ensure that fuel prices and spare parts remain stable.

We wish to entreat our customers and the general public to bear with us in this situation as our transport business is reeling under a lot of pressure following astronomical increases in our input cost.

Thank you.

Signed

Charles Danso (Chairman, Ghana Committed Drivers Association)

Yaw Barimah (PRO, Truth Drivers Union)

William Osei (Chairman, Concern Drivers Association

The late Inspector Emmanuel Kofi Nunekpeku

A policeman was found dead in his room at the Flagstaff House police barracks on Friday morning.

Inspector Emmanuel Kofi Nunekpeku was found dead lying in a prone position on his bed at about 10:25am.

Graphic Online gathers that it was the wife, who is also a police personnel who discovered the husband’s body in the room at Block E, Room 35.

The wife, Sergeant Faustina Nunekpeku of the Police Hospital Public Relations Department reportedly visited the husband and found him dead in bed.

Accompanied by another police officer, they reported the incident at the Cantonments police station.

The police visited the scene of the incident and inspected the body.

No marks of assault were detected to suggest any foul play Graphic Online gathers.

The body has been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy

Founding Member of the Ghana Clergy Association and the General Overseer of Elim Glorious Church Rev. Dr. James Mensah, has challenged other men of God to criticize the ruling government because they have disappointed Ghanaians.

The man of God stated that just as former President Dramani Mahama was criticized when he was in power, the current President should also be called to order.

‘The NPP promised Ghanaians they would deliver leadership that would transform lives and create better economic opportunities, but what we see today is that Ghanaians are getting poorer’, he opined.

He told Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that Ghanaians are struggling to survive, and the ruling party must take steps to change the narrative or forget their quest to break the 8.null

He added that Ghanaians had a lot of hope in the President, but he has failed woefully but quickly added that things could change if the ruling government put in measures to address the economic hardship in the country.

To him, Ghanaians voted for the NPP because they were fed with the Mahama’s administration.

However, they have lost hope all because the promises by the NPP seems not to be working.

Source: rainbownradioonline.com

The Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, has vehemently rejected the assertion that the government has lost the fight against crime.

He insists the recent incidents of crime in the country does not mean that crime is on the increase.

Reports of robbery attacks with the recent being the killing of a police officer escorting a bullion van in Accra and other criminal activities, have put fear in some citizens, who have called on the government and the security agencies to up their game to arrest the situation.

For instance, the Minority in Parliament has urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to demonstrate leadership in dealing with the recent rise in violent crimes in the country.

The Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee in Parliament, James Agalga, who addressed the media on the caucus’ behalf stressed that the killing of policemen in such attacks was further worsening the police-to-civilian ratio in the country.

“Four more years for Nana [Akufo-Addo] has begun with a rise in crime. Ghanaians no longer feel safe compared to our immediate past. Violent crime-related cases, particularly robbery, are shaking the foundations of our nation, and it is only fair and a duty for us to call on the Nana Akufo-Addo administration to up its game.”

“We are calling on the President, Chairman of the Security Council, Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to ensure the peace and security in a country that has remained an oasis of peace in a troubled region is not compromised.”

The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, also said there was a breakdown in law and order in the country.

But the Interior Minister disagrees, insisting that government is on top of issues.

He, however, said the government will do more to ensure the safety of citizens.

“What we should know is that the criminals continue to change the modules and we have to be changing with them and the police is doing all it can. We have not lost control. I always want to emphasise that, we need to go to neighbouring countries to see what is happening there, but we are not in the same league with them.”

“We want to do better than we are doing now, but believe me, Ghana is safe; that is why all the other countries are running to Ghana

• Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says Ken Ofori-Atta has asked more to be able to respond to his question in Parliamentnull

• The order paper of the House did not contain the question he asked regarding the President’s luxurious travel

• He described the event on Thursday as sad day for accountability and good governance

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the North Tongu MP has stated that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has asked for more time to enable him to prepare adequately to respond to an urgent question concerning President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s luxurious trip abroad in a £15,000 per hour private jet.

The Minister was supposed to tell Parliamentarians on Thursday, June 17, the exact cost of the President’s trip abroad which the Minority alleged to have cost £15,000 per hour, but the order paper of the House communicated something different.

