FRIMP NEWS

Ebony guy

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Sat, 17 Feb 2018 10:13:00 -0800

Akuffo Addo’s Misinformation-Teachers Union

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 00:47:00 -0800

Akuffo Addo’s Misinformation ,Teacher Unions’ Hypocrisy and the Lullaby of Teachers’ Salary.

Teachers in Ghana have been subjected to varied degrees of depression from Politicians since the 1950s and gradually graduating to an unsubstantiated level, a situation that had been worsened by the Unions in the Teaching front,most especially teachers at the Pre-Tertiary level of Education.

This article has nothing to do with party political witch-hunting as many who even when feeling the reality will be suppressed with Party Political Ideologies.

The Education Sector has been used for party political business among the various political parties, ranging from Nursing and Trainee Teachers Allowances,Utility Bills, the changes in the Number years to study in the Senior High Schools ,changing of ‘Secondary ‘ to ‘Senior High ‘ Free Education among others, a situation that had left the Free Compulsory and Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) begging for Shelter.

Teachers Salary arrears is a situation that has also been politicized, making the innocent teacher suffer in his or her own effort to help impact knowledge in the future generations.

*BAWUMIA’s POLITICAL MISINFORMATION*

The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, made a statement at the 52nd Biennial Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in Cape Coast held during the first week in January 2018.

According to the Vice President, Government had released over GH¢14million ,a day before his statement, to be used for the Payment of Teachers’ Salary Arrears accrued from January 2013 to December 2016.

This was supported by the Minister of Education, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, a situation that saw Teachers clapping with Joy, without even considering the fact that government owes them GH¢50million Salary Arrears.

*AKKUFO ADDO’s MISINFORMATION*

The President of the Republic, during his Meet the Press Event held in Accra stated “I must also point to the Fact that the Salary Arrears that were paid to our teachers last Week were accrued from 2013 to 2016.The regime we have in place now is to pay government bills as they come due and not to accrue arrears.”

Meanwhile there was no such payments even before the event being held.

*TEACHER UNIONS’ HYPOCRISY*

The Three major Teacher Unions in the Pre-tertiary Level under the Ghana Education Service, comprising, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) are very silent on the misinformation by the Politicians with regards to the payment of salary arrears by Government to Teachers.

The Teachers as a matter of urgency needed to as early as possible, make a public pronouncement to that effect.

It’s either the Union leaders themselves are not aware of the development of they knew but don’t know who to let the cat out of the bag.

Teachers are known for ‘worshiping ‘ politicians unnecessarily.

Meanwhile, the youngest teacher Union, ALL TEACHERS ALLIANCE GHANA (ATAG) hadn’t also been able to put the eldest on their toes, an activity they had been known for.

*THE REALITY ABOUT THE PAYMENT OF TEACHERS SALARY ARREARS*

The truth of the matter is that a document released by government in relation to the said GH¢14million was meant for payment of allowances and transfer grants to staff of the Ghana Education Service.

According to a document signed by the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori Atta on January 3,2018,from the Finance Ministry, the Controller and Accountant Generals Department (CAGD) to pay GH¢14,172,313.23 to the Education Minister to enable him make payment of Transfer Grants and other Allowances in arrears to the staff of the Ghana Education Service for the period January 2013 to December 2016.

That document wasn’t meant for payment of salary arrears as reported by the President.

Meanwhile, a meeting Of the committee for validation of salary arrears met on January 12,2018 to discuss the way forward for payment of salary arrears, of which the committee agreed on payment of Salary Arrears to About 14,000 Teachers in March 2018.

Teacher Unions needed communication experts to help them disserminate the right information to their members as and when the need be for such purposes.

Teachers have been dancing on unsung melodies for quite a long time now and it’s time to send the Lullaby to new born babies and “face the music”.

Source:EducationGhana.net

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia UK trip prevent disturbance from relatives-Mustapha Hamid

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 23:16:00 -0800

The Information Minister Mustapha Hamid says Vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia trip to the UK for further medical attention is also to afford him an uninterrupted rest.

Mustapha Hamid said the Vice-president will have the peace and tranquillity to recover faster, an advantage he claimed he will struggle to get in Ghana.

This is because his reported illness could see relatives and friends visiting him at his Accra residence to offer support and sympathies, the Information Minister told Joy News.

“When he is in Ghana people will come from his village, from Walewale [and] wherever he is [and] the people will besiege [his residence],” he said.

“Normally, when you are out of reach you will have the peace to heal.”

The Vice-President was joined by his wife Samira Bawumia. It is not known when the two will return.

Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu has wished Dr Bawumia speedy recovery while a debate on social media about foreign medical trips for Ghana's elite is beginning to gather pace.

The Vice-President's absence made him unable to deputise for the President who has left for Liberia to attend the official swearing-in of President-elect George Oppong Weah.

In the absence of the two, Parliament was recalled to install Speaker of Parliament Prof. Mike Oquaye as acting President.

It is a post that expires after 48 hours with the President expected to return Tuesday.

Alexis Sanche to Man Utd: Medical done,Henrikh Mkhitaryan Swap to be announced tomorrow

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 12:31:00 -0800

The Arsenal ace posted a video on his Instagram story earlier as he was about to board a private jet to Manchester.

Sanchez, 29, was then pictured arriving at United’s Carrington training base.

And according to the Daily Mirror, the Chile international has completed his United medical.

They claim the Arsenal star has left Carrington and the deal will likely be announced tomorrow.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan will also move the other way after agreeing terms with Arsenal in the last 48 hours.

The Mirror add that Sanchez and Mkhitaryan must have their work permits ratified by their new clubs before the deal can be announced.

"I think they will be successful."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger also discussed the transfer, with the Frenchman putting a timeframe on the highly-anticipated deal.

"I expect it to happen, but I can’t announce it. In the next 48 hours it will be decided," he said after the Gunners hammered Crystal Palace 4-1.

"Until it’s over the line you can’t say it will happen. If you want to have a bit, it could happen.

"Sanchez will only happen if Mkhitaryan comes here. That’s why it takes longer as well because it is coordinated."

Prof.Oquaye to be sworn in as acting President Today

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 05:09:00 -0800

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye will later today [Sunday], January 21, 2018, be sworn-in as acting President of Ghana.
This follows reports that the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will be leaving for Monrovia later today, to attend the inauguration of Liberia’s President-elect, George Weah, on Monday.
Ghana’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who would have ordinarily taken over as President, is unwell and is on medical leave in the United Kingdom after he left the country last Friday on the advice of his doctors.
A statement issued by the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, recalled Parliament for an emergency sitting on Sunday at 2:30pm for the swearing in of the Speaker as acting President.
“In exercise of the power conferred on the Speaker by order 42 (3) of the standing orders of the Parliament of Ghana, I, Honourable Joseph Osei-Owusu, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, pursuant to order 13(2) do hereby summon Parliament to sit on Sunday, 21st January, 2018 at half past two o’clock in the afternoon at Parliament House, Accra for the swearing in of the Right Honourable Speaker as Acting President of the Republic in accordance with article 60(11) and (12) of the 1992 Constitution,” the statement added, but did not give further details.
According to Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, the Speaker of Parliament must be sworn-in in the absence of the President and Vice President.
Article 60 (11) and (12) of the 1992 Constitution states that:
(11) Where the President and the Vice-President are both unable to perform the functions of the President, the Speaker of Parliament shall perform those functions until the President or the Vice-President is able to perform those functions or a new President assumes office, as the case may be.” “(12) The Speaker shall, before commencing to perform the functions of the President under clause (11) of this article, take and subscribe the oath set out in relation to the office of President.
When the swearing-in of a Speaker was breached
The law was breached by a former Speaker of Parliament, Doe Adjaho in 2014, when he refused take the oath of office as acting President at a point. Both President Mahama and his Vice Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, had traveled outside the country at the time.
This compelled the Managing Director of Citi FM, Samuel Atta-Mensah, and a United States-based Ghanaian lawyer, Prof. Kwaku Asare, to file a suit at the Supreme Court, to among other things, seek an interpretation of Article 60 (12) of the 1992 Constitution, which requires that the Speaker takes the oath of office each time he is to act as President.
The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, declared that the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Edward Doe Adjaho, violated Article 60 (11)-(12) of the 1992 Constitution when he declined to be sworn in to act as President when President John Dramani Mahama and Vice-President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur travelled outside the country in November 2014.
The nine-member panel, presided over by Mrs Justice Sophia Akuffo, also averred that the “Speaker of Parliament shall always, before assuming the functions of the Office of President when the President and the Vice-President are unable to perform their functions, take and subscribe to the oath set out in relation to the Office of President”.
“The Speaker is obliged to swear the oath each time he assumes the Office of the President. There is no ambiguity in articles 60 (11) and 60 (12),” Mr Justice Sulley Gbadegbe, who read the court’s decision, said.
–

Bawumia's health ought not to be state secret - Asigri encourages disclosure cultur

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 11:09:00 -0800

General News of Sat, 20 Jan 2018
Bawumia's health ought not to be state secret - Asigri encourages disclosure culture
Emmanuel Asigri, CEO of National Youth Authority

Government statement revealing the Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is under medical treatment demonstrates a desire not to treat the health of leaders as a state secret.

