Defence Minister defends plans to purchase new presidential jet
Dominic Ntiwul, Minister of Defence, has justified the need for the country to purchase a presidential jet to be used solely by presidents of the country. Somewhere in September 2021, the Communications Director at the office of the president, Eugene Arhin, in a media announced that the government had triggered processes to purchase a bigger presidential jet for the country. His announcement came after North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had continuously been on the heels of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over his style of hiring luxurious private jets for his foreign travels. Meanwhile, responding to the North Tongu Member of Parliament concerns on the floor of Parliament, Dominic Ntiwul indicated that the country cannot continuously rely on military aircraft in ferrying government officials in the absence of a presidential jet. “Mr. Speaker, I want to confirm from all of us that the indication I get from all the consultation is that it is paramount especially because we do not have Ghana Airways. It is paramount to have an aircraft that can do government business. Mr. Speaker, the logbook of Castle 295 which is a pure military aircraft is so full that it is not safe to continue to rely on the military to be using a pure military aircraft to be ferrying government officials. And government officials include members of parliament,” he posited. Dominic Ntiwul also disregard the assertions by the North Tongu MP that the country had a presidential jet. According to him, the country does not have a presidential jet but rather has an executive jet that could be used by all government officials. “When you say presidential jet, Mr. Speaker, I have said it and I will continue to say that there is nothing called presidential jet. There are only two countries in the world that have presidential jet… one is the United States of America…only the president uses that jet,” he said. “Ghana doesn’t have a presidential jet. What we have is an executive jet that’s why when you [Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa] were reading, the current president [Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo] at the time use the term executive jet. Executive jet does not mean it is for the sole use of the president. In America, nobody can use Air Force 1 apart from the president and the vice. Even with the vice doesn’t use it, it is the president who uses Airforce 1. So we have an executive jet and I’m saying to you that executive jet is used to do government business,” Dominic Ntiwul 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
Minority’s u-turn on e-levy was strategy to test waters – NDC MP
Weeks and days have come by and yet the majority of Ghanaians are caught between believing the 2021 budget has been approved or not, after the first deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu rescinded the ruling of the Speaker of Parliament to approve the 2021 budget in a very dramatic fashion. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), other organizations and several common Ghanaians have called on the removal of some taxes introduced in the 2021 budget as they believe it would be problematic and irrelevant, notable is the taxes on fuel prices and the controversial e-levy scheme which keeps making headlines and disapproval from Ghanaians. Just after reports suggested that the Minority side of Parliament have agreed to a 1% reduction rate of the e-levy, the Member of Parliament for the Builsa South Constituency in the Upper East region under the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Clement Apaak has disclosed that the statement by the Minority Leader, Haruna Idrrissu was a political strategy to test the reaction of Ghanaians. He indicated that the idea was also to get even with the Majority who suggested that they held discussions with them, and the Minority was only trying to save face. Speaking to Samuel Eshun during an interview on the Happy Morning Show, he said, “It was very obvious our Leader used language that was first person singular throughout his submission. He never made reference to his party, and never made reference to his caucus. It was our strategy and we know exactly what we are doing. What we wanted to achieve with that plan was also successful. The Majority had already come out publicly to make claims that we were negotiating with them for a reduction of the e-levy and created an impression among Ghanaians that we were the ungrateful side. It was also our way to get back at them and we succeeded. We issued a statement just after our Minority Leader suggested we would agree to a 1% rate and it was at the instruction of our leader himself. He went on and told our whip to issue the statement at his own express instruction. This was our political game as in politics there are many ways of killing a cat.” He further cautioned the ruling government and the Majority caucus in Parliament that they would never succumb to an e-levy tax and that it is best to be scrapped off. “We will oppose and continue to oppose anything to do with any 1.75% e-levy tax. In fact, we say 0%, it should never see the light of day and that is our position. We are not going to beg, we are not going to relent, it is not right, it is not proper, it is regressive, it would bring financial exclusion, and not to the point this government has not been able to account for resources allocated,” he added. —Happyghana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia launches Ghana TVET Service
Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has launched the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service, as part of efforts to make Technical and Vocational Education a priority. So far, these brings together all the technical and vocational programmes run by 19 different Ministries under the ambit of the Ghana TVET Service, with the Director-General of the Service reporting to the Minister and Ministry of Education, like her counterpart, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service and other agencies under the Ministry. During the launch on Tuesday, 14th December 2021 at the Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC), Vice-President Bawumia said before the administration of Akufo-Addo government, a lot of challenges including the poor perception of TVET, the multiplicity of standards, testing and certification systems, and an informal TVET system that had been neglected and detached from the formal sector affected the quality of TVET delivery in our institutions. He said, this made it difficult for the sector to become the key catalyst that could spur industrialization and decent job creation for the citizens of this country but the Government, he assured, is tackling many of these issues. “This Government from 2017, as part of the President’s plan to transform the Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the country, has been streamlining the TVET Sector to ensure that the sector becomes a central force of our national development agenda”. “One of many such initiatives to ensure this is the establishment of the Ghana TVET Service. “In 2017, Government formed a 15-Member Technical Committee with Membership from various Ministries and Agencies to establish the Ghana TVET Service”. “After extensive work and national stakeholder engagement, the Committee presented a Draft Bill to Cabinet for approval in 2019. The draft was later sent to Parliament and assented to by the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on 29 December 2020 as ‘Pre-Tertiary Act, 2020 (Act 1049)’”. “The essence of Act 1049, Dr Bawumia explained, is to ensure that all TVET Providing Institutions under the 19 Ministries are realigned to the Ghana TVET Service. Hitherto, these TVET Institutions were under the umbrella bodies such as Ghana Education Service’s Technical and Vocational Education Division (GES-TVED); National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI); Opportunities Industrialization Centre Ghana (OICG); Gender, Children and Social Protection; Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service (GRATIS); Community Development Vocational Institutes (CDVI); Youth Leadership and Skills Training Institutes (YLSTI), Social Welfare Training Institutes, Farm Institutes and Technology Solution Centres; and the Integrated Community Centres for Employable Skills (ICCES). While improving the capacity of the country’s educational sector to create a more robust TVET Service, it is equally important to focus attention on the professional and capacity building of the facilitators and teachers who will train the young people in the various Technical and Vocational Training Institutes, He pointed. “Thankfully, the Ministry of Education has made significant progress with teacher professionalism to conform to global education standards”. “I, therefore, urge parents of JHS graduates to counsel their wards to consider choosing TVET programmes since these programmes are designed to equip our SHS leavers with practical skills needed for the job market”. Responding to the issues of fears by parents and guardians who may have been worried about a possible truncation of the educational path of children who take the TVET path, Dr. Bawumia guaranteed: “There is the opportunity for those who complete their TVET programmes to continue from the National Proficiency levels through Certificate levels to HND, B.TECH, M.TECH to the Doctor of Technology level with the National TVET Qualifications Framework (NTVETQF), which the Commission is implementing for TVET.” However, Mrs Mawusi N. Awity first Director-General of the Ghana TVET Service, pledged her outfit’s commitment to meeting the needs of the youth, saying “We will ensure the acquisition of skills by the youth and the elderly to enable them to create jobs and help move our beloved Ghana forward.” Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Budget Approval: We are resolved to pursue this matter further with the Right Honorable Speaker upon his return–Minority
The Minority in Parliament has said it will continue with its action to turn the 2022 budget approval. In a statement sighted by Apexnewsgh.com dated December 13, 2021, said “in that regard, we are resolved to pursue this matter further with the Right Honorable Speaker upon his return.” According to them, “The NDC Minority Caucus which I lead, and my good self, vehemently disagree with your position on the motion and your conduct in this matter. We take the strong view that your conduct affronts Orders 79, 81, 82, and 90 of our standing orders and can no longer be tolerated,” the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu reiterated in his response to the First Deputy Speaker’s letter rejecting his motion. Attached is the full response from the Minority 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 will probe over GHC32m spent on conferences even under COVID–Muntaka Mubarak
