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NDC backs calls by driver unions to scrap 5 taxes on petroleum products

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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has backed calls by some 16 driver unions asking government to scrap a number of taxes, described as nuisance taxes, imposed on petroleum products. The NDC suggested that the drivers are right in their move to embark on a strike to drive home their concerns about their financial situation.

It would be recalled that some 16 driver unions demanded that government scraps some taxes on petroleum products. According to the unions, they have identified at least five taxes that they believe serve no useful purpose. They want the Energy Debt Recovery Levy, the Road Fund Levy, Energy Sector Levy, Sanitation Levy and Special Petroleum Levy, scrapped.

Speaking to Samuel Mbura on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show, the Deputy Upper East Regional Communications Director of the NDC Mr. Casper Kanpoli explained that it is within the right of the drivers to withdraw their services to the public.

“The people of this country live in this country. They know what they are going through, what is going on in their pockets and how they procure goods and services in this country. We in the NDC cannot pretend to understand the people’s plight than they themselves. So if 16 driver unions are coming out to say that times are hard, fuel prices are up there and the return they are getting cannot get them fuel for their daily activities and they are seeking that certain nuisance taxes be scrapped, these are genuine concerns,” he said.

Mr. Kanpoli however called on the drivers to exercise patience. He pleaded with the drivers to hold on until government’s budget is read. “Government should do the needful. Those nuisance taxes should be taken off so that the fuel prices can come down. Fuel prices are going up because of the taxes that this government is introducing. There is a possibility that the 2022 budget there will be more taxes”.

“For the drivers we are pleading with them. Let us give government sometime to scrap the taxes. If they [government] refuse to take the taxes off, they can take actions that they want to take. They should give government some time to do this because these things take time,” he explained.

Meanwhile, responding to the impending strike of the driver unions, A Deputy National Communications Officer with the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Richard Asante Yeboah sympathized with the concerns of the drivers but was quick to add that the current situation with the prices of fuel was not only peculiar to Ghana. “This is not necessarily a Ghanaian phenomenon. This has been occasioned by the International Market Oil prices. You will realize that in terms of fuel levies, this government has taken the opportunity to either remove or reduce certain levies on petroleum. The idea has been to reduce the suffering on the Ghanaian and the economic hardships we came to meet,” he explained.

He touted government’s resolve to alleviate the burden of the Ghanaian people by removing 9 different taxes while reducing some 14 taxes. “Government has taken deliberate attempts to provide various assistance to Ghanaians to reduce the kind of pain and hardship we came to meet. At every point in time, I understand frustrations Ghanaians would want to express. Truth be told, we cannot do anything but to understand it because it is a reality on the ground that international prices of fuel are going up,” he said.

Background

Sixteen driver unions are demanding that government scraps some taxes on petroleum products. According to the unions, they have identified at least five taxes that they believe serve no useful purpose. They say should their caution go unheeded, they will be forced to withdraw their services on Thursday at 3 pm. A litre of petrol and diesel currently sells at ¢6.90 at major oil marketing companies across the country. The driver unions say they cannot continue to put up with such high prices.

Meanhwhile, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Alhaji Ibrahim Abass Moro said has said transport operators are not going to increase fares in spite of the rise in fuel prices. He explained that Ghanaians are already overburdened hence they won’t worsen their plight by increasing the fares. The decision, he said was taken at a meeting held on Monday November 8. They had earlier served a notice to increase transport fares today, Tuesday, November 9, 2021, if the government failed to resolve the rising fuel prices in the country.

A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana

 

Instil act of discipline in youth – Committee

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The Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC), in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region, has called on parents and guardians as well as other stakeholders to instill discipline in the youth to guard them against violent extremism in the country.

The Committee said it was incumbent on various stakeholders to inculcate discipline and spirit of patriotism in the youth to help maintain law, order, and stability for accelerated development in the country.

The IPDC made the call at Kumbungu, during an Inter-Party Dialogue Committee meeting, organised by the Kumbungu District Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).

The meeting was to discuss possible issues that could breed violence and related activities, and devise strategies to prevent violent extremism in Ghana.
It formed part of the Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security to the Northern Border Regions of Ghana project, funded by the European Union to amongst other things counter violent extremism in the country.

