Day: April 20, 2023

MTN Ghana Foundation has launched the Enterprise Support Program which is geared towards boosting youth entrepreneurship and driving innovation across the country. The initiative, which is in partnership with Innohub Foundation, is part of MTN’s legacy projects aimed at accelerating socio-economic growth through economic empowerment initiatives.

Through this partnership, MTN Enterprise Support Program will support 500 small businesses operated by youth, students, women and persons with disabilities over a five-year period with training, business development support, technical assistance and seed funding. Each year, 100 SMEs will be supported. Selected businesses will go through incubation and training on practical business and ideas for implementation.

The Enterprise Support initiative will target businesses across the 16 regions of Ghana within the five-year period. However, the first year of the initiative will target business within the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Western regions. Interested SMEs in the regions listed are invited to visit https://lnkd.in/eY2ajC-t to apply. Application deadline is 30th April 2023.

Speaking at the launch of the Enterprise Support Program, the Senior Manager for Sustainability and Social Impact of the MTN Ghana Foundation, Robert Kuzoe, underscored the need for such an initiative.

He said, “the aim of this program is to support young entrepreneurs with the requisite skills to help them sustain their businesses for the benefit of our communities and the country at large. During our 25th anniversary celebrations, MTN announced an initiative to drive and support the growth of SMEs and enterprises. It is for this reason that we are committing over GHS1 million to the Enterprise Support Program to boost youth entrepreneurship and innovation and reduce youth unemployment in the country.”

The CEO of Innohub Foundation, Nelson Amo expressed gratitude to MTN for the partnership, adding that the initiative will unlock growth opportunities for SMEs and accelerate youth entrepreneurship.

“The MTN Enterprise Support Program will go down in history as one of Ghana’s most impactful private sector initiatives that will unlock access to finance for micro and small businesses and help them scale. This initiative will go a long way to create pathways for job creation, economic empowerment and build a more resilient economy.”

CEO of National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Kofi Ofosu Nkansah commended MTN Foundation and Innohub for such a laudable initiative and called on other stakeholders to invest in such enterprise initiatives to help small scale businesses and minimize graduate and youth unemployment across the country.

The initiative will target businesses within the agribusiness value chain, fashion, food processing, cosmetic production, fish processing, renewable energy, TVET among others.

Source: Ghana Web

A presidential hopeful, Akwasi Addae Odike, says the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) cannot be blamed entirely for the current hardship facing the country’s economy.

According to the businessman cum politician, the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), hugely contributed to the economy running into bankruptcy.

He accused former president John Mahama of “mismanaging” the during his administration prior to 2017, by borrowing recklessly.

“When we genuinely talk about Ghana’s main problems, then it is John Mahama who initiated it because after Ghana went into HIPIC, the country was keen to stabilise the economy but Mahama and Atta Mills [administration] increased Ghana’s debt from GH¢17 billion to GH¢122 billion.

“He [Mahama] went for loans and spent them on funding school projects across the country meanwhile, loans are not meant for building schools because it was never going to give any returns to the country – school buildings are instead built with taxes,” the firebrand politician said on the Anopa Bofo morning show, Wednesday, April 19, 2023.

Without mincing words, the Founder and Leader of the yet-to-be-launched Unity Government Movement (UGM) added that, the decision by the Mahama-led administration to disburse loans to finance school project, is the genesis of Ghana’s economic downturn.

Odike, therefore, questioned why the NDC leader is seeking to become president for the second time.

“I want to ask Mr. Mahama that upon all the state resources spent on him- from his days as an Assemblyman to when he became a Member of Parliament and then as Deputy Minister, Minister, Vice President and finally President- what has he been able to achieve or do with the experience garnered?”

Source: Ghana Web

Professor Smart Sarpong, a Senior Research Fellow of the Kumasi Technical University, has applauded the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akufo Dampare and the Ghana Police Service over their engagement with the two largest political parties, the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress.

The Police administration held a meeting with the leadership of both parties on some petitions recently received by the Police which demanded, amongst others, the arrest of some notable politicians on alleged statements made by them which, according to the petitioners, threaten the peace and security of the country.

The Police noted that statements of Ex-President John Mahama, NDC National Chairman; Mr. Asiedu Nketiah, and the Minister for Food and Agriculture; Hon. Bryan Acheampong, had all failed the criminal threshold test which would warrant their arrest.

Nonetheless, statements by the Suame NDC Youth Organizer were criminal and had breached the laws of the Republic, as a result his arrest and prosecution; the Police further stated.

The IGP also assured the parties of the determination of the Police to serve as impartial referees in enforcing law and order.

