Gov’t working to seal judgment debt ‘leakages’ – Ofori-Atta
Finance Minister-designate Ken Ofori-Atta has said that the government is working on sealing judgment debt “leakages” and the impact it has on the economy. Taking his turn before Parliament’s Appointments Committee to be vetted on Thursday, 25 March 2021, Mr Ofori-Atta noted, in relation to the recently announced judgment debts awarded against Ghana, that: “I think we have tried very hard to renegotiate after the court judgment”. “It is a leakage that we are aware of that we will like to blunt.” The International Court of Arbitration recently awarded a cost of $134 million against the government of Ghana over the cancellation of an Emergency Power Agreement with GCGP Limited. The contract, which was cancelled under Mr Boakye Agyarko’s tenure as Energy Minister, as part of several other energy contracts cancelled by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), also accrued interest of $3 million since 2018. The contracts were cancelled because the NPP claimed that those power agreements were not needed. The International Court of Arbitration, in its ruling, ordered the government to Ghana to pay to “GPGC the full value of the Early Termination Payment, together with Mobilisation, Demobilisation and preservation and maintenance costs in the amount of US$ 134,348,661, together also with interest thereon from 12 November 2018 until the date of payment, accruing daily and compounded monthly, at the rate of LIBOR for six-month US dollar deposits plus six per cent (6%).” The Government of Ghana will also pay an amount of “US$ 309,877.74 in respect of the Costs of the Arbitration, together with US$ 3,000,000 in respect of GPGC’s legal representation and the fees and expenses of its expert witness, together with interest on the aggregate amount of US$ 3,309,877.74 at the rate of LIBOR for three-month US dollar deposits, compounded quarterly” to GPGC. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
NaCCA can’t sanction ‘Efo juju’ textbook publishers – Adutwum
The National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA) cannot take any punitive measures against some publishers who flooded the market with textbooks that contained “bigoted” content, Education Minister Dr Yaw Adutwum has told Parliament. Answering a question filed by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on the floor of the Parliament on Thursday, 25 March 2021 about the textbooks, Dr Adutwum said the yet-to-be-approved Ghana Book Development Council Bill, will be able to deal with such cases in the future. “The Ghana Book Development Council Bill has those provisions for sanctions to be taken against publishers like this”, he said. “Unfortunately”, he noted, “the NaCCA Act does not make provision for that, so, inasmuch as you are scandalised and you do not want to see these things happening, in terms of the legal framework in which NaCCA operates, they do not have the room to do that but the Book Development Council is going to cure this deficiency.” The books: History of Ghana, Textbook 3 authored by Badu Nkansah and Nelly Martinson Anim; as well as Golden English Basic 4 authored by Okyere Baafi Alexander, were widely condemned on social media. NaCCA later came out to say they had not been approved. The publishers issued apologies for the circulation of the books. Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
[Video]Rastafarianism involves the smoking of weed – Joewise
Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Wusu (Joewise) has asked all persons to detach religion from the ongoing development at the Achimota School because it does not help the case of the Rastafarian students with the dreadlocks who have been asked to cut their hair before they are accepted into the school. Speaking in relation to the issues on the floor of Parliament, the lawmaker for Bekwai said Rastafarianism involves smoking of weed. This is a substance that is illegal in the country therefore, the discussion on this matter should not centre on the Rastafarianism as a religion, he said. “I also get worried about the attempt to rope in Rastafarianism as a religion. If we do then we complicate the matters for the young man. “The reason is this. If you study Rastafarianism it involves the smoking of weed and weed is an illegal substance, it is not a substance that is permitted to smoke. “Indeed, if you recall in this house one of the persons that have been brought before this house for contempt of parliament was one person claiming to be Rastafarian who went on air and said that Members of Parliament smoked weed, he was brought to this house, he was put before the privileges committee and he was found guilty of contempt of parliament, he was brought here and made to apologize and told to go and sin no more. “So I think that references to religion and so on complicate the matters for the young man,” he said. 3news Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Ken Ofori Atta thanks God for miraculous COVID-19 healing
Minister-designate for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, is highly grateful to God and Ghanaians for the immense support and prayers that helped him to recover from COVID-19 some weeks ago. It would be recalled that Ken sought treatment in the USA recently after falling ill. “God’s hand is indeed, visible in my recovery. I thank all Ghanaians for offering intercessory prayers and fasting in my recovery,” he said. He also thanked his wife for being a solid rock behind him during his ill-health. Mr Ofori-Atta expressed gratitude when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament for vetting on Thursday. He also thanked President Akufo-Addo for re-nominating him once again for the same portfolio in his second term in office. He also thanked the leadership of Parliament for re-adjusting his vetting to enable him to seek medical treatment in the USA. Mr. Ofori-Atta also thanked Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonus, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs for taking the responsibility to read the 2021 Budget and Economic Policy Statement in his absence. He said since his return to Ghana, he had launched the 5.5 billion euros Europe Bond roadshow. GNA Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Fire Service moves to deal ruthlessly with facilities without fire safety requirements
Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is seeking to bring sanity to facilities without fire safety requirements. This whip is being cracked by the Assin Central Municipal Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS). Divisional Officer (DOIII), Paul Tawiah, Municipal Commander has vowed to sanction all institutions or homeowners that fail to comply with fire safety requirements. To avoid the sanctions, it has advised all private and public institutions to contact the GNFS for directions to comply with the directive to prevent fire outbreaks. Divisional Officer (DOIII), Paul Tawiah, Municipal Commander in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said a number of institutions and homeowners had abused the Fire Service order to acquire fire certificates for far too long. He warned that the Service will go all out to prosecute those who fail to comply with the directive, saying a legislative instrument Article 17, clause 24 of the Fire Service Act, stipulates fire precaution regulation and made it mandatory for institutions to acquire fire certificates. The acquisition of the fire certificate makes it obligatory for the Fire Service to cover such institutions from fire hazards by conducting annual forensic fire audits on their buildings to ensure well-functioning fire prevention devices. The Service had since November 2020, commenced an exercise to review all facilities to ascertain the efficiency of their devices to help prevent and detect fire outbreaks at the facility, he revealed. It had also trained fire inspectors to access public facilities at random to find out compliance with safety standards and to sanction defaulters, while training and educating the citizenry on fire safety had been intensified to reduce fire disasters in the country. Transport Unions, traditional and religious leaders, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and schools are some of the targeted institutions that are undergoing education on fire safety measures. Mr. Tawiah advised the public to be safety conscious in the use of electrical gadgets such as-cylinders to prevent domestic fire incidents. GNA Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
NPP to replace old cards with biometric membership cards
The old membership cards of members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will soon fade out to make way for new biometric or electronic membership cards this year. This was announced by the party leadership, who are currently on tour in Kumasi. The new policy would coincide with a membership drive project by the party to help register more members into the party to solidify its chances of retaining political power in 2024. The yet-to-be introduced party cards would have a special feature whereby all registered members would be automatically hooked onto a centralised computer system to make for easy identification. When officially rolled out, the new party cards would make it possible for all NPP registered members to be in the same folder, a move that would boost the compilation of party data and do away with recurring fracas over the compilation of party albums for primaries. This was announced when National Executives of the NPP, led by National Chairman Freddie W. Blay, interacted with some Ashanti Regional NPP bigwigs. The executives are currently touring the regions to take stock and identify problems they faced during the 2020 general election, and take steps to rectify the problems. The closed door meeting, held over the weekend in Kumasi, was attended by NPP Executives from all the 47 constituencies in region, and key party matters were discussed there. National Executives of the NPP, including John Boadu, Sammi Awuku, Lawyer Henry Nana Boakye, aka ‘Nana B’, Kate Gyamfua, Rita Asobayire, Abdul Aziz Haruna Futa, just to mention a few, took turns to address the party members. A source told DAILY GUIDE that even though several party issues were discussed at the meeting, the electronic party cards for NPP members was a standout as it excited the members. According to him, the electronic party cards would help bring several advantages to the NPP, including proper management and data keeping among others, and those at the meeting were in full support. Checks made by DAILY GUIDE were indicating that the delegates at the meeting proposed next month for the start of the electronic cards, subject to approval by the National Council. Mr. Blay took the opportunity to caution all members interested in competing for the 2024 flag bearer position to be measured in the way they were approaching issues, saying their actions had the tendency to distract the Akufo-Addo-led government from delivering their mandate. “A lot of the people who may be interested in the flag bearer position, particularly individuals who are interested may come from his cabinet or may be appointees who should be working to execute policies and programmes of his government, but they may be more focused on nurturing their ambition towards the flag bearer position. And that is where it is extremely negative and distracting, and therefore the party frowns on that,” he explained. General Secretary NPP General Secretary John Boadu later threw more light on the nationwide exercise of compiling a register of all the members of the party. He said it would cover the over 38,000 polling stations in the country, and it formed part of the party’s restructuring and reorganization efforts. He encouraged every member of the party to go to their respective polling stations and get their details captured in the membership register which would be kept at the polling station levels, and updated every six months in line with Article 3(10) of the NPP Constitution. Daily Guide Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Govt prompt with PIAC allocations — President
