The Executive Secretary of the Creative Arts Agency, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, has called on various media organizations, Disk Jockey (DJs) and owners of nightclubs in the country to prioritise local songs during their shows.
According to the daughter of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Play Ghana initiative seeks to ensure that songs by Ghanaian artistes are played most of the time in the media and various nightclubs to help improve the visibility of locally produced songs.
She indicated that her outfit is putting measures in place to ensure that the local content law is amended to enable the enforcement of the Play Ghana Songs initiative.
“So the Play Ghana initiative is not an initiative just for Christmas. Coincidentally, it has come around the Christmas season, as obviously, this is the biggest season for our creators. We are pushing to play Ghana songs forever. It is not something that is just stagnant and is something that is just going to be a gimmick. We are here to play Ghanaian music forever,” she said during the minister’s press briefing held at the Ministry of Information.
She further added, “We are asking every single radio station, DJ, nightclub owner, and nightclub promoter to play Ghana music first. So this is not something that is just an initiative that will be pushed every Christmas. It is something that we are starting for Christmas and we are hoping to lead, to be able to change and amend the local content law.”
Ghanaian artistes have been fuming about the lack of support and promotion of their songs which impedes their success.
Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has been appointed as the new acting Director General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA).
He takes over from Hollistar Duah-Yentumi who had been acting as Director-General since November 20, 2023.
Ms Duah-Yentumi served as the General Manager in charge of Operations at SIGA from its inception in 2019.
Mr John Boadu’s appointment was announced in a letter dated Monday, December 11, 2023 signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante.
The letter indicated that the appointment was in pursuant to Section 17 (2) of the State Interests and Governance Authority Act, 2019 (Act 990).
The said Mr Boadu has been appointed by the President as acting Director General of SIGA pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing Board of the SIGA, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission.
Confirming to Graphic Online that he has received his appointment letter, Mr John Boadu said he was going to do all his possible best working together with all SIGA staff and all the heads of the various institutions under SIGA to help bring profitability.
The Electoral Commission (EC) insists it will shift the closing time of voting from 5:00 pm to 3:00 pm during the 2024 general elections.
Chairperson of the Commission, Mrs Jean Mensa, the main proponent of the new time for ending polls explained that the adjustment will help to facilitate the transparent and orderly collation of votes by electoral officers in broad daylight.
She justified the proposal while addressing participants at an inter-party dialogue and stock-taking conference organized by the National Peace Council in Accra on Thursday, December 14.
Mrs Mensa further explained that the adjustment of the closing time is achievable because approximately 70 percent of voting centres across the country witnessed minimal activity by 1:00 pm during the 2020 polls.
Jean Mensa, EC Boss
She added the development will help diminish the long queues that have historically characterized elections, streamlining the voting process for citizens.
“In 2020, 70 percent of our polling centres had a voter threshold of 500 and below. This time we intend to ensure that all our polling station centers have a threshold of 500 voters and below. In the same vein, we will increase the number of our polling stations nationwide.
“We believe that this will go a long way to reduce the long queues that characterize our elections and allow for a smooth, seamless, hustle-free voting process. In 2020, it took voters not more than five minutes to cast their votes due to the introduction of this policy. Based on our 2020 experience and also feedback from several observer groups we propose to close the polls at 3:00 pm.
“Our experience in 2020 reveals that by 1:00 pm, 70 percent of our polling stations were empty of voters as most voters had cast their votes. This made it possible because the threshold of most polling centres was reduced to 500 voters per voting centre.
Citizen Eye Ghana (CITEG), a civil society organisation has accused President Nana Akufo-Addo and some senior government officials in the current government are frustrating the efforts of the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, towards the fight against corruption.
Executive Director of CITEG, Alexander Kwaku Tetteh, who made these allegations on Battle Ground programme on Power 97.9 FM argued that some powerful elements in the NPP government he knows are hindering the work of the Office of the Special Prosecutor through clandestine ways.
Although appointed by President Akufo-Addo to augment government’s fight against graft, Agyebeng has expressed frustrations about dispensing his duties especially involving powerful persons closer to the NPP government.
Alex Kwaku Tetteh believes the NPP administration is not happy with the operations of the Special Prosecutor following his action against former Minister for Sanitation, Cecilia Dapaah.
