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Volume: 2/081 <<>> NMC/C.139/12/1633 <<>> Thursday, 5th December - Tuesday, 10th December, 2013 <<>> PRICE: GH¢2.00

The introduction of strict Aboadze discipline & professionalism gods angry

PLOT AGAINST T MINISTER EXPOSED •

with VRA

-S stoerye o pagne 2-

“T3 will never work • until we are pacified”

HE chiefs and elders of 3 communit ie s who own the lands for the Aboadze Thermal Plant in the Western Region say, the T3 power plant generators will never produce

power again until the gods in the area are pacified.

The chiefs are also demanding immediate payment of compensation for the lands, which government ac-

p Cont’d on page 3

Vice Chancellor Attacks Politicians

Blames them for fallen •standards of education

As Employment Ministry Mafia embark on lying spree

ALSO INSIDE:

REPORT: BENEDICT KWEKU NKRUMAH, AGONA SWEDRU

Ghanaian politicians to take their nose out of the implementation of policies that would uplift the academic standards of education in the country.

According to him, Ghana needs policies on

T GES, Central Regional Manager caution teachers / HE Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof.

Kweku Sam, has called on

p Cont’d on page 3

PAGE 3

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COVER STORIES

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

The introduction of strict discipline & professionalism thenewindependent1@gmail.com

GHANA FLAG SHOULD BE NAMED

PLOT AGAINST MINISTER EXPOSED )) As Employment Ministry Mafia embark on lying spree

WE are using this piece as our editorial in view of its importance THE time has now come for the unnamed Ghana Flag to be named. Wasn’t it, I presume, an oversight that, the Ghana flag was not given a name when that flag re-placed the United Kingdom Flag called the “Union Jack”.

I sincerely believe Madam Theodosia Okoh, the over 90 years old woman now, who graciously designed the Ghana Flag when Ghana attained Independence on the 6th of March, 1957, will be happy to hear that, the beautiful Ghana Flag has been named the “PEACE FLAG” at long last.

INDEED, I have for some time now, advocated that, the flag should be named the PEACE FLAG, because the clarion call of every Ghanaian is for Peace to prevail in Ghana before, during and after all elections.

IT is therefore no wonder that, the country appropriately established the National Peace Council with Most Reverend Emmanuel Asante as the Chairman. The Council, since its formation, has done everything possible for PEACE to reign in our peaceful country.

I have been prompted to re-visit my advocacy, because when South African President, Jacob Zuma visited the country recently, he mentioned that, “Ghana has been selected to receive the prestigious Africa Peace Award in recognition of its shining example in promoting democracy, good governance, peace and security”.

(Refer to “Daily Graphic” dated November 28, 2013 Page 49). I think that wonderful piece of news must make every Ghanaian proud. Let’s please continue to live in PEACE and UNITY. WOULDN’T it be a joyous moment for Ghanaians all over and the entire world to witness that, our President, John Mahama is in South Africa to receive that Award on behalf of Ghana? Ghanaians must in fact applaud themselves for that great achievement, the most peaceful country in Africa. TO GOD BE THE GLORY! ON that note, I wish every Ghanaian would share in my view that, the National Flag is named the “PEACE FLAG” to crown the enviable title bestowed on our country. Who on earth would not like to visit or do business in a peaceful country? I also believe that, when the Ghana Flag is named as such, it will also be most outstanding at the United Nations when all other National Flags are hoisted.

I am therefore appealing to the authorities or the powers that be to factor the naming of the Ghana Flag into the activities for the President’s journey to and from South Africa for the august PEACE AWARD. MEANWHILE, the “NATIONAL PEACE SONG” that was also divinely revealed to me could be sung during that joyous occasion.

INDEED! GHANA IS A PEACEFUL COUNTRY AND THE WORLD WOULD APPRECIATE THAT OUR FLAG STANDS FOR PEACE LONG LIVE GHANA. PEACE BE UNTO THE WORLD. JOHN Amoah P. O. Box KN 811, Kaneshie-Accra E-MAIL: jamoahus@yahoo.com Tel: 0244062998

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))Hon. Nii Armah Ashietey, Minister, Employment and Labour Relations

IABOLIC moves by some faceless people with the connivance of a section of the media to run down the Hon. Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Nii Armah Ashietey for no apparent reason, has been exposed.

Information gathered by The New Independent has revealed that, the strategy adopted by these faceless people is to spread falsehood and unsubstantiated allegations against the Minister in some selected media houses in a bid to make him unpopular within his ministry and in the eyes of the appointing authorities.

According to our credible sources, few disgruntled staff at the ministry who are uncomfortable with the minister’s insistence on strict discipline and professionalism, could be behind the evil and cowardly agenda against the minister. “They think the Minister is a stumbling block to their unproductive, poor work ethics, visa racketeering, stealing and abuse of Financial Regulation, hence the haste to run him down,” a source at the Ministry revealed.

One of the most outrageous allegations, which was published in an Accra private newspaper is that, the Minister tried to cover up for the TUC boss to pocket an amount of $4,000 being per diem, hotel and airline ticket meant for his aborted trip to Brazil for the Global Conference on Child Labour.

The conference is one of the statutory engagements that gov-

ernment is obliged to sponsor employers and organised Labour to attend.

This paper gathered that, the TUC boss was never given $ 4,000 as alleged by the paper. The amount that was given to Mr. Asamoah, according to official documents at the ministry, was 2,503.2 dollars being per diem and hotel expenses. Mr. Asamoah’s airline ticket was directly procured by the Ministry.

The TUC boss was supposed to be on the trip, which is considered as a statutory visit, but due to the intense labour agitation at the time, he was compelled to pull out of the Ghana Delegation at the last minute.

Information indicates that, when the Minister returned from the Brazil trip, he instructed his Chief Director to follow up on the TUC boss for the return of the per diem and hotel allowance as he did not attend the conference.

The TUC boss obliged, according to our sources at the ministry and the airline ticket, which was also procured for the trip has been refunded to the ministry, The New Independent has learnt.

Interestingly, this paper found out that, the Ministry rather owes Mr. Kofi Asamoah US $3,300 dollars, the breakdown of which is as follows, that, in 2011, government was supposed to sponsor a delegation to an International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conference, but did not have the available funds, compelling the TUC boss to finance the statutory trip from his own resources. The arrears, according credible sources, is yet to

be paid to the TUC boss.

The New Independent has also found out that, the allegation of mass transfers instigated by the Minister has been established as untrue. Checks made by this paper indicate that, Ms. Adu Larbi, then Chief Director at the Ministry, was transferred based on her own request to the office of the Head of Civil Service.

The source also explained that, the transfer of Mr. E.D. Kata to the Ministry of Fisheries had nothing to do with the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations. Rather, it was in line with the normal transfer procedures that take place within the Civil Service. “His transfer couldn’t have been engineered by the Minister,” our source at the ministry said.

The most shameful allegation was that, the Minister travelled to the UK to attend a private event even though the request was denied by the Chief of Staff. But the fact has emerged that, the Minister, since his appointment as Minister this year, has never travelled to the United Kingdom for any event or programme, The New Independent’s investigations have established.

It is also untrue that, the Minister is on a warpath with staff of the Ministry. Some workers who spoke to this paper disclosed that, the Minister has been holding frequent staff durbars, where workers freely express their views without any intimidation. “If any feud existed between the Minister and workers as alleged, it would show during discussions at the staff durbars,” a staff told this reporter.

COVER STORIES

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

Vice Chancellor Attacks Politicians P Cont’d from page 1 education rather than political parties’ manifestos, which have led to fallen standards of education in the country.

Advocating state policies on education, Prof. Kweku Sam called on stakeholders to press on the need for policies that would be implemented by governments that come to power to ensure educational success.

“Persistent changes in the nation’s educational policies affect effective teaching and learning in our educational institutions.

As a matter of importance, let us take the reach of politics from our national policies on education to sustain its quality. Governments upon governments must follow state policies on education rather than implementing party policies and manifestos. In actual fact, standards of education have fallen, but we need to improve it to succeed if politicians stay away from their political influences.”

Prof. Kweku Sam stated these at the 54th Anniversary Speech and Prize-giving Day of the Swedru School of Business at Agona

Swedru in the Agona West Municipality of the Central Region last Saturday.

Speaking on the theme: “The Role of stakeholders being parents, government, teachers, students and society in the education of the child,” Prof. Sam charged political, religious and other stakeholders to canvass for the need for educational reforms and policies that would ensure educational quality.

While advocating for national policies on education, the Pro Vice Chancellor urged teachers to be committed and passionate in discharging their professional duties as people training future leaders.

On the role of parents in education, he called on parents to make room for their children to decide what they could do for themselves and their future. “We as parents ought to allow children to decide what they would do in the future rather than imposing on them what we want them to do in the future, please don’t impose your choice on students.”