The CEO of the National Youth Authority (NYA) said the Vice-President is as human as everyone else, adding news that he is unwell should not alarm Ghanaians.

Emmanuel Asigri said it should be expected that as hardworking as the Vice-President is, he will be susceptible to exhaustion and medical supervision.

"These things shouldn't come as anything for us to think why issue a statement"

"I think he has over-stretched his body", he said on Multi TV Newsfile Saturday.

The government appointee said he spent some time with the Vice-President on Thursday to invite him to an upcoming NYA event.

"Sitting with him in his living room he looked so healthy", he revealed.

But less than 24 hours later a statement from the presidency said doctors were attending to the vice-president after he reported feeling "unwell".

His wife and 'Second Lady' Samira Bawumia was absent from the commissioning of a maternity block which together with the First Lady they helped to raise funding for its construction.

Asigri admits the news has brought some apprehension for Ghanaians especially with the tragic history of losing a sitting President Evans Atta Mills in 2012.

Questions have been raised about the need for the statement if the Vice-President's health was not critical.

But Emmanuel Asigri wants Ghanaians to accept, the government is fostering a culture of disclosure when it comes to the health state of its leaders.

"...as a country, we move away from keeping some of these things as a secret", he said.

The NYA CEO said the revelation from the Presidency is consistent with the style of President Akufo-Addo who also introduced an "innovation" when he named his government.

The President called a press conference where he named his ministers and explained reasons for his choice, a move many applauded.

IMANI Vice-President Kofi Bentil joined Emmanuel Asigri to applaud the press statement as a "necessary tradition".

"If you put yourself out up to the highest office of this land, your health is directly related to the well-being of the country...of course some details must be left out", he added.

NDC MP North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto asked for Christians to pray for the health of the Vice-President.

"By his stripes, we are healed", the Christian MP quoted ?Isaiah 53:5.

The Minority NDC MP said he hoped for further updates on the health of the Vice-President as the government has promised.

He, however, conceded that everyone is entitled to a degree of privacy when it comes to health records and is therefore open to disappointment if no further details are released.

He referred to a call by Progressive Peoples' Party (PPP) Presidential candidate Paa Kwesi Nduom who released personal records of his health to back his call for people vying for the president to release same.

Veteran journalist Kweku Baako warned against any religious over-exaggerations into the health of the Vice-President.

"People are going to capitalise on it and do all sort of prophetic scare-mongering. I have a problem with that," he said.

Baako, a Muslim, said despite his belief in God, he disapproves of the Ghanaian tendency to read religious meanings into everything.

United likely to announce Sanchez as United player after Arsene Wenger confirm swap deal-Mourinho Mentioned

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 01:48:00 -0800

Alexis Sanchez “likely” to move to Manchester United after Arsene Wenger confirmed a swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan is on the cards and that “the wages will not be a problem” for Arsenal.

Wenger admitted he expects the move to happen in the next 24 hours after revealing it is his “understanding” that Mkhitaryan will move in the opposite direction.

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s home game with Crystal Palace – where Mkhitaryan could make his debut – Wenger was still cautious that the move could still not happen in time for the weekend.

Neymar can play with Ronaldo at Real Madrid – Mijatovic

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 01:21:00 -0800

Neymar can play with Ronaldo at Real Madrid – Mijatovic
Predrag Mijatovic sees no reason why Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo cannot play together at the Santiago Bernabeu as the former Real Madrid forward heaped praise on the Paris Saint-Germain star.

Neymar completed a world-record move to PSG from Barcelona in August last year but the Brazil international has already been linked with Spanish and European champions Madrid.

There have been reports that five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo could move in the opposite direction but Mijatovic – who won the Champions League and LaLiga with Madrid – believes Neymar can flourish alongside the Portuguese superstar, just like he did with Lionel Messi at Camp Nou.

"Personally, I love Neymar as a player," Mijatovic told Marca. "He has magic and would win over a lot of Real Madrid fans, or almost all of them.

"If there was a chance to sign him, I'd be the first person to say yes, but I don't know if it's possible.

"If Neymar was able to get on well with Lionel Messi, then there's no reason he couldn't get on well with Ronaldo."

Ronaldo has struggled domestically this season, having starred with nine Champions League goals en route to the last 16.

The 32-year-old has only scored four goals in 14 LaLiga appearances in 2017-18 amid links with PSG and former club Manchester United and speculation over a new contract.

"The situation needs to be well evaluated at the end of this season," Mijatovic said. "These things must be talked about and if he is not happy then he has to say so.

"I don't see Ronaldo as being sad in the Champions League, but I do see it in LaLiga. That has nothing to do with his wages. Maybe he's just more motivated by the Champions League."

Dortmund boss Stoger leaves door open for Aubameyang return amid Arsenal links

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 01:17:00 -0800

Dortmund boss Stoger leaves door open for Aubameyang return amid Arsenal links

Borussia Dortmund head coach Peter Stoger has not closed the door on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returning to the team, despite growing speculation the star forward is set to join Arsenal.

Aubameyang was left out of the squad for Dortmund's 1-1 draw against Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Friday amid links with Arsenal and doubts over his commitment.

The 28-year-old Gabon international has been tipped to replace Manchester United-bound Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal but Stoger said Aubameyang could be back for next week's clash against Freiburg if he regains his focus.

"Well generally it doesn't bother me at all if Aubameyang right now is kicking it around somewhere else. That's his decision. If he had been good the moment we had training, he would have played [Friday] today," Stoger said.

"But I didn't have that impression of him in the last training before the match. I felt like he was busy with many things but not this important match. That's why he wasn't with us.

"If he is also playing football all the time next week and there are photos of him, then he will be in the squad against Freiburg."

Aubameyang – who has been subject of reported interest from the Chinese Super League – is Dortmund's leading scorer this season with 13 goals in 15 matches.

Ghana not safe under Akufo-Addo's 'elephant size' government - Asiedu Nketia

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 22:53:00 -0800

Ghana not safe under Akufo-Addo's 'elephant size' government - Asiedu Nketia

Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of NDC

General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has lambasted President Akufo-Addo for failing to secure Ghanaians.

In mincing no words, the outspoken politician who is popularly referred to as General Mosquito, said he feels scandalized that after the appointment of an ‘elephant size’ government, the state is unsecured.

The impunity, lawlessness, vigilantism are just but few of the insecurity scenarios in the country, he said.

Speaking to Kwame Tutu on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he said it was only under this government that Ghanaians witnessed the appointment of 110 ministers.

We witnessed the appointment of a National Security Minister and his Deputies, Interior Minister and his Deputies, National Security Coordinator and the Defence Minister and his Deputies yet we are witnessing an unprecedented killing of police officers, and military personnel.

‘’What is the current security situation with all these appointees? What is the result? If this is the record for appointing these ministers then you have failed woefully. Your own party youth organizer, Abronye was also attacked. We are not safe and if Ghanaians don’t complain about the security situation in the country, then we will have ourselves to blame,’’ he added.

