Swearing in Ceremony of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana.

VIDEO: GHANA TO INTRODUCE ‘FIRST PORT DUTY RULE’

VIDEO: GHANA TO INTRODUCE ‘FIRST PORT DUTY RULE’ pic.twitter.com/A1ZSMr074y

— Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia (@MBawumia) July 31, 2018

VIDEO: Ghana's Day 1 of 5-day tour of the Ashanti Region

Video: Ghana's President Akufo-Addo's Day 4 of 5-day working visit of the Ashanti Region

Video: Ghana's President, Akufo-Addo's Day 3 of 5-day working visit to the Ashanti Region

Ghana risks losing $40m land in Pakistan

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey 

Ghana risks losing a parcel of land worth $40 million located in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad.

The land which was allocated to the country for construction of its embassy has currently been encroached upon by Malaysia.

According to the 2016 auditor general report, both France and Canada have expressed interest in the land prompting the Pakistani authorities to urge Ghana to develop the land or lose it.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said her Ministry has no money for construction of a fence wall to secure the land at a cost of $180,000.

“What will be the ideal thing is to wall it and secure the piece of land. Unfortunately, it will cost us about €160,000 which we do not have at the moment. So it is the issue of lack of resources. The limited resources that we have, we are having to apply it to the countries where we have missions,” she told the Committee.

Asked if Ghana was that poor it could not get €160,000 to secure the land which is valued $40 miilion, the Foreign Affairs minister assured that she would look for the money “someway, somehow” to secure the land.

Martin Amidu Must Investigate Corrupt Haruna Iddrisu By Fadi Dabbousi

Martin Alamisi Burnes Kaiser Amidu(Special Prosecutor) 

Haruna Iddrisu cannot extricate himself from the corruption that had riddled the erstwhile NDC governments of 2008 and 2012.

Recently, his calls seemed to insinuate that he backed the candidacy of a more iconic character of dubiousness in his umbrella party against John Dramani Mahama (eii, His Excellency ooo, sorry).

It somehow smacked of gross double entendre, albeit undecided on which stake to be impaled at.

And Martin Amidu would spar with the nation as if he were toying with the job of special prosecutor. Does he not know that Haruna Iddrisu began politics directly after completing university?

What did he have at all that he should be filthy rich now? Martin Amidu seems to be living in a cloud shrouded by the fluff of power and prestige.

Tamale has recorded a gross amassment of wealth by shoeless vagabonds turned politicians.

In the case of Haruna Iddrisu, there are so many allegations of impropriety, some being indicated by indiscriminate profligacy and mass acquisition of landed property.

The flats that it is said he owns at Vitin and other places in Tamale speak a lot.

Just like Huudu Yahya, who acquired the Tamale Guest House around Kalpohine along the Residency Road, which he subsequently renamed TOAHZI after his grandfather.

Of course it was said that he muscled it from many hungry and greedy bastards at the time (during the PNDC era).

Besides, who cares what his position is with regards to the obnoxious NDC party candidates.

The very candidates who have reared their square heads cannot fit in the round holes of reason at all.

Joshua Alabi, in spite of his big mouth and half kilo lips cannot explain the tens of millions of dollars that dissipated under his chairmanship at SSNIT.

Soon, he would be implicated as the shamed cat gradually lets itself out of the bag. No matter how long dust is kept under the carpet, when it is struck, the nose will definitely sneeze.

Alban Bagbin is really no less a sissy than a shamed makola sex worker! Chai, the man cannot hold on to a woman long enough than someone hurtles along and leisurely snatches her away. If you cannot control your secretary how do you expect to have the wisdom to control a whole nation? This Alban Bagbin guy is not a funny joke at all.

Spio Gabrah it is said commands more sense than the rest. I beg to differ, he was an abysmal failure as minister of trade and minister of communications.

When he was minister of education, illiteracy skyrocketed to unprecedented levels. Under his watch, biology students did not even know what a gynecologist was. It was said that his greed was worrisome.

Rawlings even had reservations about his dishonesty, allegedly. And Kwesi Botchwey cannot be forgotten. His era saw the worst depreciation of the Cedi.

