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Desperate Cyclone Freddy survivors dig with bare hands to search for survivors in rubble

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Chilobwe, one of the hardest-hit areas, is a township near the city of Blantyre. Located below a hill, the township saw water gushing down from above on Sunday night.

Authorities say over 30 people from the area have died and dozens remain missing as search and rescue efforts continue.

People could be seen on Monday using shovels, even bare hands, to search for the people in the rubble.

Dorothy Wachepa, 39, was sleeping when she woke up to a deafening noise “resembling the sound of an airplane.”

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“It was around 12 and I heard the sound accompanied by shouting from people upland,” the mother of four told CNN.

What followed was a torrent of muddy water, accompanied by rocks and trees, sliding down the mountain. All her possessions were washed away.

“Everything is gone. I was doing a small-scale business selling vegetables because my husband died in 2014. I’ve been supporting the children from the little that I have,” she added.

Wachepa said she and her children were lucky to make it out of the house alive.

A total of nine people, including Wachepa’s neighbor and a number of local children, died in the cyclone-induced rains, she told CNN.

Wachepa is one of dozens of people seeking shelter at a local church. She has been left with only a sheet to cover herself and her children from the windy and cold nights.

“We’ve received some blankets and plastic sheets today, so hopefully tonight we will manage to sleep,” Wachepa said.

Source: cnn.com

Middle East round-up: Iran, Saudi Arabia and a changing region?

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Saudi Arabia and Iran announced the deal to restore relations in China

Things can change very quickly in the Middle East. Just days before Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to patch things up and restore diplomatic relations, there had been talk that it was actually Israel that was edging closer to Riyadh.

In fact, much of the friendlier relations, shall we say, between Israel and several Gulf countries can be tied to their mutually shared animosity towards Iran. And yet, seven years after Iran and Saudi Arabia had severed ties, here they were in the same room, announcing a deal to reopen embassies in their respective capitals within two months.

The consequences of this arrangement won’t just play out in Iran and Saudi Arabia, of course, but across an entire region riven by fault lines previously created by the rivalry between Tehran and Riyadh. Will their diplomatic coming together further ease the way for the rehabilitation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the eyes of other Arab leaders?

Will Lebanon, dominated by Hezbollah, now receive more Saudi investment? Will Saudi Arabia feel secure enough to disengage from the war in Yemen, where Iran has supported rebel forces? And will Iran’s own regional isolation, if not end entirely, then at least ease substantially?

The other interesting thing to note is where the announcement was made, namely China. Is this a further sign of a “changing global order”, as one analyst put it? China’s role in the Middle East and North Africa has often been seen as one focused on business, but with this agreement it appears as though China is trying to position itself as an alternative arbitrator to the United States.

Source: Aljazeera.com

Libya uranium: Tonnes gone missing, UN says

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the UN's nuclear watchdog

Two and a half tonnes of uranium have gone missing from a site in Libya, the UN’s nuclear watchdog has said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sounded the alarm after a visit by its inspectors to the undisclosed site earlier this week.

They found that 10 drums containing uranium ore had disappeared, the IAEA said.

Inspectors fear the uranium could pose a radiological risk, and also have concerns over nuclear security.

The IAEA said that the site where the uranium was stored was not in government-controlled territory.

In a statement, the organisation said it would conduct further activities “to clarify the circumstances of the removal of the nuclear material and its current location”.

It is unclear when the uranium went missing or who could have taken it.

It was removed from a very remote location in southern Libya, where there were “lots of ungoverned areas”, according to Scott Roecker from the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a global security organisation working on nuclear issues.

“If you’re removing this material from this location you must really want it,” he told the BBC’s Newsday programme, adding that the quantity that appears to have been taken is “approximately one tenth of the amount of material” stored at the facility “so you would absolutely see it missing”.

The IAEA told the BBC it was working to clarify what happened, how the nuclear material was removed and where it was now.

Source: bbc.com

  IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST I GLORY   

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Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee, Executive Director, Salt and Light Ministries

                                            

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the word – Galatians 6:14 NIV.