The Committee noted that peace and tranquility were paramount to achieving sustainable development in the country, adding, “the youth are the backbone of Ghana’s growth, hence, it is important that we instill discipline in them to help prevent them from engaging themselves in violent activities”.

Northern Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Emmanuel Holortu, who made a presentation on, “Preventing Violent Extremism in Ghana”, asked participants to collaborate with the security agencies to promote peace and stability in their communities.

Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani, Northern Regional NCCE Director, advised members of the public to be alert and vigilant and report suspicious characters in their communities to the security agencies for immediate action.

He said, “the nation’s security should be a concern to everyone, and we must all play our roles as active citizens to protect the country against any form of violence and terrorist activities”.

Madam Janet Ameseya, Kumbungu District Director of NCCE, said the meeting was to remind the members of the Committee on their roles, and empower them with mechanisms in ensuring sustainable peace in the District.

She encouraged them to impart the knowledge they had acquired to other members in their communities to help achieve the desired results.

Reverend David A. Zakaria, the IPDC Chairman, expressed gratitude to the NCCE for the meeting, and said they would champion the advocacy against violent activities to ensure the people live in peace and harmony in their communities.

Source: GNA

GIPC, UNDP engages stakeholders on SDG Investor Map Utilisation to channel investment for SDGs

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Participants at the Breakfast Meeting

The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held its first breakfast meeting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Investor Map utilization, with the goal of channeling investments into major investment opportunity areas identified in the SDG Investor Map for Ghana.

The SDG Investor Map which was initiated by the UNDP was introduced earlier this year to help steer capital into inclusive and sustainable investments in key economic sectors. The breakfast meeting focused on the health and ICT sectors.

According to the CEO of the GIPC Yofi Grant, “as a nation seeking development and the attainment of the SDGs, we are recognizing the need for a new global development strategy, which calls for stronger public-private partnerships to overcome the pre-existing yearly SDG financial gap of $200 billion in Africa.

Youfi Grant- GIPC CEO

As such, we as government and the GIPC will actively support and guide investors who seek to invest in any of the priority sectors outlined in the SDG Investor Map to propel national development”.

“Enormous opportunity exists in the ICT sector and health sector that prospective investors can tap into to make profitable gains while making positive contributions to society, the environment, and the economy at large”, Yofi Grant added.

The Map provides market intelligence for private sector investors, to channel finance towards development needs, the attainment of the SDGs, and national priority sectors.

The UNDP Resident Representative in Ghana, Dr. Angela Lusigi noted that the SDG Investor Map Pipeline Builder tool, an intermediary that streamlines the investment origination process to drive more capital to SDG focused SMEs in emerging markets, has successfully identified a base value of USD 39 million worth of SME investments in Ghana.

This, she said, is within six months up to September 2021 under the pilot scheme, and there is a potential for an additional USD 15.5 million.

Angela Lusigi-UNDP Resident Representative in Ghana

She pledged UNDP’s continued commitment and support towards making Ghana an investment destination of choice, and to support the SDG Investor Maps as a vehicle for strategic development investment.

“We know that the task to bridge Ghana’s current SDG financing gap of approximately USD 43 billion a year is daunting, but we remain resolute in our quest to support the mobilization of innovative financing for the implementation of the SDGs”, noted Dr. Lusigi.

For Ghana, the SDG Investor Map provided information on 12 Investment Opportunity Areas (IOAs) across 5 priority sectors namely, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Technology & Communications, Healthcare, and Consumer Goods.

The meeting saw a gathering of industry stakeholders and investors to discuss how to mobilize and channel capital into the development of the two sectors.

Institutions present at the event include the Ghana Medical Association, Ministry of Health, Ghana National Chamber of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana, the Ghana Pharmaceutical Chamber, Pharmacy Private Sector Hospitals, ICT firms, Members of the Chamber of Telecommunications, Financial institutions, as well as Government agencies such as Ghana Free Zones Board and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority.

UNDP and GIPC are in partnership to take forward the investment intelligence gathered to all relevant stakeholders to shape the policy and business environment and to further attract investment to impact lives and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Ghana

NDC petitions IGP to probe extra ballot paper printing in 2020 election

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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has petitioned the Inspector General of Police to investigate the alleged printing of one million extra ballot papers by Innolink Printing Press during the 2020 general elections.

