Day: February 17, 2024

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Naval Training Command: 393 Army recruits pass out


A total of 393 recruits of the Army Recruit Mobile Training Team of the Ghana Armed Forces have passed out after a six-month intensive ‘Basic Infantry Training Course (BITC 4/2023) at a colourful ceremony.

The ceremony, held at the Nutekpor Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) near Sogakope in the Volta Region, registered 78 females of the total number, who met the basic requirements such as medical and physical fitness, robustness, discipline, and mental resilience.

Brigadier General Frank Nartey Tei, the Deputy Chief Staff Officer, Operations and Training, Army Headquarters, urged the young military personnel to discharge their duties professionally.

He urged them to desist from acts of unauthorised and unlawful activities such as partisan politics, land guarding, misuse of the Forces’ uniforms, and molesting of innocent civilians.

They must remain focused on achieving future expectations and career goals as long as they remained soldiers, he said.

‘Do not think it is over after passing out because Quarter
ly Basic Fitness Tests await you. Do not think that passing out today marks the end of your struggle because there are career courses ahead,’ he said.

Brig. Gen. Nartey Tei, who reviewed the passing out parade, reminded the recruits not to bow to family dictates to achieve any personal unlawful interests since that would destroy their career.

‘Being a soldier does not place you above the laws of the country. In fact, as a soldier, you are more subservient to more laws than a civilian. This is because, besides the constitution of Ghana, you are bonded by the Armed Forces Regulations.’

‘Let me warn you that the High Command of the Armed Forces is resolved to strongly guard its hard-earned reputation,’ he added.

Of the recruits that passed out, 400 civilians, comprising 319 males and 81 females reported for the training with some withdrawn for various reasons.

The ‘BITC 4/23,’ recruits went through basic but comprehensive military training encompassing physical training, tactics, weapon training, drill, mil
itary law, map reading, field craft, first aid, and liberal education.

Recruit Kissiweofo Cletus Awimbilla emerged as the Overall Best Recruit, and Ntere Evans was the Best in Academics.

Nartey Kevin Nii, was the Best in Drill, Teye Lordina, Best Female Recruit and Best in Voice Procedure, Akurugu Abdul Karim, Best in Physical Training, Asante Jacqueline, Best in Tactics, and Lettu Linda, Best in Map Reading.

The rest were Wettey Portia, Best in Field Craft, Kwakye Samuel, First Aid, and Ghartey Emmanuel won the CO’s Special Award.

They received television sets, plaques, and certificates.

Mr Kobena Woyome, MP for South Tongu, was among the dignitaries who witnessed the ceremony.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Africa to account for eleven of world’s 20 fastest-growing economies – Report


The latest Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook of the African Continent released on Friday by the African Development Bank Group suggests that Africa will account for eleven of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies in 2024. ?

Overall,?real gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the continent is expected to average 3.8 per cent and 4.2 per cent in 2024 and 2025, respectively.??

This is higher than the projected global averages of 2.9 per cent and 3.2 per cent, the report shared with the Ghana News Agency, said. ?

The continent is set to remain the second-fastest-growing region after Asia. ?

The top 11 African countries projected to experience strong economic performance forecast in percentage terms are Niger (11.2), Senegal (8.2), Libya (7.9), Rwanda (7.2), Cote d’Ivoire (6.8), Ethiopia (6.7), Benin (6.4), Djibouti (6.2), Tanzania (6.1), Togo (six), and Uganda at (six). ?

‘Despite the challenging global and regional economic environment, 15 African countries have posted output expansions of more tha
n five per cent,’ the Bank Group President, Dr?Akinwumi Adesina, was quoted as saying and called for larger pools of financing and several policy interventions to further boost Africa’s growth. ?

Africa’s Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook (MEO), a?biannual publication released in the first and third quarters of each year, complements the existing?African Economic Outlook (AEO), which focuses on key emerging policy issues relevant to the continent’s development.?

