Day: June 7, 2022

Accra, Government has commended the contribution of the Hortifresh West Africa programme, which is a follow-up project to the GhanaVeg programme implemented in 2013, towards developing a competitive horticulture sub-sector in Ghana.

The Hortifresh programme improved the knowledge and income of over 15, 000 family farms, created over 3,000 jobs, adopted research results and certification and financing or more than 30 small and medium enterprises.

Dr Solomom Gyan Ansah, the Director of Agriculture, Directorate of Crop Services at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, made the commendation at the close out ceremony of the Hortifresh West Africa Programme in Accra.

The ceremony was used to launch two new reports on Greenhouse Cucumber and Tomato production.

The event was on the theme: “Sustaining Gains made for A Competitive Horticulture Sector.”

The programme was funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Accra and focused on the fruit and vegetable sectors in Ghana and Cote d’lvoire.

The programme has been implemented by consortium of partners (SNV, Resilience, Advance Consulting and Sense and has been led by the Wageningen University and Research.

He said the programme had impacted positively in people’s lives through the creation of sustainable livelihoods, improved access to inputs, finance, technical support, and access to market.

The Director said some key outputs of their collaboration included the development of onion, mango, tomato, and peri-urban clusters as well as preparatory works towards the formation of the Horticulture Development Authority.

He said through agronomy training programmes, Hortifresh also strengthened the capacities of agricultural extension officers located in most of the farming areas.

“The programme also provided support for knowledge transfer from the trained agronomist to smallholder farmers in their areas of operations,” he said.

Dr Ansah said the government’s new direction for national development within the period 2017-2024 was to create the conditions for the Ghanaian private sector to propel growth and create ample employment opportunities, especially for the youth.

He said this required stabilising the economy and putting it on the path of strong, diversified and resilient growth.

The Director said strengthening of the horticulture sub-sector along the value chain with attention to value addition and market access was high on the Ministry’s developmental agenda, which it had been pursuing vigorously with its relevant partners.

He said the government recognized that the horticultural sub-sector played a crucial role in Ghana’s economy as it provided income, foreign exchange, employment and ensures food security.

“The sector also has the potential for diversifying Ghana’s export base,” he added.

Dr Irene Koomen, Coordinator Hortifresh programme said it had been a transformation programme, not only focusing on production or export but looking at many elements that contributed to the transformation of the sector.

She said the programme was implemented through various mechanisms, including three funds, the innovation, youth and cluster, access to finance, the enabling environment, emphasis on gender and nutrition and special studies.

Mrs Shelia Assibey-Yeboah, the Programme Manager, said the main objective includes improving productivity, facilitating more efficient markets, improving the business climate, professionalising the value chain, and linking actors with Dutch/European Union private sector.

She said over the years new norms were created, markets have shifted, government and private sector had engaged more, and clearly business processes now seem more efficiently organised.

The Programme Manager said over time the sector was responding better to initiatives put forward during implementation, “we, therefore, highly applaud the network of horticulture actors that you all have become, visionary, dynamic and resilient.”

Source: Ghana News Agency

Wa, ?The Internal Audit Committees for the Municipal and District Assemblies in the Upper West Region have been inaugurated and tasked with the responsibility of ensuring proper and efficient financial management processes.

The formation of the committees is mandated by Section 86 of the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921), which orders all government institutions/agencies to create Audit Committees.

Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, charged the committees to perform their duties with fairness and honesty and avoid witch-hunting officials working in public institutions.

“The committees must be firm, sincere, and honest and work independently at all times in the discharge of their duties,” he said.

He urged members of the committees to equip themselves with the relevant laws and bring their professional knowledge and expertise to impact positively on their work delivery to enhance development.

He gave the assurance that the Regional Coordinating Council would support and cooperate with them to help carry out their duties efficiently.

Mrs Mariam Deladem Ofosu-Dankyi, the Human Resource and Administration Director of the Internal Audit Agency, urged Audit Committees to advise and ensure that the institutions operate an efficient risk management system that provided reasonable assurance of meeting its objectives.

She noted that corporate governance was about establishing processes and capabilities to ensure the reliable achievement of corporate objectives.

She urged the Audit Committees to facilitate, support, persuade, advise and help establish and be highly interested in sound governance processes.

Mrs Ofosu-Dankyi said the Audit Committees were important in the governance of the institutions and required the support of management and all key stakeholders to execute their mandate.

“The Audit Committees are expected to work together with management and all stakeholders of the various institutions as partners in development towards accomplishing efficient management of public funds”, she said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Parliament on Tuesday ratified Ghana’s membership to the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO).

The APPO (formerly called the African Petroleum Producers’ Association) was established on January 27, 1987, to serve as a platform for cooperation and harmonization of efforts, collaboration, sharing of knowledge and expertise among African oil producing countries.