In his annual report, the headmaster of Swedru School of Business, Mr. Samuel Afrifa-Appiagyei,

noted that, the major challenge facing the school was lack of accommodation for teachers and students.

“Despite the boost of infrastructure, the accommodation situation is worsening day by day.

The population has almost tripled and this has put a strain on what is available. Aside the Headmaster, only 7 out of 110 teachers and 73 non-teachers stay on campus.

This has made it very difficult to monitor the activities of students after school as the number is insignificant compared to the large population of 1,800 of the school made up of 924 boys and 876 girls.

This problem has forced parents to house their wards in private hostels.”

The Headmaster concluded by saying, “At fifty-four, Swedru School of Business has no assembly hall. All important and other social activities are held in the open with both teachers and students standing many a time in the scorching sun. In the light of this, I wish to appeal to the government through the Agona West Municipal Assembly, NGOs, Old Students Associations and individuals to come to Macedonia and help us.”

Regional Manager caution teachers

))Emmanuel Oscar Oduro addressing the Teachers in the Unit

REPORT: BENEDICT KWEKU NKRUMAH, AGONA SWEDRU

T Aboadze gods angry with VRA P Cont’d from page 1

quired for the project before they reverse the evil spells their gods have invoked on the operations of the Volta River Authority (VRA) at Aboadze.

The T-3 combined cycle plant is a $256-million power generation project funded by the Canadian government and managed by the VRA and uses both light crude oil and gas for power generation.

The T-1 and T-2 of the Aboadze Thermal Station of the VRA are currently generating 340 megawatts of power while the T-3 is expected to generate 132 megawatts at full capacity.

In 1994, Government under President Rawlings acquired 420 acres of land owned by the three chiefs.

But the elders of the

))President Mahama during the opening of the T3 generating plant communities say, there have not been specific payments for the lands acquired several years ago.

The elders, including the secretary to the Stool Lands Management Committee, also said, government has

also acquired 172 acres more to extend the project.

Although commitment fees has been paid for this land, the elders say, government has not performed the necessary traditional and cultural rites.

“We have a god over there, and that area there is a very big stream, so after they have constructed thier T3 and the President came to inaugurate the area, two months later the whole thing went off. We are saying that,

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it is because they did not perform the rite. He (god) is angry,” he explained.

The Stool Lands Secretary said, the rites would include a sheep, a goat and a well-decorated house with running water.

Barely two months after President John Mahama inaugurated the facility, it was shut down in June due to a fault.

The VRA has said, the T3 needs engineering and re-modification.

But the elder insists that, “there is culture, they can bring all the best engineers in the whole world, this machine will never work until they perform the rites and they pay the money for the family.”

The compensation for the two land acquistions, he says, will amount to Ghc 23 billion.

HE Central Regional Manager of Schools of the A.M.E Zion Educational Unit of the Ghana Education Service, Mr. Emmanuel Oscar Oduro, popularly known as ‘Nana Oduro’, has cautioned Teachers and workers of Educational institutions in the country against excessive borrowing and hire purchases, which usually drain their pockets.

According to him, he has observed with concern the level of excessive loans some teachers take from their banks and how the banks chase them for refund, adding that, sometimes it runs into over deductions, which normally affects financial stands of the teachers.

He noted that, many a time, some hire purchase companies over-price their items and sell them on credit to teachers.

Mr. Emmanuel Oscar stated these at a send-off party for two retired teachers of the A.M.E Zion Education Unit at Agona Swedru recently.

The two, who had served for over 38 and 45 years respectively, were Mr. James Adade Ayirebi, a Deputy Director at Kasoa A.M.E Zion Basic school and Mr. Alex Ekow Obed, Senior Supt. of Nyanyano Kakraba A.M.E Basic School.

Mr. Oduro announced that, the unit has 153 basic schools and two Senior High Schools in the Region with over 600 teachers.

The Regional Manager also tasked his teachers to exhibit the habit of savings to complement their standard of living so that, they can cater for their offsprings. “As teacher in active service, we ought to put some monies aside to cater for our future and that of our children. As we grow daily, it is up to us to ensure that, we leave better legacies for our children.

The best legacy is to educate our children to attain greater heights in the educational ladder.”

The Central Regional Manager urged teachers across the country to upgrade themselves to be abreast with the global world. He cautioned them against using illustrational hours to attend classes and lectures.

A former Deputy Director in-charge of Finance and Administration, Mr. Nelson Otu Asamoah, called on teachers to plan very well before retirement, adding that, unplanned retirement goes with stress and pre-mature death.

He commended the A.M .E Zion education unit for recognizing the contributions of the two teachers and urged other sectors of the economy to appreciate contributions of their retired colleagues.

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LOCAL NEWS

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

ECOBANK, PROPARCO sign $ 50 Million Deal

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ROPARCO and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), the holding company of Ecobank Group, have announced the signing of a USD 50m loan agreement with a 10-year maturity. Ecobank was founded in 1985 and is today the largest pan-African banking group by number of locations, operating in 35 countries.

The group is a full-service bank providing wholesale, retail, investment and transaction banking services and products to governments, financial institutions, multinationals, international organizations, medium, small and micro businesses and individuals. It is listed on three West African stock exchanges and currently has over 1,200 branches and 19,000 employees.

This transaction took place against a background of fundamental changes in Africa’s banking sector. Pan-African banking groups such as Ecobank are developing alongside traditional players and are entering new market segments, targeting those previously excluded from the banking system.

They are opening more branches and are providing innovative and low-cost services tailored to communities who lack access to banking services.

These groups are driven by economic growth, which is gathering pace in Africa, and their activity is increasing steadily.

PROPARCO’s loan will allow Ecobank to strengthen its longterm resources and will support the development of its local banking network. Indeed, the Group has become the first pan African banking group to have an integrated regional banking network in sub-Saharan Africa.

PROPARCO is an active player in banking consolidation in the region and will allow Ecobank to strengthen its operational capacities and its role in developing the local economic base, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.

PROPARCO is a Development Finance Institution jointly held by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and public and private shareholders from the North and South. Its mission is to catalyze private investment in emerging and developing countries with the aim of supporting growth, sustainable development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

PROPARCO finances investments that are economically viable, socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and financially profitable. PROPARCO is one of the main bilateral development finance institutions in the world.

It invests on four continents encompassing the major emerging countries and the poorest countries, particularly in Africa, and has a high level of requirements in terms of social and environmental responsibility.

))Ambassador Frédéric Clavier and Honorable Fifi Kwetey cutting the sod

Official launching of the new premise “Espace Vonlontariats” at Alliance Française of Accra

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RÉDÉRIC Clavier, Ambassador of France in Ghana, last Monday, 2nd of December 2013, together with Hon. Fifi Kwetey, Minister of State in charge of Financial and Allied Institutions, cut the sod to launch a new premise, “Espace Volontariats” in Alliance Française of Accra.

The official opening highlights the contribution of French volunteers in community development; the latter translating into their active presence for almost 7 years within several Ghanaian host organizations: Ministries, civil society organizations, various development programs.

Espace Volontariats Ghana, aims to be a place of exchange, information, training, reflection and sharing of experiences with stake-

holders in the volunteering sector.

It aims to support and promote the dynamic towards international solidarity, to help integration of International Volunteers and to facilitate the networking of these volunteers and local partner organizations.

The French Ambassador in his speech said, “Espace Volontariats Ghana, features a physical location with an office space opened to the public with computer with free internet connection available to volunteers, and space available for small meetings,” a release from the Embassy of France in Accra said.

France Volontaire is a platform of French Voluntary associations- formerly the “Association Française des Volontaires du Progrès-AFVP “(French Association of Volunteers for Progress) and

provides a mission of general interest with the aim of promoting and developing different forms of commitments within the framework of International Volunteering missions for Exchange and Solidarity.

France Volontaires is based on a shared vision between the associative world and public authorities.

The French Ministry of foreign affairs and the respective associations signed a charter of international volunteerism for exchange and solidarity and a partnership agreement defining their joint involvements.

France Volontaires has an active presence in Ghana for almost 7 years within several Ghanaian host organizations: Ministries, civil society organizations, various development programs.

International Day of Medical Physics Held In Ghana

BY LOVELACE OPOKUAGYEMANG

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ROFESSOR J .H. Amuasi, President of the Ghana Society for Medical Physics (GSMP), has defined medical physics as primarily an applied branch of physics that deals with the application of physical principles to diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, adding, “it encompasses those branches of medical physics generally referred to as therapeutic medical physics, diagnostic medical physics, medical nuclear physics and medical health physics”.

Professor Amuasi stated that, due to the specialized professional knowledge that medical physicists possess, they are regarded as colleagues of oncologists, radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, radiographers and biomedical sci-

entists by the medical profession.

Prof.Amuasi was speaking at the celebration of the International Day of Medical Physics held at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) in Accra recently.