In fact, during his time, the cedi depreciated 300% in less than one month. Many people lost their financial muscle and many others committed suicide. How can this draconian failure be President of Ghana? NDCfo) abr3 oooo 3ne amne3 hunu.

Martin Amidu knows these people all too well. He should spare us the complaints and the whining, and go for their heads. They must be brought to book for all the mischievousness and malfeasance cum misfeasance that they brought to suffer upon the poor Ghanaian all the years that they had assumed power.

Oh and Sylvester Mensah! The dude, it was claimed, was a toothless thief. All the theft that allegedly took place at NHIA under Sylvester Mensah must be investigated.

Martin Amidu, however, seems to be comfortable in his swivel chair throwing a fit where it is not needed and echoing tantrums instead of firing at the job on the ground.

But for Sylvester Mensah to bamboozle Ghanaians, such is a farfetched unachievable ambition! He wants to use the stolen booty to become president.

Herh, anka )b3te kpe333. Last but not the least, there is the famous “American bogga latrician”. His case is a bit serious. He just might electrocute the whole nation with his dunderheadedness. Well, let them tickle themselves, NPP is in for a long time to come. #Thieves!

Authored By Fadi Dabbousi

1,350 businesses benefit from Presidential Business Support Programme

On Tuesday, 7th August, 2018, Ghana witnessed the climax of the selection process for this year's Presidential Business Support Programme. 

It has ensured that 1,350 businesses, from all parts of the country, will be the first recipients of support from the Programme. The beneficiaries will receive, from the Ministry of Business Development, 
continuous training and capacity building, mentorship and business advisory services, free accounting services, access to business networking opportunities, and seed capital ranging from GH¢10,000 to GH¢100,000 each.

Lavish life style of some pastors provokes controversial public discourse on the need to impose tax on Church income -President Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the seemingly  lavish life style of some Men of God in the country has generated a rather controversial public discourse on the need to impose tax on Church income.

In the country's quest to build a modern and prosperous nation, President Akufo-Addo said, it can not be lost on any one that there are increasing calls for Churches to be taxed, as it was not difficult to see what was driving these calls.

Speaking at President Akufo-Addo at the 2018 Synod of the Global Evangelical Church on Thursday at the University of Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said the church is an integral part of the wider society.

For years the Church had been seen to lead the drive for development — they build and run schools and hospitals, led the campaign for good sanitation, cleanliness was next to Godliness, they preached and practice —  the Priest led his live as the average Ghanaian could identify with.

Unfortunately, the public had looked on as the Priest displayed opulence —  compete to show who was most powerful and richer, while some members of the Church wallow in abject poverty.

It is not surprising,  the President said, that there had been calls for taxes to impose on Church income.

"I am not getting into the merits and demerits of the prosperity gospel that appears to be the main theme for many of our present day preachers. The God Lard knows I preach prosperity myself and do not want people of this Country to be poor and I am very much for wealth creation",  the President stated.

But the difficult truth, he noted, was that once a person entered into the wealthy and prosperity sphere, he or she necessarily slipped into the tax category.

He said even though he believed in putting up dignified Church edifice — such as the National Cathedral built by Government —  it was imperative that the public, including the Church, engaged in intellectual and healthy discourse on whether the Church should pay tax or not.

President Akufo-Addo told the congregation that from the practical to the spiritual, the Church could not operate on a different play field of the society, saying "many of the people who today strive to build beautiful and magnificent Churches", came to church from homes that were, unfortunately, very much impoverished.

He said he was not against the building of magnificent Churches and Mosques, after all,  he was committed to building a national Cathedral — as he believed the towns and cities should have paved roads, good sanitation and beautiful houses for the people to live in when they go to worship.

He said the Bible had provided a moral anchor that has help Christians face trails and tribulations of life, saying, he believed it was equally important that, the Church promotes the study of subjects that would equipped the members, especially the  youth to acquire jobs to develop their capacity to compete in the modern world.

