Category: General

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare has clarified that there is no ban on prophecy in the country as many have come to believe.

According to him, what they are against is the mode of communication of such prophecies through public pronouncements by way of showmanship.

According to him, people should “go ahead and prophecy but when God speaks to you, carry it in a manner that would ensure the sanctity of our nation called Ghana.”

Responding to a question asked by Mr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, Member of Parliament for the Offinso South constituency at the Public Account Committee hearing on Thursday when the Ministry of Interior appeared before PAC, the IGP said as a Christian and someone who also believes in prophecies and by extension a prophet in his own right, because as a son of God, God will always have the opportunity to have an engagement with you and tell you things in the future if only you are ready to listen; but all the issues they (Police) have been putting across as an institution is to prove to everybody that they are not against prophecies, “we are talking about communication of such prophecies that will end up creating fear and panic in our society which is unwarranted”, he stated.

“Honourable Chair, it is a simple matter; and it is a very simple matter; and truly it is a very simple matter. And what is it? Honourable Chair, before I became IGP nobody prophesized about me, now I’m IGP and everybody is prophesying about me; I have no problem about it because I’m a public figure. But why should it be such that you found something; God has revealed to you and you want to share with me, you have to make it a showmanship and tell the whole country that I’m about to die?”

He said such pronouncements do not only affect the individuals in person but also all those around them including family and friends, and it lives with them for the rest of their lives.

HE queried why God Himself decided not to tell us when we will die, stating that “it means a lot. And even when you have a prophecy about somebody dying, you have to even have a way in our typical Ghanaianess environment, put it even in proverbs for the person to decipher it, but don’t put fear and panic in the person, in the person’s immediate family in the person’s extended family and in the whole country”.

He said unlike parliamentarians who have been elected by our votes and therefore have been empowered by the constitution to make some proclamations which is acceptable; who elected the prophets over our lives to just get up and make pronouncements over our lives when we do not belong to their family or congregation.

He assured that they (Police) would not allow anybody to use God to create a mess and confusion because God is not a God of confusion and God is not a God of disorderliness.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

The Public Accounts Committee has started public hearings on the report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana- Ministries, Departments and Other Agencies (MDAs) for the year ended 31st December, 2020.

At its first sitting on Monday, January 16, 2023, the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. James Klutse Avedzi and the members of the Committee invited the Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare, Directors from the Finance Ministry and Officials from the Controller and Accountant General’s Department to answer queries cited in the Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Sector Accounts of Ghana (General Government) for the year ended 31st December, 2020.

The Committee also considered the report of the Auditor-General on the Consolidated Statement of the Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payment of the Bank of Ghana for the year ended 31st December, 2020.

Directors and officials from the Bank of Ghana, led by the Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison appeared before the Committee to respond to infractions cited in the Auditor-General’s Reports.

The Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare, hinted that the Ministry of Finance will soon bring before Parliament a comprehensive report covering the entire government expenditure on COVID-19 for consideration. She made this known to the Committee since the Auditor-General’s Report was prepared during the era of the COVID-19 and most MDAs made purchasing they didn’t budget for.

Ghanamps.com

The Minority in parliament has called on government to suspend the Domestic Debt Exchange program it intends to undertake with the hope of reviving the ailing economy.

The Minority at a press conference on Monday, January 16, 2023 addressed by the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said the programme is already failing following the numerous rejections by various stakeholders. Mr Iddrisu asserts that the suspension is inevitably critical to engage in deeper consultations and allow for greater transparency in the initiation, adoption and acceptance of whatever remedies we collectively may agree to.

In order to save Ghana’s economy the Minority Leader contends that Ghana’s economy is being managed as though it were a private entity but reminded the managers that this is about people’s lives and livelihoods, and investments; adding that even the accompanying legislation on investment in bonds require that 75 percent of it be invested in those government treasuries.