Introduction                                                                                                                                                                      

In our day the cross has become a piece of jewellery.  It is something attractive that people identify with.  A polite person would not even mention the cross in public.  It would be like our talking about the gallows or the gas chamber or the electric chair.  Nailing someone to a cross was the worst form of execution in Paul’s day.

But Paul glorified in the cross, and no doubt that was one of the secrets of the effectiveness of his life and ministry.  What are you glorifying in today?  The test of a person’s spiritual life is how he responds to the cross of Jesus Christ.  We have lost the true meaning of the cross.  In many parts of the world, it is easy to become a Christian.  You simply raise your hand or walk down an aisle.

Nothing is wrong with doing this if it signifies a genuine commitment to Christ.  But too often people want the blessings and benefits of Christianity without any dedication to Christ.  Those of us who know little or nothing about persecution for Christ’s sake have often made the cross something cheap.  We haven’t paid the price early believers did for their faith.  In Paul’s day if you identified yourself with the cross, you knew you should be prepared for rejection, suffering and even death!

Do You Know the Person of the Cross?

We need to examine the true meaning of the cross.  We should ask ourselves three very important questions to discover our relationship to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The first question is Do I Know the Person of the cross?  The cross itself would be meaningless apart from Jesus Christ.

It was just a piece of wood; what Christ accomplished on the cross changed that wood into a symbol and gave it meaning for us.   Only the death of Jesus Christ has affected the world.  Christ, the carpenter, transformed the cross, which was a symbol of suffering, death and defeat, into a symbol of glory and victory.

When you consider who Christ is, it should stir your heart.  Paul said, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” – Gala. 6:14, that means He is God.  Back in Paul’s day people would say, “Caesar is Lord, but the Christians say, “Jesus is Lord.” But only Christ has rightful claim to the name Lord.”  This name focuses on Christ’s authority.  Since He is God, this means God died on a cross for us.  No human being could have died in our place.

Second, He is called: Jesus, which means Saviour.  The angel told Joseph before Christ’s birth, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people form their sins” – Matt. 1:21.  Jesus is the Geek equivalent of the Hebrew name “Joshua,” which means “Jehovah is salvation.”  This name focuses on Christ’s humanity – that God became man in order to die for our sins. Third, He is the Christ.  This name is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “Messiah”, which means “anointed one.”

In the Old Testament, prophets, priest and kings were anointed, and Jesus Christ is our prophet, priest and king.  He is our prophet because He is the Word of God – God’s last word to mankind.  He is our priest because He is interceding for us in heaven.  He is also reigning on the throne, which makes Him our king.  One day He will return to this earth and reign supremely.

In order for the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Saviour, He had to die.  Peter did not understand that.  When Christ first revealed to His disciples that He was going to die, Peter took Him aside and reprimanded him. “Pity yourself, Lord,” he said, “this shall not happen to Him – deliberately, voluntarily and providentially.  The death of Christ on the cross was not an accident; it was an appointment.  The Father had appointed the Son to die on the cross, and the Son willingly gave His life.

Many people say wonderful things about the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet when asked about His crucifixion, they don’t want to hear about it neither about the blood or the cross in their hymnal.  Why?  They have rejected the cross.  Yet throughout the Word of God we see great emphasis on the death of Jesus Christ.  The entire sacrificial system of Old Testament times pointed to the death of Christ.

In Genesis 22:7 Isaac asked his father, Abraham where the lamb for the sacrifice was.  Abraham replied, “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering – vs 8.  Hundreds of years later, John the Baptist affirmed, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world – John 1:29.

You will notice that in Galatians 6:14 doesn’t say the Lord Jesus Christ; it say’s our Lord Jesus Christ.  We need to make our relationship to Christ personal.  Can you say, “He is my Lord Jesus Christ”?  Can you say with Mary, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour? – Luke 1:46, 47.  Do you know the Person of the cross?  If you do, you will glory in the cross.

TO PONDER:

On this 21st day of Lent let’s focus on Isaiah 53:5 which states that “He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed”.

In what areas of your life have you experienced healing from Jesus? How does that experience qualify you to minister to others with similar needs?

