Day: June 2, 2023

The Deputy Director for International Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fred Agbenyo has questioned the government about the last time salaries of civil servants in Ghana were increased.

This comes on the back of an increment in the electricity tariffs announced by the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURC).

The politician expressed worry about the number of Ghanaians that can afford the increased utility bills in their households.

Speaking on a panel on TV3 Newday, Fred Agbenyo enquired about the last time the salaries of teachers, nurses and journalists were increased in Ghana but he could recall that utility bills are increased quarterly.

“The question is, can Ghanaians afford it? When was the last time salaries were increased in this country? When was the last time salaries were increased for teachers, nurses, journalists, and all these civil servants, when was the last time?

“You wake up one morning and your electricity tariff is going up by 18 percent quarterly. Water is going up,” Fred said on the show.

He also indicated that this incessant increment in utility bills is what is creating the menace of illegal connections.

“How do you stop illegal connections? I need electricity at all costs and I don’t have the means to pay because you are not sensitive to my condition and so I must find a way to survive,” he added.

Can Ghanaians afford this new increase in electricity tariffs? That should be the question. When was the last time salaries were increased in this country? – Fred Agbenyo#TV3NewDay pic.twitter.com/EPQ6uKiEM3

Electricity tariffs have been increased by 18.36%, while water tariffs have seen a 19% increase. These adjustments are attributed to the rising costs of production.

Alhaji Abubakari Jabari, the Regional Director of Operations for the PURC, explained in an interview with Starr News on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, that customers who pay postpaid bills on June 1, 2023, will still be charged based on the old rates.

“I know most people go to buy their credit at the beginning of the month, I don’t see any point in that but people have the perception that if you buy credit in the first week of the month you might get some discount. You can’t force yourself to be within the lifeline, so any time you go to buy your credit, it is as good as buying in the first week or first day of the month. It’s a normal operational issue so we don’t expect people to go and cue today in trying to avoid the effect of any adjustment that has been done,” Alhaji Abubakari Jabari said.

Source: Ghana Web

Renowned economist Kwame Pianim has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency in response to the current economic crisis in Ghana.

According to him, such a declaration is necessary to effectively address the crisis.

Speaking during an interview on TV3’s News 360, he emphasized the need for transparency and urged the government to inform Ghanaians about the severity of the crisis.

Pianim suggested that symbolic measures, such as reducing the size of government and suspending non-productive expenditures, would demonstrate a commitment to resolving the crisis.

“Now we have to put all our cards on the table, tell Ghanaians we are in a deep crisis.

“Those are the words that the IMF uses, we are in a deep crisis and to solve the deep crisis and get out we have to be serious, declare a state of emergency and tell every Ghanaian we all have to tighten our belts, we are in economic crisis.

“Some of the symbolic cutting will show that we are reducing the size of government to make it lean and smart and that expenditures that are not going to yield output they are going to suspend them.”

President Akufo-Addo had previously cautioned the public not to expect an immediate solution to Ghana’s problems with the approval of a $3 billion deal by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In his address to the nation on May 28, the President acknowledged that accessing the IMF facility would not instantly alleviate the country’s difficulties.

However, he expressed optimism that the deal would restore confidence, reopen avenues that had been closed, and send a positive message to creditors and investors.

Echoing the President’s sentiments, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta stressed that Ghana’s approval by the IMF Board was not a magical solution but a crucial first step towards implementing necessary reforms and achieving inclusive growth. Ofori-Atta emphasized the government’s commitment to pursuing a growth agenda focused on restoring the economy’s strength, prosperity, and resilience.

As the economic crisis persists, Kwame Pianim’s call for a state of emergency highlights the urgency of the situation.

It remains to be seen how the government will respond to his recommendation and address the ongoing challenges faced by the Ghanaian economy.

Source: Ghana Web

Renowned British fashion stylist and editor-in-chief of British Vogue, Edward Enninful, has shared an account of how his mother played a crucial role in supporting his aspirations in the gay modeling industry, despite his father’s disapproval.

In an interview with The Diary of a CEO, Enninful revealed that he and his mother kept his modeling career a secret from his father.

“My dad didn’t know I was in the modeling agency. I was hiding it, and my mother and I were hiding it. My mother was so good,” Enninful confessed.

The editor also acknowledged the significant role played by Simon Foxton, a renowned stylist, who gained his mother’s trust and became an influential figure in Enninful’s life.

“My mother really trusted Simon Foxton, so then Simon would look after me,” Enninful revealed.

Despite his father’s strong opposition, Enninful made up his mind to pursue his dreams.

Reflecting further on his father’s strictness, Enninful shared a story of how his sister was scouted by a prestigious modeling agency, John Casablancas, in Canada and his father’s decision to stop it.

“I had a sister who was then again recruited in Canada by a famous modeling agency, John Casablancas, to be a model, and my dad said, ‘No way you not are doing it.”

He was ready to defy all odds to help his sister grab the opportunity.

“Somehow at the back of my head, ‘he wasn’t going to stop me’,” he expressed.

To keep his modeling pursuits hidden, Edward Enninful admitted to adopting a cloak-and-dagger routine.

“I was pretending to go to school when I was going for castings, and I was pretending to go to school when I was going for shoots,” he admitted.

Despite the difficulties he faced and the need for secrecy, Enninful looks back on his early years in the fashion industry with a sense of joy and fondness.

Source: Ghana Web