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”.
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.
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.”
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.
Prices at the pumps on Thursday, November 4, 2021, saw an increment of 10 pesewas, from the previous GHS6.80p to GHS6.90p.
Passengers and transport operators are unhappy because the government recently approved the removal of the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levies (PRSL) on petrol, diesel, and LPG for two months.
The directive should have started in November but consumers are rather seeing an upward adjustment of fuel prices in Ghana.
Reacting to the issue on Tuesday on whether or not the transport operators would increase it fares as it said last week, Abass Moro said “we [Cargo truck drivers, articulated truck driver, long distances busses] had a marathon meeting yesterday and we came out with something successful.
“We are not going to increase transport fares. We all know the challenges in the country but there are taxes and levies that must be taken out of the petroleum products but we are not going to announce an increase in transport fare”.
Some chiefs in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region have called on the Municipal Chief Executive of Bolgatanga to use his office to put the abandoned Abattoir at Yorigo to use. The facility which was completed in December 2018 by the World Bank at a cost of GH₵2m has since not been occupied by the butchers.
The chiefs made this call when Mr. Asanga paid a courtesy call on them to introduce himself as the MCE for the Bolgatanga Municipality and solicit their support.
The Spokesperson for the Yorogo Chief, Mr. Ayamba Yakubu said the abattoir which was built in 2018 could have been put to good use by the youth in the community. He said assertiion that the Abattoir is far from town should not be countenanced.
“The abattoir here is almost 6 years. They have just abandoned it. They say it is far. I don’t think the place is far. The Municipal Assembly should compel the butchers to come. This will also create something for the youth around here do to get something into their pockets”.
The chief of Bolga-Soe Naba Anabila Akanvaah added his voice to the call for the Abattoir to be put to use.
He said “they constructed an abattoir at Yorogo but the facility is left to rot. These are projects that bring development to the people. If they are left to rot, how can there be development? If you [the MCE] want to develop Bolga, move the butchers to Abattoir”
At the palace of the Zaare Chief, Naba Paul Agoo pleaded with the MCE to do a follow-up on the Zaare-Zooko road. According to Naba Agoo, the road was awarded to a contractor but work had stalled.
He said “our road was awarded but work has stalled. Use your good office to help my people”.
The newly confirmed Municipal Chief Executive of Bolgatanga Rex Asanga described chiefs as key agents of development. He said going to them will offer him the opportunity to get firsthand information on the pressing needs of the communities. Mr. Asanga pledged to table the concerns raised before the assembly to find permanent solutions to them.
He visited the Chiefs of Yorigo, Soe, Zaare and Yikine and is expected to visit others on Thursday 11th November, 2021.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Police Commander, Anaba Salifu, who was part of the entourage admonished chiefs and traditional leaders to volunteer information to help the police clamp down on crime in the Municipality.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that he has no hatred for the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission (EC).
He said he is only seeking to make the commission better and the number one in the whole of Africa with his criticisms against the conduct of the 2020 elections.
Mr Mahama has heavily criticised the elections management body after last year’s polls. In his view, the EC did a poor job, hence his constant outburst against the Commission.
For instance, he accused the commission of engaging in a one million vote fraud to favour President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Speaking on TV XYZ on Tuesday November 9, he said I don’t hate the electoral Commission or Jean Mensah. I want to make sure they are the number one Electoral Commission in the whole of West Africa because that is the perception of the EC.
“When Afari Gyan and Charlotte Osei were there we have been the leading electoral commission. When I went to Liberia for election monitoring, after first round there was confusion, ECOWAS sent a technical team led by Charlotte Osei to come and sort out the Liberian EC problems and she came and sorted it out .
“Every thing that I say is to make them sit up , they must redeem themselves in 2024 so when I am pointing out their mistakes it is not that I hate them.”
He further accepted the challenge thrown by the EC to the police to investigate the vote fraud claim he made.
“That is what I want, they said we should have an investigation, let’s have an investigation. But I don’t know if the police are the best to do that. I don’t know what the police are going to investigate. We want an independent inquiry or let’s go to ECOWAS. ECOWAS has an electoral body, let them come and investigate Ghana’s election of 2020. I will welcome it, I will testify. Under oath, I will swear an oath and testify. I won’t run away from the witness box,” Mr Mahama said.
He had alleged when he addressed the Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Nteboah Prah, recently, as part of his Thank You tour of the Western Region that “More than one million extra ballot papers were printed, which the EC claimed happened by mistake but on the day of the elections, some of the more than one million extra ballot papers had already been secretly thumb-printed in favour of the NPP.”
The Presidential Candidate of the NDC in last year’s elections added “And, so, all these things dented the credibility of the polls and caused an embarrassment”,
“The former President has said the EC thumbprinted one million ballot papers for the President of the Republic. This is untrue; and it is a great matter that undermines the credibility of the electoral system and should not be ignored.”
But responding to him, Dr Bossman Asare said at a press conference that “We see that our silence on this matter has dire consequences on public confidence in the Commission, and we want the police to investigate it,” he stressed.
“Distinguished citizens, in the last few weeks Former President Mahama has made a number of allegations against the EC and the 2020 elections. As Officials charged with the responsibility of conducting elections in Ghana, we owe it a duty to provide Ghanaians with the facts and the truth about the elections and the allegations raised. We are of the view that our silence on these false allegations could have dire consequences as it could undermine citizens’ confidence our dear country.
“The Former President has said the EC thumb printed 1million ballots in favor of the president. This is untrue. This is a grave matter that undermines the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored. We call on him to provide evidence to support his claim. This is not a matter to be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate this.