As at December 31, 2021, APPO membership had grown from eight in 1987 to 15; namely Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, the Ivory Coast, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Niger, Nigeria and South Africa.

The ratification of Ghana’s membership to the APPO by Parliament would afford the country access to the Africa Energy Investment Corporation (AEICorp) to mobilise private-sector funds towards the development of Ghana’s Petroleum Hub through eligible African and International Financial Institutions.

It would also afford Ghana the opportunity to participate fully all activities of the organisation.

By the provisions of Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, any treaty, agreement, or convention executed by or under the Authority of the President in the name of Ghana is made subject to ratification either by an Act of Parliament or by a resolution of Parliament supported by the votes of more than one-half of all the Members of Parliament.

Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Mines and Energy, who moved the motion for the House to adopt the Committee’s report on the request for Parliamentary ratification for Ghana’s membership to the APPO, said Ghana applied for membership of the APPO on 16th February, 2011, which was unanimously endorsed by a committee of experts at its 41st meeting held on 23rd June, 2011.

He said the subscription fees by way of Ghana’s membership and its oil producing efforts was in the sun of one hundred thousand dollars annually.

“Having critically examined the status of the APPO, the Committee takes the view that Ghana stands to benefit tremendously from becoming a member of the Organisation,” he said.

He said among others Ghana’s membership would avail to the country the right to participate in the critical decision-making of the Organisation, access investment through AEICorp; an opportunity to leverage on the Organisation to fund the development of Ghana’s emerging petroleum industry for optimal benefits.

Mr Atta Akyea said the Committee noted that Ghana had applied and achieved the requirement for two-thirds majority approval of the member countries, which left the ratification and signing of the status of the Organisation as the last step for Ghana to become a bona fide member of the APPO.

Mr Edward Abambire Bawa, a Member of the Parliamentary Committee for Mines and Energy, who seconded the motion, said he was so excited that Ghana had decided to join the APPO, stating that AEICorp, which was one of the organs of the Organisation would provide capital funding for the development of hydrocarbons in member countries.

Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, a Deputy Minister of Energy/Member of Parliament (MP) for Karaga, said given the fact that Africans needed to work together as a continent to develop their hydro-carbon resources and maximize benefits for their people, the APPO, as constituted currently, would help Ghana in so many ways.

He said at the moment funding was declining for oil and gas projects because of the energy transition; adding that APPO had been working towards the establishment of an African Energy Bank that would mobilise the resources to support the development of the continent’s hydron carbon resources.

Mr Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah, a former Energy Minister and a Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Mines and Energy, said the ratification would enable Ghana to enjoy all the benefits of a fully-fledged membership of APPO.

He said Ghana was challenged with how to attract investment in the upstream sector of the petroleum industry and how to leverage financing for the sector; saying “Mr Speaker, we can only do that if we can leverage on our membership with APPO, basically to attract investment and get low interest financing.”

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum, the fourth defence witness in the trial involving Dr Stephen Opuni and two others, says COCOBOD never suffered any financial loss as a result of the purchase of lithovit liquid fertilizer.

He said, “I will not consider the purchasing of lithovit liquid fertilizer as a loss to the State.”

Mr Agyekum, who is the former Board Chairman of COCOBOD, in his evidence in chief, led by Mr Samuel Codjoe, Lawyer for Dr Opuni, said he was dragged to EOCO himself in 2017 for causing financial loss to the state.

Dr Opuni and Mr Agongo are facing 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the State, money laundering, corruption by a public officer and contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GHS300,000.00 self-recognizance bail each.

Mr Agyekum said having been charged for causing financial loss to the state and against his protestation as a Board chairman, he did not authorise payment, nor did he sign Cheques at COCOBOD and yet he was treated by EOCO as a common criminal.

The former Board Chairman, who is a retired Diplomat, said he was on the Board of directors of the Board from January 2014 to January 2017.

He said he could state that all agrochemicals, including lithovit liquid fertiliser went through the right procurement procedure before purchase was done.

He said he was also the Chairman of the Entity Tender Committee (ETC) until the law was amended to make the Chief Executive the Chairman.

The witness said that even though the law was amended, he still attended all ETC meetings.

“During my tenure as Board Chairman, all agrochemicals, including fertilizers which were purchased went through proper procedures and processes,” he added.

He said the practice existed before his appointment to the Board of COCOBOD.

He said all chemicals, including fertilizers bought from Agricult Ghana, limited went through all the processes.

“Also, as a Board Chairman, all fertilizers, including lithovit fertilizer went through the proper procedures,” he said.

He said as a Board, they were guided by technical experts in specific fields, and they also followed the right procedures.

The witness said lithovit was a liquid fertilizer and “I also know COCOBOD purchased lithovit including(among) sidalco and granular fertilizer.”

Mr Agyekum told the Court that letters from COCOBOD to the Public Procurement Authority, seeking approval for sole-sourcing of fertilizers were signed by Dr Opuni but not written by him.

