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I used fire crackers not dynamite -Hopeson Adorye

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Hopeson Yaovi Adorye, a member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) who has defected to the Movement for Change, is alleged to have used fire crackers and not dynamite to scare voters from crossing from Togo to vote in Ghana in the year 2016.

According to the police prosecution, Mr. Adorye has admitted to the content of a viral video that, he made a statement to the effect that he engaged the services of five people from the Volta Region to throw ‘dynamites’ along the Togo border to scare voters from crossing into Ghana to vote during the 2016 general elections.

Mr. Adorye has been slapped with publication of false news, contrary to section 208(1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).

He has been given a GH¢200,000.00 bail by a Dansoman Circuit Court, presided over by Her Honour Alima El Lawah Basit, after pleading not guilty to the charge.

The accused was ordered to execute the bail bond with two sureties, one of which should be justified.

Mr. Adorye was further ordered yesterday, May 23, 2024 to report to the police station once a week.

Presenting the brief facts of the case, Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder told the court that on May 2, 2024 the attention of the Police Administration was drawn to a video recording that had gone viral on social media, involving the accused, Hopeson Yaovi Adorye.

According to him, in the said video, the accused was seen and heard saying among other things that prior to the 2016 general elections, he took it upon himself to prevent Togolese from coming to vote in Ghana.

The said statement was made on Accra based radio station, Accra FM (100.5) on a programme called ‘The Citizen Show’, hosted by Nana Otu Darko.

The accused alleged that he engaged the services of five people from the Volta Region to throw ‘dynamites’ along the Ghana and Togo border in order to scare voters from crossing to vote in Ghana, during the 2016 general elections.

Mr. Adorye was arrested 20 days after the said statement was made for investigation.

In his investigation caution statement, he admitted to the content of the video and claimed that it was not ‘dynamite’ that was used, but rather ‘fire crackers’.

The case attracted members of the Movement for Change, including Patricia Christabel Kyerematen, wife of Mr Alan John Kwadwo Kyeremanten.

 

Editorial: We Commend The Information Minister For Media Familiarisation Tours

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THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

 

The Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, accompanied by a team from her ministry, visited the office of The Chronicle on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 to familiarise herself with the operations of the newspaper house.

Her visit to The Chronicle, as she has done to other media houses, was to afford her an opportunity to deepen cohesion between her ministry and the media, which is an institution recognised by the 1992 Constitution.

The interaction between the management of The Chronicle, led by the General Manager, the venerable Ebo Quansah, discussed issues of importance to the work of the media in the country.

The minister on her part emphasised the role of the media in promoting accountability and educating the citizenry. She made the point that the media is a vital partner in our democracy.

She reiterated her ministry’s open-door policy and encouraged the media to reach out with any concerns or suggestions.

The Chronicle expressed its commitment to fostering a strong relationship between the government and the media, and also assured the minister of its readiness to collaborate with the Ministry of Information, to enhance information flow and uphold journalistic integrity.

Fatimatu Abubakar’s visit to The Chronicle is seen as a positive step towards enhancing government-media relations and underscores her dedication to supporting the crucial role of the media in the democratic dispensation of Ghana.

It is also worthy of note that the affable Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, is the second sector minister to have visited The Chronicle and other media houses, since the late Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, who was an Information minister in the first term of former President John Agyekum Kuffuor.

The initiative needs commendation, given that it is not usual of sector ministers, though the media is very integral to their respective roles in the governance system.

The Chronicle would like to recommend to other sector ministers that they emulate what the Minister for Information has done.

The norm has been that sector ministers, and by extension, government institutions, work with the media from their offices, without finding time or perhaps recognising the need to visit.

We are not saying that every day a minister should visit a media house. That is not even practicable.

However, like Fatimatu Abubarkar has done, the ministers can add to their activities by touring media houses in the early days of their appointment to familiarise themselves with the media.

We believe that the step taken by the Minister for Information to visit media house would make her work with the latter easier, with regards to using the media to propagate the message of the government. She mentioned the open-door policy being operated at her ministry. This policy is very commendable and worth emulating by others.

There can be good working relationships with all institutions, regardless of how sensitive their work may seem. On the contrary, we think that if your role is sensitive but you are not media-friendly, the media will not be able to inform and educate the public about your work.

