The Industrial Relations Director for GPRTU, Alhaji Abbas Ibrahim Moro, has stated that the GPRTU will not increase transport fares now despite the hike in fuel prices.
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) stated earlier that it would hold a crunch meeting next week to deliberate on a “possible” upward adjustment of transport fares.
The Union said the meeting had become necessary due to what they described as “significant hikes” in fuel prices over the past few weeks.
Prices for petrol and diesel have shot up by 7.3 per cent and 9.7 per cent respectively, in the last month.
Currently, petrol is trading at an average of GH¢10.10 per litre, while the national average for diesel is pegged at GH¢12.20 per litre.
Transport fares went up by 20 per cent last month.
As of May 9, 2022, when the new fares took effect, petrol and diesel were selling at a national average of GH¢9.41 and GH¢11.12, respectively.
Speaking on Atinka TV‘s Ghana Nie morning show with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Alhaji Abbas Ibrahim Moro said if the fuel price continues to increase, the GPRTU will be forced to raise transport fares.
Meanwhile, he said the Union was going to educate the public on the fuel increment.
“It is not that we are going to increase lorry fares now, with transport operation, it takes a lot of fuel to run but with where the fuel prices have gotten to, it is alarming, and so now we are sensitizing the people for them to know that it is not our fault, but if it continues, then we will also change the fares immediately,” he said.
He continued,” For now, we will not increase it, but we have a threshold, and when we reach there, we can increase it. We will sit down and talk about it and put down some measures. We want to analyze everything so that we come out with something; it will sit well with all Ghanaians.”
Dr. Benjamin Kumbuor, a former Member of Parliament for Nandom, has reminded the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) that there are more serious concerns in the country that need to be addressed than the 8-year electoral cycle they are considering breaking.
According to him, there are some continuing actions that are in violation of the constitution that must be addressed, not an eight-year political cycle. In the 2024 general elections, the NPP hopes to break the eight-year cycle. In the 2024 general elections, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stated that he was determined to pass over power to the New NPP’s next presidential candidate. This, he believes, will allow the NPP to maintain the economic growth experienced during his presidency. “I am determined to hand over the baton to the next NPP presidential candidate,” he declared at the NPP’s delegates meeting in Kumasi on Sunday, December 19, 2021.
“We want to break the 8 not just for ourselves but for Ghana because we know the zigzag, NPP comes to clean for them to be polluted, this is not the way progress will be brought to our country.
“We need a secure period in office to make that irreversible change in the fortunes of our nation and we are capable of doing it. We will get a candidate that will unify our party and all of us will campaign to make that candidate the next president of the Republic.”
But Dr Kumbuor who is also a former Defence Minister said this idea solely depends on the voters.
Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 with Dzifa Bampoh, Saturday, June 11, he said “Of course, a number of very strange political passwords normally come up in our political system. When I started hearing about this break the 8, I wondered what exactly it meant. The idea is basically, that almost every government has gone through a cycle of 8 years and that the NPP intends to break it. Well, that is their wish and nobody can take their wish from them but if anybody was to ask me about breaking the 8, I will say that what needs to be broken in Ghana is, let us break the undemocratic practices that we are carrying on. Let us break those rules that flout the constitution so openly. These are, for me the issues we should be breaking.
“As for breaking the 8 in terms of an election battle and who comes into power, it is neither here nor there. The voters of Ghana are the only ones who will decide whether an 8 can be broken or not.”
He further indicated that a period is fast approaching where parties will not even have 8 years to govern than talk of breaking the 8.
“I think they should also be looking at the possibility that from the trends that I have been reading, a time will come that no political party might even reach the 8 for it to be broken.
“If you see the 2020 elections, you see clearly that the 8-year thing was almost truncated because the electorate really doesn’t have the luxury of allowing any party to come into power with very lofty promises and only comes in and start raising issues that were not the issues on which the people voted for them. So let the people dream of breaking the 8 but there are more fundamental things to break in our democracy than in an election cycle.”