Making submissions in relation to the Police and political parties’ engagement, Professor Smart Sarpong guaranteed the Police of the people’s support for them to do their work without fear or favor.

According to him, the IGP’s assurance and caution to all political parties, particularly the NPP and NDC, that they should leave the Police to do their work without political interferences is in the right order.

“They should continue to do their work. President Mahama has called on them to serve the country not individuals. They should do their best…We throw our support behind them,” he said on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show.

To the political parties, Prof. Smart Sarpong advised them to refrain from making seditious statements but focus on clean politics and their polling stations if they want to win the elections.

He stressed; “Election 2024, one party is going to win but it is going to be the party that becomes smarter, not the party that shows muscles and become more violent.”

Source: Ghana Web

The Minister for Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has revealed that crude condensation of about $2.5m allocated to the Tema Oil Refinery is reportedly missing.

The minister, widely known as NAPO speaking to the media on April 20, 2023 said that the fund was part of a business opportunity for the refinery to produce premix fuel from condensates from Ghana Gas.

“I gave TOR a new business opportunity in the premix fuel market that all the condensate from Ghana Gas should be used for making premix fuel. The last time I heard, over $2.5 million dollars worth of condensate had gone missing from TOR,” he said.

His revelation comes days after workers of the refinery commenced a series of demonstration demanding for the revamping of the refinery.

Background:

The National Chairman of the General Transport Petroleum Chemical Workers Union of TUC, Bernard Owusu, disclosed that, as workers of the insolvent Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), they are opened for private partnerships to revamp the refinery.

He was speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo in reaction to the series of demonstration being held by the workers of TOR over government’s inability to get the refinery running.

To get their wishes granted, the chairman stated that the government will just have to get the policies structure and they will be willing to have private people come in.

He assured the public that the government is doing everything possible to revive the refinery following an appeal by workers. However, workers are calling for the dismissal of the Managing Director, Jerry K. Hinson, over allegations made against him.

The General Transport Petroleum Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU) has announced their intention to picket at the Jubilee House, Ministry of Energy, and other strategic locations.

In response, Mr. Hinson in a letter warned workers that any illegal strike action or picketing will be dealt with according to the law, citing clauses 168-171 of the Labour Act.

“Kindly be aware of the illegality of any such actions under clauses 168- 1 71 of the Labour Act and the consequences thereunder for participants/staff involved.

Please be aware of section 171 in particular which emphasises the term “picketing” which is only lawful in furtherance of a lawful strike/industrial action,” he said.

“Kindly be advised finally that participation of staff in any illegal action or picketing or indeed any act that purports to disrupt the activities of the Company or possibly undermine the authority of the Shareholder will be subjected to the prescribed ramifications under the relevant laws.”

Source: Ghana Web

The Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has revealed that crude condensation of about $2.5m allocated to the Tema Oil Refinery is reportedly missing.

The minister, widely known as NAPO, speaking to the media on April 20, 2023 said that the fund was part of a business opportunity for the refinery to produce premix fuel from condensates from Ghana Gas.

“I gave TOR a new business opportunity in the premix fuel market that all the condensate from Ghana Gas should be used for making premix fuel. The last time I heard, over $2.5 million dollars worth of condensate had gone missing from TOR,” he said.

His revelation comes days after workers of the refinery commenced a series of demonstration demanding for the revamping of the refinery.

Background:

The National Chairman of the General Transport Petroleum Chemical Workers Union of TUC, Bernard Owusu, disclosed that, as workers of the insolvent Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), they are opened for private partnerships to revamp the refinery.

He was speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo in reaction to the series of demonstration being held by the workers of TOR over government’s inability to get the refinery running.

To get their wishes granted, the chairman stated that the government will just have to get the policies structure and they will be willing to have private people come in.

He assured the public that the government is doing everything possible to revive the refinery following an appeal by workers. However, workers are calling for the dismissal of the Managing Director, Jerry K. Hinson, over allegations made against him.

The General Transport Petroleum Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU) has announced their intention to picket at the Jubilee House, Ministry of Energy, and other strategic locations.

In response, Mr. Hinson in a letter warned workers that any illegal strike action or picketing will be dealt with according to the law, citing clauses 168-171 of the Labour Act.

“Kindly be aware of the illegality of any such actions under clauses 168- 1 71 of the Labour Act and the consequences thereunder for participants/staff involved.

Please be aware of section 171 in particular which emphasises the term “picketing” which is only lawful in furtherance of a lawful strike/industrial action,” he said.

“Kindly be advised finally that participation of staff in any illegal action or picketing or indeed any act that purports to disrupt the activities of the Company or possibly undermine the authority of the Shareholder will be subjected to the prescribed ramifications under the relevant laws.”

Source: Ghana Web