Breaking News: A Former NPP MP Is Dead
Information reaching Apexnewsgh.com has it that the former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Krowor constituency, Abraham Odai Laryea has passed on. He died while on admission at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, but the cause of his death is not made known yet. The former MP was elected into office as a Member of Parliament in 2004 elections on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party. a state of mourning as the former MP served well and contributed actively to the developments in the area.” More soon… Apexnewsgh.com
NDC First Vice Chairman arrested and granted bail over party attack
Following the NDC party vandalism by some angry members of the party on Tuesday, the Northern Region first Vice Chairman of the opposition NDC, Alhaji Rufai Vielim has been arrested and granted bail by the Northern Regional Police Command. Information says, Police also searched Mr. Vielim’s home over allegations of ammunition supply to the youth group who sighted attacking and destroying the Regional Party Office. Comments in a viral video during the destruction of the party office by the youth have generated tension among other youth groups within the NDC. Police in a statement said they are on a manhunt for the persons who attacked and destroyed properties at the NDC Northern regional office in Tamale Tuesday afternoon. “Whilst we assure the public that all the perpetrators will be brought to face justice, we urge everyone to choose peaceful means to resolve their differences rather than resorting to violence”. Police in a statement on Tuesdays afternoon, some supporters of the party in Tamale stormed the regional branch office with guns demanding for the removal of the acting regional chairman of the party Adolf Ali, who was nominated by the executives to act in the position. The group vandalized chairs, office equipment and fire several warning shots while chanting for his removal. They argued that Adolf Ali didn’t deserve the position was supposed to be given to the first Vice Chairman Alhaji Rufai Vielim Mr. Adolf Ali was appointed following the demise of the regional chairman Tugu Naa Alhaji Ibrahim Mobila last week. Apexnewsgh.com
Attorney-General entraps Freddie Blay and others on GNPC board in 7.2million financial loss
It has emerged that, the board and management of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) could be indulging in an act of illegality by going ahead to pay a whopping GHC9 million as severance package to ex-Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Kofi Koduah Sarpong. The Herald’s investigations into the demand by Dr Sarpong, who was a Managing Director of the GNPC, have revealed that he is entitled to less than GHC2 million, but not the GHC9 million the board and management are being forced to cough up on the orders of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame. GNPC insiders, have disclosed to The Herald that per the agreement that brought Dr Sarpong to the institution in January 2017 to this year, when he left despite demanding an extension of his tenure in office, he is only entitled to GHC1.8 million, and that any amount beyond this, would amount to an act of illegality. The Herald, had picked up reports that the board of GNPC, is about to dole out a whopping GHC9 million to Dr Sarpong, who was sent home after a five-year tenure. The payment of the severance package is said to be on the direction of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice,. It is unclear, how the Attorney-General arrived at the GHC9 million. However, details of Dr Sarpong’s contract in the custody of The Herald, mentioned his monthly gross basic salary at the time of his engagement as Eighty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢80,000.00) but added the “salary shall be reviewed annually by the Board on or about the anniversary date of the appointment”. He also took home a duty allowance of thirty five percent (35%) on monthly salary per the contract. A portion of the contract and termination said that “upon separation from the Corporation, the Chief Executive shall if termination is before the end of his contract, be entitle to six (6) months’ notice upon payment of six (6) months basic salary in lieu of notice. Taxes due shall be borne by the Corporation”. He was to “be entitled to four (4) months of his monthly gross salary for each year worked, as separation pay” and “be paid 30% of his full annual gross salary as performance bonus”. The GNPC board led by Freddie Blay, the immediate past National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had earlier kicked against the payment of a severance package to Dr Sarpong, saying he was not entitled to any such payment, because he had finished his tenure. But The Herald’s information was that, Dr Sarpong, who was dissatisfied with the decision of the board, through his lawyer, Kwabena Tahir Hammond also known as KT Hammond, petitioned the Attorney General on the matter. The Attorney General, is said to have written to the GNPC, authorising them to pay Dr Sarpong some GHc9 million. The directive is said to have left a bitter taste in the mouths of many staff and management of GNPC, and they have since been murmuring. They feel politicians in the ruling party, have ganged up to rape the state coffers. The Herald, is meanwhile hearing about some huge debt left behind by Dr Sarpong’s management. There are reports that even some members of the board, are livid at the instruction of the A-G. Some insiders, have claimed that the amount previously demanded by Dr Sarpong from the board, was by far less than