Oquaye is Prez again as Akufo- Addo attends AU summit

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The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, will be sworn in for the second time as Acting President within a space of one week as President Akufo –Addo emplanes to Addis Ababa for the AU summit.

The swearing in takes place later today in Parliament.

The Vice President, who is the next in command, is currently in the UK for his medical leave, necessitating the swearing in of Professor Oquaye as the Acting President.  

Article 60 (11) and (12) of the 1992 Constitution requires the Speaker of Parliament to be sworn in when thepPresident and the vice president are out of the jurisdiction. The Chief Justice acts as president when the Speaker is also out of the jurisdiction.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

U.S. Customs seizes $143,000 from three passengers on Ghana flights

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized $143,968 in unreported currency from two men who departed for Ghana, and one who arrived from Ghana in three separate incidents during the weekend at Washington Dulles International Airport.
CBP is not releasing the travellers’ names because none was criminally charged.

During outbound inspection operations Sunday, CBP officers seized $100,111 from a man destined for Accra, Ghana, who initially claimed that he possessed $2,000. CBP officers discovered $10,000 in each of 10 bank envelopes in the man’s backpack.

Earlier Sunday, CBP officers seized $20,031 from a man who arrived from Ghana who initially reported that he possessed $10,000. During an inspection, CBP officers discovered an additional $10,000 wrapped in a t-shirt in the man’s carry-on bag, plus another $31 in loose pocket currency.

On Saturday, CBP officers seized $23,826 from a man bound for Ghana after a currency detector dog alerted to his carry-on bag. The man initially reported that he possessed $5,000. A baggage exam revealed $23,826 in a suit jacket and a camera bag.

Travelers may carry as much currency as they wish in and out of the United States. Federal law requires that travellers must report all U.S. and foreign monetary instruments totalling $10,000 or greater on a U.S. Treasury Department financial form. None of the currency is taxed.

“Customs and Border Protection encourages travellers to be completely honest when reporting all their currency during an inspection with a CBP officer, or be prepared to face severe consequences,” said Daniel Mattina, CBP Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington Dulles.


 
“The best way for travellers to hold onto their currency is to fully comply with our nation’s currency reporting laws.”

Following each currency seizure, CBP officers provided a humanitarian monetary release of $1,111 to the man who departed the U.S. on Sunday, $826 to the man who departed on Saturday, and $831 to the man who arrived in the U.S. on Sunday. CBP released all three men to continue to travel.

“CBP officers not only ensure that inbound travelers and cargo comply with U.S. laws and regulations, but they also conduct outbound examinations to safeguard the revenue of the U.S. These inspections protect against unreported exportations of bulk U.S. currency, which often can be proceeds from alleged illicit activity,” said Casey Owen Durst, Director, CBP’s Field Operations Director in Baltimore “These significant currency seizures are a direct reflection of our continuing commitment to enforcing federal currency reporting requirements.”

Travelers are encouraged to visit CBP’s Travel section to learn more about the CBP admissions process and rules governing travel to and from the U.S.

CBP’s Office of Field Operations

Almost a million times each day, CBP officers welcome international travellers into the U.S. In screening both foreign visitors and returning U.S. citizens, CBP uses a variety of techniques to intercept narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, prohibited agriculture, and other illicit products, and to assure that global tourism remains safe and strong.

On a typical day, CBP seizes $289,609 in undeclared or illicit currency along the nation’s borders.

CBP’s border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders.


Source:  U.S. Customs and Border Protection

What my “case 5” football taught me about worth

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Back in primary school, I bought my first football ever― a “Case 5” football. Possessing one of such added a lot to one’s “social standing” and God knows how long I saved and fasted to make this dream come true. Indeed, I had to tame my hunger to buy this pleasure.

After buying this seemingly priceless asset, I treated it pricelessly. Every morning, I would clean it so well and put it in my bag before leaving for school. In the evening, I would bathe it like a baby and sleep with it by my side. All through the day, I was utterly careful how it was played around… because I knew its worth!