Legendary Ghanaian dancehall musician Samini has been chastised and insulted by Ghanaians for embarrassing and disrespecting a firm security man on duty at the University of Ghana.
While filming a security guard at his post on campus, the artist posted a video from his vehicle.
According to Samini’s account, the young guy rejected his admittance because he did not have his electronic card, which the University required for access.
He was ridiculed by Ghanaians on social media after posting the footage to shame the security guard.
On social media, Ghanaians commended the security guard for doing a good job and chastised Samini for attempting to embarrass an honest poor man doing his job.
Singer Justin Bieber has revealed he is suffering from facial paralysis after canceling shows this week.
The 28-year-old said in an Instagram video that the condition is due to a diagnosis of Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
“As you can see this eye is not blinking. I can’t smile on this side of my face… So there’s full paralysis on this side of my face,” he said.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome is when a shingles outbreak affects the facial nerve near someone’s ears, say medical experts.
Earlier this week, Bieber’s Justice World Tour – which began in February – announced three shows would be postponed.
“It is from this virus that attacks the nerve in my ear and my facial nerves and has caused my face to have paralysis,” the Canada-born singer said in the three-minute video, indicating the right side of his face.
He asked for his fans to be patient, and said of his forthcoming shows that he is “physically, obviously, not capable of doing them”.
He also smiled and blinked, showing his 240 million followers how the right side of his face did not move.
“This is pretty serious, as you can see. I wish this wasn’t the case, but, obviously, my body’s telling me I’ve got to slow down,” he said. “I hope you guys understand. I’ll be using this time to just rest and relax and get back to a hundred percent so that I can do what I was born to do.”
Former Board Chairman of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Ambassador Daniel Ohene, Agyekum has described as “insulting the “intelligence” of his board, claims that COCOBOD approved a “worthless” fertiliser (Lithovit liquid) for purchase by COCOBOD to farmers leading to it wasting state resources.
Ambassador Agyekum who was also the Chairman of the Entity Tender Committee (ETC) of COCOBOD also hits back at prosecution witness’ claim that the ETC while giving approval for COCOBOD to purchase Lithovit liquid fertiliser “did not know what” they were granting approval to.
Ambassador Ohene Agyekum – Third Defence Witness (DW 4) for Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, the former Chief Executive of COCOBOD in the ongoing trial remarked that “We were not a bunch of ignoramuses.”
Dr Opuni, former Chief Executive of COCOBOD (1st Accused), Seidu Agongo (2nd Accused), a businessman, and his company Agricult Ghana Limited (3rd Accused) have been dragged to court over alleged procurement breaches and causing financial loss to the state.
They have all pleaded not guilty and have been granted a self-recognizance bail and are standing trial at the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Clemence Honyenuga, a Justice of the Supreme Court sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge.
Under Cross-examination from lawyers of Siedu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited led by Nutifafa Nutdukpi, Ambassador Ohene Appiah said, to his recollection in all of the meetings of the ETC, “the members were aware of the goods or services that they were granting COCOBOD approval to procure.”
We were not a bunch of ignoramuses
Asked to tell the court what his reaction to the evidence of the 7th Prosecution Witness (Chief Inspector Thomas Prempeh Mercer – the investigator) to the court that the ETC did not know what they were approving when they granted approval for COCOBOD to procure the Lithovit liquid fertiliser, he said, they were not ignorant people.
“My Lord, my immediate reaction first will be that, that piece of evidence as far as I understand it, is tantamount to insulting the intelligence of the members of the ETC. We knew what we were about,” he told the court.
“My Lord, with all due respect, we were not a bunch of ignoramuses. Even if we were not experts, we were literate enough, knowledgeable enough, and intelligent enough to read to appreciate the distinction between, solid material and liquid material,” Ambassador Ohene Agyekum added.