The media is like food to the various ministries that implement the policies of government. It would be an expression of ignorance for any minister to think that they can succeed without working with the media.

The media would not see itself as demi-gods, but it is a statement of fact that the media can make and unmake a minister. One publication from a media house can result in the promotion or dismissal of an appointee. To put it more succinctly, the success or otherwise of a government is to a very large extent dependent on the media.

We are commending the Minister for Information because we see her visits as bridging the gap between the government and the media.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has also embarked on similar media tours recently, which is also commendable.

For the government that passed the Right to Information Bill, arming the media to seek information that ordinarily may not have been made public, it is just right that its ministers do not shy away from the media.

Tarkwa MP supports PWDS with 10 wheel-chars, 11 crutches

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KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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One of the PWDs attempting to sit on the wheel chair

The Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem, George Mireku Duker, has extended a hand of help and support to the Ghana Federation of the Disable (GFD) in the Tarkwa Municipality.

The Legislator, who is also the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) has presented 10-wheel chairs and 11 crutches and an undisclosed amount of money to the GFD, as part of the activities marking his birthday.

Another PWD in a joyus mood in the wheel chair

The birthday celebration of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Legislator attracted other Legislators such as Michael Baafi, MP for Koforidua and Deputy Minister for Trade.

Alexander Adjare, MP for Kade, including singers such as Uncle Ato, Phillipa Baafi and Obaapa Christy.

Duker was joined by the Tarkwa Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Church, Yaw Dodd, who presented the wheel chairs to the President of GFD in Tarkwa, for onward distribution to the members.

Duker explained that he decided to celebrate his birthday with Persons with Disabilities to send a signal to the world that they are also humans.

“I could have decided to stay indoors to celebrate my birthday but I decided to celebrate with you, because I want to assure and re-assure you that all is not lost”.

The Deputy Lands Minister, however, urged Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts (MMDCES) to consider the plight of Persons With Disability and urgently release the three percent common fund allocated to them.

The president of GFD, Tarkwa Branch, Daniel Okyere expressed the Association excitement and appreciation to the Legislator for caring about PWD’s.

“We are excited about the wheel chairs and the crutches, but we will appeal to other institutions to also support us”.

He said the Tarkwa Legislator has been very supportive of the association.The association, he said, has over 300 members in the Tarkwa Nsuaem.

Yaw Nsarkoh: The annual floods in Accra are here again – are we children of a lesser god?

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Flooding in Accra

A harrowing video clip of an entire roof of a building in Accra, Ghana, ripped off by winds, went viral yesterday. It caused damage to property and could have snuffed out the lives of many. There were many more signs of our collective unpreparedness, for a very predictable annual occurrence.

All this occurred because of less than three hours of highly predictable rainfall. There is much more of such rain to come, many more of such videos will then follow.

I know, because every May, for the last few decades, this happens in Accra. The rains hammer us; a hopelessly unprepared city experiences life disrupting floods. The elites yell, circulate videos of destruction, and wade through water; as though they are Venetians. Except Venice has boats and pagodas, Accra elites wade with their feet and submerged cars. Screaming in panic and desperation.

In another system, the designers and design of such damaged buildings would be made available to the regulator. Whoever signed that building conditions had conformed to approved designs, would also have questions to answer.

Then extracted learning would be summarised and shared with the populace. This is after all a public safety matter.

In Ghana, chances are that come July, the rains stop, and only a tiny minority continue to discuss all these. The majority just move on, until the rains are back in 2025, with more devastation.

For example, given the devastation of last year in North Tongu constituency, should our media not be out there now, asking the Volta River Authority (VRA) what the water levels in the dam are? Regularly monitoring and asking how any arising risks will be managed? Climate change is real, it is unforgiving of those who disregard science in society, to rely on superstition.

Or is it enough, if there is another episode of drowning in a community, to nonchalantly say, “there was nothing else we could have done?”

Then high profile visits of politicians, on both material sides of the divide will follow, loaded with a few relief items. They assemble, like a wild procession of smiling locusts, for photo ops. An inter-ministerial committee may be formed, to review the report of the first – assuming that report will then have been available to the public. And that is it, thirty-six thousand peasants are forgotten?

