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Peter Obi denies bribing Arise TV’s Rufai Oseni

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Peter Obi

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi has denied reports alleging that he bribed a Nigerian Television presenter, Rufai Oseni.

Rufai of Arise Television was recently accused of receiving bribes from the former Anambra Governor with the aim of promoting his good reputation.

It was alleged that Obi had financially sponsored the burial of Rufai’s father, which stimulated the tie between the duo.

But reacting to the allegations, Obi in a statement tweeted on his page on Monday, declared that the report was a categorical lie, stressing that it had no element of truth.

According to Obi, Rufai is a Television presenter who sternly speaks truth to power including himself.

The statement reads partly, “Anyone who has followed my corporate and political life knows that I always stay on issues, with my focus on finding solutions to societal challenges and ameliorating the suffering of the people.

“I do, however, need to clarify a few issues, especially since a third party is involved.

“There is a recent case where my name has been mentioned in a malicious and cheap blackmail against one of Nigeria’s best Television presenters, Mr. Rufai Oseni, who has stood sternly for what is right and has challenged me fearlessly on some occasions while speaking truth to power.

“Let me clearly state that this is a categorical lie. It is not true, cannot be true and will never be true. Everyone who understands or follows my approach to things will attest to the fact that I do not give anyone money to promote my name”.

Credit: dailypost.ng

Tinubu bars government officials from travelling to US

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President Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discontinue the processing of visas for all government officials seeking to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

The directive which came from the President this afternoon is believed to be part of a broader effort to reduce the cost of governance in Nigeria, a statement by his media aide, Ajuri Ngelale noted.

It added that the directive is especially to those without proof of direct participation in UNGA’s official schedule of activities.

The presidency also noted that to prevent any sharp practice in this regard, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria is accordingly guided on official visa processing while Nigeria’s Permanent Mission in New York is further directed to prevent and stop the accreditation of any government official who is not placed on the protocol lists forwarded by the approving authority.

“By this directive of the President, all Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies are mandated to ensure that all officials, who are approved for inclusion in the UNGA delegation, strictly limit the number of aides and associated staff partaking in the event. Where excesses or anomalies in this regard are identified, they will be removed during the final verification process.

“The President wishes to affirm that, henceforth, government officials and government expenditure must reflect the prudence and sacrifice being made by well-meaning Nigerians across the nation,” the statement added.

Credit: dailypost.ng

Excise duties on Sweetened Juices, Spirits and Tobacco Products expected to reduce Ghana’s health bill

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Kwabena Anto Apau, Head, Excise Unit, GRA

The Ghana Revenue Authority has said that the introduction of the excise duties to cover sweetened juices, wines and liquors, e-cigarettes among others falls within government’s overall objective to reduce the health bill.

Basically, the government through the GRA has imposed additional excise duties on these products and made amendments to the charging method on certain products like cigarettes and tobacco products in accordance with ECOWAS recommendations all geared towards reducing the consumption of these products.

Speaking with Kennedy Mornah on the Eye on Port TV program, the Head of the Excise Unit at GRA, Kwabena Anto Apau, said while this may translate into reduced imports of such products, government is convinced this is a move in the right direction so far protecting the wellbeing of citizens.

“Previously we had excise duties to cover only carbonated soft drinks but now we have extended the scope to cover all sweetened soft drinks. We have noticed that the other soft drinks are harmful and the intake of them cause diabetes, hypertension and other non-communicable diseases on the rise. It is tax, and definitely it will bring in revenue but the focus is to try to introduce fiscal measures to discourage purchase.”

He said the ECOWAS directive on the harmonisation of the exercise duty of the Tobacco products direct that excise duty on Tobacco product must include ad valorem and specific duty rate.

The ad valorem rate is required to be 50% or more on the value while the specific tax rate is required to be a minimum equivalent of two cents per stick in the case of cigarettes, cigar, cigarillo and the cedi equivalent of $20 per net kilo for all other tobacco products.

“For fruit juices we have introduced excise duty rates of 20% and the other sweetened beverages the excise duty is also 20% but certain products have not been touched for example bottle water.

The excise duty was 17.5% and it remains the same. Also we had an anomaly where excise duty rates for beer was higher than spirits so we had to correct that. So now excise duty on spirits is 50% from the previous 25%.”

The GRA says this policy is necessary to make these products expensive to deter the unregulated consumption of them in the society.