what the A-G, has directed GNPC to pay him. Dr Sarpong was over aged at the time of his appointment, having gone beyond the mandatory retirement age of 60 years for a CEO of GNPC. He was 63 at the time, but was pushed by the then Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko. Below are portions of Dr Sarpong’s contract signed on h July 26, 2017 REMUNERATION In remuneration for the employment the Company will pay to the Employee a monthly gross basic salary of Eighty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢80,000.00) 2. Salary shall be reviewed annually by the Board on or about the anniversary date of the appointment 3. A duly allowance of thirty five percent (35%) shall be paid on monthly salary 4. An annual performance bonus shall be paid at the rate of thirty (30%) or the maximum rate approved for the staff of the Corporation whichever is higher. 5. Employer Provident Fund equivalent payments will be pay into a private fund of your choice. Similarly, Employee Provident Fund deductions will be paid into the same private fund of your choice. 6. The Company, shall provide the Chief Executive with a fully furnished residential accommodation. If he elects to live in his own private accommodation, he will be paid housing allowance annually at the rate of 50% of annual gross salary. 7. In addition, to the housing allowance, the Chief Executive will be paid the prevailing housing furnishing cash allowance of GH¢80,000.00, if he elects to live in his own private residence (This is paid every 4years) 8. The Company, shall provide or pay for One (1) Cook; One (1) House help, One Gardener and Security service at the Chief Executive’s residence. 9. The Chief Executive will be provided with a computer, printer, scanner, shredder, fax machine, telephone landline, internet facilities and a 45KVA generator at his residence. 10. The cost of utilities (i.e. electricity, water and residential telephone service, DSTV (premium bouquet), internet service, mobile phone and generator fuel will be borne by the Corporation. However, an election can be made for the Utility Allowance to be paid at the existing 12% rate (per Corporation policy) in lieu of the above utility costs 11. The Company shall provide the Chief Executive with two duty post for use together with a driver assigned on full time basis. The maintenance and fuel for the two vehicles will be cost to the Corporation 12. Once every year, the Chief Executive’s spouse is permitted to accompany him on official business at the expense of the Corporation for a period of not
Some opposition party Youth organizers accept the use of Ghana Card for registration
Some Party Youth Organizers who called themselves as Coalition of National Youth Organizers, which includes the National Youth Organizers of the PPP, GCPP, CPP, APC and the PNC has permitted the Electoral Commission (EC) decision to use Ghana Card as a form of identification for the upcoming registration of eligible voters. Statement from the Coalition said: “We the Coalition of National Youth Organizers support the Electoral commission’s decision to accept the Ghana card in that exercise,” The EC has earlier hinted plans to accept the Ghana Card as proof of citizenship when it embarks on the limited registration of eligible voters who have attained the age of 18 and those who were unable to vote during the 2021 registration exercise. The Coalition noted that: “there has not been much debate on the issue of age or the Sanity of registrants over the years, however, the problem has always been the status of the person’s citizenship. “From our checks, over the years, the majority of the challenges that has characterised the electoral registration process by the electoral commission have been to question the citizenship status of the challenged person.” It further noted that: “This has led to the beefing up of our borders with extra Ghanaian security forces every time the electoral commission decides to embark on electoral registration for the fear of non-Ghanaian citizens coming into our country to register as voters. The reason being that, although article 6, to article 10 clearly states who a Ghanaian is, the Ghanaian does not have a valid and acceptable National Identification or document to prove their claim of citizenship. “This has always led to confrontations, tensions and sometimes violence at the registration centers because of the suspicion that foreigners are being registered. This, the credibility of Ghana’s voters register has always been doubted depending on who is in power under the 4th Republic between the NPP and the NDC since 1995.” The coalition indicated that: “We have witnessed countless D-day election violence and post-election violence in Ghana since the beginning of the 4th Republic which is a dent on our image as a democratic country, and most of the cause of the violence has always been the suspicion of non-residents or non-citizens attempting to vote or having voted already.” It continued that it has “taken this position because we believe in our democracy and hope that the post elections litigations and violence that characterise our electoral processes can end when we all resolved that every election conducted in Ghana and the results declared are indeed the will and the decision of Ghanaians. “In that regard, let us be mindful that the electoral commission of Ghana is a strong Pillar if not the last barricade which is safeguarding the democratic path we have chosen as our system of government.” The Coalition also called on politicians, “especially the NPP and the NDC” to “stop interfering in” the work of the EC and stop trying to “wear them our political colours, like we did with Dr Afari Gyan, Madam Charlotte Osei and Now Madam Jean Mensah.” Apexnewsgh.com
