Tourism, Arts & Culture Key To Ghana’s Economic Growth – Minister Reveals
The Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Awal has revealed plans to revitalize the tourism sector to become a strong and indispensable force that would contribute at least 5 billion dollars annually to the economic transformation of Ghana. Dr. Awal who is expected to use his business acumen and entrepreneurial skills to change the face of Ghana’s Tourism Industry revealed how he intends to make the sector a number one contributor to the country’s GDP. Speaking at a 2-day retreat organized for the Management Staff and the Heads of Agencies under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry held at Akosombo in the Eastern Region, the Minister emphasized that he would infuse business perspectives in line with the Strategic Policy direction of the Ministry to rake in more revenue for the state. Dr. Awal said that in ensuring the actualization of the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda of the Government he was more than prepared to work with all the relevant stakeholders to make Ghana an attractive tourism destination in Africa by boosting tourism, culture, and the creative arts sectors. He described it as multi-billion dollar sectors, which needed to be given an utmost attention and governmental support to thrive. The Minister further unveiled his plans to make Domestic Tourism his top-most priority by improving the tourism centres to attract at least One Million local tourists visitation annually. As part of his unwavering commitment to make Ghana’s tourism hub a game-changer in the economic transformation of Ghana, Dr. Awal promised to create massive employment opportunities for Ghanaian citizens in the industry. Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Awal disclosed that upon assumption of office, President Akufo-Addo challenged him to use his business and entrepreneurial skills to change the face of the Ghana Tourism industry, and in consequence promised not to depart from that call. He entreated all the Heads of Agencies under the Ministry to work closely and in a more transparent manner with him for the betterment of Ghana. The Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. John Yao Agbeko, earlier in his remarks officially welcomed Hon. Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Awal to the Ministry, adding that the meeting was to also afford the Policy Makers an opportunity to have a deeper knowledge of the Sector and how it had performed over the years under the Agency Heads. Meanwhile, eleven (11) Heads of Agencies under the Ministry took turns to deliver their presentations on their respective Agencies’ Policy interventions and activities. ModernGhana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Hail Akufo-Addo, embrace burden-sharing concept – Otchere-Darko
Danquah Institute founder Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has called on Ghanaians to hail his cousin, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his economic management team, for steering the country’s economy through extraordinary difficulties in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to Mr Otchere-Darko, Ghanaians must embrace the burden-sharing concept of 2021 to reap together the benefits of defeating covid-19. Mr Otchere-Darko said these in a post on Facebook. It read: “We must hail President Akufo-Addo and his economic management team for steering Ghana’s economy through the extraordinary difficulties of 2020. Let’s embrace the burden-sharing concept of 2021 to reap together the benefits of defeating covid-19 and boosting growth, as we transform the economy. The investor confidence is back. Let’s ride with it.” It is recalled that Finance Minister-designate Ken Ofori-Atta urged Ghanaians to share the government’s burden by accepting the new tax obligations presented in the 2021 budget. Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee to be vetted on Thursday, 25 March 2021, Mr Ofori-Atta stated that the new taxes imposed will help the economy to grow. Describing the new taxes as a “battle-cry”, he said: “We need to move forward. We need to burden-share”, adding: “We need to create a society that we can also share the opportunities as we grow”. He further commended the government for its efforts at ensuring economic resilience even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. “If you look at what the Akufo-Addo government has been able to do between 2017 and 2020, it is phenomenal”, he praised. “If we had not built up the resilience, I think COVID would have devastated us beyond what we are seeing”, Mr Ofori-Atta argued. “So, we move forward together. We bring these new revenue measures in place…” he added. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
‘What’s good for the goose is good for the gander’ – Speaker justifies appointment of Asiedu Nketia to Parliamentary Board
Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has taken a swipe at critics who did not want the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) appointed onto the Parliamentary Service Board (PSB). According to him, the critics, some of whom were on the Advisory Committee of Parliament, resisted the appointment of Johnson Asiedu Nketia with the reason that it is an “undesired intrusion of political parties into the governance of Parliament”. Announcing the new members of the Board, which included leaders of the two caucuses – Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and Haruna Iddrisu – as well as a former Member of Parliament (MP), Abraham Osei Aidoo, Speaker Bagbin said the critics claimed Mr Asiedu Nketia’s appointment did not bode well for the independence of Parliament because of his position. But he announced that he has the powers to appoint the other four persons who together with the Clerks constitute the Board. “It is also our considered opinion that Mr Speaker will do what is appropriate,” the former Nadowli Kaleo MP told the Eighth Parliament on Monday. It was at this point that he traced the membership of the former Board as having a key member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) too. “I want to note that the former Parliamentary Service Board had Honorable Hackman Owusu Agyeman as a member of the board and Hackman Owusu Agyeman later became the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). “That one was not intrusion into the governance of Parliament by a political party. What is good for the gander is also good for the goose. Honorable members the board will be constituted and we will start our work,” he announced. 3news Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Speaker appoints Asiedu Nketia to serve on Parliamentary Board
Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin has appointed the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia to serve on the Parliamentary Service Board (PSB). The PBS is chaired by the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Bagbin. Other members of the board are the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu and Mr Abraham Osei Aidoo, who is a former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament and former Majority Leader. The Speaker thanked the committee for its advice and assured that he would proceed to appoint the persons named as members of the PSB. “But I want to note that the former Parliamentary Service Board had Honorable Hackman Owusu-Agyeman as a member of the board and Hackman Owusu Agyeman later became the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). “That one was not intrusion into the governance of Parliament by a political party. What is good for the gander is also good for the goose. Honorable members the board will be constituted and we will start our work,” he said. 3news Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093