It was expedient, President Akufo-Addo noted,  to train the youth in pastoral work, but it was, also equally important that they were trained to become Scientists, Carpenters, Engineers, Mathematics teachers, dress makers and many more of the professions.

The President said, though he believed in miracles, the over concentration of it by some Pastors had made it difficult for government to convince the public, especially the youth to acquire skills and work hard to build up global businesses for the betterment of the nation.

According to President Akufo-Addo, the Country's younger generation were no longer willing to wait for the long-promised improvements in their lives as they believed Government and the Church could work to raise the pace of development to meet their needs.

The Moderator of Global Evangelical Church, Rt. Rev. Dr. S.K Ofori commended Government for the introduction of educational reforms — the Free SHS and the Double Track System — but was quick to add that Government engaged fully all stakeholders in the introduction of the double track system.

Gov't subsidized fertilizer valued about GH¢600, 000.00 stolen - Bono-Ahafo Minister

Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh

The Bono-Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, has disclosed that a quantity of government subsidized fertilizer valued at about GH¢600, 000.00 has been stolen from the Sunyani Municipal Warehouse.

The fertiliser is part of a consignment sent to the region for prospective farmers under the “Planting for Food and Jobs” program.

The case has been reported to the Regional Crime office of the Ghana Police Service, the Bureau of National Investigations and Economic and Organised Crime Office among other security agencies for investigations.

Addressing the Media at a press conference in Sunyani, Mr. Asomah-Cheremeh said seven officers of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture have been arrested and are assisting the police to investigate the matter.

Council of State presents report cataloguing its activities to President Akufo-Addo

Chairman of the Council of State, Nana Otuo Siriboe

The Council of State has presented a report cataloguing its activities since it was inaugurated a year ago to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. 

At a brief ceremony at the Jubilee House, the Chairman of the Council of State, Nana Otuo Siriboe said the Council of State will not be a rubber stamp but will venture in areas of National interest. 

When President Akufo Addo  in February last year inaugurated the 7th council of State, the Council promised to submit its report to the President annually. It is the first time in the recent history of the Council of State to President such a report. The report  compiles activities of the Council since its inauguration. 

The 39 page report takes readers through the constitutional developments of the Council with it's historical antecedent. 

During the period under review, the Council was compelled by the exigencies of it's work to meet 73 times. It also met the President twice and examined and approved some political appointees. Chairman of the Council of State, Nana Otuo Siriboe said writing of the report will not be a nine day wonder.

President Akufo-Addo commended  the Council for its work especially the speedy manner in which his appointees were approved.


The Council has taken a two month break after a year of rigorous work.

"Oldest" Living MOBA Old Boy, Albion Mends is 100 years

Albion Mends Sr.

 The Veteran Soldier of the Second World War  Albion Mends, is 100 years .

A 100th birthday celebration for Albion Mends Sr. will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at Warrensburg Manor Care Center, 400 Care Center Drive. Everyone is welcome to attend.

 Mr. Mends who is now regarded as the oldest living Old Boy of Mfantsipim School, was born in Ada, Ghana, on Aug. 19, 1918, and graduated in 1938 from Mfantsipim, a Methodist secondary school in Cape Coast, Ghana, where he was a master student.

After graduation, he worked as a postmaster in Accra, where he met and married Georgina Isabella Sagoe.

Some of the children of Albion Mends 

The couple was blessed with nine children.

Mends served in the Signal Corps in Burma in World War II, and after the war, he traveled the country working for the government as camp commander in the Food Production Corporation.

Members of the family emigrated to the United States in 1971, 1973 and 1976, including sons Albion Jr. and Clarence, who were on track scholarships, followed by their brother, Kojo, who came on an agriculture exchange program.

His wife Georgina died in 1981, and Albion Jr. was able to apply for residency in the United States for his father and remaining siblings, with the last family members arriving in 1985 with the help of the First Baptist Church of Warrensburg.

GOVERNMENT URGED TO PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION TO SANITATION

Library file

The Director of Operations at the World Vision International Ghana, Sagane Thiaw has urged government to pay serious attention to the issue of sanitation and take pragmatic steps to take the nation from the shame of being one of the unclean countries in the World. 