Sanitation: Assembly In Dialogue With Ghana First Toilet Project Contractors
The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive Mr. Rex Asanga has hinted that the assembly is in dialogue with the contractors engaged with the Ghana First Company toilet Projects. Apexnewsgh.com report Mr. Asanga made the revelation on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, during an interview on Yem Fm monitored by Apexnewsgh.com Responding to issues regarding sanitation in the Bolagatanga Municipality and the effort by the assembly to eliminate the Canker of Open Defecation (OD) The MCE said: “There quite a number of public toilets that have been given to individuals to manage and we ourselves are not impressed with the management of those facilities, we are reviewing them and then, we will be working with those people who are managing the toilet. Because, if you go to the toilet and it is not well kept, I entered one and really wondered how people can enter there and free themselves. So we are going to look through how we keep those toilets well kept”. “We also want to increase the number of toilets we have. I don’t know if you have heard about Ghana First toilets. There was some… I don’t know whether is an NGO or an Organization that came around and got people to start building toilets and the people started building the toilet almost to completion and they disappeared up till now. So, we are initiating some dialogue with the contractors of those toilets to see if we can bring the toilets on board to add. I agree with the one who sent in the message that we need many more toilets in the system”. He maintained However, the MCE maintained: “Ghana First is not a project of the assembly, is an organization that awarded contracts across the country to individual contractors to construct toilets and they disappeared and left the contractors and some of them have spent all their investment in the construction of the toilets and they can’t find the employer”. So, the assembly is only trying to see if we can come in and discuss with the contractor the best way for them to complete the toilet and deploy them for use. Mr. Asanga stressed Meanwhile, apexnewsgh.com as part of the Upper East Regional Branch of the Media Coalition against Open Defecation (M-CODe) is working so hard in making sure issues of Open Defecation (OD) is a thing of the past. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/ Sanitation/Upper East Region E:mail: Apexnewsgh@gmail.com Contact: 0256336062
Bolgatanga MCE not pleased with the far distance traffic light Contractors
The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive Mr. Rex Asanga has registered his displeasure over the unstable traffic lighting system in the Municipality. Apexnewsgh.com report According to Mr. Asanga, the worst of it all is the unavailability of the traffic light contractor at the time when needed for restoration. Mr. Asanga said: “Within a week they are off, when you call the people and they come and restore, they will be around Pawlugu going and some of them are off. Ever since I came to the office, we have called them here severally and I don’t know what is the problem, it appears the system that was used was not very good”. He said “For the old one, you know for many years our traffic light in town never worked. But when I came, for security reasons we had to get a contractor who pre-finance and went round brought back the old ones to work and they quite stable and some when they go off the contractor still goes to restore them”. “So, our main problem is the highway one and we don’t know what to do and now been told that the project was handed over to the assembly and i didn’t even know, the Minister called the consultant yesterday and he said the project has been handed over to assembly”. “Honestly, I don’t know who is responsible, because we all pay some deduction when we go buy credit, and then why should VRA or NEDCo be taking all those monies from everybody and is the assembly that is supposed to maintain traffic lights? I don’t really understand because as an assembly we are just wondering if we are going to be capable of keeping it up, especially if that system is not changed”. He imagined “Unfortunately, is Urban Roads that have to call the contractor to come and do that, we don’t even have the mandate, it is not within our responsibility to do that. He admits He said: “After Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave us these beautiful street lights and mounted traffic lights at important intersession for the first time in our history and the history of this Municipality we had just one or two and now we have 10 at very key places and yet they are knocked down with impunity”. Mr. Asanga was speaking to Christopher Asiama on Yem Fm, a program monitored keenly by Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh.com.
PHOTOS: NATIONAL DISGRACE: Super Falconets Sighted Sleeping At Turkish Airport
Nigeria’s Super Falconets have been captured sleeping on chairs and the bare floors of the airport in Istanbul, Turkey, on their way back home. The team was knocked out of the quarter-finals of the 2022 Under-20 Women’s World Cup by the Netherlands on Sunday. The Super Eagles former media officer, Colin Udoh, who shared the photos on his social media pages said, “Nigeria’s #Falconets have been traveling from Costa Rica since 6:30 am on Monday. “They’re now in Istanbul on a 24-hour layover and sleeping on the airport chairs and floor, or wherever they can find.” Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.