When we know the worth of what we have, we guard it with all our lives. When we value our possessions, we don’t waste them― we don’t treat them as cheap things. If something is of value to you, you’d do everything to keep it, even if it means taming your pleasures! 

The first possession every man has is his own self. We are our own possessions. If we have no idea of our value, others will negotiate this value. They will tell us how much we are worth― and it is going to be far lesser than what really the worth is. Obviously, in the absence of value, abuse is inevitable.

Every man has worth. There’s a price tag on the head of every man. Interestingly, it has got nothing to do with how much they have in their bank account. Neither has it got anything to do with how many possessions they have amassed. Every soul is worthy!

One’s worth is inherent and it is non-negotiable. When you walk into a retail shop, products have fixed prices. Our lives have fixed prices. Don’t allow people come in to negotiate. Anyone who knows their worth doesn’t lower their standards for others to accept them. If you know your worth, you’d admit that no one does you a favor by loving you!

Your worth is your inherent wealth. How you perceive yourself is how the world will receive you. If you think you don’t matter, you’re right. If you think you matter, you’re just as right. No one will buy you any more than the price tag you put on yourself.  Self-value is reciprocal. The value you put on yourself is the value others will put on you.

Knowing your worth helps you harness your wealth. It leads you where you’re honored… not where you’re contained. Until you know how priceless you are, you will admit every treatment― good or bad.

Until we know our worth, people will take us for granted. They’ll walk into our lives and bargain according to their own favorable terms. They’ll measure our worth according to their imbalanced scale. Your life is not a street market. Your price tag is non-negotiable. Stop negotiating with low self esteem!

Worth is fragile, thus, can be abused. Like I did for my football, one needs to guard their esteem with their whole life. One needs to protect their value lest others undervalue it. If you know your value, you know where to belong. If you know your value, you won’t embrace abuse in any relationship. Value determines when to stay… and when to leave. Note that you always deserve better.

If you know your worth, you know which battles to fight. Some people are just not worth your attention. Others jab us with all manner of provocations because they want to drag us to their level and beat us with experience. Don’t fight pigs in the mud. Mind you, it is their comfort zone.

Define your worth before others define it wrongly for you. Define your circle of friends. Define your space. Define you. How we define ourselves becomes our value. How others define us only becomes their opinion. Don’t misrepresent people’s opinion about you as your value!

Place a price tag on yourself before others do. Know your value lest people undervalue you. If others walk into your life and find no price tag, they can’t help but negotiate… and eventually misplace this value. If they meet a life tagged with self-pity and no self esteem, they’d eventually play god in your life.

Like my football, every product of value is regarded with value. If a man knows his worth, he defines his terms and conditions before others walk into his life. Granting him audience becomes a rare opportunity… not a favor. He walks out when nonsense walks in!

Know your worth. You didn’t just fall from the skies onto earth. You didn’t just happen. You’re not a mistake. The same blood that runs in the veins of every other person runs through you, too. As much as others matter, you do matter, too. Stop stooping low. Stop looking down on this all-expensive “Case 5” football― you!

When we lose our value, we lose our essence in life. We admit that we are “shitholes”. We live all our lives unfulfilled. We belittle our innate abilities when we give others space to define our value. Our talents never get exploited because others’ opinions about us become what we live by.  

Define your worth. Define your moral standards. Don’t lower them to accommodate others. Define who you are and who you are not before others do so. The more you appreciate your value, the better your life will be. You are your worth… and your worth is you! 

Guess what. My ever valuable football was stolen one hot afternoon. You could imagine the value of my tears! Haha.

The writer is a playwright and Chief Scribe of Scribe Communications (www.scribecommltd.com), an Accra-based writing company which provides all writing services.

 

Paga: Vegetable farmers abandon crops over water shortage 

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Farmers who practice dry season farming in Kazugu, a farming community in the Kasena/Nankana West District of the Upper East Region have abandoned their vegetables farms after water shortage hit the only lake from which they source water to irrigate their crops.

