Adongo backs Bawumia’s drive to digitise Ghana’s economy
A Lecturer with the University for Development Studies, Dr. Michael Adongo has backed the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s digital development agenda for the country. Dr. Adongo maintained that developed economies across the globe have taken advantage of the many opportunities that exist in the area of Information Communication and Technology (ICT). He said the technologically driven agenda has birthed Artificial Intelligence (AI) which has been very helpful to developed economies. The Development Economist suggested that adopting digitalization and its attendant and technologies helps in revenue generation and collection, the transformation of business processes and serves as a source of employment and wealth creation. “… [the digitalization has created] economic advancement and also [seen to the] creation of job opportunities across sectors. Technology has greatly transformed business transactions. It creates potentials for viewers in Africa and Asia,” he said. Dr. Michael Adongo made these known when he spoke on A1radio on the back of comments made by the Vice President about the digital economy at the Ashesi University in the Greater Accra Region. Dr. Adongo mentioned that for countries that decide not to invest in the digitalization of their economy, they would continue to lag behind their peers who do. “Others that could not give way for this development find it difficult. Largely, you are left behind because you have not made the right digital approach. An example is the passport, when one is with an electronic passport at the airport it is easier but with a paper passport [he or she] joins a lengthy queue which wastes precious time,” he explained. —DGNonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Manner of attempted arrest of Sosu offends Constitution — Bagbin
Speaker of Parliament has reacted to the manner in which the police attempted to arrest Mr Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, MP of Madina Constituency as offending the Constitution of Ghana. He described the attempted arrest of the legislator last Sunday, 31st October 2021, in church as ”surreptitious”, offending both the letter, and spirit that underpins the current 1992 Constitution of Ghana. “The appropriate procedure is to secure from the Speaker, a certificate that the Member in question is not attending Parliamentary Business. Anything short of this should not be entertained by the House,” Mr Eric Owusu Mensah, Deputy Clerk of Parliament, acting for the Clerk of Parliament, wrote in a press release on the instructions of the Speaker. The release made available on the WhatsApp platform page of the Parliamentary Press Corps, said the Speaker has taken note, also, of press releases and the posture of the Police Service including the interdiction of Inspector Daniel Agbavor, the Police Officer providing personal protection of Mr Sosu. According to the release, the Speaker found it difficult to comprehend the attempted arrest of the legislator, and that “the Speaker acknowledges that Members of Parliament are not above the law.” And “the issue is not that a Member of Parliament cannot be investigated or arrested. The issue is the procedure to follow to investigate or arrest a Member of Parliament.” The Speaker noted that “several Members of Parliament from both sides of the House have been investigated, arraigned before court and tried since 1993. Some Members are presently before various Courts of law or investigative bodies. “ The release noted the House had cooperated with the Police and other security agencies, in investigation of Members of the House from both sides over years, “and in all instances the Office of the Speaker has engaged and facilitated the work of the Police Service.” The Speaker said the release did not seek to suggest that Members of Parliament and Parliament were not subject to the Law. Equally, the release observed that “the Police Service is a vassal of the Constitution and Statute passed by Parliament, and formed part of the Public Service of Ghana and equally must not hold itself above the law. The Speaker said immunities and privileges of a Member of Parliament are borne out by experience from various democracies around the world, and being part of the provisions in the 1992 Constitution are for good reasons. He referred to the 1969 Constitution of Ghana and the 1968 Constitution Commission Report of Justice Edward Akufo-Addo which he said justified “the need for parliamentary immunity from arrest and service of court processes by maintaining such immunity ensured that Members of Parliament were not distracted by arrest and detention while attending Parliamentary business. “ The release reiterated the position of the Speaker that “immunities and privileges of Members of Parliament are not absolute, and that “the procedure for causing arrest of a sitting Member of Parliament or serving court processes must be in accordance with the Constitution.” On the interdiction of the body guard of the MP for Madina Constituency, the Speaker said he believed the action taken by the Police Service to “interdict the bodyguard of the Member of Parliament for Madina could affect the morale of all bodyguards of Members of Parliament and weaken the ability of the guards to provide the needed protection of Members of Parliament.” The Speaker assured Ghanaians that he he swore an oath at his election as Speaker to discharge his duties and to uphold, protect and defend conscientiously the Constitution of Ghana and would continue to do just that. GNA Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Scrap nuisance taxes on fuel or we’ll advise ourselves – Transport operators to gov’t
