NPP Sacked Top Executive barely 24 Hrs To Their National Delegates Conference
A letter in our possession has it that the NPP in the Sunyani West Constituency in the Bono Region has sacked their Communications Director, Mr. Atta Bosomtwe effective December 17, 2021. The letter says, “As you may be aware, communication is very vital to the party in their preparation for the 2024 election, the Constituency Executive Committee has decided to immediately find a replacement for Mr. Bosomtwe in order to attain maximum communication efficiency in the Constituency”. The Constituency Executive Committee of the party in Sunyani West has disclosed that their move to sack Mr. Atta Bosomtwe as their Communications Director is basically because of Mr. Bosomtwe’s new appointment with the Ghana Cocoa Board which has taken him out of the Constituency. Below is the letter: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Ghc207,407,899.46 missing at Ministry of Trade & Industry as interest subsidy on 1D1F loans
Worrying revelation coming from the Minority in Parliament shows a whooping amount is missing at the Ministry of Trade and Industry as interest subsidy on 1D1F loans. According to the Minority, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Page 11, of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) 2022-2025 for the Ministry of Trade & Industry states that in 2021, the number of Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) increased from 13 to 15 and a total of GHS 2.69 billion have been granted by the PFIs as loans to finance the 1D1F projects/companies. Out of this, GHS269 million has been disbursed by the government as interest subsidy payment support to de-risk PFI’s loans to 1D1F companies. However, the minority is requesting from the Ministry of Trade to provide names of the banks and the names of each of the companies as well as the amount each and every company has taken. Minority said, “The Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan Kyeremanten, on the onset of the 1D1F programme negotiated with selected financial institutions to grant loans to beneficiary 1D1F companies/factories”. The government agreed to absorb 10% of the 20% interest charge on loans to 1D1F companies as a subsidy. Page 11, of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) 2022-2025 for the Ministry of Trade & Industry states that in 2021, the number of Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) increased from 13 to 15 and a total of GHS 2.69 billion have been granted by the PFIs as loans to finance the 1D1F projects/companies. Out of this, GHS269 million has been disbursed by the government as interest subsidy payment support to de-risk PFI’s loans to 1D1F companies. At the 2022 Budget Committee meeting with the Ministry, the Minister confirmed that GHS269 million had been disbursed as interest subsidy to beneficiary 1D1F companies. The Committee demanded details of the beneficiary companies. The Ministry submitted a list of beneficiary companies and subsidies disbursed totaling GHS 62,281,484.29 instead of GHS 269,689,383.75 exposing a shortfall of GHS 207,407,899.46. “The question then to ask Mr. Alan Kyeremanten is where is the whopping difference of GHS 207,407,899.46? They asked Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Are you waiting for the E-levy killer tax to build the airport?—Navrongo MP to Upper East Regional Minister
Navrongo Central Constituency Member of Parliament Mr. Sampson Tangombu Chiragia has extended another interesting question to the Upper East Regional Mr. Yakubu Stephen. Apexnewsgh.com report The Navrongo Central legislator who had already registered some level of displeasure following the controversies and delay witnessed sofar in the much touted Upper East Regional airport from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), the NDC MP is asking the Upper East Regional Minister ‘weather he is waiting for the E-levy killer tax to build the airport?’. However, Mr. Tangombu Chiragia has thrown a challenge to the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu to make himself available for a solid debate on what development they claimed the NPP government has provided for the region for the past 5 years. “Let him know am prepared to debate him. If he is a man who claimed there are development projects in the region, I will let everyone understand there was none in the region. I am ready to debate him. He should tell me the project government is bringing to the region and what they have done for the 5 years. “He shouldn’t be talking about the Tono Dam, the NDC started it. They should tell us the whole region. The Pwalungu Multi-purpose dam is lying down there, not even a wheelbarrow is there. We don’t know where the contractor is. So, is not about talking, is about what to do. He concluded However, the Member of Parliament is patiently waiting to engage the Upper East Regional Minister in what he described as developmental debate. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
The staging of a walk-out does not render Parliament incapable of performing its functions –Bagbin
Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has said, staging a walk-out is a legitimate form of protest and is part of Ghana’s Parliamentary norms and practices. Apexnewsgh.com report The speaker pointed this when addressing Members of Parliament on Thursday, 16 December 2021 during his first sitting after returning from Dubai. Read below the Speaker’s full address to parliament on Thursday: Formal Statement by the Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin Speaker of Parliament, on the rejection or rescission of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government Introduction Hon Members, before I proceed to address the topic of my official communication, permit me to praise and glorify the Almighty God/Allah, my fortress and my Lord, for the travelling mercies and the regeneration and renewal of my body and life. Thanks be to you, oh Lord, the creator and master of the universe. I am eternally grateful to you for your grace and love. I also thank Hon Members for holding the fort in my absence, despite the fact that the conduct of some Members raises fundamental issues bordering on a complete disregard of parliamentary practice, procedure and process of the House. I have taken my time to read the Order Paper, Votes and Proceedings and the Official Reports of the days in issue. And I am convinced we should accept the view of the conscience of the nation that we owe Ghanaians an apology and I will proceed to do just that. As the Head of Parliament, the voice of the Legislature, who speaks for and on behalf of Parliament, hence the title Speaker, I, with all humility apologise on behalf of the House and all the members, for the aberrations of conduct and behaviour of members on those days. I take responsibility for what happens in the House and I admit the House is neither dignified nor exalted by that rancorous and unruly behaviour of members. I promise to do everything within my power and authority to lead the House to chart a path of transformation, decency and change, a change for the better. The conduct of members on those days also touches on the legality of the decisions arrived at in the House and how we arrived at those decisions. It will help for members to look at these issues dispassionately, in humility, devoid of egos and partisanship. As a House of honour, dignity and measureless might and majesty, members of Parliament should, for a while, allow the 1992 Constitution, the enabling laws, precedents and the Standing Orders of the House to lead the way. Members need to think about how to strengthen the work of this House and by extension, strengthen Ghana’s democratic governance. Members need to consider the precedents we set by every decision and action we take in this house. Over and above that, members must bear in mind that as Members of Parliament, they also represent the people – the citizenry – not just political parties. Hon Members, just try to recollect, or view a playback of the proceedings or read the Official reports of those sittings, and you will appreciate what I am referring to. What happened was grave disorder with its resultant comedy of errors and I will not take lightly a repeat of such disorder and indiscipline in the House. Hon Members, I will not bore you or our audience with a recount of the scenery of those proceedings, it is, however, incumbent on me to make a pronouncement on these matters and provide some direction on the path to be taken as a House to ensure we are taking steps to fulfil our sacred duty to the people of Ghana. To do this, it is necessary to summarize a few proceedings in order to lay a foundation for me to propose the way forward. Quorum for the Conduct of Business and Quorum for Voting in Parliament Hon. Members the first matter that requires some pronouncement is the matter of a quorum which formed the basis for the decision taken by the House to rescind the rejection of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government. Admittedly, the Constitution prescribes the quorum for the conduct of business of the House; a lack of quorum meant the business cannot be done. A quorum for one-third of members is required for the commencement of business; a quorum of not less than one-half of members is required to determine, for example, a resolution for approval of international loans and a quorum of not less than two-thirds of members is needed to amend some provisions of the constitution. Depending upon whether it is just to legitimize it to conduct business of Parliament, or take an ordinary decision or make a resolution. See Articles 69 (11), 75 (2) (b), 82 (1), 95 (2) (d), 102, 104, 106 (10), 113 (2), 174 (3), 181 (1), 268 (2), and 291(3). The provision that deals with the basic components of a quorum to transact business are; One-third of all members of Parliament, except the one presiding. Hon. Members, the question of whether or not a quorum exists either for the conduct of Parliamentary business or for taking of vote in Parliament is, therefore, a question of fact. The practice in all Parliaments since the inception of the 4th Parliament has been to raise the issue of quorum on the floor of Parliament at the time the business or the vote is being taken. Hon. Members, admittedly it is a responsibility of the Chair to make a determination if there is a quorum at the beginning and at any time during the sitting of the House. However, there is a presumption of quorum to undertake business unless a question is raised. The Chair may in the absence of an objection to the contrary, presume that the House is duly constituted for its work. It is only when such an objection has been raised that the Speaker may then take steps in compliance with Order 48 of S. O. of
Tell us why no single person from Upper East is a cabinet Minister—Navrongo MP
