Category: General

KPMG, CIHRM, and other partners launch the HR Outlook and benchmarking Survey.

The Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management Ghana (CIHRM Ghana), KPMG, MData, and the HR Network signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and launched an institutional collaborative research project dubbed HR Outlook and Benchmarking Survey with over 50 participants representing the HR profession as well as media and members of each key partner in attendance.

This groundbreaking partnership brings together the four leading organizations in a collective effort to gain valuable insights into the current state of human resource management practices and trends in Ghana and to benchmark the same against global standards within the Ghanaian context.

The MoU signing and formal launch ceremony, which took place on 3rd July 2023, marks a significant milestone in fostering collaboration among industry-leading organizations to support the advancement of HR practices in the country.

This collaboration harnesses the expertise and resources of each organization to conduct a comprehensive survey, with a focus on HR outlook and benchmarking across various sectors and industries.

The HR Outlook and Benchmarking Survey, a novelty initiative, is a comprehensive study that will delve deep into the HR landscape in Ghana, to provide relevant industry-level metrics to the body of Human Resource Practitioners in Ghana in line with internationally recognized best practices for firms in Ghana to benchmark and track people processes in their organizations.

This research endeavor seeks to explore aspects of human resource management, covering critical HR metrics including Time to Fill, Source of hire, Cost per hire (CPH), Management to Employee Ratio, Human Capital Return on Investment, Employee turnover rate (ETR), Absenteeism rate among others.

Human resource metrics are like an essential pair of glasses—without them, workplace data is visible but unintelligible. However, with the right lenses, patterns, trends, and discrepancies come into focus and organizations can approach decision-making processes with a clearer picture of reality. Whatever the case, a data-driven approach through HR metrics beats speculation.

The collaborative research project will be conducted over a period of six (6) months. During this period, the participating organizations will work closely to design the survey questionnaire, collect, and analyze the data, and generate actionable insights.

The findings from the survey will be analyzed and compiled into a comprehensive report, and shared with participating organizations, industry stakeholders, and the wider HR community, fostering knowledge exchange and driving positive change within Ghana’s HR landscape.

Through this collaboration, CIHRM Ghana, KPMG, MData, and HR the Network are committed to promoting excellence in HR practices, enhancing organizational effectiveness, and driving positive change in the HR profession. The survey results will enable organizations to benchmark their HR strategies and practices, identify areas for improvement, and gain a competitive edge in talent management.

We invite organizations from all sectors and industries in Ghana to participate in the HR Outlook and Benchmarking Survey. Your valuable input will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the HR landscape and foster the development of best practices in the country. Participation details will be shared in due course.

For further information and media inquiries, please contact:

Emmaline Datey [Head, Brands & Communication] – [027-3800636]

About Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana (CIHRM Ghana): The Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana, an HR Industry Regulator responsible for the regulation and practice of human resource management in Ghana, is a leading autonomous Professional Institute or Body of Human Resource Practitioners who work in both the public and private sectors of Ghana.

About KPMG: KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax, and advisory services. With a presence in over 150 countries, KPMG is committed to helping clients navigate the challenges of an ever-changing business landscape and driving sustainable growth.

About MData: MData is a leading data analytics company specializing in delivering actionable insights to drive informed decision-making. With a team of experts in data analytics and machine learning, MData empowers organizations to leverage data as a strategic asset.

About HR Network: HR Network is a vibrant community of HR professionals, fostering knowledge sharing, collaboration, and networking opportunities. The network serves as a platform for HR Practitioners to exchange ideas, best practices, and experiences, contributing to the growth and development of the HR profession.

Source: Ghana Web

In the quest to embark on his entrepreneurial journey, seeking to venture into various forms of agriculture-related trading, Dr Daniel McKorley has recounted startling details about his ordeal on the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire border which almost cost his life.

According to him, this ordeal took place in Jaway Wharf, which is a village near Half Assini in the Western region where he was seeking to engage with some farmers in coffee and maize trading at the time.

In his book, ‘The Path of An Eagle; Despair, Hope & Glory,’ Dr Daniel McKorley, the Chief Executive Officer of the McDan Group, narrated how a little girl saved him from being murdered by killers posing as farmers.