Earlier, the Business Committee had fixed the Finance Minister’s response to Okudzeto Ablakwa’s question to the controversial luxurious trip of the President on Thursday, but the question was not part of the things the Minister was supposed to respond to.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was unhappy and he questioned the Speaker why the question was conspicuously missing on the order paper.null

He said, “Coming to the House today and looking at the order paper, the question that was advertised for the Honourable Minister responsible for Finance on the cost of the President’s recent trip to France, Belgium and South Africa is conspicuously missing on today’s order paper and Mr Speaker, I am wondering what is the cause of this rather strange development.”

But in a post on his Facebook timeline, the MP noted, “very surprising that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is asking Parliament for more time to respond to my urgent question on the full cost of President Akufo-Addo’s recent luxury travels to France, Belgium and South Africa.

The question had been advertised in the Provisional Order Paper for a response today [Thursday].”

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa added, “this is terribly disappointing after his Ministry has had more than a two-week notice to prepare an answer for Parliament and the people of Ghana.

Sad day for accountability and good governance.”

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fokudzetoablakwa%2Fposts%2F4027279537353933&show_text=true&width=500

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has won a case which was filed by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MWFA) against the Authority. Today, the High Court of Accra (Human Rights Division) upheld the legal submissions of the NCA and dismissed all the reliefs claimed by MFWA again NCA in respect of the former’s request for information

It will be recalled that on 22nd July, 2020, MFWA made a request to the NCA to provide the full list of all Authorised FM stations as of the second quarter of 2020, indicating the dates of first Authorisation, dates of last Authorisation renewals, locations, and operational status (on air or off air); full list of all Authorised television stations as of the second quarter of 2020, indicating the dates of first authorisation, Dates of last Authorisation renewals, locations, and operational status; an explanation for the recent replacement of the published 2020 second quarter report titled: ‘List of Authorised VHF-FM Radios in Ghana as at Second Quarter 2020’ which contained columns for date of first Authorisation and date of last Authorisation renewal, with one that now excludes the dates of first authorisation and dates of last Authorisation renewals.

The MFWA also requested for the full list (name of company, name of radio station, location and frequency number) of all FM radio stations that were shut down following the 2017 FM Spectrum Audit and in line with the 2018 decision of the Electronic Communications Tribunal.

The NCA, upon assessment of the above requests by the MFWA, asked MFWA to pay a fee of GHS2,000.00 in accordance with law. MFWA however refused to pay the said service fees charged by the NCA and subsequently filed an action at the High Court of Accra (Human Rights Division) against the NCA.

The High Court presided over by Justice Gifty Agyei Addo ruled that the request for the NCA to provide an explanation for the discharge of its mandate in publishing quarterly reports was untenable and violates the Right to Information law. The Court also held that MFWA had failed to establish any basis for the claim that its request is in the public interest; the Court upheld NCA’s contention that the public interest argument was an afterthought.

The High Court again held that the request made by MFWA was personal to the NGO, and that the said requests must to be paid for by MFWA. Accordingly, the Court ordered MFWA to pay GHS1,500.00 to the NCA before the permitted information requested can be answered.

The NCA wishes to stress that the Authority will endeavour to execute its mandate as set out by law. The Authority’s doors are always opened to engage with its many stakeholders, provided this is done through due process.

Source: National Communications Authority

• Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has questioned if President Akufo-Addo bath every six and half hoursnull

• He could not comprehend why the government will be concerned with the President taking his shower to enable the country hire £15,000 per hour private jet

• He claims the President could have used the Presidential jet for his recent trip aboard and not to incur additional cost for the country

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the North Tongu MP says it is ridiculous for Dominic Ntiwul, the Defence Minister, to tell parliamentarians that Ghana decided to hire President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the luxurious £15,000 per hour private jet because he needed to take a bath in the sky.

He questioned the number of times the President takes his bath when working from the Jubilee House in Accra.

