News Guide Africa

Tag: President Akufo Addo

  • GUTA purges against import licensing or permit regime

    Ghana union traders association

     

     

     

    The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has appealed to President Akufo-Addo not to assent to the Ghana Shippers Authority Act, 2024 until some critical issues raised on the Act by stakeholders are resolved.

     

    GUTA in a statement raised the following issues:

     

    1. The issue of registration of shippers and shipping service providers were not discussed with us to make our input as stakeholders in the shipping industry.

     

    2. Submission of notice of shipment was also not discussed with stakeholders for their input.

     

    3. The final draft was issued to stakeholders only after Parliament had approved the Bill.

     

    4. Issues raised on the suspension of registration, renewal of certificate of registration, cancellation of registration and outright rejection, which are only related to permits and licenses to operate as importers have not been resolved with stakeholders.

     

    5. The Advance Shipment Information System that had been resisted and withdrawn by the Government in the past is now being reintroduced in the Act. Our position on that has not changed. Moreover, this information sought by the GSA is of no relevance to their operation.

     

    6. For these reasons, the Ghana Shippers Authority had agreed to our concerns and promised that as the Act has already been passed by Parliament, they would use Legislative Instruments (LIs) to correct any defect or anomaly in the operationalization of the Act. However, our consultations suggest that LIs cannot override an Act, hence our call on the President of the Republic not to assent to the Act until all issues raised are resolved.

     

  • Bank clean-up: Akufo-Addo orders GH¢1.5bn relief for victims.

    The President of Ghana

     

     

     

     

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed the Finance Ministry to disburse GHS1.5 billion to assist customers affected by the banking sector clean-up.

     

    The announcement was made by Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam during a Town Hall meeting in the United Kingdom a week ago.

     

    Dr. Amin Adam emphasized that the President’s directive requires the disbursement to be completed by October.

     

    He highlighted the government’s commitment to the welfare of Ghanaians, noting that while individuals are generally responsible for their investment decisions, the government recognizes the hardships faced by those affected by the financial sector’s upheaval.

     

    “Ideally, government should not be held responsible for the investment decisions of individuals, but this government is so caring,” Dr. Amin Adam stated.

     

    “Mistakes were made, and people were not well-informed, and they didn’t know who to consult to be advised, but we also know that the people who are affected are suffering. We have heard that some people have died and others had to commit suicide,” the Finance minister said.

     

    He continued that: “This government is so caring that in the first place, we granted some bailout to all the affected, and I want to tell you again that the President has directed that we do another bailout. So between now and October, we will release GHc1.5 billion to the affected people.”

     

    In addition to the relief efforts, Dr. Amin Adam disclosed the successful conclusion of Ghana’s debt restructuring program with its official creditors.

     

    The government has restructured its debt of US$5.1 billion with these creditors and has also completed the restructuring of US$13.1 billion with Eurobond holders.

     

  • Don’t Hide Behind The Bible For Credibility, The Battle Has Always Been Yours

    07/05/22

    By: Godwin Ako Gunn

    There are a lot of things in the Bible that inspire people and it may not be salvation. A lot of people have been swindled in the name of God, and someone wants to swindle you in the name of love for the word of God. Let’s see some crimes that can inspire the wicked.

    *TAKING A PERSON’S WIFE AND TAKING HIS LIFE*

    David was nearly killed in battle and the army generals made a resolution never to allow David to go to war. They provided him with all the luxury he needed in his house. But idleness and  not being interested in waging war against poverty, unemployment etc, made him buy a drone to be flying on the roof of his house. This drone landed him in Uriah’s bathroom, when he was at the war front defending the nation of Israel and the wife was having her bath.

    The story didn’t end there, because the bathing in the air had brought shame to king David, he had to recall his general Uriah, from Canada to cover up his shame, but when he refused, he paid dearly on the Ada road.

    *NEPOTISM* 

    Nepotism is accepted in the bible, because they ruled as Chiefs and Kings. Members of the family and friends became advisers, ministers, negotiators, judges etc. Some persons, inspired by this, have extended it to our democracy. They will choose their EC chairpersons, their auditor general, their supreme court judges etc. They forget to appreciate that, this same nepotism, destroyed the house of David.

    *RULING WITH IRON FISTS*

    A foolish descendant of David, Jeroboam who didn’t learn anything about governance because ones his father has been a king before, it is bound to happen.

    He had no plans, just a sense of entitlement, he felt it is his turn!!! He found it absurd when his citizens complained of fuel price hikes, increase in the price of tomatoes and garlic, taxes like the sanitation tax, covid tax, E-levy etc, he boldly looked into their eyes and said “My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions”. It’s sad, the things that inspire people in the bible.

