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Bono East Minister assures Atebubu Traditional Council of more development

By
FRANCIS OWUSU-ANSAH
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The Bono East regional minster, Mr Adu Gan

The Bono East Regional Minister, Kwasi Adu-Gyan, has assured the Atebubu Traditional Council of his commitment to the development of the traditional area and the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality as a whole.

The Minister gave the assurance at a meeting with members of the Council as part of a one day tour of the Municipality, which also saw him inspect a number of development projects.

Welcoming the Minister, the acting President of the Council, Nana Kwabena Kyere III, thanked him for his support during the burial rites of the late Omanhene of Atebubu, Nana Owusu Akyeaw Brempong II.

He enumerated a number of issues facing the area, which included lack of potable water, poor health facilities and roads network, inadequate school buildings, the re-emergence of armed robberies, the Fulani herdsmen menace, and a stalled astro turf football pitch project.

In response Adu-Gyan said the cost intensive nature of the Atebubu water system had necessitated its transfer from the domain of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency to the Ghana Water Company Limited, adding that feasibility studies and relevant designs had been completed awaiting the signing of a contract between the Ministry of Finance and a Turkish company that would see to the execution of the job.

He said in spite of the economic recession being faced by the country currently, plans were far advanced to upgrade the Municipal Hospital, while a lot more of Atebubu town roads would soon see a face-lift.

On the re-emergence of armed robbery activities, the Minister assured the gathering that the Regional Security Council, which he heads, would reconsider the situation on the ground and take the most appropriate steps to address it.

He urged Nananom to desist from allocating their lands to Fulani herdsmen, a move that, in his estimation, was key to the reduction of the threat that these nomads posed to both lives and property in the area.

On the abandoned astro turf project, the Minister promised to contact the Middle Belt Development Authority under whose auspices the project was started to ensure its completion.

Present were the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Chief Executive, Edward Owusu, and the Queenmother of the Atebubu traditional area, Nana Afia Donyina II.

Poultry industry on the verge of collapse -Dormaa poultry farmers

By
FRANCIS OWUSU-ANSAH
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A poultry farmer attends to her birds

Poultry farmers in the Dormaa Municipality in the Bono Region are calling on the government to intervene in their business as the industry is on the brink of collapse.

According to the Chairman of the Poultry Farmers Association, Mr. Addae Kusi, most of the farmers were out of business as a result of the high cost of poultry feed.

“The business is on the verge of collapse. Most of the farmers cannot buy the feed. Prices of feed keep rising. It is not surprising that most of the farms are without birds in Dormaa. We can tell the future from now – that there will be a scarcity of poultry soon. ”

He continued that they run at a loss in the sale of by-products of poultry.

“Our only alternative is the sale of eggs which are sold at a loss. Crates of eggs now sell at GH¢30.00 to GH¢35.00, instead of GH¢40.00, yet we are unable to break even.”

Mr. Kusi Addae disclosed that most poultry businesses might fold up if something is not done. “If things do not change for the better, I will be forced to shut down my business and invest in treasury bills.”

Forex Bureaux join fight to arrest run-away dollar

By
MAXWELL OFORI
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BoG meeting with Forex Bureaux in session

The leadership of universal banks in the country and the Association of Forex Bureau Operators have agreed to work in close collaboration to stem the rapid depreciation of the Ghana Cedi. This comes on the heels of a high-profile meeting between the Bank of Ghana (BoG), leadership of universal banks, and Association of Forex Bureau Operators in Accra on Tuesday, October 24, 2022.

The meeting, the first of a series of engagements, brought together stakeholders within the foreign exchange market to deliberate on how to streamline, sanitise and provide clarity on the supply of forex in the country.

In his opening remarks, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Ernest Kwamina Yedu Addison, acknowledged that though the global economic meltdown, occasioned by the geo-political tension between Russia and Ukraine, had caused supply-demand imbalances in several commodity markets, high inflation, high-cost of living and high uncertainties in financial markets, the BoG was poised to work with the relevant stakeholders to stabilise the foreign exchange market and help contain the fall in value of the cedi.

