President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged all government appointees, public and civil servants not to see public office as an avenue for self-enrichment.

According to him, the time had come for all who worked in the name of the state to think carefully about the public interest while occupying their various positions of trust.

He stressed the need for them to, at all times, be mindful of the public interest in all their dealings and also go about their various duties with honesty.

President Nana Akufo-Addo said this when he swore in members of the Free Zones and Audit Service Boards at the Flagstaff House on Wednesday.

He also swore in and presented instrument of office to Alhaji Ahmed Rahmadan, the former National Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), as Ghana’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirate (UAE).

Membership of the two boards

The members of the Free Zones Board includes ace sports journalist and president of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), Kwabena Yeboah, who has been re-appointed as a member. He was a member of the board during the NDC tenure and President Akufo-Addo has re-appointed him.

The Audit Service Board is chaired by Dr Edward Dua Agyeman with its members being Nana Kwasi Agyekum-Dwamena, Dennis Kwadjo Young Vormawor, Joyce Opoku-Boateng, James Frempong, Emmanuel Mainoo Owusu Ansah and Daniel Yaw Domelevo.

The board for the Free Zones is chaired by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyeremanteng while other members are the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Free Zones Board (FZB), Mr Michael Okyere Baafi, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Mr Kwabena Yeboah and Madam Rosemary Beryl Archer. The others are Mr Kingsley Kojo Fosu, Mad. Susana Aga Alo, Mr Osei Kuffuor Kankam and Mad. Barbara Akoukor Benisa.

Turn your backs on the old Ghana

For the President, the time had come for the nation to turn its back on the old practice where public office was perceived as an avenue for making unmerited wealth.

“We are in a time when we have to think carefully about the interest of the public in everything we do and beyond everything, we are required to provide our responsibilities with honesty and integrity. We want to turn our backs on the old Ghana where public office is seen as an avenue for self-enrichment,” he stated.

The President added that the Board ought to work together in order to achieve the ambitious plan they had set for themselves.

Reactions

In his remarks, the chairman of the Board and Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremateng assured the President that they would at all times execute their duties with integrity, honesty and make the public interest their watch word.

He was observant of the fact that the Board was assuming office at a crucial time when the government was undertaking a serious transformational agenda.

In furtherance of that mission, he pledged that they would position themselves strategically to provide the needed support to help materialize the vision of the government.

The Chairman of the Audit Service Board, Professor Duah Agyemang, in his response, assured the President that the board would make sure that its constitutional mandate was carried out strictly as required by law.

Source: Graphiconline

Ghana Football Association (GFA) Vice President, George Afriyie, has been appointed to serve on the Africa Cup of Nations Organising Committee.

The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) confirmed the appointment of Afriyie last Wednesday when he was invited to the body’s headquarters in Egypt.

He was sworn into office at the CAF headquarters in Cairo on Wednesday by the committee’s President, Amaju Pinnick, of Nigeria.

Afriyie will serve a four-year term in office as he will contribute in the planning and execution of the continent’s flagship football competition.

He will work with some of the highly respected football administrators on the continent as South Africa FA Chief, Danny Jordaan, is the first Vice President of the Committee and Zimbabwe FA Boss, Phillip Chiyangwa, Ssecond Vice-President.

Afriyie is the first Ghanaian to gain a major CAF appointment following the rise of Ahmad Ahmad as the President of the organisation assisted by Ghana’s Kwasi Nyantakyi.

More Ghanaians are expected to work on various committees under the new CAF leadership as there are efforts to bring top administrators on board to steer the affairs of the body in the right direction over the next four years.

Africa’s football governing body is undergoing major reforms following the election of Mr. Ahmad earlier this year.

Today Sports

…with Gottlieb Baako

Montserrado County

D#17: Hanson Kiazolu – UP replacing – William Varney Dakel of the CDC 
D#16: Dickson Wlayee Siebo – CDC replacing Hon. Edward Forh 
D#15: Hon. Adolf Akwe Lawrence – CDC retained 
D#14: Hon. A Vamuyan Conneh – CDC retained 
D#13: Hon. Saah Ebola Hero Joseph – CDC retained D#12: Mr. George Beyan Samah – Ind. Candidate – replacing Hon. Richmond Anderson 
D#11: Mr. Richard Koon – UP – replacing Hon. Gabriel Nyekan – CDC 
D#10: Mr. Yekeh Kolubah – replacing Hon. Julius Berian formerly of CDC 
D#9: Hon. Munah Pelham-Youngblood- CDC retained
D#8: Hon. Acarious Moses Gray – CDC retained 
D#7: Hon. Solomon George – CDC retained 
D#6: Rev. Samuel Enders – replacing Hon. Edwin Snowe
D#5: Hon. Thomas Fallah – CDC retained 
D#4: Mr. Momo B. Kamara – Ind. Candidate replacing Hon. Hon. Henry Fahnbulleh 
D#3: Hon. C. B. Bashell – replacing Hon. Bill Tehway of CDC 
D#2: Mr. Jimmy Smith – CDC replacing Hon. Sekou Kanneh – UP 
D#1: Mr. Desire S. Satia – replacing Hon. Josephine George Francis

