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GRA educates stakeholders on new tax laws 

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The Ghana Revenue Authority has met with members of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders in Tema, to educate them on new tax laws introduced this year.

The Revenue Authority deemed it crucial to engage freight forwarders on the nuances of these tax laws due to the indispensable role the freight forwarders play as intermediaries between state actors and traders at the point of clearance of goods at the various ports of entry.

They were sensitized on the 12.5% Upfront VAT payment and the Growth and Sustainability Levy Act. The GRA beginning June 6 of this year began the imposition of 12.5% on the customs value of taxable goods at all ports of entry, imported by persons who are required by law to register for VAT, in addition to import duties and taxes.

A Chief Revenue Officer at the Community 9 Tax Payer Center, Kwame Adu Kwakye emphasized that this is not a new tax, but a compliance tool.

“The good thing about this compliance measure is if you register with us and you have paid already, you have an opportunity to recover the tax once you register the VAT.

If you are not even supposed to pay the 12.5% because probably the commodity you have imported is a personal commodity, is a personal use and not for sale then you can apply for a waiver even before your container lands at the port for clearance,” he said.

A Principal Revenue Officer at the Tema Community 1 Taxpayer Service Center, Stephen Baffour Gyau also revealed that the Growth and Sustainability Levy is a new tax aimed at shoring up government coffers for national development.

“The levy is not operating as the upfront VAT. The levy is on your profit before tax that is why I said we will project in the beginning of the year so latest by the time that the first payment is due profit is due,” he averred.

‘Science must lead policy in Ghana’s ocean management’

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Executive Director, Blue Economy and Governance Consult, Richster Nii Armah Amarfio

Experts are calling for government to allow science lead policy when it comes to Ghana’s ocean management.

According to stakeholders within Ghana’s maritime sector, the hopes of a prosperous blue economy relies heavily on the use of scientific and historical data, the consistent application of modern technology and a generally positive attitude towards taking care of the ocean.

This was the running theme of the recently held maiden edition of the National Blue Economy Summit where government, industry, and academia assembled for one cause – the health, prosperity and security of Ghana’s oceans.

The National Blue Economy Summit was aimed at mobilizing transformative ocean action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The summit was also a fulfilment of Ghana’s responsibilities as a member of the Ocean Panel, a high level panel for sustainable ocean economy made up of seventeen governments across the world.

Following the summit, pundits are asking government to walk the talk and place premium on driving investment into ocean science in the country’s bid to rake in the full benefits of her ocean territory while preserving it for future generations.

Speaking to Kennedy Mornah on the award-winning Eye on port program on Accra based Metro TV and Ghana Television, the Executive Director of the Blue Economy and Governance Consult, Richster Nii Armah Amarfio rehashed the idea that Ghana has to right the wrongs of the past, and allow science to lead policy.

“Everything about the ocean is science. And I think that the biggest challenge we face as a country is allowing the policy to lead the science instead of the other way round. Until we turn that around we may continue to hold a lot of talk shops without getting the full benefits of our ocean space,” he bemoaned.

He chronicled that historically, science had been applied by older generations through myths and rituals leading to the preservation of the ocean’s health for the current generation.

Mr. Amarfio who has served as the Secretary of the National Fisheries Association of Ghana and the Ghana Tuna Association, intimated that it is more incumbent upon government and industry to submit to the counsel of modern science for policy formulation and implementation.

“We no longer value the science we read in school. You will have scientists advising someone in a policy position but the latter views it from the perspective of how much votes that policy will garner. That is not sustainable,” he said.

He lamented the non-availability of a single research vessel in Ghana stating that the opposite is true for more prosperous jurisdictions.

“If you go to Rhode Island, the state has a research vessel, the universities have research vessels and the New England region has its own vessel and they have been doing this for decades so they produce scientific results which become the basis of decision making.

When they say our stocks are breaking, they know what they mean. They’re able to do proper trend analysis of what has happened over the period of time.”

Sadly, he said Ghana’s last research vessel was sunk in the 1990s leaving the country to rely on periodic assistance from the Norwegians since then.