Let’s find ways in which we can encourage others with Psalm 103:1-5: Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Remain Blessed!

Please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays 5.30 am., Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays 5:30 am; and YFM 107.9 – Sundays 6.30am; for our Radio Bible Study as well as Sunny FM 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm. for Hymns and their Stories.

 

Feature: Col. Festus Aboagye (Rtd) and Matters Arising from Ashaiman

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Feature

He sounded very authoritative on the subject matter of why what happened in Ashaiman happened – the killing of Trooper Imoro in cold blood by civilians, and the invasion of Ashaiman by some personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces.

Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd), a security analyst, when speaking to Citi TV came out with strong words attributing the invasion to misdeeds by those in political office under this current administration, which is misapplying mandates. He said: “When the state misapplies the GAF for that matter, the military and other security institutions, it is only a matter of time before those institutions will misapply their mandate, and that is what we saw in Ashaiman.”

He cited using soldiers for the voters’ registration exercise, for voting at polling station, Ayawaso to be specific, soldiers escorting the Electoral Commissioner and deploying the military to Parliament during the election of a new Speaker. He forgot to tell us that during the 1992, 1996 and 2000 General Elections, Rawlings mandated that troops were positioned in almost all polling stations.

Well, I am not a security expert, but I do not see how misapplication of mandates resulted in what happened in Ashaiman. After the killing of Imoro, the military heard this disturbing and sad news and adopted their Abantu Convention, Touch-One-Touch-All and did what all Ghanaians know they are capable of doing under such circumstance.

Looking at the examples, Col Aboagye (Rtd) gave as misapplication of mandate, nothing specifically points out to them in Constitutional provisions he made references to.

Art. 210 for example talks about the Armed Forces of Ghana and its various services. Specifying that there shall be no other armed force, except by Act of Parliament. Art. 210 (3), which talks about the mandate of the Ghana Armed Forces, has this to say: The Armed Forces shall be equipped and maintained to perform their role of defense of Ghana as well as such other functions for the development of Ghana as the President may determine.

Art. 211 talks about the establishing of an Armed Forces Council; Art. 212 talks about the appointments of the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs, appointment of other officers who shall be giving such command and granting of commissions to officers. All these shall be vested in the President; Art. 213, talks about the mandate of the Chief of Defence Staff; Art. 214, generally talks about the welfare and maintenance of the Ghana Armed Forces and Art. 215 talks about delegation of functions by the Armed Forces Council.

Now, going back to Art. 210 (3), the Constitution in Art. 57 (1) states clearly that… There shall be a President of the Republic of Ghana who shall be the Head of State and Head of Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ghana.

What does it mean to be Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces?  In simple English,this means that the President can deploy the Ghana Armed Forces to undertake any mission for the defence of the territorial integrity of the country or for other purposes he deems fit. And in all this, he would have to first consult the Armed Forces Councilfor advice or accept its recommendation.

So, Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd), should not pretend that he does not know that, deploying soldiers to voters’ registration centers, polling stations during voting, escorting the Electoral Commissioner and lately guarding bullion vans, could be the decision of the president upon advice of the Armed Forces, to maintain law and order and stop any escalation of violence or acts of violence.

Many people are condemning the military invasion of Ashiaman, particularly because the soldiers attacked the innocent ones as well. I, for one will not want to blame the military, too much here, even as I think, their intelligence network should have been able to zoom in, into the criminals’ den and dealt with them appropriately. We all know that the military code of conduct demands discipline within the Armed Forces and all its members at all timesand this good behaviour and conduct, extend beyond camp and barracks into town and among civilians.

This is one important mandate of the Ghana Armed Forces and it is by this discipline conduct that among the security services, the Armed Forces are the most respected, revered and feared.

Having said this, Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd), should be the first person to admit that sometimes the military oversteps their mandate and enter into civilian space and create havoc. Three of such instances were attacks on the police by the military, when all the police did was to carry out their mandate of instilling law and order in society.