Grand Bassa County

D#1 Hans Barchue (Ind) – Retained
D#2: Mary Karwo (UP) – Retained
D#3: Matthew Joe (CDC) replacing Gabriel Smith (LP)
D#4: Benson Willie (Ind) – replacing Byron Brown 
D#5: Thomas A. Goshua (UP) – replacing Robertson Siaway (UPP)

Bong County

D#1: Junior Hills (ALP) – Replacing Tokpah J. Mulbah (PUP)
D#2: Prince Moye (UP) – Retained
D#3: Marvin Cole (CDC) – Replacing George Mulbah (PUP)
D#4: Robert Wonba (UP) – Replacing Lester Paye (ANC)
D#5: Edward Karfiah (PUP) – Retained
D#6: Woima Briggs Mensah (Ind.) – Replacing Bill Corneh (CDC)
D#7: Pending

Nimba County

D#1: Jeremiah Koung (MDR) – Retained
D#2: Prince O.S. Tokpa (PUP) – Retained
D#3: Pending
D#4: Pending
D#5: Pending
D#6: Torwon Glaykehn (PUP) – Replacing Ricks Toweh (LP)
D#7: Pending
D#8: Pending
D#9: Johnson Gwiakolo (CDC) – Replacing

Margibi County

D#1: Pidelorsa Tarponweh (CDC) – Replacing Roland Cooper (PUP)
D#2: Ivar K. Jones (Ind.) – Replacing Ballah Zayzay (UP)
D#3: Ellen Attoh (LPP) – Replacing Steven S. Kaifi (PUP)
D#4: Ben Fofana (UP) – Retained 
D#5: Pending

Bomi County

D#1: Edwin Snowe (UP) – Replacing Garyah Karmo (LTP)
D#2: Manah Bishop Johnson (CDC) – Replacing Alex Tyler 
D#3 Haja Fata Siryon (PUP) – Retained

Grand Gedeh County

D#1 (Tien District) – Zoe E. Pennue – Retained
D#2 – Alex Chester Grant (CDC) – Retained
D# 3 – George Borley (UPP) – Replacing Morais Waylee

Editor’s Note: These results are not official but provisional results gathered from various polling places around Liberia—Source-Okay FM, Liberia

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), American Field Service (AFS)-Global, has honoured the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Groupe Nduom (GN), a multinational conglomerate, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, for making the organisation proud.

Dr. Nduom, who is an alumnus of the organisation, was recognised at a dinner held in his honour on Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

AFS, a leader in intercultural learning, also offers international exchange programmes in more than 40 countries around the world through independent, non-profit AFS organisations.

In his welcome address, Chair Board of Trustees of AFS-Ghana, Rev. Allan Okomeng-Mensah, said:” the Ghana office of AFS will continue to sell the cultural diversity of the country to the rest of the world”.

He assured that AFS-Ghana will also develop programmes and create more avenues and opportunities that will feature adults in their programmes to promote more links to Africa.

Rev. Okomeng-Mensah noted that it was important to promote the ideals of the organisation, which focuses  on promoting a peaceful and just world, with reliability and credibility, through international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals, families, schools and communities.

Earlier, Chair Board of Trustees of AFS Intercultural Programmes, Dr. Vishakha N. Desai, said:” AFS-Ghana was among the most successful organisations in the network, and urged volunteers and host families to do more to attract more volunteers into their fold”.

She was happy that AFS-Global was celebrating their own in the person of Dr. Nduom whom she described as an all-round person.

Dr. Nduom, who was the man of the moment on the night, thanked AFS-Global for making him who he is today.

According to the celebrated Ghanaian entrepreneur, it was AFS-Global that broadened his outlook and exposed him to the cultural lives of different countries.

Recounting his membership with AFS-Global, he said, it was through an essay competition he participated in at the age of 17 years old which gave him the opportunity to travel to different countries to stay with an unknown family in Minnesota in the United States of America (USA) whom he described as his second family.

But, the business magnate said he is what he is today because of his faith, family values and love for his people

He was grateful to God for the opportunity he had while growing up, but was quick to add, “when opportunity comes your way you should make good use of it.”

Speaking to Today in an interview shortly after the programme, Dr. Nduom urged the youth to take any opportunity that comes their way seriously.

He said, he would continue to share his expertise and experience with the youth, saying “that is one area of public service I love doing.”

He said his desire to lead Ghana was to help improve the total wellbeing of the citizenry.

Story: Atta Kwaku Boadi

THE warning from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to the consuming Ghanaian public against a brand of canned fish called ‘So Nice’ mackerel currently being sold on markets in Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale must be taken seriously.

THIS development, Weekend Today believes, is critical, especially as the state regulatory body—FDA—has come out to state clearly that it cannot vouch for the wholesomeness of the product which was imported into the country by Dotsisco Ventures.

WHAT even makes the situation even more serious is the FDA’s assertion that the “So nice” brand of mackerel did not pass through approved and health checks at the Tema Port before it was cleared on October 2, 2017.  So, as we speak now, the unapproved product has found its way into markets in Tamale, Takoradi and Tamale. This indeed portends some danger for people who will be patronising the product.  It becomes more worrying when Weekend Today tends to believe that the product had already received some patronage taking into cognisance the fact that it did not get FDA’s approval.

IN fact, this is an issue that must not be joked with at all, particularly when lives are at stake here.  It is also an issue that raises questions about the monitoring activities of our state regulatory agencies.