He said, a qualified medical physicist is an individual who is competent to practice independently one or more of the subfields in medical physics, adding that, internationally, an individual is certified as a professional medical physicist by satisfying the International Organisation for Medical Physics (IOMP’s) laid down criteria.

The GSMP President stressed that, IOMP is charged with a mission to advance medical physics practice worldwide by disseminating scientific and technical information, fostering the educational and professional development of medical physics and promoting the highest quality medical services for patients, adding that, the Organisation currently has a population of 80 National Member Organisations and six Regional Or-

ganisations.

He said, Ghana has been a paid-up member of the IOMP since the formation of GSMP in January 2011, stressing that, the society has adopted IOMP’s criteria for certifying medical physicists and modified to suit the Ghanaian environment.

On his part, Prof. Cyril Schandorf, Radiation Safety Specialist of GAEC, who spoke on the theme: “Radiation Exposure From Medical Procedures: Ask The Medical Physicist”, disclosed that, in the past 100 years, diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine and radiation therapy had evolved from using ionizing radiations such X, gamma rays, beta rays and electrons.

He said, it has been estimated that, in about one half of cases, radiological procedures like plain film radiography, fluoroscopy, computed tomography have a substantial impact on the speed of diagnosis and in a large fraction of cases they are of decisive importance. Furthermore, he added, several screening

procedures such as mammography have been developed, which are beneficial for specific populations at relatively high risk of some diseases and noted that, a number of interventional radiological procedures for example angioplasty, introduced in the last 10-20years, contribute to the effectiveness of treatment of serious and life threatening diseases of the cardiovascular, central nervous system and other organ systems.

He stated that, these procedures have also become cost- effective and that, it is evidently clear that, the Medical Physicists play a key role in the medical team charged with responsibility to diagnose and treat diseases of various organs of the body .

The Professor noted that, the medical physicist is called upon to assist in equipment purchase, acceptance, testing, commissioning, effective use and maintenance of equipment, quality assurance and control of medical procedures including dissymmetry, protection of

the patient , the staff and the general public.

He disclosed that, such a demanding task requires a rigorous approach to education, training, professional career development and qualification and a certification regime.

Prof. Schandorf said, efforts are underway by the Ghana Society for Medical Physics and the Allied Health Professional Council of Ghana, to have a platform for the recognition of qualified medical physicists and the creation of an establishment for medical physicists in the Ghana Health Services, which is very commendable.

He stressed that, indeed medical physicists are needed in the teaching services, regional and district hospitals for both public and private health institutions. He commended the International Organisation for Medical Physics (IOMP) for instituting the International Day of Medical Physics in the clinical environment.

ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

I refused to get ‘buck naked’ on screen, says Oprah

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PRAH Winfrey, one of the most powerful women in the world, declared she would not be stripping off her lingerie to get ‘buck naked’ on screen.

The billionaire TV tsarina and occasional actress was speaking to me about her role in director Lee Daniels’s movie The Butler, in which she plays Gloria, wife of a White House butler played by Forest Whitaker.

Gloria becomes bored with her middle-class life while her husband’s off looking after ‘that other family in the White House’.

Oprah said that after a while Gloria starts to drink, and fools around with a neighbour, played

by Terrence Howard.

She said Daniels would have preferred

her to go much further during her scenes with Howard. ‘You know, he would have had me buck naked on that sofa if I had let him!’

She added that she and Daniels argued ferociously about how Gloria would behave.

‘He did more screaming than I did — I’m not a screamer,’ she said.

She insisted it would make no sense for Gloria to go to bed with Howard. ‘If she’s going to roll around in bed in the middle of the afternoon,’ she explained, then it would be ‘a lie, a fake thing’.

The infuriating fact about Oprah Winfrey is that she has a day job that takes her away from acting.

It’s 15 years since she did Beloved; and 27 years since The Color Purple.

She provides the heat in The Butler in more ways than one.

can-Americans that Martin Luther King talked about in his I Have A Dream speech.

Oprah believes it has. ‘I think that every day, each of us is allowed to be judged by the content of their character,’ she said.

Grand finale of Miss Buy Ghana slated for Dec. 29

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HE finals of Miss Buy Ghana, a buy pageant aimed at promoting made in Ghana products will be held on December 29, 2013 at the Banquet Hall of the State House.

It pageant, which is under the theme: “Revamping our local industries” with the slogan, “BUY-GHANA-PROMOTE-GHANA” is aimed at selecting an ambassador to sell made in Ghana products to the outside world.

It is an initiative under the auspices of A2Z Firm Movement in conjunction with the Ministries of Trade & Industry, Information & Media Relation and Tourism, Cul-

‘I love Ghanaian gospel music, I have nothing against gospel artistes’

G Not only does she look terrific, but she nails the character completely: she’s a force of nature on screen.

The movie spans several decades, and I wondered aloud whether America has paid that promissory note to Afri-

ture & Creative Art is aimed at selling Ghana to the outside world.

Twenty young, bold, beautiful, eloquent and purpose-driven Ghanaian ladies, two from each region, will compete for the GH¢ 20,000.00 ultimate price. The second and third runners up will receive GH¢ 15,000.00 and GH¢ 10,000.00 respectively.

The winners are expected to start their own business with money aside taking on a national duty to promote MADE IN GHANA GOODS AND SERVICES. Activities undertaken so far include: the BUY TO SUPPORT exhibition in Kumasi, which was embraced by most people, who were around the exhibition ground at the KNUST campus.

The Miss Buy Ghana crew will

be in Accra from December 12 to 15 at the Holy gardens (Kwame Nkrumah Circle) to organized series of activities.

On his part, Chief Executive Officer of A2Z Firm Movement, Felix Agbeko, underscored the need for Ghanaians to place value on the country’s goods and services in order to expand the frontier of job creation and boost the economy.

He urged Ghanaians to get involved in the campaign and buy to support a contestant since it would encourage other Small and Medium Scale Enterprises to improve on the quality and packaging of their products.

Felix Agbeko said the final show, which is on December 29, will strictly be by invitation.

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HANAIAN-BORN international gospel artiste, Sonnie Badu has debunked reports suggesting that he had accused local gospel musicians of not making sense out of their music.

He further denied reports that he had referred to music of local gospel musicians as not exalting God. A News-One report suggested that the ‘Baba’ hit singer took a swipe at his counterparts in Ghana saying their lyrics and rhythm are simply nothing to write home about as compared to gospel musicians from Nigeria or other parts of the world.

Reacting to the story via social media site, Twitter Tuesday, Sonnie Badu, who headlined this year’s ‘Africa Worships With Sonnie Badu’ concert at the Accra Sports Stadium Saturday night said, the report is false.

He said his management’s attention has been drawn to “news [circulating] that I said This and that about Ghanaian gospel artist ..

Well first of all I am a big fan of Ghana gospel music and I would never say such a thing ..”

The renowned gospel musician lamented that “It’s quite sad that upon the victory God gave us all on sat [Saturday], someone tries to destroy what God is doing. It [is] sad that In ur [your] own country instead of people appreciating ur [your] efforts they are doing all they

can to destroy what God is doing.”

Sonnie Badu further noted, “Once again I am a big fan of Ghana[ian] gospel music and I will continue in my own little way to let the world know about this beautiful country.”

Taking a shot at the newspaper, he said: “The sad thing is that [the] news paper that released that false news were media partners who were paid to talk about the show ... Still I say thank you to them for all their support ...”

He observed that being in the limelight is not easy “but it’s my cross and I will carry it..

Kwame Nkrumah was never appreciated by his own until he died ...”

“I have had the chance to travel extensively and in other African countries they hail, love and respect their Heros.. NIGERIA for example is a country that respect those, who have brought honour to their country .. I would like to advice other people to learn f r o m

that...,” Sonnie advised.

He noted that ‘Africa Worships With Sonnie Badu’ concert has thought him a great lesson because “it turned out to be those you had sacrificed for, were truly not on [your] side ... Those in their days of trouble you stepped in and supported whole heartily were the same ones looking for ur [your] down fall.”

“Those you call [your] brothers and sisters [are] the same [people] that would rise against you !! But what is written is written !! And I am grateful to all of them !! May they never lack oil.. May God bless them, may they see joy ...,” Sonnie Badu concluded.

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Thursday, 5th December, 2013

Why December IS Accident Prone )) … Man-Of-God STORY: S.O. ANKOMAH

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ECEMBER, the last month of the year has often been characterized by accidents of all sorts in the country, thus knowing many families into a state of mourning and walking.

Many reasons are assigned for these unfortunate situations, with much finger pointing to the work of the devil.

Rev. Dr. Emmanuel B a i d o o , Founder and General Overseer of Tr i u m p h a n t Christian Centre, behind the Goil Filling Station Bus Stop, off the KaneshieOdorkor Road in Accra has associated himself with this school of thought.

