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Court denies Aisha Huang bail again

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Aisha Huang

Captain (rtd) Nkrabea Effah-Dartey made an emergency landing yesterday, after he was halted by an Accra High Court, from proceeding on an oral bail application for En Huang, aka Aisha Huang, a Chinese national at the centre of ‘galamsey’ controversy.

The Criminal Division ‘5’ of the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, halted the legal practitioner and former military officer, just when he was about arguing on the bail application.

The court told Mr Effah-Dartey that its position on the bail has not changed, thereby refusing Aisha Huang bail for the second time.

In respect of Aisha’s trial, the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, informed the court that eight prosecution witnesses would be presented.  

The A-G has pressed four criminal charges against the ‘galamsey queen’ and if found culpable, she could spend a maximum of 20 years in prison or fined up to 30,000 penalty units, an equivalent of GH¢360,000.

She is charged with facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, contrary to section 99 (2)(a) & (3) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, Act 703, as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019, Act 995, as well as illegal employment of foreign nationals, contrary to section 24 of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573

En Huang has, nonetheless, pleaded innocent to all four criminal charges, including entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry and undertaking a mining operation without a license, levelled against her.

The court adjourned the case to October 24 for continuation.  

Brief facts

On May 5, 2017 at about 12:00 pm, officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Obuasi Municipal Command, arrested four male Chinese nationals, namely Gao Jin Cheng, Lu Qi Jun, Haibin Gao and Zhang Ziupeng, who were actively engaged in an illegal mining site at Bepotenten in the AmansieCentral District of the Ashanti Region.

Upon their arrest, the four Chinese nationals told the arresting officers that they were sent to mine at the site by Aisha Huang and that their passports were with her in Kumasi.

The arresting officers sent the four persons, first to the Obuasioffice of the GIS and subsequently to the Kumasi office.

Aisha Huang, upon receiving the information about the arrest of her alleged Chinese employees, proceeded to the Regional Immigration office in Kumasi, even before the arresting officers reached the Ashanti Regional capital.

After a while, Aisha left, upon realising that the suspects were yet to be brought to the GIS Kumasi office, but was later called back to report with the alleged miners’ passports.

With great difficulty, En Huang eventually produced the passports of only Haibin Gao and Zhang Zhupeng.

The visas of these two arrested persons showed that they came to Ghana on B-1 visas (business visas), which did not qualify them to be engaged in any type of work in the country.

They were, however, engaged by En Huang to undertake mining operations without the requisite licences at Bepotenten.

Investigations disclosed that En Huang took possession of several farmlands for mining, and eventually destroyed crops, sources of drinking water, and access routes to these farms, as well as the livelihoods depending on these for survival.

Madam Arthur said Aisha was earlier arraigned before the Accra High Court on related charges of illegally undertaking a small-scale mining operation contrary to section 99 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, Act 703, and illegal employment of foreign nationals contrary to sections 24 and 52 (1) (d) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573.

However, she said, on December 19, 2018, the Attorney-General entered nolle prosequi and terminated the trial, and on the same day, the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service revoked her permit to remain in the country indefinitely, ordered her immediate repatriation to China, and directed her to stay out of Ghana until the Comptroller-General approved of her future re-entry into Ghana.

Furthermore, Aisha was put on an Ethiopian Airline flight No Et920, which took off at about 12:50 pm on December 17, 2018, to Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, en route to Guangzhou, China.

The court was told that her flight seat No 32 F (Economy Class) and her travel documents were handed over to the Captain of the flight to be handed over to her upon arrival at her final destination, Guangzhou, China.

But contrary to the directive issued by the Comptroller-General under section 20 (2) in the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573, State Security agents received the information that she had re-entered Ghana and was subsequently arrested on September 2, 2022 in Kumasi.

The court was further informed that this re-entry was in total defiance of the clear order of the Comptroller-General of 19 December, 2018.

Upon her arrest, En Huang had in her possession two Chinese passports, one in the name of En Huang and the other in the name of Huan Ruixia, both of which had her photographs.

 

 

Jomoro MP Grilled Over Renunciation Claim

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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Dorcas Affo-Toffey, MP for Jomoro

The Petitioner in the Jomoro constituency election petition challenging the eligibility of Dorcas Toffey, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area to contest the 2020 parliamentary election, has concluded his cross examination of the 1st respondent(Dorcas Toffey).

The petition, filed by one Joshua Kwofie, has Dorcas Toffey as 1st respondent and the Electoral Commission (EC) as 2nd respondent.
In more than an hour of questioning, Michael Ochere-Adjekum, Counsel for the petitioner, rounded up his cross examination by putting it to the 1st respondent that she did not qualify to contest the 2020 parliamentary election for the Jomoro constituency.