He said it is unacceptable for only 15 percent of the Ghanaian population to have access to improved toilet facilities, while the rest of the population either share latrines or engage in open defecation. 

Paying critical attention to sanitation, he noted will prevent a lot of needless ailments, deaths, poverty and erase the tag of being one of the poorest nations when it comes to sanitation. 

Mr. Thiaw was speaking at a public lecture and panel discussion on Sanitation in Accra.

It is said that Ghana is second after South Sudan when it comes to poor sanitation globally.  

Mr. Thiaw noted that improved sanitation is fundamental to qualify health, food security, poverty reduction and socio-economic development. 

He pledged World Vision International Ghana commitment to partnering other agencies in promoting water, sanitation and hygiene through the country. 
 
The Chairman of Tersus Ghana, an Environmental Think Tank, Professor Chris Gordon stated that open defecation is a disgrace to Ghana and all citizens must help in the fight against the practice. 

He underscored the needs for a holistic approach in tackling the issue of sanitation.  

On budget allocation to the Water and Sanitation Ministry he explained that government of Ghana contribution is woefully inadequate.  

He wondered why Government have to wait for donor agencies to finance the cleaning of the  environment and ensuring a clean Ghana. 

Prof. Gordon said the country must look for resources to finance sanitation programmes and stop depending on International donors to clean waste generated by citizens. 

He supported the idea for the establishment of national sanitation authority, National Sanitation Fund, National Sanitation  brigade among other initiatives but emphasised the need for the enforcement of regulations. 

Prof. Gordon called for interministerial approach in tackling the menace adding the issue of sanitation should not be left for the Ministry of water and sanitation. 

He suggested Hamonisation of actions of all stakeholders, build synergies among actors, add value to waste and work towards attitudinal change using social media. 

Panelists at the discussion session urged citizens to do the right thing when it comes to  keeping the  environment clean. 

Government to honour the late John Henry Mensah with a state burial

Late John Henry Mensah

Government will honour the late John Henry Mensah with a state burial, which will be held on Friday,  August 17, 2018. 

This announcement was made on Tuesday, 7th August, 2018, by President Akufo Addo when the family of the late J.H. Mensah paid a courtesy call on him at Jubilee House. 

In his brief remarks, President Akufo-Addo noted that J.H Mensah mentored him and many members of the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition, as well as many of the Members of Parliament who entered the House in 1996.

The President said  from the days of Presidents Nkrumah through to Busia, and eventually Rawlings and J.A Kufuor, if there be anyone worthy of mention to have served his country well, then it's him.

He, thus, described J.H. Mensah’s passing as “a huge loss to this nation”, and assured the family, therefore, that a befitting burial ceremony will be given to him.

J.H Mensah, until his death, was a founding member of the governing New Patriotic Party. 

He served the country from 1953, till his passing on 12 August 2018, at the ripe old age of 89. His last official appointment was in 2005, when he was appointed Senior Minister by the 2nd President of the 4th Republic, His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor.

gbcghanaonline.com

1,350 Businesses Benefit from Presidential Business Support Programme

One thousand, three hundred and fifty (1,350) businesses, from all ten regions of the country, are the first beneficiaries of the Presidential Business Support Programme, an initiative of the Akufo-Addo Government.

Each of the 1,350 beneficiaries are to receive, from the Ministry of Business Development, continuous training and capacity building, mentorship and business advisory services, free accounting services, access to business networking opportunities, and, seed capital ranging from GH¢10,000 to GH¢100,000 each.

Speaking at the event on Tuesday, 7th August, 2018, at Jubilee House, the seat of the nation’s Presidency, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, noted that over the past two decades, the countries that have made rapid economic strides have been the ones that have encouraged high levels of investment in entrepreneur development.

It was, thus, a happy-sad moment for the President when he learnt that seven thousand (7,000) micro, small and medium sized businesses applied for support under the Presidential Business Support Programme.

“Happy, because I was encouraged by the numbers of young Ghanaians wanting to start their own businesses. And, sad, because not all of them would be beneficiaries of this programme,” he said.

