Berlin, Jan 16, (dpa/GNA) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, considers the agreement on a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, as an opportunity for a permanent end to the war.

“It is good that an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages – including Germans – in Gaza seems to have been reached! Now, the agreement must be implemented thoroughly,” Scholz wrote on the platform X.

All hostages must now be released, and the remains of deceased hostages should be handed over to the families for a dignified farewell.

“The ceasefire offers the chance for a permanent end to the war, and the improvement of the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. We will continue to advocate for this,” Scholz wrote.

GNA

The UK- Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC), a member-based trade association that promotes trade between the UK and Ghana, has released the 6th edition of its annual Ghana Business Environment and Competitive Survey (BECS) Report for the year 2024.

About 725 businesses across Ghana comprising UKGCC member and non-member companies from 22 industries and ranging from small to large companies, participated in the survey.

Business components assessed included availability of telecom, power, labour, water, and logistics partners, taxation policy, cost of telecoms, government bureaucracy, regulatory framework, and government support of exports.

The report reveals a mixed picture for Ghana’s business environment. While businesses express cautious optimism about future growth, particularly in technology adoption and market expansion, significant challenges remain.

Key survey findings

The survey identifies taxation policy, cost of telecoms, government bureaucracy, and the regulatory framework as the top concerns for businesses in 2024.

For the first time, cost of telecoms and the regulatory framework appeared on the list of poorly rated business components, emphasising areas that require immediate government attention to enhance Ghana’s business environment.

Despite challenges, businesses rated the availability of telecom facilities as the best-performing business component, though this rating declined from 36% in 2023 to 20% in 2024. Other positively rated components include the availability of power, labour, water, and logistics partners.

Corruption remains a persistent issue, consistently appearing among the top five most declined components over the past four years. Tax policy and the cost of power also remain key concerns, highlighting the need for government engagement to develop sustainable solutions.

Respondents identified advanced technology and telecom services as the most improved components since 2021. For the first time, the availability of quality infrastructure was included in the list of improvements, reflecting incremental progress.

In terms of cost of doing business in Ghana, tax policy and macroeconomic challenges, including the weakening of the Ghana Cedi, were highlighted as key drivers of high operational costs, thereby increasing cost of doing business. Persistent exchange rate volatility continues to influence the pricing of domestic factors of production.

Respondents identified domestic marketing, certifications, quality control, and labour as the most affordable business components over the past four years. However, rising inflation in 2024 has impacted the affordability of labour.

Key priorities for action

The report advocates for government-business collaboration to proactively reduce tax burdens, combat corruption and enhance a transparency, streamline and simplify regulations to create a predictable regulatory environment that boosts investor confidence, and improve access to flexible and affordable financing mechanisms and provide growth incentives to support SMEs, which are critical to Ghana’s economic resilience and growth.

Government-business collaboration is also needed to enact policies to ensure the safety of investments and create a stable business climate that attracts both local and international investors.

Leveraging the immense opportunities in key sectors such as manufacturing, technology and services through targeted support, including capacity building and infrastructure investment; and addressing gaps in energy, telecom, and water infrastructure to enable sustainable business operations are also identified as further areas for government-business collaboration.

The collective voices of over 725 respondents in this year’s survey reflect the aspirations, challenges, and contributions of Ghana’s business leaders. These insights serve as a foundation for creating actionable strategies and fostering collaboration between the government, private sector, and international partners to unlock Ghana’s full potential and create a more enabling business environment for sustainable economic growth.

Anthony Pile MBE, UKGCC executive council chairman, remarked that “Creating a safe and secure environment is paramount for fostering business confidence. Strategic investments in community policing, enhanced street lighting, and an increased presence of security personnel can significantly reduce crime and ensure businesses thrive in a stable setting”.

Adjoba Kyiamah, executive director of UKGCC, added that “The 2024 BECS report highlights the critical challenges facing Ghana’s manufacturing sector, including high production costs, limited access to financing, and energy inefficiencies”.

According to Kyiamah, “comprehensive reforms aimed at reducing these operational costs, improving access to affordable financing, and incentivising energy-efficient technologies are essential”.

Such measures, she said, “will not only revitalise the manufacturing sector but also position it as a cornerstone for Ghana’s industrialisation and job creation efforts.”

