Day: November 16, 2021

The Executive Secretary of Asante Business Owners Association, Charles Kusi Appiah Kubi has said the reversal of the 50percent benchmark values clearly shows government wants their businesses to collapse.

He said with the harsh consequences of Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with the numerous taxes in Ghana, the benchmark values was the only lifeline to many businesses.

Mr Kubi noted that reversing the 50% benchmark value will kick many out of business.

This follows the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in a letter forwarded to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, signed by the Commissioner General, Rev. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, revealing that the move is informed by an agreement reached with the business community to, as it where, generate more revenue.

All items under the 32 categories currently enjoying port clearing discounts will no longer enjoy that special dispensation.

The items include, sugar, noodles, palm oil, roofing sheets, toilet paper, facial tissue and towel, chocolates, Portland cement, clinker and mosquito coil.

Other items also include vehicles, ceramic tiles, aluminum products, cartons, textiles, fruit juices, among others.

In an interview with Kesben Television’s Omanhene Adu Boakye on Monday on the removal of 50 percent Benchmark values by the Ghana Revenue Authority, Mr. Appiah Kubi noted that “we have not moved out of the woods and shocks of covid-19.”

He added, “So for government to say they are reviewing the benchmark values downwards, of course it means that government wants to see businesses collapsing.

“If government wants to raise taxes, there are so many avenues that government could raise taxes,” he noted, adding that “Are you aware that there are a lot of foreign companies that are taking undue advantage of the tax exemption policy.”

Mr Kubi lamented that the wholly Ghanaian-owned businesses that are supposed to be the engine of growth of the Ghanaian economy will suffer greatly.

“So if government wants to improve upon its tax mobilization, it should look at what will have a positive impact on businesses,” he said.

Source: Modern Ghana

Accra,– Goldstar Air, a wholly-owned Ghanaian Airline based in Accra, has donated some Personal Protective Equipment towards this year’s Kids in Tourism (KIT) festival in Accra and Kumasi.

This year’s festival, scheduled for December 3, is being organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture and the Ghana Tourism Authority.

It is part of the “Beyond the Return” programme of activities lined up for the “December in GH” events.

Mr Eric Bannerman, Chief Executive Officer, Goldstar Air, said the company decided to support the initiative as part of its corporate social responsibility.

He said children needed to be protected in these times to be able to live their full potential to grow to become responsible citizens.

“As a starter, we are presenting 30 boxes of face shields to support the festival. Before the programme, we would support with some other things like sanitisers, veronica buckets, soaps and many other things that would enhance the success of the event.”

The Executive Assistant, Mr Edmund Lamptey, presenting the items, said the presentation was to keep the children away from harm and a way of educating and enlightening them about the pandemic and the need to stay safe all the time.

“We are here to donate 30 boxes containing 1,500 face shields to the children but we have planned to support the whole festival with items worth GH¢ 30,000.00,” he added.

Mr Lamptey said, “looking at the vision of KIT, which is to instil creativity and patriotism into the children it also falls in line with our vision of promoting domestic travel, and domestic tourism.”

He said tourism was big money now and countries all over the world were making money from it and Ghana too could do the same by nurturing children from their early stages to develop an interest in both domestic and international tourism.

Mr Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi of the Corporate Affairs Department GTA said more than 150,000 tourists were expected to participate in the December in GH events.

Nana Akua Afriyie, Chief Executive Officer KIT, said the festival was an annual event for children from different schools to showcase the rich tourism and cultural potentials of Ghana.

She said this year’s edition, which would be held in Accra for the fifth time and in Kumasi for the second time, was expected to attract over 30 schools from each region across the country.

“On the day of the tourism festival, there’s going to be a cultural display by the children, recitals and a grand durbar by the children, from all 16 regions of Ghana. Resource persons will also interact and talk to them about the tourism potentials of Ghana. There is also going to be the Wear Ghana and Eat Ghana, and Feel Ghana show.”

Nana Afriyie expressed appreciation to Goldstar Air for the support and called on other corporate institutions to come on board, saying it would go a long way to boost the interest of the children in tourism.

She encouraged parents and teachers to take advantage of the festival to get their children to be exposed and experience the rich tourism potentials of Ghana, learn about their culture and meet up with friends from other schools and places.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra,– The End Time Judeo – Christian Research, a non-governmental organisation,has called on religious leaders to stand against any move of legalising homosexuality in Ghana.

At the end of a seminar on LGBTQ , on the theme: “The Voice of God, Better than Voice of Man” the church entreated leaders of religious organisations to avoid any influence by money to endorse those

practices.

Some of the topics treated were Lawful Human Rights and Judicial/Roman Christian Festivals.

The more than 200 participants at the seminar, led by Apostle Kadmiel E.H. Agbalenyoh, the Founder of the Seven Day Congregation of Theocracy, were unanimous in the rejection of the practice of same sex in the country.

Apostle Agbalenyoh said homosexuality was a taboo and its acceptance would bring God’s wrath on

the nation.