The Minority side in Parliament has indicated that it will not let any cat out of the bag in probing the government’s spending on COVID-19. Apexnewsgh.com report According to the Asawase Member of Parliament Muntaka Mubarak his side would get involved in every proceeding in the House and “will hold their (Majority) legs close to the fire to make sure that everything is accounted for, every pesewa that was approved in 2021.” He reiterated, that the Minority Caucus will make sure that Ghanaians know how the nation’s scarce resources are being used by the NPP administration. “I can tell you this, a lot of these Ministries are sweating, I mean if people can choose to spend Ghc32million on conferences during COVID, you have to provide details. And if one particular office can spend 1billion, we need details and they are sweating already,” he revealed. “We do not want these things to stand uncontested and exhaustive because if you allow it to stay, it becomes part of rules of the House. We want to be sure that all avenues would be exhausted then we are certain that this is what we want to be part of the proceeding of the House. Remember, I have always said the House is by three things, the Standing Orders, the Constitution and our practice,” he pointed. “Our concentration is to do our bid and our bid is that we are holding the government to account for its stewardship. We are saying that we will not allow you to waste our resources, resources that have been given to you. You must account for it properly. If you want to do anything use the right procedure,” he said. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Court adjourns ‘Baby thieves’ case to Jan 19
The five were on November 10 charged and granted a combined bail in the sum of GHc750,000. The accused persons are Cynthia Beyeden, a 63-year-old Retired Midwife/ Nurse, Sylvester Quashie Nyamekeh, a mason, Ediemu Bozoma, a 55-year-old trader, Cynthia Quashie, private security and one Quashie now at large. Beyeden is facing two counts of child stealing while the other charges have been spread. They were all granted bail in the sums of GHc150, 000 each with two sureties to be justified with title deeds. They are to report to the police every Monday until the final determination of the case. The court directed the prosecution to serve disclosures by December 7. They have been variously held over abetment and hindrance to the inquest. Brief facts A brief fact of the case as presented to the court was that, the bureau acting on intelligence, arrested suspects Cynthia Beyejen, Ediemu Bozoma and Sylvester Quarshie who are retired midwife, mason and trader respectively. The prosecution said, suspect Sylvester Quarshie was found in his possession a seven-month-old baby boy with name Jerome and offered him for sale at the cost of GHc80,000.00 at Atuabo in Ghana. According to the brief facts, the bureau’s agent feigned interest in buying the said victim, Jerome. It added that suspect Sylvester did all the negotiations on phone with the agent and even sent a recorded video of late victim Nhyira, a 10-day-old baby girl to show that he is into the business of baby selling. The brief facts noted that suspect Sylvester mentioned suspect Cynthia Beyejen, a retired midwife as his source. “Investigation revealed that suspect Ediemu Bozoma has been assisting suspect Cynthia Beyejen in keeping and taking care of the victims in her house to be later disposed off by Sylvester Quarshie. “It was also established that the late victim Nhyira was with Ediemu Bozoma, and Komene Nda Kwakye, who claimed the victim Nhyira died in the process of keeping her. Suspect Ediemu Bozoma informed suspect Cynthia Beyejen of the death of victim Nhyira and suspect Cynthia Beyejen commanded suspect Ediemu Bozoma and Komene Nda Kwakye @ John Quarshie to bury her without reporting the death to any authority. Komena Nda Kwakye @ John Quarshie, a husband of Ediemu buried her without reporting her death for investigation. During interrogation suspect Komena stated that it is normal in the area for such burial to take place without reporting.” The prosecution noted. The prosecution said, the suspect denied knowing that it is a crime to bury anybody without reporting. Suspect Cynthia Beyejen on 28/10/21 led a team of NIB officials to arrest suspect Ayisha Barry as the mother of infant Jerome. “Suspect Cynthia Beyejen further stated that suspect Ayisha came to her with the intention to abort the pregnancy at that advanced month. That she gave her induction labor and suspect Ayisha delivered. “After delivery she lied to Ayisha that the baby is dead. She then sent the baby to suspect Bozoma. That suspect Ayisha Barry admitted to having gone to suspect Cynthia Beyejen to deliver. However, after delivery suspect Cynthia informed her that the baby boy has died and has been buried. “Ayisha however denied the claim that infant Jerome is her son. The baby is named Jerome Amontchie by Cynthia Quarshie. Jerome who is not well is on admission at the NIB Clinic responding to treatment,” the prosecution noted. —Starrfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
EIB supports Ghana’s Covid-19 Nat’l Response Plan with €82.5m
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has welcomed the €82.5 million support offered to Ghana by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to strengthen healthcare, provision of specialist medical equipment and medicines across Ghana under the national COVID-19 Health Response Plan. The concessional financing package, which comprises a €75 million facility from the EIB, and €7.5 million grant from the European Commission, was signed at the Luxembourg Headquarters of the European Investment Bank, following President Akufo-Addo’s official visit to Luxembourg on Monday, 13th December 2021. The new agreement with Ghana represents the largest national EIB financing for COVID-related health investment in Africa. The new facility, representing the EIB’s largest support for COVID-related health investment in sub-Saharan Africa, was signed on behalf of Ghana by Mr Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ambroise Fayolle, European Investment Bank Vice-President in the presence of President