Dumsor is a pure political term–Johnson Asiedu Nketia Johnson Asiedu Nketia
Opinion

Dumsor is a pure political term–Johnson Asiedu Nketia

Mr. Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress has described Dumsor as a pure political term, and stressing that the Akufo-Addo government cannot defer to engineers to explain the political term it inherited during opposition. Over some period now, the country has seen a continuous power outage, which the Energy Minister, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has attributed to ongoing system upgrades. Dr Prempeh, who recently announced that there would be systematic power outages in May, also refuted claims that dumsor was back during a recent tour of some ongoing upgrade projects in Accra. “We should all be truthful in our communication. In 2016, the whole country, they gave us periods that we were off and on. In 2016, the government of the day told us that it was a generation problem. In 2016, even the opposition talked about the government not having money to buy fuel. This is not a generation problem, this is not about fuel, so, how could it be dumsor?” “Dumsor is planned and a timetable is rolled out and it affected the whole country for four years. Is that what we are seeing? No”, he asserted, insisting: “Some of the systems, because of the challenges, the reason the system upgrades are being done is what we are feeling”. “So, we have to bear with the contractors to finish in time so that we can enjoy the improvement we so desire”, he pleaded. “Is it the dumsor that you have known and come to live with that is happening in the country?” he questioned “We have systems where lines are flickering, voltages are low and, sometimes, like it happened over the weekend, a line is down because a conductor has broken. And that is exactly why we are here today – the system upgrade that is ongoing – and, so, the challenges are what we are dealing with and all I can say is to plead with Ghanaians to be forbearing and we’ll coming out of the problem”, he said. “Some of these claims need not be responded to in the sense that in the light of the obvious fact, this was not started today, this project has been ongoing for some time, the project the engineer just told you about, so, I can simply say it is not true”. “Dumsor is not an engineering term, it’s a political term, so, if in 2016, we were not interested in listening to the causes of the dumsor, why should we be listening to the causes of the dumsor from the engineering standpoint now”. “At that time, even when we were explaining that: ‘Look, part of the problem has to do with generation, part of the problem has to do with the gas that was not flowing from Nigerian and all that, they said it was all incompetence. So, the politician should not go and hide”, he noted. “They should come and explain their own term dumsor and the explanation they gave was that, dumsor means light going on, light coming off and, so, now they cannot call the engineers who did not study dumsor in any of their textbooks, to come and explain to us what dumsor means”. Mr. stressed during an online streaming interview with ClassFM monitored by Apexnewsgh.com Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

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Leakages in petroleum product distribution worrying – Bawumia
Business

Leakages in petroleum product distribution worrying – Bawumia

Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has launched an innovative Digital Retail Fuel Monitoring System by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in Accra. The Fuel Monitoring System, which allows fuel in OMC tanks across the country to be monitored by NPA, will curb illicit activities in  petroleum downstreaming, such as unauthorised third party deliveries, fake receipts, smuggling, among others. Under this system, any OMC that receives illegal fuel would be found out. Launching the programme in Accra on Wednesday April 7, Vice President Bawumia commended the NPA for leveraging on government’s digitization drive to create an innovative solution to a major  problem in the petroleum industry. “I am particularly delighted that the NPA is leveraging on technology to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the distribution of petroleum products in the Petroleum Downstream Industry,” Vice President Bawumia said.  Dr. Bawumia revealed staggering losses in petroleum revenue to government due to illegal activities in  petroleum distribution, adding that the initiative by the NPA will end the malady of revenue loss and significantly boost government revenue. “It is estimated that between 2015-2019, government lost GHC4.7 billion in tax revenue as a result of illegal activities in the petroleum sector,” Dr. Bawumia revealed. “Actions, decisions and policies of individuals and corporate bodies which result in petroleum product distribution leakages and the associated revenue losses to the State have serious negative effects on the developmental agenda of the government.” Dr. Bawumia undersored the significance of the innovation to the overall development agenda of government, highlighting the importance of petroleum revenue. “Taxes and levies on petroleum products are major sources of revenue for the government in pursuing its developmental agenda,” the Vice President said. “Actions, decisions and policies of individuals and corporate bodies which result in petroleum product distribution leakages and the associated revenue losses to the State have serious negative effects on the developmental agenda of the government.” “With this latest initiative of the Retail Outlet Fuel Monitoring System, we look forward to blocking revenue leakages and improving revenue mobilization that would contribute to Government’s efforts to providing social services and funding for infrastructural development.” The Minister for Energy, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, urged stakeholders in the petroleum industry to exhibit patriotism and join hands with the NPA to help curb illegal activities in the interest of the state. He also urged all to embrace innovation in order to make Ghana a better place for all. Also present at the ceremony were the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Coomson as well as the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Hassan Suleiman Tampuli. The Retail Fuel Monitoring System, with a command centre at the NPA’s head office, will be able to monitor in real time online, every fuel sales data from pums, get station tank fuel levels data and fillings, handle overall wet-stock management and handle complete fuel management. The system will also be able to  manage all fuel related data, among other things in real time. 3news Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