The situation is dire and worse so much that several farms of tomato, okro, garden eggs and pepper in large amounts have all been left to wither away after alternative means to source water by the farmers failed. 

According to the farmers, the water shortage has always been a challenge every year in their community in spite of several measures put in place to check it. They blamed the small size of the water body and the defunct water canal system which is constructed at the basement of the lake to help transport water further inland for easy access for their current predicaments.

They have called for support from government to expand the lake to avert future occurrences and food insecurity in the community. 

"The problem is with the size of the dam. It's too small and needs to be expanded. The chief built it some years ago including the water canals but it has not been given any facelift to further expand it. So, we want to appeal to the government and the authorities in charge of agriculture development to come and see the situation for themselves and help us." 

Meanwhile, Atinka News has learnt that an agreement facilitated by the chief has been reached with the entire community and farmers have been asked to reserve the remaining water in the lake for livestock. Pepper farmers who are the majority and worse affected have since been urged to harvest the green ‘immature’ fruits for sale. 

" We used to irrigate our crops every three days, then moved to every four days but where it has reached now, it is so bad that we have had to stop because we won't have water for our cattle, goat and sheep if we continuously draw the water from the dam. The chief called us and we agreed on that. So now all we have been urged to harvest our pepper in its green stage" One of the frustrated farmers said. 

During the seventh formal celebration of the Womdai-Abu festival in Kazugu, the chief, Parekuri Thomas Asangchera Aluah for his community prayed government, through the Water Resources and Sanitation Minister, Honourable Joseph Kofi Adda, to consider the development and further expansion of Lake Dumpolo which is the only lake in the entire Buru-Kazigo area with water all year round to help create jobs for his people through fish and crop farming

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com |Senyalah Castro Cazo


 

Tension looms as workers of AESL agitate over  six months’ salary arrears

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Workers of the Architectural and Engineering Service Limited A.E.S.L have registered their displeasure over the nonpayment of their salaries for the past six months.

The department which is under the Ministry of Works and Housing provides architectural consultancy services to other government agencies and departments.

Despite the invaluable services rendered by the A.E.S.L, it's workers are in despair as they long for the day their salaries will hit their accounts the first time in six months.

According to a close source, the government agencies and departments for which they have worked have refused to pay for the services rendered them and that has subsequently resulted in the delay of the payment of salaries of their workers.

Dr. Ebenezer Ashley, the TUC Chairman of the A.E.S.L attributed the futility of several attempts to get the situation averted to the absence of a board of directors for the Service.

The workers have, however, threatened to advise themselves in case nothing is done as soon as possible, to avert the situation.

 

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Ernest Asiedu

Unemployed  in  court for issuing GH¢ 21000 dud cheque

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Njonam Wisdom Wagya, unemployed has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly issuing a dud cheque.

Wagya is said to have purchased six motorbikes at a cost of GH¢ 21, 400 and issued the cheque as means of payment but when the complainant sent to the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to clear, it was dishonoured.

The accused charged with issuing of dud cheque pleaded guilty.

The court presided over by Mr Emmanuel Essandoh convicted him on his own plea and remanded him into Police custody but deferred sentence to February 7.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Francis Tassan told the court that the complainant Nimor Jonas is a businessman residing at Dansoman in Accra while the accused resides at Nkwanta in the Volta Region.

Chief Inspector Tassan said in August 2016, a friend of the complainant known as Sadia introduced Wagya as a customer who was interested in purchasing his motor bikes.

Prosecution said Wagya negotiated with the complainant and bought six motor bikes on credit valued GH¢ 21,400 and issued an ADB cheque number 418263 for the amount.

According to prosecution, the amount was to be withdrawn on November 16, 2017.

Chief Inspector Tassan said the complainant agreed to the terms of payment and took the cheque.

Prosecution said when the time was due, the complainant took the cheque to the bank but it was dishonoured.