Adding his voice to the calls, the head of the marine and fisheries sciences department at the university of Ghana, professor Francis Nunoo, asked for increased impetus from government to drive investment into ocean science.

“The ocean is vast and got a number of habitats. It has got mountains, valleys, very dark areas, untapped areas that are 20,000 kilometers below and a diversity of undiscovered organisms and plants.

If you study the ocean, you realize it’s a wonderful place. The ocean is very dynamic, biologically and chemically. We derive a lot of minerals and vital nutrients in the ocean.

The ocean also has a wide of organisms that we know of and those we don’t know of. It’s out of the ocean that the fossils we derive our crude oil from. If we have found oil in Ghana, then it means our ocean is very rich.

We need various subsea equipment, those that can provide conductivity and depth measurements. We need technology and as a county we are lacking in this, accounting for the poor management over the years.”

He said Ghana’s under-explored blue economy is a result of culture, lack of technology use and unavailability of funds.

The academic who is also the chairman of the governing board of the fisheries commission proposed 1% of the national gross domestic product (GDP) to be dedicated to a fund for scientific research.

He said this will help demystify ocean science and launch Ghana on a path of development so far as the blue economy is concerned.

Kumasi High School launches 60th Anniversary celebrations

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SEBASTIAN R. FREIKU
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The Education Minister being assisted by dignitaries to unveil the Anniversary logo

The Kumasi High School has launched its 60th Anniversary celebrations, which falls in July 2024.

The theme for the launch is “60 Years of Holistic Education in a safe school environment, what next?”, with Prof. Joseph Opoku-Buabeng, Consultant and ENT Surgeon at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and School of Medical Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), as the Special Guest of Honour.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, an alumni of the school, in his keynote address, assured the audience of the government’s commitment to transformation through education as a way of avoiding the pangs of poverty, hence, the Free Senior High School policy, which was currently benefiting about 1.4 million students against 830,000 in 2017.

The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, disabused the notion that increasing admissions did not affect academic performance and achievements of students positively.

The new Kusi Apparently Science laboratory

According to him, 2022 witnessed the best results in the schools, following teacher motivation and supply of teaching and learning materials.

The Education Minister disclosed that a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) laboratory centre, as part of a major agenda for transformation, would be established at the Kumasi High School next year for interested students to pursue Engineering and Computer Science Engineering to augment training of engineers in Ghana.

He commended the outgoing Headmaster, Mr. Bernard Hall-Baidoo, for improving on the 78% intake of students into the tertiary school in 2017 to 91.1% currently, which he described as a great accomplishment worthy of celebration.

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum advised the students to always develop a growth mindset as a key to success, and discard a fixed mindset in defining their future.

Prof. Kwame Adom Frimpong, Chairman of the Public Interest Accountability Committee of Parliament, who presided over the Anniversary launch on Saturday, urged the students to strive and uphold the core values and excellence contributed by alumni in various areas of endeavour towards nation building.

He also urged the students to protect the image of the school, while the alumni reconnected to make the school strong.

Meanwhile, the Kumasi High school has proposed the construction of an ultra modern Sports Complex as a flagship project of the 60th Anniversary celebrations.

According to the chairman of the Anniversary Planning Committee, Rev. Peter Owusu Mensah, the proposed Sports Complex project would need GH¢11,200,000 to be raised through contributions by alumni of the various year groups to be completed.

Health workers trained on Sickle Cell, Asthma management

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ERNEST BEST ANANE
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Participants at the training programme

Health workers in the Obuasi Municipality of the Ashanti Region have undergone training in Sickle cell and Asthma management. Sickle cell disease is one of the most common genetic diseases affecting millions of people worldwide, while Asthma on the other hand is the most common non-communicable disease in children and remains one of the most common throughout life course.

The Healthcare professionals play an important role in providing support and care for patients and families with Sickle cell disease, yet there is a gap in the availability of open-access education for healthcare professionals.

There is a reported challenge of inadequate human resource with the capacity to manage Asthma.

Dr. John Gyasi Banin, an Emergency Physician Specialist at AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation explained that the capacity building programme, which was sponsored by AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, Obuasi Mine, aimed to equip the health professionals with the skills and knowledge to provide care and support for patients.