Dominic Nitiwul in answering an urgent question in Parliament filed by the Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs on why President Akufo-Addo hired a £15,000 per hour private jet recently for his trip abroad said:

“This aircraft will carry a load of 11 persons minus the crew. When this aircraft is travelling to the eastern part of the USA or Asia, it will not load a crew of more than eight plus the luggage. So, it depends on where it is going. Secondly, I have also said the aircraft has to do refuelling stops, and also in this COVID-19, when you are travelling to multiple destinations like the president’s recent travel, the Falcon couldn’t have been taken because he would have had to do technical stops which are not desirable.”null

Nitiwul added, “the president works hard enough to rake in money for the country, hence deserves more than a Falcon.

When he is travelling with more than 20 people like he has been doing for business trips that brought huge sums of money to this country, he will need more than just a Falcon, otherwise, the others would have to go a day ahead of the president to prepare themselves. In fact, the president would also have to go a day ahead because no president can shower in this aircraft. He cannot move from this aircraft straight into a meeting,” Nitiwul justified.

But speaking to Joy FM, Wednesday evening, monitored by GhanaWeb, Okudzeto Ablakwa asked, “when the President is on land, in Accra, working as President, does he take his bath every six and half hours?

Accra to Paris is just six and half hours, why is having a shower so important [to the President].”

Ablakwa averred that Ghana bought its presidential jet the same year France bought its presidential jet, that is, 2010, “they are still using the Presidential jet”.

When asked if it is the same specifications, Okudzeto Ablakwa said, “no, that’s another spec”.https://d8ace8ef393c830174ed976014ef2e67.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

He, however, pointed out that the analogy is that France is still using the Presidential jet they bought in the same year that Ghana bought its own.

He further stated that, before the Falcon was bought, Ghanaians were made aware that the lifespan of the aeroplane was at least 20 years and 2021 is the eleventh year of the plane and “[the] presidential jet is in serviceable condition, there is nothing wrong with it”.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa noted that the government’s explanation is just a “post-facto rationalization just to justify an unjustifiable £15,000 per hour [private jet the country hired]”.

He added that President Akufo-Addo could fly back to Ghana to refuel the Falcon if he was afraid of contracting COVID-19 as the Minister claimed in Parliament.

“Look, I have been part of a presidential delegation [before], when you land for refuelling, you are given an option to disembark or you stay in the aircraft. Often President Mahama and Mills have stayed on board, so, this COVID excuse is a non-starter […] Accra to Paris, you don’t need to refuel. The only other challenge will be Paris to Johannesburg. Now, all you do is travel from Paris to Accra; six and half hours, you refuel and you go to Johannesburg for five and half hours. So this COVID excuse is a total non-starter,” Okudzeto Ablakwa explained.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo on Tuesday asked African societies to use the Day of the African Child as an opportunity to reflect on ways to create a better future for children.

She also asked all organisations, including civil society, to strategise and provide a much more secure environment to enhance the proper nurturing of all African children.

In a message to mark the Day of The African Child, that falls on June 16 each year, Mrs Akufo-Addo, said: “It is a poignant reminder to us of the horrors the African Child has encountered throughout history”.

“Whether in demanding better education, nutrition or any other necessities of basic living, the African Child should never have to feel threatened in wanting a better life,” she said.

While joining all well-meaning Africans in remembrance of the Day, the First Lady said the Rebecca Foundation would continue to work to ensure that it created “fighters and champions for the young ones.”

The Day was on the theme: “30 Years after the Adoption of the Charter: Accelerate the Implementation of Agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for Children”.

It is commemorated annually to remember hundreds of South African children killed while protesting in Soweto on June 16, 1976.

Hundreds of over a thousand black schoolchildren in Soweto, who took to the streets to protest the inferior quality of their education and to demand their right to be taught in their own language, were shot down.

Within the two weeks of protest that followed, more than a hundred people were killed and more than a thousand injured.

Therefore to honour their courage and in memory of those who lost their lives, the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union) established the Day of the African Child in 1991.

It is also used to draw attention to the lives of African children presently.

The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, in 2016, established a 25-year Agenda, namely: “Agenda 2040: Fostering an Africa fit for Children”.

The main objective of the Agenda is to restore the dignity of the African Child through assessing the achievements and challenges for the effective implementation of the African Children’s Charter.

Source: GNA

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, has called for “greater reforms” of policing in the country in the wake of the murder of another policeman in the line of duty by armed men on Monday.