According to him the work of the devil, i.e., witchery is real as the Bible readily points out that “We do not fight with blood and flesh…”

He stated that it is against this very background that the very Bible enjoins us to pray without ceasing.

Rev. Dr. Baidoo made this known in his dawn broadcast on “Peace Fm” an Accra – base – radio stationed last Monday.

He maintained that with God and constant prayers, one is able to tone down down on the works of the devil, through Jesus Christ his only begotten son.

He intimated that December, Being the last month of the year, has been a month of competition and accountability, when evil forces grow strong, seeking to receive promises, pledges and thanks made to them by their clients.

What is more, being that competitive accountable, and the last month, people, especially Christians rush to their work places to grab without pray-

ing, thus giving an urge to devil and its machinations against mankind.

He subsequently charged Christians to be all the more watchful during this period, as he and his team on the program demonstrated by praying profusely against machinations of the devil.

Dr. Rev. Baidoo, an acclaimed numeneorogist described December, the twelfth (12th) and last month of the year as a serious one, as well as month of authority.

He indicated that number 12th, is key to open and close all doors, hence D e c e m ber, the 12th month, and ends the year.

He stated that the number 12 also closes one half day and opens another. The numeneorogist intimated that God, believing in the power of the number 12, gave Israel, a nation He has a covenant with, 12 tribes to build that nation, describing Israel as timing of the world.

Rev. Dr. Baidoo revealed that Jacob had 13 children including a female (Diana).

However, God used twelve of his children as basis of the tribes of Israel, and its subsequent building of that nation.

Also, when the Israelites crossed the River Jordon into the Promised Land, Joshua, on the instructions of God, asked the River – crossing Israelites to carry 12 stones from the banks of the Jordan as Remembrance.

What is more, Jesus chose 12 Apostles, with which he built the church.

He revealed further, that the New Jerusalem is built on the 12 stones, with 12 doors, as contained in the book of Revelation.

All these, Rev. Dr. Baidoo indicated, pointed to the power in the No. 12 and its influence on man. It is against this background that he charges Christians not to relent in their prayers during the 12th and last month of the year, during which the devil raises it works.

Africa’s Promise

BY ELIZABETH LITTLEFIELD PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE OVERSEAS PRIVATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION

A

GENERATION ago, many nations across sub-Saharan Africa had to promote their markets to global investors largely on the basis of promise, the bright future over the horizon.

Today, the case could not be more different. Tangible, compelling, and vivid proof of progress is everywhere at hand. The rate of economic growth during the past decade has been roughly double the rates of the 1980s and ‘90s, cheering investors.

Africa’s economy once rose and fell in tandem with natural resource prices. Now, most growth comes from sectors such as transportation, manufacturing, telecommunications, wholesale, and retail.

While this is long-overdue good news, any African will tell you the news could easily be much better. Even as Africa rises each year faster than its neighbors, more than half of Africans—some 600 million people—still live without a basic element of the modern global economy, reliable electricity.

The number is hard to conceive. Imagine the productivity loss from a one-day blackout for every nation of Western Europe plus Japan and South Korea. The population of those nations combined roughly equals the number of Africans who live without power throughout the year.

How can Africa fully compete when countless factories and computers go dark during rolling blackouts? How can it compete in an era of nonstop, 24/7 communication when millions go home to candles or lanterns? Education is stunted. Healthcare suffers. Africa’s power deficit is so pervasive that it shaves an estimated 2% from the continent’s GDP each year.

President Obama’s Power Africa initiative, announced this June, steps up to this challenge, and it does so in a new, innovative way.

Rather than attempting to amass and direct donor money from development agencies and foreign countries, the main objective of Power Africa is to harness and catalyze private investment for electrification.

President Obama believes Africa’s power shortfall can best be solved through the rapid, relentless innovation and cost-conscious refinements encouraged by market discipline. Rather than focusing exclusively on mega-projects, Power Africa will foster a diversity of projects: mini-grid, off-grid, conventional fuels, and renewables, as well as efficiency-enhancing projects in transmission and distribution.

The aim is to double access to electrical power across sub-Saharan Africa. The model is to leverage every $1 of public funds into at least $2 of private capital—provided investors are willing to meet minimum environmental and social standards, and operate with sound corporate governance.

Never before have entrepreneurs and investors been enticed to take and given such a pivotal leadership role in addressing Africa’s problems at the intersection of economic growth, social progress, and environmental sustainability.

This public-private financing approach is viable. My agency, the U.S. government’s Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), has been making it work in Africa for four decades.

Over the past decade alone, OPIC has supported over $1 billion in power projects across Africa. Currently, we have more than $4 billion in investments here, and it has been one of the fastest growing segments of our portfolio in recent years.

In Togo, for example, we provided loans and political insurance to a public-private, tri-fuel power plant that tripled energy production in the nation and helped reduce blackouts that were crippling to businesses and homes.

Just weeks ago, OPIC approved $185 million for a solar park that will power into the South African grid. In addition to increasing electrical capacity, it will create good local jobs. The manufacturer and supplier of the solar modules for the park is majority-owned

by South Africans.

As the sole development finance agency of the United States, we are capable of providing financing, guarantees, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds. The key difference between OPIC and a private investor, however, is that we only participate in a project if it will generate jobs, improve lives or help communities. We also have a mandate to foster solid business practices and the highest standards of transparency.

Accountability is essential. OPIC does not merely hope that such benefits will be generated by our projects. We track results. We evaluate effectiveness. We constantly learn from our experience in projects large and small.

One of my primary goals in Ghana this week is to listen. We want to hear investment ideas of all types—large or small, high-tech or lowtech. We seek disciplined partners who can combine their unique knowledge of local markets with a passion for commercial excellence and making an impact on people’s lives.

At OPIC, we believe that true partnerships of shared purpose, returns and impact do more than fulfill our promise to investors. They fulfill Africa’s promise to future generations.

How can Africa fully compete when countless factories and computers go dark during rolling blackouts? How can it compete in an era of nonstop, 24/7 communication when millions go home to candles or lanterns?

Education is stunted.

Healthcare suffers.

Africa’s power deficit is so pervasive that it shaves an estimated 2% from the continent’s GDP each year.

LOCAL NEWS

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

Resist selfish people from taking over Ghana - PPP

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HE National Women’s Coordinator of the Progressive People’s Party says well-meaning Ghanaians have a duty to fight aggressively for the betterment of the country.

According to her, “posterity will judge our generation if we [Ghanaians] do not carry out our civic responsibility”.

She maintained that good people have the responsibility to resist selfish people from taking over the country with all their might.

The Women’s Coordinator said these at a National Women’s Strategic Meeting held on Saturday, November 30 in the Central Region.

The meeting was among other things to map out a development plan on how to build the party and ensure that more women are involved in Ghana’s politics since

women are really the bedrock of the country.

The meeting also discussed internal party issues and ways the party can make positive impact in the country.

There were updates on what has been happening on the grounds from the various regions.

Reports from the participants at the meeting indicated that many Ghanaians are disenchanted with the situation in the country and are looking for practical solutions.

Mary Ankomah, the National Vice Chairperson posited that the PPP is now the party many want to be associated with and help to grow so the party has a responsibility not to fail Ghanaians.

The women pledged to reach every corner in the country to draw people to the party while establishing effective networks with the many Ghanaians who are

already attracted to the party.

The Progressive Women, the women’s wing of the party, unanimously agreed that current political dispensation is not helping the country and therefore underscored the need for voters to be educated tirelessly.

They noted that every vote cast shapes the destiny of the country.

Members were tasked to ensure that the voice for the call of effective leadership is very loud and present everywhere.

The women assured Ghanaians that the PPP is the only party seeking the interests of Ghanaians and encouraged all to shake off the perception of the party being too new to govern the country.

They maintained that in all spheres of life, competence, dedication, and commitment are the main pillars and the PPP is noted to embody all that.

Fall Out From Gomoa Fetteh Press Confrence

Estate Developer Goes Wild

)Says ) participants have no legal capacity

T Microsoft announces first African female country manager

M

ICROSOFT has announced the appointment of Otema Yirenkyi as the company’s first Country Manager for Ghana.

In a release issued by the company, Ghana remains one of Microsoft’s critical investment markets in Africa.

Otema, a Ghanaian with over 14 years of ICT experience, will take the helm of the increasing investment of Microsoft in the country.

Otema’s appointment also makes her Microsoft’s first female Coun-

))Otema Yirenkyi try Manager on the African continent.

She holds a BSc degree in Industrial and Labour Relations, as well as an MA in Development Studies.

Otema,has previously held several leadership positions in the ICT sector including director of Southern Africa at IBM. Her focus in Ghana is to continue improving access to technology, skills development opportunities and resources.