HOW the product escaped the FDA’s radar is a matter that must thoroughly be investigated and all those who will be found culpable must be dealt with according to the laws of this country.  The fact is that we have been having many of such cases in this country, and therefore it is about time we devised productive and stringent measures to deal with it.

 IT is, however, heart-warming that the Ashanti Regional Office of the FDA has succeeded in confiscating 500 cartons of the ‘So Nice’ mackerel.  It is against that backdrop that Weekend Today wants to use this medium to commend the market women at Ofankor who through their vigilance alerted the police which led to the arrest of the owner of the product, Mr. Kofi Dotsi.

THAT notwithstanding, the paper believes that some of the “So Nice” mackerels are being sold at markets in the said areas.  This is where we want to add our voice to FDA’s call to the Ghanaian public to alert the police when they find the product on the market.  It is, therefore, our fervent hope that the law will deal accordingly with the owners of the product.

Ghanaian actress, Baby Blanche, who is best known for her role in the movie: ‘Hot Fork,’ is set to release her maiden self-produced movie dubbed: ‘Trophy.’

The movie is expected to be premiered on Saturday, 14th October, 2017 at the Silverbird Cinema, Accra Mall, Accra.

The yet-to-be premiered movie features Ghanaian actors and actresses who include Bill Asamoah, Samuel Ofori, Jessica Williams, Bernard Nyarko among others.

In an interview with Weekend Entertainment Today prior to the premier, Baby Blanche, who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Blanche Foundation, urged Ghanaians and movie lovers to come in their numbers and patronise the movie.

“I entreat all my fans to come out as we unveil the much-awaited movie- ‘Trophy,’” she said.

According to her, the movie has a lot of lessons that one could learn from.

Baby Blanche continued that “all the stars that are featured in the movie will be present at the Silverbird Cinemas, Accra Mall, for the premiere to give movie lovers the chance to take pictures and also have a good time with their favourite stars.”

When asked if the movie will only be premiered in Accra, Baby Blanche noted that the movie will be premiered nationwide, adding that ‘so all my fans must come in their numbers to support.’

The movie, ‘Trophy,’ explains tertiary life in Ghana with a political twist.

The movie was directed by Theophilus Amoabeng.

Story: Edward Blagogee

As part of its corporate social responsibility activities, uniBank (Ghana) Limited has supported the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) with the construction of several bus stops in and around the campus for the safety and security of students.

At a short ceremony organised on the campus on Thursday, October 5, 2017 to commission the bus stops, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Kwasi Obiri-Danso, in his address, thanked uniBank for the immense support showed to the university not only with the bus stops but in other areas as well.

He said: “before the commencement of the project, a number of institutions were contacted and only uniBank showed interest in the construction of these bus stops to the tune of GH¢1million for which they were very grateful. Between last year and this year, uniBank has provided 75,000.00 ID cards for both staff and students of this university as well as provided GHS 1 million in support for brilliant and needy students,” he said.

Commenting on the side of uniBank, Executive Director, Owusu-Ansah Awere, who led the delegation, thanked the university for the partnership that had been established between the two institutions.

“We at uniBank saw the opportunity to provide a need that is related to comfort and care for the university and also to beautify the place with these infrastructures. This is our way of giving back to the society as we accept your felicitations,” he added.

Rev Father Peter Addai of the university dedicated the bus stops to the Lord Almighty at the concluding part of the ceremony.

In attendance were staff from KNUST, Harper Road, Ahodwo and Kejetia branches.

Story: Business Desk

A 27-year-old staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mr Emmanuel Agbemadu, last week had a shock of his life when he was seriously beaten by a 30-year-old man, one Mac-Billy, for disconnecting his light.

Narrating his ordeal to Weekend Today, Mr. Agbemadu said on that fateful day, as a meter reader he was assigned to a town in the Volta Region called Ehi to go and read their meters.

According to him, when he got to the house of Mac-Billy, he detected that he had illegally reconnected his light which had been disconnected for non-payment of electricity bills.

“So I disconnected it. But a moment later, he arrived after receiving a call from his wife.

“When Mac-Billy arrived he asked me to reconnect the light but I refused. He immediately pounced on me and started hitting me with a stone.

“And since there was nobody around to save me, his wife who could not withstand the treatment his husband was meting out to me shouted for help,” he said amidst sobbing.

He said by the time some good Samaritans arrived at the scene, “I had been beaten to pulp, bleeding profusely from my mouth and nostrils.”

He said a nurse who saw him in that terrible condition offered him first aid, after which he reported the case to Ehi Police station where he was given a medical form to attend hospital.

“Even now I cannot eat any food apart from porridge,” he told Weekend Today.

Meanwhile, the suspect, Mac-Billy, after being granted police enquiry bail refused to appear before court when the case was called last week.

The presiding magistrate of Dzodze District Court subsequently issued a bench warrant for his immediate arrest.

Story: From Edem Vuvor, ATV, Ehi, Volta Region

It was around 7pm that gloomy Saturday night when I turned on my WhatsApp chat, only to be greeted with over 200 messages flashing on the icon.  I was wondering what that meant because I had cleared all the messages around 3pm that day.  And normally, Saturdays tend not to be too busy with WhatsApp.

In my curiosity, I started opening group chats for that is where one normally gets the gossips in town.  Then I flipped through individual chats and almost all the messages were the same.