Dorcas Affo-Toffey, MP for Jomoro

The court, presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere, has adjourned the case to October 24, 2022 to allow the embattled MP to call her witness from Ivory Coast to testify.

The said witness was supposed to be in court yesterday, but Counsel for the MP, Godwin Edudzi Tamekloe informed the court that the witness could not make it.

Below is what transpired in court;
Question (Q): By a letter dated 24th January 2021, you informed the Attorney General, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) of Ivory Coast that you were renouncing your Ivorien nationality. Is that true?

Answer (A): Yes my Lord.
Q: Your further case is that by a letter dated 29th January, 2019 the AG, the MOJ of Ivory Coast acknowledged receipt of your said letter of 24th January 2019. Not so?
Ans: Yes my Lord.

Q: I am putting it to you that both of these letters are complete afterthought.
A: No my Lord.
Q: I am putting it to you that no such letters existed before the commencement of this suit.

A: On 24th January, 2019 I wrote to the authorities about my intention.
Q: When you were last cross examined in this court on 14th June, 2022 I asked you about your affidavit in opposition to the petitioner’s motion, to produce the document and you answered that you don’t recall the affidavit in opposition you filed. Have you taken the benefit of the long adjournment to refresh your memory on that affidavit in opposition you filed.

A: No my Lord
Q: Do you recall that you opposed the petitioners motion to produce documents amongst others, the basis that there was no statutory requirement on your part to have a document showing that you renounced your Ivorien nationality?

A: Yes my Lord
Q: In fact, I am suggesting to you that in May 2021, all the way up to the time the court ordered you to produce the documents, which you failed initially, you had no document to show at the time you filed your nomination in 2020, you had not taken any step to renounce your Ivorien nationality.

A: My Lord, that is not correct.
Q: In fact, it was only on the 12th April, 2021 that Ivorien authorities, long after the commencement of this case, received a letter from you in which you expressed your willingness to renounce your Ivorien nationality.

A: The letter Counsel is making reference to is a follow up letter that was written to Ivorien authorities reminding them of my earlier letter written on 24th April, 2019 and the response back to me was stated that…….per Ivorien law when a person is 18 years and decides to take another nationality, it automatically cancels the Ivorien nationality, which is Article 48. So there was no need for a renunciation.

Q: Assuming you wrote any such letter in 2019, why did you find the need to remind the Ivorien authorities … as you alleged.
Ans: I did so after I had gotten a suit from the court that I had multiple nationality.

Q: The Ivorien authority issued you an attestation dated 12th April, 2021. Not so?
A: Yes my Lord.

Q: In that attestation they were specific about the request they received on 12th April, 2021.
A: Yes my Lord.

Q: In that attestation, the Ivorien authorities were specific in their reference to the request they received from you on 12th April, 2021. Not so?
Ans: That is correct

Q: The Ivorien authority’s attestation made no reference to any letter from you dated January 2019. Not so?
A: No my Lord, they did not, but according to MOJ they had a different department for various documents. The letter sent to them was written by me to them. The request shows clearly that it was received and stamped.

Q: In that attestation dated 12th April 2021, there is no reference to a reminder being made by you. Not so?
A: No, but they did, because they have responded to my follow up letter in which I was reminding them of the previous one when I went there to make enquiry. I was told that per Ivorien law, Article 48,because of Article 48, it was not necessary for the authorities to reference the previous letter.

Q: So in April 2021 the Ivorien authorities were now attesting that you have renounced your Ivorien nationality?
A: I disagree.

Q:I am putting it to you that if you knew that indeed by March 2021 you had indeed renounced your Ivorien nationality and had something to show for it, you would have had no reason to go to the Ivorien authorities for any document to show such renunciation.

A: I did so because they had taken me to court and needed evidence to show, prior to what had taken place.
Q: In the attestation dated 12th April, 2021 reference is made to Ivorien national who voluntarily takes on another nationality. Is that not so?

Ans: That is not so, my Lord
Q: And by Article 48 and Ivorien national decree, which you referred to today, if an Ivorien national takes on another nationality of another country, that person ceases to be an Ivorien. Not so?
Ans: Yes my Lord, according to what I have read from the attestation.

Q: You have on your own shown being a Ghanaian since 1972. Is that not so?
Ans: Yes my Lord.
Q: And you will agree with me that it cannot be said that in 2021 or for purposes of argument, in 2019 you were acquiring Ghanaian nationality. Not so?

Ans: That is correct
Q: I am putting it to you that you never renounced your Ivorien nationality before filing nomination to contest the 2020 elections.

