Day: April 13, 2024

The Association of Rural Banks has called on the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), regulators of the nation’s pensions, to up measures and ensure that pension contributors receive their retirement benefits, immediately after active service.

Mrs Patricia Peprah Agyemang, the President of the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Region Chapter of the ARB Apex Bank made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality.

She was speaking to the GNA on the sidelines of a day’s sensitization forum on pension schemes, organised by the NPRA with the support from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) for staff of the various rural banks in the region.

Mrs Agyemang indicated that it was very good for every active worker to register and join pension schemes, but the delay in the payment of benefits of contributors, when they went on retirement was discouraging.

She indicated that though the NPRA was doing a lot to streamline pension activities in the country,
it ought to do much and ensure that trustees ‘did not take contributors’ for granted, instead pay them their retirement benefits immediately after active service.

Mrs Agyemang lauded the NPRA Tier Three (personal) pension scheme, designed basically to provide solid financial security for informal sector workers, and encouraged them to show interest and register for future financial stability.

She commended the Authority for the sensitization forum, which had enlightened and exposed them to the various pension schemes, benefits, and trustees.

She further advised workers above 45 years also to join the tier three scheme.Mr William Ohene-Adjei, the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regional Manager of the NPRA, said he was optimistic that with the forum, the participants would go back, inspire, and influence their clients to join the tier three pension.

He particularly advised petty traders, shoemakers, truck pushers, head potters, hairdressers and dressmakers, mechanics, and food vendors to capitalize and join the
tier three pensions for their future good.

Madam Fatima Gberbie, Junior Communications Officer, GIZ, said the Cooperation was committed to advancing human development in the country, and pledged its continuous support to the NPRA for the masses to understand the concept and join the pension scheme.

Mr Samuel Baffour Awuah, Corporate Affairs Officer, NPRA, took the participants through the concept and benefits of joining Tier One, Tier Two, and the Tier Three pensions as well as the NPRA Act and their mandate.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) will later today, Saturday, April 13, 2024, hold a parliamentary primary in the Ejisu Constituency to select a candidate for the upcoming by-election.

This primary comes in the wake of the unfortunate passing of the late MP, John Kumah, on March 7, 2024.

All nine aspirants vying for candidacy in the party’s parliamentary primary in the Ejisu Constituency received clearance from the vetting committee on April 6.

The candidates are Kwabena Boateng, Dr Evans Duah, Klinsman Karikari Mensah, Helena Mensah and Jacqueline Abena Pokua Amoah-Boaitey

The rest are Portia Baffoe Abronye, Kwesi Nyantakyi, Aaron Prince Duah and Yaa Akyawmaa Aboagye.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has scheduled the by-election for April 30, 2024.

John Kumah, aged 45, succumbed to a brief illness, leaving behind a wife and six children.

Currently, no other political party has indicated interest in participating in the by-election. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has mentioned that it is st
ill deliberating whether to join the electoral contest.

Meanwhile, a former Member of Parliament for the area, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi has confirmed his decision to contest in the upcoming election as an independent candidate.

Source: Ghana Web

Two men were reported dead and three injured when some Kplejoo groups clashed with the Navy at Tema Newtown during the final procession of the Kplejoo festival.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that as part of the festival, the groups on the evening of Friday, April 12, 2024, went on their usual annual procession throughout the streets of Tema Newtown.

The groups, who were allegedly stopped from using the street in front of the Eastern Naval Base, defied the orders of the Navy and took that route.

This, the GNA learnt, led to a clash between the two, during which some members of the youth group started throwing bottles, and the Navy counterparts responded with some gunshots towards them.

The shooting, however, led to the deaths of the two, whose bodies have been deposited at the mortuary, while the three are on admission at the Tema General Hospital.

Mr. Adjei Tetteh, one of the injured victims, told the GNA at his bedside that he was part of the Asafo group and was in charge of the barrier mounted a
t the Tema Newtown bridge area.