They said the implications of the debt exchange programme has dire consequences on various sectors as follows:
a. Implications on entire financial / banking Sector. Ghana’s financial sector will be severely and adversely impacted by the Domestic Debt Exchange Program. With over GHS 60 billion locked up in government bonds, the non-receipt of any interest this year and paltry sums in subsequent years, will prove the undoing of some banks. In the case of some state-owned banks, as much as 70% of their annual revenue comes from their investments in government bonds. Not paying them any interest in 2023 would effectively sound the death knell to these banks with its attendant consequences on depositors and employees who would have to be laid off. Restructuring domestic debts will undermine the health of the banking system since Capital Adequacy will become a challenge

b. Effects on Pension funds- Pension funds will suffer a significant drop in value especially, Tier 2 and 3 pension payouts will drop further from their already low levels. Tier 1 (SSNIT) reserves will drop in value and SSNIT’s capacity to pay will suffer. Reserves of Insurance companies will fall with implications for benefit payments Effects on individual bondholders- the inclusion of individual bondholders in the Domestic Debt Exchange, contrary to initial assurances from both the President and his finance minister, would all but wipe out Ghana’s middle class and impose harsh suffering on them, their families, and dependents. We now know that the reality is different. What Minister Ofori-Atta announced is different from what is being implemented. Ghanaian individuals have started receiving text messages from their banks. Yesterday, about 1.3 million affected individual bold holders petitioned Parliament for a reversal of the Government’s Debt Exchange Programme. This must be the largest and voluminous petition on a single matter ever presented to Parliament in our country’s history. It is inconceivable to accept that individual bonds will be affected. From the outset, there have been clear inconsistencies in pronouncements and the actual implementation. The haircut is real.
The NPP Nana Addo /Bawumia Government should give us a break!

The Minority notes as follows that:

1. It is obvious that the Domestic Debt Exchange Program will create extreme hardships for millions of Ghanaians and existing financial institutions. It is also quite clear, that it was entirely avoidable had the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government heeded wise counsel from the opposition and Civil Society on prudent management of our finances and economy.

2. It is obvious that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia is transferring the responsibility to address the debt burden it has created through reckless borrowing and populist fiscal policies to only innocent Ghanaians and the financial sector. For instance, the 2023 budget projects a primary surplus of only 1% which means that we will be reducing the public debt by only 1% of GDP this year. This also means that not enough expenditure cuts are being made by government at a time when it is almost forcibly asking bondholders to forfeit interests and principal payment due them. We demand further demonstration of responsibility from government through more substantial cuts in non-essential expenditure and a reduction in the humongous size of government.

3. We are at a loss as to why individual pension contributors have not been offered the same exemptions that Tier 1 and 2 contributors have been given. This anomaly must immediately be rectified.

4. The inclusion of individual bondholders in the DDE is the biggest transfer of funds from the pockets of Ghanaians to the government and will leave affected persons, mainly the middle class, impoverished while worsening the plight of the poor. This must immediately be stopped.

5. The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is simply imposing an almost 80% tax in present value terms on the savings of Ghanaians and our bank balances without any consultations with affected individuals

6. They are also imposing about 80% tax in present value terms on bank capital and deposits.

The Minority while calling for suspension of the programme also called on all stakeholders for a national dialogue on the State of our economy and debt exchange programme with the view to achieving the most workable and the least punitive steps that protect Ghanaians and households from the disastrous effect of the DDE programme as currently designed.

Ghanamps.com

Ranking member on the Committee of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has said the assertion made in this year’s budget by government for promotion and formulation of partnership with existing and prospective business to expand manufacturing plants is an admission of the failure of the One District One Factory (1D1F) industralisation agenda.

According to him the project has been a complete failure, waste of resources and called on banks providing funding support to the 1D1F policy initiative to confirm the disbursement of allocated amounts by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

He further called on the NPP led government to account to Ghanaian taxpayers for the failed policy initiative, adding that looking at the time remaining for the party in power with the limited number of factories, the policy is not working.

He asserts that the policy has not made any progress in the quest to moving the country from agro-based economy to an even semi-industralised economy.

Mr. Buah pointed out at a press conference that per research done by the Minority, there has not been even distribution of factories in each district as promised; stating that out of the so called 296 1D1F factories at various stages of implementation, about 76 are in Accra, 54 in Kumasi whiles majority of the factories are existing factories. He also questioned where the massive employments promised under the 1D1F are?

“Can anybody confirm the value addition promised under this programme and how it has contributed to our GDP?”
Furthermore, the Minority questions where the substitutes of imported goods promised under the programme are; and if anybody can point to one product – rice, sugar or even toothpick that we have succeeded in reducing its import as a result of 1D1F.

For the increase in foreign exchange earnings he noted that the least said the better.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Speaker of the Community Parliament, Rt. Hon. Sidie Mohammed Tunis has said green hydrogen will go a long way in curbing the adverse effects of climate change.