The Emergency Physician Specialist disclosed that, in other to bridge the gap, it was important to organise the capacity building for health professionals in both the Obuasi East and the Obuasi Municipality.

According to him, the training forms part of efforts by AngloGold Ashanti to improve the health care needs of the people in its operational area, as contained in the 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan of the mining company.

He stressed that, they are conscious of the technicalities involved in managing Sickle cell and Asthma and, therefore, decided to join forces with AGA and the Health Directorates of the two districts to roll out the capacity building, which they believe will bridge the existing knowledge gap within the health sector.

He stressed the need to promote peer review as one of the key factors needed to improve performance in the health sector.

Masam Elizabeth Boateng of the Environmental Department of AngloGold Ashanti said the exercise was intended to create the platform for health workers to learn from one another, in terms of different approaches in solving problems. She indicated that AngloGold Ashanti has since 2019 rolled out plethora of capacity building programmes for healthcare workers in Obuasi.

She stated that, the intention is to ensure that the people within their operational areas have access to quality healthcare, new methods and approaches to deal with Sickle cell and Asthma

Mad. Linda Mensah, of Sanso Health Centre and other participants at the workshop, lauded AngloGold Ashanti for the training programme.

She said the programme has broadened their knowledge on new methods and approaches to manage the two conditions, saying it is an upgrade of what they were taught in school.

Nurses at the AGA Health Foundation confirmed that Asthma and Sickle cell form part of the common diseases reported at the Hospital and said the programme has given them an on the field training on how to deal and manage patients with the diseases.

Parliament and LGBTQ+ Debate, May the Lord Guide You

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Opinion

It was announced last week, that the much-awaited debate on LGBTQ+ on the floor of the House of Parliament will begin this week. I can imagine what is happening to Satan and his demons in the spiritual realm with this debate coming on.

Why am I beginning this opinion with Satan and his demons. It has to be so, because as things are going now, the darkness of evil is gradually overshadowing the world.

It will have take men and women gifted with the virtue of courage and fear of God to stand up and say “No,” to those who have surrendered their minds and souls to the evil forces.

In the mortal world, LGBTQ+ is being used as a weapon against Africa, even as many may not know.

Whenever God sets a purpose for man, Satan will make sure he finds ways to profane that purpose. God created man and He did so through Jesus Christ and by the Power of the Holy Spirit. Once creation of man was completed, God ordered a way in which mankind could multiply.

God then ordered a gift called sex, which is sacred and should be between only those joined together in marriage. And this marriage is the foundation of the family of which God is the Head.

When Satan came into the picture, sex was turned into a common event like consumption of drinks, whenever one felt like. Sex, is now free for all and at any age.

Then LGBTQ+ waded into the confusion and now a human being can look God in the face and say, “I am not what You created me to be, I am of the opposite sex.” All of God’s laws against LGBTQ+ are being bastardized.

Homosexuality (Lev. 18:22, 20:13), incest (18:7-18; 20:11-21), bestiality (Lev. 18:23; Deuteronomy 27:21) and transgender (Deuteronomy 22:5) are all sins against the Most High, yet in this day and age some people are accepting these as the right form of life.

Because the Sacred Scriptures frowns upon such unholy acts, today the banning of the Bible in schools has started in the United States. Today the Bible is said to be a book of violence.

The West is now keen on abandoning the Word of God and taken up the statutes of Satan and they want the world to go down with them.

We cannot defy the laws of the One Being who created us. Our common sins are enough, we should not add up to them.

Removing God from the minds of children, hence no Bible in the schools, then removing the family system by having two males as parents and two females as parents, is the only way to orientate the growing child into accepting LGBTQ+ as the normal way of life.

This is what our honourable members in the House of Parliament will debate from this week. Uganda has set the pace for the rest of Africa to follow. I pray for a successful section in Parliament, so that God is glorified.

Another reason for LGBTQ+ is to implement the depopulating agenda of Africa. When Covid-19 came, many were Westerners who saw the virus as a means of reducing the African population or even wiping it from the surface of the earth.