Tetteh told host King Nicholas that “Our people [the NPP leadership] are worried about the works of Kissi Agyebeng, especially when he took over the Cecilia Dapaah case.”
The former sanitation minister has been cited in a corruption and corruption related case being investigated by the OSP after her house helps were arrested for allegedly stealing huge sums of dollars and cedis from her Abelenkpe residence.
Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah has refused to declare property and income as demanded by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
The plea of the accused, Cecilia Abena Dapaah is yet to be taken and the docket is yet to be assigned to new judge.
It is for this reason that Tetteh mentioned popular legal practitioner and a nephew to President Akufo-Addo, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, and some powerful people in the NPP as having the blessings of the president to frustrate the OSP for coming after some key people in the government.
“Kissi Agyebeng is a learned person who is doing his work well but because of how intelligent he is, our people don’t like him. They are putting hurdles his way because he is pursuing powerful people,” Tetteh said in Akan and called for Ghanaians to have faith in him to fight corruption in higher offices in the country.
Frustrations
Rcently, Kissi Agyebeng lamented the increasing trend of dismissive rulings against his office whenever he tackled cases involving some powerful persons in government.
The immediate case was when a High Court in Accra quashed a report by the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) that found wrongdoing by two individuals, Colonel Kwadwo Damoah, a former Commissioner of the Customs Division at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and Joseph Adu Kyei, a former Deputy Commissioner of the Division, in the popular Labianca case.
The court also awarded costs of GHC 10,000 against the OSP.
The report alleged that the two officials had used their positions to grant favourable tax treatment to Labianca Company, a frozen foods company owned by Council of State member Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh.
Kissi Agyebeng, after his concerns, have been advised by some key persons in the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, shared a document that showed that the government has authorized the release of US$20 million (GH¢230.5 million) for the payment of a judgement debt to Ghana Power Generation Company (GPGC).
The MP accused the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government of deliberately causing the judgement debt to create, loot and share the country’s resources.
“I hope the Ministers who wrongfully terminated the GPGC contract and wilfully caused financial loss to Ghana are preparing for the day of reckoning,” he said.
A court in the United Kingdom (UK) awarded a $140 million arbitral against Ghana for the termination of a power deal with GPGC, a subsidiary of international commodities company, Trafigura, in 2021.
The Government of Ghana (GoG) was ordered by the court to pay the full value of the Early Termination Payment of $134,348,661 together with the “Mobilisation, Demobilization and preservation and maintenance costs” of the value.
Not only is the GoG going to pay the $134,348,661, but the court has also ordered Ghana to pay all the interest that has accrued from it.
The court also asked the government to pay the cost of the arbitration and the legal fees of GPGC, which amounted to over $3 million shows the major heddle which supposedly led to the termination of the contract.
According to the document, the main issue had to do with the reinstatement of an EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement).
The then Minister of Energy was supposed to write a memo to the president recommending the reinstatement of the EPA but did not despite several reassurances that it would be done.
The document reads as follows:
“… b. On 13 March 2018, the GoG advised GPGC that the Minister of Energy would be advising the deputy Power Minister to write a memorandum to the GoG Cabinet and the President of Ghana requesting that the EPA be reinstated.
C. On 15 March 2018, Mr Opam confirmed to GPGC that he had been instructed by the Minister of Energy to prepare such a memorandum.
On 16 March 2018, GPGC’s team in Ghana again met with the deputy Power Minister, who reassured GPGC that he was working on getting the EPA reinstated. e. By letter dated 26 March 2018, Three Crowns wrote on behalf of GPGC to the GoG reiterating the requests made in GPGC’s unanswered letter of 26 February 2018 or around 28 March 2018, the deputy Power Minister confirmed to GPGC that the Ministry of Energy was preparing a letter to the President strongly recommending that the EPA would be reinstated. g. On 4 April 2018, the deputy Power Minister advised GPGC that the President had verbally approved of the reinstatement of the EPA and that he was working with Attorney General and the Energy Commission to do so. h. On 8 April 2018, following a number of meetings and calls with the Minister of Energy and his aides, Mr Opam called GPGC to reiterate the Minister’s intentions to reinstate the EPA as quickly as possible.
