Posts in category: Other News

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has authorized Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to commence formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), inviting the Fund to support an economic programme put together by the government of Ghana.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Information said this follows a telephone conversation between the President and the IMF Managing Director, Miss Kristalina Georgieva, conveying Ghana’s decision to engage with the Fund.

“At a meeting on June 30th, 2022, cabinet indicated its support for the decision,” the statement said.

“The engagement with the IMF will seek to provide balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghana’s build back in the face of challenges induced by the Covid-19 pandemic and, recently, the Russia-Ukraine crises”.

Ghana heads back to the IMF just over three years after exiting the programme in December 2018.

Ghanaians in recent months have been feeling the pinch of record inflation and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war amid cuts in government spending to avoid a full-blown debt crisis.

State of economy

Ghana’s economy grew by 3.3% in quarter one of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 and inflation surged to a record of 27.6% in May.

This was despite the implementation of a raft of measures targeted at ensuring the achievement of the fiscal deficit target of 7.4% of GDP in 2022.

The country is also grappling with high debt and a depreciating currency, the cedi. A controversial tax on Electronic transactions (E-Levy) approved in April and presented as a solution for the economic challenges has also not generated expected revenues.

Protests

There was a two-day protest in Accra this week over fuel price hikes, inflation and an economic downturn.

The Arise Ghana protestors presented a petition to the Ministry of Finance and Parliament demanding that the government takes “pragmatic steps to alleviate the suffering of the people of Ghana”.

The Arise Ghana group said it wanted the government to cancel the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy) immediately and also take steps to reduce inflation and arrest the depreciation of the cedi to help bring relief to the Ghanaian people.

The group also urged the government to take urgent steps to remove levies and taxes which it says have led to skyrocketing fuel prices and high cost of food.

Ghana at IMF

In April 2015, the country turned to the IMF for a $918-million loan to support its ailing currency and help stabilise the economy.

IMF advisors, working with the government, developed a three-part programme to restore debt sustainability, strengthen monetary policy and clean up the banking system.

Ghana exited the IMF programme in December 2018, and during the 2019 budget presentation to Parliament, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, had assured the country that the government would back the IMF reforms with legal and institutional measures to ensure the irreversibility of the gains made so far.

“We are grateful to the IMF and are determined to maintain a combination of economic discipline and vibrancy that will ensure that we will not have to be rescued in that manner in the future,” he had said.

SOURCE: GRAPHIC.COM.GH

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has confirmed five cases of the Monkey Pox Disease.

No death has been recorded among the cases, neither is anyone in a critical condition.

The Director General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye, who made this known Wednesday, said the cases were recorded in three regions; namely, Eastern, Western and Greater Accra.

He said a total of 12 suspected cases have been investigated since May 24, 2022.

He added that one of the cases was recorded with a Ghanaian who travelled to the United States of America.

Vaccination

According to Dr Kuma Aboagye, there is currently no treatment for Monkey Pox.

He added that although there is a vaccine available for the Monkey Pox disease, it was currently not available in Ghana.

“But I don’t think we have reached a stage where we will call for vaccination in Ghana,” he said.

He further noted that the cases being recorded were mild to moderate.

What is Monkey Pox?

Monkey Pox is a zoonotic disease caused by the Monkey Pox virus.

It is endemic in Nigeria and Cameroon and is transmitted from an infected animal (squirrels, rats, dormice, monkeys, etc) or from infected humans.

Human-to-human transmission can occur through the following: skin-to-skin contact,  face-to-face contact, and mouth-to-skin contact.

It can also be spread through touching bedding, towels, clothing or objects used by an infected person.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches and muscle and back aches.

It also includes general bodily weakness, rash with blisters on face, hands, feet, body, eyes, mouth or genitals.

SOURCE: GRAPHIC.COM.GH

The Black Stars of Ghana commenced their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on a bright note after earning a comfortable 3-0 win over Madagascar at the Cape Coast Stadium on Wednesday.

Goals from Mohammed Kudus, youngster Felix Afena-Gyan and substitute Osman Bukari in the second half were enough to hand the Stars a deserved dominant victory at home.

Kudus opened the scoring in the 53rd minute when he finished a low cross from Afena-Gyan. Three minutes later, the AS Roma forward recorded his debut international goal for Ghana with a flick after meeting a Gideon Mensah cross.

Bukari sealed victory with five minutes to the end of proceedings when he broke free from the Madagascar defenders before dribbling past goalkeeper Razakanirina Rakotohasimbola and slotting home.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

The Ministry for National Security has launched a citizens’ awareness campaign aimed at protecting the country against terrorist attacks.