In a petition to the IGP Dr George Akufo Dampare, signed by General Secretary Asiedu Nketia, the Party stated that the papers were printed illegally. Thus officials of the Electoral Commission and Innolink found culpable, must be prosecuted.

Providing the details of their complaint, the Party alleged that the ballot papers were discovered by their agents when they, alongside others, had returned to Innolink Printing press to supervise the reprinting of ballots for the Afigya Kwabre South Constituency.

According to the Party, “when our agents confronted, the supervisors at Innolink, they gave all manner of incoherent answers. One claimed that it was a ‘back up’ while another lady in charge of the bindery claimed they were meant for ‘run-off. Seemingly confused, officials of Innolink could not provide any further tenable answers.”

“When EC officials were asked about the above development, they denied any knowledge of same…our agents insisted that the ballots should be destroyed forthwith. They ensured that all the ballots which were estimated at over one million were shredded and scheduled for destruction,” the party claimed.

Despite the destruction of the papers by the Electoral Commission, the NDC believes that some of the excess ballots were sent to the Ashanti Region before the discovery by the Party’s agents.

The NDC attached videos of the papers being discovered at Innolink, photographs of the papers, video reports among others to the petition.

“While looking forward to your swift investigation and prosecution of culprits involved in the above criminal act, the National Democratic Congress wishes to assure you of its full cooperation in the conduct of your investigations,” they added.

One million extra ballots claims

Former President John Mahama during one of his ‘Thank You’ tours alleged that many things went wrong during the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Among other things, he stated that the military invaded collation centres and forced Electoral officers to declare results while some one million extra ballot papers were printed after the printing exercise.

“More than one million ballot papers were created which the EC claimed happened by mistake but on the day of the election, some of the more than 1 million extra ballots had already been secretly thumb-printed in favour of the NPP and so these things dented the credibility of the polls and caused an embarrassment,” he told the Divisional Chief of Prestea, Nana Nteboah Pra.

However, the Electoral Commission during a press conference did not only dismiss the claims but also called on John Mahama to provide the proof to his statement.

According to the EC, although they believe the claims are false, allegations of ballot stuffing can undermine the credibility of the electoral process and thus should not be ignored.

“The former President has said the EC thumb-printed 1million ballots in favour of the President. This is untrue. We call on the Former President in the interest of our democracy to provide evidence of the stuffing of the ballot boxes by the EC. This is not a matter to be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate this,” Deputy EC Chairperson Dr Bossman Asare said.

Following EC’s position, Aseidu Nketia stated that NDC is prepared to support the calls for the Ghana Police Service to probe the claims.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Wednesday, Mr Nketia stated that the NDC failed to report the issue of extra ballot printing by Inno-link because they (NDC) did not want to damage their (Inno-Link) reputation built over time.

According to him, the NDC however expected the printing press to address the issue through administrative measures. But this has not happen till date.

“Inno-Link has allowed the EC to use this as an opportunity to malign us [NDC] and our refusal or failure to escalate the matter to be a weakness on our part.”

Mr Nketia said the NDC “will change our decision and ensure that the Police are brought in to find out who was culpable because the issues are not controvertible at all.”

Source: myjoyonline.com

‘NPP’s response to the Catholic Bishops is what we call the arrogance of power’ – Mahama

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Former President John Dramani Mahama has described the NPP’s response to the recent comments by the Catholic Bishops Conference as due to the arrogance of power.

On Monday, November 8, the Catholic Bishops Conference at a plenary assembly of the Association in Wa, criticized the government over its failure to protect the public purse. The clerics also bemoaned what they described as a lack of empathy from the government towards Ghanaians.

Reacting to this, the Director of Communications of the NPP, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, argued that the criticisms from the clerics lacked focus and clarity; and therefore called on them to be specific.

However, addressing a durbar of party faithful at Ashaiman, as part of his two days tour of the Greater Accra Region, John Mahama accused the NPP of being unreceptive to criticisms.

“If they are saying Ghana is hard, do the things that will make things more affordable for the people of Ghana. But that is what we call the arrogance of power. They said when the gods want to destroy you, they first make you mad. Because this is madness. The Catholic Bishops have spoken; what is your business holding a press conference against them? Accept criticism in good faith”, The former President said.