“Jaway Wharf is a village near Half Assini in the Western region, on the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire border. To get to that village I had to cross a lake in a canoe. I drove all the way to the lake, and upon arrival two men approached me and confirmed many farmers had coffee to sell across the lake, and that they would like to assist me get whatever quantity I needed if I wanted them to. I took their word for it, thinking they were local middlemen offering to help. In those days, I used to hide my money under the carpet of my car, in a particular compartment built for that purpose,” he wrote.

“Leaving the car at the other side of the lake, I followed the two men, who took me in a canoe across the lake into a small house in a village. Although I had some money on me, the bulk of it was hidden in that secret compartment in the car. As soon as we got there, the men offered me a seat, asked me to wait and disappeared. I waited for several minutes on tenterhooks. I was expecting the two men to show up at any moment and ask me to follow them to where some huge heaps of coffee were waiting.”

McDan recounted that while waiting for the supposed farmers, a little girl, about ten years of age, appeared from nowhere and whispered a warning for him to find his way and run from the spot as the men intended to murder him for reasons only known to them.

“Panicking jumped on my feet. I did not immediately know what to do. I was a stranger to the place and did not know my bearings. What was more, my car was all the way at the other side of the lake, and I did not know how to ride in the canoe even if I decided to leave the place before the women returned.

Was that how it was all going to end, I wondered, after all the struggles I had been through in life? At this juncture, I had nothing to fall on apart from self-defence. If anybody attempted to kill me, they certainly would have to die with me, I thought.” McDan expressed.

He continued, “After I had waited for a while, the two men came back, carrying some nice coffee samples in some small sacks. I could not tell at once if what the little girl told me was true. I waited to see what the two men were up to. They asked to see money so they could go and bring the sacks. The look on their faces as they mentioned money told me they could be crooks as the girl had alerted me.”

“I’m sorry you would have to follow me beyond the lake where left my car,” McDan recounted as he told them the money was placed in his car.

The men pulled faces, suggesting they were unhappy with my answer, but they had no other option but to take me back to my car. One of them asked me why I had to leave my money in the car, knowing I was coming to purchase something. I sighed and remained silent, trying to kill off any suspicions they might entertain by looking as unperturbed as possible. After a period of furtive eye communication, they agreed to follow me to the car to bring the money. I could have asked them to wait while Iran to get it, but I had already told them I did not know how to ride the canoe.”

“When we got to the car, to my surprise, a gang of rascals was already waiting around, looking ever ready to begin trouble. I realised immediately that they were a criminal group formed with the purpose of attacking and duping unsuspecting customers who ventured into those areas. I suspected the two men might have gone to inform them about my presence when they left to bring the coffee samples.

They drew close to me as I approached the car and made for the door. Their jumpy mood told me to be careful, for they could, indeed, be up to something atrocious. The gang seemed interested in where I was going to pull the money out of the car. I was extremely tense, but I did not want to give myself away by showing signs of anxiety. When I realised their intention, I also got prepared for what was to follow,” he further narrated.

Faced with the need to save his life, McDan said a crowbar he had always kept at the back seat of his car ultimately became the weapon his mind fell upon to salvage the situation which seemed like a public brawl awaiting to happen.

“In a moment I bent down in the car, pretending to withdraw the money, but I was actually making for the crowbar: One of the men got so close, as if to attack me while the other one moved to the other side of the car, shouting, “The money! The money!” I fetched the crowbar and before he realised what I was doing, I had plunged the heavy object at the left side of his neck. The man fell heavily beside the car as I took to my heels.

If you get any closer, I’ll shoot,” I threatened as I ran, frisking my body as though I was looking for a hidden weapon. When they heard the word shoot, the gang slowed their advance towards me. One of the men who had led me to the village came crossing my path as I ran. I guessed he was sure I did not have a gun and was going to dare me to shoot. That could have exposed me badly, and the gang might have come flocking around in their attempt to overpower me. But the man would not succeed easily. As he tried to obstruct my movement, I held his head and swung him around. We both landed on the ground in the struggle. But I was the faster of the two of us. In a second, I sprang to my feet and continued running” he wrote.

Dr McKorley said the situation was then reported to a nearby police but nothing came out of his compliant, leaving him frustrated and shortly returned to Accra after the ordeal.