“i. On 2 May 2018, the Deputy Power Minister again advised GPGC that, while the Ministry of Energy was waiting for input from the Attorney-General, the Ministry would write a letter to GPGC providing assurance that the EPA would be reinstated. j. On 3 May 2018, the Minister of Energy wrote to GPGC to confirm that the Ministry was ‘working on the issues raised in [GPGC’s] letter’ of 26 February 2018 and would revert with its response ‘soon’.”
The Executive Director for Africa Centre for Energy Policy, Benjamin Boakye, who shared the document, said that the document shows that the government deliberately neglected their duties to create the judgment debt.
“When you read the $170m judgement debt on GPGC, you’ll understand how people sleep on the Job to engineer financial hemorrhage. The Value of the contract was ~$134m if it worked, without discounting for my economic benefit. We don’t know the accrued interest yet,” he wrote on X on December 13, 2023.
Two officers of the West Gonja Municipal Ghana National Fire Service are in the custody of the Damongo Divisional Police Command for allegedly beating a 27-year-old man to death in Damongo.
The deceased, whose name has been given as Shirazu Nuhu, a resident of Damongo Zongo according to an eyewitness was accused of stealing a double-sized mattress by the officers.
The eyewitness, who gave his name as Tanko narrated to Bole-based Nkilgi FM that the deceased was chained and beaten for several hours by the officers with many people pleading with them to send the young man to the police station but the officers indicated that the police had rejected the deceased and that the only way they can retrieve the mattress is to beat him.
The younger brother of the deceased, Zakaria Mudasiru confirmed the sad passing on of his brother and described how the body of the deceased including his private parts was burnt through the use of a hot object suspected to be an electric iron.
Mudasiru indicated that the family has demanded justice for the deceased.
He also pleaded with politicians and traditional authorities to allow the law to bring the perpetrators to book because the beating of accused persons has become the order of the day in the Damongo Municipality.
The body of the deceased has since been laid to rest whilst investigations are ongoing with some suspected officers allegedly on the ran following the arrest of the two.
The Manhene of Bodi, Nana Kwasi Ofori Ababio has decried the poor state of roads in his traditional area.
He described as unfortunate what he described as total neglect, particularly the suspension of cocoa roads which would have been completed by now to enhance the movement of goods and services to improve the lives of people, mostly farmers who feed the nation.
According to him the unfortunate development has forced commercial drivers to ply other routes resulting in the unfortunate death of many pregnant women, who have had difficulty commuting to major health facilities for care and treatment.
Bodi Manhene, who was speaking during an engagement with the former President, when he visited the area as part of his tour of the Western North region, lamented how commuters risk their lives on motor bicycles and tricycles popularly referred to as ‘aboboya’.
‘The drivers do not want to ply that route because of how bad it is. Our pregnant women have no alternative. And some have unfortunately died on their way to available health centers’. – he fumed.
He appealed to John Mahama and the NDC to come to their rescue, if Ghanaians give them the nod in 2024.
Meanwhile former President John Mahama has assured that his next, God willing, will ensure the completion of cocoa reads to save lives.
“You are all witnesses to the fact that lots of the cocoa road projects were in the Western North. They said they were auditing the road contracts but nothing has been done since the last 6years. The next NDC government will ensure you get your fair share of the better roads” he stressed.
2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has reiterated his pledge to focus on completing abandoned projects including those started by the current administration.
Addressing a town hall meeting at Nsawura in the Sefwi Akontombra constituency in the Western North region, the former President said when he wins the polls next year, his government will take stock of every single project irrespective of the regime which started it and break the cycle of leaving heavy loans tied to taxpayers’ money from going waste.
“It doesn’t matter which regime started it. Even projects started by Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration, we will complete them” he emphasized.”
Mr Mahama who is on a two-day of the region said this does not mean his new government will not undertake initiatives.
His assurance addresses the expectations of many Ghanaians who have severally condemned the decision by the current administration to suspend several road and other infrastructure projects including schools and hospitals, some of which have either been completed and are awaiting commissioning for the benefit of the masses.
It will be recalled that last month, Goasomanhene, Nana Akwasi Bosompra, could not but weep in open public when he shared concerns about neglect by the central government in terms of basic development, during a courtesy call on him by the NDC 2024 candidate during his tour of the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions.