ACET holds dialogue on Exploring Opportunities for Domestication of the AfCFTA Protocols to Drive Trade and Investment in Africa

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The African Center for Economic Transformation, ACET, has held a roundtable dialogue on exploring opportunities for domestication of the AfCFTA protocols to drive trade and investment in Africa.

The dialogue was meant to address the status of domestication of specific provisions of the AfCFTA protocols related to free movement of persons, including labor mobility.

The dialogue also discussed how the continental trade is implemented, the strength and flaws of it as well as review the outcomes to date and how effective it is in terms of AfCFTA objectives, while identifying key areas for support and improvement.

The dialogue brought together relevant stakeholders in Ghana’s trade industry.

A Senior Director, Research, Policy & Programs at ACET, Dr. Edward Brown expressed worry that intra-African trade remains very low as it accounts for 17% of Africa’s exports when compared to other regions.

“11 years now and we’re still at a very low level of intra-Africa trade. It is important that we try and continue to collaborate given the endowments in each of these countries. The importance of trying to compete and ensure that your private sector is resilient and competitive is very important and that can only be done through intra-Africa trade.”

A Senior Policy Analyst at ACET, George Boateng indicated that the AfCFTA when rightly implemented and supported will bring several prospects to the Africa continent.

“What the trade deal provides us with is that Africans can really speak with one voice that means it gives us an upper hand in negotiations when we go to the table with others outside the continent, and this for me is the most important thing that the trade deal offers. I mean when you promote free trade we are looking at it being able to address the skills gaps in each country.

We’re also looking at labour markets trying to solve the problem of skills mismatch and also curb the phenomenon of the brain drain which is now very prominent on the continent.”

A Principal Researcher at ACET, Louis Yaw Afful revealed some findings of a research ACET conducted under the continental trade.

“There is no harmonization of Institutions. I will wish that whatever is being done by the immigration ministry in Ghana will be replicated by Nigeria, other state parties and that is where the difficulty is. Specifically, in Ghana there is a lack of inter institutional cooperation.” 

NHIS to receive $27.7 Million from the World Bank Group  

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Chief Executive, Dr Okoe Boye with the NHIA Technical Working Group

The World Bank Group is offering Twenty-Seven Million, Seven Hundred Thousand ($27.7 M)to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), to increase the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) annual active membership,and facilitate Claims processing and payments for primary healthcare providers comprising CHPS, Health Centers and Maternity Homes under the Primary Health Care Improvement Program for Results (PforR).

The monumental program is financed through a World Bank facility with co-financing grants from the Global Financing Facility (GFF), Canada, the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Operation (FCDO), and the Gavi Alliance.

The program will be implemented for four (4) years, spanning from 2022 to 2025. The funding is allocated based on the Disbursement Linked Result (DLR) achieved per the Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) of the program.

The DLis under the program include increase in the membership of the NHIS, increase in the enrollment of vulnerable populations in the Scheme and improvement in claims processing and payment for the primary healthcare facilities.

Under the facility, the NHIA in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, and the Health Facility Regulatory Authority (HeFRA) are to improve on relevant aspects of accreditation of healthcare providers, monitoring, and financing of primary healthcare services.

The NHIA and the Social Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP) collaborative effort will boost the enrolment of indigent populations, such as the disabled, orphans, widows, women, and children in the Scheme.

This will be done through linkage with the National Household Registry which is also supported by the World Bank.

New NHIS Leadership Vision

The ‘New NHIS’ leadership’s ultimate goal is building a more resilient Health Insurance Scheme that responds to the needs of all by providing access to quality and affordable healthcare services on a sustainable basis.

The Executive Management’s strategy towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is the adoption of ‘pro-poor pathway’ interventions fastened to the legal framework that every Ghanaian should register with the NHIS.

The Chief Executive, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, his deputies, and some Directors have completed a national tour of all 16 regions as a way of connecting with staff and the citizenry and discussed how to strengthen the NHIS and the role it plays as a vehicle for Ghana to achieve UHC.

Leadership is determined to open more offices in strategic locations to make the NHIS accessible to all. Some additional offices recently commissioned are the Western North Regional Office, Bono East Regional Office, Ahafo Regional Office, Dormaa East, Jamaan North, Asunafo North, Asutifi North, Obuasi, Asawase, Atwima Kwanwoma, Ejisu, Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem (KEEA) Mion, Kumbungu, and Nanton.