According to him, he has been reliably informed that many police officers were not sufficiently and adequately prepared to protect lives and property, which underscored the need for reforms.

He called for more community involvement and participation on the part of the police, and the provision of modern logistics as part of the reforms to enhance the work of the police.

“That is why I continuously share the view that as expensive as CCTV cameras would be, it would be the way to go into the future,” he said.

Book launch

Mr Iddrisu was speaking to journalists at the launch of a book titled: “My defining moments: A trip from the village to Parliament and beyond,” by a former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Kenneth Dzirasah.

In the book, the former Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon and South Tongu chronicles his life experiences from early childhood through to his adult life, capturing intriguing aspects of his life as a lawyer, journalist and politician.

Murder of policeman

Mr Iddrisu remarks comes on the back of the murder of Lands Corporal Emmanuel Osei of the National SWAT unit and an unidentified woman by suspected robbers who ambushed a vehicle carrying money at James Town, near Korle Bu in Accra on Monday.

The police said it had launched a grand security operation to hunt down the suspected robbers.

‘Breakdown of law and order’
 
Mr Iddrisu said the murder of another police officer showed that there was “gradual breakdown of law and order,” and blamed the government for not doing enough to guarantee the safety of police officers.

“The primary responsibility of the President is the safety and security of the citizens. If what we are reading is anything to go by, then we all must collectively express our disappointment at the Presidency and the handling of matters of personal safety and security,” he said.

He added: “When the police officer who needs to protect the state is not secure, then it leaves much to be desired.”

While extending his condolences to the bereaved family, Mr Iddrisu further called for calm and restraint in the country while the Minority pushed for reforms in the Ghana Police Service.

 

Source: graphiconline.com

Godfred Yeboah Dame

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, yesterday saved the country from paying a whopping GH¢1,297,985,310.26 as outstanding judgment debt to NDK Financial Services.

The private financial institution had filed claims to the effect that it was still entitled to more payments amounting to about GH¢1,273,000,000 as judgment debt flowing from a Supreme Court judgment.

But this position was vehemently opposed by the Attorney General who insisted that the state had made all outstanding payments to the firm and owes it nothing.

The AG had contended that as far as the government is concerned, it has already complied with the judgment of the Supreme Court, but NDK continues to make ‘unsubstantiated’ claims for more money.

Auditing

The Supreme Court in March 2019 then appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers Ghana – an accounting firm – to ascertain the veracity of the over GH¢1.27 billion claims being made by NDK Financial Services Limited against the government through the Ministry of Energy.

The state being represented by the Attorney General and the private firm were subsequently ordered by the court to prepare legal accounts for the auditing firm to work with.

PWC was expected to verify how much the state had been able to pay through the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and whether NDK was still entitled to more payments amounting to GH¢1,273,000,000 as judgment debt.

The parties in the matter complied with the orders of the court and PWC after its auditing, submitted its findings to the Supreme Court.

Judgment

A five member panel of the Supreme Court presided over by Chief Justice Anin Yeboah and assisted by Justices Jones Dotse, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Sulemana Gbadegbe, as well as Nene Amegatcher, in a unanimous decision held that government only owed NDK Financial Services only GH¢14,689.75 and not the huge amount it claimed.

Justice Gbadegbe, now retired, had to come back to give his opinion because Article 145 (4) of the 1992 Constitution gives him six months to enable conclude cases he was handling prior to the date of retirement.

Government, the court held, is to pay only GH¢14,689.75 as outstanding debt with interest at the prevailing rate, starting from November 14, 2014, to the day of final payment.

The court said full reasons for its judgment would be ready at its Registry by June 4, 2021.

NDK Claims

The AG in 2019, had filed an application before the Supreme Court insisting that the government had fulfilled all financial obligations to NDK with regards to certain payments and interests based on the court’s order.

Then Deputy Attorney General Mr. Dame now AG, had told the court that “NDK through a process of categorising the judgment debt into ‘ascertained’ and ‘unascertained’ parts, has been persistently making claims for humongous sums from the applicant herein, albeit totally unjustified.”

