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As the Public Account Committee of Ghana’s Parliament works hard to clear the back log of reports to be dealt with, Vice Chairman of the Committee, Samuel Atta Mills said they intend to finish work on the 2018 Auditor General’s report after the Easter break.

According to him unfortunately because of COVID-19 last year they could not go round to the regions to hold sittings. This year, they are doubling up right after Easter break where they are traveling the length and breadth of the country from Tamale to Sunyia, Tarkoradi and Volta Region to finish with the 2018 report.

From there, they would jump onto the 2019 Auditor General’s report. “We want to double up this year and ensure we cover a lot of the backlog; so this year what would be left would be the 2020 report”, he said in an interview.

On the issue of infractions and misapplication of fund if they are coming down, he noted that the infractions are going down, that is the number of infractions but the incident and severity of it is going high.

“In 2020 about twelve billion Ghana cedis was misapplied since 2017 it has being going up, the nominal numbers have gone down, some of the people do not know what they are doing, some of them too it is mischief,  we need to have punitive punishment for some of these public servants when people commit all these infractions and crimes. Unfortunately, in the civil service they do not get fired, they get transferred to other places to go and continue what they are doing. I think we should get to a point where someone is punished”, he lamented.

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The Western Regional Minister, and Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah has lauded government for the establishment of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) adding that it would complement their quest to ensuring the region’s natural resource endowments translate into economic fortunes for their people.

Speaking at the opening of the 2022 Ghana Mining Week Celebration held at the Best Western Plus Atlantic Hotel in Takoradi, the Minister said “it has been the aspiration of the people to see this Region’s natural resource endowments translate into economic fortunes. Hence, we have made a conscious effort to push for our people to legitimately own the productive assets, necessary to exploit these resources and to retain the gains thereof.

It is on this note that I see the coming on board of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) as a complementary step to what we have been advocating for over the period. He indicated further that the MIIF, through its Small-Scale Mining Incubation Programme is building capacities of small scale and community mining ventures and offering financial models (for equipment financing) which traditionally are difficult for the small- scale miners to access.
“With all these investments and commitment on the part of Government, I can confidently say that, in the nearest future, size will be the only criterion to differentiate between large- and small-scale mines, and that, all other things such as Mining Practices, Safety, Recovery, Sale and Sourcing of Minerals will be the same for both”, he added. He said the Western Region is better placed to serve as the headquarters for responsible mining and mining related activities, and hopes to see this realized through increased private sector involvement in the form of direct investment, exploration financing, research and technology transfer.

Dr Darko-Mensah asserts that both the 2020 Ghana Gold Expo and the 2021 Mining Week, succeeded in depicting the mining industry as a formidable sector for long term economic growth especially, with a firmer regulatory framework and increasing formalization. “We therefore look to the day the District Mining Committees would be re-activated so that the licensing protocols are shortened to enable more control of the illegality in the Sector.”

He expressed gratitude that the government demonstrated commitment through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to formalize the Small -Scale Mining Sector, by reactivating six (6) out of the twelve (12) District Mining Committees – Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Prestea- Huni Valley, Wassa East, Wassa Amenfi East, West and Central.
Mr Minister told the gathering that on the issue of Ghana Gold Brand and Certification, Gold Coast Refinery is currently undergoing the certification programme with Responsible Jewelry Council, an affiliate of London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) and that a full training session will be conducted on responsible sourcing and certification for bankers, financiers, miners, traders and value chain actors in the mining industry.

He called on the Ghanaian/African Technology Community to rise to ensure that, “those who do not produce gold, do not as well, control the entire value chain by designing a technology (the creation of which) we are not part of. We all know what that will mean to us in Africa.” On safety, Dr. Darko-Mensah asserts that ensuring safer mining environment remains one of the core values for which the Gold Expo (Mining Week) was instituted, and without doubt, we can assuredly say we have made great strides as far as this core value is concerned.