According to him, to boost access to energy, there is the need to achieve a sustainable renewable electricity generation hence the world needs to promote international cooperation and collaboration around access to technology knowledge and capital.

“We need healthy partnerships and mutual cooperation to promote investments in the sector, which cannot be left to the Executives alone”.

He was addressing the thirteenth session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly – 2023 and IRENA Legislators Forum on the theme “Ensuring a more sustainable energy transition through international co-operation – National Strategies on Green Hydrogen”.

Dr. Tunis drew the attention to the responsibility Legislators have to protect their populations, understanding fully that no one nation can claim supremacy in this fight. This will be achieved through the quality of laid down frameworks and blueprints needed to guide cooperation, partnerships, investments, and application of relevant technologies around the world.

Ghanamps.com

Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament Rt. Hon Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis has departed for Abu Dhabi, UAE, to participate in programs marking the 3rd @ World Energy Transition Day, which will be celebrated under the overarching theme, ‘World Energy Transition – The Global Stocktake’.

During the event, Dr. Tunis is expected to deliver a Keynote Address at the Thirteenth Session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly -2023 and IRENA Legislators Forum on the theme “Ensuring a more sustainable energy transition through international co-operation – National Strategies on Green Hydrogen”.

The session of the Assembly and related meetings will gather global leaders and energy decision-makers to take stock of operational plans and policies, and highlight the concerted action undertaken to implement the energy transition across countries, regions, and the world.

Additionally, the Honorable Speaker will also be making significant interventions at a Public-Private Dialogue on the theme “Towards Just and Inclusive Energy Transitions: Social Dialogue, Skills, and Decent Jobs for All”.

The Dialogue will convene governments, labour unions, and the private sector to share their perspectives and discuss what a just energy transition means in practice. Stakeholders are also expected to exchange views on best practices and lessons learned in ongoing efforts towards just and inclusive transitions and identify further cooperation and outline key challenges and concrete actions to address them.

Both events are holding on 13th January 2023 at the St. Regis Hotel, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi.

Ghanamps.com

FAKS Investigative Services has adjudged Members of Parliament for Afram Plains North and Ayawaso West Wuogon and constituencies, Betty Nana Efua Krosbi Mensah and Lydia Seyram Alhassan respectively as best Female MPs for the year 2022.

The two MPs according to the 2022 report published by the Investigative body topped the list of all Forty (40) Women Lawmakers in Ghana’s Parliament due to their hardwork and level of development championed in their respective constituencies for the year under review.

FAKS Investigative Services annually announces the performance of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Regional Ministers, Members of Parliament, and Chief Executive Officers of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs).

A statement signed by CEO of FAKS Investigative Services, Fred Yaw Sarpong indicated that its survey focuses on the assessment and work done from the Ministries, agencies, opinions from the public as well as information from the Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs).

Concerning Members of Parliament, FAKS says it’s team considers development in their constituencies and works in Parliament as well.

“Our team is made up of researchers, media practitioners and academia that do the assessment based on the outcome of the findings they received. The survey took place between the months of October and December, 2022 and it was the 11th Edition of FAKS’s project. Respondents for the survey were civil society organizations (CSOs), teachers, students, business owners, drivers, traders, Journalists, traditional rulers and others.”

About 71% of the respondents were between the ages of 18 and 53 while the remaining 29% were between the ages of 54 and 73.

Western region recorded the highest respondents, followed by Bono East, Greater Accra, Eastern, Ashanti, Ahafo, Western North, Central, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Oti, Bono, North East, Northern and Savanna respectively.

In total, 4,572 respondents were recorded in 2022 as against 3,953 respondents recorded in 2021 survey. Out of the 4,572 feedbacks received, 3,103 of the respondents, representing 67.87% were females while the remaining 1,469 representing 32.13% were males. Meanwhile, the ranking was between 50% and 100%.

It said, some of the issues and projects emanated from the assessment and respondents during the survey included the Norway court ruling in favour of Ghana, residential complex for Court of Appeal Judges in the Ashanti region, reduction in fuel and transport prices, boost to domestic tourism and investment into National Museum, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, facelift od Cape Coast and Elimina Castles, commencement of STEM education in Ghana, 2022 WASSCE results, Boankra Inland Port project, and Takoradi Port Expansion.