He said it was not Dr Opuni, who granted contracts but rather the management of the COCOBOD awarded contracts.

He said after going through all the processes, they would seek expert advice before all chemicals were bought under his tenure.

The witness said he was also aware that all procurement letters were written by the Procurement Unit.

The witness statement was tendered and adopted by the Court.

Mr Nutifafa Nutsukpui, Counsel for Seidu Agongo, in cross-examination, asked the witness whether he would remember some Board members and the witness said he could only recollect a few names, looking at my age.

Tell the Court how the Board made its decisions, the witness was asked, and he said “when the Board meets, most of the decisions were arrived at after a thorough discussion on the issues that were presented to them per the agenda.”

He said decisions taken at the meeting were based on consensus.

Asked whether it was possible during his tenure for an individual Board member to make any decision on their behalf, the witness answered in the negative.

He said each member was given the opportunity to make his or her views known.

“Were the budget and procurement plan approved in a similar decision manner,” the Counsel asked, and the witness said the plan and budget would be discussed by all members before any decision was made.

He said if there was any way for clarification on the plan, the experts were invited.

The Counsel asked the witness that as far as he was aware, in approving the budget or procurement plan, had there been any influence by Mr Agongo and his Agricult Company? But the witness disagreed.

He said they could not have influenced any of the decisions because they do not attend their meetings.

Mr Nutsukpui asked the witness that during his tenure as the Board Chairman, were there any complaints of any problem with any agrochemical COCOBOD purchased, the witness said he never received any complaints from any cocoa farmer or farming group.

He said during his tenure and based on his personal experience it was his determination that the policies, programmes, and activities of the Board should be apt to support the Cocoa farming industry.

He said his reaction to the assertion that lithovit was so ineffective and farmers drank the fertilizer on their farms was that Dr Adu Ampomah, who claimed the farmers complained to him, did not know what he was talking about.

The witness said if any farmer drank the fertilizer would die.

Mr Agyekum said “maybe,” Dr Ampomah might not be telling the truth.

The case has been adjourned to Friday, June 10, 2022.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Mr Isaac Kwabena Amoako, a member of the E-Levy Technical Committee, says the collection of the E-levy will increase the country’s tax-to-Gross Domestic Product ratio from 12.

5 per cent in 2021 to 20 per cent by 2024.

He said out of the country’s population of over 30 million, only 2 million people paid direct taxes of which 12 million were active workers.

The e-levy, he said, was among interventions to bring on board informal sectors and other organisations or institutions on the country’s tax net.

Mr Amoako said this at a sensitization programme for some identifiable groups?on the implementation of the Electronic Transfer Levy Act,2022 (Act 1075), organized by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The Act imposes levy on all applicable electronic transfers made other than electronic transfers that are excluded under the Act.

Government’s decision to introduce the levy, he stated, was to enhance domestic tax mobilisation and expand the tax base and provide opportunity for the citizenry to contribute towards national development.?

Mr Amoako, who is also the Head of Project Management Team of GRA, said the levy did not apply to persons who withdraw money from their mobile money wallet.

He explained that transfers that were not covered by e-levy include cumulative transfer of GHS 100 per day made by the same person using mobile money and transfer between accounts owned by the same person.

“For example, a transfer from Naa’s AirtelTigo wallet to her MTN wallet or from her Fidelity bank account to her Prudential bank account or from her CalBank savings account to her current or investment account will not attract the Levy because Naa has linked all accounts with her Ghana Card,” he said.

Other transfers that do not attract e-levy charges are transfers for the payment of taxes, fees, and charges, electronic clearing of cheques, Specified Merchant Payments, and transfers among principal, agent, and master-agent accounts.

He explained that, in the Act, transfers that fall under the E-Levy were mobile money transfers done between wallets on the same electronic money issuer, sending money from ones Vodafone Cash wallet to another person’s AirtelTigo wallet, transfers from bank accounts to mobile money wallets, transfers from mobile money wallets to bank accounts and bank transfers on an instant pay digital platform or application which originates from a bank account belonging to an individual.

“For example, Kwame transferring money from his ADB account using the ADB App to Akua’s National Investment Bank account,” he said.

He said the levy was charged by mobile money providers like MTN Momo, Vodafone Cash, AirtelTigo Money, Zeepay, GCB G-Money, and Yup Ghana and Payment Service Providers like e-Tranzact, JuniPay, Korba,Nsano, banks like Consolidated Bank Ghana, GCB Bank, ADB and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions such as Rural and Community Banks, Savings and Loans Companies, Finance Houses and other Financial Institutions prescribed by Regulations.

Responding to concerns from the participants on wrong deductions, Mr Amoako said any undue deductions should be reported to the appropriate sector for refund.

He said from July 1, 2022, tax payers can only used Ghana Card for refund of any wrong deductions.

Source: Ghana News Agency