A: That is incorrect
Q: I am putting it to you that…..stamp appearing on the document you have attached to the Witness Statement are not the stamps of the MOJ of Ivory Coast acknowledging receipt of these documents?

A: That is incorrect my Lord.
Q: I am putting it to you finally that you were not qualified to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections for the Jomoro constituency?
A: That is incorrect.

Akufo-Addo calls for prioritisation of education by UNESCO

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admin
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President Akufo-Addo being welcome to the Paris HQ of UNESCO by Audrey Azoulay, DG of UNESCO
President Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has charged Member States of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to ensure that education remains a priority in the common development agenda of countries.

As the recently appointed Domestic Financing champion of the Global Partnership for Education, President Akufo-Addo sought the co-operation and support of UNESCO “to work towards developing sustainable homegrown financial solutions, so we can develop the educational system for the future we want in our various countries.”

Addressing the 215th Meeting of the Executive Board of UNESCO, on Monday, 10th October, 2021 in Paris, France, the President noted that the world does not have the luxury to pick and choose which crises it wants to fix.

“At this moment, we cannot pick and choose between funding guns and education. We cannot pick and choose between the interests of the present generation and the future of our girls and boys. We cannot choose geo-political concerns over preserving our cherished cultural heritages, lest we perish universally,” he said.

Due to global instability, however, President Akufo-Addo noted that education has become one of many competing priorities of domestic budgets, with development aid to the education sector also seriously under pressure.

“Indeed, countries reduced their spending on education after the onset of the COVID-19 and at the same time, direct aid to education by bilateral donors fell by some three hundred and fifty-nine million dollars ($359 million), which is not compatible with the objectives of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda for financing sustainable development and the goals of the SDGs,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo exchanging pleasantries with African Commissioners at UNESCO

The President continued, “We are further informed that prospects for reaching funding target, through voluntary contributions, are uncertain as several long-term donors have already reduced significantly their voluntary contributions to UNESCO due to a change in development cooperation priorities, thereby significantly impacting our planned programme implementation.”

In spite of these challenges, President Akufo-Addo commended UNESCO for the lead role it played in ensuring the success of the Transforming Education Summit, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September this year.

Necessitated by the seminal “Futures of Education” report from UNESCO, the President indicated that the Transforming Education Summit and indeed the pre-summit held here in Paris have been extremely successful in getting the world to reflect deeply on the trajectory of educational systems, and how to addresses the challenges of our time.

Touching on Global Priority Africa Programme, which has been adopted by the UNESCO General Conference at its 41st Session, President Akufo-Addo was delighted that UNESCO has made Africa a Global Priority and was delighted to see UNESCO’s flagship programmes as being relevant to achieving the objectives of the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063, i.e. “The Africa We Want”.

He also urged UNESCO’s Executive Board to help win the fight against Climate Change, especially as the planet is heading towards a dangerous tipping point, as a result of climate change.

In furtherance of this, he commended UNESCO for the effort to strengthen the “Man and Biosphere Programme”, whose goal is to help protect nature and biodiversity loss globally, through the Biosphere Reserve Concept.

“I urge UNESCO Member States to strengthen measures, at their respective national levels, that recognise formally the contribution of biosphere reserves and designate more biosphere reserves and geo-parks as a sure way for solving the climate crisis”, he added.

In concluding, the President informed the Executive Board of the news that Accra has been named as the UNESCO World Book Capital for 2023, making Accra part of the prestigious World Book Capital Cities Network.

This, he stated, is an acknowledgement of the giant strides Ghana and Africa are making in developing Ghana’s book and creative arts industry.

“The year-long programme to celebrate this honor done us by UNESCO will commence from 23rd April 2023, which is celebrated globally as the World Book and Copyright Day. I wish to use this opportunity to invite you all to join Ghana in this year-long celebrations,” the President added.

Kyidomhemaa woos investors to Kwahu Pepease

By
ISAAC AKWETEY-OKUNOR
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The queen mother of the Pepease Santase Bretuo royal family Nana Foriwah Pokua

The queen mother of Kwahu Pepease in the Kwahu East district of the Eastern Region, Nana Foriwah Pokua II has appealed to investors in and around the globe to consider Kwahu Pepease for investment.

According to the queen mother, who is also the Kwahu Kyidomhemaa, Pepease has all the necessary potentials for any investment.

In an interview with The Chronicle on Sunday, after a Thanksgiving Service at the Kwahu Pepease Emmanuel Congregation of the Presbyterian church of Ghana, Nana Foriwah Pokua expressed profound gratitude to the people of Kwahu Pepease for their prayers and support throughout the struggle.

Talking about the development drive of the late chief of the area, Nana Foriwah Pokua hinted that the late Chief of Kwahu Pepease, Nana Ampadu Okyere II left an enviable developmental footprint, but the protracted chieftaincy situation has negatively affected the gains of the former.

