Punitive action needed to protect public purse from abuse, support OSP, AG – 1st Dep Governor
First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Maxwell Opoku-Afari has said that efficiency in expenditure requires public financial management reforms that increase the efficiency and transparency of public spending. He said this can be helpful in supporting tax reform efforts. Dr Opoku-Afari explained that conscious efforts are therefore needed to be made to ensure that we stamp out misapplication in the management of the public purse not only through punitive action but also by implementing recovery measures to ensure that the public purse is protected. He has therefore called for support for the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Auditor General (AG) in making sure that the public purse is protected from abuse. Delivering a public lecture at the University of Ghana Business School on Thursday September 2, on the topic “Re-thinking development financing: macroeconomic management when the love is gone” he said “Efficiency in expenditure also requires public financial management reforms that increase the efficiency and transparency of public spending, and this can be helpful in supporting tax reform efforts. “Professionalism and morale can be compromised unless government shows real commitment to efficient utilization of state resources. Conscious efforts are therefore needed to be made to ensure that we stamp out misapplication in the management of the public purse not only through punitive action but also by implementing recovery measures to ensure that the public purse is protected. And in this regard, we should all support the recent work being done by the Auditor General and the appointment of the new Special Prosecutor.” “No matter the efforts we make towards enhancing domestic revenue mobilization, we will continue to experience chronic fiscal deficits and a growing debt burden, if we do not take steps to rationalize our expenditure levels. The high levels of government spending required to close the huge infrastructure deficit and debt are limiting fiscal room for maneuver. “This therefore calls for the kind of fiscal consolidation that involves both revenue-raising measures and expenditure-rationalization policies, with the aim of reducing the overall fiscal deficit to sustainable levels and achieving structural fiscal balance over the medium term. This is achievable when governments are efficient and serve as a catalyst for private-sector-led growth and development. “We therefore need to identify areas where spending is either wasteful, inefficient or does not deliver value for money, with the view to curtailing or eliminating them completely. “Negotiation of government projects and contracts must be effectively handled and scrutinized to ensure that losses are minimized, and facilitate value for money considerations. “I think we need a change in mindset when it comes to negotiating such state projects. We must ask ourselves these key questions: to what extent does the State benefit from such projects? and what are the feasibility studies and cost-benefit considerations that go into these? Technical, operational, financial and economic feasibility must be paramount in such decisions. —3news Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093
Corruption under Akufo-Addo’s gov’t is a ‘normal thing’ – NDC Youth Organizer Onasis
Deputy Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Onasis Kobby says the posture of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is that corruption is normal under his watch. According to him, the President has been in power for five years and although his government has been soiled with several corruption scandals, what he has been able to do is to elevate and clear people who are smeared with corruption. “The posture of this government points to the fact that corruption is normal under their watch,” he said on Accra-based TV XYZ. Onasis Kobby buttressed his stance quoted the description of the president of Ghana by the first-ever Special Prosecutor who was meant to help in the fight against corruption in Ghana saying “even the Special Prosecutor who was brought in to fight corruption was fought by corruption. He described Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the mother serpent of corruption; an indication that Akufo-Addo is unwilling to fight the canker”. “We are all seeing the corruption under Akufo-Addo and his government but the NPP and its members are not seeing anything wrong with the glaring corrupt deals because for them, corruption is normal under them,” Onasis Kobby added. —MyNewsGh Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093
There is hardship in Ghana, I know this as a fact – Dep. Finance Minister