On Wednesday, 13th December 2023, Paramount Chief of the Sefwi Traditional area Okatakyie Kwasi Bumangama II also bemoaned the false hope before the creation of new regions.
“Akuffo Addo said he has given us region but the region is incomplete” – Okatakyie Kwasi Bumangama II explained suggesting the much-expected development since the Western North was hived out of the Western region is yet to be seen.
John Mahama, who ends his tour of the region today, will cross over to the Western region tomorrow.
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has promised to construct affordable houses for teachers when voted into power in 2024.
According to him, his empathy arises from the struggles caused by the 2-year advance rent scheme.
The former president says he wants to prioritize this housing scheme as part of the many motivational packages he plans to implement to boost the morale of teachers to give their absolute best.
Addressing his supporters in Nsawura in the Western Region as part of his ‘Building the Ghana We Want’ tour, the former president said the building of affordable houses for teachers will be a priority.
“Many workers are struggling with the 2-year advance rent scheme, and their salaries aren’t always enough to cover the costs. My government will support associations like teachers and farmers by implementing a rent assistance scheme to help build houses for their workers. We will deduct a portion of their monthly salaries for this purpose, and by the time they retire, they’ll have their own houses. We will take the housing scheme seriously. When I say housing, what I mean is affordable housing, and we will endeavour to price it in our local currency.”
Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo has presented a dummy cheque for GHC125,000 to victims of the Akosombo Dam Spillage at a ceremony in Accra.
The Chief Justice presented the cheque on behalf of the Judiciary and Staff of the Judicial Service of Ghana (JUSAG).
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief Justice said the donation was realized through the various contributions from the JUSAG and the Judiciary.
Justice Torkornoo said JUSAG, and the Judiciary were moved by the plight of the victims after the spillage adding she was elated that no lives were lost despite the destruction of various properties.
Justice Torkornoo said JUSAG, and the Judiciary were moved by the plight of the victims after the spillage adding she was elated that no lives were lost despite the destruction of various properties.
According to her, the donation should be used in purchasing materials to put up places for the victims.
She was optimistic that the various courts that were shut down because of the spillage would be reopened so that people would be able to access justice when it comes to issues of letter of administration, adoption, among others.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on behalf of the Chiefs and Queen mothers of the three traditional areas said over 12,600 people were displaced as a result of the spillage and so far, 21 displaced camps have been set up.
Mr Ablakwa acknowledged that donations from Ghanaians had lessened the plight of the victims, and he was surprised by the kind gesture of the Chief Justice and the Judiciary and JUSAG for their contributions.
“We are indeed surprised by the donation from the Chief Justice and the Judiciary. We now know that justice is not only contained in your judgements, but your judgements also contain mercy and kindness.
When the news of receiving the donation gets to our people, they would be joyous over the acts of our jurists and eminent judges.
“In fact, this is the happiest day ever since the disaster struck.”
Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII, Paramount Chief of Battor Traditional Area and Vice President of Volta Regional House of Chiefs expressed his appreciation to Judiciary for the gesture.
“You have delivered natural justice that cannot be reviewed by anyone. We are overwhelmed by your generosity,” Togbega Dzekley added.
Present at the ceremony are Chiefs, Queen mothers and elders of the Mepe, Dorfor and Battor Traditional Areas, Justice Cyra Cynthia P.A.
Koranteng, Judicial Secretary, Justice J. Bartels- Cudjoe, a Justice of the Court of Appeal and chairperson of the Committee which solicited for funds from JUSAG and the Judiciary, other Justices of the High Courts.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has chastised government for what he describes as a deliberate decision to neglect thousands displaced by floods triggered by the Akosombo Dam spillage two months ago.
For him, this is total wickedness, shameful and condemnable especially when the devastating floods, caused by the negligence of the Volta River Authority, a state institution, swallowed many homes, businesses, farms, schools and has left in its trail serious health risks with associated hardship for many now surviving on the benevolence of the generosity of Ghanaians.
Mr Ablakwa, noted with pain, how a government, can neglect its own people to suffer under such inhumane circumstances under the guise of being broke, yet raise a whopping US$20 million which is equivalent to GH¢230.5 million for the payment of a self-inflicted judgement debt, as recent as 14th November, 2023.