Source: Ghana Web

The UK Government through its Animal Health System Strengthening (AHSS) project, has donated equipment to Ghana’s Veterinary Services to enhance their efforts to achieve accreditation of their diagnostic laboratories against international standards. This marks a significant milestone in Ghana’s quest to strengthen its animal health system to better protect from, detect, and respond to known and emerging zoonotic diseases.

The procurement of the equipment by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), an agency of the UK’s Department of Food, Environment, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), was in response to a request by the Veterinary Services Directorate.

The items, including the Eppendorf Centrifuge 5425 With Rotors, Campylobacter blood-free selective agar CCDA, and other reagents, are to reinforce the veterinary laboratory diagnostic capacities in Accra and Kumasi veterinary Laboratories towards achieving an International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) accreditation of the diagnostic laboratories.

Speaking at a brief ceremony in Accra to hand over the equipment, the Development Director for the British High Commission in Ghana, Beth Cadman, commended the Veterinary Services Directorate, VSD, for their crucial role in preventing and controlling known and emerging animal diseases and, to a large extent, protecting public health in the country. She stated that Ghana is one of the UK’s longest-standing and strongest partners in Africa. She further assured the government of Ghana of continuous support to provide UK assistance to build a resilient animal health system.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the Veterinary Services Directorate, Head of the Accra Veterinary Laboratory, Dr. Theophilus Odoom, revealed that the DEFRA AHSS project has come at an opportune time to improve their laboratory quality management. He assured them of the productive utilisation of the equipment to achieve their goal of ISO certification.

The Registrar of the Veterinary Council of Ghana, Kingsley Mickey Aryee, noted that it is the mandate of the Veterinary Council of Ghana to ensure animal health standards are maintained in the country, and it is in that vein that they are thankful to DEFRA’s AHSS project intervention to ensure VSD’s laboratory quality management system is further enhanced.

The AHSS project has been working with the Veterinary Services to strengthen capabilities in the animal health system through the implementation of the Animal Health Systems Strengthening (AHSS) project. This project has been helping the laboratories improve their quality management systems and disease surveillance capabilities for the Veterinary Service, thus reducing the frequency and impact of animal disease outbreaks and minimising their emergence and transmission.

Source: Ghana Web

A 36-year-old Susu Operator who is accused of misappropriating GH? 995,338, belonging to his employers, has appeared before an Adentan Circuit Court.

Gabriel Tsianie Tetteh has been charged with two counts of forgery of other documents, Stealing, and defrauding by false pretence.

Tetteh has denied the charges and the court presided over by Sedinam Awo Balokah has admitted him to bail in the sum of GH? 1.5 million with four sureties, two to be justified.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, told the court that the complainant (name withheld) was a businessman residing at Ogbojo.

The prosecution said the complainant was also the owner and director of a multi-company, that is, Universal Susu, Universal Ice, Front Street Properties, and Universal Rock Builders.

In March 2021, the complainant employed Tetteh as the marketing manager of his company, Front Street Properties, which deals in land business.

Prosecution said Tetteh was tasked to advertise and issue receipts to customers who buy and pay for their parcels of land.

It said the accused person discharged his duties faithfully and was later elevated to be the General Manager of Universal Rock Builders Company which was one of the companies owned by the complainant which also specialised in the building of houses for clients.

According to prosecution, Tetteh also became the Public Relations Officer of the group of companies.

It said the complainant asked Tetteh to hand over all the receipts booklets in his possession to the new Marketing manager and manageress of Front Street Properties.

Prosecution said Tetteh handed over as directed but kept “two serial receipts booklets and also printed four un- serial receipt booklets bearing the Front Street properties names and issuing same to prospective customers who had made payments to the accused person.”

It said Tetteh gave his personal account to some of the customers instead of the company account and they made various payment into it.

The prosecution said during the month of August 2022, the accused person resigned from the company and handed over some receipt booklets which he had kept and was still issuing to customers who had not finished paying for their land.

It said the accused person continued to keep the money he had collected from those customers.

On December 31, 2022, the complainant asked all his staff to bring their receipts in their possession to him and asked them not to receive any money from customers until he directed them to do so.

It said when the complainant went through the receipt books, he saw that two receipt booklets did not have serial numbers like the others.

Prosecution said the complainant found out that the receipt booklets without serial numbers were issued by the accused person.