“It was, however, unfortunate that, while we were consolidating our gains, and forging ahead, we were hit with the unfortunate “Appiatse Explosion” incident on that fateful Thursday, 20th January, 2022. May I use this opportunity to commiserate with the families of the departed souls and to wish the injured a speedy recovery”.

The 2022 Ghana Mining Week
The 2022 Ghana Mining Week on the theme: “The Potential of Mining For Sustainable Development” seeks “togetherness in mining”; thus providing a platform for accredited stakeholders (local, national and international) to dialogue on tackling the most critical environmental issues, adopting the evolving Government policies on mineral resources extraction, boosting investor interest and promoting responsible and safe mining among others.

Views will be collated and Action Plans produced to drive a regional-based commitment towards an accelerated mine tailing development and sustainability of the mineral resources via risk mitigation and turning challenges into opportunities. The focus of this year’s Ghana Mining Week has been broadened to include all the sixteen (16) mineral resources of the nation including mica, salt, clay, kaolin, columbite -tantalite, feldspar, chrome, silica sand, quartz, lime, lithium, iron ore, along with the traditional minerals such as diamonds, manganese and bauxite to ensure that the country derives the needed benefits from all of these.

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Vice Chairman of the Public Account Committee, Samuel Atta Mills has underscored the need to get a police stationed at the Public Account Committee, where those who committee crime when they appear before the Committee are arrested.

As pertains in other jurisdiction of the Public Account Committee, where at the Public hearing of the Committee there is a police officer stationed at the Committee hearing, and those who Committee crimes are picked up immediately.

According to him there is the need for the PAC to work with the Attorney Generals department and the police, “so that the Public Account would bite a little bit more than it is; and with this people would be careful with the decisions that they take”.

Mr. Samuel Atta Mills pointed out about a twelve billion (12b) of misapplied funds, stating that is a lot of money when the National Youth Authority came before the PAC.

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Member of Parliament for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem, Samuel Atta-Mills has expressed worry over the current development in Ghana where everything is becoming partisan, warning that if care is not taken, and one goes to the hospital for an emergency “they may ask you for your party card before they take care of you”.

According to him the problem now is that the private sector is not thriving and because of that whatever you do in the country you have to depend on the party in power. He further noted in an interview that he has stayed in the United States of America for over thirty years and did not care about who the president was.

As whoever the president was did not have any concern on one’s job or contract or whatever; but in Ghana everything is controlled by the government or by the party in power that makes it very disturbing.
He believed by working on this aspect of our life as a country on improving the private sector all these things would be a thing of the past and as a result shows in our actions in parliament.

“These politicians who are saying no, privately they come to you and say yes, most of them are hypocrites, and I think they need to be honest with themselves. According to him, with the E-Levy, there were people from the Majority side who did not like it because it was going to affect their business in their constituencies, but they could not openly criticize it because of where they belong on the political divide.

He stated that because the approval was done through public voting, they have to pretend they like it; they are worried about it. “Posterity would judge us all”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, a presidential hopeful of the ruling New Patriotic Party has distanced himself from a publication in which he is purported to have criticized the government for insisting on the Electronic Transfer Levy Bill 2021 (E-Levy).

According to the said publication, Dr. Apraku is purported to have stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would pay big for insisting on the E-Levy.

But in a sharp rebuttal in a statement signed by the Communication Aid to Dr. Apraku, the publication is completely false and at best a figment of the writers own imagination, and a deliberate attempt at creating disaffection for the renowned economist.

The statement indicated that Dr. Apraku was rather criticizing the Minority for refusing to support the government to pass the E-Levy if they think it was so bad that it would cause the NPP in their next election; adding that it should rather give them (NDC) joy for a smooth sail to victory in the next election, so why have they refused to help the government pass the bill.

“Dr. Apraku during an interview on Joy News’ PM Express – Personality Profile’ rather alluded to why the Minority was refusing to back the Electronic Transfer Bill 2021 if they think it would cost the NPP because it would rather provide a safe sail for them (NDC) to victory”.