Commenting on the report, Vish Ashiagbor, country senior partner of PwC, a UKGCC Platinum member company and consultants/advisors for the report, noted that “The report emphasises the urgent need for pragmatic interventions, including clearer and consistent policies, a predictable taxation regime, and sustained collaboration between the government and the private sector to unlock Ghana’s growth potential”.

He was of the view that “a pro-business Government should review the approach for optimising its revenue mobilisation potential and avoid further burdening the business community.”

About the survey

The UKGCC’s annual Business Climate and Competitiveness Survey was first launched in 2019 and has been conducted every year since then. The main purpose of the survey is to increase the understanding of opportunities and challenges that the Ghanaian market presents for UKGCC members and businesses generally, whether large or small, new or old, and across all sectors.

The survey provides a platform for businesses to provide key feedback on the health, confidence, intentions, and issues of businesses in Ghana and therefore, serves as the foundation for the UKGCC’s advocacy work.

The 2024 edition provides a comprehensive analysis of several important indications of the current business climate, as perceived by businesses, offering a data-driven look at the trends shaping the business landscape.

The report was prepared by PwC Ghana for the UK – Ghana Chamber of Commerce, with support for data collection received from the Palladium Group, through the UK government funded Jobs and Economic Transformation (JET) Programme.

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President John Mahama has called for enhanced Ghana-Mali cooperation on Sahel security, stressing the need for joint efforts to combat insurgency and terrorism.

Mr Mahama stressed the importance of ensuring peace and promoting trade between the two nations.  

He was speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, January 16, following a closed-door meeting with the Malian Prime Minister, Abdoulaye Maïga, who was in Accra to deliver a special message from Malian President, Assimi Goïta.

President Mahama also acknowledged the sovereign decisions of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to form separate confederations but stressed that despite these temporary setbacks, it remains critical to maintain strong relationships across the region. 

He expressed optimism that the sub-region will eventually achieve integration as a unified body again. 

ECOWAS leaders have sanctioned the departure of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the regional bloc due to their refusal to embrace civilian rule.

However, the bloc has offered a six-month grace period for these countries to reconsider their decision to restore democratic governance.

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.

The Policy Lead for Petroleum and Conventional Energy at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Kodzo Yaotse has commended Price WaterHouse Coopers (PwC) for its latest audit report, which has shed light on significant levels of mismanagement and questionable practices at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

This follows an audit by PricewaterhouseCoopers revealing that the ECG under-declared over 1 billion cedis in revenue to the cash waterfall mechanism, disrupting the equitable distribution of funds in the power sector.

The report also highlighted ECG’s violation of an IMF directive by operating more than 80 bank accounts instead of a single account, raising concerns about financial mismanagement and inefficiencies.

According to him, the report exposes key issues undermining the integrity of Ghana’s power sector and offers critical insights into the challenges surrounding sector debt and revenue allocation.

In an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Thursday, January 16, Mr Yaotse stated that the findings revealed that ECG has been unilaterally altering the agreed-upon cash waterfall mechanism—a system designed to regulate the equitable distribution of revenue among stakeholders.

Read Also: ECG requires ₵600 million monthly to operate efficiently – Former MD

“This is the second audit that has been done by PwC on the power sector in terms of the payments. And I must say, it’s been very valuable in exposing the higher level of mismanagement and the questionable difference at play at ECG which is undermining the integrity of the power sector,” he said.

Mr Yaotse described as unsustainable the country paying approximately $1.5 billion annually to clear debts owed to IPPs and other entities.

“ECG has been under-declaring how much it collects to retain more funds for its operations. This practice deprives independent power producers (IPPs) and other stakeholders of their rightful share, resulting in mounting debts that the government has had to cover from the national budget,” he added.

The cash waterfall mechanism, a framework agreed upon by all stakeholders in the sector, ensures that revenue collected is distributed equitably to power generators, distributors, and other players. ACEP criticised ECG for deviating from this mechanism, adding that the funds retained by the company have often been used for purposes that are questionable.

Read also: GH₵490m unaccounted for by ECG in three months – Audit report

“ECG cannot unilaterally decide to divert from a system that was designed to address revenue challenges in the sector. If they have legitimate concerns, those should be addressed through the proper channels rather than through unilateral actions,” ACEP emphasised.