It said indentures issued to some of the customers had been forged by way of signing instead of thumb printing them.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant caused the arrest of the accused person and two serial and un serial receipt booklets were retrieved from him.

When an audit was conducted, it came to light that Tetteh has embezzled GH? 995, 338.97.

Prosecution said when the accused person was cautioned by the Police, he admitted the offence and stated that it was the complainant who asked him to thumb print some of the documents and the receipt booklets and issue them to customers although he had resigned from the company.

Source: Ghana Web

FIFA Assistant Referee Patrick Papala has been handed a one-year suspension after denying Hearts of Oak a legitimate goal during their 2022/23 Ghana Premier League gameweek 33 clash against Real Tamale United (RTU) at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The incident occurred during the dying moments of the match, which ultimately ended with a 2-1 victory in favor of RTU. Assistant Referee Patrick Papala controversially disallowed a goal scored by Hearts of Oak’s rising star, Yaw Amankwah Baafi, citing an offside offense.

The disallowed goal left Hearts of Oak incensed, prompting the club to file a formal complaint with the Match Review Committee.

Following an extensive investigation into the incident, the committee concluded that Assistant Referee Patrick Papala had indeed erred in awarding the offside decision. As a result, Papala has been handed a severe one-year ban from officiating matches.

According to the committee’s findings, Yaw Amankwah Baafi was not in an offside position when he scored the goal, and therefore, it should have been rightfully awarded.

See details of the suspension:

SUMMARY OF COMPLAINT

1. a disallowed goal in the 90+ minute scored by player number 7 (Amankwah Baafi).

OBSERVATIONS, FINDINGS AND GROUNDS OF THE DECISION

Per the video watched, it was noticed that player number 7 (Amankwah Baafi) shot into goal at the time of kick the said player was not seen to be in an offside.

REFEREE OFFICIAL RESPONSE

The Assistant referee 1 (Patrick Papala) when contacted on the incident after the video was sent to him, defended his decision to give an offside insisting that the defender made an instinctive reaction and made contact with the ball resulting in the deflecting which sent the ball to the attacker who scored.

The Assistant referee made a lot of images from the video to maintain his decision even though the panel also sent him different angles and images, he insisted that his decision was correct.

DECISION(S)

Per the video watched, the Panel did not see the scorer of the goal in an offside position. The Panel did not also see the instinctive re-action argument of the defender he Patrick Papala eluded to by trying to use as a defence, because the defender saw the ball, had all the time to jump up and swing his head to head or play the ball, which changed direction to an attacker who was not in an Offside position at the time of the kick.

FIFA Assistant Referee 1 Patrick Papala is hereby suspended for one-year (ie., 2023/2024 football season) effective from the date this communication.

The main referee’s phone lines were not going through in all the attempts the Panel made to get in touch with him. However, the panel asked Assistant referee 1 Patrick Papala what they discussed during their consultation. He confirmed that the Referee Foster Bastiours told him that he did not see the incident as offside but he, Patrick Papala insisted that it was an offside therefore, the referee complied and disallowed the goal

Foster Bastiours as the main referee failed to take responsibility when he saw that the goal scorer was not in an offside position and allowed his assistant to dictate to him. He is therefore warned to learn to take responsibility next time when he was sure his decision was correct.

Source: Ghana Web

A 22-year-old young man from the Volta Region who was born with a total of 12 fingers – six on both hands, along with both male and female reproductive organs, has revealed that he has been facing challenges, isolation in his pursuit of understanding his natural makeup.

Speaking in an interview with Fantse YouTuber, Half Plot as he is popularly known, recounted his early experiences revealing that as a child, some expatriates expressed interest in taking him away to find a solution to his disorder.

At the time, his father who had disowned him refused to sign necesary documents hence the opportunity was lost.

He instead remained with his grandparents, who offered him the support he needed during his formative years.

“When I was young, some white people came for me, and they wanted to take me away so my father has to sign before they can take me away, but because he doesn’t want to associate with me, he didn’t come, so my grandparents said I should remain as I am.”

He explained that as he grew older, he gradually discovered that his feet had five toes contrary to his mother’s initial claim that like with his fingers he had extra toes.

“I am 22 years, for my feet, my mother used to tell me that it was six but as I grew up I realized they were five.”

However, his physical attributes extended beyond his fingers and toes.