“The Transparency of our process makes it totally impossible for this to happen. At the polling stations, prior to the start of the elections, the empty ballot boxes are opened and displayed in the presence of everyone, and thereafter they are sealed. There are serial numbers on the ballot papers for each region and constituency. This is made known to the Agents before the elections. Our ballot papers also have security features; so any trace of new material will be clearly visible.
“Again, at the end of the poll, the ballots cast are crosschecked against the voters who were verified and issued the ballot papers. This ensures that over-voting is detected immediately. Nationwide, we had no issue with over-voting at all our 38,622 polling stations except in Savelugu in the parliamentary election where there was one and I repeat one over-voting. The transparency of our processes from the beginning to the end makes this impossible. Ballot Stuffing cannot be done-it is impossible. 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.
“The Police should investigate this as a matter of urgency due to its potential to derail and undermine our democracy, and lead to a lack of confidence in our systems and processes.”
In a reply to Dr Bossman Asare at a press conference in Accra on Thursday October 28, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said “We take note with satisfaction Bossman Asare’s call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate the fact put out by President Mahama, given that President Mahama was on solid grounds when making this statement. The NDC stands ever prepared to assist in any credible investigation into the matters raised,”
“We are aware however that Bossman Asare’s call is only a red herring because he cannot feign ignorance of the fact that the Police Service is already seized with all the evidence on this matter.
“On the specific printing of 1 million excess ballot papers and arrest of persons with thumb-printed ballot papers, the Ghana Police Service carried out the arrests and therefore should be providing updates on the status of investigations to the population.
“All that Bossman Asare needs to do is to call on the Attorney General to ask the police to prosecute the offenders.”
The President’s nominee for the Wa West District, Madam Vida Diorotey has been confirmed by Assembly Members of the Wa West District. Madam Diorotey was confirmed with 30 ‘Yes’ votes out of the total 41 votes cast. 10 people voted against her confirmation while one vote was rejected. The votes in her favour represent 73.2 percent of valid votes cast.
It will be recalled that Madam Vida Diorotey was nominated by the President to serve as District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Wa West District in place of Mr. Bukari Ali, who on two different occasions, failed to receive enough votes. The directive was contained in a letter signed by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Mr. Dan Botwe and sighted by A1radio.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has hit back at the Catholic Bishops Conference for criticising government’s management of the public purse.
Yaw Buaben Asamoa said the comments of the Conference lacks clarity.
In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, he said the Conference’s observations would have been considered, but it lacks focus.
“Where are the specifics on that? Some level of clarity at that level is important. It is not about enabling the NDC to come in and spout,” he said.
The Catholic Bishops Conference, at a plenary assembly of the association in Wa on Monday, alleged that the government had lost touch with Ghanaians and had defaulted on its promise of protecting the public purse.
The clerics also questioned what it described as a lack of empathy from government towards Ghanaians.
But in a rebuttal, Mr Asamoa felt it was unfair to link economic difficulties with the protection of the public purse.
In his view, the Akufo-Addo administration is “widening the social net, and we believe we are sending the economy in the right direction.”
He also attributed the recent struggles to the Covid-19 outbreak.
“The impact of Covid-19 that we are still riding has affected cost of living and prices, and many people worldwide have lost their jobs.”
But amidst these, Mr. Asamoa stressed that government has shown “compassion at its highest” with its social interventions to cushion Ghanaians.
On his part, the opposition National Democratic Congress’ Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, said the criticism from the Catholic Bishops Conference was further evidence of Akufo-Addo’s failings.
“For us in the NDC, this corroborates what we have been saying all along,” Mr Gyamfi said.
“We are happy that neutral respected voices like the Catholic Bishops Conference are now coming out to speak up about some of these issues,” he added.
The circuit court on Tuesday asked the police to release all the phones they seized from Shatta Wale and his support team to them.
The Circuit Court in Accra has on Tuesday (9 November) ordered the police to release a mobile phone belonging to dancehall artiste, Charles Nii Amarh Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, to him.
The judge Emmanuel Marvin Essandoh also ordered the police to release the mobile phones of three other persons – Kojo Owusu Koranteng, Shatta’s personal assistant, Eric Vanetor, a graphic designer and Iddrisu Yussif, a beautician – to them.
The police seized their mobile phones to assist in investigations. The phones were released upon the request of their lawyer, Jerry Avenorgbor, who argued it amounted to a breach of their fundamental human rights.
The case has been adjourned to 7 December 2021.
The case
Shatta Wale is on a self-recognisance bail after spending a week in police custody over false publication. He has pleaded not guilty for publication of false news and causing fear and panic when he first appeared in court last week.
The other three were also charged with abetment of criminal and were also admitted to GHC100, 000 bail each with one surety, who should be a public servant.
Arrest
The police on Tuesday (19 October) arrested Shatta Wale over alleged gunshot attack.
“After we publicly declared him and one other person wanted, the suspect, Shatta Wale, turned himself in today Tuesday 19 October 2021, at 8.59pm.
“He has been arrested to assist the police in investigations for his alleged involvement in the creation and circulation of information intended to cause fear and panic,” the statement from the police said.
“Preliminary investigations by the police reveal the widely reported gunshot attack on Shatta Wale yesterday Monday, 18 October 2021 was a hoax,” it added.
“No one will be spared if police investigations point to their possible criminal culpability in this matter. We want to caution any individual or group to desist from making false claims and engaging in acts, capable of disturbing the peace of the country because the law will come after you,” the statement said.