To my dismay, vivid and gloomy pictures of what looked like the rapture itself were popping up.  All fingers were pointing to an explosion at Atomic Junction, a suburb of Accra.  On one platform, someone living in Aburi could see the smoke even from their location.  Friends and family members outside had all heard about an explosion in Accra and were calling to find out.

I turned on the TV and well and behold what I was seeing on whatsapp was confirmed. A gas explosion?   My immediate reaction was a soliloquy.  Those deadly accidents were becoming one too many.  When were we going to see an end to explosions and fire outbreaks at gas or fuel stations and injuring lives and properties?

Deadly explosions

Over the last few days as the results of the explosion gained currency, I have learnt to my chagrin that in a space of three years, between 2014 and 2017, our country has experienced eight deadly gas explosions.  This is aside of the notorious fire and flooding incident at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra on June 3, 2015 where nearly 130 souls were lost needlessly.

A crippling unforgettable happening which we all swore never to see happen again to us as the nation.  We swore, or better still, our leaders promised us that they would put things in order so that such catastrophes would not happen to us again.

No lessons seem to have been learnt, unfortunately.

We do not seem to take safety serious.  Yet when something happens, we quickly blame others.  We always forget that our attitudes play major roles in the kind of disasters that we encounter on day-to-day basis.

We know from all the accounts out there in the public domain that the driver of the gas tanker, who was discharging the liquefied petroleum gas at the station where the explosion occurred, sounded those who were in the area that they should move away because the gas was leaking badly.  This meant that the driver knew that what he was doing was against one of the rules of their game which admonished them not to offload when they sense gas was leaking.  The gas tanker drivers know that they are not to discharge gas at night.  They knew that when they are discharging, they should ensure that the area was free from any human activity.  This driver breached some of the rules, thus, acts of indiscipline were clearly exhibited here.

Another case of gross indiscipline on the part of the persons around was when the driver warned people to vacate the place because of the leakage, sellers, taxi and other commercial drivers continued to look on.  Allegedly, there was a first explosion yet that was not enough warning for some people to move away.

They continued to hang around while many more ran away to as faraway safety as possible.  The result is the fatalities, level of injuries and destruction of properties we saw.  So, you ask yourself, for how long would we continue to take things for granted?

Safety practices

I once worked for a corporate institution where every employee from the top to the factory floor, was made aware of the essence of safety at all times.   We were taught in our everyday work life not to take safety for granted whether in our offices or walking around the factory.

Safety meetings were made compulsory on Fridays and the time was even fixed – 12 noon.  Everyone, no matter what you were doing at the time, was expected to attend the departmental safety meetings, a common agenda for which would have been circulated at least 24 hours earlier and a chairperson for the meeting nominated.  Attendance was recorded and minutes of the discussions were taken. For the Company’s Safety Manager.

Yes, there was a whole Safety Manager who was responsible for coordinating Friday noon safety meetings and sending warnings to departments that were not living up to expectation while quarterly prizes were given to those who exhibited consistency in attendance.  Every department or office had a Safety Steward who ensured that the work environment was always safe.

A lot was learnt on safe practices not only for the work place but also for the home and being on the road either as a driver or a pedestrian.  Those safety values have lived with me till today.

Lawlessness

Unfortunately, within our society, lawlessness has become part of our everyday life to the extent that we even flout safety regulations and warnings with impunity.  At fuel and LPG stations, even with the clear signages that people should not use mobile phones, we see attendants and sometimes customers using their mobile phones.  People still load their petrol tanks with their vehicle engines running.

As a people, we have thrown safety away to the dogs and live as if we are insulated from accidents.

The loss of lives and properties on regrettable occasions such as we experienced last Saturday at the Atomic Junction is heart breaking.  However, I would not be surprised to see bubbly life continues as if nothing happened, once all the dead are buried and pains, aches and injuries are restored to normal.

Gas would leak; mobile phones would be used at filling stations, lawlessness would reign until another explosion and fire erupt in another part of the country.  That is when we would once again turn the heat on ourselves.  Do we ever learn?

Reality Zone

…with Vicky Wireko-Andoh (vicky.wireko-andoh@todaygh.com)

Criminal proceedings have been opened into Paris St-Germain’s Chairman, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, by Swiss prosecutors.

The proceedings are connected to an ongoing investigation into former FIFA Secretary, General Jerome Valcke, and relate to the sale of World Cup TV rights to BeInSports, of which Al-Khelaifi is the Chief Executive.

Last year, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) said it was investigating Valcke for “various acts of criminal mismanagement.”

In a statement yesterday, the OAG said the new proceedings involving Al-Khelaifi had been “opened on the basis” of its findings.

It said it was “suspected that Jerome Valcke accepted undue advantages from a businessman in the sports rights sector in connection with the award of media rights for certain countries at the FIFA World Cups in 2018, 2022, 2026 and 2030 and from Nasser Al-Khelaifi in connection with the award of media rights for certain countries at the FIFA World Cups in 2026 and 2030.”

The new investigation – which relates to Al-Khelaifi – is being conducted in partnership with authorities in France, Greece, Italy and Spain, and was opened in March 2017, the OAG said.

It added that its representatives had interviewed Valcke in Switzerland as a suspect on Thursday.