“At a time that about 40,000 of your fellow citizens have been displaced, government says it doesn’t have money for emergency housing and yet you can pay, cough up GH¢230.5 million, on the 14th of November, 2023, after the disaster to pay judgement debt” – he told Eric Ahianyo, host of IDEAS Exchange, a current affairs programme on TV XYZ.
“Its clear that Ghana is not broke. Its clear government can do better, it can take care of these flood victims, it could have built shelters.
Look if we, together with the private sector could do this partnership, the chiefs donating land, First Sky provided the building, I am furnishing and paying for utilities, light and water bills for the people and government cannot do something like this and its been three months?
Government says they are broke, they are helpless, they’ve now applied to World Bank, Global Shield to come and support them and yet you can pay GH¢230.5 million judgement debt within same period? What kind of government is this? What kind of wickedness is this? – he lamented.
He added… “If you look at even the allocation, they have made in the 2024 budget to support flood victims, its less than this part payment to Ghana Power Generation Company, GPGC.
Government says it can raise, GH¢220 million to support 40,000 flood victims and yet only a few days ago, you pay GH¢230.5 million because of reckless decisions”.
The MP for North Tongu’s conversation on the subject followed the donation of a GH¢125,000 cedis to Mepe flood victims by the Chief Justice Her Ladyship, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo and staff of the Judicial Service on Wednesday, 13th December 2023.
Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa receiving a dummy cheque for GHC125,000 from Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo on behave of victims of the Akosombo Dam Spillage at a ceremony in Accra.
The gesture, according to the Chief Justice follows concerns about the plight of victims and desperate effort by the MP for North Tongu to solicit for funds, relieve support to victims.
The cash donation, according to the Chief Justice was raised from over 340 staff members including Supreme Court, Appeals and High Court judges as well as ordinary members of the Judicial Service.
It is to help construct more bore holes to provide good drinking water and build more shelter facilities.
The Minority in Parliament has vowed to kick against any tax waiver policy government is seeking to present before the House for approval.
The NDC MPs argue the decision will only favour some select few to the detriment of the poor and locally-owned businesses in the country.
According to the Ranking Member on the Trade and Industry Committee, Yussif Sulemana, the Minority has identified a GH₵7 billion tax exemption the government intends to introduce under the guise of One District One Factory, while in actuality it is seeking to benefit the government cronies.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, he said, “the kind of taxes that this government has imposed on us, starting from 2017 to date, about 50 taxes that have been imposed after they had come to say that taxes that were imposed by the NDC government were nuisance.
“We have also been reliably informed, and we are speaking because we have seen documents that suggest that they are bringing another GH₵7 billion tax waiver request to Parliament. Now, if you put the two together, you are talking about GH₵12.5 billion, in tax exemptions. Okay. Here you are, wanting to grant GH₵12.5 billion to your friends and your family members in the name of tax exemptions in the name of 1D1F.”
Mr Sulemana stressed that the Minority would oppose any of such taxes because the citizenry has long been afflicted, adding that such tax exemption solely enriches the elite whilst the average Ghanaian suffers.
He clarified that the Minority is not opposed to the idea of taxing, as it was one of the ways to generate revenue and promote development, but the unfair mode of generation.
The Bole Bamboi MP referred to the current GH₵100 eco-tax the government intends to collect from vehicle owners. He raised questions about how small and large vehicles are expected to pay a leveled amount of money.
According to him, the government could vary the pricing, that way large vehicles pay more, and small vehicles pay less.
Again, the ranking member also questioned the unit of measurement the government would use to detect the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by these vehicles.
He stated that in the long run, this eco-tax will again favor some select few.
“What mechanisms have you put in place to be able to measure the carbon that you want to even tax? So again, what you are going to see is that they look into a face and say that the carbon that you have generated is 20 tons. Multiply that by 10, okay, by 100. And then they take money from you.
“They look at a person’s face and say, oh, this guy, he is a party person. He has done only five. So you multiply 100 by five and he also pays that again, doesn’t satisfy the principles of taxation we call equity or certainty. So I don’t know how much I’m going to pay. And I don’t know whether or not what I’m paying is the same thing somebody else is paying. When the person generates almost the same carbon dioxide that we are all talking about.
On the back of this, he emphasised that “These are nuisance taxes, and we must not allow this government to impose these taxes on the already suffering Ghanaians.”
Source: Myjoyonline.com
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