The Member of Parliament for Navrongo Central Constituency Mr. Sampson Tangombu Chiragia has questioned the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu why out of 19 to 21 cabinet Ministers in Akufo-Addo’s administration no single person is representing the people of Upper East –Apexnewsgh.com Report According to Mr. Tangombu Chiragia: “This clearly shows that his none performing President who does not see Upper East Region as part of Ghana”. His question came after the regional minister had responded to his position on the 2022 budget where he complained that the budget could not even capture the controversial Upper East airport, which he believes is inconveniencing the people of the region and more especially he as a parliamentarian who always love to travel home every weekend. According to the Regional Minister in his response: “If an MP is in Accra, saying he wants to come home every weekend to see his constituents but because there is no airport he cannot come, I don’t think we should even vote for such Member of Parliament. However, the response by the Upper East Regional Minister has triggered the Navrongo Central Constituency legislator to throw another heavy wet question to the father of the region. “Why is it that we have almost 19 to 21 cabinet ministers and we have 16 regions, why is it that Upper East Region is not having even a cabinet minister? We don’t have a cabinet minister in Nana Addo’s government and he doesn’t regard us”. Navrongo MP asked “So, for that matter, who is going to carry issues across? He is the Regional Minister, his constituency is the region, my constituency is Navrongo Central, and his party is in power, and is their responsibility to do something for us, and he should not be dodging his responsibilities. “The last time, that was the same mistake he made, he said there were going to be airport located where? NO, he talked about the aerodrome which he said going to in Navrongo, that one is already known. What we are saying is that, before you can talk about the airport, where are you locating it? Where are you building it? You have not made the land preparation and you have 3 years to go and you are telling us you are going to get two airports when? We need the airport now. He insisted “Not about me coming home, I come home alright but what am saying is that I have business in Accra and definitely, I will close some times and run into the night. I can come and land in Tamale sometime with the last flight. If there were to be an airport in Upper East Region when i land i can even take a bicycle and go”. He explained “But here is the situation, how can you land in Tamale around 6:30 to 7:00 Pm then drive 3 to 4 hours before you get home? Then, that’s even better. When you are going back to Parliament and you want to go with last flight and you are leaving Upper East, it means you have to leave home around 4:00 Pm and if you are not lucky and get a breakdown on the road, what do you do? He shouldn’t run away from his responsibility. He knows very well I don’t have access to his Oldman who is there wasting our time, even he himself doesn’t have access to his old because he goes there, he can only talk to the Chief of Staff and comeback. He is not even regarded, he is only here to represent something. If he claimed he is a darling boy to the President he should make him a cabinet minister so that he can talk for Upper East. “Upper East is the only region we have, no one should be joking with the region that is our country and our capital, we come from there and we can never change”. “He should lead a legacy so that tomorrow, he can say he was a minister he was able to bring us airport. We don’t care where the airport is located, they can send it to Fumbisi, and they can send it to even Pwalungu it doesn’t matter anymore. He stressed Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
‘We’re suffering, our children’re suffering’: Jobless Ashanti NPP members threaten demo
Several aggrieved members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region belonging to a coalition called NPP Identifiable Groups, an amalgam of several groups, have threatened to demonstrate against the party at the weekend during its National Delegates Conference at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Saturday, 18 December 2021. The angry groups say their members have suffered throughout the Akufo-Addo administration despite having campaigned and worked toward the two victories of the president. The coalition, which includes groups such as Elephant Movement, Elephant Soldiers, NPP Vibrant Group, Bantama NPP Florida Fun Group, among others, said the Akufo-Addo government has refused to employ them and their relatives in the various government institutions despite a promise to do so. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, 15 December 2021, the convener of the groups, Mr Emmanuel Ampiah Mensah, said they have channelled their grievances to the necessary authorities but to no avail. Mr Ampiah, on behalf of the groups, has given the leadership of the party a three-day ultimatum to call them to a meeting and find jobs for them else they will carry out their threat on Saturday. “We have done a lot for this party and we are expecting something meaningful but we are not seeing anything. We have our colleagues who are not working, up to date, as I’m talking, a lot of people have gotten a lot of jobs but now, as I’m talking, none of us has received any contract”, he told regional correspondent Elisha Adarkwa. He added: “I want to region to come and meet us so that we will express our problem to them”, stressing: “We are lacking jobs. Our kids are suffering. We are suffering”. “We want them to come to our aid”, he insisted. “So, we are giving them three days; today is Wednesday, we are waiting till Friday, if we don’t hear anything from the regional executives, we’ll advise ourselves”, he threatened. —Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