The campaign, dubbed: “See something, say something,” encourages the public to be vigilant of the activities of suspicious characters and report such activities and characters to the security agencies.

The launch forms part of the ministry’s border counter-terrorism strategy aimed at sensitising the public to terrorism threats and encouraging the citizenry to collaborate with state security agencies to reduce the threat of terrorism in the country.

What to do

As part of the campaign, a toll-free number — 999 — has been provided for citizens to swiftly report suspicious activities to state security authorities or use the emergency contacts and social media platforms of the Ghana Police Service to draw the attention of state agencies to unusual activities within their communities.

Where mobile connectivity is a challenge, locals are to report suspicious activities to their local police, traditional leaders, opinion leaders, heads of faith-based organisations and leaders of political parties who could expedite action to arrest any threat of terrorism attack situation.

Some celebrities and media personalities, including Kofi Kinata, Kwame Sefa Kayi, Dzifa Bampoe, Gifty Adorye, Nana Aba Anamoah and Rev. Dr Lawrence Tetteh, have been appointed ambassadors for the campaign.

Assurance

Addressing the gathering, the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, said terrorism threat in the sub-region had evolved to a point where reliance on only conventional tactics and strategies to combat it was ineffective.

Recent developments, he observed, indicated that the attacks perpetrated in the region and the Sahel had been highly unconventional.

The timing of the roll out of the campaign, he said, had, therefore, been informed by the need to implement more preventive measures following recent events in the West African region.

The minister explained that the involvement of the citizenry to support the state security with information on happenings in their localities, where the terrorists were likely to hide and commit their outrageous crimes, was essential and also made it easy for the state security agencies to identify and subsequently arrest such criminals with ease.

No panic

He assured the public that the state security was working tirelessly to protect them against any such attacks.

“The campaign is not aimed at creating panic among the citizenry but rather bolster the confidence of the public to swiftly report suspicious activities in their communities to the relevant state security agencies,” he explained.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said a campaign against any misinformation that sought to create unnecessary fear and panic among the citizenry would also be run alongside the “See something, say something” campaign.

“We count on the public to take ownership of the campaign to support the state security agencies to reduce the threat of an attack on Ghana,” he said.

Prime target

The Senior Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, said Ghana remained a peaceful and stable nation, in spite of its location in a volatile sub-region.

That, he said, was evident by the recent Global Peace Index which ranked the country the first in West Africa, second in Africa and 38th in the world.

However, Mr Osafo-Maafo said, the security situation in the sub-region was rapidly deteriorating due to the threat and spread of terrorism and violent extremism.

“Ghana faces the risk of a spillover, as data from the global terrorism index indicate that the Sahel region has become the epicentre of terrorism and violent attacks. The risk of possible terrorism attacks is further compounded by the recent southward drift of terrorism from the Sahel region to coastal West Africa,” he said.

More worrying, he noted, was the fact that the country’s neighbours along the Gulf of Guinea, namely, Togo, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire, as well as landlocked Burkina Faso on the northern border, had been severely hit by terrorist and extremist groups in recent times.

Desire to control resources

Mr Osafo-Maafo said terrorist group attacks were underpinned by terrorists’ desire to take control of resource-rich areas in the sub-region and gain access to the high seas of the Gulf of Guinea to perpetrate illegal mining, partly to generate funds to support their heinous activities

“This makes Ghana a prime target because of its gold resources and access to the Gulf of Guinea. The fact that we have not been attacked yet does not imply that we are eternally immune from the terrorists,” he said.

Deliberate actions

The Senior Presidential Advisor pointed out that deliberate actions and a conscious effort by the state security agencies and all persons within the country were required to keep the terrorists away.

“If we are going to succeed in this fight, everybody must get involved,” he said while admitting that the primary responsibility of the state was to protect the citizenry against threats that could adversely affect and threaten lives and livelihoods.

Mr Osafo-Maafo said the government continued to support the ministries of National Security, Defence and Interior and other relevant state authorities to implement measures towards safeguarding the state against terrorism and violent extremism.

Call on media

The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said total mobilisation of the public would make the response robust.

The campaign, he said, would get the people to understand the nature of the threat and understand their role in helping to assist the security and intelligence agencies to respond appropriately.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Parliament will resume sittings from today, May 24, 2022.

This will be the second meeting of the second session of the 8th Parliament, with proceedings expected to start at 10 am on Tuesday.

“Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) of the Parliament of Ghana, I, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, Clerk of Parliament, hereby notify MPs that the second Meeting of the Second Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic Shall Commence on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 10 am in the forenoon at Parliament House, Accra,” the notice said.

Parliament is expected to consider several government programmes and bills before it goes on another recess in August 2022.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, would equally deliver the mid-year budget review in July to the House.

In the previous meeting, the Minority accused President Akufo-Addo of constant breaches of the law despite his much-touted status as an advocate of the rule of law.

JoyNews/AdomNews · Heated exchange in Parliament as Minority accuses Akufo-Addo of constant breach of law

North Tongu Member of Parliament (MP), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, insisted that the President has not complied with a constitutional provision to furnish Parliament with the annual report on the staff at the presidency.

Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, incensed over the description, called on his colleague NDC MP to withdraw the words.

The demand threw the House into chaos as members from both sides argued on top of their voices.

SALL residents petition Speaker Bagbin again

Residents of the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) have decried the deliberate attempt to deny them representation in the eighth Parliament.

In a new petition to the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, the residents said in May last year that they petitioned the Parliament; however, next to nothing has been done about their plight.

Thus, in a new letter addressed to the Speaker, the Office of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) of the Lolobi and Akpafu Traditional Areas has asked the leader to intervene.

“Rt. Hon Speaker of Parliament, speak, “Thy Servants” heareth, SALL, Ghana and the world, wait for the collective verdict and action now!”

The aggrieved residents reiterated their plea to get a representation in Parliament.

According to them, it seems some powers that be want to deny the “poor and humble” people of SALL representation.

“It has been 499 days without representation of the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi Traditional Areas, also known as SALL, in the 8th Parliament of our beloved country Ghana.

“This situation appears to have been imposed on the poor and humble people of SALL by some state institutions and agencies.

“Otherwise, our persistent cry over the period would have invited rectification and relief from those who have been charged to ensure that fundamental human rights are not trampled upon,” they noted.

While describing the situation as frustrating and mind-boggling, the residents said they will not relent until their request is actualized.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Ghana’s COVID-19 active case count has dropped to 47, a month after the easing of preventive measures including the wearing of facemasks in public places.

This was contained in figures published by the Ghana Health Service which also indicated that all the 47 active cases were located in the Greater Accra Region with the remaining fifteen regions of the country having no active cases of the illness.

When the revisions to the COVID-19 prevention measures were announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 27, 2022, the country had 72 active cases and over 13 million vaccinated persons.

Since then, the country has as of May 10, 2022, administered a million more doses (14,944,182).

Among the preventive measures that were revised included a return to full capacity in-person activities such as church services, mosques, conferences, workshops, private parties, events, cinemas and theatres provided that the audience and all participants are fully vaccinated.

Additionally, President Akufo-Addo also directed that outdoor functions and sporting events, entertainment spots, political rallies and funerals could resume at full capacity provided that all persons at such events are fully vaccinated at those venues.

He directed that handwashing and hand sanitising points be made available at venues where events were held in full capacity for vaccinated persons.

Ghana has recorded 161,280 cases of COVID since the first case was recorded in March 2020 with 1,445 deaths.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that his vision for the country and Africa’s transformation is heavily influenced by the Bible.

“I am a Christian who is in politics and unashamed of asserting my Christian faith as part of my political calling and I freely admit that my vision for my country, and Africa’s transformation, is heavily influenced by the Bible,” he declared.

President Akufo-Addo made the declaration yesterday at the inaugural Africa lecture by the Museum of the Bible at a museum in Washington, DC, capital of the United States of America.

Family

He said he was born into a family with deep Presbyterian convictions, with his maternal ancestry, including his great-grandparents, being part of the pioneer evangelists of the Presbyterian faith.

“My paternal ancestry encompasses iconic 19th Century Presbyterian priests, whose evangelical ministries remain enduring legacies and inspirations for successive generations of Presbyterian priests,” the President said.

He said he was baptised a Presbyterian and changed to Anglican because of schooling, but added that Anglican or Presbyterian, the Bible was a focal point in their home and his parents found an apt scripture for every situation that came up in their lives.

Adulthood

President Akufo-Addo said whether as a lawyer or a politician he had always tried not to lose sight of the fact that his Christian faith should be an integral part of the practise of his chosen profession.

He added that the public had the perception that being a lawyer could pose problems that might be difficult to reconcile with being a Christian.

Law and Bible

The President cited an often-quoted advertisement on a billboard for a law office in an American city to illustrate the bewilderment with the law that many people face.