Alhaji Sule Isah, the Moshie Chief of Abeka, commended Apostle Agbalenyoh for his position against same sex relationships, which, he said, the Muslim religion also frowned on.

He encouraged religious organisations to continue to organise seminars to educate their members on

the effect of homosexuality, as it would go a long way to prevent the “undesirable act in the society.”

Pastor Raphael Kafui Natsui in charge of the Darkuman District of the Church urged the participants to share the knowledge acquired with their community members to create awareness on the negative impact of same sex relationships.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Tema,- The Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) on Tuesday said the removal of the benchmark value on some 32 items by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) would worsen the plight of industries.

Mr Abraham Koomson, GFL Secretary-General, reacting to the demand for the removal of the benchmark value, told the Ghana News Agency that it would lead to an increase in production cost for industries and appealed to the government not to heed the request.

Mr Koomson said, “GFL’s anticipation for the upcoming budget are policies to stimulate the growth of local industries to create jobs was dashed when the GRA preceded with a directive to remove benchmark values on essential commodities imported to augment production in the country.”

The local manufacturing sectors that would be adversely affected by the removal were the pharmaceutical industry, shoes, sandals and leather- wear as well as textiles.

He explained that some important raw materials such as clinker for the production of cement was not available in Ghana and had to be imported by the cement manufacturing companies.

Touching on the peculiar effect of the textile industry, he said, “currently cotton production or farming in the country is nonexistence and the industry depends on imported raw cotton and grey baft, chemicals and dyestuff are also imported.”

Mr Koomson said the benchmark value removal from machinery was not the best, explaining that local manufacturing plants were routinely maintained using imported spare parts and other accessories.

The GRA in a letter dated November 11, 2021, and signed by the Reverend Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, Commissioner-General, announced the removal of benchmark values on selected items with effect from November 15, 2021, as part of measures to “achieve revenue effect.”

The 32 affected items include palm oil, crude and refined oils, noodles, toilet and facial tissue, chocolate, clinker, mosquito coil, vehicles, ceramic tiles and aluminium products.

Others are cartons, water, plastic, tile cement, textiles, iron steel, fruit juices, tomato paste, cement paper bags, furniture and parts, toilet and laundry soap, detergents, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, pharmaceuticals, cigarettes, machinery and equipment as well as biscuit.

Meanwhile, Mr Habibu Adams, Senior Economist at the office of the Senior Presidential Advisor, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, explained that the review of the benchmark value was to help save the Ghanaian manufacturing sector.

Responding to a question on the effect of the removal of the benchmark value on consumers during an engagement with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Adams noted that the removal was good for the protection of local industries.

Mr Adams explained that even though the government based on the plea of the various trade associations, including the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), among others some two years back, it had become necessary that it had to remove the 32 selected items.

He said it was realized that due to the benchmark value, people imported goods that were produced in the country without paying taxes, which ended up making the imported goods cheaper than the locally produced ones.

According to him, because it turned out that importing was much better, people stopped producing and also started importing, a situation which he noted did not help the Ghanaian economy.

This led to some concerns by the local producers and after consultations with relevant stakeholders, it was agreed that the said items must have the benchmark value removed.

“After the implementation, they came back to complain that it was killing the local industries, so it was decided that those that we have a competitive advantage in, we have to remove the benchmark from it so our products can sell and the local industries protected,” the Senior Economist stated.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ho,- Madam Dzifa Attivor, a former Transport Minister died Tuesday morning as tributes poured in from politicians, the business community and friends.

She was 65.

“Oh nooo! What a loss! May her soul rest in perfect peace.” “Such a kind hearted woman. You have touched some of us personally.

RIP, Mum.” “Volta Development Foundation will forever be grateful to you for your vision towards the creation of the Forum… You are such a beautiful, lovely, nice, Godfearing personality. We will soldier on…,” are some of the tributes.

Family sources told the Ghana News Agency that Madam Attivor, a leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region, died in Accra after a short illness.

Mr. James Gunu, Volta Regional Secretary of the NDC, said an official statement would be issued soon.

Dzifa Aku Ativor was born on 22 February 1956. The politian and businesswoman was Minister for

Transport until her resignation due to a controversial GHS 3.6m bus re-branding contract in former President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.

Dzifa Ativor attended the Evangelical Presbyterian Primary School at Abutia Teti between 1960 and 1970. Her secondary education was at the Kpedze Secondary School and the Peki Secondary School, both in the Volta Region between 1970 and 1975.

She trained at the Government Secretarial School qualifying as a Stenographer Secretary in 1981and

later obtained a Secretarial Silver Diploma from Pitman College, UK.

Dzifa Ativor worked with the Bank of Ghana from 1976 to 2003 as a research clerk and then as a Personal Assistant to three successive Deputy Governors.

She also became the Personal Assistant to the head of treasury in charge of all general office administrative work in the Bank.

Mrs Dzifa Attivor later moved into private business and set up a Non-Governmental Organization named

“Dedefund”.