Valcke was banned by FIFA for 10 years – although he has appealed against that ruling.

Sports Desk

The President, Nana Akufo-Addo, has announced the removal of Ing. Samuel Kwadwo Sarpong as the Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC).

It has since ordered him to hand over to the senior most director at the Commission, Ms. Mami Dufie Ofori, as he proceeds to collect three (3) months’ salary in lieu of the notice.

A letter from the Office of the President, signed by Nana Bediatuo Asante, Secretary to the President, and addressed to Mr. Sarpong, said “reference is made to your appointment letter dated 11^thFebruary 2013, appointing you as the Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission that took effect from 10^th December 2012. In accordance with paragraph 7 of the said Letter, your appointment is hereby terminated.”

The letter further directed Mr. Sarpong to “hand over your office to Ms. Mami Dufie Ofori, and proceed to collect three (3) months’ salary in lieu of notice.”

The letter further advised Mr. Sarpong to cease to act as the Executive Secretary of the Company, and ensure that he hands over every document of the company to his successor by Friday, October 13, 2017.

Samuel Sarpong’s tenure as Executive Secretary had been characterized by agitations from the staff of the Commission.

Earlier this year, the staff locked up offices of the company, protesting the Executive Secretary’s continuous stay in office over allegations of financial malfeasance they raised against him.

Source: Citifmonline

A Cabinet meeting on Thursday saw the introduction of nine safety measures to ensure sanity within the fuel distribution chain nationwide, and ostensibly to curb explosions.

These safety measures are aside President Nana Akufo-Addo ordering the implementation of the Cylinder Re-circulation Model of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) distribution.

Key are among these measures is the impending closure of high-risk fuel stations across the country within 30-days, and the halting of the construction of new petrol/diesel and LPG filling points nationwide.

These measures, announced in a statement from government, are in direct response to the explosion at an LPG filling station at Atomic Junction, that has so far claimed at least seven lives and injured over 100 persons.

In the wake of that disaster, President Akufo-Addo has directed the following:

• immediate inspection of all gas stations and the vigorous enforcement of existing regulations by the National Petroleum Authority;
• review of the current licensing regime to ensure that only those with demonstrable capacity and competence engage in the LPG distribution business;
• institution of mandatory training and certification of the staff of Regulators, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and LPG Marketing Companies to ensure the safe handling of LPG;
• review the safety protocols along the entire value chain through the combined efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), National Fire Service (NFS), Town and Country Planning Department of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and the Factories Inspectorate Department of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations;
• deployment of a task force, within 30 days, to assess the risk that our current LPG infrastructure poses in terms of public health and safety. High-risk stations will be immediately closed down, in accordance with relevant law and without regard to any political or special interests. Low risk stations will be designated for the supply of gas for vehicles with improved safety standards;
• the immediate incorporation of standards and guidelines developed by Ghana Standards Authority on the handling, storage and distribution of LPG and other petroleum products as technical regulations to strengthen the enforcement regime;
• the recruitment by NPA of 200 safety auditors to join the staff of the Factories Inspectorate Department of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to check regularly on all stations to ensure full compliance with safety standards and practices;
• expedition of action by the Fire Service and the Police Service of on-going investigations. Any operator or regulatory official, against whom any act of criminal negligence is established, will face the full rigors of the law;
• immediate cessation, until further notice, of all construction of facilities intended for use as gas or petroleum retail stations.

“The safety of citizens is the paramount objective of Government, and the President will take all necessary steps to ensure that citizens are safe,” the statement concluded.

Source: Citifmonline

A member of Groupe Nduom (GN), GN Reinsurance, yesterday held its second Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra.

In a statement, Chairman of GN Reinsurance, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, described the future of the company as very bright and therefore expected improvement in its performance in 2017.

“The future of the company looks bright and therefore we expect improvement in its performance in 2017. Having commenced the process of acquiring a software for its operations in 2015, the company is expected to go live by the last quarter of 2017. The acquisition of the software is expected to enhance its operations and improve its control process,” Dr Nduom stated.

According to him, the company will continue with its positive growth in profitability and the top line in the Ghanaian market while strategically positioning itself to grow its international and African business.

Dr. Nduom promised to build a strong reinsurance brand that focuses on delivery of best of services products and technical support to their cedants.

He revealed that the total claims paid 2016 amounted to GH¢5,403,553 compared to GH¢3,609,9,018 claims recorded for 2015. However, net claim incurred for 2016 amounted to GH¢3,765,040 compared to the 2015 figure of GH¢ 5,437,807.

The chairman added that management and underwriting expenses grew from GH¢ 12,778,933 in 2015 to GH¢17,594,813 in 2016, largely attributed increase in the volume of business and inflation.

“Notwithstanding this increase, the underwriting and management expenses ratio reduced from 181% in 2016 attributed to operational efficiency.”

The company, the chairman disclosed, in its second year of operations recorded an underwriting profit f GH¢ 2,442466 against a previous year’s loss of GH¢5,710,623.

“This performance which represents an underwriting profit margin of 12% can be attributed to a decrease in claims ratio and management expense ratio. This performance, we believe, will be sustained in the years ahead.”

The company’s total assets, according to Dr. Nduom, grew from the 2015 figure of GH¢103,292,594 to GH¢127,899,909 a growth of 24%. Investment in properties and other liquid assets forms 93% of the total assets while total liquid asset was 57% of the total assets

The gross premium receivable before provision for bad debts stood at GH¢3,567,359, representing 20% of net written premium in 2016.