Meanwhile, President Nana Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that, his administration will do what it takes to protect citizens.

The President, in a reaction to the recent arrest in Accra of three suspects with explosives, told the media that the security agencies had scaled up their alertness, and “we are not letting our guards down”.

“Ghana is safe and sound…and we would ensure that, that reality is maintained,” the President stated, adding that, the security agencies would be adequately resourced to handle any emerging threat to the security of the country.

Source: rainbowradioonline.com

One District One Factory can create wealth foor Ghana-Jospong CEO

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 16:39:00 -0800

FrimpNews

One District One Factory can create wealth for Ghana – Jospong CEO*

Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies, Joseph Siaw Agyepong, has said that the One District One Factory initiative of the current administration has the potential of turning Ghana’s fortunes around by creating wealth and sustainable jobs.

He called for more support from Government for indigenous private businesses to collaborate with local authorities for the selection and efficient execution of the initiative to the benefit of the communities and growth of the private sector.

Mr Siaw Agyepong made this observation on the second day of the 69th annual New Year School and Conference at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana, Legon on Tuesday.

This year’s New Year School’s theme is: “Job Creation for Accelerated National Development: The Role of the Private Sector,” and it was organised by the School of Continuing and Distance Education of the University of Ghana, Legon.

He said efforts aimed at creating jobs should not be focused on the formal sector only, “the informal sector has the potential to generate a good number of jobs. The essential need is to exert some of direction and control in this sector”, he added.

Mr Agyepong bemoaned the politicization of businesses, which usually occur after a change of government, and said the practice of especially colouring private business political was unhealthy.

He stressed the need for successive governments to ensure continuity of businesses to promote the growth of local entrepreneurs.

Using the Zoomlion example, He enumerated its various achievement since its establishment in 2006 to manage waste in the country and create jobs for thousands of Ghanaians and called for the protection of other local businesses supporting the economy.

Speaking on the topic: “The Private Sector Participation in Local Governance for Job Creation,” the Zoomlion boss called for more collaboration to enable local private companies to undertake government projects.

He commended successive governments for their efforts at reducing unemployment but urged that more efforts must be put into the talk to make it a reality.

He said Jospong Group of Companies has collaborated with the public sector in areas including waste management, sanitation, environmental hygiene, agro-based industrialisation among others to create jobs.

Against this backdrop, Mr Siaw Agyapong affirmed his Group’s commitment to continue to collaborate with local government authorities to create jobs for the teeming youth in the country.In the estimation of the Zoomlion boss, there was equally the need for government to promote sustainable partnership arrangements to engage and empower the private sector

“Leveraging our investments in the local government sector to sustain continuous and inclusive development at the grassroots level is key”, He noted.

These partnership models that would be created, he suggested, should subsist “our political and governance cycles and Ghanaian entrepreneurs on their part should exhibit a high level of professionalism so that they are not unduly branded.

“Emphasis on local content is key, empowering indigenous Ghanaian companies is key, local collaboration to undertake government projects should be encouraged and stimulus packages to local private sector should be implemented…I believe we are on the right track and as a Group of Company; we would do our best to support the government to create sustainable jobs. Indeed, we have the skills set to continue on that path.

“All that we in the Private Sector have to do is to continually re-examine our business creating models for the mutual benefit of both the public and the private sectors. When this is done we will be placed on the right track of creating jobs and entrepreneurial skills to help harness the powerful potential of creativity in our teeming youth,” He pointed out.

The Session was chaired by Dr Nana Ato Arthur, Head of the Local Government Service.

Source: frimppnews like our page Frimpnews

Sometime I worry about Akuffo Addo-Okudzeto reveal on Joy Media

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 04:23:00 -0800

Experienced lawyer, and a member of the Council of State, Sam Okudzeto, has shed light on President Nana Akufo-Addo’s work ethic, revealing that he frequently works late into the night.

The former President of the Ghana Bar Association said contrary to the popular view that being the highest public servant is a comfortable job, it comes with a lot of tough calls and self-sacrifice – and for Nana Akufo-Addo, who wants to leave a lasting legacy, it can become a source of worry for people close to him.

“It is not an easy job. Sometimes I worry for him in the sense that he works too much...he will wake up very early in the morning and work till about 10 o’clock in the evening...Sometimes I tell him, ‘please take your time and rest and cut down on what you are doing.’

“He is a man in a hurry...a man who wants to achieve results. He needs for us to encourage him and to help him because it is not a one-man job. Governance is not a one-person job...sometimes you want to be sure that your ministers, those you have appointed to the boards and the rest are also doing the right thing,” Mr Okudzeto said.

Mr Okudzeto made the revelations on Upfront, a current affairs programme on the Joy News channel (MultiTV), hosted by Raymond Acquah.

Thursday evening’s show discussed a myriad of topical issues dominating the national discourse – Trump’s ‘shithole’ outburst, Akufo-Addo’s one year in office, the fight against corruption and Martin Amidu’s nomination as the Independent Special Prosecutor among others.

Hope in Martin

Commenting on the fight against corruption under the Akufo-Addo-led administration, he confessed that he had been wondering whether the President will achieve his desire to nip corruption in the bud.

However, when his choice for the special office, Martin Amidu, was confirmed, his worries vanished.

Mr Amidu is renowned his deep knowledge of the law and unwavering anti-graft fight.

“That appointment alone gives me hope,” he said, adding that his excitement peaked when the nomination was eventually announced.

“He [Martin Amidu] is a member of the NDC and he knows more than most us know. So he is the right person to unearth some of the wrong things that have happened. But also because he is a person you might call ‘a-no-nonsense-person. The NPP people who also might have the tendency to behave like their predecessors will now be scared. Because Martin Amidu is not the person you can go to and say ‘stop this prosecution against this person.”

He dispelled views that Mr Amidu might abandon his post when political pressure from top government officials starts to mount on him.

Private legal practitioner, John Ndebugri, has predicted that the strong views of Mr Amidu -- a former NDC-government Attorney General -- coupled with contradictions in the law guiding the Special Prosecutor’s Office will cause him to resign before the end of his tenure.

Mr Amidu's relationship with the NDC fell apart following disagreements with some top officials and he has since become a sworn enemy of the party.

Commenting on the suggestion that Mr Amidu will buckle under political pressure, Mr Okudzeto said it is highly unlikely that the Citizen Vigilante will throw away his hard-earned reputation.

“The job gives him no latitude, no limitation. The President himself appointed him, and if he [President] goes back and says he is removing him, he [president] will in trouble himself. He knows it, that is why he appointed him. I have all the confidence that Martin will do his work. And when he is doing his work we should stop screaming [about witch-hunting],” he warned.

Parliament is still the weakest

Mr Okudzeto in 2014 described the Legislature as the “weakest arm of government” due to its failure to execute its fundamental responsibility of working in the interest of the people.

Four years on, his views about the second arm of government have not changed.

"Many of them like to play to the gallery instead of doing the actual

FIRE GUTS TEROSAM COMPANY AT AMANFRO-OVER 3 BILLION GHANA CEDIS LOST

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 10:22:00 -0800

BREAKING NEWS

FIRE GUTS TEROSAM COMPANY AT AMANFRO , OVER 3 BILLION GHANA CEDIS LOST.

information emanating from Kasoa Amanfro in the Ga south municipality of Accra indicated that, fire guts down a multi million company called Terosam company limited dealers of electrical cables resulting a of over 3 billion Ghana cedis..