He explained further, “..in this particular case the technical presentation, by the experts from CRIG (Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana) we clearly understood both the liquid and granular or solid fertilizers that we approved.”
Court’s finding strange
It was the case of counsel to him that the court found that, Lithovit liquid fertiliser which the board of COCOBOD and the ETC all of which he chaired had approved led to COCOBOD buying a worthless fertilizer and that the state had received no value for the Lithovit liquid fertiliser.
In his response, Ambassador Ohene Agyekum said, “With all due respect, I find the court’s finding rather strange to me” and provided his reason.
“As a board chairman, I was very much aware that there was a unit within the COCOBOD to which I referred in my earlier submissions, that is to say, the CHED (Cocoa Health Extension Division), I am very much aware that, that division was responsible for monitoring how the fertilisers and other agrochemicals were applied in the field,” he added.
“And that there was or there should be a report by CHED monitoring team at CHED and I am aware that, my passion for the cocoa farmer and the farming industry as a whole, that, the CHED proceeded to train the cocoa farmers on the proper application of fertilizer and so my lord, I am saying that, there was a report by CHED or there should be such a report which concluded that, Lithovit liquid fertiliser was effective,” he pointed out to the court.
Asked by Nutifafa Nutdukpi how he got to know about this CHED report, the DW 4 said, “I had such a passion so everything that went on some of which were not even discussed formally, in an informal way, I will go and ask questions of those who were in charge of the program to know what is happening.”
He again said, “it was a policy of the board that you don’t simply, purchase fertilisers and distribute them to farmers and subsequently fold your arms and not try to find out about whether a particular fertilizer is effective or not.
“It may be of interest to the court my lord that, we also had, a representative of the cocoa farmers association, I believed from Brong Ahafo, so my lord, occasionally, we share information in terms of the benefits otherwise, the programs and implementation of the policies that we as a board had adopted,” Ambassador Ohene Agyekum told the court.
No individual can rig procurement process
Responding to counsel’s question based on his experience in chairing the board, and the ETC, from January 2014 to January 2017, whether it was easy for “an individual to game the procurement process or otherwise rig the procurement process for the benefit of a particular product or a particular supplier,” Ambassador Ohene Agyekum said, “that was absolutely impossible.”
“My Lord, I can’t imagine. it is inconceivable that any particular individual can or could influence choice or the decision to award a contract in favour of a particular person. It is simply impossible and that it could not and did not happen under my watch during my time.”
Opuni did not perpetruate fraud
Giving his reaction to the court’s finding in its ruling on the submission of no case that the 2nd (Agongo) and 3rd (Agricult) Accused persons were assisted by First Accused person (Dr Opuni) to perpetrate fraud on COCOBOD by selling the Lithovit liquid fertiliser to COCOBOD, Ambassador Ohene Agyekum wondered where that finding was coming from.
“My Lord, with all due respect, my reaction will be where is it all coming from? The first accused during my term of office did not, certainly not perpetrate any fraud.
“As a Chief Executive of the board and management of COCOBOD and with my little knowledge of corporate responsibility, whatever the Chief Executive did was consistent with the policies of the board,” he noted.
Asked again by counsel based on his experience as board chairman of both the board and the ETC at the time, if he was aware that, the first accused (Dr Opuni) ever influenced the procurement process to benefits the 2nd and 3rd Accused persons, he said that “never” happened.
“My Lord, I can state that, as far as I am aware, the first accused (Dr Opuni) never acted in a way that could have influenced the decision of either the board or the ETC. And in my dual capacity as chairman for both the board and the ETC, such a thing never happened.”
No test cast doubt on efficacy of Lithovit
It was also the case of counsel to him that, evidence before the court from the prosecution witness from University of Ghana (Dr Adu Ampoma- PW3) that when they tested the Lithovit liquid fertiliser, they had barely any properties that will make it effective. And if during his tenure as the chairman, whether he was aware of any tests carried out on the Lithovit liquid fertiliser that came to similar conclusions.