On March 31, 2000, while the police in Osu police station were investigation an accident case, two soldier, Fiatekpe and Deku, from 48 Engineer Regiment walked in, with one claiming he was the caretaker of the taxi involved in the accident. Not satisfied with the police explanation that the case was under investigation, the two, got enraged and, in the process, brutally assaulted one Corporal Mary Damoah who sustained serious injuries. They were subsequently detained.

Not too long after, some fifteen or so soldiers in uniform invaded the police station and rained hell on everyone, beating up police and civilians alike.

Then on Sunday December 18, 2021, one Kofi Frimpong, a UK based Ghanaian who was said to be serving in the British army was arrested in Takoradi for dangerous driving. Some military personnel invaded the Kwesimintsim Police Station and vandalised the place in attempts to release their colleague.

And on Friday October 29, 2021, a non-uniformed soldier, Staff Sergeant Jamal was riding an unlicensed motor in Suame, Kumasi and refused to stop when ordered to, by the police. He was arrested. This resulted in six military officers invading the police station and assaulted the police officer at post.

Could Col. Festus Aboagye (Rtd) want to tell us that the mandate of the Ghana Armed Forces states that all its personnel are above the law?

Why was he speaking like an NDC communicator by solely blaming this current civilian administration for acts that were never sanctioned by the President and the Armed Forces Council?

If anything at all, the military in Ghana has thrice invaded the mandate of civilians by overthrowing constitutional regimes. Is Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd), saying that some top political figures in the governments of Convention People’s Party (CPP), Progress Party (PP) and People’s National Party (PNP) sanctioned the coups? For if he can attempt to justify the current happenings i.e., deployment of soldiers at voters’ registration centers and polling stations, to a political authority within the corridors of power, then it means a political authority within government must have sanctioned the coups.

In the mid-seventies, Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd) was an officer in the 2nd Infantry Battalion in Takoradi. What did he do to prevent the June 4 coup which was not necessary because the country was preparing for return to civilian rule? In fact, why did he allow the December 31, 1981 coup, which toppled a civilian administration to take place?

All the coups truncated democracy. If February 24, 1966 coup had not taken place, Nkrumah’s gross economic mismanagement from 1961 after he removed K.A. Gbedemah from the finance ministry, would have caught up with him and a popular revolution by the people, as predicted by Gbedemah would have taken place. This take-over would have been by the people, with no bloodshed.

Busia’s government was toppled on January 13, 1971 by the military and democracy was set aside for eight years. Then December 31, 1981, the military struck back and worsen our economic situation for eleven years, after which the military dictator, Jerry Rawlings put on civilian wear to rule constitutionally for another eight years, dragging Ghana in the privilege international community of Highly Indebted Poor Countries.

What did Col Festus Aboagye do to make sure that the military never over stepped its mandate? And here he is trying to convince himself that killing of soldiers by civilians and invasion of civilians’ privacy by soldiers was the result of politicians.

And did we hear the retired colonel saying that the Western Togoland affair was all a hoax and a ploy by the government to deploy the military into the Volta region? I do not want to convince myself that Uncle Festus is on a political agenda to whip up support for a certain party.

In case he is refusing to remember, this Western Togoland matter started in 1956 when the Wedome section of Trans Volta Togoland felt cheated after the results of the Plebiscite did not go their way. They vowed to resist joining Ghana and just before, during and after March 6, 1957 a section of the people there, started acts of terrorism. And if in these times an old man who was a young man in 1956, could gather people to form a group and declare independence, a seasoned security expert is saying this is a hoax.

In conclusion, I want to state my view on this matter. The military are there to protect us and so it will be wrong to start killing them, even as it is wrong to kill anybody. Civilians must know that the Abantu Convention, unofficially and traditionally instilled in military personnel will not allow civilians who kill members of the Armed Forces to go scot free. We are lucky the military did not strike and attack Dunkwa Obuasi when Major Mahama was killed, there.

Also in that vein, the military must maintain that spirit of discipline which makes them stand out when dealing with civilians.

As for people like Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd), I will plead that they use their expertise to bring out very good suggestions that will achieve good results for society, as a whole and stop being unnecessarily partisan.