“From the above analysis, 80% collection rate was achieved for the year under review,” he added.

“In the coming year, the company through the GN Foundation will identify some social needs and meet them as part of its corporate social responsibility. Corporate governance which forms the bedrock of the company operations will continue to be strengthened through board oversight role of enhancing policies and ensuring those policies are fully implemented by management,” the chairman stated.

He commended fellow board members, stakeholders; management and staff for the success chalked in 2016, and urged them to work harder in the coming year to see a much better results.

Insurance

…with Kofi Owusu Tawiah

Tullow Oil plc has announced that it has acquired 90% stakes in four onshore blocks in Côte d’Ivoire.

Petroci, the national oil company of Côte d’Ivoire, holds the remaining 10%. The four blocks – CI 518, CI519, CI301 and CI302 – cover 5,035 square kilometres and located on the coastline of Côte d’Ivoire mostly to the west of Abidjan.

Tullow believes that this acreage will complement the Group’s existing exploration portfolio as the blocks are located in a proven petroleum system, indicated by multiple oil seeps and past production from the Eboinda Oil Sands.

“If commercial discoveries are made, the maturity of Côte d’Ivoire’s oil industry suggests a relatively short and low-cost path to production. Tullow intends to initiate work immediately on these licences to allow a full tensor gradiometry (FTG) survey to start in early 2018. This early survey data will be used to assess the potential of the licenses and guide future acquisition of seismic data,” a statement from Tullow said.

Tullow has worked in Côte d’Ivoire for 20 years both as an explorer and as a producer and holds a non-operated position in the Espoir field which produces approximately 4,000 bopd net to Tullow.

“I am very pleased to have signed the licences for these blocks in Abidjan and look forward to exploring again in Côte d’Ivoire. We have a long history in Côte d’Ivoire having been in country since 1997 and I am excited about the potential that these blocks, with their proven petroleum system, offers,” Chief Executive Officer of Tullow Paul McDade said.

Business Desk

First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, has called for balance diet for adolescent girls in Ghana to provide the needed iron and folic acid they need for development.

The first lady made the appeal in Sunyani when she launched “National Girls-Folic Acid Tablet Supplementation” (GIFTS), an initiative of the government, where 360,000 teen girls are expected to receive iron and folic acid supplement.
Speaking at the launch of the programme, Mrs Akufo-Addo noted that anemia among girls was affecting their academic work negatively and thus averred that the initiative would go a long way to reduce anemia in adolescent girls.
“As we have heard anemia is a serious public health problem that affects women, adolescent girls and children and has been described globally as a greatest nutrition problem. In Ghana anemia is highly prevalent, and this is not something we should be proud of,” she warned.

She disclosed that anemia also affects women which sometimes lead to premature births and deaths during delivery.

She urged stakeholders to support the programme in other to derive the needed benefits.
In addition to the iron and folic acid supplement being provided under the initiative, Mrs Akufo-Addo noted that girls should be fed with protein foods including chicken, eggs and fish.
She assured that the iron supplement would go a long way to reduce anemia among girls in the country.
The first lady also called for the sustainability of the initiative with the involvement of major stakeholders including health workers, heads of schools, teachers and youth groups.
The iron and folic acid supplement is currently being distributed to girls in both senior high and basic schools in the Brong Ahafo Region.

From: Michael Sarpong Mfum, Sunyani, Brong Ahafo Region

Business magnate and President of Groupe Nduom, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, has urged accountants to be disciplined, honest and ethical and live above reproach in the course of their work.

According to him, anybody in the accounting profession can read and understand the standards and ethics governing the profession, but stressed that it takes an individual with a clear conscience to apply such procedure to the latter.

Dr. Nduom, who was speaking as the guest speaker at the Second Big Batch of the 2017 Induction Ceremony of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG) at the Fiesta Royal Hotel in Accra yesterday, further admonished professional accountants to make money for themselves and their organisations in the right way.

He, therefore, called on inductees and those already in the profession to be disciplined, honest and ethical in all their lives, noting that discipline and ethical behaviour were priceless.

The business mogul explained that cutting corners for personal or organisational financial gains in the short-term may look good, but added that its repercussions in the long-run were terrible.

“You may be enjoying at the beginning but will be suffering in the end when time catches up with you.”
“There are three things I would want you to adopt and apply in all your dealings and they are: personal integrity, good health care as well as being sincere with your tax obligations,” the president of GN noted.

He admonished them to endeavour to fulfill their legal obligation by paying their taxes to the state.

Dr. Nduom also explained that governments often pursue businesses and individuals which refuse to fund their political activities under the guise of invading tax.

“This is not about NPP or NDC or PPP. If a government doesn’t like you, they usually check if you’ve paid your tax. If you don’t pay they will use that as an excuse to grind your operations to a halt. So you must all meet your tax obligations. Pay the government its tax and stay away from them,” Dr. Nduom urged.

In his welcome address, President of ICAG, Mr. Christian Sottie, called on the inductees to show maximum respect to those older folks in the association as well as the governing council.