In the meantime, thousands of our compatriots lives would be ruined.

Yesterday, innocent people were caught in the damage; lives, limbs and property at risk. With no way out, as though it had rained for a week, not part of a day.

And as though we are children of a lesser god? The Netherlands was salvaged from the sea. It does not flood so cyclically, predictably and regularly – on an annual basis. The Dutch also must manage climate change, not just us.

Are we the children of a lesser god? What explains this indifference to planning and seriousness?

May I plead that media attention goes to our compatriots who live in, or by, the water pathways. Though we treated them, in the recent past, like “invisible women and men,” they are not children of a lesser god. We all must care and be concerned that their lives are not ruined this way.

There is an equally urgent job for all professionals of the built environment to do. Keep awareness of what needs to be done up. Keep the discussion pressure on all year. Do not just become “forwarders” of videos showing destruction by floods, after the fact.

We are certainly capable of planning for rain, before the rains come. We too are human.

By Yaw Nsarkoh

Source: myjoyonline.com

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.

GPHA donates 6 swivel chairs, plus GH¢15K cash to GJA

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KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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GJA executives and GPHA management behind the swivel chairs

Ghana Port and Habours Authority(GPHA) has presented a cheque for GH¢15,000 and six new swivel chairs to the Western Region Chapter of the Ghana Journalist Association.

The donation is to aid the association refurbish its office and Conference Hall to facilitate the activities of the GJA in the region.It is also to strengthen the rapport between the two organisations.

Shirley Smith (left) receiving donation from Dr. Kingsley Antwi Bosiako, GPHA

Presenting the cheque and the chairs, the Public Relations and Marketing Manager of the Port of Takoradi, Dr Kingsley Antwi Boasiako, said the gesture was in response to a request by the GJA to support them in refurbishing the Association’s office.

He expressed the GPHA’s appreciation to the GJA for their continuous support over the years and hoped the working relationship between the two entities would continue to deepen.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the Association, the Western Regional Secretary of the GJA, Shirley Ewurama Smith, expressed appreciation to the GPHA for the gesture, saying the two organisations have over the years had a fruitful relationship and would continue going forward.

She said the Association would not hesitate to call on the GPHA whenever there was the need to do so.

Kano Assembly Passes Bill Dissolving Five Emirate Councils

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Kano House Of Assembly

The Kano State House of Assembly has officially passed a bill dissolving all five emirate councils in the state. This decision followed deliberations on the floor of the house during a plenary session held on Thursday. The significant move came as the Kano State Emirate Council Amendment Bill was considered and passed after successfully scaling its second and third readings.

The Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Muhammad Bello Butu Butu, articulated the rationale behind the dissolution.

He emphasized that repealing the law that divided the Kano Emirate into five separate entities would help “revive the lost glory of Kano.” He further stated, “The division of Kano Emirate into five reduced the capacity and dignity of the state at the national level.”

Echoing these sentiments, the Majority Leader, Alhaji Lawan Hussaini Dala, underscored the cultural implications of the previous division. “The emirate council served as a custodian of our culture, which was distorted by the creation of additional emirates,” Dala said. He elaborated that the amendment aims to restore the traditional prestige and unity of the Kano Emirate.

In a briefing with journalists, Dala explained that with the amendment of the law, all five emirate councils were now abolished. “The commissioner for local governments will serve as the overseer,” he added, highlighting the transitional governance structure that will be put in place.

Additionally, the House adopted a motion to create a new second-class emirate council in the state, signalling a restructuring of the traditional institutions to better align with the state’s cultural and administrative goals.

Credit: channelstv.com

Economic Mismanagement Of Last 10 Years Will Not Be Undone In One Year –Sanusi

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Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

A former Central Bank of Nigeria governor and the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, says it will take a while to for the Nigerian economy to bounce back from 10 years of mismanagement. 

He said that realistically, it requires more than six months or one year for the economic mismanagement of the last 10 years to be undone.

The former CBN governor spoke at the 2024 Rivers State Economic and Investment Summit at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Thursday.

“The decision to centre governance around economic development through investment promotion is a very thoughtful and great decision by the government of Rivers State.