Over the years and through a number of programmes,Micro-

soft has trained 15,000 teachers, impacted over one million students, created over 1,800 jobs, and supported 35 successful startups in Ghana.

The company’s flagship African investment and growth initiative,Microsoft 4 Afrika which was launched in February this year to actively engage in Africa’s economic development and has further entrenched the company’s commitment to Ghana and its people, ensuringthat technology plays a key role in the developing economy.

7

HE never ending battle over Fetteh stool lands has raised its ugly head once again as the purported and self-styled elders of the famous Abor Twidan Royal Family of Fetteh last Friday held a press conference on the theme Development and other related issues bothering the Fetteh State.

Speaking to the media on the above theme, the self-styled Ebusuapanyin, Kwaw Bediako, who led the team of ‘hungry elders’ veered off from their main focus and started leveling unsubstantiated allegations against 21st Century Construction Ltd, a renowned and well-known Estate Development Company in the country, saying, the company today, out

of the lot, is controlling over 70,000 acres of their land, but conceded that, the land in question was transferred to the CEO of the estate company by the rightful owner of the then Fetteh stool, Nana Abor Awusi XIX, who died in 1998.

Responding to the allegations, the CEO of the company, Mr. Kofi Asmah refuted the claims by the purported elders that, it is inconceivable for one person to own over 70,000 acres of land, which is bigger than the whole of Accra and Kumasi, challenging them to go to court and substantiate their claims with their authentic documents.

He however reiterated the fact that, there is a case before a court of competent jurisdiction, challenging the capacity of the so-called elders of Gomoa Fetteh, who held

the purported press conference.

But information reaching this paper indicates that, holding a press conference on an issue, which is in court, amounts to total disregard for court orders, which can result in a Contempt of Court.

A very reliable source close to the estate developer, whose integrity is being questioned, reveals an amount of seriousness attached to these claims and the possibility of going to court to seek redress by citing all the self-imposed elders for contempt.

The CEO of 21st Century construction Ltd, Mr. Kofi Asmah, has however cautioned the media to stay away from this contemptuous act and appealed to customers and the public to ignore the unmerited claims.

Keep Ghana Clean

8

BUSINESS NEWS

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

VRA suspends 500 million dollar bond issue

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HE Volta River Authority has put on hold, plans to issue a 500 million dollar bond in January next year.

The state power generator in September secured approval from its board to go to the international market and raise this fund for its power generation project.

The Authority would have made history as the first utility provider in the country to go this

way.

But the new Chief Executive, Kirk Cofie tells Joy Business they have suspended the plan because of some challenges.

“The focus for me today is adding a few megawatts as well as bring adequate gas. The moment we have enough gas to run our facilities, whoever comes will see a strong balance sheet, will see that we able to operate better.

“So the bond is not anything that we are stopping, we said we

are waiting. We are just watching the climate and see how we can go from there.”

He said the VRA is also looking for a financially sound firm to enter into a public, private partnership with it.

Meanwhile, London based Economist Intelligence Unit had warned that VRA’s bond issue would face some challenges because of continued under pricing of electricity in the country.

Fortiz to pursue defaulters of Merchant Bank as it completes acquisition

P

RIVATE equity fund, Fortiz has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Merchant Bank.

The controversial transaction has been the subject of a legal tussle, with the Minority in Parliament describing the deal as fraud and wanted it abrogated.

))Dutch Ambassador, Hans Docter

But a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the directors of the company, said it is in the process of forming a “strong executive team” to execute the vision of stakeholders.

“Fortiz has met the requisite and immediate conditions set by the Bank of Ghana and wish to thank the hard working manage-

ment and staff of Merchant Bank for their support through this process,” the statement said.

The statement added that defaulters of the bank would be “aggressively pursued” and reinvest recovered bad loans.

Fortiz paid 90 million Ghana cedis for 90 percent shares in Merchant Bank.

Netherlands to support cocoa sector with 7 million Euros Drop in gold prices reduce

T

HE Netherlands Embassy has signed a 7 million- Euro grant for a four-year Cocoa Rehabilitation and Intensification Programme (CORIP).

The grant is expected to leverage additional private sector cocoa industry funding of 14 million Euros.

The project managed and coordinated

by Solidaridad West Africa was jointly developed by a consortium of cocoa sector partners and industry companies including international Fertilizer Development Corporation, Armajaro, Cargill, ECOM, Barry Callebaut, ADM and Continaf.

The Dutch Ambassador, Hans Docter noted that the support from his country aims at developing economic, social and environmentally sustainable support for cocoa farmers in the main cocoa producing regions of the country.

He said the programme is a good example of current Dutch policy of combining trade and development cooperation.

“The programme shows that public and private interests can go hand in hand to add value, without the government having to take on additional burden

increase export revenue, make production more sustainable and improve farmer’s profit,” he said.

Mr Isaac Gyamfi, Managing Director Solidaridad said the programme would provide the necessary technical support for farmers to rehabilitate old farms and intensify existing cocoa systems.

According to him, the programme will work with the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana and Coco Board to boost availability of improved planting materials for the farmers adding that it would target entrepreneurial farmers who really want to develop their cocoa farms into sustainable and viable business enterprises.

Mr Gyamfi said CORIP would promote

the establishment and operation of cocoa Rural Service Centres (RSCs) that would promote and upscale cocoa production in a sustainable self financing way.

“RSCs would privately run entities that provide training, information, inputs and other technical support for improved cocoa production,” he said, adding that the programme targets the rehabilitation and intensification of between 60-80 hectares.

The Netherlands is the largest importer of cocoa from West Africa. Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world with total bean sales averaging $ 2 billion per annum.

Ghana’s earnings

T

HE plunge in the global price of gold has led to a significant reduction of revenue from exports of the precious metal this year, for the country.

It is expected revenue from gold exports will continue to reduce further as gold prices on the international market continue to tumble.

Gold, cocoa, and oil are the top three export revenue earners for Ghana.

With the exception of oil, gold and cocoa saw a drop in earnings in the first ten months of this year.

According to data from the Bank of Ghana, for the first ten months of this year earnings from gold fell by 12.0 percent to US$4.2 billion, while exports of cocoa beans also declined by 33.5 percent to US$1.3 billion partly reflecting a decline in the prices of

the commodities.

Oil exports, however, increased by 30.9 percent to US$3.2 billion, as a result of increased production.

Commodity prices are expected to remain low on the international markets during the fourth quarter of 2013 while crude oil prices are forecast to average $107 per barrel at the end of 2013.

A bearish outlook for gold is expected despite assurance that the US FED will keep its stimulus program unchanged for a while.

The realized price for gold has averaged $1,464 for the year to September, and is forecast to end the year around $1,306.

On the other hand, the market for cocoa beans is expected to be bullish in the fourth quarter of 2013 and expected to range between US$2,550 and US$2,710 per tonne at the end of 2013.

Meanwhile, earnings from non-traditional exports, including cocoa products, went up by 25.8 percent to US$2.2 billion.

The value of imports was unchanged at US$14.7 billion.

Oil imports went up by 0.4 per cent to US$2.9 billion, while nonoil imports declined by 0.2 per cent to US$11.8 billion within the period.

Of non-oil imports, the share of capital and intermediate goods declined to 68 percent from 70 percent in 2012, while consumption goods increased to 24 percent from 22 percent.

The trade deficit for the period therefore remained unchanged at US$3.4 billion.

In a related development the value of merchandise exports remained broadly unchanged at US$11.4 billion compared to the same period last year.

ETI signs $50 million loan deal with Proparco

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ROPARCO and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), the holding company of Ecobank Group, today announced the signing of a USD 50m loan agreement with a 10-year maturity.

Ecobank was founded in 1985 and is today the largest pan-African banking group by number of locations, operating in 35 countries.

The group is a full-service bank providing wholesale, retail, investment and transaction banking services and products to governments, financial institutions, multinationals, international organizations, medium, small and micro businesses and individuals.

It is listed on three West African stock exchanges and currently has over 1,200 branches and 19,000 employees.

This transaction has taken place against a background of fundamental changes in Africa’s banking sector.

Pan-African banking groups such as Ecobank are developing alongside traditional players and are entering new market segments, targeting those previously excluded from the banking system.

They are opening more branches and are providing

innovative and low-cost services tailored to communities who lack access to banking services.

These groups are driven by economic growth, which is gathering pace in Africa, and their activity is increasing steadily.

PROPARCO’s loan will allow Ecobank to strengthen its long-term resources and will support the development of its local banking network.

Indeed, the Group has become the first pan-African banking group to have an integrated regional banking network in sub-Saharan Africa.

PROPARCO is an active player in banking consolidation in the region and will allow Ecobank to strengthen its operational capacities and its role in developing the local economic base, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

Mass grave containing soldiers found in Mali M ALIAN authorities have found a mass grave containing the bodies of soldiers in the southern garrison town of Kati, military and judicial sources said on Wednesday.

