Sampson Ahi, the deputy minister-designate for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry

Sampson Ahi, the deputy minister-designate for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, has denied claims that the eight-year Akufo-Addo administration built roads in the Bodi District.

His comments address claims made by Patrick Boamah, the MP for Okaikwei Central, claiming the NPP government built roads in the region.

“A big false, you didn’t even add one inch of tarred road in 8 years in Bodi district,” Ahi stated.

Speaking during his vetting in Parliament on Monday, February 24, Sampson Ahi urged his detractors to present proof, saying he was prepared to take back his claim if it turned out to be false.

“If the Hon. Member [Patrick Boamah] can show me where they tarred the road, I will be happy to retract my statement,” Ahi added.

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Sixteen individuals in Kumasi have been arrested and put before court by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for violating environmental safety bye-laws.

The arrest and prosecution follow a recent enforcement sweep in renewed efforts by the assembly to tackle rampant insanitary conditions and activities in the Ashanti Regional capital.

Head of the Environmental Health Unit at the KMA, Kwaku Poku, speaking to Luv FM, disclosed the offenders who are also residents in the central business district were subjected to a wide array of violations.

Kumasi generates approximately 2,000 tons of solid waste daily, much of which ends up in drains and open spaces due to inadequate disposal practices.

The registered violations of the arrested offenders ranged from residents allowing household filth to flow into public drains, keeping weedy and unkempt environments, and indiscriminate dumping of waste.

Head of the Environmental Health Unit at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kwaku Poku, disclosed that offenders have been arraigned before court for appropriate punishments.

The court imposed various fines on the violators.

“We have arrested 16 people who flouted environmental safety bye-laws,” he stated. “We are rightly enforcing the laws, arresting those who have flouted various environmental and sanitation regulations. Some had homes in the Central Business District, and they have allowed their filth to flow into the public drains, others had dumped indiscriminately.

“They were arraigned before court for failing to make an appearance. In terms of enforcement, I believe we have made strides towards it, I assumed my role barely three months ago, and I am prepared to tackle the filth in the city,” said Mr. Poku.

The enforcement sweep in Kumasi also affected food production sites with shirked hygiene standards, including the Kumasi Abattoir.

The KMA and Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) taskforce inspected a viral ice kenkey factory and shut down the facility due to unsanitary conditions.

The environmental unit head, Kwaku Poku is counting on collaborative effort to effectively combat the menace troubling the Kumasi Metropolis.

“We are in talks with Kumasi Abattoir to arrest stray cattle on our streets. I led the team of KMA and FDA staff to the ice kenkey factory at Adehy3 Market and asked them to cease operation. We have closed the facility.

“We have a weak supervision regime when it comes to policing food-producing facilities and markets. We are collaborating with the FDA to strategize on how to routinely monitor our markets and rid them of filth,” he said.

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Shipping lines assured of support

Joseph Bukari Nikpe, Minister of Transport, has assured the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) of the government’s commitment to ensuring that shipping lines do not relocate from Ghana’s ports.

He said some shipping companies had raised concerns about Act 1122 of 2024, stating that the law positioned the GSA as both a regulator and an asset manager, leading to bureaucratic challenges that increased the cost of doing business at the ports.

The minister gave the assurance on Monday when he paid his first official visit to the GSA in Accra, to familiarise himself with their operations, listen to their concerns and share his vision with them.

He mentioned President John Mahama’s pledge during the electioneering period to reduce the cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports by revising existing laws.

Addressing these concerns, he said, could persuade shipping lines to reconsider their decisions to exit Ghana and pledged to work closely with the Authority to streamline operations and eliminate bureaucratic hurdles that deter business.

“The threat of shipping lines relocating is real. We must act ahead of time to create an environment that encourages them to stay. My presence here today is to listen to your concerns and assure you of our commitment to working together to protect the interests of shippers and shipowners,” he said.

The minister said with over 80 per cent of global trade being done by sea, Ghana must create a business-friendly environment to attract and retain international trade partners.

He assured the GSA that the Ministry would support the implementation of the revised Act 1122 of 2024, which strengthens the Authority’s regulatory role.

He added that the government remained committed to fulfilling its promise of reducing the cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports by reviewing taxes, duties, and levies to create a more competitive shipping environment.

The Minister called for enhanced collaboration between the GSA and the Ministry to ensure Ghana’s ports remained attractive to business.

He stressed the importance of addressing inefficiencies and implementing policies that aligned with the government’s “24-hour economy” agenda.

He urged the GSA’s management and staff to support the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and work collectively to transform Ghana’s shipping industry into a hub for trade in the sub-region.

“Next time we visit you, the story of people trying or thinking to leave our seaports will not come up. Instead, we should be talking about new investments and increased trade activity in Ghana,” he said.