Recounting criticisms against him during his tenure as President, John Mahama said there were many press conferences by the Catholic Bishops Conference and other concerned groups that criticized his regime and policies as President.

According to him, he welcomed such feedback in good faith, therefore does not see why the NPP would arrogantly react to the Catholic Bishops Conference, which is only demanding accountability.

“During my government, I did not do a press conference to respond to them. Whatever they said I took in good faith and I took corrective measures”, the 2020 NDC flagbearer recounted.

Having expressed his disgust at the posture of the NPP, he called on the government to address the pertinent issues raised by the Catholic Bishops Conference and Ghanaians instead of replying to criticisms.

The former President is currently on a two-day tour of the Greater Accra Region to interact with party executives and supporters of the NDC in the Region. The tour on Tuesday, took him to Dodowa, Tema, and Ashaiman.

The ‘Thank You’ tour is expected to continue on Wednesday, with a closing engagement at the Kempinski Hotel, where he will be expected to extensively address current issues in the country.

Source: myjoyonline.com

NAGRAT reminds VEEP of ‘Ghanaians are suffering’ mantra; says Ghanaians suffering more under NPP

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“I still remember the words of Bawumia; the teachers are suffering, Ghanaians are suffering. In fact, we are suffering more. Somebody should listen to us.” Those were the words of Deputy General Secretary of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Mr. Michael Ayuraboya in an interview on A1 Radio’s Daybreak Upper East on Monday, November 9,2021. He made the comments on the back of the Association’s intended strike.

According to him, the recent hikes in fuel prices, affecting the cost of goods and services, make life difficult for the teachers. He said it had become increasingly impossible to survive on the measly salaries they are paid.

Mr. Ayuraboya indicated that the 4 percent adjustment of salaries by government this year is insignificant and thus reiterated the demand made by the Vice President of the association, Mr. Jacob Anaaba on Monday, November 8, 2021 for government to reconvene an emergency meeting to address their concerns.

He re-echoed his vice president, stating that members of the association will lay down their tools should government fail to meet their demands.

“Goods and services have gone up, fuel prices have gone up and yet our salaries remain the way they are. We came before you and you gave us 4 percent against our wish in the name that the economy is not good and if the economy is not good it’s not only us who will be feeling it. We simply cannot live in this country with the kind of salary we have. That’s the point, we just simply cannot live in this country,” he lamented.

The Vice President’ now-famous chant, ‘Ghanaians are suffering’, was birthed in the run-up to the 2016 general election. The Vice President categorized various professions in the country and described how persons in those fields, including teachers, were feeling the devastating effects of the ‘poor economy’ under former president Mahama.

But Mr. Ayuraboya expressed disquiet over what he described as government’s insensitivity to the well-being of the Ghanaian teacher.

Meanwhile, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Education Committee and Member of Parliament for Akatsi North Constituency in the Voltage Region, Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe, speaking on the same platform, described as unfortunate the government’s delay in resolving the persistent problems teachers are confronted within the country. He said his committee may not be able to talk to NAGRAT to back down their decision to embark on their industrial action.

The last time NAGRAT went on strike was in September 2019.
Ahead of May Day, NAGRAT called for 15-20 percent increment of the salaries of workers.
But in July this year, the Trades Union Congress arrived at an agreement to increase workers’ salaries by 4 percent in 2021 and 7 percent in 2022.

Source/www.a1radioonline.com/101.1 MHz/Elijah Beyeni Yenibey/Ghana

UE: Hardship under Akufo Addo unprecedented – NDC

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A Member of NDC’s Upper East Regional Communications Team, Alfred Awuni has said the financial woes of the ordinary Ghanaian are extremely dire under the current political dispensation. He said while there have always been complaints about the suffering of Ghanaians under previous governments, the situation under the current Akufo Addo-led administration is unheard of.

He shared these sentiments when he spoke to Samuel Mbura on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show. He claimed that no day goes by without increment in the prices of goods and services on the Ghanaian market. He explained that the situation has made life unbearable for the ordinary Ghanaian.

Mr. Awuni suggested that most of government’s policies were not properly thought through thus the many challenges during the implementation processes citing the Free Senior High School Policy as a critical example. He opined that the Free SHS policy may not necessarily be achieving its purpose due to improper implementation adding that the situation even forces parents to still spend money in a bid to allow their children access better education.