ACEP underscored the urgency of addressing the inefficiencies highlighted in the PwC report, warning that continued mismanagement would exacerbate the sector’s financial challenges.

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.

By Ernest Nutsugah

Accra, Jan. 16, GNA – The 76th Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC) has strongly recommended the election of Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCES) along partisan political lines.  

The participants called for the support of the election of MMDCES and the inclusion of political parties and independent candidates in local government. 

The election of MMDCES is one of the 15-point recommendations issued at the end of the three-day session held at the University of Ghana, Legon. 

 “It would be beneficial for the government to consider constitutional amendments that allow for the election of political parties and independent candidates in local government, given the challenges of the past 32 years.  

“This would promote a multi-party democracy, enhance district development, and encourage broader citizen participation.” Dr. Simon-Peter Kafui Aheto, Director, 76th Annual New Year School & Conference, stated. 

Apart from strengthening grassroots democracy, the Conference called for women empowerment at the local level and the enforcement of spatial planning laws by MMDAs to ensure that “development projects comply with land use and building standards.” 

Topics discussed at the 76th ANYSC included: “harnessing technology to empower the future generation, protecting the natural and built environment, leveraging financial technologies for prosperity. 

Others were: “promoting peacebuilding and democratic governance, exploring partnerships and facilitating cross-border trade through digital commerce.” 

The ANYSC Communiqué further called for the decentralisation of regulatory bodies such as the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), adding that “trade standards should be included in educational curricula to enhance regional competitiveness.” 

It also urged telecommunication service providers to train farmers and sellers on digital commerce platforms to enable them “promote Ghanaian brands globally.” 

On digital technologies, the Conference proposed that customers of financial technology services should “receive clear information about withdrawal limits and the steps to increase them” to enable them to manage their accounts effectively. 

To increase transparency and accountability, participants suggested that digital platforms backed by the government should be “engineered to enhance citizen participation in programmes and policies, to allow them to provide feedback.”  

“To protect government data and systems, data must be encrypted, and individuals accessing the data should be vetted, cybersecurity threats should be monitored, and an audit trail of users kept,” it added. 

Some 500 physical and virtual guests attended the 76th ANYSC themed: “Attaining the 5-Ps of Sustainable Development for a Resilient Ghana: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership”. 

Mr Mohammed Ishaku, and James Adaboh, Assembly Members of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, said they will implement the valuable insights gained from the session. 

“From here, I will champion the election of MMDCEs, we will educate citizens in our locality to support the agenda because if we elect them, it will enhance development in the various Assemblies.” Mr Adaboh stated. 

Mr Ishaku added: “The presentations were educative and if the government implements the recommendations in the communiqué, it will go a long way to deepen governance and accountability, especially at the local level. 

GNA 

By Philip Tengzu

Sankana, (UW/R), Jan. 16, GNA – The Sankana Traditional Council in the Nadowli-Kaleo District, has eulogised Ghana’s Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, on her historic ascension to the second highest office of the country as its first female Vice President.  

The Council said that achievement reflected her distinguished leadership, unwavering dedication to public service, and lifelong commitment to education and national development.  

“It is a testament to the progress Ghana continues to make in promoting gender inclusivity and empowering women to contribute meaningfully to governance and national transformation,” the Council added. 

Naa Pagraninge Sakoe Mornah III, the President of the Sankana Traditional Council, said this in an address read on his behalf at a press conference held in Sankana. 

He also congratulated President John Dramani and Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin for ascending to the highest offices of the country. 

Mr Eric Dakurah, the Secretary to Sankana Naa, Naa Mornah III, addressed the press on behalf of the traditional council.  

Mr Dakurah explained that the Vice President, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, who had been bestowed with a chieftaincy title, Pognaa Piirima Maaluuma of the Sankana Traditional Area, had exhibited a dedicated commitment to the development of the traditional area over the years.  

He said Pognaa Piirima Maaluuma, among other things, facilitated the construction of a daycare school in Sankana and the fencing of the Sankana cluster of schools during her tenure as the Education Minister in President Mahama’s first term from 2013 to 2016.  

He added that Pognaa Piirima Maaluuma also exposed the Sankana community to the international community through research she conducted in the community with her “white friends.”  

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, Piirima Maaloma, was enskinned a Queenmother within the Sankana Traditional Council in June 2024.  