Nana Akufo-Addo, EIB President Werner Hoyer and H.E. Sena Siaw-Boateng, Ambassador of Ghana to the European Union. “Strengthened cooperation between Africa and multilateral development partners is crucial to share global best practice and ensure a rapid response to health, social and health challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The European Investment Bank and the European Union are key partners for Ghana and I welcome their support for our national COVID-19 Health Response Plan,” President Akufo- Addo said. He continued, “Ghanaian and EIB experts have worked tirelessly in recent months to finalise this initiative since President Hoyer and I met earlier this year. Specialist healthcare and medical services will benefit from both the EIB’s largest backing for COVID health resilience in Africa and EU grant support”. “Ghana has taken visionary steps to ensure that the impact of COVID can be managed and long-term investment unlocked to strengthen both health services and access to finance by businesses. A few months ago President Akufo-Addo and I confirmed EIB backing for the Development Bank of Ghana. It is an honour to welcome our Ghanaian friends to our Luxembourg headquarters to demonstrate the impact of our joint response to improve COVID-19 healthcare and discuss how to further strengthen Team Europe’s partnership to improve lives and opportunities in Ghana in the years ahead.” said Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank. “Europe and Ghana stand side by side to tackle the health challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new Team Europe support for Ghana’s COVID-19 Health Response Plan will strengthen public health and enhance resilience to the pandemic across Ghana in the months and years ahead through new investment backed by the European Union and European Investment Bank,” said Jutta Urpilainen, European Union Commissioner for International Partnerships. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss recent EIB support for the retrofit of the Kpong Dam, Development Bank Ghana and COVAX, explore future cooperation to support local vaccine manufacturing and outline the EIB’s strengthened engagement in Africa through a new dedicated development finance branch to be launched in the new year. The EIB and EU backed health investment will improve medical treatment for patients with COVID at Treatment and Isolation Centres and Intensive Care Units, as well as measures to detect and contain the virus and slow down transmission. The initiative will both enhance medical treatment during the pandemic and enhance public health in the years ahead. Ghana was the first country in Africa to receive COVID-19 vaccines under the EIB and EU backed COVAX initiative. EIB experts also briefed President Akufo-Addo on plans to further accelerate the delivery of vaccines across sub-Saharan Africa. EIB strengthening co-operation with Ghana The EIB is finalising new support for business investment in Ghana with ECOBANK that is expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks. This follows the formal agreement in May this year between President Akufo Addo and EIB President Werner Hoyer for EUR 170 million EIB backing for the new Development Bank Ghana. This represented the largest-ever EIB engagement in Ghana and the most significant support for a national development finance institution in Africa. Once operational Development Bank Ghana will increase access to long-term finance and boost job creation for thousands of businesses in key sectors, including agribusiness, manufacturing, ICT tourism and other services across Ghana. The European Investment Bank is the world’s largest international public bank and financed transformational investment across Ghana, including renewable energy at the Kpong Dam, business and services, since 1976. Background information The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals. —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
MPs should be able to know what is going to their constituencies–Chiana-Paga MP
The Member of Parliament for Chiana-Paga constituency Thomas Dalu has suggested that in the future budget should be made open for Members of Parliament (MPs) to know what projects they are getting in their various constituencies. Apexnewsgh.com report Mr. Dalu made the suggestion during an exclusive interview with Apexnewsgh.com on Tuesday, December 14, 2021. “There should be a way at a particular time when a budget is read, MPs should be able to know what is going to their constituencies”. According to the Chiana- Paga legislator, “The whole thing is bust-up and invariably the area that I mentioned, we don’t hear anything about ours. Somewhere along the line, if you look at roads and I even wonder whether the Bolga- Bawku one has been captured, but my road which has been there for over 7 years Chana- Chuchuluga road wasn’t mentioned in the budget after 6 to 7 years down the line, nobody is even talking of it. Chuchuluga –Fumbisi road, Chuchuluga- Nakon road nobody can say whether they think of them or not” he stressed “So generally, things that are mentioned in the budget the hope is just that, if you take the health budget maybe they will do some few things in the clinic maybe your people may benefit, if you take education the same thing, maybe they will do some few things in the education sector that your people may benefit. But frankly speaking, they have not mentioned anything that is substantial particularly for a whole of the Upper East Region. “So, generally as a region, we have a problem. So, as an MP you can only extract a few things you think can benefit your people”. MP for Chiana- Paga told Apexnews Ghana Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093