The MEO report provides an up-to-date evidence-based assessment of the continent’s recent macroeconomic performance and short-to-medium-term outlook amid dynamic global economic developments. ?

The latest report is calling for cautious optimism given the challenges posed by global and regional risks.

These risks include rising geopolitical tensions, increased regional conflicts, and political instability-all of which could disrupt trade and investment flows, and perpetuate inflationary pressures. ?

President Adesina emphasised that fiscal def
icits had improved as faster-than-expected recovery from the pandemic helped shore up revenue.?

‘This has led to a stabilisation of the average fiscal deficit at 4.9 per cent in 2023, like 2022, but significantly less than the 6.9 per cent average fiscal deficit of 2020. The stabilisation is also due to the fiscal consolidation measures, especially in countries with elevated risks of debt distress.’?

He cautioned that with the global economy mired in uncertainty, the fiscal positions of the African continent would continue to be vulnerable to global shocks. ?

The report shows that the medium-term growth outlook for the continent’s five regions is slowly improving, a pointer to the continued resilience of Africa’s economies.?

Presenting the key findings of the report, the African Development Bank’s Chief Economist and Vice President, Prof.?Kevin Urama, said: ‘Growth in Africa’s top-performing economies has benefitted from a range?of factors, including declining commodity dependence through economic diversi
fication, increasing strategic investment in key growth sectors, and rising both public and private consumption, as well as positive developments in key export markets.’???

‘Africa’s economic growth is projected to regain moderate strength as long as the global economy remains resilient, disinflation continues, investment in infrastructure projects remains buoyant, and progress is sustained on debt restructuring and fiscal consolidation.’?

Ambassador Albert Muchanga, the Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, African Union Commission, said:

‘The future of Africa rests on economic integration. Our small economies are not competitive in the global market. A healthy internal African trade market can ensure value-added and intra-African production of manufactured goods.’

He assured that the MEO forecast, and recommendations would be made available to African heads of state and that the report would be useful when the African Union made its proposals to the G20- an inform
al gathering of many of the world’s largest economies to which the African Union was admitted last year. ?

The improved growth figure for 2024 reflects concerted efforts by the continent’s policymakers to drive economic diversification strategies focused on increased investment in key growth sectors as well as the implementation of domestic policies aimed at consolidating fiscal positions and reversing the increase in the cost of living and boosting private consumption. ?

Up to 41 countries across the continent would, in 2024, achieve an economic growth rate of 3.8 per cent and in 13 of them, growth would be more than one percentage point higher than in 2023. ?

The confluence of shocks notwithstanding, the resilience of the continent’s economies remains strong, with positive growth projected for the continent’s five regions. ?

West Africa’s growth is projected to pick up to four and 4.4 per cent in 2024 and 2025, respectively. ??

Strong growth in most countries in the region is projected to offset slowdo
wns in Nigeria and Ghana.??

The announced withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States casts a shadow over the sustainability of gains amid growing uncertainties.?

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Kadjebi Assembly reconvenes on February 19 to elect Presiding Member


The 54-member Kadjebi District Assembly in the Oti Region will reconvene on Monday, February 19, to elect a presiding member (PM).

The Assembly’s attempt on February 12 to elect a PM failed as none of the two contenders, Mr Charles Nyame Kormisah, a Government Appointee and Headmaster of Ntruboman SHS, and Mr Anthony Ahiable, an Assemblyman for Wawaso Electoral Area and a Teacher, failed to get the required two-thirds majority votes.

A letter written on February 14, signed by Mr Cletus Chevure, Secretary to the Assembly, asked the Assembly to be present at 1000 hours on Monday, February 19 for the election of the presiding member.

The letter, signted by the Ghana News Agency, stated the formation of committees/sub-committees, and adoption of official Language (s) to be used during the Assembly proceedings, among other things on the same day.

The previous elections on February 12 saw Mr Kormisah getting 31 votes while Mr Ahiable had 20 during the first round of voting with two rejected ballots and one abse
ntee.

That of second round saw Mr Kormisah securing 33 votes, with Mr Ahiable getting 20.