“Efforts made to trace the accused proved futile hence a report was made to the Police. In the course of investigations, the Police had information that Wagya had moved from Accra to Nkwanta in the Volta Region.

Investigations led to Wagya’s arrest at Nkwanta,” the prosecution said.

GNA
 

Toyota recalls 700,000 cars amid fears over airbags

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The motor manufacturer Toyota is recalling more than 700,000 vehicles in South Africa because of a fault with the cars' airbags.

This latest recall by Toyota relates to airbags made by the Japanese company, Takata.

Takata discovered the problem last year and is in the process of replacing the airbags in millions of models worldwide from a large range of manufacturers, including Toyota, General Motors and BMW.

The airbags themselves can shower drivers and passengers with metal shards when they explode in a crash and they've been linked to 13 deaths in the United States alone.

The problem forced Takata to file for bankruptcy in Japan in June last year.

In South Africa, the Toyota recall affects 10 models, including Lexus.

BBC

South Korea hospital fire kills at least 37 people

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At least 37 people have been killed and more than 70 injured in a fire at a hospital in South Korea.

The blaze is thought to have started in the emergency room at Sejong Hospital in the south-eastern city of Miryang.

About 200 patients were inside the building and an adjoining nursing home at the time.

It is South Korea's deadliest fire in almost a decade and the death toll is expected to rise with several of the injured in critical condition.

Firefighters said the victims appeared to have died from smoke inhalation. Three hospital medical staff – a doctor, nurse and nursing assistant – are among the victims.

Authorities have given varying death tolls, with police earlier saying 41 had died, but fire officials and hospital sources now say at least 37 are dead.

Miryang is about 270km (168 miles) south-east of the capital, Seoul.

The hospital specialised in caring for elderly people with long-term needs, as well as other patients, reported the daily JoongAng Ilbo.

The paper quoted a surviving patient, Jang Yeong-jae, as saying that he was on the second floor when nurses screamed "Fire!" in the hallway and urged people to evacuate.

'Falling over and screaming'
"But when I opened the exit door, the whole stairway was filled with dark smoke and I couldn't see a thing," he said.

"Everybody was running around in panic, falling over and screaming as smoke filled the rooms."

Mr Jang said he ripped open window screens and escaped down a ladder put up by firefighters.

"There were so many elderly patients on other floors… I wonder if they escaped safely," Mr Jang's wife was quoted as saying.

Fire chief Choi Man-woo told reporters the cause of the fire was not yet known.

The hospital building did not have any fire sprinklers installed, local media said.

Under current laws, the building was not required to have fire sprinklers, but they were in the process of being fitted in the adjoining nursing home.

A new law that is due to come into force on 30 June will make sprinklers compulsory for nursing homes.

Mr Choi said the fire started around 07:30 local time (22:30 GMT on Thursday) and was put out in about three hours.

Ninety-four patients from the adjacent nursing home were safely evacuated.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in arranged an emergency meeting to discuss ways of dealing with the fire.

Senior officials from both governing and opposition parties travelled to Miryang to offer their condolences and call for a thorough investigation into what caused the tragedy.

"We hope that all-out efforts are made to prevent additional victims," Kim Hyun, the spokeswoman of the ruling Democratic Party, was reported as saying by Yonhap news agency.

The hospital has been operating since 2008. The nursing home and hospital between them have about 200 beds.

About 35 medical staff work at the hospital, according to provincial officials.

The fire comes just a month after 29 people in the South Korean city of Jecheon were killed were killed in a blaze at a public gym.

The owner and manager of the building were later arrested over multiple safety lapses, including malfunctioning sprinkler systems.


BBC

Pres. Weah puts ceiling on operational expenditure for ministries, agencies

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President George Manneh Weah has taken what many see as his first austerity measure by instructing all ministries and agencies to restrict their spending to US$3,000 on operational costs.

The Executive Mansion in a release, ordered with immediate effect all autonomous agencies and public corporations of the government to authorize and expend a cumulative amount of not more than US$3,000 for operational expenses.