He backed NAGRAT’s move to strike to drive home their many concerns. “The teachers are representing public sector workers and they feel what any other person also feels. Is it not true that the economy is out of hand, to the extent that the increment on just common bag of maize [is huge],” he said.

He added that “a good way of compensating teachers should be drawn up for all their heart desires to come to pass”.

A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Diana Quansah|Ghana

Scrap taxes to reduce fuel prices or we will withdraw our service on Thursday – 16 driver unions

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Sixteen driver unions are demanding that government scraps some taxes on petroleum products.

According to the unions, they have identified at least five taxes that they believe serve no useful purpose.

They say should their caution go unheeded, they will be forced to withdraw their services on Thursday at 3 pm.

A litre of petrol and diesel currently sells at ¢6.90 at major oil marketing companies across the country.

The driver unions say they cannot continue to put up with such high prices.

Government has since the recent hikes in prices announced the suspension of two levies for the next two months, but the unions say this is inadequate.

They want the energy debt recovery levy, the Road fund levy, Energy sector levy, Sanitation levy and Special petroleum levy, scrapped.

Source: myjoyonline.com

Ghana will not return to IMF for financial support to save economy from troubles– Ofori Atta

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Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has downplayed reports that government is considering the option of returning to the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for some financial support to help stabilize the economy.

Some economists and finance professionals have already predicted that the country will secure a program from the fund to help deal with the current revenue pressures and rising debt stock.

The debt, which is presently a little above ¢335 billion, continues to surge and create problems for the economy.

But in an interview with Citi Business News, Ken Ofori-Atta noted that government will rather consider going unto the Eurobond Market.

“Absolutely not. We’ve gone to the Eurobond market, I guess 4 out of the 5 years since we came and those are always alternatives that we consider, ‘he said.

Earlier this year, Ghana headed back to the international market to free up cash and buy back expensive domestic debt for as much as $5 billion this week, including Africa’s first zero-coupon dollar bond.

Minister for State at the Ministry of Finance, Chares Adu Boahen, explained that the zero-coupon debt would help the country to limit interest payments over the four-year term.

He noted that rates as high as 19% on domestic bonds makes debt-service costs “so high” in comparison with dollar debt.

The average weighted interest rate on the country’s domestic debt stood at 17.2% at the end of 2020 compared with 5.3% for external debt, according to the finance ministry.

“Given our elevated debt levels and interest expense due to Covid-19, it seemed like a good time to create fiscal space and to drive domestic interest rates down by reducing demand locally,” He added.

Yields on the country’s $1 billion of 2030 bonds climbed two basis points to 6.77% at 1:24 p.m. in London Monday, after rising 29 basis points last week.

Source: citinewsroom.com

AG insists 499 failed law entrance exams, court adjourns case to Nov. 19

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The Court has on Tuesday November 9 adjourned the case of the 499 law students who failed the entrance examination to November 19.

The case was adjourned to enable lawyers for the students to study the Attorney General’s response to their suit.

During hearing, the Attorney General and the General Legal Council who were sued by the students insisted that the 499 failed the examinations.

The students are demanding that the court “further retrains the respondents from treating the applicants as students who failed the said examinations pending the final examination of this matter on grounds set forth and such further orders the court may deem fit.”

They also want a declaration that the failure of the 2nd respondent (the Attorney General) to reign in the 1st respondent for the conduct of the 1st Respondent as stated constitute a dereliction of the 2nd respondent’s duties under Act 32.

The students want the court to expedite the hearing to enable them join their colleagues in school. They believed they passed the examinations hence the optimism that the case will go in their favour.

President of the National Association of Law Students, Asare Hasan, told TV3’s Dela Michel shortly after the first hearing on Friday October 29 that “We came to court with the expectation that we would receive an injunction or the GLC would be injuncted to ensure that some of us who have qualified to actually be at the law school would have the right to go to school.

“Unfortunately, it has been adjourned to the 9th of November at 9AM because I think the Attorney General is not ready and that we had to live by that.

“That is quite unfortunate because we are talking of time as students must go to school as soon as possible. But if that is what the court has decided on we would have to abide by it so we would have no choice than to just wait until time.

“Even on that day we hope that things would be facilitated quickly to arrive at a quick conclusion so that we can join our mates at school.”

Source: 3news.com

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