Her title is associated with rocks and water, symbolising resilience, purity, and progress.  

“The significance of the rocks in your political journey and the cleansing power of the water remains a profound metaphor for the strength and integrity that continues to define your path,” Naa Mornah explained. 

The Council assured the Vice President of their unwavering support and prayers for a successful tenure. 

It expressed confidence that her leadership would further Ghana’s development agenda to ensure equity, progress, and prosperity for all citizens.  

The traditional council presented citations to the Vice President, Pognaa Piirima Maaluuma, and the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Bagbin in recognition of their unwavering dedication to the development of Ghana. 

It also announced that it would confer a chieftaincy title on Speaker Bagbin to signify the pride of the traditional Council in him.  

The Sankana Traditional Council also prayed for the President, Vice President, Speaker, and Members of Parliament for a successful tenure.  

GNA 

The nomination of former Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, as the Minister for Education, has sparked mixed reactions among residents of his constituency in the Northern region.

While some believe he would have been better suited for the Finance Ministry due to his experience and the country’s current economic challenges, others feel he would have excelled at the Roads and Highways or Defence Ministry.

However, many residents have expressed satisfaction with his nomination to the Education Ministry.

Speaking to JoyNews‘ correspondent Martina Bugri, a resident, despite his affiliation with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), voiced disappointment with the portfolio assigned to Mr Iddrisu.

“Nitiwul was appointed Defence Minister and he brought many Konkombas into the military. If Lawyer Haruna had gone there, he could have also facilitated the inclusion of Northerners from Gonjaland, Mamprugu, Dagombas, and Nanumbas into the army. I must say we are not happy with what he has been given,” the resident remarked.

Another resident, while acknowledging the importance of the Education Ministry, expressed a preference for Mr Iddrisu as Finance Minister, given the pressing need for competent leadership to address the country’s economic challenges.

The Tamale South Constituency Secretary of the NDC, Seidu Abass Alhassan, described the appointment as a source of immense joy for the constituency.

“When the news of Haurna Iddrisus’ appointment broke, a whole lot of people called me to find out how we felt about his appointment.

“I told them that Tamale South constituency is the happiest constituency under the sun today because Hon. Haruna Iddrisu is a distinguished politician, a politician who has excelled in so many ministries in this country,” he stated.

He praised President John Dramani Mahama for reposing confidence in Mr Iddrisu, adding, “We the people of Tamale South Constituency are extremely happy and wish to express our profound gratitude to the President for the confidence reposed in our Hon. Member for Tamale South Constituency.”

On his part, the Tamale South Constituency Communication Officer of the NDC, Issak Abdul Fatau, echoed similar sentiments, celebrating the announcement as a reflection of Mr Iddrisu’s competence and dedication.

“We indeed are very grateful. The announcement came to us at a time we anticipated it. We knew very well that Haruna Iddrisu was a man of wisdom and a man of accolades. He has served the country and the NDC so much that everybody was waiting to hear his nomination.

“We thank the President of the Republic of Ghana His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for nominating Haruna Iddrisu for the Ministry of Education. Hon. Haruna has served the country in a number of ministries where he has chalked numerous successes…. So I believe going forward, the Education Ministry is going to see a new facelift under the stewardship of Hon. Haruna Iddrisu,” he said.

Residents and constituency leaders remain hopeful that Haruna Iddrisu’s tenure will bring transformative leadership to the Education Ministry and tackle the challenges confronting the sector.

Mr Iddrisu, a leading political figure in the NDC from the north, has served in the Communication Ministry, Trade and Industry Ministry and as Minister of Employment and Labour Relations in past NDC administrations.

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.

The Accra Circuit Court Nine has granted a GH¢5 million bail with four sureties to Benjamin Appiah Boateng, a forex trader, who faces charges of fraud and theft.

The court, presided over by Mr. Samuel Bright Acquah, also ordered that one of the sureties be justified and that Boateng deposit his travel documents with the court’s registry.

He is scheduled to appear in court again on February 5, 2025.

Boateng is accused of defrauding two individuals, Mr. Berry Kwadwo Agyapong and Mr. David Burke, of $300,000 and GH¢10,445,000 respectively through fraudulent online investments in UDST and Binance cryptocurrency platforms.