“Remember that your induction into the institute today is just the beginning of a new journey in the life of your career which the older folks have embarked upon long ago.”
Story: Franklin Asare-Donkoh

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday urged Democrats to make a healthcare deal after cutting off Obamacare subsidies to health insurance companies for low-income patients in a forceful move that sparked threats of legal action and concern of chaos in insurance markets.

“ObamaCare is a broken mess,” Trump tweeted early on Friday. “Piece by piece we will now begin the process of giving America the great HealthCare it deserves!”

The decision is the most dramatic action Trump has taken yet to weaken the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law, which extended insurance to 20 million Americans.

The move drew swift condemnation from Democrats and threats from state attorneys general in New York and California to file lawsuits. Trump, a Republican, urged opponents to reach out to him.

“The Democrats ObamaCare is imploding. Massive subsidy payments to their pet insurance companies has stopped. Dems should call me to fix!” Trump said in another tweet on Friday.

Trump has been frustrated by Republicans’ failure to repeal and replace the law known as Obamacare, thwarting a promise he made during his successful 2016 presidential campaign.

His decision is likely to please those among his political base who detest the Obamacare system, which many Republicans have attacked for years as an unneeded government intrusion in Americans’ healthcare.

In a nod to that same constituency, the president signed an executive order earlier on Thursday to make it easier for Americans to buy bare-bones health insurance plans exempt from Obamacare requirements.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi derided the subsidies cut-off in a joint statement, saying Trump would single-handedly push Americans’ healthcare premiums higher.

“It is a spiteful act of vast, pointless sabotage leveled at working families and the middle class in every corner of America,” they said. “Make no mistake about it, Trump will try to blame the Affordable Care Act, but this will fall on his back and he will pay the price for it.”

Insurers and proponents of Obamacare have implored Trump for months to commit to making the payments, which are worth billions of dollars. Several insurers have cited uncertainty over the payments when hiking premiums for 2018 or exiting insurance markets altogether.

Healthcare stocks have edged lower in recent days. Ending the payments could hurt shares of insurers such as Anthem Inc, Molina Healthcare Inc, Cigna Corp and Centene Corp, which are offering plans on Obamacare markets for 2018.

Trump has made the payments, guaranteed to insurers under Obamacare to help lower out-of-pocket medical expenses for low-income consumers, each month since taking office in January. But he has repeatedly threatened to cut them off and disparaged them as a “bailout” for insurance companies.

For Kathryn Haydon and her husband, who bought insurance under the law’s marketplace three years ago as struggling college students in Arkansas, the subsidies reduced the cost of their $310 plan by about $250, leaving them to pay $60 each month.

“If the subsidy was not there, we would have gone without health insurance,” she said. “Our finances were extremely tight at the time for us… we would have just hoped there were no catastrophes.”

LAWSUITS

The White House said late on Thursday that it could not lawfully pay the subsidies anymore.

A White House statement said that based on guidance from the Justice Department, “the Department of Health and Human Services has concluded that there is no appropriation for cost-sharing reduction payments to insurance companies under Obamacare.”

“In light of this analysis, the Government cannot lawfully make the cost-sharing reduction payments,” it said.

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said in a statement he was prepared to lead other attorneys general in a lawsuit.

“I will not allow President Trump to once again use New York families as political pawns in his dangerous, partisan campaign to eviscerate the Affordable Care Act at any cost,” he wrote.

The payments are the subject of a lawsuit brought by House Republicans against the Obama administration that alleged they were unlawful because they needed to be appropriated by Congress. A judge for the federal district court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of the Republicans, and the Obama administration appealed the ruling.

The Trump administration took over the lawsuit and had delayed deciding whether to continue the Obama administration’s appeal or terminate the subsidies, but in April Trump began threatening to stop the payments.

That case became more complicated in August when a U.S. appeals court allowed 16 Democratic state attorneys general to defend the payments and have a say in the legal fight.

The political turbulence has affected insurers’ decisions.

Anthem Inc, one of the largest remaining Obamacare insurers, in August scaled back its offerings in Nevada and Georgia and blamed the moves in part on uncertainty over the payments.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina earlier this year raised premiums by more than 20 percent, but said it would have only raised premiums by about 9 percent if Trump agreed to fund the payments.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that cutting off the payments would cause premiums to rise 20 percent in 2018, and that 5 percent of Americans would live in areas that do not have an insurer in the individual market in 2018.

Trump has taken other steps to undermine Obamacare. Last week, his administration allowed businesses and non-profit organizations to seek exemptions from Obamacare’s mandate that employers provide birth control in health insurance with no co-payment.

The administration also slashed the Obamacare advertising and outreach budget and halved the open enrollment period.

Source: Reuters

Dr Joyce Rosalind Aryee is a Ghanaian, former politician, reverend minister and a business person. Auntie Joyce as she is affectionately called is recognised for having served the country for more than 40 years in both the public and the private sectors.

She was the previous chief executive officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, and was the first woman in Africa to have held that role.

Born to a Fante mother and a Ga father, Auntie Joyce hails from Anorhor in the Greater Accra Region. She has four siblings, two females and two males. She is the second of four children. Her mum hails from Elmina in the Central Region.

Auntie Joyce is an orphan. Her father died when she was just seven-years old, and her mum passed on some fifteen (15) years ago.  As a single parent, her mum had to go through hell in bringing her and her siblings.