More updates soon

Reduce JHS Subject to 6-Education Directors

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 06:55:00 -0800

The Conference of Directors of Education (CODE) has advocated the reduction of the number of subjects studied at the various levels of basic education.
It suggested that while pupils in the kindergarten and lower primary should study only numeracy, literature and physical education, those in upper primary and students in junior high school (JHS) should be made to study six subjects, instead of nine.
In a communique issued at the end of the 24th annual conference of CODE at Abesim, near Sunyani, last Saturday, the conference expressed the view that the use of chalk had outlived its usefulness in schools and, therefore, suggested that blackboards should be replaced with whiteboards and markers provided for use by teachers.
The communique, signed by the National President and the National Secretary of CODE, Mrs Margaret Frempong-Kore, and Mr Isaac Nsiah Edwards, respectively, did not assign any reasons for the proposal to the educational authorities to reduce the number of subjects being studied at the basic level.
However, in an interview, Mrs Frempong-Kore explained that at the Kindergarten and lower primary levels, the major problem now was literacy and numeracy.
“By the time that the child leaves the lower primary, if he cannot read, he cannot grasp other subjects taught at Upper Primary and the JHS levels,” she said.
She further explained that the conference also wanted the subjects taught at the upper primary and the JHS levels to be reduced from nine to six because there was a challenge about reading currently.
Justifying the contention of CODE for the subject to be reduced, Mrs Frempong-Kore said the subjects had to be reduced to enable the pupils to concentrate on the basics of the subjects they would pursue at the senior high school (SHS) level. “With the low level of reading, studying nine subjects gets the students rather confused,” she added.
Free SHS policy
The CODE, in its communique issued at the end of its meeting, said as much as CODE supported the free SHS policy, "we recommend an increase in advocacy through the distribution of hard copies of guidelines on the policy".
It also called for the timely payment of all subsidies in relation to the programme to prevent delayed payments during its implementation, a feature that was associated with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), the progressively free SHS and the Capitation Grant.
It also expressed concern over the lack of textbooks and, in some cases, inadequacies in the provision of teaching and play materials and called for an immediate solution to the problem.
Pre-school education
"There is a big deficit in the supply of furniture at the basic level," the communique stated, and suggested that the award of contract for the production and distribution of furniture should be done at the district level to ensure quality, appropriateness and timely delivery.
"We are suggesting that the construction of new primary schools should have kindergartens attached, while the training of early childhood education teachers should be encouraged by increasing the quota for study leave," it said.
TVET courses
The communique recommended that facilities at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions should be redesigned and improved to attract females and persons with disability.
"Effective inputs such as government of Ghana grants, vehicles, residential and office accommodation, as well as office equipment, should be made available to the education directorates for effective delivery of directors' mandate," it said.
It said CODE supported the licensing of teachers by the National Teaching Council to improve on teachers’ professional competence, but recommended that there should be more education on the issue.

Komenda-Sugar Factory not likely produce sugar

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 03:07:00 -0800

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General News of Thu, 18 Jan 20182
Komenda Sugar Factory not likely to produce sugar — UCC research team

The Komenda Sugar Factory was inaugurated by Former President Mahama in 2016

The Komenda Sugar Factory in the Central Region is not likely to produce sugar for the next one year, unless drastic measures are taken by the government to promote sustainable sugar plantations to feed the factory.

This is the outcome of a study by a team of researchers from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) who worked on a spatial assessment of sustainable feedstock supply to the factory.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum on the findings of the research, titled: “Assessment of Sustainable Feedstock Supply to the Komenda Sugar Factory”, a principal researcher of the Department of Environmental Science of the UCC, Dr David Oscar Yawson, said the factory was nowhere near readiness to begin operations.

“You can’t plant and harvest sugar cane in a month. You need at least a year to plant and harvest,” he said.

The research was undertaken with support from the Directorate of Research Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) of the UCC.

Observation

Dr Yawson said it was not possible for the factory to mobilise 10 per cent of its raw material needs within the industrial recommended 40-mile radius of the factory.

He said within that boundary limit, the factory could mobilise only 16,000 tonnes of sugar cane, which is less than 10 per cent of what the 300,000-tonne capacity factory needed to run on an annual basis.

Under the circumstances, he said, steps must be taken urgently to set up sugar cane nurseries and plantations immediately if the factory was to serve its purpose.

The inauguration

The Komenda Sugar Factory was inaugurated by President John Dramani Mahama on May 30, 2016 but was shut down almost immediately for lack of raw materials to feed it.

The factory, which was re-constructed through an Indian Exim Bank loan, has the capacity to crush 1,250 tonnes of sugarcane per day but stands shut till today.

The government spends close to $200 million annually to import sugar into the country.

Waning enthusiasm

Farmers in the area who were enthusiastic about the anticipated employment opportunity are now full of mistrust and are also skeptic about statements regarding the reopening of the factory.

Dr Yawson said farmers were losing interest in the factory and that it was important that the little interest left was sustained in order to keep the hope of reviving the factory alive.

High-yielding varieties

He called on the government to bring in high-yielding varieties of sugar cane to ensure that raw material supply was met constantly.

The Director of the DRIC, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, said it was important for policy makers to work closely with interested stakeholders to have access to research findings to propel the nation’s industrialisation drive.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the UCC, Professor George Oduro, said knowledge was meaningless until it impacted policy and the environment, adding that it was time universities got closer to industry and policy makers as a means of moving the nation’s drive to industrialise.

Sugar development policy

Participants called for a sugar development policy to give direction to the government’s undertaking to produce sugar locally, thereby reducing sugar imports.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Mkhitaryan key to United-Sanchez deal, Claims Raila

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 00:32:00 -0800

Manchester United will not sign Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal unless Henrikh Mkhitaryan agrees to move the other way, according to the Armenian's agent Mino Raiola.
United emerged as frontrunners for Sanchez's signature last weekend with rivals Manchester City reportedly pulling out due to concerns over the finances of a move for the Chile international, whose contract at Emirates Stadium expires at the end of the season.
The Red Devils are said to be willing to include Mkhitaryan – who has started just one Premier League match in the past two months and was left out of the squad for Monday's 3-0 victory over Stoke City – as part of a prospective switch.
It is claimed Arsenal are requesting £35million for Sanchez, and Raiola says his client will play a pivotal role in the outcome of their negotiations with United.
"Manchester United are not going to sign Sanchez unless Mkhi agrees to join Arsenal," Raiola told The Times.
"Mkhi is going to do what is best for him. He has two and a half years left on his contract, so it's his decision."
Raiola emphasised his opinion that Mkhitaryan is the centre-piece of the transfer talks, not the Arsenal forward.
"Sanchez is part of the Mkhi deal, not the other way around," he added.
United boss Jose Mourinho said on Monday he was "not unconfident" of completing a swoop for Sanchez, but Chelsea are also thought to have entered the race.