The Coalition of Commercial Transport Operators have given the government a six-day ultimatum to scrap the taxes and levies which they term as “nuisance” on petroleum products in order to reduce the fuel prices at the pump or they would advise themselves. A crunch meeting held Wednesday, November 3, 2021, among transport operators which included the Ghana Private Transport Union (GPRTU), Concern Driver’s Association of Ghana, Ghana National Cargo Transport Association, and Ghana Committed Driver’s Association concluded that the government should take the necessary steps to scrap some levies and reduce the energy levies as well. According to the National Head of Communication who spoke on behalf of the coalition, Alhaji Imoro Abass, since the introduction of the taxes on petroleum products, it has affected commercial transport operators, making it impossible to operate the business positively. “The introduction of the levies on petroleum has caused a drastic increment in fuel prices at the pump which automatically is negatively affecting and worsening the burden of transport operators and drivers in the country”, he said. The transport operators have appealed to the government to scrap some of the new levies and taxes such as the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levies, Fuel Marking Margin Levy, Special Margin Levy, BOST Margin Levy, and the Prime Distribution Margin Levy put on petroleum products and reduce the energy sector, energy debt recovery and fund levy to 30 pesewas per litre. Alhaji Abass further noted that, if the government fails to scrap the above-mentioned levies on petroleum products, then the transport operators have no choice but to take the next line of action to relieve them of the burden, adding, ” our next line of action would come up if our plight is not adhered to by the government.” The Coalition also stressed that per the present economic hardship in the country, the transport operators have no intention to increase transport fares as it would add more burden to the ordinary Ghanaian but they warned that failure on the side of the government to heed to their plea would negatively affect transport fares and would increase the burden and suffering of Ghanaians. “The transport operators have no intention to announce any upward adjustment in transport fares to add more suffering unto the already overburdened Ghanaians but if care is not taken, our business will collapse, so if the government fails to address the issue, the coalition will take a decision”, Mr. Abass stated. The GPRTU National Communication Officer again appealed to drivers to be patient and calm as the Coalition takes steps to address the drastic fuel increment with the government. He also advised Ghanaians, CSOs and other agencies in the petroleum industry to support the transport operators on this issue. Meanwhile, the government announced the removal of the price stabilization and recovery levy on petroleum products for two months effective 1st November to serve as a relief to Ghanaians and transport operators but the transport operators say “that is inadequate and cannot lessen the burden of Ghanaians until all the levies are totally scrapped.” —classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
COP26: Ghana shortlisted to access part of $1bn Leaf Coalition Fund
Ghana has been shortlisted with three others out of over 30 proposals made from other countries to sign an agreement of Intent at COP26 to access part of the $1bn mobilised by Leaf Coalition for countries committed to increase ambition to protect forests & reduce deforestation. During the World Leaders Summit on November 2nd as part of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), the LEAF Coalition announced it has mobilized its initial goal of $1 billion for countries and states committed to increasing ambition to protect tropical and sub-tropical forests and reduce deforestation. The countries that recently submitted proposals to LEAF and successfully completed an initial technical screening process led by a panel of technical experts were Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ghana, Nepal and Vietnam. These countries will enter a purchase agreement discussion with LEAF Coalition corporate participants. LEAF Coalition transactions are conditioned on the ability of a country to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of v2.0 (or other applicable version) of The REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard (TREES) developed by ART and the terms of the Call for Proposal issued on April 22, 2021. Ghana in June this year planted at least five million trees to help regrow the country’s lost forests and curb the impacts of climate change. People from all walks of life, including celebrities, officials, parliamentarians, traditional leaders and schoolchildren, took part in the ‘Green Ghana’ programme. —classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Breaking News: Upper East hits with another sad news, as another Chief Imam passed on
Upper East Regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Adam Yussif has passed on. His Son told Apexnewsgh.com that the chief Imam died early morning of Thursday, October 4, 2021, at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Before his death, the Regional Chief Imam has spent over 2 months in Accra undergoing some health treatment. Information gathered by Apexnews Ghana also revealed his condition was getting better and he decided to return home. However, shortly after he returned, his health condition became worse and he was rushed to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital and was later transferred to the Afrik Kids Medical Center in Bolgatanga. However, his final destination was at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) where he finally gave up to his maker. May his soul rest in peace Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093