With respect to the reporductive organs, he has both male and female genitalia present. He explained that he faced daily challenges that affected his self-esteem, relationships, and prospects for employment.

“I have two things together, the vagina and penis, the vagina is flat there and the penis is on top, I urinate through the penis, but for the vagina, it is there but there’s no hole in it.

“With my current make up, I feel bad going into a relationship because may be they might run away from me when they see how I am. Initially, I didn’t want to do that because I felt I will become somebody after school … but right now that I want to go into relationships, I am feeling shy to go and talk to them.”

According to Half Plot, despite having completed secondary school, his aspirations of furthering his education have been thwarted by financial constraints.

“I come from the Volta Region but for now, I am in Adansi Praso, my mother accepted me but for my father, he didn’t want to come close to me. …I did General Arts in Secondary school, I wanted to further my education but my mother said she doesn’t have money.”

He also recounted facing discrimination and rejection during job searches as employers were hesitant to hire him due to his physical appearance.

“ …I am old and I need to work but employers see how I look and they don’t want to help me. So, I am pleading with those that are watching to assist me in any anyway possible to help me overcome this feeling of being entirely different.

He then stated that he admires popular Ghanaian personalities, Nana Ama Mcbrown and Kojo Nkansah Lilwin, and aspires to follow in their footsteps.

“One thing I want in life Is to meet Nana Ama Mcbrown and Kojo Nkansah Lilwin, I want to be like them.”

Source: Ghana Web

Michael Fiifi Ampofo Arku, a technical officer, who was standing trial for his alleged role in the murder of a Canadian at Ashalley Botwe School Junction, has been discharged.

Arku was discharged following Attorney General ‘s recommendation in the murder case against him and Safina Mohammed Adzizatu, a student and a former girlfriend of the deceased.

At an Adentan District Court, prosecution prayed the court to discharge the second accused person, Arku.

Prosecution said the state has served Safina with the Bill of Indictment.

The matter was therefore adjourned to July 31, 2023, for the committal proceeding to commence.

Safina after the committal proceedings, would stand trial at an Accra High Court.

Safina and Arku were initially held on charges of conspiracy and murder of Frank Kofi Osei.

The District Court preserved their pleas.

Frank, a Ghanaian resident in Canada was allegedly murdered in cold blood at Ashaley Botwe School Junction in July 2022 when he visited Safina, his girlfriend.

The case of the prosecution was that on Sunday July 24, 2022, Osei, who was on vacation in Ghana, visited Safina, his finance who lived at Ashaley Botwe School Junction, to spend the night.

During the night, Safina and other accomplices yet to be arrested, allegedly stabbed Osei with a knife and strangled him.

Osei’s blood was allegedly cleaned from the floor by Safina and her accomplices while the body was in the room for 24 hours.

Prosecution said Safina and her accomplices dragged Osei body from the floor of the storey building, on the staircase and dumped it at the gate of the house, where the deceased had parked his Toyota Tundra.

Safina allegedly called a policeman claiming that her boyfriend, who visited her, had died in her room.

When the Police went to the scene, they found the body of Osei lying at the gate of Safina’s house.

Safina was nabbed at Ashaley Botwe.

Source: Ghana Web

All 47 Electoral Area Coordinators from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ajumako Enyan Essiam Constituency have declared their support for Dr. Rasheed Kwesi Etuaful to contest again in the upcoming 2024 general election.

Dr. Kwesi Etuaful was the 2020 Parliamentary Candidate for the NPP in the Ajumako Enyan Essiam Constituency.

The Electoral Area Coordinators mobilized themselves and picked the nomination form for their candidate Dr. Kwesi Etuaful.

Speaking to GHOne TV news, they said Dr. Kwesi Etuaful is poised to bring victory for the NPP in the Ajumako Enyan Essiam Constituency.

According to them, the Ajumako Enyan Essiam Constituency seat has been with the NDC for over 12 years adding that it is now time to snatch the seat back from the NDC.

Receiving the nomination forms at the candidate’s residency, Dr. Rasheed Kwesi Etuaful thanked all the Coordinators for their unwavering support.

He promised to do all his best to snatch the seat from the NDC.

Dr. Rasheed Kwesi Etuaful however appealed to all Coordinators and polling station executives to be united in order to fight together to victory in 2024.

Source: Ghana Web