Afia Ohemeng
We Are Not Training Thugs At Asutsuare- GAF | SOURCE: GRAPHIC ONLINE
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has denied claims that hirelings of the New Patriotic Party are undergoing a secret military training at Asutuare in the Greater Accra region ahead of the 2020 general elections.
Deputy Director of Public Relations of the GAF, Commander Andy La-Anyane was emphatic in an interview with Graphic Online that no such development has happened at the military training facility, challenging former President John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress who both say they have evidence to back their allegation, to produce same.
President Mahama first raised the concern in a meeting with executives of the Ghana Journalists Association last week, explaining that information available to him indicated those party men (‘sinister force’) undergoing the secret training were being prepared to wreck havoc during the elections, a claim also amplified by his party the NDC, which expressed worry their deployment would ostensibly be to disrupt the poll should things turn bad for the ruling party.
“We have in our possession pictures and other pieces of indisputable evidence about ongoing training of more of these thugs at Asutuare towards election 2020 as was revealed by President Mahama”, the NDC claimed in a statement it issued Tuesday.
But according to Commander La-Anyane, it is not possible that any such group would receive any training at the facility, explaining that the only group of people that have been trained there as recent as last week, were forestry guards from the Forestry Commission.
“There can be no such evidence from Asutuare because it not true. Whatever pictures or videos they claim to have cannot be from our facilities. Let them provide it. I can assure you it is not true”, said Commander La-Anyane.
Business
Tell Nduom to refund our money – Gold Coast customers tell government | SOURCE: GRAPHIC ONLINE
Aggrieved customers of Gold Coast Fund Management whose investments have been locked up in the company have taken to the streets in Accra to demand refund.
They want the government, through the Ministry of Finance to step in and help retrieve their funds.
The customers in their hundreds and from different regions under the banner of the Nationwide Aggrieved Customers of Gold Coast Fund Management presented a petition to government in furtherance of their cause.
The demonstration started from the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange about 9:30 a.m., snaking through Farisco, Adabraka to the Trades Union Congress, then to the High Street and to the Ministry of Finance before finally ending at the seat of government, the Jubilee House.
As they marched and sang various warlike songs, the demonstrators also carried various placards with varying messages, all demanding that their investments are refunded. Some of the messages also accused government of shielding Gold Coast Fund Management owner, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom from accounting for their locked up funds.
One of the leaders of the Aggrieved Customers, Mr. Simon Ohene speaking to Graphic Online, poured out their grievances.
“Election is about to happen, look at what our president said, look at how vocal he was because there was no Elections at stake, now look? They have not paid us our money so we are getting frustrated and people are dying.”
Petition
Receiving the petition on behalf of the President at the Jubilee House, a Minister of State at the Presidency, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie assured the coalition that their petition will reach the President.
“Once I have been mandated to do my job, it will be remiss of me not to take this petition and present same, so it is your democratic right to refuse to hand over anything to me. I will convey that same thing to the presidency”, he said.
The Petition stated that the unfortunate situation created by fund managers has left thousands in deprivation with many destressed, sick and indebted to business partners.
The customers also laid down some demands to the government.
“We are by this petition humbly requesting your office to respond to our issues within reasonable time frame. We also wish to remind your office of an earlier petition dated 14th May, 2019 we submitted to your office during a similar demonstration in Kumasi on this same matter.”
“We are therefore making a passionate appeal to your high office to intervene in this matter, as a matter of urgency to assist us retrieve our locked up funds from the company since several of our members are deceased as a result of the unjust treatment being meted out to us by Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom”, they added.
–DSTV announces price adjustment over CST increase | CITINEWSROOM
The Communication Service Tax which was introduced in 2008 was pegged at a rate of 6 percent payable by consumers of certain electronic communication services — but the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta in his mid-year budget announce a 50 percent increment in the CST rate.