He said per instructions, they were supposed to send the metal barricades to the naval base junction when it was 20:00 hours so that, those going towards community one could easily get transportation without any problem.

He indicated that upon reaching the naval junction, he could hear some gunshots from afar, and the navy personnel were preventing people from using the road in front of the base, adding that the gunshots became intense, so, he decided to run away, only for him to realise that his feet had become stiff with blood oozing out.

Meanwhile, the Navy has assured that it will soon issue a press release on the issue as indicated by officials at the base.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Former Ghana Football Association President Kwesi has urged Ghanaians to look beyond the Number 12 expose, which resulted in FIFA banning him from football-related activities due to bribery and corruption violations.

Speaking at an event to climax his campaign ahead of the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary primary for the Ejisu by-election, he said the incident had become part of his life; however, that should not prevent him from engaging in activities that will help bring transformation to his people.

Nyantakyi, a former member of FIFA’s General Council, was found guilty after being filmed by an investigative journalist in a hotel room allegedly taking a $65,000 bribe from a supposed businessman seeking to sponsor the Ghanaian football league.

He was also fined 500,000 Swiss francs ($498,000).

The adjudicatory chamber found Nyantakyi guilty of having violated Act 19 (conflicts of interest), Act 21 (bribery and corruption), and Act 22 (commission) of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

He argues that, while ever
yone is imperfect and has flaws, it is crucial to look beyond our past experiences and focus on the future.

The private legal practitioner seeks to become the MP for Ejisu seat following Dr. John Kumah’s death, aiming to utilize his skills and knowledge for economic transformation.

He said ‘my activities in the past, or my past life, are known to everybody. I can’t do anything. Nobody can do anything about it. So, we are all living with it. You must look beyond that and see the good things about the person. Nobody is perfect.’

Source: Ghana Web

The youth in the Zongo communities in the country have been admonished to eschew the penchant for money by refusing to be stooges of politicians to perpetuate violence particularly, during the election period, and move towards securing the highest form of education for the betterment of their lives.

They have also been challenged to concentrate on their strengths and maximize the opportunities education presents them.

The Asanteman Zongo Nkosuohene based in Kumasi, Alhaji Abdul Ali Barry who gave the advice, asked the Zongo youth to pursue personal development goals to make them economically independent and contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.

He made the declaration when people from all social classes converged at his residence at Dichemso in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ashanti Region on Thursday, April 11, 2024, to mark the end of one month of the fast of Ramadan, the Eid ul-Fitr.

Alhaji Abdul Ali Barry encouraged the Zongo youth to lead the transformation of Zongo communities b
y developing their capacities to be able to influence change.

Giving to the needy

Asanteman Zongo Nkosuohene stated that Islam encouraged giving and that was why he found it necessary to bring Muslims together to break the fast of that day with them.

Being a source of blessings to others, he said must be among the priorities of every Muslim, adding that one must not wait until they become rich before lending a helping hand to others or showing love to people.

‘Some people believe that you have to be very rich before u start doing charity but this should not be the case, no matter how little you have, learn how to share, find someone who needs something and see how you can help out.

‘Whoever shares the little they have with you can share with you when there is abundance. Adopting a lifestyle of giving does not start within just a day, it is an attitude we learn and improve upon, as time passes,’ he added.

The philanthropist also urged the rich in society, who were not actively involved in philanthropic a
cts to do so to support the vulnerable in society.

Alhaji Abdul Ali Barry also stressed the fact that being compassionate towards one another contributes significantly towards the promotion of peaceful coexistence and alleviating poverty among the populace.

Peaceful atmosphere

Alhaji Barry, however, expressed satisfaction with the peaceful atmosphere prevalent in the country and cautioned politicians to desist from acts that could trigger violence or crisis during the election.

“We are one body and I urge the electorate to exercise their franchise by voting peacefully and whoever emerges as the winner should be accepted by Ghanaians,’ he said.