Reading the advertisement: “Just because you did it doesn’t mean you’re guilty,” the President said lawyers would readily understand the point but “we can also appreciate the mischief that this will cause among the public”.

President Akufo-Addo noted that Christianity was a way of life and a legal practice covered all aspects of their everyday lives, and quoted “The Ivory Gate”, a legal novel by Sir Walter Beasant in which the author painted a most optimistic view of a lawyer in contrast with the way lawyers are usually portrayed in other books.

“The solicitor is always engaged in considering how best to guide his fellow-man through the labyrinthine world. He receives his fellow man at his entrance into life as a ward; he receives him grown up as a client; he advises him all his life, at every step, and in every emergency,” excerpts of what the President quoted read.

Politics

Speaking about politics, President Akufo-Addo said it was no less turbulent in the last 45 years, adding that he was dissatisfied with the condition of life of the majority of the people and that was why he struggled to get the opportunity to do something about it.

“The story of my struggles to become President of my country is well known. My experiences have been a testimony of God’s love, and a vindication of the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as quoted at Matthew 19:26, which states “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

National Cathedral

President Akufo-Addo noted that his faith in God was also the motivation for what he described as “a priority of priorities that we are undertaking in the country”.

“This is the construction of the National Cathedral of Ghana, which first brought us to this venue three years ago, in February 2019,” the President declared.

He explained that the National Cathedral addressed a missing link in Ghana’s architecture by providing a formal space for the religious activities of the state.

“Designed by the iconic global Ghanaian architect, David Adjaye, who designed the National Museum of African American History and Culture here in Washington DC, the National Cathedral provides an interdenominational space for worship and will serve to insert God at the centre of our nation building efforts,” President added.

He said they had integrated a Bible Museum and Biblical Garden as part of the project.

President Akufo-Addo stated that the Bible Museum of Africa and Biblical Gardens of Africa extended the National Cathedral project, which would transform Ghana, whose over 70 per cent population was self-proclaimed Christians, into a major centre of Christianity in Africa.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

German side Borussia Dortmund have given Otto Addo the green light to coach Ghana’s national team during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year.

The coach made the confirmation last Monday in a podcast by Hamburger Abendblatt, a German newspaper in Hamburg.

“I have received permission from Dortmund,” confirmed Addo, who led the Black Stars as interim coach in the qualification playoffs with Nigeria two months ago.

Conditional release

The Dortmund talent coach will also be allowed to lead Ghana’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers beginning with a Group E clash with Madagascar in Cape Coast on May 29.

“Under certain conditions, it is possible that I manage the international windows in June, September and also the World Cup,” said the former Ghana international who became the frontrunner for the vacant job after successfully leading the final phase of Ghana’s World Cup qualification campaign.

Dortmund’s Sporting Director and one-time teammate of Addo at the Die Schwarzgelben (Black and Yellows), Sebastian Kehl, said he agreed to the coach’s request because he [Kehl] “does not want to deprive Otto Addo of this opportunity” to lead Ghana at football’s highest stage, having previously played for the country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

The green light by Dortmund paves the way for the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to open contract talks with the 46-year-old coach as the substantive national team manager.

GFA President, Kurt Okraku, was in Europe last month to engage the coach on the vacant job and also get the permission of his employers Dortmund who released him to assist former Ghana coach, Milovan Rajevac, successor to Charles Akonnor, during the group phase of the World Cup qualifiers last year.

President’s appeal

After Ghana’s qualification, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appealed to the FA to ensure that the Addo-led technical team, comprising assistants George Boateng and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, goalkeepers’ coach, Richard Kingson, and the Irish-Ghanaian technical advisor, Chris Hughton, are maintained for the World Cup in Qatar.

Ghana will meet Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea in Group H of the 2022 World Cup.

Born in Hamburg to Ghanaian parents, Addo has been the talent manager at Borussia Dortmund since 2019, but was promoted to first assistant coach last season during the short tenure of former head coach, Edin Terzic, who is now the Technical Director of the Bundesliga giants.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Organised Labour has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to use his executive powers to grant workers at least a 20 per cent Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) in the wake of the economic hardships being experienced in the country.

Addressing the 2022 May Day parade at the Black Star Square in Accra on Sunday, the Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah speaking on behalf of Organised Labour made the special request to the President.

“With the rising cost of living due to high inflation, we will like to appeal to you [President Akufo-Addo] to use your executive powers to grant a cost of living allowance (COLA) of at least 20 per cent to all public service workers.”