Akufo-Addo's full speech

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 00:04:00 -0800

Akufo-Addo's full speech
Tweet
Welcome to the seat of the Presidency of our country, ladies and gentlemen of the media, and I wish you all a happy New Year. The start of a new year is the ideal time to take stock of the year that has just ended, and look forward to the new one.
When we gathered here last July for my first interaction with the media, I promised that I would endeavour for us to meet, at least twice a year, to have a conversation about our nation, and how the government is doing.
I believe this week meets the requirements of this promise, and has the added advantage of marking the first anniversary of my becoming President of our Republic. I do not intend to engage in self-adulation, or self-flagellation, for that matter. I shall, therefore, not be assigning grades or marks to myself or my government. An examinee does not mark his or her own script. I leave that either to the self-serving pronouncements of vainglorious politicians or to the apparent insights of would-be wise persons of that amorphous community, civil society.
But, ladies and gentlemen, I am confident that we do, however, have a good story to tell about many of the things that we have done, and are doing, since assuming the reins of office a year ago, and I am going to use this medium to highlight some of the most important of them.
I would like to start this conversation with the sad scenes that were played out in many parts of the country, some weeks ago, in all the regional capitals of our country.
Young people got up at dawn, and formed long queues in stadiums and parks, in the hope of getting a job with the Ghana Immigration Service. I know it is not a new story. Some *eighty four thousand (84,000)* people applying for jobs, and over *forty seven thousand (47,000)* of them meeting the minimum requirements as advertised, and the organisation only looking for five hundred *(500)* people to hire.
Similar scenarios are being played out in all sectors of the public service. The Ghana Revenue Authority also advertised for various categories of staff. Some *fifty nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety one (59,991)* responded to the advertisement, out of which *twenty thousand, one hundred and seventy seven (20,177)* met the requirements, and the available vacancies are *three hundred and fifty (350).*
The recent recruitment exercise in the Ghana Armed Forces went along similar lines. Some *twenty six thousand, and thirty two (26,032)* young people applied to be enlisted into the Other Ranks; *twenty one thousand, and seventy three (21,073)* of them qualified, and were shortlisted. The number to be taken to start training later this month is *one thousand, eight hundred (1,800).* The Police Service recruitment exercise tells a similar story. Some *one hundred and fifty eight thousand, seven hundred and thirty four (158,734)* young people applied, and *seventy nine thousand, nine hundred and nine (79,909)* of them met the requirements, and financial clearance has been given for *two thousand (2,000)* of them to be taken into the service.
Once I started looking, I found similar stories all around. The grim story of youth unemployment has been a tragic part of our lives for far too long. When I became President, therefore, I knew my work was cut out. We had to do things differently, if we were going to banish the spectre of desperation, and restore hope to our youth.
We inherited an economy that was in distress, choked by debt, and with macroeconomic fundamentals in disarray. We had to do things differently, and those were my marching orders to all members of the government.
We have rapidly to grow and expand the economy, and that can only happen when the fundamentals are in place. The Economic Management Team has risen to the challenge, and demonstrated that doing things differently achieves positive results.
You would recall that, throughout the election campaign, we said part of the reason for the difficulties with the economy was the sole sourcing of procurement by government. Let me give you a few figures to illustrate this point.
In the year 2016, the Public Procurement Authority had six hundred and twenty two (622) Sole Source Requests. Five hundred and ninety seven (597) of that number, 98%, were approved, and there were 25 Rejections. There were five hundred and ninety two (592) Requests made for Restricted Tenders, and five hundred and eighty seven (587) (99.15%) were approved, and there were five (5) Rejections. A grand total of zero savings was made.
In 2017, our first year in government, three hundred and ninety four (394) Sole Sourcing Requests were made, out of which two hundred and twenty three (223) (56.6%) were approved, and one hundred and seventy one (171) (43.6%) were rejected. There were three hundred and forty six (346) Requests for Restricted Tenders, and one hundred and sixty seven (167) (48%) were approved, and one hundred and seventy nine (179) (52%) were rejected. Now here is the interesting part. The savings made over the year, as a result, amounted to GH¢145.7 million; $146.2 million; €1.85 million and £22,400.
As my old mathematics teacher used to say, you cannot argue with figures, and such figures surely provide the incentive to open up government procurement.
Our economists set to work to sort out our macroeconomic fundamentals, and to find imaginative ways to deal with the oppressive debt situation. I am glad to report that the hard work on that front is yielding positive results. The macroeconomic fundamentals have seen improvements through improved fiscal and monetary discipline. Real GDP growth has rebounded, recording a growth of 9.3% in the third quarter of 2017, against the 3.5% figure for the same period of 2016. Latest information indicates that inflation is at 11.8%, down from 15.6% at the end of December 2016.
The debt situation has improved, with the annual average rate of debt accumulation of 36% in recent years declining to about 13.6%, as at September 2017. As a result, the public debt stock as a ratio of GDP is 68.3%, against the annual target of 71% for 2017, and end 2016 actual figure of 73.1%. Boring figures, I know, but believe me, they spell good news for the economy.
Thanks to these boring figures, for the first time in a long while, we have been able to give better budgetary support to the constitutionally mandated institutions that hold government accountable, i.e. Auditor General, Parliament, Judiciary, Ministry of Justice, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and the Police. Thanks to the same figures which mean improving macroeconomic fundamentals, we have been able to transfer some GH¢3.1 billion of Tier 2 pension funds into the custodial accounts of the pension schemes of the labour unions, funds that have been outstanding for six years, and about which the labour unions had been loudly complaining.
I am being urged to pay contractors. I am paying them. In 2017, nearly GH¢1 billion (GOG – GH¢300,400,156.75; Road Fund- GH¢664,091,476.88) of the GH¢1.6 billion owed road contractors was cleared. In January this year, we have disbursed GH¢125 million out of the remainder of GH¢600 million to the contractors. Additionally, we have paid GH¢826 million of the GH¢1.2 billion loan contracted by the previous administration, for which the Road Fund was used as collateral. It is important to note that all these debts were accrued under the previous administration. I will also point out that much of the statutory arrears, that we met, have been cleared, that is debts to the NHIS, the District Assembly Common fund, and the GETFund.
I might also point out that the salary arrears, that were paid to our teachers last week, were accrued from 2013 to 2016. The regimen we have in place now is to pay government bills as they come due, and not accrue arrears. We are resisting the temptation to award contracts, when funds are not available to pay for the certificates as they come up. Those who conduct business with government will find that things are being done differently. We have had to subject 11 billion cedis of arrears, bequeathed to us in 2017, to a process of audit review and validation. The audit service has certified payments to the tune of GH¢5.5 billion, and rejected about GH¢5.7 billion cedis, representing a potential savings of 51% on these outstanding commitments. This shows the validity of our criticism that so much of contracts awarded in the Mahama era were inflated, and apparently, in some cases, non-existent.
I have promised to protect the public purse, and I am doing just that. Those who have done honest work, and at honest rates for the government, will get paid and paid on time so their profits do not get swallowed up in bank interests, and, thereby, threaten the collapse of their businesses.
Ladies and gentlemen, clearing up the mess we met is only a small part of the task we face.
We are creating the atmosphere for the private sector to grow quickly, and to encourage our young people to look for opportunities in areas other than the public sector. The solution to the unemployment crisis lies with small and medium size enterprises that employ three, seven, fifteen and fifty people, and with large-scale industrial enterprises that employ people in their hundreds and thousands.
We are concentrating our efforts to grow the SME sector. Under the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan, with a seed fund of $10 million, five modules are being implemented, targeted at helping young people who want to set up businesses. It is no secret that our private sector often lacks the expertise that would enable it to operate competitively. Practical help is being offered to SMEs by way of advisory services, access to finance and access to market.
We have set ourselves five main priority areas, which we believe should rapidly transform our country: agriculture, energy, industry, education and health.
Reports indicate that the planting for food and jobs campaign, which registered over two hundred thousand (200,000) farmers in the 2017 crop season, has been a big success. I am particularly excited about the institutional sub–programmes, where twenty (20) Senior Technical High Schools, National Service Scheme and the Prison Services were supported to cultivate their own farms. Under the Youth in Agriculture programme of Planting for Food and Jobs, ten thousand (10,000) youth were supported to cultivate eight hundred (800) hectares and ten thousand, three hundred and twenty (10,320) hectares of rice and maize, respectively.
Under the campaign, average yields of maize and rice have increased, and our warehouses are filling up. Whilst the full picture of this success is yet to emerge, it is noteworthy that many farmers have expressed their satisfaction that, for the first time in a long while, a deliberate government policy has helped to boost their harvest. We are doing things differently, and we are getting results.
Ladies and gentlemen, I do not want anybody to get the idea that doing things differently is easy, or popular, nor always gets immediate results. We inherited a situation where illegal mining or galamsey had become a serious menace to the very existence of our country. Our forests and water bodies had become degraded, and the health of those engaged in the activity and their communities were all at risk.
Let me state here again my gratitude to the media for the support they are giving in the campaign we are undertaking against galamsey. This is not a short term campaign, and we need everybody’s support to make a success of it. As I have said a few times, since the Almighty blessed us with precious minerals, there has always been and always will be mining in our country. We are not against mining, but we cannot accept mining in a manner that risks destroying our country. The reforestation programme that we have started should help to regenerate our forest cover and water bodies, and, hopefully, provide an attractive alternative employment to galamsey. On this subject, all of us, and not just government, have to do things differently.
In the energy sector, we have brought stability in the place of the erratic power situation that we inherited. Adequate power supply is critical to the operation and success of industry, especially small and medium scale enterprises, which provide the bulk of employment. Not only is regular supply important, but competitive rates of power are equally important. Tariff rates for non-residential users of electricity, which embrace many SMEs, have been reduced by an average of 14% to boost their competitiveness. Furthermore, an Industrial Development Tariff has been approved for industry to enhance its competitiveness. A new rate of US$6.50 per Million British Thermal Units (MMBtu), as against the previous rate of US$8.84 per Million British Thermal Units (MMBtu), has been established – a 26.5% reduction. In addition, a review of 24 power purchase agreements, which has led to the termination of 11 power deals and the rescheduling of 8 others, has enabled us to save the government treasury about $7 billion in excess capacity charges over a 13-year contract period. We also issued 7 year and 10 year cedi-denominated bonds, totaling GH¢4.7 billion, which have halved the $2.4 billion energy debt we inherited, and have helped improve the liquidity of the banks, and the balance sheets of the SOEs in the energy sector. This year, we will consolidate these gains, and ensure the flow of regular, affordable power to support the economic development of our country. Efficient management will always yield positive results.
On the first working day of this year, I signed into law the three Development Authority bills and the Zongo Development Fund bill. Once the Zongo Development Fund and these development authorities are put into place, and this is imminent, we shall see an acceleration in the pace of developmental activity and the provision of essential social services to communities around our country in a manner that answers to the real needs of the people.