“But that is the only way to guarantee a better future for the people. At this point it is important for us as Nigerians to be realistic, the mismanagement of the last ten years will not be undone in six months or one year,” Sanusi said.

The present administration of President Bola Tinubu has witnessed some economic policies, especially the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of forex rate which has seen prices of commodities skyrocket, throwing many Nigerian into hardship.

Sanusi said it will take a little while for Nigerians to see the impact of some of these decisions taken in order to reform the economy but maintains that the decisions are necessary.

Credit: channelstv.com

Reps pass bill to adopt old anthem, “Nigeria we hail thee”

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House of Representatives

The House of Representatives has passed a bill to adopt the old National Anthem despite opposition from some lawmakers. The bill sponsored by the Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, was debated for a second reading and rushed through a third reading amid opposition from some lawmakers.

Leading the debate on the bill, Mr Ihonvbere said the content of the old anthem is far better than the current one. The House of Representatives has passed a bill to adopt the old National Anthem despite opposition from some lawmakers.

The bill sponsored by the Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, was debated for a second reading and rushed through a third reading amid opposition from some lawmakers.

Leading the debate on the bill, Mr Ihonvbere said the content of the old anthem is far better than the current one.

Speaking against the bill, the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda said the anthem should not be a thing of priority to Nigerians. While opposing the bill, Mr Chinda said the old anthem was composed by colonialists and adopting it would mean going back.

“For every law, there must be a spirit to it. If we are asked what is the essence of this law, I would talk about history.

“What does this old national anthem represent? This history dates back to colonialism. We dropped it because we wanted an Anthem to remove us from colonialism. The old anthem was composed by foreigners,” he said.

Following the debate, the bill was put to vote by Deputy Speaker, Ben Kalu who presided over the session, however, the “nay” voices appeared louder, yet the presiding officer called the vote in favour of “ayes”.

This ruling generated complaints from lawmakers, however, the Deputy Speaker insisted on the ruling.

Amid the opposition, the Deputy Speaker rushed the motion through.

Credit: dailypost.ng

Ato Forson trial: Gov’t, Big Sea agreed on specifications of the ambulances-Witness

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Court

Mr Richard Dzakpa, the third accused person in the trial of Dr Ato Forson, a former Deputy Minister of Finance, says the government and Big Sea both agreed on the specifications of the ambulances to be imported.

He confirmed that the agreed specifications were specified in the contract between the Ministry of Health and Big Sea.

Dr Forson was granted a self-recognisance bail of GH¢3 million for allegedly wilfully causing financial loss of 2,370,000 euros to the State.

He is also facing an additional charge of “Intentionally misapplying public property, contrary to section 1 (2) of the Public Property Protection Act, 1977 (SMCD 140).”

Mr Dzakpa was also granted bail of five million Ghana Cedis with three sureties, one of whom must be justified with documents of landed property.

Mr Dzakpa, answering questions in a cross-examination led by Dr Ali Bamba, the Counsel for Dr Forson, said the specifications were in an exhibit before the court, which had the specification and terms sheet.

He said based on exhibit L, which was the specifications proposed to the government, which culminated into exhibit V, which was the contract.

The accused person said exhibit Z, the first, was about the body which had to do with the external aspect of the ambulance and when looking at exhibit V, it also still talked about the body, the word ‘Ambulance’, how it should be written or designed was not part of the terms agreed by the parties, neither was the name ambulance and call number specified and how it should be designed and written.

Mr Dzakpa said in exhibit V, no working light requirement was in the specifications agreed upon by both parties, so Exhibit Z was talking about a requirement that was not agreed to by both parties.

“Under the cockpit, that requirement is not prescribed in exhibit V under the body,” he said.

He said, in a nutshell, comparing exhibit Z ambulance body requirement vis a vis exhibit V body requirement, both were completely different.

Mr Dzakpa said the body requirement of Exhibit Z was not what the government signed with Big Sea to manufacture; hence, this body requirement aspect of Exhibit Z was not binding on Big Sea, and as such was allied to Exhibit V.