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Climate change: Ghana’s agenda still on course – Prempeh Philip Smith in a meeting with Dr Prempeh
Opinion

Climate change: Ghana’s agenda still on course – Prempeh

The Country Director for the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) in Ghana Mr Philip Smith on Tuesday, 23 March 2021 paid a courtesy call on the energy minister Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh at the Ministry of Energy to discuss matters of mutual interest between Ghana and the United Kingdom in the energy sector. He was accompanied by the Deputy Development Director, Mr. Richard Sandall. The discussions revolved around issues of climate change, utility tariff policy, solar power, wind power and other sources of renewable energy. Dr Prempeh acknowledged the key roles being played by the United Kingdom and other development partners in the energy sector and indicated that in the area of climate change, for instance, Ghana’s agenda is on course to make the country a leader in the West African sub-region. “I am confident that with the right support from our development partners, this important agenda will be realised,” he added. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

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Shell welcomes NAPO to Energy Ministry
Business

Shell welcomes NAPO to Energy Ministry

The Managing Director and Country Chairman of Shell Energy, Mr. Brian Muriuki has paid a courtesy call on Energy Minister Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh to formally welcome him to the energy sector and to formally introduce the multinational company to him. Dr Prempeh noted that he was happy to see Shell Energy return to Ghana after a period of absence and looked forward to the execution of their long term agreement with Ghana to provide Liquid Natural Gas (LNG), as an alternative fuel for powering plants. “I am very optimistic that Shell Energy will work hard to provide quality but affordable products for the benefit of all and to boost our economy,” Dr Prempeh noted. In a related development, Dr Prempeh also held a virtual meeting with leading executives of Vitol, an energy distribution company on Monday, 22 March 2021. Their team was led by the company’s Country Manager, Mr. James Thorburn. In his remarks, Dr Prempeh expressed the hope that the government will continue to enjoy warm relations with the company, which has been operating in the country since 1992, in different spheres, including crude oil supply, exploration and production and product supply and trading. Thermal energy issues and energy pricing were key in the discussions, which according to Dr Prempeh were very fruitful and engaging. “I am optimistic that gas pricing, including the role of energy companies in competitive pricing, will help grow this important sector in our drive towards an industrialisation agenda,” the Minister noted. Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

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Work to ensure stable supply of petroleum products – Prempeh to tanker owners, drivers Energy in a meeting with tanker drivers, owners
Business

Work to ensure stable supply of petroleum products – Prempeh to tanker owners, drivers

The Energy Ministry will continue to provide the necessary space and support to the petroleum downstream industry to ensure that it continues to play its strategic role in the development of the nation. These were the words of Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh when he held separate meetings with the executives of the Tanker Drivers Union and the Tanker Owners Union in Accra on Tuesday, 16 March 2021. The two Unions called on the new Energy Minister to formally welcome him to the energy sector and to discuss issues that are relevant to their operations. In both meetings, Dr Prempeh emphasised the importance of tanker operations to the petroleum downstream industry, and urged the two to continue working together to find common ground to ensure stable supply of petroleum products. The two Unions assured the Minister that they will do their best to keep the industry moving. Classfmonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