In line with section 17(3) of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), ‘The Presiding Member shall be elected by at least a two-thirds majority of all the members of the District Assembly’.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Savannah Region will be a true battleground for 2024 Election’-Abu Jinapor


Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Damongo Constituency, says the Constituency is geared up to secure ‘every vote’ for the Party to propel it to victory in the December 7 Election.

Mr Jinapor, also the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, said he was battle ready to retain the seat for the NPP and contribute significantly towards the Party’s Flagbearer, Dr Bawumia’s victory in the presidential race.

Speaking at his acclamation ceremony in Damongo in the Savannah Region on Saturday, Mr Jinapor, said: ‘The Savannah region will be a true battleground for the NPP. Every vote and every seat will be contested for, and with the help of the Almighty, all the seats will be secured for the Party’.

Mr Solomon Barnes Essuman, the West Gonja Municipal Director of the Electoral Commission, lifted the hands of Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor to officially announce his candidature.

The acclamation ceremony also saw the launch of the Damongo constituency and the Savannah Region camp
aigns of the Party for 2024 Election.

Over the past four years, Mr Jinapor has impacted his constituents with a number of infrastructure projects and social interventions to alleviate poverty among his people.

The Member of Parliament facilitated the construction of a modern astroturf, community centre, 15-kilometre asphalt road, 15 community boreholes and provided educational materials to pupils in the Constituency.

He also paid the tuition fees of 300 students from the Constituency enrolled in some tertiary education institutions across the country as well as providing financial and technical support to women groups engaged in small and medium-scale enterprises to expand their businesses.

He called for unity among the rank and file of the Party, noting that with unity and tenacity of purpose, they could retain the seat for the Party with a bigger margin on December 7.

‘Just like the Elephant of La Cote d’lvoire triumphed over the Eagles during the 2023 AFCON so, the elephant Party in Ghana will defeat
the eagle on the December 7 Election,’ Mr Jinapor said, amid cheers from the enthusiastic NPP supporters and sympathizers.

Mr Jinapor noted that the NPP Flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia had vision for the nation, which aligned with the fourth industrial revolution- ICT and digitisation, which the world’s economy was gearing towards.

He took a swipe at the NDC Flagbearer and former President John Mahama for failing to resolve prolonged power outages during his presidency and asked on how his (Mahama) much touted ’24-hour economy’ policy could support Ghanaians.

‘Even within the day, former President Mahama under his presidency, could not supply power to the people of Ghana and many small-scale businesses collapsed, and so, how can he supply power to you during the night,’ Mr Jinapor asked, amid cheers from the audience.

Alhaj Adam Briamah, the Constituency Chairman, in his welcome remarks, said the Party would work very hard to win in all the 86 polling centres across the Constituency on December 7.

He pled
ged his total support for the Parliamentary Candidate and the Party’s Flagbearer to secure victory come December 7.

Alhaji Sulemana Iddrisu, the Regional Chairman of the Party, gave the assurance that the NPP would increase the margin of votes on December 7 in the Damongo constituency from 2,300 vote difference recorded in the 2020 General Election to 7,000 or more in this year’s polls.

The event was attended by Mr Justin Koduah Frimpong, the General-Secretary of the Party, Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Francis Asenso Boakye, the Minister-designate for Roads and Highways, Madam Fatimatu Abubakar, the Minister designate for Information and Mr Saeed Muhazu Jibril, the Savannah Regional Minister.

There were regional chairmen from other regions, constituency executives, members of council of elders, party patrons, area coordinators and polling station executives of the Party.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Leading tech firms pledge to address election risks posed by AI


With more than half of the world’s population poised to vote in elections around the world this year, tech leaders, lawmakers and civil society groups are increasingly concerned that artificial intelligence could cause confusion and chaos for voters. Now, a group of leading tech companies say they are teaming up to address that threat.

More than a dozen tech firms involved in building or using AI technologies pledged on Friday to work together to detect and counter harmful AI content in elections, including deepfakes of political candidates. Signatories include OpenAI, Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, Adobe and others.