I and my colleagues are proud to belong to the group of MPs who frustrated Ameri, Agyapa… Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency, has boasted that he and his fellow Minority MPs are proud to belong to the group of MPs that “frustrated” the approval of the controversial E-levy proposed by the government in the 2022 budget. Apexnewsgh.com report The North Tongu legislator made the revelation through his Facebook wall on Monday 13, December 2021. Below is the full Facebook post by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Let history reflect that my colleagues and I are proud to belong to the group of MPs who “frustrated” Ameri, Agyapa, Aker, Oslo Chancery, PDS, inflated 2018 Ministry of Special Development Initiatives Budget, GHS242million dubious e-Transaction Levy Services, and still determined to “frustrate” the obnoxious E-Levy. I have no doubt President Akufo-Addo is much the same way proud of how he and his collaborators in and outside of Parliament during their good old days “frustrated” the introduction of VAT not only in the chamber but on the streets with the famous “kumepreko” demonstrations. The Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu-led opposition era certainly look back with great pride for “frustrating” a number of matters they felt strongly about including boycotting President Mahama’s message on the state of the nation and boycotting the vetting of his ministers on the instruction of party leaders as they pursued their legal challenge of the 2012 election outcome. Parliaments exist in a democracy as a countervailing force to keep the executive in check and curb impunity. When other MPs exercised their oversight mandate in the past, they were hailed as nationalists; those who do same now must not be cast in a different light. Good conscience, genuine feedback from our constituents and the supreme national interest shall continue to be our raison d’etre. We owe a debt of gratitude to the eminent clergy who have declared three days of fasting and prayer for Parliament and the smooth approval of the 2022 Budget — we have no doubt that our Almighty Lord and Saviour will in the final analysis intervene on behalf of the suffering masses just as He did in the story of the profligate, insensitive rich man and poor Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Government brought up E-levy to move beyond petroleum levy–Yaw Buaben Asamoah
The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Yaw Buaben Asamoah has said the government has brought up the E-levy in order to move beyond the petroleum levy. Apexnewsgh.com reports According to him, two things are visible, one is that a lot more Ghanaians will contribute to tax, which will make it easy for the government to function. He pointed, the government doesn’t function for profit, the government’s activities don’t generate profit for the government but they are things that give the opportunity for citizens to generate profit. Because when a government invests in a road, the road doesn’t bring the government profit but is the people who are using the road that government will tax some on their activity. Mr. Buaben Asamoah made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Apexnews-Ghana on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 He said, “Is very important that we appreciate that tax paying is not the easiest of things to do. However, government finances are driven by taxes and taxes can also be used to shape the economy in certain ways. So, the E-levy is a tax that is aiming to resolve so of the most difficult issues we have with taxation in Ghana. “The first of those issues is petroleum levy. You would realize that over the years, including the revolution time all that the government use to do was to tax petrol and anytime we taxed petrol, prices go up generally in the economy it doesn’t matter how much you put on the petrol price. So, the action of taxing petroleum has been saturated and because of the recent COVID issues with supply chain problems, you now find that even the petroleum itself price is going up worldwide. So, it is not attractive to taxes anymore. Because you cannot tax what the price is going up in the worldwide market and therefore, the government has decided to stop petroleum tax once and for all. “The other indirect tax, because we have to pay it back is loans, borrowing on the local market and borrowing on the foreign market and including in that borrowing is grants and concession from multi-literal institutions like IMF, WORLD BANK and also recently the commercial market which is BOND Market. The implications are that we never get enough money to invest in things we are borrowing for which are essentially infrastructure, roads and all the other needs and which is the principal and the interest thereon is growing up at a faster rate. And when you borrow to a certain point, you find out the interest payments are getting larger and larger and as we speak, the interest payment on our debt is hitting around 30% of our GDP. That means, for every Ghc 100.00 we get as a nation, we are going to use Ghc 30.00 to pay the debt. How much will be left for our work? So, borrowing too is no more an option, we can’t continue to borrow. So, we are at a point where we need a completely new strategy for funding our own personal needs, funding our roads, our schools, funding our hospital, funding our digital revolution, funding the things that will make us be able to move up and down, funding the digital economy itself, so that everybody can get access to the internet everywhere you are in Ghana”. “So, in order to move beyond petroleum levy, and move beyond borrowing, the government has brought up the E-levy. The E-levy means that the money which would have been put on petroleum taxes, which would have gone to borrow abroad is going to be taken from the E-transaction, which is transaction Ghanaians endorse in. “Two things are visible, one is that a lot more Ghanaians contribute to tax, which will make it easy for the government to function. But we know the government doesn’t function for profit, the government’s activities don’t generate profit to the government but they are things that give opportunity for citizens to generate profit. Because when a government invests in a road, the road doesn’t bring the government profit but is the people who are using the road that government will tax some on their activity. “So, when you put a tax on the E-levy two