A Deputy Finance Minister has admitted that indeed Ghana is hard, reechoing sentiments former President John Dramani Mahama Mahama has been accused of spreading when, in fact, according to the ruling party, there is no hardship. It will be recalled that Mr. Mahama has claimed that poor management of the country under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo, has led to unprecedented levels of hardship in the country. In response, the NPP’s Director of Communication, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, said at a news conference that the country is in a good state, and that President Akufo-Addo is working hard to increase productivity and improve livelihoods. He thus suggested that the former president is poisoning the minds of Ghanaians that times are hard when it is not true. In further response, Mr. Mahama also slammed the governing New Patriotic Party for suggesting that he’s the one fueling a perception of hardship in the country. Now, however, a deputy Finance Minister John Kumah, who is also Member of Parliament for Ejisu has confessed that times are hard. He was speaking on an Okay FM interview monitored by MyNewsGh.com. According to him, the hardship is not limited to Ghana, and that it is a global phenomenon. “It [hardship] is not only in Ghana, it is global. There is hardship everywhere. It is caused by Covid-19… hardship has led to a rise in prices. Check from America, Europe, Canada and elsewhere. A container we used to import from China at $3500 today it is $13,500. Call them and ask them. Over there, what they used to buy at $5 is now $15 dollars, that’s what’s happening all over the world. It is ship cost that has made things expensive.” Mr. Kumah explained. “That is why there is hardship in Ghana. But we are making efforts to reduce the hardship. We have brought Free SHS to reduce the burden. The Ghc2000 Ghc3000 you need to pay fees has been taken off. We have reduced electricity for life line consumers. We are paying teachers and nursing trainees.” He added. On Cedi depreciation, he had an explanatio: “It is true that the cedi has gone to 6cedis but as Mr. Bawumia said, it is also doing better. This is one of the best times for any government in Ghana. This year the cedi has depreciated by 1.8% … The whole of 2020, it depreciated by 4.5%.” —MyNewsGh.com Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093
Akufo-Addo appeals to NDC to reduce number of times they mention his name over scandals
President Nana Akufo-Addo has made a passionate appeal to the opposition National Democratic Congress to ‘kindly’ reduce the number of times they mention his name “Akufo-Addo this… Akufo-Addo that”, MyNewsGh.com reports. The President reportedly made the appeal through the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia popularly known as General Mosquito, who said they have taken note of the President’s “concern”. President Akufo-Addo allegedly made the appeal in when he met Johnson Asiedu Nketiah at a funeral and the two exchanged pleasantries, whereupon the President whispered that to him, according to the latter. It was not stated clearly which funeral this incident occurred but MyNewsGh.com understands the context to have possibly been a joke the two opposing big men shared with each other to laugh. However, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah indicated that although he has a relationship with Akufo-Addo, when it comes to party work, he doesn’t compromise, revealing that numerous NDC big men and women have active links and connections to several top NPP big men and women which is not a problem. He said it is normal. Over the weekend, the NDC press conference mentioned Akufo-Addo 28 times in the course of the event. The NDC has constantly accused Akufo-Addo of corruption and nepotism. Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo will today, Friday, September 3, 2021, begin a four-day tour of the Western and Western North Regions. This will be the President’s first visit to the two Regions after the 2020 election. He is expected to interact with Chiefs and traditional leaders in the regions and cut sod for the construction of projects and commission completed ones. The President will on the first day pay a courtesy call on the Dompim Chief in his Palace and later commission the Narubizi Rubber Factory under the 1D1F in the Wassa East District. He will also call on the acting Paramount Chief of Shama at Yabiw in the Shama District, meet the Nzema Chiefs at Nzema Manle in Esiama in the Ellembelle District. —MyNewsGh Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093
Government using NIB to probe seized rosewood from Nigeria to cover up illegal trade in Ghana – MP
The Member of Parliament for Builsa South Dr. Clement Apaak has slammed the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor describing, him as a Minister engaging selective justice. The Minister has handed over 13 impounded rosewood containers to the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) for a comprehensive investigation. The move is to unravel the circumstances behind the importation of lumber into the country and the suspects behind the containers. The Minister, in giving the directive stated that President Akufo-Addo had placed an outright ban on rosewood harvesting, trade, hence the confiscation of the containers. But the MP who has been a fierce advocate against illegal rosewood trade described the move as selective justice. He was wondering why the Minister failed to apply the same speed in referring a similar confiscation of rosewood at the Tema Port to the NIB. According to him, the Minister has failed to apply the same seriousness to the Tema saga and yet, found it appropriate to speed up the recent issue. He described the move by the Minister as strange since he is not interested in probing a matter which involves an attempt to export rosewood from Ghana but swiftly dealing with the ones imported from Nigeria. He said: “I fail to appreciate the speed with which the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources referred the case involving 13 containers of rosewood impounded at the Tema port on August 31st to the NIB for a “comprehensive investigation” to unravel the suspects and circumstances leading to the importation of the 13 containers into