The agreement, called the ‘Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in 2024 Elections,’ includes commitments to collaborate on technology to detect misleading AI-generated content and to be transparent with the public about efforts to address potentially harmful AI content.

‘AI didn’t create election deception, but we must ensure it doesn’t help deception flourish,’ Microsoft President Brad
Smith said in a statement at the Munich Security Conference Friday.

Tech companies generally have a less-than-stellar record of self-regulation and enforcing their own policies. But the agreement comes as regulators continue to lag on creating guardrails for rapidly advancing AI technologies.

A new and growing crop of AI tools offers the ability to quickly and easily generate compelling text and realistic images – and, increasingly, video and audio that experts say could be used to spread false information to mislead voters. The announcement of the accord comes after OpenAI on Thursday unveiled a stunningly realistic new AI text-to-video generator tool called Sora.

‘My worst fears are that we cause significant – we, the field, the technology, the industry – cause significant harm to the world,’ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told Congress in a May hearing, during which he urged lawmakers to regulate AI.

Some firms had already partnered to develop industry standards for adding metadata to AI-generated images that w
ould allow other companies’ systems to automatically detect that the images were computer-generated.

Friday’s accord takes those cross-industry efforts a step further – signatories pledge to work together on efforts such as finding ways to attach machine-readable signals to pieces of AI-generated content that indicate where they originated and assessing their AI models for their risks of generating deceptive, election-related AI content.

The companies also said they would work together on educational campaigns to teach the public how to ‘protect themselves from being manipulated or deceived by this content.’

However, some civil society groups worry that the pledge doesn’t go far enough.

‘Voluntary promises like the one announced today simply aren’t good enough to meet the global challenges facing democracy,’ Nora Benavidez, senior counsel and director of digital justice and civil rights at tech and media watchdog Free Press, said in a statement. ‘Every election cycle, tech companies pledge to a vague set
of democratic standards and then fail to fully deliver on these promises. To address the real harms that AI poses in a busy election year … We need robust content moderation that involves human review, labeling and enforcement.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

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‘Ministerial reshuffle adds zero value to the economy’- Franklin Cudjoe


Mr Franklin Cudjoe, President IMANI-Africa, says President Akufo Addo’s recent ministerial reshuffle adds ‘zero value’ to the economy considering the limited time the new appointees have to serve in the government.

He said the President would have left a legacy if he had reduced the numbers in his government instead of appointing new officials.

Like other social commentators, Mr Cudjoe believed time would have elapsed by the time Parliament was done vetting the new ministers and deputies for them to settle on the job.

‘Even if they [the ministers] are competent to do what they have to do, they will rather be distracted because some of these persons are going to run for the next elections so they are already thinking of how they will retain their seats…It would have been wiser to leave the old guards [ministers] to run their thing,’ he stated on Saturday in a media discussion.

President Akufo Addo on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, made his first ministerial reshuffle since assuming office in 2017.

A total
of 13 ministers were replaced while 10 deputies were appointed.

Mr Cudjoe, in his submission, agreed that the President should have restructured his government years ago when there was public demand.

‘At this critical juncture what the President should have done is to reduce the number and not necessarily replace them…He should have actually reduced the numbers and probably merge a few ministries as well. That would have been indicative that we are serious and we mean business,’ he said.

Speaking about the future endeavours of Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori Atta who was replaced, Mr Cudjoe said Mr Ofori Atta was going to assume ‘a more sumptuous role’ than being Minister of Finance.

Mr Cudjoe also asked Presidential candidates to provide further details on the number of ministers they intended to appoint when they assumed office.

He said it was not enough for Dr Bawumia, Mr Mahama and Mr Kyeremateng to put out figures but indicate ‘what exactly will constitute’ the total appointees in their government.

Ahead of election 2024, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said he would appoint 50 ministers when elected.