Hon. Daniel Dugan

Weekend European Leagues Fixtures & Previews

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Dede Ayew, Nottingham Forest

Newcastle tackle Nottingham Forest as they chase top-4 spot

Seeking to boost their chances of securing Champions League football for next season, Newcastle United travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Friday night.

While the Tricky Trees have not lost a league game on home soil since October, the Magpies are still searching for their first top-flight away victory in 2023.

Following a run of just one win in their last seven Premier League matches, Nottingham Forest find themselves embroiled in one of the most hotly-contested relegation battles in years, with just five points separating the bottom nine teams in the table.

Forest remain 14th in the current standings but after five of the six teams below them picked up points last weekend, fears of an immediate return to the Championship are beginning to creep in as the Tricky Trees are now sitting just two points above the relegation zone.

Indeed, 77% of their Premier League points have been picked up at home this season – the highest percentage in the division – and having beaten Newcastle in their last two home meetings, the Tricky Trees will be confident of returning to winning ways as they bid to steer themselves clear of the drop zone.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Athletic Bilbao host relegation-threatened Real Valladolid

Nnaki Williams, Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao will be looking to halt a five-game winless run in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign away to relegation-threatened on Friday night.

The visitors will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 home defeat to Barcelona, while Real Valladolid shared the points with bottom-of-the-table Elche last time out.

Real Valladolid are currently 14th in the table, but they are only two points ahead of the relegation zone at this stage, and it would be a surprise if they were not involved in a battle towards the bottom of the division for the remainder of the season.

Real Valladolid will certainly have gained encouragement from their 2-1 home success over Espanyol at the start of March.

Athletic on the other hand will be looking to do a league double over Real Valladolid, as

the Basque outfit have only lost one of their last five top-flight fixtures with Friday’s opponents, but will not enter this match in the best form, having failed to win any of their last five games in all competitions.

Athletic’s recent form has been disappointing, so it is difficult to back them to win, and Real Valladolid certainly have enough about them to claim a share of the spoils in this match.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Barcelona welcome Real Madrid in El-Classico

El-Classico on sunday

A game doused in Spanish royalty of two teams who may not dominate international headlines like they once did, are still happy to engage and dance under the spotlight of the football Gods!

Barcelona continues to lead the chasing La Liga pack, their domestic form has been nothing short of brilliant when you consider last season and the uncertainty (around the club) off the pitch.

They have lost just once from their previous 16 domestic Spanish fixtures and when you consider that they haven’t been scoring freely by any stretch of the imagination – it’s a commendable defensive effort.

This is the sort of game they will want to win more than most though, a double over their fiercest rivals in as little as a fortnight (with one more to come in the Copa del Rey) is the sort of narrative this team needs.

The narrative around Real Madrid now seems to take their domestic performances for granted, almost to the point where they are only seen to be competing in Europe. However, Los Blancos will know that this is the sort of game where a win – or indeed a positive display – has every possibility of translating into a confidence-inducing and awe-inspiring run of form.

Credit; blog.hollywoodbets.net

 

Inter, Juventus battle for Champions League place

Inter Milan players

This weekend’s Serie A game between Inter and Juventus is key in the battle for Champions League place as Juventus are still looking to make up ground on the top four, with Inter currently second in the table. This clash wraps up the Serie A ahead of the international break and it could end being a key indicator of how the top four race might finish this season.

Juventus are still battling to recover from their 15-point deduction earlier this year. But they are still in the running for a Champions League spot if they can end the campaign strongly.

Ahead of this game, Max Allegri’s Juventus are the team in better form, with the visitors winning five of their last six league matches, compared to Inter’s return of three victories in their last six Serie A outings.

However, despite their issues domestically, Inter have been boosted by sealing a place in the Champions League quarterfinals this season, after squeezing past Porto and they will be expecting to get at least a point at the San Siro.

Credit: football-italia.net

Mahamas’s AG Rejects Akufo-Addo’s Award

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MAXWELL OFORI
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The decision by the revered Attorney-General and Minister for Justice under the erstwhile John Mahama’s administration, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, to reject a national honour for her sacrifice to the nation has sparked controversy.