She was an advocate for cured lepers.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra,- The Accra High Court trying the ten persons accused of plotting to overthrow the government has rescinded the bail of Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII) Esther Saan, the only female member.

WOII Saan on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 failed to attend Court hence a bench warrant was issued for her arrest.

The three-member panel of judges presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe ruled that if she was granted bail, she would not attend Court to stand trial, hence, ordered that she should be transported to the Nsawam Prisons.

Her counsel had earlier informed the Court that she was indisposed and was admitted at an undisclosed hospital.

The Court later received two excuse duty letters from two separate health facilities with different dates.

One was from the Judicial Service Clinic dated Wednesday, November 10 whilst the other from the Kpeshie Military Clinic dated Monday, November 15.

The Court found out that both excuse duty letters did not state that WOII Saan was admitted at the 37 Military Hospital as defense counsel had informed the Court.

The judge stated that the panel discovered that the accused person went to the Judicial Service Clinic to ask for a two-day excuse duty but failed to state she was standing trial.

WOII Saan is standing trial with Dr Frederick Yao Mac Palm, Chief Executive Officer of the Citadel Hospital, Donyo Kafui, black smith, alias Ezor, Bright Alan Debrah, alias BB, Freight manager, Johannes Zikpi, signaler with the Ghana Armed Forces, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewu, Lance Airforce Corporal (LAC) Ali Solomon, Colonel Kojo Gameli and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agordzo.

They are facing varried charges, including conspiracy to commit crime, high treason, possession of ammunitions and abetment.

They have denied the charges and have been granted bail.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Member of Parliament for Buem and a former Spokesperson to the late Jerry John Rawlings, is open to former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, returning to the National Democratic Congress after her breakaway from the party in 2012 to form the National Democratic Party (NDP).

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Adams indicated that he would also want the party to welcome her back without any stringent conditions, amid suggestions she would have to reapply to be a member of the NDC.

“I don’t think somebody of her stature will have to go through the processes of admitting new members to the party,” he said.

This has become a talking point after the Korley Klottey MP and daughter of Nana Konadu, Zenator Agyeman-Rawlings, urged the NDC to re-admit her mother.

For Mr. Adams, Nana Konadu is “only coming back to her home” if she changes her mind about the NDP.

He believes that “she has paid her dues” to the party in the past and must be recognised for that.

“You accept her because of what they have done and the value you have attached to what she has done,” Mr. Adams said.

He also said accepting her without any conditions won’t be the first time the party has eased rules for a returning member.

“We did it to the Goosie Tanoh’s. We did it to many of the persons who left with him,” Mr. Adams said.

He further urged the NDC not to be swayed by the commentary on Nana Konadu’s possible return to the party.

“They must not look at the negative comments emanating as a result of that call,” he stressed.

Also speaking on Eyewitness News, Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong, the NDP’s General Secretary, said it did not believe Nana Konadu initiated the call for her to rejoin the NDP.

“As far as we are concerned as a party, we don’t think this conversation or prompting has the full knowledge of our flagbearer and founder.”

Though he admits that the situation may change, he added that “we believe that decision of hers [to leave the NDC) was final and forever.”

The former First Lady resigned from the NDC in 2012 to form the NDP.

Seeds for the split had been sowed when she contested the late President John Mills during the party’s presidential primaries in 2008.

She also vowed never to return to the NDC under any circumstance.

Source: Modern Ghana

Accra,- Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director-General, Ghana Health Service (GHS), says the Food and Drugs Authority has revised the age of recipients qualified to receive the Pfizer vaccine to 15 years.

He said the revision of the ages from 18 and above to 15 years would help adolescents to be vaccinated to reduce school outbreaks of COVID-19, especially for Senior High School students and reduce the transmission of the disease to adults at home.

Dr Kuma-Aboagye said this at the CHPS Database Dissemination Forum organised as part of efforts aimed at strengthening Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) implementation under its Technical Cooperation Project, ‘CHPS for Life Project’ to accelerate the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

He said the country originally registered the ages of 18 and above as qualified recipients of the Pfizer vaccines, whereas the United States of America registered Pfizer for 12 years and above.

The Director-General said the adolescents were the most active group in the society and as expected, they would be moving about more during the upcoming festive season and since COVID-19 was about the movement it was important to get them vaccinated.

He said it would also help the country have proper herd immunity when they were added to the total population of those to be vaccinated.

Dr Kuma-Aboagye stated that they were engaging major stakeholders, including the Ghana Education Service on the modalities on how the vaccination of the adolescents would be carried out.

‘‘We have the consent issues like the adults’ but this is a risk for all of us and I believe that this something we can all get above and be able to vaccinate as many people to protect us all,’’ he said.

He said adolescents who were out of school and within the age group would also be vaccinated.

Dr Kuma-Aboagye said there were some Pfizer vaccines in the country and they were expecting more Pfizer from Covax and other places as well.

Source: Ghana News Agency