things happens, more Ghanaians will contribute to paying taxes which means we will pay smaller than before. “Currently, only those who are employed by the government are paying taxes. So, out of the 30 million Ghanaians, less than 10 million are paying tax. And it doesn’t fall on those people alone to be paying for all the roads, all the road re-payment and the money is not enough because they are few and we are taxing them more and more. So, we do this, that means a lot more Ghanaians will share the burden of paying the tax. So, if 11 million people are doing mobile phone transactions, the 11 million people will share and be paying the tax small small so that government can invest in our roads properly. “It also means that because a lot more people are paying, you don’t have to pay much individually. When few people are paying, they pay a lot, but when a lot more people are paying, they don’t have to pay too much as individuals because is spread across”. Mr. Asamoah told Apexnewsgh.com Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
NPP: Cracks deepens in Navrongo NPP as 4 loyalists of late Kofi Adda sacked from party meeting
It appears the division witnessed in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Navrongo Central during the 2020 general election is deepening as a result of different camps. Four Executive members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Navrongo Constituency were sacked from a party meeting, even after denying T&T meant for them during the Annual Party delegates Conference held on August 24, 2021. According to information gathered by Apexnewsgh.com, all the sacked 4 who believes they were embarrassed instead of giving them their T&T, were loyalists of the late former Member of Parliament for Navrongo Constituency Kofi Adda. The constituency Secretary Mr. Moses Amoah who is supposed to keep records in any organized institution as a secretary said, he was not even invited to the meeting. “The constituency held the annual delegate’s conference in Navrongo on 24th August and during the programme, the party sent {T&T} some money to be given to delegates. The polling station executives were supposed to receive Ghc 50.00 and the coordinators were to receive Ghc 100.00. So, the chairman and the other executives decide to deny some of the polling station executives and some of the electoral areas their money. They were denied their T&T for no reason. And they guys have followed up to take their monies and the chairman refused”. “So, they also wrote a petition and petition the regional executive committees to intervene and collect their monies for them and he still has a problem with that. So yesterday, they called a meeting between constituency executives, party elders, and patrons and electoral area coordinators, which I am not even aware of the meeting as the constituency secretary, the constituency organizer is not even aware of that meeting. And yesterday in that meeting, 4 of those area coordinators who were denied their monies were sacked to move out of the meeting. You can imagine, you denied them their monies, you said you won’t give them their monies and they petition the region to intervene and collect their money and you said No, they shouldn’t have even petition. So, that was the issue”. The constituency Secretary narrates to Apexnewsgh.com However, the Constituency Chairman Anthony Spinoza Mensah, denied the fact that he chased them away. “I didn’t even chase them, I had a meeting and they came uninvited then I gave them the courtesy when the meeting was about to start, then I asked that we have a meeting but I didn’t invite you then they left. The next moment they went to a radio station to discuss it so this morning they called me. And I told them we don’t discuss party issues on radio. If they know that I have actually asked them to leave the meeting they were not invited and if they want to clarify anything, they should come to me rather than radio. But I will forgive them because they don’t know what they are about”. He said “It was a particular meeting we were holding and the motive was how to re-organized the party”. Asking whether the re-organization meeting wasn’t supposed to involve all constituency party executives, Mr. Response was a Big ‘NO’ It was meant for some selected party members. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.
Why would I be a mole to NPP when money is not my problem–Dr. Duffuor
Dr Kwabena Duffuor, a flagbearer hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has described the accusation of him being used by the governing NPP as “wicked” and “unfair”, Dr. Duffuor, who has made his presidential ambitions public, told his TV station, GHOne, in an interview on Monday, 6 December 2021 monitored by Apexnewsgh.com that, those claims are just wicked and I pray that those people will put their thinking caps on”. “It is very unfair”, he lamented. He then asked: “Who will serve a country for four years and will not accept anything: no salary, no allowances, no ex gratia?” “Why would I be a mole when money is not my problem”, he asked. “I felt the time was not right when Rawlings called on me to contest”, he explained. According to him, the late ex-president, the former Finance Minister revealed, “Said he was going to lead my campaign himself but I didn’t”. “The only reason I’m doing so now is because I think the party can still do better and it must involve everyone”, he added. “Why should age matter?” he asked “The focus should be on what the person brings to the fore and what they are capable of delivering when given the job and my track record proves what I can do in almost every sphere of the economy”, he noted. “My record and the work we are capable of doing should be the driver of the conversation not age”, he said. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.