Beneficial Ownership Disclosure will tackle corruption – Akufo-Addo

 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on civil society organizations and corporate bodies to fully embrace Beneficial Ownership Disclosure (BOD) as an innovative way to increase internal revenue collection.

He said the implementation of the BOD regime would not only help curb corruption but also help in efforts to collect revenue for development.

“This will be achieved by lifting the veil from the true owners of companies so that they pay the right amount of tax, reducing transfer pricing and mispricing, which has the potential to undermine our efforts to collect internal revenue.” President Md.

President Akufo-Addo made the call in a speech read on his behalf by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, at the opening of a one-day conference on Disclosure of Beneficial Ownership in Ghana in Accra.

According to him, the establishment of a central register for BODs by 2020 was a key requirement for several initiatives Ghana has signed up to, such as the OGP Initiative, EITI and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

….ODAME….

The Senior Presidential Adviser and Chairman of the National Steering Committee for the OGP Initiative, Mr. Yao Osafo-Mafo, said Ghana’s membership of the OGP demonstrated the country’s desire to broaden and deepen the scope of open and accountable governance.

….HON. MARFO….

Mrs. Jemima Oware, the Registrar of Companies, said one of the things that could be done to get Ghana off the European Union’s money laundering list was the establishment of the Beneficial Ownership Register.

….MRS. OWARE….

 

Government inflates new BOST office construction by 100% – Minority alleges

The Minority in Parliament has alleged that government has padded the contract sum meant for an office space for the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST).

The contract, according to the Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee, John Jinapor was signed under the erstwhile Mahama administration at $39 million and has now been inflated to $78 million dollars by the current administration.

According to him, this is a clear state of causing financial loss to the state because this project should have been completed by now.

“This is a project that should have been serving BOST and also augmenting their internally generated revenues because they would be renting out some of their office space. It would have helped and generated more money for the Company,” he told the press on Thursday.

Expressing disgust about the situation, Mr Jinapor compared it to scandals that have been recorded under the Akufo-Addo government.

The Yapei-Kusawgu legislator accused government of turning BOST and other state institutions in the energy sector into a corruption cash cow.

 “The energy sector under the Akufo-Addo administration has become a pollution haven for regularizing corruption, inflation, favoritism and rousted nepotism,” he opined.

He has therefore charged President Akufo-Addo to order an immediate investigation into the matter.

….JOHN JINAPOR….

 

NPP launches 30th anniversary

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has launched its 30th anniversary celebrations with a call on party members to unite to propel the party to victory in 2024.

The General Secretary of the party, Justin Frimpong Kodua, said as the party prepared to select parliamentary candidates and a flagbearer, it was important for the party members not to be at each other’s throat.

According to him, “We must stop the character assassination. When you undermine a party member, think of what happened to us in 1979 and 2008 when we lost the elections”.

He pledged that the current national executives will act as impartial arbiters in the upcoming flagbearership race and primaries to elect parliamentary candidates.

The NPP was officially formed on July 28, 1992. 

As part of activities marking the 30th anniversary, the party will hold a thanksgiving Islamic prayer at the National Mosque tomorrow, Friday, July 29, 2022, and a Christian thanksgiving service on Sunday, July 30, 2022.

…..JUSTIN…..

 

 

Fake soldier shouts for his mother as he is busted for recruitment scam

A young man has been arrested for posing as a military officer.

The arrest of the yet-to-be identified man was captured in a viral video which has been sighted by Silver News.

The video captures a living room with about five persons seated some men suspected to be military officers identified themselves with one giving his name as WO2 Adu Boateng and another also showing a Ghana Armed Forces ID Card bearing the name Kusi Bright.

They go-ahead ahead to interrogate the young man who was seated facing them and looking visibly shaken.

Also seated by the young man was a woman who is suspected to have fallen victim to his recruitment scam.

One of the soldiers in a civilian cloth was heard saying, “You told her you are a soldier and asked her to bring money so you recruit her into the military. What is your rank?”

With the suspect fumbling to give a reasonable answer, the senior officer ordered his men to handcuff the young man who was immediately triggered into a pleading mode.

 “My brother is the MP for Ejisu and my mom is around let us call her and settle this,” he pleaded further.

Let’s listen to what transpired between them.

…..SOLDIER….

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Ejisu Municipality, Hon. John Kumah has denied ever knowing the suspect claiming that, he is not his family member.

 

Speaker defers ruling on Adwoa Safo

Parliament was expected to rule on the future of Dome-Kwabenya MP, Adwoa Safo today but after hearing arguments on both sides of the house, Speaker Alban Bagbin has decided to suspend sitting to allow him ample time to determine the MP’s fate.

Speaker on the floor of Parliament, the Speaker said, he will not in a rush to give a ruling on the recommendations made by the Privileges’ Committee of Parliament on the three New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament who were interrogated by the Committee for absenting themselves from Parliament without permission.

He has therefore deferred his decision until resumption of sitting from break as Parliament rises today July 28^th 2022.

According to him, “Honorable Members, I have consulted the old lady, the old lady has given me an advice and I think that advice is correct. The issue raised by the Majority Leader is both of substantive and procedural law.

“I need time to submit to this house a reasoned, written ruling. I cannot in a haste of today, give you the ruling. In the circumstance, I will urge this House for us to call it a day.”

….SPEAKER…..

Minority Leader, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu reacting to the ruling said, Mr. Speaker, we respect your ruling on the matter.

.…HARUNA IDDRISU….

Majority Leader, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu delivering his speech as the house rises commended the Speaker for his good work he has done.

….KYEI BONSU….

 

 

GH¢57m released for feeding, allowances to Colleges of Education

The government has released GH¢57,460,000 in feeding grants and student allowances for the 46 Colleges of Education in Ghana.

The Minister of Education, Hon. Osei Yaw Adutwum speaking to the media said, they are committed to improving and sustaining quality education, following some angst over the non-payment of allowances to the schools.

The non-payment of allowances had prompted some strikes from students on colleges of education.

Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), has earlier accused the government for defaulted on the payment of teacher trainees’ allowance for about 7 months, as the country is plagued by economic hardship. 

The TTAG National President, Jonathan Dzunu, detailed that the allowance is in arrears for 7 months for the 2021/2022 academic year, spanning from January to July 2022. 

He was speaking at the 26th General Assembly of the TTAG held at the St. Francis College of Education in Hohoe in the Volta Region,

Mr. Dzunu said teacher trainees continue to struggle with their upkeep and find it difficult to purchase academic materials in schools.

However, the Bosomtwe lawmaker assured them that, the Ministry will reiterates its commitment to sufficiently resource and collaborates with all institutions under its ambit in the quest to improve and sustain quality education in Ghana.

….HON. ADUTWUM…..