Work on the creation of new regions is progressing, and the constitutionally sanctioned Commission of Enquiry, under the chairmanship of a respected, retired senior Judge, Mr. Justice S.A Brobbey, has started the public hearings. I encourage all to bring their ideas to enrich the process. Some 38 new districts have been created and, with it, the inevitable arguments about where the capitals should be sited. I am hopeful that things will settle down quickly, and attention given to the exciting development opportunities that are coming with the new arrangements. Work is also progressing to make a reality our manifesto promise that we elect District, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives.
Having signed, on January 2, the Act for the establishment of the Special Prosecutor, Act 959, I have appointed Mr Martin Amidu as the first person to hold that position. I am well aware of the general sense of anxiety in the country and the strong feeling that politicians tend to get away with corrupt practices. A significant choice, though, that Mr Amidu is, I do not expect that he will provide all the answers for dealing with the phenomenon of corruption by public officials, but I do believe that, at the least, the Office will help remove the fear of partisan prosecution, and begin to put the fear of God in all public officials who are intending to go down the path of corruption. Just in case it needs reiterating, let me state again that current office holders are as likely to be investigated and prosecuted by the Special Prosecutor, if a case is made out against them, as past office holders. At all times, the rule of law must be adhered to.
This leads me to how we are dealing with allegations of corruption against current appointees. I have made it publicly known that anyone, who has information about acts of corruption against any of my appointees, should bring it forward, and should be prepared to back it up with evidence. So far, every single act of alleged corruption labeled against any member of my administration has been or is in the process of being investigated by independent bodies, and the findings so far made public. From the allegations against the Minister for Energy-designate at his parliamentary confirmation hearings; to that against the CEO of BOST; to those against the two deputy Chiefs of Staff; to the claims of extortion against the Trade Minister; and to those against the Minister for Special Development Initiatives; they have all been investigated and no evidence has been adduced to suggest mildly the perpetration of any act of corruption. However, some people appear determined to stick to their politically-motivated view that there has been corruption. This surely is not a helpful stance. It is important to note that, in this my first year of office, two separate bi-partisan probes in Parliament have been established to inquire into allegations of corruption, as against zero in the Mahama years, despite the persistent calls by the then Minority. I have a greater interest in my appointees not being corrupt than any critic could possibly have. Try me. Produce the evidence to back the allegation, and see what the reaction will be. But, I think it is also worth pointing out that we should be careful about the new trend that appears to be emerging, whereby any allegation, no matter how spurious, quickly gains the character of a “scandal” or “an act of corruption”, even when it is shot down.
Ladies and gentlemen, I should not omit from this accounting the disgraceful behaviour of some members of my party, the NPP, which has been described as vigilantism. I believe there is no longer any argument that criminal behavior wears no political colours, and is solely to be dealt with by the police. I pray that we have seen the last of it. We are continuously working to ensure that it does not recur, that we uphold the rule of law.
Ladies and gentlemen, Free SHS is now a reality. The first batch of students to be enrolled under the scheme has finished one term, and gone back to school after the Christmas break. If it has taken the introduction of Free SHS to encourage media and other commentators to find the many problems that bedevil our schools, I simply take it as one more reason to cheer the Free SHS.
We shall work systematically to solve the problems, not just of the Senior High Schools, but from the Kindergartens to the Junior High Schools as well. We shall put greater emphasis on technical, agricultural and vocational training, and skills training in general. We have no choice but to educate and train our workforce to match the needs of the modern economy. This is only possible if we prioritize and accelerate the development and application of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), and also develop the capacity to design and manufacture machines, parts and tools for ourselves. The two Ministries of Education and Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) are working together to step up the development and application of appropriate technologies to solve the variety of problems that confront us at this stage of our country’s development. This is to be supported with a national strategy to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education throughout our educational system, and stimulate the interest of our pupils and students, especially girls, in Science, Technology and Innovation.
I am still working to achieve gender parity, or, at least, reach the percentage promised in the NPP Manifesto. In the meantime, I wish to encourage all to support the HeForShe Campaign to help us achieve SDG Goal 5.
After a year in office, it would be fair to ask what frustrations and regrets if any, that I have. My answer would be I wish we had been able to do certain things much faster and the entire government machinery moved more quickly, because, as I said, I am in a hurry. For those who continue to be obsessed by the size of my government, let me, with due deference to the chairperson of the Economic Management Team, my brilliant Vice President, cite from his speech, two days ago, at Legon, at the opening of the New Year School:
“The question that we should ask is how can you inherit a budget deficit of 9.3% of GDP, proceed to reduce taxes, bring down inflation, bring down interest rates, increase economic growth (from 3.6% to 7.9%), increase your international reserves, maintain relative exchange rate stability, reduce the debt to GDP ratio and the rate of debt accumulation, pay almost half of arrears inherited, stay current on obligations to statutory funds, restore teacher and nursing training allowances, double the capitation grant, implement free senior high school education and yet still be able to reduce the fiscal deficit from 9.3% to an estimated 5.6% of GDP? Quite simple, this is a remarkable achievement and this is what we mean by competent economic management.”
It is that competence, coupled with integrity in the conduct of public transactions, ensuring value-for-money, protecting the public purse, that are going to bring the dream of a happy and prosperous Ghana, a Ghana Beyond Aid, quickly within our grasp.
Thank you all for coming, and may God continue to bless us and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong.
Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FMAkufo-Addo's full speech
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Welcome to the seat of the Presidency of our country, ladies and gentlemen of the media, and I wish you all a happy New Year. The start of a new year is the ideal time to take stock of the year that has just ended, and look forward to the new one.
When we gathered here last July for my first interaction with the media, I promised that I would endeavour for us to meet, at least twice a year, to have a conversation about our nation, and how the government is doing.
I believe this week meets the requirements of this promise, and has the added advantage of marking the first anniversary of my becoming President of our Republic. I do not intend to engage in self-adulation, or self-flagellation, for that matter. I shall, therefore, not be assigning grades or marks to myself or my government. An examinee does not mark his or her own script. I leave that either to the self-serving pronouncements of vainglorious politicians or to the apparent insights of would-be wise persons of that amorphous community, civil society.
But, ladies and gentlemen, I am confident that we do, however, have a good story to tell about many of the things that we have done, and are doing, since assuming the reins of office a year ago, and I am going to use this medium to highlight some of the most important of them.
I would like to start this conversation with the sad scenes that were played out in many parts of the country, some weeks ago, in all the regional capitals of our country.
Young people got up at dawn, and formed long queues in stadiums and parks, in the hope of getting a job with the Ghana Immigration Service. I know it is not a new story. Some *eighty four thousand (84,000)* people applying for jobs, and over *forty seven thousand (47,000)* of them meeting the minimum requirements as advertised, and the organisation only looking for five hundred *(500)* people to hire.
Similar scenarios are being played out in all sectors of the public service. The Ghana Revenue Authority also advertised for various categories of staff. Some *fifty nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety one (59,991)* responded to the advertisement, out of which *twenty thousand, one hundred and seventy seven (20,177)* met the requirements, and the available vacancies are *three hundred and fifty (350).*
The recent recruitment exercise in the Ghana Armed Forces went along similar lines. Some *twenty six thousand, and thirty two (26,032)* young people applied to be enlisted into the Other Ranks; *twenty one thousand, and seventy three (21,073)* of them qualified, and were shortlisted. The number to be taken to start training later this month is *one thousand, eight hundred (1,800).* The Police Service recruitment exercise tells a similar story. Some *one hundred and fifty eight thousand, seven hundred and thirty four (158,734)* young people applied, and *seventy nine thousand, nine hundred and nine (79,909)* of them met the requirements, and financial clearance has been given for *two thousand (2,000)* of them to be taken into the service.
Once I started looking, I found similar stories all around. The grim story of youth unemployment has been a tragic part of our lives for far too long. When I became President, therefore, I knew my work was cut out. We had to do things differently, if we were going to banish the spectre of desperation, and restore hope to our youth.
We inherited an economy that was in distress, choked by debt, and with macroeconomic fundamentals in disarray. We had to do things differently, and those were my marching orders to all members of the government.
We have rapidly to grow and expand the economy, and that can only happen when the fundamentals are in place. The Economic Management Team has risen to the challenge, and demonstrated that doing things differently achieves positive results.
You would recall that, throughout the election campaign, we said part of the reason for the difficulties with the economy was the sole sourcing of procurement by government. Let me give you a few figures to illustrate this point.
In the year 2016, the Public Procurement Authority had six hundred and twenty two (622) Sole Source Requests. Five hundred and ninety seven (597) of that number, 98%, were approved, and there were 25 Rejections. There were five hundred and ninety two (592) Requests made for Restricted Tenders, and five hundred and eighty seven (587) (99.15%) were approved, and there were five (5) Rejections. A grand total of zero savings was made.
In 2017, our first year in government, three hundred and ninety four (394) Sole Sourcing Requests were made, out of which two hundred and twenty three (223) (56.6%) were approved, and one hundred and seventy one (171) (43.6%) were rejected. There were three hundred and forty six (346) Requests for Restricted Tenders, and one hundred and sixty seven (167) (48%) were approved, and one hundred and seventy nine (179) (52%) were rejected. Now here is the interesting part. The savings made over the year, as a result, amounted to GH¢145.7 million; $146.2 million; €1.85 million and £22,400.
As my old mathematics teacher used to say, you cannot argue with figures, and such figures surely provide the incentive to open up government procurement.
Our economists set to work to sort out our macroeconomic fundamentals, and to find imaginative ways to deal with the oppressive debt situation. I am glad to report that the hard work on that front is yielding positive results. The macroeconomic fundamentals have seen improvements through improved fiscal and monetary discipline. Real GDP growth has rebounded, recording a growth of 9.3% in the third quarter of 2017, against the 3.5% figure for the same period of 2016. Latest information indicates that inflation is at 11.8%, down from 15.6% at the end of December 2016.
The debt situation has improved, with the annual average rate of debt accumulation of 36% in recent years declining to about 13.6%, as at September 2017. As a result, the public debt stock as a ratio of GDP is 68.3%, against the annual target of 71% for 2017, and end 2016 actual figure of 73.1%. Boring figures, I know, but believe me, they spell good news for the economy.
Thanks to these boring figures, for the first time in a long while, we have been able to give better budgetary support to the constitutionally mandated institutions that hold government accountable, i.e. Auditor General, Parliament, Judiciary, Ministry of Justice, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and the Police. Thanks to the same figures which mean improving macroeconomic fundamentals, we have been able to transfer some GH¢3.1 billion of Tier 2 pension funds into the custodial accounts of the pension schemes of the labour unions, funds that have been outstanding for six years, and about which the labour unions had been loudly complaining.