“Available data indicate that we started the year 6 cedis to the dollar. It got to 7 and we stayed at 7 in June, 7.6 in July, 8 in August, 9.6 in September and now it is 12. 5. But we are here again with people sending messages that the dollar cedi rate is 15 cedis to a dollar.

“Clearly this type of movement does not deflect changes in the fundamentals. It is clear that the market is not functioning properly. We are seeing speculations taking over under very disorderly market conditions and it appears now the black market is rather driving exchange rates. This we cannot allow to continue,” he said.

Present at the meeting were Managing Directors (MDs) of Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), Fidelity Bank, Ecobank, Societe General, Absa, Stanbic, First National, Bank of Africa among others as well as heads of the Association of Forex Bureau Operators.

The leadership of the banks blamed the rapid depreciation of the cedi to a wide array of issues. Most prominently, they attributed it to the uncertainties surrounding the future of Ghanaian bonds. They said the ongoing discussions between government and the International Monitory Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion loan facility is increasing speculations over Ghana’s debt sustainability status.

Though the Bretton Woods Institution has maintained that any talk of debt restructuring is dependent on an ongoing Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA), investors according to the banks have begun cutting their losses and moving their investments into safe havens, a move that is contributing to the rapid depreciation of the local currency.

They called on the BoG to employ adequate mechanisms to regularize forex brokers in a way that will ensure their efficient supervision and prevent the sale of foreign currencies at exorbitant prices.

Dr. Addison assured the leadership that the BoG was taking steps to restore order in the forex market by making sure the interbank market took full control of the forex market to enforce regulations surrounding forex trading so as to streamline the supply of forex in the country.

Members of the Association of Forex Bureau Operators commended the Central Bank for its role in clamping down on illegal forex dealers also known as “Black Market” in a move to sanitize the sector and ensure licensed forex operators deal in exchange transactions.

This the Governor charged the association to be law compliance and cautioned them to desist from determining forex rates which has contributed to the speculation of rates thus creating unnecessary panic in the market.

North Tongu MP equips Tagadzi Polyclinic Surgical Theatre

By
INUSAH MUSAH
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Prof Naana Opoku Agyeman, Doe Adjaho, Samuel Ablakwa presenting medical equipment to a rep from a health facility

Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, has fully equipped a new surgical theatre block of St. Anne’s Polyclinic named after JEA Mills at Tagadzi in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region.

The theatre has two operating rooms – a major theatre and a minor theatre – two recovery wards, a doctors’ office, a nurses’ room, a neonatal ICU, a sterile store, washrooms, OPD and an autoclave room.

The front view of the JEA Mills Surgical Theatre

And among the medical equipment the MP supplied to the facility are Personal Protective Equipment, Pulse Oximeters, Defribillators, Ambu bags, arm and leg splints, ECG electrodes, anaesthesia circuits, gynae beds, ultrasound machine, spinal needles and syringes.

Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, at a gathering of traditional and religious leaders, medical staff and residents at the polyclinic at Tagadzi to present the items, said his office, in partnership with Supplies Overseas, a Kentucky-based NGO, spent over US$240,000 to fully equip and furnish the surgical theatre.

He said he needed to intervene with the equipment after a Spanish-based NGO, Manos Unidas, requested a commitment from the polyclinic to equip the theatre before agreeing to fund the construction of the 80,000 Euros surgical block.

“And so, as an MP, when the management of the polyclinic put this before me, I welcomed the challenge, and I am glad my partners in the USA came in to help us with more than enough of the items to equip the theatre,” he explained.

The theatre would provide immediate health care to the people of Juapong, Torgorme, Volo, Battor Torgodo, Fodzoku, Dorfor, Mepe Torgodo and other adjoining communities.

The MP thanked the traditional authorities for releasing land for the project, the Catholic Church for agreeing to name the facility after the late President John Evans Atta Mills, Manos Unidas for the funding of the facility, Supplies Overseas for providing the medical equipment, and his wife and 10-year-old daughter, who provided furnishing and paintings respectively for the facility.