Bono East, Sunyani Municipal, Jaman South, Kintampo Municipal, and Techiman Municipal have received newly branded operational vehicles.

Relevance

The NHIS has grown to become a major instrument for financing healthcare delivery in Ghana and it is the financial mainstay of over 4,600 credentialed healthcare service providers. Over 80 percent of the internally generated funds of most healthcare providers are from the NHIS.

The NHIS continues to provide financial access to many people who otherwise could not afford the cost of their healthcare services. Many are now seeking medical attention early and avoiding unnecessary deterioration in their medical conditions and possibly death as a result.

Digitalization Drive

The NHIA is leveraging the national digitalization drive to improve efficiency. Some of the recent novelties include MyNHIS App, Claim-it Application, and Online-credentialingcapability.

MyNHIS App

As the most recent innovation, My NHIS App empowers individuals and groups to use their Ghana Cards to register, renew and link to the NHIS without necessarily visiting any of the NHIS district offices for the same service.

The App can be downloaded on the Google play store or Apple Store, thus operating on both Android and iOS smartphones.

It issues digitized NHIS cards and provides a mechanism for the NHIA to fulfill its statutory obligations.

The new App also enables NHIS members to securely pay registration and membership renewal fees from their mobile money wallets, and bank cards.

The App delivers a vastly improved renewal experience to NHIS members as it saves time and money, thereby making the Scheme more accessible to all.

Electronic Claims Management

The NHIA is determined to attain nearly 100 percent electronic Claims management (submission, vetting & payment) by the end of the year 2023. The essence is to eliminate wastage and ensure prudent use of available resources to provide the best healthcare services to NHIS active members.

The introduction of electronic claims processing in 2013 has greatly improved efficiency in NHIS claims management over the years, decreasing claims processing time from months to 1-7 days for vetting of Provider Claims.

Claim-it

The ‘Claim-it’ system was introduced in restricting fraudulent activities such as the submission of escalated Claims. Claims submitted via Claim-it makes it easy for vetting at the Claims Processing Centres (CPCs) in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, and Cape Coast.

The pragmatic nationwide rollout of the Claim-IT application to nearly 95% of Providers in the year 2022 saw an increase in the number of providers submitting electronic claims from about 40% in 2021 to 60.3% by December 2022 and 86% by March 2023. The NHIA Claims Directorate and its Claims Processing Centres are actively assisting providers with challenges in electronic claims submission to ensure near 100% implementation of electronic claims processing.

Online Credentialing

Healthcare service providers typically apply for credentials from the NHIA to enable them to serve Ghanaians under the NHIS. In creating efficiency, the NHIA introduced an online application system on its official Web Portal making it possible for Service Providers and prospective applicants to submit and renew applications electronically.

Development Partners Support

The NHIA has recurrently received support from development partners including the World Bank Group, World Health Organization (WHO), United States Agency for International Development (USAID),  United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and the Korea Foundation for International HealthCare (KOFIH), among others.

The support has positioned Ghana’s NHIS as a remarkable social protection model in Africa and this is evidenced by the number of foreign delegations who have so far visited the NHIA to understudy the NHIS operations.

The World Bank Group’s recent financial support is therefore key and timely in the National Health Insurance Authority’s (NHIA) quest to achieve UHC by the year 2030.

Source: Abdul Karim Naatogmah 

For inquiries contact the writer on 0245369684.

Order from above compelled me to cut my son’s locks –Michy GH

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NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Michy GH and Majesty

Baby mama of Shatta Wale, Michelle Diamond Gbagonah, who is professionally known as Michy GH and formerly Shatta Michy, has disclosed that order from above made her cut the hair locks of her son, Majesty.

Speaking to on Akoma FM’s Entertainment 360 on Saturday, August 26, the Ghanaian musician, who doubles as a TV presenter, said that order from above had asked that the little boy’s locks be cut off.

Michy GH, revealing who this person who ordered from above, admitted that it was Shatta Wale, who is Majesty’s father.

Michy GH is currently on a media tour promoting her latest single, Hustle.

My fiancé jilted me and traveled on our wedding day –OV

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NANA KWESI COOMSON
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OV

Talented Ghanaian singer, OV has shared a shocking moment of her life where her fiancé left her and traveled on their wedding day.

In a recent interview on Angel Fm, the ‘Want me’ singer disclosed that she almost said “I do”, however, the man she was going to get married to, ditched their wedding ceremony and traveled on the same day.