“They discovered the grave.

It was known about for a long time, but there were more bodies than previously thought,” said a senior military source.

A judicial source said the site, a short drive north of the capital Bamako, contained 21 bodies.

The discovery comes days after the detention of former junta chief General Amadou Sanogo, who led the March 2012 coup that plunged the West African country into chaos, for complicity in kidnapping.

A judicial source said at the

time of Sanogo’s detention that he had also been questioned over a failed counter-coup shortly after he seized power which caused more tensions between warring factions of the army.

It was not immediately clear if the soldiers in the mass grave had met their fate at that time.

Mali’s newly elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is

battling to assert state control over the army, accused by human rights groups of excessive violence, torture and enforced disappearances.

Another challenge he faces is restoring state authority in the lawless north, which was occupied by separatists and Islamist militants until a Frenchled intervention in January scattered them.

Somali Parliament ousts Prime Minister

S

OMALIA’S Parliament ousted the country’s Prime Minister in a vote of no confidence Monday after a dispute between him and the President over Cabinet picks.

The move against Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon is the latest government shake-up for a country that has struggled to achieve an effective central government since a dictator’s overthrow two decades ago.

Shirdon, in office less than 14 months, lost the confidence vote 184-65, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari said. He said the current government will remain until a new prime minister takes office.

Somalia’s constitution gives President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud a month to appoint a new prime minister, who would need to be confirmed by Parliament.

Mohamud appointed Shirdon to the post in October 2012, just a month after

lawmakers elected Mohamud to his office.

But relations between the two leaders soured when Shirdon, who was supposed to serve a four-year term, refused to put Mohamud’s picks into the Cabinet, which was going to be reshuffled and expanded.

“Some members of the Cabinet who are looking for their own interest, and not the interest of the nation, are the ones behind” the no-confidence vote, Shirdon told reporters in his office on Monday.

He said before the vote that he would comply with whatever decision the Parliament made.

Mohamud said Monday that he recognized “the effort and the dedication of the outgoing Prime Minister and his Cabinet.”

“I also congratulate the speaker and his deputies (for) their leadership of the Parliament’s deliberation in this critical time of the Parliament’s history,” Mohamud said in a news release.

Shirdon is the fifth Somali prime minister removed from his post without finishing his term since dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown 22 years ago.

When he accepted the position in 2012, Shirdon, an economist who used to run an import business in neighboring Kenya, told the Parliament that his government would do more to ensure the security of the country and to fight against terrorism and piracy.

Somalia plunged into chaos after Barre was overthrown in 1991. After his ouster, clan warlords and militants battled for control, sparking a civil war and nationwide mayhem.

Central governance has been shaky since then. One of the largest challenges is Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab, which is fighting the government in hopes of turning Somalia into a fundamentalist Islamic state.

9

Arafat ‘not poisoned’

A

TEAM of French scientists probing the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 2004 do not believe he was poisoned, according to leaks from their report.

They have reportedly concluded he died after a “generalised infection”.

A previous report by Swiss scientists said tests on his body showed “unexpected high activity” of polonium.

This “moderately” supported the theory, long believed by many Palestinians, that he was poisoned, the report said.

Exhumed Arafat, who led the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) for 35 years and became the first president of the Palestinian Authority in 1996, fell violently ill in October 2004 at his compound.

Two weeks later he was flown to a French military hospital in Paris, where he died on 11 November 2004, aged 75.

Mr Arafat’s official medical records say he died from a stroke resulting from a blood disorder.

French doctors were not able at the time to determine what had caused the disorder.

His body was exhumed for testing last year amid continuing claims he was murdered. Many Palestinians have accused Israel of being behind his death, something which Israel has always denied.

The latest reported findings were “not a surprise”, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said.

Tawfiq Tirawi, head of the Palestinian Authority’s inquiry into the death, told AFP: “We need to study the report. We can’t take a position on it until we’ve looked at it.”

In July 2012, an al-Jazeera documentary reported that scientists at the Swiss Institute of Radiation Physics had found “significant” traces of a highly radioactive and toxic material on personal effects given to Mr Arafat’s widow Suha after his death, including his trademark keffiyeh scarf.

Mrs Arafat asked the Palestinian Authority to authorise the exhumation of his remains in order “to reveal the truth”.

The Palestinian Authority granted French investigators and a team of Swiss scientists permission for the exhumation and to take samples for testing.

Russia also sent experts, and samples were sent to its Federal Medico-Biological Agency.

Mrs Arafat also filed a civil suit at a court in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, alleging that her husband was murdered by an unnamed “perpetrator X”. French prosecutors began a murder inquiry in August 2012.

Last month, a forensic expert said that the levels of radioactive polonium found in Mr Arafat’s remains by the Swiss scientists were 18 to 36 times higher than normal.

However, they said their findings could not categorically prove the theory that he was poisoned.

The Swiss scientists had stressed that they had been unable to reach a more definitive conclusion because of the time that had elapsed since Arafat’s death, the limited samples available and the confused “chain of custody” of some of the specimens.

In November, Palestinian officials said the third report, by Russian experts, did not give “sufficient evidence” to support the decision that Mr Arafat was poisoned. However, experts who reviewed the document for al-Jazeera - which said it had obtained a copy - cast doubt on its findings.

Also on Tuesday, Mr Tirawi said he would soon name the people he believed were responsible for Mr Arafat’s death.

“I promise that the next press conference will be the last and will cast into the light of day everyone who perpetrated, took part in or conspired in the matter,” he told Palestine Today television, Reuters reports.

10

OPINION

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

CONTRIBUTION OF MINORITY LEADER ON DEBATE ON 2014 BUDGET STATEMENT AND ECONOMIC POLICY – 4TH DECEMBER, 2013 Mr. Speaker: Thank you for this opportunity to contribute to the motion in respect of the approval of President John Dramani Mahama’s financial policy for 2014.

Mr. Speaker the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2014 financial year was presented to Parliament by Hon. Seth Terkper the Minister responsible for only Finance and that is where the problem begins. In President John Dramani Mahama’s government there is no Minister in charge of Economic Planning and that is why the spine of the financial policy is so disjointed. I will presently demonstrate the cracks and fissures.

Mr. Speaker in the past few years the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning whenever he came to present his budget statement and economic policy would serenade his presentation with glorifications like these: the economy is resilient; we have secured for this country a single digit inflation; we have achieved the highest GDP growth rate for this country; we have, unlike the NPP, attained three out of four of the West African Monetary Zone’s primary convergence criteria etc.

We on this side of the House have always cautioned the NDC government to be circumspect when we queried some of the data that the Statistical Service Department churned out. We cast doubt on the quality of some economic data including figures that feed into the central bank’s decisions on interest rates for instance. It is hard to justify the disconnect between the single digit inflation at a time interest rates were hovering in the mid-twenties. We were lampooned.

Only last week, November 26, 2013 in the United Kingdom the Governor of Bank of England rose to the challenge to criticize Britain’s Office of National Statistics questioning some “very important classes of data”. That is the way to be nationalistic. Governor Mark Carney challenged the statistical agency of UK to look at economic data produced in Canada.

Overnight, reality has dawned and the signature tune of the government has evaporated into thin air. The economy today is in bad shape if not in tatters.

Admittedly, things are getting worse. In spite if this in June this year the President boldly declared that whenever he has gone to, he has been commended for managing the economy well. He chastised Ghanaians as the only people who do not see his good works. The emerging facts, which are what we in the NPP Minority group have always maintained, have now clearly established that it is only the President and his men who are commending themselves for managing the economy well. The figures and the facts point in another direction.

The theme of the 2014 Economic Policy is Rising to the Challenge: “Re-aligning the Budget to meet key National Priorities”. Beyond this, the Minister insisted that the Budget would be transformational. A transformative budget is one that is constructed on solid foundation which provides the bounce to launch or propel transformation. In our case, however, the foundation is still fragile.

MACRO-ECONOMIC INSTABILITY 1. GDP growth rate targeted in 2013 at 8.0% registered 7.4% with the non-oil sector growing at 5.8% in an economy that has been rebased.

2. Inflation in 2013 registered 13.1% instead of the target of 9.0% 3. Exchange rate depreciation of the Ghana Cedi against the US$ in 2013 was 17.9%; whilst against the Pound Sterling in 2013 it was 14.1%. In all these computations the last quarter of the year has not been factored.

It means that over the past 5 years, since January 2009, the cedi has depreciated by 100%. That compares with 54.9% depreciation that the cedi suffered during the 8 year of Kufuor’s administration i.e. from ¢7,100 to ¢11,000 or from GH¢0.71 to GH¢1.1 4. Lending rates hover around 30% today.