Nonetheless, all the 7,000 businesses underwent a well-structured training programme to build their managerial capacities for their various ventures, with the training programmes conducted in fifty (50) private incubation hubs across the country.

The successful 1,350 winners, according to President Akufo-Addo, were competitively selected upon the recommendations of the private incubation hubs in a transparent, efficient and equitable manner.

“This, I am confident, will guarantee the success and sustainability of the businesses, especially as the rate of interest on the monies advanced has been pegged at 10%, as against the average prevailing market rate of 26%,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo congratulated the selected businesses for not giving up but working hard to meet the set criteria, and urged them to seize the opportunity provided by the Programme, and demonstrate their entrepreneurial ability.

“To the unsuccessful applicants, I wish them the very best of luck in their future endeavours. Surely, this is not the end of the journey. As I have said before, my late beloved mother, Yeboakua, taught all her children, principally myself, her first born, that if, at first, you try and don’t succeed, try, try, and try again.’ They will have another opportunity next year to give it another shot, should they so wish,” the President added.

With the selected 1,350 businesses receiving training and support, President Akufo-Addo urged them to “create some thirty thousand (30,000) direct jobs within the next year, and several thousands of indirect jobs.”

The President assured the Ghanaian people and the business community that his government will continue to work towards the creation of a conducive environment for the private sector to thrive, stressing that “our macroeconomic indices point to the revitalisation and growth of the economy.”

With an impressive array of business people poised to make a difference, the President was confident that “our nation is on the cusp of a new, bold beginning, which will repudiate the recent culture of failure. Go out there and make us proud.”

OBSTRUCTION OF INVESTIGATIONS BY MAHAMA AYARIGA -SP

Mahama Ayariga

THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR COMPLAINT AGAINST

A SUSPECT, MAHAMA AYARIGA, FOR OBSTRUCTING

HIM IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS FUNCTIONS

After undertaking preliminary investigations into the

suspected commission of corruption and corruption-related

offences including the abuse of public office for private gain

by the Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for the

Bawku Central Constituency, my office decided that there

were sufficient grounds to invite the suspect for the conduct

of full investigations into the allegations.

The preliminary investigations pertained to the importation into Ghana

 through corrupt means and corruption-related activities of three used

white Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles by using a Parliamentary

Resolution dated 7th April 2017 contracting a facility of

 US$22, 500, 000.00 between the Parliamentary Service and

 the Societe Generale Bank (Ghana) which was for the purchase

of one brand new official vehicle for each of the 275

Members of Parliament. Due to the fact that the

investigations division of my office was in the

process of being set up, I invited the Economic

and Organised Crime Office to undertake a joint

 investigation of the suspected offences with my

office, as permitted under our establishment enactments.

The suspect refused to report to the offices of EOCO in Accra

 as demanded by a publication at page 26 of the Daily Graphic

 of 20th June 2018 with vehicle numbers GR 2220-18,

GR 2221-18, GR 2222-18, GT 2243(sic)-17 and GT 4054-13.

Consequently, it fell on me to write to the Speaker of Parliament

with a copy to Mahama Ayariga (the suspect) in my

letter dated 26th June 2018 to release the suspect to

report to EOCO on 3rd July 2018.

When the Suspect, Honourable Mahama Ayariga,

received his copy of my letter to the Speaker he

immediately started to get people he perceived

could put pressure on me (such as personal friends,

former colleagues, chiefs, men of God, etc.), to abate

the investigations being conducted in the performance

of my functions under Acts 959 and Act 804. I asked

EOCO on a number of occasions to warn the suspect

to desist from his conduct of obstructing the investigations

by soliciting others to put pressure on me to abate same to no avail.

I have accordingly, on 3rd August 2018, requested

EOCO to investigate my complaint against the

suspect for obstructing me, the Special Prosecutor,

in the performance of the functions of my office as

the Special Prosecutor. I stated clearly on oath at

my vetting for this Office that I was not going to

tolerate any interference or obstruction from

anybody or organ of Government other than the

courts of law in the performance of the independent

functions of my office even if the culprit were my only brother.