The government has ensured the timely release of allocations to the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), the body charged to monitor the responsible use of oil revenue and resources in the country. “Government since 2017 has ensured that, unlike in the past, the budgetary allocations of PIAC have been released to enable it undertake its activities. In 2020, for example, an amount of GH¢3.1 million was given to PIAC, with GH¢2.35 million set to be released for this year, in spite of the pandemic,” President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, stated. The President disclosed this when he launched the 10th anniversary of PIAC in Accra yesterday. Independent checks from PIAC indicated that the committee in a timely fashion to support their programmes, received GH¢1.34 million in 2017, GH¢3.54 million in 2018; GH¢2.94 million in 2019 and GH¢3.09 million last year. “Indeed, the committee utilised part of its 2018 budgetary allocation to procure its current office building at East Legon, in Accra, which brought an end to the era of evictions and threats of eviction by landlords. “For as long as I remain President, support to PIAC will be forthcoming and on time,” President Akufo-Addo stressed. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo urged the Ministry of Finance and PIAC to resolve the delay in transmission of information between them. He observed that the delay chiefly emanated from distortions in the deadlines of reporting obligations of the two institutions, which he stressed, must be addressed. The President explained that the delay in information exchange had sometimes stoked unhelpful controversy and called for an amendment of the relevant provisions in the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815) to help resolve the situation. Rekindle meeting He urged the Ministry of Finance and PIAC to rekindle their quarterly meetings to ensure that issues of mutual interest and concern were addressed through dialogue. The President appealed to PIAC, in its publications, to help provide the general public with a better understanding of how petroleum resources were managed. The committee should also clarify its position on matters swiftly should it be misconstrued in the media space, President Akufo-Addo stated. Assurance “Let me reiterate the fact that the government is fully committed to supporting PIAC, and will help it ensure that petroleum revenues are well managed for the benefit of all Ghanaians,” the President assured. Objective The Petroleum Reverence Management Act (PRMA) states that PIAC must monitor and evaluate compliance with the Act by the government and relevant institutions in the management and use of petroleum revenues and investments and provide space and a platform for the public to debate on whether spending prospects, management and use of revenues conform to development priorities as provided under the Act. It is also charged to provide independent assessment on the management and use of petroleum revenue to assist Parliament and the Executive in the oversight and the performance of related functions. Applause Speaking before launching the 10th anniversary, President Akufo-Addo noted that by all accounts, PIAC had succeeded in attaining the objective for which it was established, saying “I applaud, on behalf of government and the people of Ghana, successive heads and members of PIAC for this. For long may this continue.” Revenue The President encouraged PIAC that as it celebrated its 10-year milestone, the committee must double its steps in engaging the government and relevant stakeholders, and help work towards the economic transformation of the country through the efficient use of hydrocarbon resources. President Akufo-Addo gave an assurance of the government’s considerable interest in all of its activities, expressing the hope that the co-operation between the government and PIAC would be deepened further in the coming years for the goal of a united, progressive and prosperous Ghana. Oversight The Chairman of PIAC, Professor Kwame Adom-Frimpong, said a major achievement of PIAC had been its role in legitimising government commitment to improve governance in the country’s oil and gas sector. Also, the committee had effectively exercised oversight responsibility of managing and evaluating the management of Ghana’s petroleum resources. He said the PIAC had produced two reports each year in line with the legal requirement and raised critical issues of transparency and accountability in Ghana’s oil and gas sector. Graphic Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Apaak appeals to GIJ to rescind its stance on students who registered late
Dr. Clement Apaak is asking the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) to rescind its decision asking students who registered and paid late for the new 2021 academic year to defer their course. Dr. Apaak who is also the Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, GIJ should seek alternatives in retrieving fees from students rather than forcing them to defer their programme. He also asked the authorities to give a little human face due to the financial pressure COVID-19 has brought on parents. The Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) in a notice earlier this week gave a directive for all students who paid their fees after the deadline for registration to defer the academic year. The development apparently outraged many students and Ghanaians which saw the school being heavily criticized with some students staging a protest at the school’s premises on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. The school in a statement on the same day justified the decision , indicating that it should not be seen as a punishment but rather an opportunity for students to maintain their studentship. But according to the Builsa South Member of Parliament, the school must be kind enough to accommodate the about 100 affected students. He argued that the student’s excuse of the COVID-19 pandemic being the reason for the delay in paying the fees is justifiable. “We all know the impact of COVID-19 on our Ghanaian economy and the global economy. We know how parents have lost jobs and sold assets. If the students registered late or have not been able to register, and they are making the case that it is as a result of COVID, I don’t think anyone should doubt them,” he said on Eyewitness News. Dr. Apaak proposed that GIJ allows the students to sit for the exams which will come off in the coming weeks. In the case of final-year students, he said GIJ can make the payment of their outstanding fees a pre-condition