5. For a greater part of 2013, the 91-day treasury bills were yielding 23% at a time inflation was reported to be in the single digits or by g o v e r n ments’ own admission now, around 13.1%. Today 91-day T-bills are about

19% 6. Our balance of payment deficit is US$884 million.

7. Our reserves have climbed down to 2.9months when government had targeted to achieve 4months.

8. Our public debt has ballooned from the $8billion which the Mills- Mahama administration inherited to over $23billion which translates to over 53.2% of GDP. This figure does not include the undrawn balance of the CDB loan. Interest payment on public debt is GH¢6.2 billion per year.

9. Our arrears hover around GH¢5.0billion.

Mr. Speaker, why wouldn’t the arrears escalate when in 2009 over-expenditure above the approved budget was GH¢300million; the over-expenditure shot up to GH¢800million in 2010; GH¢1.3 billion in 2011 and GH¢2.8billion in the election year 2012. There should be greater financial discipline and Parliament should rise up in unison to confront government on this, otherwise Parliament will lose its authority, its oversight power over the Executive.

10. Ghana’s performance in both the primary and secondary convergence criteria badly deteriorated in both 2012 and 2013. The country achieved only one out of the four primary criteria in both 2012 and 2013. Ghana attained two out of six in the secondary convergence criteria (P.13 of 2013 budget). As we speak today Ghana has slipped in one of the two secondary criteria, i.e. exchange rate criteria. That

means that today, out of the 10 WAMZ convergence criteria Ghana has attained only 2.

Mr. Speaker this performance is the worst in the past 13years. Ghana’s performance in the 10 convergence issues that I have related to are certainly not the hallmarks of a resilient economy. These indeed are the fea-

>>One Big Happy Comics<<

tures of a troubled economy. In the meantime, agriculture which remains the backbone of the economy is experiencing stunted growth. Industry is by any known measure also not doing well. Yet these are the two main propellers of our economy!! So which sector is going to provide the boost, the lift to transform the economy in 2014? Let us not deceive ourselves. It is clear that the macro-economy is still very unstable and any talk about the resilience of the economy is a mere delusion.

PUBLIC DEBT Mr. Speaker within 5 years our public debt has escalated to $23billion or over 50billion.

The NDC met GH¢9.5billion (paragraph 4 of 2009 Budget). Prof. Mills referred to the GH¢9.

5billion as caused by “profligate expenditure”, which anthem resonated in this House. If GH¢9.5billion is profligate how would anyone describe GH¢50.6billion? Gargantuan or monumental incompetence would be an understatement.

On the average, and rather scaringly, Ghana is adding over GH¢8billion or 80trillion every year to its public debt. A major portion of this debt is from domestic borrowing. In 2012 government borrowed in excess of GH¢7.1billion from the domestic market when they projected to borrow GH¢2.7billion. By this, government competes with and squeezes out private enterprise from borrowing from the banks. This is the reason for the huge rise of interest rates on government bills. This causes lending rates to rise. In the event, private enterprises cannot access capital to grow their business in order to provide employment. Unemployment, especially, among the youth and young graduates, is a major problem in the country today and one would have thought that a transformational budget, so called, would confront the problem frontally and offer bold solutions to this canker. I am yet to discover any such.

Mr. Speaker, given the current debt burden of the country each Ghanaian including a child who has been born today owes

p Cont’d on page 11

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

11

CONTRIBUTION OF MINORITY LEADER ON DEBATE ON 2014 BUDGET STATEMENT AND ECONOMIC POLICY – 4TH DECEMBER, 2013 P Cont’d from page 10 GH¢2,000 that is GH¢20million. That is not transformational.

The penchant for borrowing without critically analyzing its impact on the economy especially debt sustainability is not helpful. The Minister conceded that the debt to GDP ratio is now 53.5%. We are sliding to the debt-trap.

Mr. Speaker, at this stage the nation will want to know the status of the China Development Bank (CDB) loan of US$3.0billion.

When it was submitted to this House for consideration and approval some of us raised pertinent issues including the Commitment fee; the off-taking of oil; the lack of proper due diligence; payment of up-front fees; the total cost of the programs; the non-availability of the finance documents (the Suppliers Credit Facility); Chinese content and local content; double payment for some contracts etc. scavengers descended on us. Mr. Minister, what is the status of the Chinese US$3billion loan?

ARREARS Mr. Speaker, the NDC stigmatized the NPP for “distressing the economy” with “huge arrears” amounting to GH¢1.8billion (refer to page 5 of the 2010 Budget Statement). Well, at the end of 2012 government’s arrears hit GH¢5.4billion of which GH¢4.8billion was incurred in 2012 alone. 2013 was literally a do nothing year as government adopted a goslow. Notwithstanding, as we speak today the arrears amounts to GH¢5.0billion.

Mr. Speaker, these are debts owed to suppliers of goods and services, including small and medium scale businessmen and women such as road contractors, health service providers, students on scholarship abroad and capitation grant to schools. This also includes amounts owed to NHIS, DACF, GETFund, SSNIT, OMCs, and BoG among others.

In blaming the Kufuor administration for what was referred to as “distressing arrears” amounting to GH¢1.8billion, the Minister of Finance charged that “a large portion of the arrears arose from contracts that were in clear breach of the procurement law (pg.5 of the 2010 Budget). Today, virtually all major government contracts are by either sole-sourcing of selective tendering. Wherever selective tendering or sole-sourcing occurs, chances are that the country is not having value for money and red flags’ must be hoisted. Knowing that this is one veritable cause of the hemorrhage afflicting the country, a truly transformational budget would have been emphatic on this practice. Aside personnel emolument or compensation, about 70% of government expenditure is on procurement. If the President is minded to plug the leakages in the system he ought to have been bold on this practice. But as we have seen it is going to be business as usual in the 2014 financial year.

OVER-EXPENDITURE Mr. Speaker colleagues who spoke ahead of me have alluded to the huge over-expenditure pattern that has since 2009 become a feature of this latter NDC administration. We have alluded to the humongous over-expenditure of GH¢2.8 for 2012. This trend has featured once again in 2013. A transformational budget must confront the causes of this unfortunate characteristic of this government and deal decisively with the problem. In the course of the year we had occasion to query what caused the over-expenditure in the following areas: Ministry of Interior GH¢19m; Ministry of Health GH¢27million; Ministry of Education GH¢60million; Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology GH¢60million;

Ministry of Energy GH¢70million; GYEEDA GH¢200million; Ministry of Roads and Highways GH¢270million; Ministry of Youth and Sports GH¢350million. Office of the Government Machinery GH¢650million’ including the GH¢15million for guinea fowl business and GH¢33million for tree planting, all in the name of Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA). These are what we expected the transformational budget to correct.

FISCAL DEFICIT Mr. Speaker the ever widening fiscal deficit is yet another indication of our sick economy. In 2009 the NDC inherited a fiscal deficit of GH¢1.98billion (6.6 per cent of GDP). In 2001 the NPP inherited a fiscal deficit of GH¢260million.

The NDC in 2009 vilified Kufuor’s administration of having increased the deficit, over 8 years,

by GH¢1.72billion to GH¢1.98billion (.e. 6.6% of GDP). Instead of correcting what the NDC called “reckless expenditure-spree” the deficit climbed up to GH¢8.

7billion (or 12.1 per cent of GDP). In June 2013 Bank of Ghana revealed that in the first quarter of 2013 government deficit shot out by a target of 28 per cent in just the first four months.

The calculation had not factored in the statutory commitments. It is not surprising that the Minister is now talking about a budget deficit beyond the target of 9 per cent of GDP. Mr. Speaker this cannot be transformational and we are not rising to any challenge.

DECLING ECONOMIC GROWTH Mr. Speaker, in June 2013 the figures released by the Bank of Ghana highlighted the slow growth of the economy and its attendant decline in both business and consumer confidence. That was not new because over the past five years there has been unsatisfactory economic growth in spite of the fact that the nation has had so many opportunities.

In 2008 the non-oil economy under Kufuor grew by 8.4%. In 2009 under the NDC the economy, at the time non-oil economy, grew by not more than 4.0%. In 2010 oil pumping had not started and the economy grew by 7.3% later reviewed but still not more than 8%. In 2011, oil came up and the economy grew by 15% but half of it was oil-induced. In 2012, oil-fueled, drastically declined to 7.9%.

2013, oil-induced growth was a mere 7.4% and we are told the non oil growth is 5.8%.

In short since 2009 the growth in the non-oil sector has not matched the GDP growth rate which was chalked in 2008 or even 2006 if the figures are rebased. It is obvious to any objective analysts that we are not as using the oil revenue judiciously to grow the economy.

JOB CREATION AND DECLINING INCOMES As I have already indicated, 2013 was a year of imperilment for industry. There was limited access to credit for industry. Lending rates, where industry had credit was punitive, power supply was insufficient and erratic and water supply was equally erratic. Enterpris-

es which supplemented power by resorting generator-propelled electricity to maintain production lines increased production cost astronomically and therefore became uncompetitive. They resorted to laying off workers.