Her mum who was an educationist wanted to bring all her children up through schooling, so she had to complement her salary with trading in baking in order to make sure that her children went through school.

During her early years, Auntie Joyce lived with her family in Suntreso in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, where she started her early years of education at Methodist Primary School and Methodist Middle School. She later went to Achimota School and later graduated from the University of Ghana, Legon, with a BA (Hons) in English.

Auntie Joyce has been married twice. Her first husband, with whom she has a 37-year- old son, is a medical doctor. They lived together in Germany for many years, and relocated to Ghana later.

After some years, she met Dr. Charles Yves Wereko-Brobbey, who she had known since infancy, because their parents worked at the same place, and his senior sister happened to be her good friend.

They got married in 1996, but the marriage later broke down.

Auntie Joyce is a professional with a versatile range of qualifications and a rich mix of personal skills. Her abilities are primarily in the fields of environmental management issues, communication, public relations, and the complete development of the human being.

With over 40 years of public and private sector service, Auntie Joyce has acquired a wealth of experience, including editing and managing publications. She was the editor of an educational magazine, and a contributing editor of a leading Ghanaian business publication.

Auntie Joyce worked at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but in 1983, while at the Ghana Standards Board, she was appointed Secretary of Information.

She was later appointed and made the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) Secretary for Education, and later as a non-Cabinet minister to the National Commission for Democracy as Special Assistant to the Chairman.

Her service at the ministries and commission resulted in tremendous growth and stability in these sectors of the Ghanaian economy. Dr. Aryee played a very key role in the democratisation process while serving at the National Commission for Democracy.

She has also participated in several mining conferences in South Africa and Canada, and as a guest speaker at the “Women in Mining Conference” in Australia.

She has travelled widely, often in her official capacity, to Europe, visiting countries like Germany, the United Kingdom (UK), France, Ireland, Switzerland, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Austria, Spain, Norway and Denmark.

She has also been to Asia (Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and India), the Americas (USA and Cuba), the Middle East (Israel and United Arab Emirates), and Africa (Tanzania, Gabon, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Libya, Liberia, Algeria, Mali, Nigeria and Kenya.)

Auntie Joyce was given the Second Highest State Award, the Companion of the Order of the Volta in 2006, in recognition of her service to the nation. She is also the recipient of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), Marketing Woman of the Year Award for 2007 and the African Leadership on Centre for Economic Development’s African Female Business Leader of the Year Award for 2009.

Auntie Joyce is an Honorary Fellow of the Ghana Institution of Engineers and received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Mines and Technology in recognition of her immense contributions to the growth of the mining industry

Achimota School named their 17th dormitory, ‘Rev Joyce R. Aryee House,’ after her, in honour of her selfless service to the nation and commitment as well as contribution to her alma mater

Auntie Joyce has co-authored the book- The Transformed Mind– with Samuel Koranteng-Pipim.

She is the founder and currently Executive Director of Salt & Light Ministries, a para-church organisation. She also runs the Joyce Aryee CONSULT, which focuses in the areas of management and communications.

About 127, 286 travellers from the neighbouring West African countries have migrated into Ghana in the 4th quarter of this year compared to 125,128 last year.

This showed an increase of about 2,158.

This was revealed by the acting Sector Commander of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Elubo, Chief Inspector Emmanuel Laryea Kwei, at Elubo, during a 3-day working visit by the minister of interior and his deputy in the Western Region.

According to the sector commander of Elubo, over 99 per cent of travellers along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor who use the sector were processed at the Elubo border.
Mr. Laryea Kyei further indicated that the Elubo sector within its jurisdiction controls three main approved border posts with the neighbouring Cote D’Ivoire in the southern part of the western corridor of the country.
The Elubo sector border includes Elubo, Jawey Wharf and Half Assini Newtown border posts.

He stressed that the patrol unit of the sector has been responsible for the constant patrolling of all the numerous identified unapproved routes and the newly created unapproved routes and possible activities of miscreants within the sector.

To this end, Mr. Laryea Kyei mentioned the Tano river which separate Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire as a boundary that poses a lot of challenges to effective patrolling in the area.

He thus appealed to the government to set-up a marine department under the BPU to provide personnel with adequate expertise in swimming, diving and the provision of life jackets as well as providing them with a speed-boat to traverse the life span of the Tano river.
The Elubo sector border is made up of Elubo border, Half Assini district office, Half Assini Newtown border, Jawey Wharf border, Samenye Inland post and Ellenda Wharf border.

Story: From Simon Ahensah, Elubo, Western Region

Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has called on the public to treat with contempt posters making rounds that he will lead the ruling party in the 2020 elections.

Yesterday social media was awash with fresh posters of Dr. Bawumia announcing his intention to eye the flag-bearer slot of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) less than a year into Nana Akufo-Addo’s first term.

Dr. Bawumia’s office has rubbished such reports and believes “it is clear that the perpetrator(s) of this act intend to cause disaffection for the Vice President but their campaign will fail.”

“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state unequivocally that the posters are the figment of the imagination of the originator(s), and we call on all Ghanaians and the general public to treat the poster campaign with the contempt it deserves,” Communications Director, Office of the Vice President, Frank Agyei-Twum said in a statement.

Dr. Bawumia, 54, has partnered Akufo-Addo to recapture power for the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition since 2008.

Story: Political Desk