Fortunately, that did not happen and the total number of people who got affected by the virus, in the whole of Africa, were much lower than figures coming out from some individual Western nations like the US, Canada and few others.

Now the only way to achieve that diabolical agenda is to find ways of getting Black Africa to accept LGBTQ+.

One area which the West uses, is through IMF conditionalities. Since all of Black Africa economies are remote-controlled by the West, there are times when out of economic mismanagement or external crisis, African economies would get into ditches.

Here comes the IMF to ease the burden and this is done with conditionalities attached. One conditionality which cuts across, is either a ban on employment or a drastic cut down on it.

Without any option, such poor Black African nations will accept these terms. And for the period of the IMF programme, no youth is employed. These young men and women become desperate and here is when the LGBTQ+ propagators come in.

Engaging with these poor and desperate youth, any offer that will be beyond their dreams will make them do anything and that anything includes engaging in LGBTQ+ activities. Soon, these unemployed youth will be flaunting wealth and will not know tomorrow and there will be no turning back.

If the West are allowed to pollute the minds of Black African youths with this LGBTQ+ which comes with cash and material benefits, there will be a time when the Black African population will reduce and gradually be wiped out.

How long this programme will take, I do not know. But what I know is that, when majority of the people can no longer procreate, the wiping out of African Blacks will take a permanent course.

And soon, all of our side of this continent will be without the indigenes, and the Whites will recolonise our land, this time they will not meet a single soul to resist them.

Ghana Parliament has taken a good course and all Ghanaians must pray for the parliamentarians.

Hon. Daniel Dugan

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

Attacks over alleged cropping of Tinubu from Paris photo unwarranted –Okonjo-Oweala

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Paris photo showing Tinubu Okonjo-Oweala

The Director General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has described the attacks generated from Nigerians over the photographs she took in Paris, France as unwarranted.

Okonjo-Oweala stated this in a tweet via her verified Twitter handle on Saturday. The WTO DG had posted a photograph of him in which President Bola Tinubu was allegedly cropped out.

Okonjo-Oweala had taken the photograph during the summit for ‘A New Global Financing Pact’ convened by the French President, Emmanuel Macron.

At the summit, Tinubu projected the advocacy for widening the fiscal space, economic justice for Africa as the world accelerates the pace of energy transition, and the urgency of addressing the pressing issues of poverty and climate change.

The photograph had generated so much controversy among Nigerians.

But, reacting to the controversy generated by the , Okonjo-Oweala urged Nigerians to relax after the criticisms had heightened on social media.

The former finance minister lamented that the controversy has exposed how polarised Nigeria has become. Okonjo-Iweala stated, “Nigerians, please relax! Re Paris, Interesting attacks from both sides. This sadly shows the depth of polarization in our society.

“I post photos in the order received by accompanying staff or colleagues. Reading more into it is unwarranted. Let’s unite to build our country, not attack.”

Credit: vanguardngr.com

Three medical students missing, 11 rescued as boat capsizes in Cross River

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Boat capsizes in Cross River

A total of 11 out of 14 medical students were rescued on Saturday after a speedboat capsized at Marina Resort in Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.

The students, members of the Nigeria Medical Students Association (NIMSA), were on a boat cruise when the incident occurred around 3 p.m., Channels Television reported.

The Cross River police spokesperson, Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the incident to Channels, said efforts are being intensified to rescue the missing students.

According to Channels, the medical students, who are from different universities across the country, were in the state for the NIMSA annual Health Week.

The students were on a boat cruise, exploring the city, when the incident happened. Meanwhile, the Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, has ordered an investigation into the boat accident.

In a statement on Saturday, the governor’s spokesperson, Emmanuel Ogbeche, said Mr Otu has vowed to sanction anyone found guilty of compromising safety.

“The governor, who is saddened that three of the medical students, who are in Calabar for the Nigeria Medical Students Games, are yet to be found, charged security and rescue agencies as well as local villagers involved in the operations to find the missing students and reunite them with their families.

“As a government, our administration remains committed to protecting the sanctity of life and providing an enabling environment for business, tourism and peaceable living. Therefore, any untoward action that could derail our objective will not be tolerated,” Mr Otu said.