The plaque of the John Evans Atta Mills Surgical Theater was unveiled by the 2020 running mate of the National Democratic Congress, Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman, the Catholic Bishop of Keta Akatsi, Bishop Gabriel Kumordzie, and a former Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho.

Other health facilities that benefited from the MP’s medical equipment included the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the Peki Government Hospital, the Battor Catholic Hospital, Ketu South Municipal Hospital, Adidome Hospital, Ho Teaching Hospital, Richard Novati Catholic Hospital, Komenda Hospital, Sogakofe District Hospital and about 10 other health centres.

Background

The Public Health Physician of the Keta Akatsi Catholic Diocese, Dr. Mamoduo Cham, explained that the National Catholic Health Service’s third policy objective was to improve the quality and access to health services, for which St Anne’s Polyclinic was birthed at Tagadzi in June 2015.

According to him, a profile of the North Tongu District by the Keta Akatsi Catholic Diocese, in 2017, identified unique health challenges concerning healthcare access. He stated that the district has been divided into two unequal parts by the Volta River: the southern part with a population of about 30,000 has the Battor Catholic Hospital serving the people, while the northern part, inhabited by about 70,000 people, did not have access to emergency medical care.

Given the lack of emergency services at the polyclinic, Dr. Cham said emergencies, including pregnant women, had to cross the river at night to Battor or be referred to Akosombo, the Peki Government Hospital, Akuse or Adidome for a safe Caesarian section.

He stated that without the intervention of Mr Ablakwa, the funds for the construction would not have been obtained because Manos Unidas asked for the commitment to equip the theatre before agreeing to fund the construction.He said while waiting for the completion of the theatre, another German NGO, 42 Africa, provided an ambulance to refer patients safely and the MP assisted the Polyclinic to get a tax waiver to import the vehicle.

Bring me the Affirmative Action Bill- Speaker tells Dame

By
AGNES ANSAH
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Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has directed the Minister for Justice and Attorney, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, to submit the Affirmative Action Bill in whatever form it is in to Parliament. According to the Speaker, the lack of legislation on Affirmative Action was taking the country back to pre-historic days.

He also said the country’s legislative arm was not admired due to its marginalisation of women. “I have written to the Minister for Justice and Attorney General to submit the bill to me in whatever state that bill is. This lack of legislation on affirmative action is taking the country back to pre-historic days.

“Our Parliament is not admired again, because of the marginalisation and the suffocation of women. We have to sit up,” he said.

He made the comments when he was welcoming Members of Parliament to the House after a three months recess. Mr. Bagbin was briefing the House on the business it would be transacting in the Third Meeting of the Second Session of the Eight Parliament.

He was specifically talking about the possible bills to be discussed, including the Affirmative Action Bill. Speaker Bagbin noted that that the mandate of passing laws in the country was that of Parliament and not the Executive.

He also said that whatever consultation the Executive was doing with regards to the bill, Parliament could also do it, and called for the document. “I am using this opportunity to let the Minister know that I urgently need a copy of the bill in whatever state it is in, because I am aware that Cabinet has approved [it] and we can work on it and improve on it,” Speaker Bagbin said.

The Affirmative Action is a temporary mechanism aimed at removing discrimination, improving the rights of marginalised groups, who have been historically disadvantaged. Ghana’s Affirmative Action Law seeks to remove the historical low representation of women in all decision-making spaces, while promoting democracy and development through effective participation of all citizens.

In addition, it seeks to promote women’s representation to a minimum of 40% in all policy making spaces. Aside the Affirmative Action Bill, Speaker Bagbin also noted that the Bill on the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Family Values would also be on the table for discussion.

Away from the issue of bills, Speaker Bagbin charged members to bring the knowledge they acquired during the many international travels they made during recess to attend conferences for the benefit of the House to enable it transact business that would inure to the benefit of their constituents.

Lupita Nyongo wears Ghanaian designer’s outfit to Wearable Art Gala

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Lupita Nyongo in Duaba Serwaa

Black Panther Actress, Lupita Nyongo, was seen in a Ghanaian Designer’s outfit at the just-ended Wearable Art Gala.

The actress along with her sister, Fiona, wore a signature origami textured outfit made by Ghanaian fashion design house,DuabaSerwaa.