Marietta and Fui Tsikata, who unconfirmed report says rejected the award as well, had been nominated by the state for a national honor, together with others for helping the country to secure its western border and oil deposits at the International Tribunal for the Law of Sea (ITLOS).

The two legal practitioners led the process to institute the action at ITLOS, during the presidency of John Dramani Mahama.

Following the tremendous exhibition of legal prowess at the hearing of the case in Germany, the tribunal ruled in favour of Ghana, rejecting almost all the reliefs sought by her neighbor, Cote d’Ivoire.

Though the victory occurred in 2017, the government held an event on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 to show the appreciation of Ghanaians to the team, but Madam Marietta Brew Oppong neither showed up, nor sent a representation.

According to sources, though the Planning Committee named her, among others for the honors, she wrote to the committee to reject it. But for Lawyer Fui Tsikata, sibling of popular Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata, this paper is not privy to the reasons he cited for allegedly rejecting the award.

MARIETTA’S REASON

According to information available to The Chronicle, the committee received a letter from Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, which indicated why she rejected the national honor.

The Chronicle has been informed that the astute lawyer claimed the awardees were not a true reflection of the legal team that secured the victory.

This information was not utterly different from what had been making rounds in political circles, including from members of the opposition that she tabled some  demands, but the committee could not meet it, hence the rejection.

The Chronicle also noticed that others like Gloria Akuffo, who was the Attorney General during the day of the ruling, as well as Lawyer Anthony Akoto-Ampaw, were also not present at the event, but had representatives who received the awards for them.

AWARDEES

The awardees in the category of the Order of Volta – Companion; ITLOS Main Legal Team are;

Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, Mr. Joe Ghartey, Miss Gloria Afua Akuffo, Mr. H. Kwasi Prempeh, Mrs Helen Awo Ziwu, Miss Jane Aheto, Miss Pearl Akiwumi-Siriboe, Mr Godwin Djokoto, Miss Vivienne Gadzekpo, Mrs Sylvia Adusu, Prof. Dominic Pobi and Mrs Lawrence Apaatse.

Meanwhile, a section of Ghanaians who shared their opinions on the rejection, described it as unfortunate, while others commended her act.

REOCCURRENCE

It would be recalled that the political party which Marietta belongs to, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in 2008 issued a statement which urged all party officials to “decline the awards, even as they may have individually acknowledged their nominations. At the time former President Kufuor was set to honor some Ghanaians.”

The statement, signed by the then General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the NDC claimed the decision was not meant to offend the State of Ghana, or the Presidency, but said accepting the award would not have been different from condoning “hypocrisy and deception” of the then government.

According to the statement signed by General Mosquito, who is the current national chairman of NDC, the list of award winners revealed a “cynical ploy” to confer State honors on then President Kufuor and his cabinet.

Meanwhile, it is not clear whether the decision given to the committee, as picked up by this paper, truly represents the reason for her rejection, or as referenced above, it was to exempt themselves because it was not an NDC government that conferred the honors.

Editorial: Re-introduction of the road tolls will serve our own interest 

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Editorial

The Daily Graphic reported yesterday that the government was taking steps to reintroduce road and bridge tolls to shore up domestic revenue. According to the state-owned newspaper, the reintroduction will also come with an upward adjustment in the tolls by an average of 88.5 per cent, including outliers of 400 per cent, the highest percentage increase, and 33.33 per cent, the lowest increment.

The paper further reported that the Ministry of Finance had made a proposal on the new rates to include in a new Legislative Instrument (LI) to amend the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022, (Act 1080).

Under the amended law, cars previously paying 50Gp must pay GH¢1:00, whilst pick-ups, light duty trucks and mammy wagons will pay GH¢1.50, up from the previous GH¢1.

Heavy duty buses and light goods trucks will now move away from paying GH¢1.50 to GH¢2, while medium goods trucks (three axles) and heavy duty goods trucks (four axles) will now pay GH¢3, up from the GH¢2 they were paying before the collection of tolls on major highways and bridges was abolished.