Professor Ransford Gyampo, CEO of the GSA, welcomed the minister’s visit, stating that it was long-awaited and reassuring.

He mentioned the Authority’s role in protecting the interests of shippers and outlined the historical background of the GSA, which was established in 1974 to counter unfair pricing practices by liner conferences.

Prof. Gyampo said the 2024 revision of the GSA Act expanded its role to regulate commercial activities of shippers and shipping service providers in the shipment, storage and delivery of international trade cargo by sea, air and land.

However, he noted that some shipping lines had expressed concerns over the Authority’s regulatory oversight, particularly in approving charges.

The CEO further revealed that some shipping lines owed the GSA outstanding fees, an issue that had been raised at the Public Accounts Committee.

He assured the Minister that under the government’s “Reset Ghana Agenda,” the GSA would effectively regulate commercial shipping activities to ensure fair pricing and efficiency.

Prof. Gyampo reiterated the GSA’s commitment to working with the Ministry to enhance Ghana’s competitiveness in the global shipping industry and to retain shipping lines in the country.

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Deputy Minister-designate for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, has pledged to evaluate and address challenges within the country’s security services.

He emphasised the need to tackle issues such as staffing shortages and inadequate budget allocations that hinder the progress of various security agencies.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, February 24, Terlabi acknowledged the bureaucratic hurdles in recruitment, noting, “We all know that as a policy of a government, all government across, you will require some clearance before you employ.”

He indicated that the unauthorised possession of firearms by individuals and the misuse of traffic regulations by security agencies will also be addressed.

Terlabi further noted “Sometimes when you drive in the night, you see police posts at various points, sometimes, it can be frustrating, we’ll examine the situation and advise appropriately.”

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The Ministry for the Interior has, by Executive Instrument, renewed the curfew on Bawku Municipality and its environs in the Upper East Region.

The Minister, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has revised curfew hours, from 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM, to take effect from Monday, February 24, 2025.

This was contained in a statement issued on Monday, February 24.

The government has urged chiefs, elders, opinion leaders, youth, and residents to exercise restraint amid ongoing challenges and to prioritise peaceful resolutions to conflicts.

Additionally, a total ban has been placed on the possession of arms, ammunition, and offensive weapons within the affected communities.

Authorities have warned that anyone found in possession of such weapons will be arrested and prosecuted.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Ghana achieves moderate level of labour productivity growth

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) report indicated that Ghana has achieved a moderate level of labour productivity growth, with accelerated growth between 2010 and 2016 following the beginning of the extraction of oil.

The country recorded annual labour productivity that is higher than the average for lower–middle-income countries but lower than that of a higher-middle-income country.

Professor William Baah Boateng from the University of Ghana presented the findings of the report on the topic “Productivity, Employment and Growth” in Accra.

The report was conducted in collaboration with the GSS, with support from the International Labour Organisation and other development partners.

The report showed that the overall impact on total productivity had been limited, as growth was concentrated in a few sectors, such as mining, rather than spreading across the broader economy.

A closer look at sectoral trends reveals significant variations in the report.

It said while productivity had increased in areas such as household agriculture and trade, these sectors also saw job losses, as workers move into lower-productivity roles in construction and urban services.

The mining sector has achieved high productivity growth but has not generated substantial job opportunities.

In contrast, commercial agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and utilities have recorded both productivity gains and job creation.

The report therefore highlighted the need for investment in other sub-sectors that could generate productivity, decent employment growth and technological modernisation.

The report highlighted the key sectors requiring intensified investments in labour and capital due to their contribution to both economic growth and employment creation over the period.

They included commercial agriculture, transportation and utilities, and manufacturing.

The findings further revealed that average earnings in Ghana had increased at a slower pace than productivity growth, and the gap was widening over time.

Sub-sectors with the highest earnings growth relative to productivity include utilities, construction, and tourism.

The report revealed that earnings growth had been slower relative to productivity in the more informal sectors, such as household agriculture and trade and repair services.

Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician said, “We are gathered here in pursuance of the new focus that we have adopted as a service.

“And this new focus has to do with not presenting statistical outputs but presenting statistics in a manner that is policy relevant.”

He said, “Labour productivity measures how efficiently workers produce goods and services over a specific period.

“Total productivity measures how efficiently multiple inputs, like labour, capital, and materials, are used together to produce output and drive growth.”

Dr Nii Moi Thompson, Chairman, of the National Development Planning Commission, commended GSS for producing current quality data over the past few years.

He said the citizens must work efficiently in the utilisation of the natural resources, adding that without efficiency productivity would be low.

Dr Thompson said the Commission’s research agenda was to reconceptualise output, employment and earnings growths to create jobs for the country.

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