In his response, the witness said, “My Lord, my short answer is no. I was not made aware of any such scientific report.
“What I wanted to add is that, if you conduct a scientific research, in a classroom and you draw the conclusion, such as the one drawn by the university, then, I will state that, it was not certainly the same Lithovit liquid fertiliser that board had purchased and provided to the farmers free of charge,” he told the court.
Ambassador Ohene Agyekum told the court that, since he left office in January 2017, he has never become aware of any test carried out, that cast any doubt on the efficacy of the Lithovit liquid fertiliser that his board had procured for the cocoa farmers.
Ambassador Ohene Agyekum who is giving evidence via video link from Kumasi while the trial in ongoing in Accra will be subjected to further cross-examination by the prosecution on June 24.
Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has stated that his party has a better track record of growing the country while in power than any other political party in the Fourth Republic’s history.
From health to education to energy sectors, he said, the NDC has built more infrastructure than the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“All other expansion of the energy [sector] has been pushed by the NDC,” he remarked at a gathering of NDC members on Friday, June 10 as part of the party’s 30th-anniversary celebrations. To the point where, when the NPP took control, they complained that we were generating more power than was required.
“I am surprised that when you come and you inherit more, you even complain that you have inherited something more. But we NDC, are proud of our achievements. It is the NDC that provided more health infrastructure than any other political party including the building of regional hospitals, all the regional hospitals in the country can be attributed to the handiwork of the NDC.”
Ningo Prampram lawmaker, Samuel Nartey George also credited the democracy of Ghana to the work of the NDC
Speaking on the New Day show on TV3 Friday, June 10, he stated that NDC is re-strategizing to recapture political power in the 2024 general elections.
The present ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has fouled up the economy, causing tremendous misery among Ghanaians, according to Sam.
He assured that his party is re-strategizing to win the next elections to resolve the challenges facing the people.
“NDC is re-strategizing to come back to power to fix the mess,” he said
The police in the Ahanta West Municipality have arrested eight (8) persons for their alleged involvement in the setting ablaze of the Egyambra Chief.
The victim, Nana Blaychie, was set ablaze while in his vehicle, 3news.com has reported.
The incident was reported by Ahanta West Municipal Chief Executive, John Agyare, who stated that the disturbing incident happened in the afternoon of Thursday, June 9, 2022.
“I was in a meeting settling another issue when I heard that there was confusion over the installation of a chief at Egyambra. We quickly dispatched police officers to the community but some community members started throwing stones at the officers. About eight persons have so far been arrested, that is the briefing I have had from the police commander,” he indicated.
He added that he believes the followers of two individuals who are also claiming rights to the chieftaincy stool, are behind the disturbances.
Narrating what exactly happened, however, the victim, Chief Nana Blaychie, who is receiving treatment at a hospital, is reported to have said that there was no chaos surrounding his installation in the community.
He added that shortly afterward, however, when he was with some of his elders, they were stopped by some young men.
“After my successful installation, I was in a vehicle with my elders when some young men stopped us along the way. They poured petrol on my driver and quickly set the vehicle ablaze whilst we were still in it. My driver sustained severe burns but I was fortunate to have escaped on time whilst the vehicle was on fire. I’m currently in the hospital with my driver and other elders receiving treatment,” he explained.
The MCE for the area, John Agyare meanwhile has since assured us that he would work to restore peace to the community.
Augustine Dua, a unit committee member, who has since fled the town, explained to the portal that he does not currently know the whereabouts of his wife and children.
“As I speak to you, I don’t know the whereabouts of my wife and children. The community is empty now, we are pleading with the IGP to assist us,” he noted whilst shedding uncontrollable tears.
In the meantime, there are also reports that some residents of the community have absconded due to the disturbances.