He has therefore called on all and sundry to treat the publication with the contempt it deserves.

Read below the full statement:

Statement: Dr. Apraku Never Said NPP Would Pay A Big Price For Passing E-levy

My attention has been drawn to a news item attributed to Dr. Konadu Apraku captioned “We will Pay A Big Price In 2024 for Insisting on E-Levy – NPP Presidential Hopeful tells NPP” which is in circulation on social media.

It must be put on record that the publication is completely false and at best a figment of the writers own imagination, and a deliberate attempt at creating disaffection for the renowned economist.

Nowhere did Dr. Apraku allude to the claim that NPP would pay a big price for insisting on E-Levy.

Dr. Apraku during an interview on Joy News’ PM Express – Personality Profile rather alluded to why the Minority was refusing to back the Electronic Transfer Bill 2021 if they think it would cost the NPP because it would rather provide a safe sail for them (NDC) to victory.

We urge the public to take the publication with the contempt it deserves since it does not reflect what Dr. Konadu Apraku communicated during the said interview.

We also called on all and sundry to listen to the interview on https://youtu.be/PTTeBJVQLGo

Signed

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso

Communication Aid

Ghanamps.com

Parliament is expected to adjourn Sine Die on Tuesday, 5th April, 2022 to end the First Meeting of the Second Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

Presenting the Business Statement for the Eleventh Week ending Tuesday, 5th April, the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, entreated all Members to continue to devote themselves to the scheduled business for the week under consideration to enable the House adjourn on the proposed date.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin used the opportunity to commend the Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin, the First and Second Deputy Speakers, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu and Hon. Andrew Amoako Asiamah, respectively and all Members for their sacrifice and devotion to the business of the House during this First Meeting of the Second Session.

The House will sit on Monday and extend sitting to allow the House to finish other business and continue with the debate on the State of the Nation Address delivered by the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday 30th March 2022.

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The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Alexander Akwesi Acquah is optimistic that the time is ripe for Ghana to focus on manufacturing and production. Contributing to debate on the floor on the President’s message of the State of the Nation Address delivered to the House, Mr Akwasi Acquah said the Ghanaian, giving the opportunity and the right environment would create jobs and opportunity for himself and others to reduce the public wage.

This, he noted is why it is important for us as a country to pay particular attention to the government’s flagship programme ‘one district, one factory’ (1d 1f). He said the president’s announcement that 278 1d1f projects are at various stages of completion in all 16 regions, and creating some 150, 975 direct and indirect jobs is welcoming and must be supported to even do more.

He chides his colleagues in the minority for criticizing the initiative because most off the listed companies long existed in this country. The Akim Oda MP argued that it not out of place for government to invest in companies that were doing so well but collapsed somewhere along the line, knowing such factories have the potential to meet the needs of the citizenry and create jobs.

He said the 1d1f initiative is well-thought through to offer various supports to businesses to thrive including providing tax incentives; waiver on duty and levies on imported plants, machineries, recruitment as well as raw materials; interest subsidies for loans granted to 1d1f companies by participating financial institutions; five year corporate tax holidays; technical assistance among others so if existing factories are helped to access these supports it would only go to accelerate our quest for industrialization and manufacturing.

Mr. Akwesi Acquah noted that through the 1d1f programme agro-processing is getting a boost in the country following the establishement of fFive medium-scale state of the art agro processing common user facilities at Dormaa West, Savelugu, Sefwi Akotombra, Sekyere Central, Tarkwa Nsuaem. These are owned by various groups of farmers with direct support from government. “But for these facilities these farmers would have had their produce going bad a recording high post-harvest losses”, he added.

He asserts that it takes a viable economy to attract such giant companies to come and establish companies in the country, and urged his colleagues to see the positive in the automobile companies that have moved to Ghana for business. He said the only reason these giant automobile companies are in Ghana assembling their vehicles is that the Country is ready for manufacturing and production; and from assembling they would upgrade to total production in the country.