Mr. Dame further argued that, “that in the view of the state implies the sum of GH¢867,441.5 plus interest at the agreed rate of 6.5% per month calculated at the close of each day and payable at the end of every month from  April 1, 2009 till the date of final payment.”

According to him, “payment of any sums made in contravention of the letters of undertaking cast a burden on the respondent to produce evidence of such payment in contravention of the letters of undertaking by the Ministry of Energy.”

However, Alfred Bannerman Williams, counsel for NDK, opposed the application which he said “seeks to truncate the execution of the court’s order.”

He also challenged the ‘inherent jurisdiction’ of the Supreme Court based on which the AG had filed the application.

Counsel was however, unable to tell the court how much money the state owed NDK, but said there were ‘unascertained’ payments.

It was on this basis that the court appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers Ghana, an accounting firm, to ascertain the veracity of claims made by NDK Financial Services Limited’s over GH¢1.273 billion claims against the government, and it was established that the private firm was entitled to only GH¢14,689.75 and not GH¢1,273,000,000 that was claimed.

President Akufo-Addo has appealed to 21 newly commissioned Ambassadors and High Commissioners to familiarize themselves with his government’s post-coronavirus recovery agenda and to champion same at their various destinations and duty post.null

Addressing the newly commissioned Ambassadors and High Commissioners at the Jubilee House after administering the Oath of Allegiance, Official Oath and the Oath of Secrecy to them, President Akufo-Addo said the selection and appointment of the new Envoys have come at a time when the entire world has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic and are looking for the path to recovery.

Ghana, the President said has equally been hit by Coronavirus and the recovery of the nation should be the burden of members of the government which includes the Ambassadors and High Commissioners.

President Akufo-Addo stressed the fact that his government’s flagship programme, Obaatapa Cares and its main objectives must be the pivot around which the new Envoys ought to engage the rest of the world on behalf of Ghana.

The main elements of this programme (the Ghana Obaatapa cares) according to President Akufo-Addo, are; a. “Supporting commercial farming and attracting educated youth into commercial farming, b. Building the country’s line manufacturing sector, c. Developing engineering machine tools and digital economy industries, d. Fast-tracking digitalization, e. Developing Ghana’s housing and construction industry, f. Establishing Ghana as a regional hub, g. Reviewing and optimizing the implementation of government’s flagship and key programmes and h. Creating jobs for young people and expanding opportunities for the vulnerable in society”.

“Ambassadors and High Commissioners, you have to familiarize yourselves with this objective which are at the core of my second term mandate as they represent our surest way out of the pandemic and which will thrust Ghana back to the path of progress and prosperity”.

“Each one of you must help and contribute to the success of this programme by facilitating as much foreign investment into the country as you can” President Akufo-Addo admonished the envoys.https://530b461948aed5daef9b3143633e99ad.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

In a response to the President’s charge, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, on behalf of his colleagues assured the President that they will work extremely hard to help the recovery process of the country from the impact of coronavirus.

“We wish to assure that we will work assiduously to justify the confidence that you have reposed in us by our appointment and worthy representatives of Ghana”

The Envoys

The twenty-one Ambassadors and High Commissioners who were commissioned include: Ms. Khadija Iddrisu, High Commissioner to the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Kwabena Okubi-Appiah, Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia, Oheneba Dr. Lesley Akyaa Opoku-Ware, Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Obed Boamah Akwa (Rtd), Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mr. Charles Asuako Owiredu, High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Francis Danti Kotia, Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mrs. Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Napoleon Abdulai, Ambassador to the Republic of Mali, and Mrs. Sylvia Naa Adaawa Annoh, Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark.

The rest are Madam Barbara Akuorkor Benisa, High Commissioner to the Republic Of Malta, Ms. Alima Mahama (Hajia), Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Yakubu Alhassan, High Commissioner to the Republic of Namibia, Mr. Samuel Yaw Nsiah, Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba, Madam Christine Churcher, Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Mr. Damptey Bediako Asare, High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya, Alhaji Mohammad Habibu Tijani, Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mrs. Charis Obestebi-Lamptey-Zwennes, Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mr. Michael Ofori –Atta, Ambassador – At -Large, and Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Asiedu Antwi, Ambassador In Situ (Chief Of Protocol)

.Source: starrfm.com.gh