Other proposed increments are, heavy goods trucks which have five axles or more will now pay GH¢3.50, up from GH¢2.50, whilst motorbikes will now pay 50Gp, up from 10Gp, with agricultural tractors, with or without trailers, paying GH¢1, up from 50Gp.

The Chronicle is happy that at long last the ministries of Finance and Roads and Highways have seen the wisdom in re-introducing the road toll. The toll, before its abolishment, was reportedly raking in GH¢78 million a year, but because of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) the government was about to introduce, an ill-informed decision was taken to abolish it.

Now that the government has failed to rake in the anticipated revenue from the E-Levy, it has decided to bring back the road toll. In our view, if the government had listened to constructive criticisms about the abolishment of the road toll, it would have avoided the current situation where it has to do another public education for the acceptance of the new tax.

Nevertheless, we fully support the re-introduction of the tax, because all over the world roads and bridges are tolled to raise revenue to maintain them. As a Third World country, where our expenditures far exceed the total revenue we collect in a given year, this is the best way to raise money to maintain the roads, and also construct new ones.

Even with the current proposed rate, it will still not be enough to maintain all our roads. As we indicated earlier, the old toll was fetching us roughly GH¢78 million a year. With the new rate, we are likely going to collect GH¢150 million annually.

According to the Ministry of Roads and Highways’ own figures released in 2021, “Surface dressed road cost $300,000 – $900,000 per kilometre (depending on the number of seals and base material). Asphalt overlay costs $200,000 – $250,000 per kilometre.  Interchanges cost                        $10,000,000 – $55,000,000 per kilometre, and reconstruction asphalt costs $1,200,000 -$1,400,000.

Looking at the current cedi-dollar volatility, the above figures might have already hit the roof. One can, therefore, imagine what a ‘mere’ GH¢150 million, which is expected to be generated from the new road tolls, can do for us when it comes to road construction.

The best thing to do in order to raise more funds from road tolls is to introduce a flat rate for all cars registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) as road toll. Unfortunately, the law does not allow that, because road tolls are usable taxes and a vehicle that does not use a tolled road cannot be forced to pay the tax.

The Chronicle is, therefore, proposing to the proponents of the new Legislative Instrument (LI) to amend the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022, (Act 1080), to include the right to collect road tolls from all cars or vehicles, whether they use the tolled roads or not. This way, enough money will be raised to tackle, head on, the numerous challenges confronting the roads sector.

We shall return to this subject.

Accra Commando, KON others honoured for fighting Covid-19

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MAXWELL OFORI
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Mr Henrry Quartey receiving his award from President Akufo-Addo
Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah being decorated with his award

Thousands of individuals and organizations, including the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey (alias Accra Commando), the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Director General of the Ghana Health Services, Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye have been honored by the State for their excellence, creativity, innovation and hard work.

These individuals and organisations were nominated by the State for various rewards for the sacrifices they made to help the state fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Out of the over 20,000 that were honoured, 19,557 were frontline health workers across the country.

However, a few were made to receive their honors at the Accra International Conference Centre, whilst the majority would be honored at their various districts.

Other awardees were manufacturers of hand sanitisers and personal protective equipment, donors to COVID-19 national trust fund (GH₡1 million and above), the COVID-19 national taskforce and international partners.

Nominees for the COVID-19 National Taskforce were Dr. Anarfi Asamoa-Baah, Dr. Nsiah-Asare, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe,     Dr. Kwame Amponsah-Achiano, Dr. Badu Sarkodie and Prof. William Ampofo.

The rest were; Mrs. Delese Mimi Darko, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, Prof. Yaw Adu-Gyamfi,                Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Mr. Henry Quartey, Dr. Benard Okoe-Boye, Miss Emma Lilian Bruce-Lyle, Mr. Joshua Yaw Kyeremeh and Miss Elizabeth Akua Ohene.

Nominees for the Trustees of the COVID-19 private sector fund were; Mr. Anthony Oteng-Gyasi, Mr. Edward Effah, Mr. Senyo Kwasi Hosi, Mr. Kwaku Bediako, Mr. Daniel Nii Kwei-Kumah Sackey and Mr. John Eric K. Taylor among others.