She mentioned that Nana Ampadu Okyere, known in private life as Odehye Kwaku Oduro, was enstooled as the Pepeasehene in April 1950, at the age of 36, and indeed manifested one of his sterling qualities in life –love for people.

The queen mother of Kwahu Pepease, Nana Foriwah Pokua II

According to the queen mother, her late chief was blessed with long life and long reign, passing away at age 99, having ruled for 63 years.  He gained the reputation as the longest-reigning chief in the Kwahu Traditional Area and also one of the oldest chiefs in the country.

The late chief was credited for the expansion of educational facilities at Pepease, following which the local Roman Catholic continuation school was converted into Secondary/Technical school.

Other development projects provided in the town through the influence of the chief include a modern post office, electricity supply, pipe-borne water and a Bible College.

He encouraged his people to establish the Kwahu Rural Bank at Pepease in 1979. But despite his sterling performance, his demise saw the rise in chieftaincy dispute in the area.

The Kwahu Pepease chieftaincy, which dispute started in 2016, was seen as a serious security threat to inhabitants of the area, as the two main feuding factions, Nana Bonsu Ayiripe Ababio, Chief of the area and the queen mother of the PepeaseSantaseBretuo royal family, Nana Foriwah Pokua battle each other.

But peace and understanding have finally been restored after a five member judicial committee of the National House of Chiefs unanimously pronounced judgement on Kwahu Pepease chieftaincy dispute on September 29, 2022.

The five member panel was chaired by Takyemanhene, OsagyefoAmeyawAkumfi,withTogbegaPatomiaDzekley IV, Nana MprahBasemuna, Krachiwura, Osagyefo Kwame Akonu X and OsabarimahOkokyeredomSakyiako, Drobohene, as members.

The National House of Chiefs (NHCs) subsequently awarded a cost of GHC 25,000 against Nana Bonus Ayiripe, the respondent.

Nana Foriwah Pokua entreated all affected communities facing chieftaincy dispute to use legal and dialogue means to settle all issues and desist from all manner of atrocities, adding that women, children and the aged are the most vulnerable people in chieftaincy disputes.

Local Gov’t Service will not lay off workers-Ato Arthur

By
AGNES ANSAH
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Nana Ato Arthur addressing the media yesterday

The Head of the Local Government Service (LGS), Dr Nana Ato Arthur, has indicated that the Service will not lay off workers.

According to him, what the Service intends to do is to undertake staff rationalisation, an activity which ensures that staff are deployed to places where their services are needed most.

He said this in a press conference organised by his outfit in Accra yesterday.His comments were in response to a story carried by this paper on its front page on October 10, 2022.

The story which was titled – “Local Government Service to Lay off Workers” – stated that Head of LGS, Dr Nana Ato Arthur, who had a speech read on his behalf at the Third National Conference of Ghana National Association of Local Government Service Administrators (GALGA) in Tamale disclosed that, “the Service will soon undertake an exercise to lay off administrative officers from the LGS because the sector is bloated.”

The story further stated that the issue of bloating in the assemblies has resulted in the poor quality delivery of service within the administrative sector of the LGS in the country.

But speaking to the press yesterday, DrAto Arthur indicated that his office does not have the power to lay off workers in the Service.

He said the words contained in the speech that was read on his behalf spoke about a staff rationalisation, a human resource management tool for deploying staff and it is in line with systems and procedures the Public Service works with.

DrAto Arthur explained that there have been concerns about the increased number of Administrative Officers within the Regional Coordinating Councils (RCC) and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

He said the number of officers available in these offices far outweighs the work schedule assigned and this affects the caliber of officers.

He noted that the development also makes it difficult for administrative officers to learn on the job, as there is little or no work done, hence the need to rationalise.

He touted that the rationalisation exercise will cut off the excesses and make room for increased productivity.

The AtoArthur indicated that yesterday the head office had already held a meeting with heads of the RCC and MMDAs and had charged them to implement this initiative to ensure that the best result is derived from the administrative officers.

Giving other justification for staff rationalisation, DrAto Arthur observed that the local government has become more critical in the development needs of their localities and it is important the mechanisms are put in place to make the Service competitive.

He also noted that as the nation holds the concept of decentralisation in high esteem, it would be proper to structure the Service in order to enhance service delivery at the local level.

Meanwhile, his Office has also issued a letter to respond to the same issue.The letter was signed by the Chief Director, Mr James Oppong-Mensah.

Agradaa wanted to escape from Ghana -Court told

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Evangelist, Patricia Asieduaa, alias Nana Agradaa

An Accra Circuit Court presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah has been informed that the self-styled Evangelist, Patricia Asieduaa, alias Nana Agradaa, attempted escaping the jurisdiction to avert trial, after some members of the public reported to the police that she had duped them.