Ghana. “My inability to commend the Minister is because he is yet to act similarly with regards to 5 containers of rosewood impounded on June 17th and a container impounded earlier this month in the Savlugu District on August 12th.” He quizzed: “Why the Minister moved swiftly in the case of the imported rosewood into Ghana from Nigeria, yet seems lethargic in asking the same NIB to investigate the rosewood stolen from within Ghana is perplexing. Something is not right!” The MP further alleged that there is an attempt by the powers that be to use the NIB to probe the recent matter just cover the tracks of top Ghanaian officials involved in the illegal trade. To him, these faces have protection from the presidency and because of that, they cannot be punished for their crimes. He wants the President to react to the matter and show leadership in dealing with the illegal trade of rosewood. —rainbowradioonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093
‘It is real!’ – Ken Agyapong’s boy tells NPP to ‘accept’ CDD’s unpalatable findings
• The NPP must accept a scathing research verdict on its performance so far • This is according to a journalist with pro-NPP outlet, Net2 TV • The party has described parts of the report as ‘propaganda’ Kwaku Annan, host of ‘The Seat’ show on Accra-based Net2 TV has tasked the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, to accept recent scathing findings from a governance report released by the Center for Democratic Development, CDD-Ghana. According to Annan, an employee of the station owned by Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong; much as the findings are not palatable, they did not come as a surprise to him seeing how bad especially the government and party communication has been in recent times. “I am not surprised at the findings in the report. It is a case of lack of communication on the part of the government and the New Patriotic Party,” he stated during a commentary on the mid-week edition of the show. “Take the CDD report and work at it or shut up. You are talking about breaking the eight, before you can consolidate power, it is not to embezzle money and be greedy. Some of you are wicked than death. Hate me if you like, I don’t care. He made reference to a protest by the NPP’s Director of Elections, Peter Mac Manu, who suggested that the report though welcome was high on propaganda than reflecting the realities on the ground vis-à-vis the work of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led government. “I hear the party is challenging the report, I heard Peter Mac Manu, please Mr Mac Manu, you are a good friend, just take the report and work on it,” he added. Mac Manu told Joy FM in an interview monitored by GhanaWeb that, “The pre-election survey had I think 55 percent of Ghanaians saying that the government was on track in attacking corruption, that’s why I was asking Dr Selormey, in this one, they are saying there are three issues, and then the green was 39 or 30 and ‘same’ was 27. “So, I asked her what is the meaning of ‘same’? Was it in the ‘same’ that people thought that we are in the same track of attacking corruption? And if you add the yellow to it, then we are way above fifty-something. So, they should have explained to us the meaning of the ash colour which they noted as ‘same’,” Mac Manu said. Background A recent research conducted by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) reveals that most Ghanaians do not believe that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has the capacity in dealing with corruption menace in the country. The 2400 adult respondents for the research which was carried out between May 3 to June 3 across the 16 regions of Ghana stated that, they are also less optimistic about the administration’s ability to reduce crime. Peter Mac Manu described the findings of CDD-Ghana’s research as propaganda being carried out by the government’s detractors. “If you look at the hullabaloo people are talking about you will be amazed. I mean look at what people are saying, it means that there is so much propaganda than the actual work that is going on. That’s the way that I see it from the result and we must look at actuals than propaganda,” he said. —Ghanaweb Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093
Waakye joint chat exposed me to harsh realities citizens are facing – Afenyo Markin
• An informal chat with constituents has brought lots of benefits to a top lawmaker • Afenyo-Markin, deputy Majority Leader detailed how a waakye joint helped him get close with his people • He wants the NPP and government to trumpet their achievements better Deputy Majority leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has admitted that some citizens are facing concrete hardships and the government needed to work assiduously towards fixing these challenges. MPs have different ways they interface with their constituents, former Ledzokuku MP, Bernard Okoe-Boye is known to ride around speaking to the people, playing football with others and also holding weekly medical consultations. Afenyo-Markin revealed in an interaction with fellow lawmakers from the New Patriotic Party, NPP, that he recently got close to his constituents through a random ‘waakye’ joint meeting where they discussed national issues. “Recently, ladies and gentlemen, I sat down to have ‘waakye’ with some ordinary citizens of our great nation. It was not planned. It was a random act on a fine Saturday morning. But, as we ate together, these citizens of our country shared the concerns