The inventor of the famous Veronica Bucket, Mrs. Veronica Bekoe, was also awarded, as well as media personality, Umaru Sanda.

NATIONAL HONORS

Whereas some awardees received certificate and plaques, others were honored with the Order of the Volta – Companion, made up of a medal and a sash.

The insignia consists of a medal which is a seven-pointed star 45 mm in diameter suspended on a ring and worn with a ribbon collar, together with a sash, a pendant and a rosette.

GRAND MEDAL

Some received the grand medals, which is an overall medal in silver with a size of 38mm high, 33mm wide, a ribbon of 32 mm wide, a blue background, a 3mm black and 3mm white stripe in the centre and 3mm red at the ends.

CEREMONY

The atmosphere at the Accra International Conference Centre, the venue where the ceremony was held, was very joyous as families and friends of the awardees cheered them up.

The enthusiasm with which guests carried themselves throughout the over three hours event gave a true meaning to the brain behind the event.

Amongst the guests were the Vice President, Dr. Mahammudu Bawumia, the Chief of Staff, Madam Fremah Osei Opare, the Inspector General of Police, Dr Akuffo Dampare, the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, as well as the National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party and the General Secretary.

The music from the ever-green Winneba Youth Choir refreshed the moods of the guest, interspersed with tunes from the Ghana Police Central Band.

NATIONAL EVENT 

The President, in an address, which preceded the presentation of the awards, said the honors were purely a national event, devoid of partisan, ethnic or religious considerations.

He stated that it was organised solely for the recipients whose work and contribution had benefited the country.

The president recounted the difficult times and the comprehensive strategy the government adopted to secure the priority, health and safety of the Ghanaian.

He said the country was in serious times when “we were restrained from shaking hands with one another, keep a distance from one another and put up with the discomfort anytime we left our homes”.

Stating why the awardees needed to be honored, President Akufo-Addo spoke about the necessary three-week lockdown and the need to support small and individual businesses, shutting down and opening some schools at various intervals, the procurement of PPE and relief for health workers in the form of tax waivers, allowances and COVID insurance.

CIMG amplifies and champions the need for rights of consumers

By
JENNIFER AMBOLLEY
-
0
Dignitaries present at the event

The National President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana, Mr. Kasser Tee, yesterday emphasised on the importance of amplifying and championing the need for the rights of consumers.

He made this known in his address during the World Consumer Rights Day under the theme, “Empowering Consumers Through Clean Energy Transitions”, in Accra.

Mr. Kasser Tee disclosed that consumers must understand that they had the right to be heard and the right to redress.

“We must proceed from here to recognise that consumers have certain fundamental rights, including the right to safety; the right to be informed; the right to choose; the right to be heard; the right for a pollution-free environment, etc,” he said.

Moreso, he added that when consumers were satisfied with an organisation’s products or services, there would be fewer complaints, and consequently, decreased lawsuits.

As a marketing professional body, which is mandated under section 3 of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana Act 2020 (Act 1021), Dr. Kasser Tee said there was the need to amplify the importance of consumer rights, and the need for continuous discussions in order to make positive impacts in the lives of consumers in Ghana.

He noted that consumer rights issues must always be addressed and as such it is time for enacting legislation to protect consumer rights in Ghana.

He promised that his outfit would continue to lead the conversation, and continue to amplify and champion the rights of consumers.

Mr. Tee urged all organisations, including civil and public service entities and central government, to acknowledge and respect these rights unconditionally.

A Chartered Marketer and Lawyer, Rev. Manford Gyansa-Lutterodt, who also graced the occasion, emphasised on the legal implications of curtailing the right of the consumer, and also addressed the fact that consumers also had rights.

“Once there is a contract of sale between a seller and a buyer, then it creates some rights, duties, obligations for the parties. This in the long run creates some legal relationship between them.”

He further added that there was the need for the corner shop trader and the market woman/man as well utility service providers, and government and private agencies to respect these rights.

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