Former President Mahama also said he would appoint 60 ministers, while Mr Alan Kyeremateng said he would work with 40 ministers.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Dr. Bawumia to present campaign team to NPP NEC


Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer, is expected to present a list of his campaign team to the Party’s National Executive Committee for approval on Monday.

According to news reports, the Vice President conducted extensive consultations to put together a campaign team comprised of experienced persons who had played key roles in previous NPP elections.

Among the people predicted to make the team are Dan Botwe, the immediate former Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development. Justin Frimpong Kodua, NPP General Secretary; Frederick Opare-Ansah, former NPP Member of Parliament for Suhum and former parliamentary Chief Whip; Kwabena

Agyepong, former General Secretary; Nana Akomea, Dennis Miracles Aboagye; Anthony Karbo; and Krobea Asante.

Dr Bawumia addressed Ghanaians last Wednesday, outlining the policies he plans to implement if elected President.

The Vice President, who has emphasized digitisation, said that he intends to use technology an
d the private sector to create long-term jobs, generate revenue, and build systems that would propel Ghana into the modern world economy.

He promised to repeal the e-levy, which levied a 1.5 per cent charge on all electronic and mobile money transactions exceeding GHS100 per day.

He also promised to align Ghana’s port charges with that of Togo to check smuggling of goods.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Dr Bawumia to announce campaign team next week


The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, will outdoor his campaign team next week, all things being equal.

The Party’s General-Secretary, Mr Justin Koduah Frimpong, Saturday said the Flagbearer had clear vision for the nation, hence, he wasted no time to announce his policy direction just a few months after being elected as the presidential candidate.

‘Just look at the NDC Flagbearer former President John Mahama…has he come out with his policy direction after a year of being elected flagbearer?,’ he asked.

Mr Koduah Frimpong announced this during the acclamation of Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor as the parliamentary candidate of Damongo in the Savannah Region on Saturday.

The party learnt bitter lessons in the 2020 primary, therefore, it did not entertain imposition of parliamentary candidates on constituencies in the recent primary.

He was, therefore, hopeful that the free and fair internal party elections would yield fruitful results in the December 7 polls.

Mr Koduah Frimpong called for
unity among the rank and file of the party to ensure resounding victory in December, saying; ‘A divided front can never win an election’.

The acclamation ceremony also saw the launch of the Damongo Constituency and the Savannah Region campaigns of the Party for the 2024 Election.

Mr Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, over the past four years, had impacted his constituents with infrastructure projects and social interventions to alleviate poverty among his people.

For instance, he facilitated the construction of an astroturf, a community centre, 15-kilometre asphalt road, 15 community boreholes and provided educational materials to the pupils.

The MP also paid the tuition fees of 300 students from the constituency enrolled in some tertiary institutions across the country, while providing financial and technical support to women groups engaged in small and medium-scale enterprises to expand their businesses.

The parliamentary candidate of the NPP called for unity among the party’s rank a
nd file and said with unity and tenacity of purpose, they could retain the seat with a bigger margin on December 7.

Mr Jinapor, in his acceptance speech, said Dr Bawumia had vision for the nation that aligned with the fourth Industrial Revolution – ICT and digitisation – which the world’s economy was gearing towards.

He criticized the NDC Flagbearer for failure to resolve the power outages during his presidency and asked how far the much touted ’24-hour economy’ policy could go in support of Ghanaians.

Alhaji Adam Briamah, the Constituency Chairman, said the party would work very hard to win in all the 86 polling centres across the constituency.

He pledged his total support for the parliamentary candidate and the Party’s flagbearer to secure victory come December.

Alhaji Sulemana Iddrisu, the Regional Chairman of the Party, gave the assurance that the NPP would increase the margin of votes in the constituency from 2,300 recorded in 2020 to 7,000 or more in this year’s polls.

Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng,
Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Francis Asenso Boakye, the Minister-designate for Roads and Highways, Madam Fatimatu Abubakar, the Minister designate for Information and Mr Saeed Muhazu Jibril, the Savannah Regional Minister were among the dignitaries at the event.

Source: Ghana News Agency