The 39-year-old of Kenyan-Mexican descent is an award-winning actress with an Academy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards winner. She rose to fame through the movie ‘12 Years A Slave’ back in 2013.

Duaba Serwa, the Ghanaian womenswear powerhouse, was started by Nelly Hagan Deegbe in 2011. The fashion house is appreciated as a house with a “mixture of innovative intricate details, textures, structure and new types of volumes.”

Duaba Serwa caters primarily to high-achieving women between the ages of 30 and 50.

‘Mo Ne Yo’ took me years to write –Diana Hamilton

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Diana Hamilton

Gospel Musician, Diana Hamilton says it took her two years to record her hit single, ‘Mo Ne Yo’.

“‘Mo Ne Yo’ took me years to write. It took me about two years to write it.  I know when I started and when I went into the studio with it. It’s either I have the message or I don’t. And I don’t want to be in the studio without knowing what to do,” she told Andy Dosty.

Diana Hamilton explained that she can get the melody before she juxtaposes it with the lyrics – “but that could be daunting” she explained.

According to her, she is able to get inspiration for songs, but it takes time for her to record because she is a bit of a perfectionist.

In an interview on onHitz FM, Diana Hamilton explained that ‘Mo Ne Yo’ especially, took longer than she expected due to its arrangement and composition.

“I am struggling with one now. I don’t like that, I like to get the message first before the melody, and it makes sense. I worked with Kwame Yeboah, and he told me I have to tell a story and I have to tell it well to resonate with people. I always want the songs to be based on the word of God. It’s a long process,” she added.

Burna Boy praises Black Sherif’s debut album

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Burna Boy and Black Sherif

Nigerian musician Burna Boy says he is proud of Ghanaian artiste Black Sherif after the release of the latter’s debut album.

In a post on his Snapchat, Burna Boy shared the covert art of the ‘The Villain I Never Was’ album and advised his followers to give the album a listen writing; “Get that @blacksherif album now.”

Underneath the picture, he added “proud of lil bro.”

This is Burna Boy’s first reaction to his mentee’s debut album since it was released early in October.

On the album, Burna Boy is the only Artiste featured on the ‘Second Sermon remix,’ a song which was released months before the entire album.

The two Artistes began working together and developing a relationship when the Nigerian Afrobeat star was seen jamming to the original song in a viral video sometime in October 2021.

The two recorded the song which has grown to be one of Black Sherif’s biggest hits.

Burna Boy during one of his concerts in the UK brought Black Sherif on stage with him to perform.

Rishi Sunak: The super-rich and first person of color to lead Britain

By
admin
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OPINION

Just seven short weeks ago, it looked as if it might be all over for Rishi Sunak.

The former Chancellor of the Exchequer – the UK’s title for its chief finance minister – made a high-stakes gamble. He launched an attack that helped to end Boris Johnson’s premiership, put himself forward as his replacement, but ultimately lost to Liz Truss. Admitting defeat, he retreated to the parliamentary back benches.

But in a sign of just how unpredictable British politics has become, Sunak has returned triumphant from the political wilderness to replace Truss, whose premiership imploded last week. He will become the first person of color to be British prime minister – and at the age of 42, he is also the youngest person to take the office in more than 200 years.

He was the last person standing after his rivals – Johnson and the Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt – fell by the wayside.

Speaking after being declared the new Conservative leader, Sunak said he was “honored and humbled” to become the next prime minister.

“It is the greatest privilege of my life to be able to serve the party I love, and to be able to give back to the country i owe so much to,” Sunak said.

Sunak, whose parents came to the UK from East Africa in the 1960s, is of Indian descent. His father was a local doctor while his mother ran a pharmacy in southern England, something Sunak says gave him his desire to serve the public.

“British Indian is what I tick on the census, we have a category for it. I am thoroughly British, this is my home and my country, but my religious and cultural heritage is Indian, my wife is Indian. I am open about being a Hindu,” Sunak said in an interview with Business Standard in 2015.