I am being urged to pay contractors. I am paying them. In 2017, nearly GH¢1 billion (GOG – GH¢300,400,156.75; Road Fund- GH¢664,091,476.88) of the GH¢1.6 billion owed road contractors was cleared. In January this year, we have disbursed GH¢125 million out of the remainder of GH¢600 million to the contractors. Additionally, we have paid GH¢826 million of the GH¢1.2 billion loan contracted by the previous administration, for which the Road Fund was used as collateral. It is important to note that all these debts were accrued under the previous administration. I will also point out that much of the statutory arrears, that we met, have been cleared, that is debts to the NHIS, the District Assembly Common fund, and the GETFund.
I might also point out that the salary arrears, that were paid to our teachers last week, were accrued from 2013 to 2016. The regimen we have in place now is to pay government bills as they come due, and not accrue arrears. We are resisting the temptation to award contracts, when funds are not available to pay for the certificates as they come up. Those who conduct business with government will find that things are being done differently. We have had to subject 11 billion cedis of arrears, bequeathed to us in 2017, to a process of audit review and validation. The audit service has certified payments to the tune of GH¢5.5 billion, and rejected about GH¢5.7 billion cedis, representing a potential savings of 51% on these outstanding commitments. This shows the validity of our criticism that so much of contracts awarded in the Mahama era were inflated, and apparently, in some cases, non-existent.
I have promised to protect the public purse, and I am doing just that. Those who have done honest work, and at honest rates for the government, will get paid and paid on time so their profits do not get swallowed up in bank interests, and, thereby, threaten the collapse of their businesses.
Ladies and gentlemen, clearing up the mess we met is only a small part of the task we face.
We are creating the atmosphere for the private sector to grow quickly, and to encourage our young people to look for opportunities in areas other than the public sector. The solution to the unemployment crisis lies with small and medium size enterprises that employ three, seven, fifteen and fifty people, and with large-scale industrial enterprises that employ people in their hundreds and thousands.
We are concentrating our efforts to grow the SME sector. Under the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan, with a seed fund of $10 million, five modules are being implemented, targeted at helping young people who want to set up businesses. It is no secret that our private sector often lacks the expertise that would enable it to operate competitively. Practical help is being offered to SMEs by way of advisory services, access to finance and access to market.
We have set ourselves five main priority areas, which we believe should rapidly transform our country: agriculture, energy, industry, education and health.
Reports indicate that the planting for food and jobs campaign, which registered over two hundred thousand (200,000) farmers in the 2017 crop season, has been a big success. I am particularly excited about the institutional sub–programmes, where twenty (20) Senior Technical High Schools, National Service Scheme and the Prison Services were supported to cultivate their own farms. Under the Youth in Agriculture programme of Planting for Food and Jobs, ten thousand (10,000) youth were supported to cultivate eight hundred (800) hectares and ten thousand, three hundred and twenty (10,320) hectares of rice and maize, respectively.
Under the campaign, average yields of maize and rice have increased, and our warehouses are filling up. Whilst the full picture of this success is yet to emerge, it is noteworthy that many farmers have expressed their satisfaction that, for the first time in a long while, a deliberate government policy has helped to boost their harvest. We are doing things differently, and we are getting results.
Ladies and gentlemen, I do not want anybody to get the idea that doing things differently is easy, or popular, nor always gets immediate results. We inherited a situation where illegal mining or galamsey had become a serious menace to the very existence of our country. Our forests and water bodies had become degraded, and the health of those engaged in the activity and their communities were all at risk.
Let me state here again my gratitude to the media for the support they are giving in the campaign we are undertaking against galamsey. This is not a short term campaign, and we need everybody’s support to make a success of it. As I have said a few times, since the Almighty blessed us with precious minerals, there has always been and always will be mining in our country. We are not against mining, but we cannot accept mining in a manner that risks destroying our country. The reforestation programme that we have started should help to regenerate our forest cover and water bodies, and, hopefully, provide an attractive alternative employment to galamsey. On this subject, all of us, and not just government, have to do things differently.
In the energy sector, we have brought stability in the place of the erratic power situation that we inherited. Adequate power supply is critical to the operation and success of industry, especially small and medium scale enterprises, which provide the bulk of employment. Not only is regular supply important, but competitive rates of power are equally important. Tariff rates for non-residential users of electricity, which embrace many SMEs, have been reduced by an average of 14% to boost their competitiveness. Furthermore, an Industrial Development Tariff has been approved for industry to enhance its competitiveness. A new rate of US$6.50 per Million British Thermal Units (MMBtu), as against the previous rate of US$8.84 per Million British Thermal Units (MMBtu), has been established – a 26.5% reduction. In addition, a review of 24 power purchase agreements, which has led to the termination of 11 power deals and the rescheduling of 8 others, has enabled us to save the government treasury about $7 billion in excess capacity charges over a 13-year contract period. We also issued 7 year and 10 year cedi-denominated bonds, totaling GH¢4.7 billion, which have halved the $2.4 billion energy debt we inherited, and have helped improve the liquidity of the banks, and the balance sheets of the SOEs in the energy sector. This year, we will consolidate these gains, and ensure the flow of regular, affordable power to support the economic development of our country. Efficient management will always yield positive results.
On the first working day of this year, I signed into law the three Development Authority bills and the Zongo Development Fund bill. Once the Zongo Development Fund and these development authorities are put into place, and this is imminent, we shall see an acceleration in the pace of developmental activity and the provision of essential social services to communities around our country in a manner that answers to the real needs of the people.
Work on the creation of new regions is progressing, and the constitutionally sanctioned Commission of Enquiry, under the chairmanship of a respected, retired senior Judge, Mr. Justice S.A Brobbey, has started the public hearings. I encourage all to bring their ideas to enrich the process. Some 38 new districts have been created and, with it, the inevitable arguments about where the capitals should be sited. I am hopeful that things will settle down quickly, and attention given to the exciting development opportunities that are coming with the new arrangements. Work is also progressing to make a reality our manifesto promise that we elect District, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives.
Having signed, on January 2, the Act for the establishment of the Special Prosecutor, Act 959, I have appointed Mr Martin Amidu as the first person to hold that position. I am well aware of the general sense of anxiety in the country and the strong feeling that politicians tend to get away with corrupt practices. A significant choice, though, that Mr Amidu is, I do not expect that he will provide all the answers for dealing with the phenomenon of corruption by public officials, but I do believe that, at the least, the Office will help remove the fear of partisan prosecution, and begin to put the fear of God in all public officials who are intending to go down the path of corruption. Just in case it needs reiterating, let me state again that current office holders are as likely to be investigated and prosecuted by the Special Prosecutor, if a case is made out against them, as past office holders. At all times, the rule of law must be adhered to.
This leads me to how we are dealing with allegations of corruption against current appointees. I have made it publicly known that anyone, who has information about acts of corruption against any of my appointees, should bring it forward, and should be prepared to back it up with evidence. So far, every single act of alleged corruption labeled against any member of my administration has been or is in the process of being investigated by independent bodies, and the findings so far made public. From the allegations against the Minister for Energy-designate at his parliamentary confirmation hearings; to that against the CEO of BOST; to those against the two deputy Chiefs of Staff; to the claims of extortion against the Trade Minister; and to those against the Minister for Special Development Initiatives; they have all been investigated and no evidence has been adduced to suggest mildly the perpetration of any act of corruption. However, some people appear determined to stick to their politically-motivated view that there has been corruption. This surely is not a helpful stance. It is important to note that, in this my first year of office, two separate bi-partisan probes in Parliament have been established to inquire into allegations of corruption, as against zero in the Mahama years, despite the persistent calls by the then Minority. I have a greater interest in my appointees not being corrupt than any critic could possibly have. Try me. Produce the evidence to back the allegation, and see what the reaction will be. But, I think it is also worth pointing out that we should be careful about the new trend that appears to be emerging, whereby any allegation, no matter how spurious, quickly gains the character of a “scandal” or “an act of corruption”, even when it is shot down.
Ladies and gentlemen, I should not omit from this accounting the disgraceful behaviour of some members of my party, the NPP, which has been described as vigilantism. I believe there is no longer any argument that criminal behavior wears no political colours, and is solely to be dealt with by the police. I pray that we have seen the last of it. We are continuously working to ensure that it does not recur, that we uphold the rule of law.
Ladies and gentlemen, Free SHS is now a reality. The first batch of students to be enrolled under the scheme has finished one term, and gone back to school after the Christmas break. If it has taken the introduction of Free SHS to encourage media and other commentators to find the many problems that bedevil our schools, I simply take it as one more reason to cheer the Free SHS.
We shall work systematically to solve the problems, not just of the Senior High Schools, but from the Kindergartens to the Junior High Schools as well. We shall put greater emphasis on technical, agricultural and vocational training, and skills training in general. We have no choice but to educate and train our workforce to match the needs of the modern economy. This is only possible if we prioritize and accelerate the development and application of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), and also develop the capacity to design and manufacture machines, parts and tools for ourselves. The two Ministries of Education and Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) are working together to step up the development and application of appropriate technologies to solve the variety of problems that confront us at this stage of our country’s development. This is to be supported with a national strategy to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education throughout our educational system, and stimulate the interest of our pupils and students, especially girls, in Science, Technology and Innovation.
I am still working to achieve gender parity, or, at least, reach the percentage promised in the NPP Manifesto. In the meantime, I wish to encourage all to support the HeForShe Campaign to help us achieve SDG Goal 5.
After a year in office, it would be fair to ask what frustrations and regrets if any, that I have. My answer would be I wish we had been able to do certain things much faster and the entire government machinery moved more quickly, because, as I said, I am in a hurry. For those who continue to be obsessed by the size of my government, let me, with due deference to the chairperson of the Economic Management Team, my brilliant Vice President, cite from his speech, two days ago, at Legon, at the opening of the New Year School:
“The question that we should ask is how can you inherit a budget deficit of 9.3% of GDP, proceed to reduce taxes, bring down inflation, bring down interest rates, increase economic growth (from 3.6% to 7.9%), increase your international reserves, maintain relative exchange rate stability, reduce the debt to GDP ratio and the rate of debt accumulation, pay almost half of arrears inherited, stay current on obligations to statutory funds, restore teacher and nursing training allowances, double the capitation grant, implement free senior high school education and yet still be able to reduce the fiscal deficit from 9.3% to an estimated 5.6% of GDP? Quite simple, this is a remarkable achievement and this is what we mean by competent economic management.”
It is that competence, coupled with integrity in the conduct of public transactions, ensuring value-for-money, protecting the public purse, that are going to bring the dream of a happy and prosperous Ghana, a Ghana Beyond Aid, quickly within our grasp.
Thank you all for coming, and may God continue to bless us and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong.
Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM

5 billion dollars were missing from Gold- Nana Addo

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Wed, 17 Jan 2018 23:05:00 -0800

President Nana Akufo-Addo has revealed that, about $5 billion dollars were unaccounted for in gold exports from Ghana to the United Arab Emirates.
Speaking during an interaction with the media on Wednesday, he recalled that the Senior Minister, on an official visit to the Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, received some praise from people who said: “last year we [UAE] recorded $7 billion worth of Gold imports from Ghana.”

I haven’t stopped doing music - Noble Nketiah

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 00:49:00 -0800

Gospel Artist Noble Nketiah has debunked romors that his music career is over, insisting the best is yet to come from him.

The ace and humble musician who has been missing in action for years in an exclusive interview with Nana Hemaa on Abusua Mmre3 on Abusua 96.5 FM indicated the fact that he has been silent for some time now doesn’t mean he has quit music.

According to Noble, his new album which has great and inspiring tunes which his numerous fans would love every piece of it is ready and will be released in February 2018.

Quizzed what has kept him off for years in the music cycle disclosed he has been busy with some Humanitarian project dubbed ”Help the street kids”.

He also responded to Ebony’s admiration for him saying ”I feel good about it since everybody has someone he or she admires in life. I used to admire other musicians in the industry and I feel she [Ebony] is also doing a good job maybe there could be a possible collaboration someday with her if the need arises”.

Though Noble Nketiah says the Ghana Gospel industry is doing well he believes there is more room for improvement if musicians in the industry would seek for God’s guidance before releasing their songs.

Noble Nketiah in remembered for his hit songs notably Se me teasi yi, Aman mo mmra m3 tie and others.

Call Us

emmanuelf613@gmail.com (Frimpong Emmanuel) — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 00:24:00 -0800

For More Information And Other Enquiries,Please Contact Frimp News on +233548560013