According to the Minister, increasing the rate to 9 percent would allow the government to have access to funds to battle the incidence of cybercrime as well as provide a robust eco-system where users of electronic communications services feel much safe.
While the telcos have had several disagreements over the implementation of the CST, DSTV in a notice to its subcribers said: “Due to the increase in CST, be advised of a subscription price adjustment on your package from November 1, 2019.”
For instance, a Compact Plus Package which comes at a monthly subscription of GHS205 will see an extra GH5 increase following the coming into effect of the CST.
-Ghanaian businesses recording huge losses following Nigeria border closure
Some members of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) say they are recording huge losses following the closure of the Nigerian border with Benin.
They fear this may escalate further if the government does not fix the issue immediately.
Nigeria has closed its borders to neighboring Benin over issues of smuggling of goods into the country.
According to Chief Executive Officer of GNCCI, Mark Badu Aboagye, although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured it is working to resolve the issue, its members are recording huge losses that pose a serious risk to their businesses if not addressed.
“It will impact negatively. You know we issue certificate of origin to exporters even within the ECOWAS and some have been complaining about the fact that they have not been able to send their goods to Nigeria through that border. So, once they are not able to do that it means they can’t also sell their goods and those who also want to bring their goods to Ghana through that border can also not do that,” he said
He further expressed the frustration of his members adding that “definitely revenue they are supposed to get does not come to them and it is having a toll on their activities and they have expressed huge concern about it and the fact that something should be done quickly to resolve it.”
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the partial closing of its border with Benin in August to curb smuggling of rice and other commodities into West Africa’s largest economy.
The blockade has had a ripple effect across West Africa, with factories and traders struggling to import key raw materials and having to use alternative routes for their exports, according to the Lagos Chamber of Commerce.
The border restrictions come after Nigeria and Benin in July agreed to join the African Continental Free Trade Area, which targets greater economic integration through the removal of trade barriers and tariffs on 90% of commodities
Education
-Wa West records 361 pregnancies among school children in nine months|SOURCE: GNA
An estimated 361 schoolgirls in Wa West District aged 10 to 19 years got pregnant within the first nine months of 2019, Mr Edward K. Beyereh, the District Health Promotion Officer, has said.Five, out of the girls who got pregnant between January and September and have since dropped out of school, are from the ages of 10 to 14 years.
The remaining 356 of the teenagers are from ages 15 to 19 years old.
Mr Beyereh who made this known during this year’s International Day of the Girl Child in Wa West District capital, Wechiau, said there was an upsurge in the rate of teenage pregnancy from 17.5 per cent last year to 18.1 per cent in 2019.
“This indicates that there is the need for various stakeholders to come together to fight against the danger that our teenage girls are facing,” he added.
The development has raised concerns among female education campaigners, but the Ghana Health Service has said it was collaborating with various stakeholders, in forming adolescent groups in schools, to stem the tide.
Camfed Aluminae Association – CAMA Ghana, called for the need to respect the human rights of girls and help remove barriers challenging their successful progression in society.
The Association also urged stakeholders and female education campaigners to double efforts aimed at eradicating teenage pregnancy in the local communities where the phenomenon is rife.
Mrs Martha Baako, Chairperson of CAMA for Upper West Region, said it was important to work closely with stakeholders and focus on eradicating the problem.
She confirmed the statistics from the Ghana Health Service that teenage pregnancy and child marriages were highest in the Wa West District of the 11 municipal and district assemblies in Upper West.
She blamed the growing phenomenon on age-old cultural practices and curiosity of teenagers and called on state authorities, particularly Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ghana Health Service and Ghana Education Service to partner organisations into fighting teenage pregnancy and child marriage to find an immediate solution to the social menace
This year’s day was commemorated on the theme: “Empowering girls: Co-opting partners to end teenage pregnancy and child marriage in Ghana”.
The day is marked every year and seeks to focus attention on the need to address challenges facing girls, promote girls’ empowerment and fulfilment of their human rights.