    *KEEPING A GARDEN IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE*

    Naboth’s family lived in peace until president Ahab became king. He asked Naboth for his vineyard to plant flowers and herbs because it was close to his house. When he refused, his wife arranged for Naboth to be stoned to death and they took the land. They beautified it with metal fabrications, herbs and trees. He even imported special lights from Syria, Palestine and the Hittites. The bible can inspire you to acquire people’s land and hotels compulsorily just because its close to your house.

    Today *CSIR* are fighting for lands earmarked for their research works. The government is plotting those land for family and friends. Ministers and metropolitan chief executives have all turned a blind eye on their calls for intervention because it serves their interests.

    Don’t get me wrong, I believe in the word of God, but I fear people who can even scam God. Faith based slogans like; the battle is the lord’s, Insha Allah and many others are their guiding quotes.

    No one can see the construction of a man’s mind in his face. The bible has also admonished us not to judge. I can only advise for us to be wise as a serpent, as we pray for Better days ahead.

    *Kun fa Yakun*

  • NDC sends message of solidarity Ghanaian workers to mark May day

    NDC sends message of solidarity Ghanaian workers to mark May day

    Read Full Statement:

    Today is May Day, a day celebrated the world over in solidarity with all workers.

    Workers are the engine of societies, for it is their toil and sweat that provide all the necessities of life. In the labour of workers lies the fate of every community everywhere in the world.

    We in the National Democratic Congress take this opportunity to salute all workers for their tireless and continuous efforts that contribute to the building of our beloved country Ghana. We are especially proud of the special relationship that we have cultivated with workers over the years.

    In this vein, we call on the Akufo-Addo government to address the numerous challenges being faced by the workers of Ghana, and, in particular, to ensure that the hardships imposed on all by the incompetence of the government, are ameliorated by prudent measures designed to lessen the cost of living.

    We consider it particularly cruel and an affront to the sensitivities of all Ghanaians, that the Akufo-Addo government chose to impose the unpopular e-levy tax on Ghanaians on May Day. We know, from all the surveys conducted on this issue, that about 85%of all Ghanaians are opposed to this obnoxious tax. We now have a

    government that has not only lost its way, but is insensitive to the suffering of the people of Ghana.

    As we join all workers to mark this auspicious day, we want to assure them that upon the accession to power by

    the NDC in January, 2025, the pains and sorrow of the workers of Ghana will receive our utmost focus and attention.

    We know that when workers are happy and satisfied at their workplace and at the end of the month, this country’s level of productivity will increase by leaps and bounds, and all our citizens will be the beneficiaries.

    As we celebrate our workers for their commitment and dedication to duty, we also hail them for their unflinching

    love for Ghana.

    Ghana workers, AYEKOO.

    LONG LIVE THE WORKERS OF GHANA!

    LONG LIVE THE NDC!

    LONG LIVE GHANA!!!

    ISSUED ON 1st MAY, 2022

    ………. (signed)

    (HON. SAMUEL OFOSU-AMPOFO)

    NATIONAL CHAIRMAN

  • Gov’t told to stop the ‘COVID blame game’ to restore economy credibility

    Gov’t told to stop the ‘COVID blame game’ to restore economy credibility

    Adnan Adams Mohammed

    A former staff of the International Monetary Fund and a former finance minister has implored that Ghana’s credibility on the international market is waning due to the continuous attribution of the country’s issues to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian–Ukraine War.

    He chided President Nana Akufo-Addo’s comments he made during the recent interview with the BBC, where the President sought to defend the state of the Ghanaian economy as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian – Ukraine War.

    According to the President, the effects of the 2 global developments are being experienced across the globe.

    “I think the world is becoming sceptical about the extent to which Ghana uses COVID [to justify its challenges]. Because we were told recently by the World Bank that Ghana for example had arrears in excess of 5% of GDP, which is significant, if you take our GDP to be GH¢ 350 billion at the time, 5% will be about GH¢ 17 billion, but the budget is showing a deficit of GH¢ 3 billion” Seth Terkper claimed in an interview last week. “So to continue to blame everything on COVID and also to say that everything was solid against the advice of others, opens the credibility gap even more.”

    Meanwhile, Mr. Terkper, has called for a solid domestic program to get the country out of its current situation.

    “You can’t say that the Ukraine war has not affected Ghana, we are not an island. But remember we had about $6 billion to deal with COVID in a year, that’s about GH¢ 36 billion, which is about half of what GRA brought in. So why do we continue to blame COVID for everything? We talk about the cost of COVID and what government has spent money on, what about the revenue that came in? Didn’t the revenue offset the expenditure? Why are we always beating the drum on only expenditures and ignoring the revenue bit.”

    “So the question is; what is fundamentally wrong such that despite all the revenues from stabilization fund, to $6 billion for COVID, we are still in this situation, with our indices being worse than other African countries. We are saying that our story is becoming unbelievable and what we need is a solid program to get us out of this problem we find ourselves in,” he added.