The Court was informed by the prosecuting officer, Assistant Superintendant of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong that the Ghana Police Service through intelligence gathered that after October 5, 2022 money doubling episode, the 40-year old Nana Agradaa wanted to abscond from Ghana.

ASP Oppong said the police had to virtually block the Airport to prevent the accused from taking a flight out of the country.

He said that the police could not trace Nana Agradaa at the various places that the law enforcement officers thought she could be found. Therefore, they had to fall on technology to track her location, via her mobile phone.

According to him, Nana Agradaa, after realising that the police was closing up on her and there was nowhere to hide, reported herself to the police.

ASP Oppong urged the court to refuse a bail application filed by Nana Agradaa’s lawyers, because she is a flight risk, does not have a fixed place of abode and would interfere with police investigations.

“It took the police more than two days to force the Accused to appear,” he stated.

The prosecuting officer added that although the police had been able to process the complaints of six people, 50 others are in the queue with similar accounts.

The prosecuting officer said the police would organise identification parade to ensure Nana Agradaa was the one the complainants claim to have defrauded.

Reindolf Tsunami, Counsel for Nana Agradaa, arguing for the bail application, said his client voluntarily drove to the police station and, therefore, she is not a flight risk.

The defence Counsel added that Nana Agradaa should be granted bail, as she is a public figure and has several homes, as well as people of substance to stand surety for her.

Furthermore, he stated that nowhere in the fact sheet before the court did the prosecution mention that his client had a direct contact with the complainants.

He added that she has a church, which is doing well and there is no indication that the accused poses danger or harm to the public, since “the Accused is a Reverend discharging her divine duties to the public.”

The court, however, denied the bail application and remanded Agradaa into police custody and asked her to reappear on Thursday, October 13, 2022.

Agradaa pleaded not guilty to one count of charlatanic advertisement and six counts of defrauding by false pretence.

The brief facts

According to the prosecution, persons allegedly defrauded by Patricia Asieduaa were; Yaa Bremah, Trader from Ahenbubuanu Tafo Kumasi, Emmanuel Kumi from Zenu Ashaiman, George Boateng from Obuasi, Grace Forson, Hairdresser from Swedru, Mary Arthur, Farmer from Takoradi and Patricia Ankamah, a trader from Sunyani.

He said Nana Agradaa, founder of Heaven Way Champion International Ministry at Weija, was reported to have on October 5, 2022 advertised and invited on Today’s Television and other social media platforms that she is able to double any amount of money an individual gives her.

Thus, the accused, per the said advert invited members of the public to attend all-night service at her church for the alleged money doubling, which the complainants and over one thousand others attended the said all night service and handed over huge sums of money to her.

He added that the police have commenced investigation into the matter and arrested the accused on October 9, 2022. During interrogations, she admitted to the story of the complainants.

Additionally, it was established by investigation that pursuant to the said adverts by the accused on social media, the complainants came from far and near to attend the all-night service to get their monies doubled.

The accused successfully demanded and received huge sums of monies from members of the public who attended the said all night service.

Committee Report hasn’t indicted Nana Kwesi & Co -Ambassador Ohene Agyekum

By
SEBASTIAN R. FREIKU
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Alhaji Alhassan Tapsoba - Leading NDC Member and Donkor Fuseini - Ex DCE, Sekyere Afram Plains
Daniel Ohene Agyekum – Former Diplomat and Dr. Samuel Sarpong – Chairman, NDC Fact-Finding Committee

A former Ambassador to the United States of America, Daniel Ohene Agyekum, has stated that the report of the 7-member Fact-Finding Committee appointed by the Ashanti Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has not indicted any of the regional executives.

As a result, the Council of Elders and the Committee have no case against Nana Kwesi or any of the regional executives. He said the hullabaloo about a so-called report by a 7-member Fact

Finding Committee was “much ado about nothing.”

According to Chairman of the NDC Council of Elders, the Committee dealt with, what he called mere allegations, because it had, so far, not established any wrongdoing. The former Ashanti Regional Minister, who also once led the NDC in the region, told Abusua Nkomo host Kojo Marfo on Abusua FM that the accusers who leveled allegations of financial impropriety against the regional executives had not been able to substantiate them.

The career Diplomat said the 15-page report did not indicate any evidence from the 17 witnesses, including the prime accuser, Enoch Amoako-Nsiah, who appeared before the Committee. Mr. Ohene Agyekum said no one was able to prove or provide evidence to incriminate the Regional Chairman to the least of the executives in the region.