Government programmed to create 400,000 jobs. In the end, they admit, they created 35,000. What government has not told the nation is how many people lost their jobs. If one nets out it would become clear that employment will experience negative growth. On top of this those in employment have to contend with declining incomes. The combined effect of inflation, depreciation of the cedi, the imposition of taxes, the hikes in utility tariffs as well as the five times increase in fuel prices this year is that the purchasing power of consumers will contract. The standard of living of the masses will be lowered further and poverty will increase within our communities.

E C O N O M I C TRANSFORMATION & PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT MR. Speaker, this government in spite of its socialist antecedents proclaims that it acknowledges that the private sector must be the engine of growth for this country. In this era of the declaration of economic transformation one would have expected to see bold measures to enhance private development. The President must rev up the engine by releasing the gear and lifting his big foot from the accelerator pedal otherwise he will burn the clutch of the nation. Already, the engine is belching out smoke.

RESOURCE ALLOCATION Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance in spite of his boast that the economy is resilient admits to a multiplicity of challenges confronting the nation. He was very bombast on his boast; he is a man of courage in spite of his size. He knows the productive sectors of the economy: agriculture and industry to be propelled by science and technology – the allocation of resources to the productive sectors is lamentable. How do we transform the economy with these paltry allocations?

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Mr. Speaker, the establishment of an Infrastructure Fund is a new initiative contained in the budget. On the face of it, it is laudable.

It fits into the position the Minority had canvassed on the application of our oil revenue.

Unfortunately, creation of the fund is not accompanied by any national plan. So the provision is incoherent, inconsistent, there is no-prioritization, no idea of total cost to the country, there is no idea of how much is going to be spent in 2014 in the short term and the medium term. Or are we going to witness a situation where allocations will follow the onthe-spur of the moment promises which our journey-man President is always dropping wherever he goes?

POLICY PRIORITIES UNDERPINNING THE BUDGET Mr. Speaker, the policy priorities under-

pinning the budget is not well defined. We are told that the main elements of the budget are drawn from the President’s priorities for the medium term and elaborated in the GSGDA 2014-2017 but both documents are not known to Ghanaians. Indeed the GSGDA 2014-2017 is yet to be concluded. The fundamental question is how does one construct a budget based on unknown and yet-to- be completed policy priorities?

But Mr. Speaker, forgive me on this, did I say unknown policy priorities? We know of one profoundly important priority policy of President John Dramani Mahama that is dear to his heart. It is donating 10% of his emolument to charity. That is a policy matter to him and so it should find expression in the Economic Policy of his government. By Jove, The Budget Statement and Economic Policy of a President should demonstrate greater seriousness than this. In any event, I do not know which salary the President is talking about because, as of yet, he has not complied with Article 71(2). And, by the way, is the 10% limited to the year 2014 or is it up to 2016?

The President is challenging the rest of us to emulate his example. Mr. Speaker, we in this House have taken a loan to buy vehicles which we use for both Parliamentary and constituency duties. For this loan every member here pays GH¢2,600.øø. If we add the cost of funding, servicing, maintenance, chauffeuring and insurance plus rent the average commitment on each member of Parliament is about GH¢5,000 per month. That constitutes over 90% of the take home emolument of Members of Parliament. The President and his Ministers are spared this ordeal. We in this House will assure the President that if we had these facilities free of charge as he and his Ministers are enjoying we will do a 20% contribution not a 10%. I do not want to believe that the President is at his nits end.

CONCLUSION Mr. Speaker, the circumstances for us as a nation are not good, I have decided not to strand out the various sectors because colleagues who have spoken ahead of me done justice to the various subject items.

We will be prepared to rise to the challenge if the President will admit to the heaping up of the problems under his watch; we will rise up to the challenge if he comes clearly with better defined priorities; we will rise to the challenge if certified, tested bold initiatives are introduced to frontally deal with the myriad of problems confronting us. Engaging in adulations has proved to be self-serving and have not lifted us up from the quagmire.

For those who cannot see that the King is naked to pour scorn on some of us who critique government as “abrofo”, I think nobody should be agitated. When we raised issues with STX the same person said we were jealous and covetous of their achievement. Today where is STX? When we queried the CDB loan he jumped up and exploded that we are criticizing because once the CDB loan comes on stream the NPP shall never taste power. Today what is the status of the CDB loan? We are here analyzing and critiquing a budget that is supposed to be transformational, and I thought the proper adjective is transformative not transformational and the verdict by way of conclusion is that this budget is incapable of any transformation, it is phantasm, it is illusory, it is a menopausal budget that is not capable of propelling any growth of transformative proportions.

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for this opportunity.

CMYK

12

SPORTS

Thursday, 5th December, 2013

Ahmed Hassan to join Egypt management

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))Ahmed Hassan

HMED Hassan is set to be included in Egypt’s new management staff, with Alaa Nabil poised to be named assistant manager.

The 38-year-old Hassan, who is still playing for Zamalek, is expected to be named team director in the staff of newly-hired head coach Shawki Gharib.

Gharib recommended to have his former Egypt teammate Alaa Nabil as assistant manager, with Osama Nabih and Abdul-Sattar Sabri tipped for coaching roles.

Ex-Zamalek striker Nabih is currently the Whites assistant manager, while former Egypt and Benfica star Sabri has been working at Gaish.

Meanwhile, Hassan is set to announce his retirement should he be confirmed as Egypt team director.

The veteran midfielder will end a glorious 18-year career, which saw him top the list of the world’s mostcapped footballers of all time.

Italian coach calls for World Cup drinks breaks

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TALY coach Cesare Prandelli has called for the introduction of drink breaks during next year’s World Cup finals in Brazil to counter the debilitating effects of heat and humidity at venues in the tropical northeast.

“You can’t even give players water because Fifa want the bottles near the goalposts, which can

only be of use when there are corner kicks,” he told a meeting with foreign reporters in Rome.

“You are risking a situation where teams will kick the ball out for a corner just to drink something,” he said. “It sounds like a joke but in fact it is really serious.

We will make this request in the next two days.”

Fifa has already rejected

calls to reconsider its decision to schedule noon kick-offs for some matches in tropical venues.

However, there remains widespread concern that teams playing in the northeastern cities of Fortaleza, Natal, Salvador and Recife will be subjected to punishing conditions, with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius.

Gennady Golovkin to fight Ghana’s Adama

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HANA’S Osumanu Adama (22-3, 16 KOs) will get another shot at winning a middleweight world title when he comes up against the punching power Gennady Golovkin on Feb.1,2014 in Monte Carlo.

Adama’s last shot at the middleweight title ended in a decision loss to Australia’s David Geale in 2012 and Golovkin presents a substantial step up on class.

Golovkin is a contender for fighter of the year after scoring knockouts in all four of his title defenses,with a particular highlight being a stunning third round

knock-out of Japan’s Nobuhiro Ishida Promoters of the bout K2 Promotions are anxious to keep the budding star active.

“Gennady is committed to staying active and fighting the toughest opponents willing to get in the ring with him,” He’s anxious to make a quick return to the ring and looking forward to the challenge of defending his [title].”

Golovkin has also expressed his joy at landing a fight against the Chicago based Adama.

“I’m very happy to return to Monte Carlo and excited to face Adama,I know he’s a very tough opponent and I’m looking forward to putting on another great

performance for the fans in Monte Carlo and those watching around the world.”

Adama has won two fights in a row since losing to Geale and is looking forward to another title shot.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for me to challenge boxing’s best,” Adama said. “I’ve already begun training and I will bring the titles with me back to Chicago.”

Golovkin has scored 15 consecutive knockouts, owns the highest knockout percentage (89 percent) of any active titleholder in boxing and is a candidate for ESPN.com’s fighter of the year honors.

World Cup winner to pocket 40 million dollars

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))Italian coach calls for World Cup drinks breaks

HE prize money at next year’s World Cup finals will be increased by at least a third from that on offer in South Africa in 2010, FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said on Tuesday.

The overall prize money for the tournament will rise to approximately $560.0 million (£341.3 million), around $140m more than the $420m available in 2010,

when $30m was on offer to the winners.

It means the winners of next year’s tournament in Brazil will pick up around $40m.

“There will be a large increase of at least 33 per cent if you compare (the prize money) with the last World Cup, but this figure will be confirmed after the finance committee meets on Wednesday,” Valcke, speaking at a news conference at the resort in Bahia state where the draw for the

finals will take place on Friday, told reporters.

“Also, there will be around $70 million available to the clubs who provide players for the teams in the World Cup, higher than last time as well.”

Valcke said full details of the prize money would be announced on Wednesday.

The prize money available in South Africa was 60 per cent higher than that offered for the 2006 finals in Germany.

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