Dr Baah said the appeal was not only for those on the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) but also for the Armed Forces, the police, prisons, immigration, fire and all the security and intelligence agencies. “The cost of living allowance must also be extended to workers in the private sector who are earning just GH¢365 a month.

“We also expect that this COLA will be extended to all those pensioners on the SSNIT scheme who are earning just GH¢300 per month. Mr President the proposed COLA will not only cushion workers and pensioners from the harsh effects of inflation but even more importantly, it will prevent mass poverty in this country among the working group who are contributing so much to the development of our country.

“Mr President, Ghanaians are suffering too much, this is not the country that was envisaged by our leaders who fought with their tears and blood to gain independence for us. God has endowed us with gold, diamond, forest, ocean, oil and other resources, therefore, nothing can justify the high incidence of severe poverty, destitution and suffering in Ghana today, 65 years after independence.”

“It is obvious to us that the numerous IMF programmes in Ghana did not work, it is also clear to us that the partisan approach in dealing with Ghana’s problems is not working. What we need is our own homegrown solutions, supported by all the major stakeholders in the economy, including the executive, parliament, judiciary, workers and their unions, the business community, farmers, traders, NGOs, political parties and civil society organisations. We are confident that Mr President together we can transform our economy into a more resilient and prosperous one which can provide job for the youth and improve standard of living in all the 16 regions of the country.”

Source: Graphic.com.gh

A proposed re-development scheme has been developed for the land on which the demolished Agbogbloshie Market in Accra was situated.

Intended to give the area a facelift, the scheme is yet to be submitted to the seat of government, the Jubilee House, for further suggestions, inputs and approval.

In the meantime, there is a contractor on site erecting a fence to secure the land.

While awaiting approval from the Jubilee House, the contactor, who has already gone through the Public Procurement Authority, has started digging the foundation for the fence wall.

Throwing light on the proposed re-development, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, told the Daily Graphic that the overall plan was to bring immense life to the area.

Securing land

Mr Quartey said the primary activity now was securing the vast land to prevent encroachment.

“We’ve secured a contractor who has moved to site and I am sure that you will see more action any moment from now.

“Let me assure all that the fence wall will be completed in six months, and once we agree on the re-development scheme with the various agencies, you’ll see a new Agbogbloshie that we will all be proud of,“ he said.

Agbogbloshie redevelopment

He said the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) did not demolish the market just for the sake of it but to ensure that what replaced it fitted into the development plans of Accra.

In the meantime, the regional minister said, a portion of the land had been allocated for an Agenda 111 hospital project.

He disagreed with suggestions in some circles that the redevelopment of Agbogbloshie had delayed.

Visit to Agbogbloshie

When the Daily Graphic visited the site yesterday, the contractor had started the fence wall and was busily digging the foundation.

The contractor had also put up offices at the site.

Nonetheless, we saw a vast stretch of land intact and waiting to be developed.

The demolition

On July 1, 2021, Mr Quartey led security personnel to clear market women and scrap dealers from the Agbogbloshie Market, one of the country’s biggest markets, as part of the ‘Make Accra Work’ initiative.

Many shops and makeshift structures were razed to the ground.

Onion traders there had since been resettled at the Adjen Kotoku Market.

During the exercise, Mr Quartey said no one would be allowed to return to the demolished Agbogbloshie Onion Market.

“Read my lips — no one is coming back; it is done and no one is coming back,” he stated.

Operation clean your frontage

In a related development, the regional minister yesterday inaugurated the Operation Clean Your Frontage Secretariat in Accra, with an assurance that there would be full implementation of sanitation by-laws that had been passed to keep the city clean.

The secretariat, located at Asylum Down, is aimed at bolstering the government’s campaign to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa.

It will be a one-stop shop for all activities under the campaign and will include a Regional Call Centre, as well as the regional office of the city.

The centre is a centralised office managed by national service persons who will receive direct communication on sanitation-related complaints and reports and relay same to all the 29 assemblies as and when they are received from the public for redress.

Summons

Responding to the frequently made statement by residents of the capital that it was the duty of assemblies to clean communities, Mr Quartey said a by-law had been passed.

Subsequently, he warned that when the city response team “swing into action” next week, it would issue summons to persons who flouted by-laws on sanitation, “and you will pay.”

“If you do not pay, they will take you to court,” he warned.

On the two-week ultimatum given by traders doing business along the Odaw River and at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and its environs to demonstrate on the streets to register their displeasure with what the RCC was doing, Mr Quartey said he was strongly opposed to the threat by the traders.

“Respectfully, I want to serve them notice that they will not even last one week,” he warned.

Source: Graphic.com.gh