“Kojo Marfo, our party lost the plot because there was no proper coordination of activities before the election and during the same, and hence our bad performance,” the Chairman of the Council Elders stressed.

“Not even one witness could attest to financial impropriety against the regional executives,” he added.

Ambassador Ohene Agyekum said for now the accusations were “mere allegations” unless otherwise proven by the Committee.

He was reacting to the brouhaha over allegations by Mr. Enoch Amoako-Nsiah, a former Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, that some NDC regional executives compromised their positions to the detriment of their own party’s interest, and that the said regional executives might have sold out the fortunes of the party to their political opponents during the 2020 elections.

Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum expressed surprise at the attitude of the committee member who gave the report to unknown persons in the party. He, however, rejected the claim by the Eagle Eye group that leaders in the Ashanti NDC compromised the party’s electoral fortunes by going for money.

The report is yet to be made public, let alone served on the regional executives against whom the allegations were preferred.

Meanwhile, Dr. Samuel Sarpong, the former Regional Minister for Ashanti and Central regions and Chairman for the NDC Fact-Finding Committee for Election 2020, has denied putting up names in the report the NDC compiled after Election 2020, as having been compromised with money, thus denying the party the chance to garner the 1 million votes it targeted in the Ashanti Region.

The leaked report looked at reasons why the party did not gain ground in every aspect of the elections in the Ashanti Region, including parliamentary elections, even though the party got over 600,000 votes, as compared to 400,000 popular votes it gained in the 2016 polls.

Dr. Sarpong told Kojo Marfo that “no where does the report state that persons were bribed or compromised with money.”

Dr.  Sarpong further noted that 17 persons who came before the committee could not put any evidence forward to suggest that money changed hands.

He stressed that the reason for the investigation was purposely to unravel what may have occasioned the low votes the NDC got from the 2020polls in the Ashanti Region.

Following that, Dr. Sarpong, also a former Managing Director of the State Housing Company Limited (SHCL), has described claims that the committee was set up primarily to investigate bribery allegations as outrageous.

“Kojo, the Council of Elders of the NDC in Ashanti, as a responsible body of the party, commissioned a committee to investigate the performance of the party in the 2020 polls, and as part of the investigations, we called persons who had made allegations to knowing why the party failed to get votes we expected, to appear before it and nowhere were evidence adduced to suggest leaders of the party were bought with money to influence outcomes against us,” Dr. Sarpong intimated.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Alhassan Tapsoba, a former Deputy Coordinator of the then Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Development Agency (GYEEDA), has condemned tribal sentiments creeping into the party in an interview with Boss FM’s Kofi Appiah in Kumasi.

His condemnation was based on a proposed “Ashanti project” which is intended to champion a bid to ensure that all persons who aspire for positions at the regional level in the impending regional elections were Asante indigenes.

Mr. Johnny Osei Kofi, a former Deputy Chief of Staff under the former Mahama administration, has confirmed the emergence of the tribal agenda dubbed “The Ashanti Project” in the NDC, stressing that the idea that an Asante leads the NDC in the Ashanti Region was not his personal idea.

“It is something we started back in 1992, with even Chairman Rawlings,” he has reportedly said, and explained further that “it was a deliberate idea to get more Ashantis leading the party here, just to make it attractive.”

Mr. Osei Kofi stressed that the fact that “we (NDC) abandoned that idea over the years does not mean we cannot go back to it. It is something some of our big men in Accra support,” and therefore, he would not shy away from it today or tomorrow.

He questioned if it was possible to go to the Volta Region and see Osei Kofi leading the party as Chairman, or go to the north and see Osei Tutu as Chairman there.

“Why should Ashanti be different,” he queried, and concluded that he was stating facts and not preaching tribal politics.

But Alhaji Tapsoba saids 99 percent of the rank and file of the NDC were not happy about the ridiculous tribal development, which was dragging the good people of the Ashanti Region into the tribal politics being pursued by a few people.

He said there could be “a volcanic eruption” in the party if tribalism was encouraged to take centre stage in the party’s activities.

Alhaji Tapsoba has, therefore, called on Mr. Johnny Osei Kofi to retract his position on the issue of the “Ashanti Project” and apologise to the party’s following.

Mr. Donkor Fuseini, a former District Chief Executive (DCE) for Sekyere Afram Plains, has also told  Ohenenana Kwame Amoh on Okay FM’s “Ade Akye Abia” programme that the Ashantis for Asante Project was a personal agenda of Johnny Osei Kofi  and a few others who had vested interest in the leadership passions, which agenda, he said, would not work.

He said Johnny Osei Kofi got it wrong when he inferred that it was not possible to go to the Volta Region and see Osei Kofi leading the party as Chairman, or go to the north and see Osei Tutu as Chairman there.