Source: Ghana Web

Kwame Baffoe Abronye, the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), whose wife is a contestant in the party’s parliamentary primary, has expressed deep concern over the voting process underway in the Ejisu Constituency.

Abronye alleges that there has been collusion between the Electoral Commission and the constituency chairman, who is also part of the election committee, to unfairly tilt support in favour of a specific candidate among the nine contenders.

In a video shared by Asaaseradio, Abronye can be seen visibly upset, stating, ‘When it comes to elections, nobody knows elections like me. Every election starts with zonal areas. When you start with one electoral area, you must finish and go to the next electoral area. But they tilted the thing.

“This arrangement is bad, the constituency chairman who is part of the election committee, is following a particular candidate, he is the one who did the list with the EC. He has connived with the EC.’

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is con
ducting the parliamentary primary to select a candidate.

The by-election in the Ejisu Constituency was necessitated by the unfortunate passing of the Member of Parliament for that constituency, John Kumah, on March 7, 2024.

All nine aspirants for the April 13, 2024, internal poll were cleared by the vetting committee on April 6.

They had picked up forms to contest the NPP parliamentary primary for the Ejisu constituency since the party opened nominations on April 2, 2024.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has set April 30, 2024, as the date for the by-election.

????Ejisu By-Election: Abronye raises alarm over the voting process and says exercise is “unfair.”

ElectionNerveCentre | #AsaaseRadio pic.twitter.com/l3nBSaxQvL

– Asaase 99.5 (@asaaseradio995) April 13, 2024

Source: Ghana Web

For the super-rich and wealthy, travelling in style is non-negotiable, along with special convoys and top-notch security details to ensure the safety and comfort of their employers are airtight.

While this situation pertains especially to the likes of presidents, diplomats, politicians, and other very important people in Ghana, in the specific cases of royals, travelling for any given occasion can exude different levels of class and elegance.

The King of the Ashanti Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has long travelled in rather unique vehicles, with the latest being a Mercedes Maybach.

In a video shared by @Ashanti_Kingdom via X, the Asantehene arrived for a function in the 2023 Mercedes Maybach S680. The vehicle is the top model in the Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class lineup.

It operates on Automatic (TC) transmission and comes in 3 colours, ranging from Obsidian Black, Graphite Grey, to Mojave Silver.

The 2023 Mercedes Maybach S680 runs on a powerful V-12 engine and comes with standard and luxury features su
ch as soft-close doors, air suspension, and a 30-speaker Burmester stereo system.

The luxury vehicle also comes with a rear-seat entertainment system, with two 11.6-inch touchscreens, and much more.

The luxury vehicle costs around $194,550 to $350,000, depending on the trim and options.

Source: Ghana Web

For the super-rich and wealthy, travelling in style is non-negotiable, along with special convoys and top-notch security details to ensure the safety and comfort of their employers are airtight.

While this situation pertains especially to the likes of presidents, diplomats, politicians, and other very important people in Ghana, in the specific cases of royals, travelling for any given occasion can exude different levels of class and elegance.

The King of the Ashanti Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has long travelled in rather unique vehicles, with the latest being a Mercedes Maybach.

In a video shared by @Ashanti_Kingdom via X, the Asantehene arrived for a function in the 2023 Mercedes Maybach S680. The vehicle is the top model in the Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class lineup.

It operates on Automatic (TC) transmission and comes in 3 colours, ranging from Obsidian Black, Graphite Grey, to Mojave Silver.

The 2023 Mercedes Maybach S680 runs on a powerful V-12 engine and comes with standard and luxury features su
ch as soft-close doors, air suspension, and a 30-speaker Burmester stereo system.

The luxury vehicle also comes with a rear-seat entertainment system, with two 11.6-inch touchscreens, and much more.

The luxury vehicle costs around $194,550 to $350,000, depending on the trim and options.

Source: Ghana Web