The directive furthered: “Any amount above the US$3,000 threshold must seek approval from the Office of the President.”

The release furthered mandated all HR Managers and all relevant signatories of the various autonomous agencies and public corporations to pay all legitimate salaries and other benefits to their employees.

The President on January 22, inherited several daunting challenges, including fixing a sinking economy among others. 

Weah’s 61.5 percent victory in the Presidential runoff election comes with huge expectations from the population, especially amongst the youth and satisfying their expectation is a massive task. 

Expectations that were built up over a decade overshadowed by the lack of opportunities for middle and lower class has now influenced an overwhelming demand for improvement of people’s livelihood. 

Alas, the soccer legend is taking the steering wheel of one of the world’s poorest countries at a time when the economy is crashing. 

Right after signing the 2017/18 National Budget, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf called a special meeting with members of the Legislature, requesting them to revisit the budget due to government’s inability to raise the US$563.6 million budget. 

That was an emphatic sign of an out-of-control economic woes but the Sirleaf’s government kept mute although the writings on the wall were becoming clearer. 

The former President and her advisers argued that the decline in global prices of the country’s major commodities was the source of Liberian liquidity crisis.

frontpageafricaonline

Akufo-Addo has no time to malign Mahama -Hamid

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The presidency has rejected claims by the office of the former President Mahama that, President Akufo-Addo is sponsoring  negative media campaigns against his predecessor.

In a statement, the government said “President Akufo-Addo is busy fixing the mess and rot that was bequeathed to him by the Mahama government, and, therefore, does not have the luxury of time to indulge in orchestrations of lies and propaganda,”

Below is the full statement: 

Re: Statement In Reaction To Malicious Publications Against H.E. The Former President
Government has taken note of a press statement signed by Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Special Aide to former President John Mahama, and dated January 25, 2018. The statement purports to react to “malicious publications against H.E. the former President”.

Rather, the statement makes a number of baseless allegations against the government and person of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. 
Government responds as follows:

1.That, Daily Guide and Daily Statesman are NOT “government sponsored” newspapers. These newspapers have existed for many years, and the ownership of these papers is a matter of public record. Their general stance on political issues is also well known, predating the Akufo-Addo government.
2.That, to proceed on that false premise to attack the President is disingenuous.

3.To specifically allege that President Akufo-Addo is “orchestrating attacks” on the person of the former President “based on lies and pedestrian propaganda” without proof or evidence is unbefitting of a spokesperson of a former President.

4.President Akufo-Addo is busy fixing the mess and rot that was bequeathed to him by the Mahama government, and, therefore, does not have the luxury of time to indulge in orchestrations of lies and propaganda

5.That it is curious for the spokesperson of the former President to be issuing a statement denying that he is attacking the Free SHS programme, whilst that very same statement seeks to disparage the programme.

It is interesting that it is the spokesperson of former President Mahama who is urging Ghanaians to demand from the Akufo-Addo government “an improvement from the poor-governance it is serving this country.” We wish, in answer, to recall the words of the Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in his address at the New Year School, at Legon, when he stated:

“The question that we should ask is how can you inherit a budget deficit of 9.3% of GDP, proceed to reduce taxes, bring down inflation, bring down interest rates, increase economic growth (from 3.6% to 7.9%), increase your international reserves, maintain relative exchange rate stability, reduce the debt to GDP ratio and the rate of debt accumulation, pay almost half of arrears inherited, stay current on obligations to statutory funds, restore teacher and nursing training allowances, double the capitation grant, implement free senior high school education and yet still be able to reduce the fiscal deficit from 9.3% to an estimated 5.6% of GDP? Quite simple, this is a remarkable achievement and this is what we mean by competent economic management.”   

We wish to reiterate that President Akufo-Addo holds all former Presidents of the Republic in high regard, and will continue to treat all of them with dignity and respect, as he has consistently demonstrated since assuming the high office of President of the Republic.

……signed……
 

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