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Deputy Minister of Finance Dr. John Ampotuah Kumah has said message of the State of the Nation Address delivered to the House by President Nana Akufo-Addo has given Ghanaians hope that the nation would not under any circumstances return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to impose any conditionality on the country.

According to him so far as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) remains in government, the country would not return to the IMF.

He argued that the last time the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government took the country to IMF, “we left by forming graduate unemployed association in Ghana”. But the president gave us hope that, Ghanaians would have access to good and quality health care under Agenda 111 and several others, and there was hope that the economy would re-bounce and our macro indicators would be positive soon, he said.

In his contribution to the debate on message of the State of Nation Address delivered by the president, he further noted that, there is hope that the country’s infrastructure gap would be reduced; more roads are being built hospitals and schools are being expanded and railways are being fixed.

“Our friends in the Minority think IMF is the only solution to the economic challenges Ghana is facing, they have suggested why don’t you go to the IMF, go to the IMF, we have shown we have the alternatives in building the economics of this county without resulting to conditionalities that would be imposed on this country, we are not going today, tomorrow, so far as NPP remains in power”.

Dr. Kumah in his debate further pointed out that, looking beyond the E-Levy, government is taking further steps to cushion Ghanaians as a result of the twin crises; COVID 19, Russia and Ukraine war. To this end fuel prices are supposed to go down by one cedi following engagement between the chamber of bulk oil distributors, Bank of Ghana, and the Ministry of finance.

Furthermore, government has cut down on expenditures up to thirty percent; fifty percent cut on fuel coupons for government appointees; imposing moratorium on importation of cars and several others.

And if anybody has the capacity to bring the nation back on its truck it’s President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and the NPP government; they have done it before in 2001 when the NDC took Ghana and left us in HIPC it was former President John Kuffour and the NPP government that built the country into a middle income.

Again, 2009 by the time they gave running of affairs of the country   back to them in 2017 when president Akufo-Addo came they have taken the country back to IMF, adding that it is the current president who took Ghana out of IMF and built the economy of the county consistency from 2017 to 2019 on a GDP growth of seven (7) percent.

 “In the days ahead Ghana would see restoration of economic indicators, commissioning of more projects like we did in Tamale inter change, stabilization of the Ghanaian cedis, so the message of the president was anchored on measures that have been taken in the past and those that are yet to be implemented”.

Additionally, the passage of E-Levy comes in to augment the revenue poll of government, stating that the contribution of 1.5 percent of momo transactions would go in to offer an area of unprecedented development of the county.

“This  year, government  intends to inject one billion Ghana cedis into ideas and business of young people through the YouStart programme and would continue for the next three years giving us,  three billion cedis, participation financial institutions are going to put in five billion cedis, and  development partners are expected to give in extra two billion cedis that gives Ghana ten billion ready to be invested in business ideas, innovations and creativities of young people and that would help create jobs in the  country”.

“It means the unemployed youth in Bawku, Nadowli, Walewale, Kasoa, Cape Coast, Ashaiman and several places in the country would now begin to have hope of getting a sustainable job in this country. They would earn incomes and use it in supporting their families. Just by this action, government on the YouStart programme would have effect on lives, just as we did with the free SHS programme, with the NABCO programme, planting for food and jobs, one district one factory and several others”.

Another challenge that the E-Levy would address is the road and digital infrastructure challenge. He said we have in our country contractors that are tired of waiting, the IPCs are not settled for years because there is lack of regular revenue flows, and E-Levy as passed is going to see aggressive construction of roads in the country and is also going to help with the fiscal consolidation efforts and reduce the debt levels of the country.

“Mr. Speaker, the president recognises that there is a general anxiety in the country at the moment. This admission by the president is a testament to the fact that he is in touch with the ordinary Ghanaian and does understand the times and seasons”.