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NAPO searches for fire extinguisher as 2024 Vice Presidential ambition is set ablaze by Maths Set scandal NAPO
Education

NAPO searches for fire extinguisher as 2024 Vice Presidential ambition is set ablaze by Maths Set scandal

The alleged ambitions of former Education Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh popularly known as Napo to become Vice Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2024 has been dented by a scandal covering the procurement of 853,000 pieces of mathematical sets which Africa Education Watch (AEW) has revealed were overpriced and fleecing and were not delivered on time and in full since 2019. The Maths Sets scandal which trended for several days on social media saw Napo come under severe attack from several quarters including from persons within his own party who said this scandal is likely to dent his image and chances at being running mate if he indeed has such ambitions. MyNewsGh.com is reliably informed this is only one out of a series of scandals that will hit the former education Minister over his stewardship of the education sector for the last four years for which he has to answer. This comes even before he officially starts work at the Energy Ministry where he has been reappointed. Maths set scandal MyNewsGh.com was the original website that broke the news of the maths sets contracts and the arrests of Kwadwo Darko-Mensah, which all other website picked from. This scandal came up over the procurement of 853,000 pieces of Kapek Mathematical Sets Instruments at Gh¢75 each, which Africa Education Watch revealed Liberia and Sierra Leone procured the same Kapek Mathematical sets Instruments from the same company even at retail price got it cheaper than what Ghana got for wholesale of 853,000 pieces. MyNewsGh.com was also informed that the person behind the contract is the wife of big man who owns a big beach resort in Ghana but used Bluegrass Limited owned by Onasis Kwadwo Darko-Mensah as a front. In a rather dramatic twist, Africa Education Watch also revealed that the actual price of the Mathematical Sets was Gh¢93 and not Gh¢75 as the Ministry of Education claimed. According to Kofi Asare who is Executive Director of the Africa Education Watch, the actual price of the Kapek Mathematical sets procured by Ghana on sole-sourcing basis was higher than the Gh¢75 government announced because the 75 cedis excluded the tax exemption of $3.6million granted to the contractor, one Kwadwo Darko-Mensah. CEO of Africa Education Watch, Mr. Kofi Asare said it is “very funny” for Education Ministry to justify the price of the mathematical sets using Kapek scientific calculator as decoy, as the same package costs far less in Liberia and Sierra Leone which also operate under WAEC. The difference between KAPEK and the real scientific calculator is, KAPEK has no memory and cannot be programmed; Just to prevent students from putting stuff on then into the exam room. That is all. So it is cheaper than the regular scientific calculator which is programmable. As for the plastic mathset it comes with, we know the price. Just go to Makola. Its less than GH 20. Infact, a similar KAPEK Mathematical Instrument sells for $10 In Liberia and $12 in Sierra Leone at retail; not wholesale. (Both WAEC member countries) This Blue Grass Company bought ours at international distributor bulk order quantity of 850,000 and still supplied to government at $17 (inclusive the taxes*) The unit cost is not GH 75; its GH 93. The GH 17 million tax exemption must be added to the GH 63 million and divided by the 853,000 pieces. He explained. He said WAEC also didn’t make it compulsory to acquire the math sets as claimed by Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh to justify the contract. My News Gh Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

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The November To Remember Postings will be released on Monday- Mathew Opoku
Education

The November To Remember Postings will be released on Monday- Mathew Opoku

The Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has made a pronouncement during an interview on JAMAN Radio 103.7, that postings of 2017, 2018 and 2019 of Colleges of Education will be released soon. According to the Minister’s own words and pronouncement during the interview, he said posting of 2019 trained teachers and other trained teachers of 2017 and 2018 batch who were still not posted will be released on Monday, November 23, 2020 However, with full confidence, the Minister dubbed the impending release postings as a “November to remember” Below is the video: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications  

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