The accused person said because the pre-shipment inspection was not done and it did not stop Big Sea from executing the other parts of Exhibit V, did not stop Big Sea from going ahead to ship the ambulances because it was the government that refused to do the pre-shipment inspection.

He said when the first 10 ambulances arrived at the port and the bill of laden duly submitted to the Ministry of Health, they again did not proceed to the port to protect the ambulances.

The accessories of the first 10 ambulances were stolen and apart from the accessories being stolen, the inlet compartment was vandalised at the port.

He said the post-inspection delivery report was carried out only on the first 10 ambulances and not overall 30 ambulances that were involved.

Asked whether all the medical accessories have arrived in the country, the accused person said there were two issues.

He said the medical equipment of the first 10 ambulances, of which Exhibit Z was reported to have been stolen at the port.

He said later, the rest of the 20, making 30, were not part of the ambulances when they were shipped.

The accused person said this was because the Ministry of Health had agreed with the supplier to ship the next 20 without the accessories and ship the accessories separately in a container because of the incident of the first 10 ambulances.

By Morkporkpor Anku

GNA

Finance Minister charges new GRA Board to plug revenue leakages

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JENNIFER AMBOLLEY
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The board members being sworn into office

The Minister for Finance, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, has charged the newly constituted Ghana Revenue Authority Board to work closely with relevant institutions and stakeholders to reduce tax non-compliance and also plug revenue leakages.

According to the Minister, it was critical for the revenue generating institution to achieve its medium-term revenue targets of 18%-20% tax/GDP ratio, as well as meet all indicative targets and structural benchmarks related to revenue under the IMF programme.

The Minister of Finance, Dr Mohammed Amin in a picture with the nine-member board of the Authority

Dr Mohammed Amin Adam made this known when he inaugurated the nine-member board of the Authority, chaired by Joe Ghartey, a former Minister for Railway Development and other members including a Deputy Minister for Finance, Dr. Alex Ampaabeng, Commissioner-General for GRA, Ms Julie Essiam, a Deputy Minister for Trade, Micheal Okyere Baafi and 2nd Deputy Governor for the Bank of Ghana, Mrs Elsie Addo Awadzi.

The rest are; Madam Susan Akomea, immediate past Municipal Chief Executive of Asante Akyim Central and a Co-founding member of CENAB UK, Mrs Araba Bosomtwe, a Master of Public Administration (MPA) holder with international experience in handling high level administrative duties and Mr Kwabena Abankwah Yeboah, a fellow of the Ghana College of Pharmacists and also a board member of the ADB bank.

Dr. Amin Adam indicated that by working closely with other relevant stakeholders, the new Board could effectively address the issues of alleged harassment of business owners, employ a digitalisation drive to streamline tax administration and reduce the heavy dependence on “human interventions”.

These and other measures, the MP for Karaga noted, could help build the confidence Ghanaians have in GRA, which would ultimately rake in the needed revenue for development.

‘Over the next few days, I will be holding stakeholder meetings with institutions involved with GRA to address issues of alleged harassment of businesses and discuss how we can work to improve the business climate, in order for investors to feel confident about investing and doing business in Ghana’ he disclosed.

The MP for Karaga again entreated the Board to ‘Prioritise necessary improvements and additions to GRA’s physical infrastructure; augment ongoing efforts aimed at fully implementing the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS); build the capacity of our officers and improve the quality of our data analysis for informed decision making’.

After assuring the Board of his unflinching support and commitment to lead the staff to drive the GRA to new heights, he added that ‘”We must leave this inauguration with a dedicated resolve to change the narrative and eclipse a 20% threshold of revenue to GDP within the shortest possible time”.

The Finance Minister also commended the previous Board for effective revenue mobilisation and noted that: “By the numbers, the Authority has consistently met its revenue targets and I believe strong leadership and dedicated staff have been pivotal in these achievements”.

The Chairperson of the Board, Joe Ghartey, stated on behalf of the Board that, it was a unique opportunity to serve the nation and that the performance of the Ghana Revenue Authority was crucial, particularly at this point in the country’s history.

‘The balance is to increase the revenue and at the same time remain business friendly and improve the ease of doing business in Ghana, so we thank the President for his confidence in us and assure him of our commitment to bring the needed positive changes at GRA’’, he stated.

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