It is time for the public and everybody to take the

promises I made on oath to the people of Ghana

at my vetting very seriously.

We cannot as a country fight the canker of

corruption and corruption-related offences

by expecting the Special Prosecutor to have

regard to the personalities involved in the

commission of corruption offences instead

of treating every crime as crime without fear

or favour, affection or ill will.           

Double Track System begins September in selected SHSs'-Education Minister

 Education Minister, Mathew Opoku Prempeh 

The Ghana Education Service will this September introduce the semester system or double track system in selected senior high schools. 

The double track will affect only SHS one students.

The Minister of Education Mathew Opoku Prempeh announced this at the meet the press series in Accra. 

He said an the double track system is a temporary measure to cater for students who cannot make it to the senior high school.

Government has also secured 1.5 bill on dollars to complete all get fund projects and also pay all the get fund debts.

gbcghanaonline.com

Nine ex-SSNIT staff charged for causing GHC 238,888.78 financial loss to the state

Nine former employees of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) have been put before an Accra Circuit Court for forging school certificates and receiving unjustified salaries to the tune of GH 238,888.78 cedis.
    
They are Sylvia Ama Boh, Brenda Bannerman, Joyce Abena Donkor, Susana Okine aka Tetteh Susana, Eric Dzokoto, Javanael Anthony Asmah, Lawrence Obuoba aka Gbeney Lawrence Obuoba, Richmond Ampah and Prince Yeboah-Kodie.
    
The accused persons were picked by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in Accra following a forensic audit. 
      
Seven of the accused have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to forge official documents, possession of forged documents, forgery of official document and money laundering.
    
The court presided over by Mrs Afi Agbanu Kudormor admitted them to bail in the sum of GH 80,000 cedis each with two sureties each to reappear on August 21.
    
Meanwhile, the court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Joyce Abena Donkor and Javanael Anthony Asmah who were not in court.
    
The case of prosecution was that the management of SSNIT is the complainant in the matter and the accused secured employment between the year 2016 and 2017.
    
According to prosecution Management of SSNIT acting on information that some employees secured their employment through fake certificates decided to conduct background checks and vetting of various certificates of its staff.
    
The Prosecution said in the process the accused were identified and handed over to the EOCO for further investigations whilst seven of the accused have since been dismissed after the vetting exercise.
    
In the case of Sylvia Ama Boh, investigations revealed she was employed on December 6, 2016,  as Assistant Benefits Officer Two with the Kade branch of SSNIT and that she presented a Bachelors’ Degree in Information Studies and Economics with Second Class Upper honours although she obtained a third class.
    
Brenda Bannerman presented a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Theatre Arts with Second class Lower but investigations revealed that the certificate was fake and that it was designed at an internet cafe at Akoto Lante in Accra.
    
In the case of Joyce Abena Donkor who presented forged Diploma in Business Studies, investigations revealed that the said certificate did not exist in the records of the Ghana Education Service. 
    
Susan Okine and Eric Dzokoto were picked up for presenting fake WASSCE certificates.
  
Javanael Anthony Asmah allegedly presented Bachelors’ Degree certificate in Business Administration from Zenith University College with the assistance of Prince Yeboah Kodie at a fee of GH 800 cedis.
     
Lawrence Obuoba aka Gbeney Lawrence Obuoba, also allegedly inserted Obuoba on his BECE certificate from Osenase L/A Junior Secondary School.
       
Richmond Ampah and an Information Technology Assistant and Graphic Designer by profession designed his own certificate at Dansoman in Accra.
       
In the case of Prince Yeboah-Kodie he also designed and forged his so-called bachelor’s degree certificate.
       
Prosecution said the accused between 2016 and 2017 received an unjustified salary totalling GH 238,888.78 cedis thereby causing financial loss to the state.
       
According to prosecution, the accused unlawful activities were made worse through the waiver of recruitment and appointment procedures at SSNIT by the former Director General of SSNIT, Mr Ernest Thompson who is currently on trial over different charges.



SOURCE: GNA