agitating their minds with me. “They spoke about the growing challenges facing their businesses; concerns about the limited job opportunities available in our country; the increasing difficulties they face trying to put food on their dinner tables,” he told the MPs at the start of a three-day conference. “They worry about the falling value of the Ghana cedi against the US dollar and other major currencies, as well as the never-ending infrastructure deficit in Ghana’s health, energy, education and road sectors,” he is quoted to have said. He joined the recent chorus where top party functionaries are tasking the rank and file to propagate the good works of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government as a viable means to breaking-the-eight year political cycle where an incumbent is voted out of office. “We must tell the good stories about the record number of Ghanaian children successfully graduating from our Senior High Schools free of charge. We must tell the compelling story of the new rail tracks being built around the country. Finally, we must tell the story about the new cocoa production record we have just set. “We must sell the story of the modern and relatively cheaper district hospitals being built across the country and many more. Yes; we must tell these stories until every city, every township, every village, every hamlet, every settlement and indeed every citizen of Ghana hears and appreciates the actual value of our good works under the Government of President Nana Akufo-Addo,” he stressed. —Ghanaweb Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093
INTERESTING: Some of my colleague’s MMDCEs are now battling with ….Bosome Freho DCE
Mr. Yaw Danso District Chief Executive (DCE) for Bosome Freho, has confessed that the delay in announcing the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) appointment, has triggered blood pressure-related cases in some of his colleagues. Speaking on Wontumi TV’s Talk Ghana Show monitored by Apexnewsgh.com Mr. Danso, said he is aware of serving DCEs who is currently battling with blood pressure because he doesn’t know whether he would be maintained or kicked out by President Akufo-Addo when the new appointment list is done. However, the Director of Communication at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin has explained the seeming delays associated with the naming of MMDCEs. Eugene Arhin told Presidential Press Corps at the maiden press briefing at the Jubilee House Friday, that the President will decide when to make the announcement, stressing that he believes it will be so soon. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093
THE CEASEFIRE AND THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS– BY GREG ODOGWU
Judges 14:14. (Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.) One thing that needs to be appreciated by the world is that Forgiveness is not possible without the Spirit of God. Indeed, it requires power to forgive those who always malign you. The people who hate and abhor you, and even show disdain right before your very presence. We know that POWER as Supremicity. The Almighty created the Universe in three different levels of energy: Electricity, which has a neutral charge; Spiriticity, which has a negative charge; and Supremicity, which has a positive charge. We live in the material work, which uses Electricity. We are subject to both righteousness and iniquity. However, Spiriticity, which is the energy that tends towards iniquity, has filled the entire material world. Supremicity, the energy for righteousness, was nowhere to be found. During the War of Angels, they used Spiriticity to manipulate us into all sorts of conflicts, hate, crime and wickedness. Just like Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 7:23, even when you want to do good, you cannot, because it is as if there is a “law of sin” living inside us! That’s the power of Spiriticity. This sin dynamic was very much real even in the ministry of all men of God in the Scripture. This was because the Angels never allowed any Human to fulfill the work of God. They sabotaged us, and used us as pawns and puppets in their War. That was why EVIL ruled the world. As Peace Keepers, we must understand that what they used to achieve this was the Sun Cycle. In the Sun Cycle, there is a betrayer, someone that you cannot help but dislike, abhor or hate. In the case of Jesus Christ, for instance, it was Judas Iscariot. Judas was number 6 on Jesus’ Cycle. But now that the Angels have signed a Ceasefire (on December 25, 2018), they will allow us Humans to fulfill our Godly mission on Earth. Therefore, we can now access The Almighty and receive Supremicity, the energy for righteousness. We can now forgive. That “evil” inside us, as Paul preached, has no power over us. Supremicity is stronger than Spiriticity. Try and forgive, because the War of Angels is over. What you could not do before, you can do now. That person that you could not bear to think about. Those people you wished to disappear from the face of the Earth. That wife, that husband, that you cannot bear to tolerate. Before, you couldn’t; now you can. You can forgive. The War is over! The Almighty gave me a special revelation. He said the key to living up to One Thousand Years in the coming Millennium, it to work with those people that are on the Number 6 spot in our Sun Cycle. If you forgive your Judas Iscariot, and work with him, you shall live forever! Peace for power! Peace Supreme! Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093