Also includes development in the road sector, Sunyani and Kumasi Airport projects, establishment of two statutory funds by the Attorney General Department, innovation to boost revenue mobilization in Western region, Bono East development plan to woo investors into the region, stable power supply and among others.

Ghanamps.com

The in parliament has redeemed itself in the successes they chalked in the approval of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of government for the year ending 31st December, 2023.

Unfortunately, it failed in one crucial target which a lot of Ghanaians were hoping would be a major relief to the already overburdened population – 2.5 increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT). The Minority Caucus narrowly missed out after a voice vote that declared the “I’s as having it was challenged by the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Muntaka who called for vote on the motion.

The Minority, however, narrowly lost by 136-135. As such the quest for government to increase VAT by 2.5 percent come 2023 eventually passed.

The Minority came under intense criticism after the passa of the budget principles which many misconstrued as the passage of the budget and concluded that everything that was contained in the budget would thus be implemented.

This forced some response from the leadership of the Minority Caucus in which they explained that the passage of the budget principles was just a first step; and that the real work would be done at the budget estimate and appropriations. And they promised to reject most of the things that they considered inimical to the good people of Ghana.

The major successes registered include:
*Ensuring government maintains the GHc100 threshold for MoMo transactions while reducing the rate from 1.5 to 1 percent.

*Defeated the GHS80million allocation for the Cathedral and have it expunged from the Appropriation Act;

* GHS1.3billion (€116million) Accra International Conference Centre Demolition and Redevelopment plans scuttled;

*Defeated proposed plans to establish new diplomatic missions in Jamaica, Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago.

*GHS1.4billion request for Contingency Vote cut drastically to GHS533million;

6) Collapsing the Secretariats of the Special Development Initiatives & the Monitoring and Evaluation; both at the Office of the President by scrapping the budgetary allocations of GHS27.5million.

*Defeated the repugnant tax measure intended to compel drivers, particularly commercial drivers to produce tax clearance certificates as a requirement for renewing driver’s license.

Ghanamps.com

Parliament of Ghana has amended the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) Act 2022 to reduce the rate from the original 1.5 percent to 1 percent on Transfers.

Not only has this been done but the Minority in Parliament also forced the Government to back down on its decision as contained in the budget statement presented to the House by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to remove the threshold and charge the E-Levy on all mobile money transactions, no matter the amount.

Government in its quest to institute measures to increase revenue proposed a reduction from the 1.5 percent to 1 percent on Electronic transactions.

This should have been good news; but another measure to remove the 100 cedis threshold caused some discontent among the citizenry.

Soon after the budget statement presentation, the Minority minced no words in expressing their displeasure at the removal of the threshold even though it welcomed the reduction in the rate, and served notice that they would fight the removal of the threshold among other tax proposals.

It was therefore not surprising the turn of events which led to government going back on its intended proposal.
The Minority has also achieved another feat as they forced the government to abandon a clause in the proposed law that sought to make the provision of tax clearance certificate a prerequisite driver’s license.

They assert that such laws if allowed to come into force would rather impoverish the already overburdened citizens.
The members of the Minority contend that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) does not have offices in most of the places as such it would only put additional financial cost for people to travel particularly to regional capitals to have their task certificates, or hire the services of accountants to prepare their accounts for them.

Ghanamps.com

Government’s quest to continue the National Cathedral project has been dealt a big blow as the Minority members on the Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee of Parliament have voted against the budget.

The Minority Members on the Committee won by a majority decision of 11-10 to reject the GH¢80 million budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture for the National Cathedral for the 2023 Fiscal year.

A Minority member on the Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee of Parliament, Yusif Sulemana the Minority on the Committee voted against the GHC80million budget because this is not the time to be spending that huge sum of money in building a cathedral.

He said at the Committee, they were told that they had already spent GHC339 million but they failed to explain how the money was spent.

The Bole Bamboi Member of Parliament said they also observed that the National Cathedral Secretariat is not under the Tourist Ministry which means they only want to use the Ministry as a conduit to send the money to where ever they want to send it to, and the Minority will not accept it.

He asserts that the Minority is not against the Ministry of Tourism budget, and they will go ahead to approve it excluding the GHC80 million, adding that they were not satisfied with the explanations given to them.

He assured that the leadership of the Minority is solidly behind them and the Minority will not be part of it when it is brought to the House for debate.

Ghanamps.com