to their graduation rather than forcing them to defer their courses. “The institution should extend its magnanimity to the students because these are students who are not going to disappear from the surface of the earth, allow them to write the exams. They have prepared and are in the right frame of mind [to write the exams] in spite of all these socio-economic challenges that COVID-19 had brought upon them. [Allow them to write the exams] then after that, those who are completing will surely come to graduate. They will come for their certificate and whatever amount they owe the school, clearly you will ask them to pay before they get their certificate. Those who are continuing students would have to come again and register for the next semester so why can that not be the way to address the situation under these very trying times which has not been wished by any Ghanaian let alone a student,” he argued. Citinewsroom Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Central Region NDC happy with Allotey Jacobs’ expulsion
The Central Regional Youth Wing of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said its former Regional Chairman, Mr Bernard Allotey Jacobs’ “continued stay in the party was a dent and an indelible blot on the image and reputation of all party members in the region.” This follows the dismissal of the former Regional Chairman by the party’s Functional Executives Committee (FEC). In a statement issued on Tuesday, 23 March 2021, the wing expressed its “sincere appreciation to the Functional Executives Committee Members of the NDC for dismissing Mr Allotey Jacobs from the party.” The Central Regional NDC youth wing continued: “Politics is about positive numbers and not just about numbers and it is clear Mr Jacobs was becoming a nuisance to the party, hence our joy at the decision to dismiss him from the party.” The NDC expelled its former Central Regional Chairman, for “anti-party” behaviour. The decision was a recommendation of the FEC of the party. Mr Allotey Jacobs has been on suspension for several months. A few weeks ago, he came out to say he was no longer part of the NDC. A letter communicating his expulsion, said: “At our meeting on Wednesday, 17 March, the Functional Executive Committee of the NDC considered the report and recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee on the case or misconduct and anti-party behaviour brought against you, Mr Allotey Jacobs, pursuant to article 48(1) (b) and 8 (b) of the NDC Constitution”. “The Committee’s report, which is herein attached for your attention, found you guilty of the said allegations of misconduct, anti-party conduct and recommended, among other things, your immediate expulsion from the party,” the letter signed by General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia said. It added: “The Functional Executive Committee acting in compliance of article 48(1) of the NDC Constitution has unanimously adopted the report and accepts fully its recommendation for your expulsion from the party”. “You are, therefore, by the decision of FEC been expelled from the National Democratic Congress and, for that matter, no more recognised as a member of the party and cannot carry yourself as such”, the letter added. It noted: “You are by this letter and, pursuant to article 48(10), directed to return any party properties that may be in your custody and shall forfeit any money, dues or subscription fees made to the party”. Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Akufo-Addo increases Parliament’s budget after Bagbin threat
President Nana Akufo-Addo has increased the budgetary allocation of Parliament following a complaint by Speaker Alban Bagbin. Mr Bagbin has expressed qualms about the earlier capping of the budget for the legislature and judiciary in the 2021 budget. Mr Bagbin had threatened that if the Executive failed to review the allocations, the House was not going to approve the 2021 budget and economic statement presented on Friday, 12 March. While the allocation for the Judiciary was slashed by some GHS70 million, that of the Legislature was reduced by GHS190 million. “Respectfully, I’m unable to accept such reduction,” the Speaker said in Parliament on Tuesday, 16 March. “The budget is not for the Executive”, he noted, adding: “We have the final power to approve or disapprove and, so, what the Constitution has done is for them to make recommendations and negotiate during the deliberations of the budget before the House”. “It’s not for the Executive to impose [a] ceiling on the Judiciary or Parliament. We’ve to do the right thing,” Mr Bagbin insisted. He said: “So far as I remain the Speaker of this House, I’ll insist that the right thing is done” and threatened not to forward the appropriation bill to the President for his assent when passed if “the right thing is not done.” “And, so, during the considerations of the [budget] estimate, particularly the committees concerned, take that on board and at the end of the day, come and explain to us the negotiated figure and not the ceiling that has been given by the president. That is not the [intent] of the 1992 Constitution”. “If you do otherwise, I, as your Speaker, will not affirm any letter for submission to the President for his assent, I mean what I am saying.” A response from the Presidency to Parliament read by the Speaker on Wednesday, 24 March 2021, said GHS523 million has now been approved for Parliament as against a request of GHS533 million. Mr Bagbin read the response thus: “The government recommends that Parliament and the parliamentary service operates within the proposed budget above while government explores opportunity to increase the allocation in subsequent budgets when revenue improves and debt has stabilised”. “Accordingly, Parliament is respectfully requested to keep the estimates of Parliament and the parliamentary service within the expenditure proposed above to enable the government to contain expenditures within the overall fiscal space for 2021.” Mr Bagbin added: “I am drawing the attention of the Special Budgets Committee to the new recommendation and to urge the committee to consider the budget estimates for Parliament and the parliamentary service along those lines”. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093