The African Development Bank has called on rich countries to lend it some of the $650 billion of special drawing rights issued to them by the IMF as part of the fund’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The whole of Africa received less than half the amount assigned by the IMF to the US, for example, as allocations were made based on factors including the size of countries’ economies.
The AfDB has proposed using the SDRs as collateral to raise further funds to support poorer African countries.
The plan builds on an initiative of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa for SDRs to be utilized to enhance the IMF´s capacity to support countries in need, leveraging the multilateral development banks and creating a new Liquidity and Sustainability Facility (LSF) to lower the liquidity premium on sovereign bonds offered by developing countries.
The need for such support mechanisms is becoming increasingly urgent for more governments: this week, FX shortages and high debt levels forced Malawi’s government to seek renewed access to the IMF’s extended credit facility. Expect more to follow.
Naira to gain on political dollar flows
The Naira appreciated marginally against the dollar this week, trading at 606 from 607 at last week’s close.
Nigeria this week shelved a planned $950m Eurobond sale due to adverse market conditions, with the finance ministry saying it will instead use the IMF’s special drawing rights to fund projects and then reduce external borrowings this financial year.
Meantime, former Lagos State Governor and presidential hopeful Bola Ahmed Tinubu has emerged as the primary candidate for the ruling APC after seven other potential candidates withdrew from the race to support him.
We expect to see further gains for the Naira in the weeks ahead as political dollars circulating in the country get converted into local currency.
Cedi outlook sours as inflation hits 18-year high
The Cedi lost ground against the dollar this week, trading at 7.88 from 7.80 at last week’s close as Ghana continues to battle with surging inflation.
Prices increased 27% year-on-year in May from 23.7% in April, the fastest pace in 18 years, driven higher by food and transport costs. Hefty interest rate hikes in March and May have so far failed to halt the rise in prices.
The Cedi has now lost about 5% of its value against the dollar in the past month and more than a fifth of its value since the start of the year. We expect the Cedi to remain under pressure in the near term as higher interest rates filter through to the economy.
Rand strengthening may be shortlived
The Rand strengthened against the dollar this week, trading at 15.3 from 15.5 at last week’s close.
The currency could be poised for renewed volatility, however, after South Africa’s central bank this week changed the way it implements monetary policy by moving to a so-called surplus system that allows commercial banks to hold and earn interest on excess reserves.
This could make it easier to speculate on the Rand and lead to larger price moves. Technical charts point to a potential downside. Overall, we remain cautious, with economic data in the US and EU likely to dictate the Rand’s direction over the coming week.
Egyptian Pound slumps to a five-year low
The Pound weakened to a five-year low against the dollar this week, trading at 18.71 from 18.63 at last week’s close.
Deteriorating business conditions in the non-oil sector of the economy and a stronger dollar continue to negatively impact the currency.
Increased input-cost inflation has also seen new orders fall at the fastest pace in almost two years.
We expect the Pound to continue weakening over the coming weeks in the absence of any significant positive economic data.
Kenyan Shilling retests record low
The Shilling was back trading at its record low against the dollar, weakening to 117.01 from 116.81 at last week’s close.
The continued weakness comes as elevated demand for the greenback from the energy and manufacturing sectors bumps against an ongoing shortage of FX.
This dollar scarcity coupled with higher production costs has put further strain on the cost of living.
The World Bank says it expects Kenya’s economic growth to slow to 5.5% this year from 7.5% in 2021 due to higher commodity prices and a severe drought in the region.
We foresee the Shilling losing further ground in the coming weeks ahead of August’s presidential election.
First rate hike since 2018 boosts Ugandan Shilling
The Shilling strengthened against the dollar this week, trading at 3719 from 3740 at last Friday’s close.
The brighter outlook follows Uganda’s decision to raise interest rates late last week for the first time since 2018 to counter surging inflation and the weakening currency.
The central bank lifted its benchmark rate 100bps higher to 7.5%.