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Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has told Parliament that boreholes have been drilled at Kpetoe in the Agotime-Ziope constituency to augment the supply of water during dry season when the Tordzie River which is a source of water usually dries causing little or no flow of water.

According to the Minister as part of addressing the water shortage facing the District capital, the Ministry through the Community Water and Sanitation Agency developed a proposal for a pilot Public-Private Partnership arrangement to rehabilitate the Kpetoe Water Supply System with support from GRUNDFOS A/S of DENMARK. The proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Finance for action.

The Community Water and Sanitation Agency has had several engagements with the District Assembly and the Water and Sanitation Management Team on this arrangement and representatives of GRUNDFOS have been introduced to the stakeholders of the Kpetoe Water System.

“Mr. Speaker, the Five-Districts Water Supply Project with a total capacity of 5,000m3/day (1.1million gallons/day) has been constructed at Mafi Adidome in the Central Tongu District. To increase water supply coverage, Phase Ill of the project is being implemented to put in the distribution network that will bring the water to beneficiaries including 183 communities in Central Tongu, Adaklu and Agortime Ziope Districts in the Volta Region”.

In addition, to extend water to communities that are not currently benefitting under this project which include Kpetoe, President Nana Akufo-Addo has announced at the Phase Ill sod cutting ceremony that there will be Phase IV to cater for these communities. The Ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, has started sourcing for funds to undertake Phase IV of the project.

This came to light on Friday, April 1, 2002 when Member of Parliament (MP) for Agotime-Ziope, Charles Agbeve asked the sector Minister what urgent measures she is taking to address the perennial water shortage facing the District capital, Kpetoe as a result of the drying up of the River Tordzie.

She further told the House, Kpetoe is served with good potable water from the Kpetoe Water System which was part of the Eastern and Volta Region Assistance Project (EVORAP), started in 1998 to assist the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) to implement water supply systems in 29 selected small towns in the Volta and Eastern Region with funding from KfW of the German Government (under GTZ now GIZ)

The Kpetoe Water System which has a design capacity of 323m3/day, a high level tank (HLT) of 120m3 volume with 11km of transmission mains and 18km of distribution pipelines was completed and handed over to the Water and Sanitation Management Team (WSMT) in 2004 _ under the Community Management (COM) arrangements.

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The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Mr Alexander Akwasi Acquah, says he is optimistic that the Electronic Transaction levy (E-levy), will help the government rake in more revenue to finance its numerous social intervention programmes and projects.

According to him, the e-levy is expected to increase the country’s tax revenue by at least GHs 6.9 billion which will go a long way to help reduce the government’s budget deficit.

The Akufo-Addo led government is projecting to rake in tax revenue of about GHs 6.96 billion which is equivalent to US 1.1 billion in 2022 alone, and about GHs 26.90 billion (US 4.5 billion) from 2023 to 2025 after a successful approval of the E-levy bill.

Presenting the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on the floor of Parliament last Wednesday, President Nana Akufo-Addo applauded members of August House for approving the E-levy, adding that revenue that will be generated from the E-levy will to make significant contribution to Ghana’s development.

“Mr. Speaker, despite the protracted and sometimes acrimonious nature of proceedings, I am happy that the House has, finally, found it possible to pass the E-levy Bill. I believe the levy is going to make a significant contribution to revenue mobilization and the management of the national economy, and I want to thank Members of the House for making this possible”, the President stated.

Meanwhile, contributing to a panel discussion on Original TV’s “Adwene Pa” morning show programme today, the MP noted that the government targeted the digital space to maximize its tax base after study had shown that most Ghanaians now prefer to conduct and do their businesses using various electronic platforms, especially mobile money.

He stated that the E-levy, which seeks to ensure a tax regime that reaches almost all citizens, will help the government generate enough revenue to finance its numerous projects without looking for external supports or funding.

He therefore called on all Ghanaians, especially his colleagues from the other political divide, to throw their weight behind the new levy in order to achieve its purpose.

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