He will be the first Hindu to become British prime minister, securing the position on Diwali, the festival of lights that marks one of the most important days of the Hindu calendar. Sunak himself made history in 2020 when he lit Diwali candles outside 11 Downing Street, the official residence of the UK chancellor.

He has faced challenges over his elite background, having studied at the exclusive Winchester College, Oxford and Stanford universities. He is known for his expensive taste in fashion and has worked for banks and hedge funds, including Goldman Sachs.

Sunak has also been scrutinized over the tax arrangements of his wife Akshata Murty, the daughter of an Indian billionaire.

Earlier this year, Sunak and Murty appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List of the UK’s 250 wealthiest people – the newspaper estimated their joint net worth at £730 million ($826 million).

Sunak’s election on Monday marks the pinnacle of what has been a speedy rise to power. He was first elected as an MP in 2015 and spent two years on the back benches before becoming a junior minister in Theresa May’s government.

Johnson gave Sunak his first major government role, appointing him as chief secretary to the Treasury in 2019 and promoting him to chancellor in 2020.

Sunak has experience of economic crisis-fighting, having guided the UK through the Covid-19 pandemic, and positioned himself as the “sound finance” candidate.

During the pandemic, Sunak put in place measures worth £400 billion ($452 billion) aimed at boosting the economy, including a generous furlough scheme, business loans and discounts on eating in restaurants. But that stimulus came at a huge cost and left the government scrambling to find savings.

Sunak was an early critic of Truss’ economic plan, which was panned by investors, the International Monetary Fund and credit ratings agencies. While he also advocated for lower taxes, he said tax could only be cut once inflation is brought under control, which could take several years.

His warning over the summer that Truss’ unfunded tax cuts could spark panic in the financial markets turned out to be true. The British pound crashed to a record low against the US dollar when Truss and her Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng unveiled their plan.

Sunak faces an enormous task. The UK is in the midst of a deep cost-of-living crisis and soaring inequality. Financial markets are still spooked after Truss’ disastrous economic policy missteps. The Conservative party, already unpopular after 12 years in power, has plunged itself into a state of utter chaos over the past four months and is now well behind the opposition Labour party in opinion polls. The only comfort for Sunak is that he doesn’t have to call an election until January 2025.

By Ivana Kottasová and Luke McGee

Source: edition.cnn.com

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

My appointments are merit-based, says Oyebanji

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admin
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Biodun Oyebanji

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, said on Monday that appointments of the Secretary to the State Government, Habibat Adubiaro, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata (SAN), were in fulfillment of his promise to have competent people in the cabinet.

Oyebanji, who said Adubiaro and Apata were appointed based on their rich credentials and experiences, restated his promise to get very competent Ekiti indigenes wherever they were to man strategic positions in his administration.

The governor, who spoke in Ado-Ekiti during the swearing-in of the two officials, debunked insinuations in some quarters that he was under pressure by the immediate past governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, his wife, Bisi Fayemi and former deputy governor to appoint their cronies into his cabinet.

He said, “While I recognise the right of people to freedom of expression, I also have the right to respond to the fake news being circulated on social media”.

Oyebanji, who said the CVs of the two appointees, showed clearly that they got the jobs on merit, said, “My promise to Ekiti people is that I am going to look for the best anywhere to help me run Ekiti and that is what we are going to do. We are not going to be distracted as long as we are doing what is right in the interest of our people.

“But I need to put it on record that neither the former governor nor his wife, nor the former deputy governor has put any pressure on me to appoint anybody. But if I have to go back to his former cabinet and appoint relevant people that can assist me, I will go and pick them.”

Oyebanji charged the SSG and AG to develop a robust policy engagement platform where policy stakeholders could learn, interact, engage, review and evaluate government plans and programme from time to time to achieve the overall objectives of his administration.

Responding on behalf of the two officials, Apata assured the governor that they would live a life of dedication, commitment, integrity, loyalty in discharging their responsibilities and as well key into the administration’s vision and mission and also add value to the progress of the state.

The new SSG, Adubiaro, who holds a doctorate degree in Chemistry, is former vice chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Federal University, Oye Ekiti Chapter; while Apata is a former Solicitor-General of the
Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.

Credit: punchng.com

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