Mr. Donkor Fuseini mentioned Mr. Ade Coker, a Fante, as the Greater Accra Regional Chairman and one Gyapong Cudjoe, an Ashanti, as Volta Regional Chairman for the NDC for 12 years.

“NDC’s concern for now should be how to mobilize and canvass for more votes in Ashanti region party in order to move the party forward and not a mere campaign for an Ashanti  to lead,” he told Ohenenana Kwame Amoh, the radio host.

The former DCE said the Ashanti NDC operates on cooperative lines, and therefore the party was basically for committed and loyal people, irrespective of educational or tribal background.

Editorial: Tax Compliance Tracking at DVLA, Lands Commission is a good idea

By
THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) was established in 2009 as a merger of the three revenue agencies, that is, the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Value Added Tax Service (VATS) and the Revenue Agencies Governing Board (RAGB), in accordance with the Ghana Revenue Authority Act 2009 (Act 791).

Its core mandate is to ensure maximum compliance with all relevant tax laws in order to ensure sustainable revenue stream for the government, trade facilitation and a controlled and safe flow of goods across the country’s borders.

The Central government relies heavily on the GRA for revenue, among other things, to pay salaries to public sector workers, as well as building public infrastructure among others. Thus, the local mobilisation of revenue by the GRA is key to the administration of the country.

According to the GRA, revenue performance from January to September 2022, as compared to projected targets is as follows: total tax revenue of GH¢51,580.17m was collected for the period as against a target of GH¢52,046.78m. It fell short of the target by GH¢466.61m (i.e. 0.9%).

The performance represents a nominal growth rate of 29.0% over the same period, compared to last year’s collection of 26%. Domestic revenue grew nominally by 28.6%. Customs revenue grew nominally by 29.8%.

The GRA is reporting that at the end of the third quarter, it did not meet its tax revenue target. But, considering the difficulties economies across the world are experiencing, it would only be appropriate that the GRA be commended for the efforts they are making to mobilise revenue.

Sometime last year, the Minister for Finance informed Ghanaians that a paltry two million of the 30.8 million population of Ghana pay tax, a figure which represents less than 10% of the population.

This situation, coupled with the private international bond market closing its doors on Ghana, demands that government leaves no stone unturned in revenue generation in the country.

It is, therefore, worth commending some smart measures of domestic mobilization of revenue, especially those that do not add to the burden of the already overloaded taxpayer.

That is why we support the move by the GRA to track tax compliance at the Lands Commission and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

Yesterday, The Chronicle carried a story in which the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, revealed that tax compliance would soon be the yardstick for land and vehicle registration in the country.

He explained that the ability of individuals to register their property with the Land Commission and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) would be dependent on their tax compliance.

According to him, a proposal had been tabled and waiting for approval from the Finance Ministry and Parliament. He said the Land Commission or DVLA would track an applicant’s tax compliance using their Ghana Card, which would be a requirement for registration.

He, therefore, advised the public to file their annual tax returns to prevent any eventuality or denial. He informed editors and senior practitioners of the media fraternity that the move was to ensure compliance and enhance tax mobilisation in the country.

We believe that this is a good step taken by the GRA to ensure that every potential taxpayer will not have an escape route.

However, we would like to urge the GRA to extend this initiative to other state agencies that they deem appropriate. Tax compliance involves being aware of and observing the tax laws and requirements being administered by the Ghana Revenue Authority.

Low tax compliance by taxpayers affects the ability of the government to raise the needed revenue for development. It is, therefore, incumbent on all stakeholders to put their shoulders to the wheel to help raise the tax compliance level in the country.

Mireku Duker inspect progress of T&A Park reconstruction

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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George Mireku Duker, MP Tarkwa Nsuaem

George Mireku Duker, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa Nsuaem, has also inspected works on the reconstruction of the Tarkwa and Abosso Park (T&A Part), which is about 80 percent complete.

Expecting the work to be completed in December, this year, he added that the project was behind schedule and needed to speed up before the commissioning date could be announced.

Funded by Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) at the cost of $16.2 million, and works being executed by Michetti & Co. Ltd included a VVIP  stand, general stands for spectators and officials, parking lots, an ambulance bay, LOC office, dressing rooms, offices for coaches and referees, a  media centre, and a commentary box.

Other facilities are flood lights, physiotherapy and first aid office, office for match commissioners and referees, and a kits store.

The Project Manager of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Roger Adama, revealed this last Friday, when Mr. George Mireku Duker visited the site to assess progress of work and also encourage the contractors to complete it on time.

He explained that outstanding works were the VVIP car park, grassing and maturing of the pitch and quality assurance, and so “we are careful not to rush into commissioning.”