The governor commended personnel of the Nigerian Navy and local villagers who responded swiftly and rescued 11 of the 14 passengers on the boat.

The incident is the second fatal boat mishap reported in the country in less than two weeks.

Credit: premiumtimesng.com

Fintiri swears in adamawa State’s first female chief judge

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Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman’s swearing in, the governo

Governor Umaru Fintiri has sworn in Justice Hafsat Andulrahman as the first female chief judge in Adamawa State. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Government House in Yola on Monday.

Besides the chief judge, the governor also swore in two other judges – Justice Ibrahim Sudi as the Grand Khadi and Audu Balami as the President of the Customary Court of Appeal.

While speaking at the event, Governor Fintiri described the moment as a watershed in the state’s history.

“The Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, is a consummate judge who rose through the ranks with an unblemished record in her years of service and substantive judgements to her belt,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle.

“We are making history as a government by having the first female Chief Judge in the history of the State. Her emergence is, therefore, a watershed development in gender mainstreaming and a testament that the girl-child is at liberty to rise and become anything with merit, devoid of any man-made barriers in Adamawa State.

“To parents, I must say, if we are looking for a role model for our daughters, this is a perfect place to come to – merit, right, truth, hard work, dedication, fairness and justice.”

But he said the judiciary needs to save its image. He claimed that some citizens violate the law and ask the aggrieved person(s) to go to court because they (violators) can manipulate the course of justice.

The situation does not only rob the victims of justice but dents the image of the judiciary as the last hope of the common man, Fintiri added.

Credit: channelstv.com

Tinubu to arrive in Lagos Tuesday for Sallah

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Tinubu to arrive in Lagos

Barring any last minute change, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will return to the country on Tuesday, a day before the Sallah celebrations. A source close to the Presidency confirmed this to Channels Television on Sunday, saying the President would spend the Sallah holiday in Lagos, the nation’s commercial hub.

According to the source, an advance team has already been dispatched ahead of the President’s arrival.

On Friday, Tinubu concluded his official trip to Paris, during which he participated in the summit for ‘A New Global Financing Pact’ hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The President used the opportunity of the summit to hold high-profile sideline meetings with fellow heads of state and government, global business leaders, and chief executives of leading multilateral and development finance institutions from around the world.

He was initially scheduled to be back in Abuja Saturday, but proceeded to London, United Kingdom, for a short private visit.

The presidential media aide, Dele Alake, had announced in a statement on Saturday that Tinubu will be back in the country in time for the Eid-el-Kabir festival slated for Wednesday.

“Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to be back in Abuja on Saturday, will now proceed to London, United Kingdom, for a short private visit,” a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, read.

Channels Television had reported how Tinubu concluded his official trip to Paris, France, during which he had “an outstanding participation in the summit for ‘A New Global Financing Pact’ hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.”

Credit: channelstv.com

NDC can’t win Assin North election because of Nana Addo’s good work -Agya Koo

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NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Nana Addo and Agya Koo

Agya Koo has thrown his weight behind NPP to win the Assin North Constituency by-election in the Central Region. The election is coming off on 27th June 2023 following the Supreme Court’s ruling that declared the election of the former MP, James Gyakye Quayson, as unconstitutional.

The court held that his election was null and void because at the time he filed to contest, he owed allegiance to another country contrary to the laws of Ghana. According to Kumawood actor, Nana Addo’s good work will convince the constituents to vote for NPP’s candidate.

During an interview with AMBASSADOR TV, Agya Koo emphasized that the people of Assin North Constituency will vote massively for NPP due to development projects in the constituency by President Akuf-Addo and the NPP.

“Come to Assin North and witness asphalt roads, markets, schools and ongoing developmental projects by NPP and Nana Addo. The people of Assin North are ready to say thank you to NPP and Nana Addo with their votes” Agya Koo told Osei Kwadwo of AMBASSADOR TV.

The actor adds that “If NPP wins the Assin North seat, the constituency will witness more developmental projects because the Parliamentary candidate for NPP in Assin North will team up with the government to ensure more developmental projects in the constituency,” he concluded.

Credit: pulse.com.gh

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