The bank also cut its economic growth forecast for this year to between 4.5% and 5% from an earlier estimate of 5.5% to 6%. We expect the rate hike to continue supporting the Shilling over the coming week.
Budget may heighten on Tanzanian Shilling volatility
The Shilling weakened marginally against the dollar this week, trading at 2330 from 2328 at last week’s close, taking losses over the past month to 0.3%.
Tanzania’s Minister of Finance and Planning Mwigulu Nchemba this week said the government is planning to spend TZS9.09tr on debt servicing over the coming financial year that begins in July—more than half of the ministry’s TZS14.94tr budget that Nchemba is seeking for parliament to approve.
We expect the Shilling to be more volatile than normal over the coming week given the government is scheduled to present its 2022/23 budget speech on Tuesday.
The former Minister of Finance believes Akufo-Addo’s leadership over the last couple of years as president has been excellent for which Ghanaians must be grateful for their luck. Mr. Osafo Maafo says Ghana’s economy would have crashed if former President John Mahama was President of Ghana now.
“… So Ghana is lucky that some things that have happened are happening when Akufo-Addo is President. Many serious crises that collapse economies are happening at the period Akufo-Addo is President. So Ghanaians are lucky President Akufo-Addo is the President else the economic situation would have worsened” he said.
Mr. Osafo Maafo said the price of iron roads and wheat are skyrocketing because of the direct impact of the Russia-Ukraine war and no nation is left behind.
“Akufo-Addo has managed the economy very well, if Mahama was President, the economy would have collapsed. I was in Georgia When the Ukraine war started. Georgia is the next door to Ukraine we never thought the Ukraine war will affect Ghana I never thought of it. Not knowing about 30 to 40% of iron rods we use here are imported from Ukraine, wheat to is imported from there I never knew this,” he said
Broadcast Journalist with Metro TV Paul Adom Otchere has reacted to claims that he is being ungrateful to Togbe Afede after years of providing him support.
Broadcast Journalist with Metro TV Paul Adom Otchere has reacted to claims that he is being ungrateful to Togbe Afede after years of providing him support.
Togbe Afede is said to have provided his BMW 7 series luxurious salon vehicle for Paul’s wedding and also gave him a cheque to pay his fees.
According to Paul’s critics, someone who has helped him should not be attacked in such a manner just because he does not agree with him on such issues.
But reacting to the critics, Paul Adom Otchere indicated that he took the car because he wanted to show off on the wedding day and that he had a similar car from Dr. Kofi Abban.
“So this is the story, this is Kofi Amoah’s car and this is Togbe Afede’s car and they are the same car. So I just wanted to show off that’s all so I asked Togbe to give me the car and he gladly gave it to me,” he said.
On paying his school fees, Paul Adom Otchere indicated that when Togbe released the money for his school fees at the Ghana School of Law, his fees had been paid.
He said he did not understand why people will make noise about the fact that Togbe paid his fees for him because there were people who had in the past paid his fees and no noise had been made about it.
Togbe Afede is said to have provided his BMW 7 series luxurious salon vehicle for Paul’s wedding and also gave him a cheque to pay his fees.
According to Paul’s critics, someone who has helped him should not be attacked in such a manner just because he does not agree with him on such issues.
But reacting to the critics, Paul Adom Otchere indicated that he took the car because he wanted to show off on the wedding day and that he had a similar car from Dr. Kofi Abban.
“So this is the story, this is Kofi Amoah’s car and this is Togbe Afede’s car and they are the same car. So I just wanted to show off that’s all so I asked Togbe to give me the car and he gladly gave it to me,” he said.
On paying his school fees, Paul Adom Otchere indicated that when Togbe released the money for his school fees at the Ghana School of Law, his fees had been paid.
He said he did not understand why people will make noise about the fact that Togbe paid his fees for him because there were people who had in the past paid his fees and no noise had been made about it.