Mr. Adama assured that the project was on course and that so far, Micheletti had done a good job.

He added that despite some changes in the scope “we are speeding up work, and hopefully, the project would be completed on schedule, by December, this year.”

He told Mr. Duker that initial works delayed due to extra work to stabilise the muddy ground condition and the fabrication of steel frames which had to be imported from Vietnam, coupled with the COVID-19 lockdowns, and the weather conditions in the Tarkwa enclave.

Mr. Adama said: “We went almost six meters and over in some places; had to import rocks to fill them. Fortunately, because of the mines we had a lot of rocks. Surely, [the] budgets really ballooned, as we had to backfill and do compacting, and also ensure that we test the soil very well, and these tests are being done by our professionals, deeply involved when it comes to quality control and quality assurance.”

Responding, Mr. Duker, who is also the Deputy Minister, Lands and Natural Resources,  recalled  the role he played to lobby Gold Fields for the reconstruction of the stadium park in 2008,  when he was the Chief Executive  for the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.

Gold Fields, he said, accepted the challenge renovate the park and build a stadium for Tarkwa, but unfortunately, his tenure ended.

Again, in 2017, Mr. Duker said, despite some opposition, “I stood on my grounds to indicate that if you go to areas where they have developed infrastructure, they have what they call community parks.”

He, therefore, wondered why some political figures appeared not to be enthused to acknowledge his roles, stressing that “reconstruction of T&A Park is about Mireku Duker.”

“So  a committee was constituted to make sure we have a well- designed and preferable stadium,  and after year of presentation and scrutiny, they did the due diligence. I was overwhelmed and excited about the decision by Gold Fields accepting the designs,” the MP stated.

MP Duker inspect works on Tarkwa-Agona Nkwanta road project

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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Duker (hand raised) at the inspection of Tarkwa Agona Nkwanta road

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency, George Mireku Duker, has inspected progress of work on the 67 kilometre Agona Nkwanta-Tarkwa road project which is ongoing, and being executed by M/S Rango-Gabriel Cuoto Consortium.

The inspection was to afford the MP as to how work on the project was progressing, from the  Wassa Simpa camp site to the Wassa Agona and Effunta sections after the contractor moved to site.

The project would link Tarkwa to the port city of Takoradi and the national route, N1, which connects Ghana to Cote d’Ivoire.

It will also connect the minerals and agriculture-rich lands in the Western, Ashanti Western North and Central regions, becoming the major route to haul gold, manganese, cocoa, bauxite and timber to Takoradi.

The Resident Engineer, Eben Gyampo, reported that after the sod-cutting in September 2021, the design phase took engineers a while before they finally got approval in July, this year, for work to begin.

So far, he said, the contractor had done about two and half months of work on the drains at Nsuaem, Wassa Simpa, Wassa Agona and Effuanta at Tarkwa.

Earthworks, Gyampo stated, was also ongoing from the Apemanim end towards Tarkwa and at Wassa Agona.

“Major activities carried out include drainage of about 2 kilometres; and for completion we have done about 18 percent.

“The 95 million Euros project, funded by the Deutche Bank AG Frankfurt Germany, is to be completed in 36 months (31st August, 2024), and we have currently done two months, and so have less than two years to complete the job.”

The Resident Engineer added that the camp site at Wassa Simpa would produce concrete for the drains and asphalt for the entire project.

George Mireku Duker, on his part, said he lobbied on the floor of Parliament for the Tarkwa road project to be approved and executed, stressing that the government was eager to see the successful completion of the project.

Commending Gabriel Cuoto and team, Legislator Duker expressed the believed that the works, including excavations and clearing which was gathering momentum, showed the project would be speeded up and completed on time to ease the burden of communities along the stretch.

Duker, however, admitted difficulties such as proximity to gravel supplies, and the crash programme at Appiatse, had affected progress, but gave the assurance that all stakeholders would help address the gaps for the successful completion of the Agona- Tarkwa road project.

He recalled an experience during former President Kufuor’s tenure, when earlier attempts to get the Tarkwa road reconstructed suffered major setbacks and the road began to deteriorate because the base material was not certified.

MP Duker observed that Ghana Highway Authority had done due diligence on the quality for the road to last longer.

He was happy that the contractors agreed to also start from the Tarkwa, Effuanta, and Wassa Agona ends to reduce the pressure on the government, and also the worries of communities.

“I am happy about the efforts you are making to get the project completed on time. I commend the team for how prepared you are with your equipment well assembled and with a  well- organised structures.

People are expecting that you speed up work for this deplorable road to be reconstructed. This engagement would be deepened so that, together with the Municipal Assembly, we get the difficulties resolved,” he remarked.

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