Police Chief Inspector Jonas Lawyer told the court that Boateng took the money from the two complainants under the pretense of investing it in the online platforms.

Agyapong, a business consultant, had already invested $300,000 before introducing Boateng to Burke, a businessman.

Burke, convinced by Agyapong’s endorsement, invested GH¢555,000 initially and later added GH¢9,890,000 to increase his investment.

Boateng assured both complainants that the investments were performing well, with dividends being paid.

However, when Burke requested to withdraw his investment and any dividends on December 14, 2024, Boateng stopped responding to calls.

Burke then contacted Agyapong, who also tried reaching Boateng.

In response, Boateng allegedly sent a WhatsApp voice note and a supposed suicide note, claiming that he had lost all the investments through online gambling on the platform “Stake.”

This prompted the complainants to report the matter to the police, leading to Boateng’s arrest.

He admitted to the offenses during questioning.

Source: GNA

Eric Opoku has been named Minister of Food and Agriculture-designate

In the latest list of ministerial nominees presented by President John Dramani Mahama to Parliament for consideration, is Eric Opoku, as Minister of Food and Agriculture-designate.

The Member of Parliament of Asunafo South will lead the ministry should he be vetted and approved by Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

But what more do we know about the new nominee for the food and agriculture sector?

Here is a brief profile on him:

Eric Opoku is a seasoned politician with expertise in law, agriculture, and leadership. With over 12 years of parliamentary experience, he has risen from the backbenches to become the Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture, and Cocoa Affairs Committee.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Law from KNUST and an LLM (Distinction) in International Business Law from the University of Essex, UK. He has also earned certifications in International Legislative Drafting and Fisheries Management from the United States.

Eric Opoku is a Ghanaian politician and Member of Parliament representing the Asunafo South Constituency in the Brong-Ahafo Region on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Eric Opoku was born on 5 June 1970. He hails from a town called Sankore in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. He had his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in year 2004.

Career

Opoku is a farmer/ agriculturist. Prior to his appointment into parliament, he worked as a teacher with the Ghana Education Service at SDA Primary School in Sankore, from 1997 to 2000. He has also worked with Kuapa Kookoo Ltd as the Society Development Secretary from 1998 to 2001.

Political career

Opoku was first elected into parliament in the 3rd parliament of the 4th republic of Ghana as the member of parliament for the Asunafo South constituency in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana.

Though he lost his seat in the subsequent election, he was elected again into parliament on 7 January 2013 after claiming victory at the 2012 Ghanaian General Elections to represent the Asunafo South constituency and served until 6 January 2017.

He was then reelected on 7 January 2017 after the 2016 Ghanaian General Elections where he obtained 52.97% of the valid votes cast.

He has worked as the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister from 2009 to 2013. In the 7th parliament of the 4th republic of Ghana he served on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee as a ranking Member.

He also served on the Privileges Committee and Appointments Committee in the same parliament.

Opoku received an award as the best member of parliament for communal and rural development for 2017 from the Bureau of Research on Governance, Commerce and Administration (BORGCA). This award was given for his contribution to developmental projects in the Asunafo South constituency.

Elections

Opoku was elected as the member of parliament for the Asunafo South constituency of the Brong Ahafo region in the 2004 Ghanaian general elections. He won on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress. His constituency was a part of the 10 parliamentary seats out of a total 24 seats won by the National Democratic Congress in that election for the Brong Ahafo Region.

The Asunafo South constituency saw a ‘skirt and blouse’ voting by electorates in that election as the presidential candidate elected by the constituency electorates was John Kufour of the major opposition New Patriotic Party.

The National Democratic Congress won a minority total of 94 parliamentary seats out of 230seats in that elections. Opoku was elected with 14,076votes out of 29,345total valid votes cast, equivalent to 48% of total valid votes cast.

He was elected over George William Amponsah of the New Patriotic Party, Jack Kennedy Brobbey an independent candidate and Fredrick Nkrumah of the Convention People’s Party. These obtained 43.80% , 7.30% and 0.90% respectively of total valid votes cast.

Opoku was re-elected in the 2020 Parliamentary election to represent them in the 8th Parliament of the fourth Republic of Ghana. He again won the seat in the 2024 Election.

Meanwhile, watch as Archbishop Duncan-Williams calls for justice, says it’s the pillar of national peace and stability

AE