Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, has asked upset members; grumbling over calls for them to offset loans acquired by the Methodist University College, to pipe down.

The church “did not set up the university to make money,” he said to emphasise the need for the church to keep supporting the university financially.

The Presiding Bishop told Joy News it is the Church’s responsibility to provide infrastructure for the school, which is why it permitted the university to go for the loan to expand its infrastructure.

The Methodist University College is struggling to pay back a 10 million cedis loan it took from Prudential Bank in 2011 to undertake infrastructural projects on its campuses in Dansoman, Tema and Wenchi.

Vice Principal of the Methodist University College, Prof. Joseph Edusa-Eyison told Joy News the university badly needs the bailout to stay in business.

He said a decision by the National Accreditation Board to force the school to cut down on its student population has made it impossible for it to re-pay its debt.

However, the decision by the leadership of the Methodist Church to levy all branches to clear the debt has received mixed reactions from members of the church.

A student of the school and member of the church rejected the call outright. She did not understand why she should pay the same fees as students who are not church members, insisting that the university should pay the loan because “we don’t get anything out of it.”

“I don’t get any percentage [cut in fees]. I will not even give a pesewa to help them do anything in the school,” she vowed.

Nonetheless, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante said it remains the responsibility of the Church to keep the university in operation and that is why they took this decision.

He stated that the Church instituted the university to serve the community, and discounted calls for the school to be separated from the Church. “That is neither here nor there”, he stressed.

“The Church is prepared to use our money, sacrifices to serve the community” like it has been done at the basic and secondary school levels, he said. However, he underscored “the Church does not interfere in the academic affairs of its schools.

He encouraged members of the church to “bite the bullet” by contributing to pay off the principal to avoid the increasing interest rate on the loan.

Rev. Prof. Asante reiterated that the school is going through financial challenges because NAB asked them to cut down on its intake, stressing that the school is not suffering because of “bad management.” The school used the “money for infrastructure,” he vouched, acknowledging that the university has been “self-sustaining”.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

The government says it is determined to fast track payroll reforms it has started, following  recent favourable comments by the European Union.

The head of the  EU delegation to Ghana, William Hanna, recently commended Ghana for steps taken to clean up the public payroll of fraud.

Employment and Labour Relations Minister and co-chair of the team negotiating with the IMF on payroll issues Haruna Iddrisu told Joy Business EU’s commendation should encourage the donor partners to release funds that has been frozen over the years –  which has affected the economy badly over the period.

According to a report in December by Sunday Times, a UK-based newspaper, the European Union has withheld some £135 million budget support to Ghana due to alleged payroll corruption scandal.

Government has since denied that report.

“We certainly are committed to proceeding with an effective and effective implementation of the reforms. We dedicated timelines and they [the EU] have an opportunity to monitor much of the reforms that were articulated by my colleague the Minister of Finance [Seth Terkper], supported by the Controller and Accountant General; we will be up to it and we will ensure delivery of what we have pledged”, said Mr Iddrisu.

Some analysts say the commendation by the EU on Government’s efforts at cleaning up the payroll contributed significantly to the approval of the bailout programme by the IMF board last Saturday.

Deputy Finance Minister, Mona Quartey, revealed last December that public sector wage bill has dropped from 70% of government revenue to 57% after a rigourous process to remove ‘ghost names’ or non-existing bank accounts from the public payroll.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

A group calling itself the Akyemansa Youth For Oppong Nkrumah (AYFON) has vowed to make the former host of Joy FM’s Super morning Show their new Member of Parliament.

The group wants Kojo Oppong Nkrumah to contest the Ofoase Ayirebi constituency in the Eastern Region on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party.

They have already organised a number of press conferences to rally delegates of the NPP ahead of the party’s primaries scheduled for May 24, 2015.

Led by one Paul Asamoah the group has already picked up forms for the Parliamentary primaries.

Asamoah told Myjoyonline.com’s Nathan Gadugah they picked the forms on Thursday, without the consent of Oppong Nkrumah but are hopeful he will support their decision to contest the seat.

Oppong-Nkrumah has been tightlipped on the matter even though sources close to the former Super morning show host confirmed to Myjoyonline.com he would contest the seat.

The source says the astute businessman and broadcaster will formally break his silence on his political future this week.

The source said Oppong Nkrumah is currently meeting chiefs, opinion leaders and all other stakeholders in the constituency before making his decision public.

He denied media reports that the Super Morning Show host had confirmed the decision to run, adding that the decision would be made public later in the week.

If confirmed Kojo-Oppong Nkrumah will be the second high-profile personality to contest on the ticket of the NPP in the 2016 Parliamentary election.

Former head of Marketing at MTN George Andah has already confirmed his decision to contest the Awutu Senya West Constituency.

Even though ace broadcaster Gifty Anti was also named as one of the high-profile broadcasters she has dismissed any interest to contest Parliamentary elections, at least for now.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Editor –in-chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr has described a recent decision by the National Council of the New Patriotic Party to rescind on its affirmative action policy as a cowardly exercise.

He said the reversion only goes to satisfy the selfish interest of a few individuals who have failed to acknowledge the benefits the party might derive from the policy.

“The Affirmative action has been sacrificed on the altar of self-interest, unbridled personal ambition and male chauvinism”, Mr Baako noted on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’.

The NPP made the headlines last week after its National Executive Committee (NEC) announced a controversial decision to ban men from contesting the 16 incumbent women Members of Parliament.

They also sought to discourage non-indigenes from contesting in Ga communities in the Greater Accra Region.

Some members of the party threatened to sue the party if it does not rescind the decision.

Following the agitations the party on Wednesday summoned a crunch meeting to discuss issues raised by its members.

After the marathon meeting the party had to pull the brakes on the controversial policy.

The party’s flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo said the party listened, met and decided to shelve the controversial policy – at least for some time.

He however added that the party firmly believes in the ideals of the policy describing it as a “firm step in getting the goal of equity for women” but indicated that they will proceed to institutionalise the policy in the next annual congress of the party.

But the veteran journalist Kweku Baako said the leaders of the NPP have allowed the threats of a few people in the party to scare them away from an important policy like the affirmative action.

“The u-turn represents a cowardly retreat under the cover of a listening leadership”, he said.

Kweku Baako who is obviously not in favour of the decision said political expediency and electoral calculations have been allowed to overwhelm the principle of the affirmative action.

“The commitment of those whose self-interest and ambition drove the agitations against the affirmative action policy is suspect”, he noted.

National Youth Organiser of the NPP Sammy Awuku

Meanwhile, the National Youth Organiser of the party Sammy Awuku says he disagrees with Mr Baako’s comments.

He said it was inappropriate for Kweku Baako to say that the party has rescinded its decision only to satisfy the selfish interests of a few people in the party.

According to him, the National Council only decided to reverse the policy after feedback from representatives in all 10 regions of the country revealed that members were not in favour of it.

How can you say that a body of over 120 people on the council was only persuaded by insignificant demonstrations? Mr Awuku quizzed, adding the council members received feedback from the wider majority of the rank and file.

The reversion is only to allow the party prepare the mindsets of its members across board to ensure that a more comprehensive roadmap is drawn before it is implemented.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Nigerian presidential poll has been won by Muhammadu Buhari, in the country’s first election victory by the opposition.

His opponent, Goodluck Jonathan, has conceded defeat and called Gen Buhari to congratulate him on his victory.

Gen Buhari was ahead of Mr Jonathan by at least three million votes.

Observers have generally praised the election but there have been allegations of fraud, which some fear could lead to protests and violence.

Source: BBC