“Truly I was about to get married but they stood me up on the wedding day,” she shared.

“My fiancé told me he was traveling, maybe he had already made preparations, I was done with my makeup, ready for the ceremony and I didn’t know, I’m sure he even went and left a text that he has to go.

“It was going to be a small gathering, my godfather and it wasn’t in the church, it was my godfather’s place and it wasn’t a traditional marriage, something small,” she said.

The MTN hitmaker winner added that she was not heartbroken by the event as she moved on with her life.

“Oh I was cool, we move and I think he came back to Ghana sometime, I could show my wedding dress though if you want evidence and if he decides to sought of come back, I might marry him but he’ll suffer,” she added.

Juju scare compelled me to relocate my restaurant –Mzbel

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NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Mzbel

Popular musician, Mzbel who became an entrepreneur following her fame has made some serious revelations concerning the relocation of her restaurant.

MzBel mentioned that, bad network, distance leading to her shop and lack of pipe-borne water among many other reasons were some of the frustrations which accounted to relocating her shop.

According Mzbel, the main reason she moved her restaurant from Adjei Kojo, a suburb of Ashaiman to Gbawe is that someone planted black power, popularly known as‘juju’ beside the shop.

This according to Mzbel caused her and some of her workers to fall ill.

“One time, we went to work and saw three white eggs in a corner outside the bar but when I saw it and because I don’t have bad intentions, I just thought it was a stray fowl that laid these eggs there so we took the eggs and buried them.

“Another time too, I saw a tortoise, in the same corner. Again, I did not have bad intentions so I thought it was someone’s pet that went missing so I made a cage for it and fed it well, a few days later it died.

…Then another time when we got to work early in the morning and opened the door, a huge cat ran out at full speed and bypassed us. There is no way a cat that big could get into the shop because the ceilings are, doors were locked with burglar proof. I didn’t understand, today I get sick tomorrow it’s something else, It was a whole lot,” she expressed.

MzBel also added that it was when she decided to relocate the shop, someone told her the reason she kept falling sick was because someone had been planting “medicines” in and around her shop.

The cash and fake gold that no-one is claiming

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Cash and Gold

A private plane found with more than $5m (£4m) in cash, fake gold, guns and ammunition on board is at the centre of a deepening investigation in the Zambian capital, Lusaka.

Everyone knows the aircraft flew from the Egyptian capital, Cairo, and landed a fortnight ago in Zambia, but that is where the certainties stop. So far nobody in Egypt or Zambia admits to chartering the plane or owning its contents.

With so many questions unanswered rumours have been swirling.

Could those involved be high-level Egyptian or Zambian political or military figures? Was this a one-off flight or the first out of hundreds to finally be rumbled?

What is known is that all six Egyptians aboard the aircraft and others who joined them at Lusaka’s airport are due to appear in court on Monday.

Some of the Zambians who are being held have been charged with espionage and obtaining money on false pretences. The Egyptians have not yet been charged.

The world might have remained oblivious to it all were it not for a journalist whose fact-checking website, Matsda2sh, accused officials in Egypt of involvement in the incident.

Journalist disappears

Soon after that Egyptian plainclothes security forces raided Karim Asaad’s Cairo home in the dead of night and arrested him.

Source: bbc.com

France defies ultimatum for ambassador to leave Niamey

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Ambassador Sylvain Itte

France’s ambassador has remained in Niger despite being given a 48-hour deadline to leave the country last Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in a defiant speech.

Ambassador Sylvain Itte had been ordered to go amid rapidly deteriorating bilateral ties.

But hours after the coup leaders’ deadline had passed, the president said he “applauds” Mr Itte for staying put.

The junta overthrew Niger’s elected president last month.

In a major foreign policy speech to ambassadors gathered in Paris as well as others listening remotely, Mr Macron said: “France and its diplomats have faced particularly difficult situations in some countries in recent months, from Sudan, where France has been exemplary, to Niger at this very moment.

“I applaud your colleague and your colleagues who are listening from their posts.”

Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum was toppled on 26 July in a coup that has been condemned by France and many of Niger’s neighbours, including the West African regional bloc Ecowas.

Ambassador Itte had refused to meet Niger’s new leaders after the coup, the junta said on Friday, as it announced the French ambassador had 48 hours to leave.

Source: bbc.com

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