Alleged $78m scandal: Minority’s claim mischievous -BOST

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Alleged $78m scandal: Minority’s claim mischievous -BOST

The Management of Bulk Oil and Transportation Company (BOST) has urged the public to ignore ill-informed allegations of the Minority claiming that the money being used for the construction of a single unit tower for BOST was inflated from US$ 39 million to US$78 million.

The Minority in Parliament called for an independent probe into an alleged US$ 78 million procurement scandal at the Bulk Oil and Transportation Company (BOST).

Speaking to the media in Parliament today July 28, 2022, the MP for Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency and Ranking Member, Mines and Energy Committee, John Abdulai Jinapor mentioned that a single unit tower that can be constructed at US$ 39 million has been inflated and approved by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) at US$78 million.

He revealed that the project is being supervised by the Akufo-Addo government without recourse to the law and respect to the citizenry amidst the current economic hardships.

John Abdulai Jinapor added that former Chief Executive Officer at BOST, Kwame Awuah Darko began the construction of the twin tower office in 2015 to serve as office accommodation and enhance internally generated funds at the company.

He claimed that the current Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration falsely accused Mr. Awuah Darko of inflating and padding the contract and as a result, they suspended the project.

The Minority argues that although Mr. Awuah Darko was cleared of any wrongdoing after a probe by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), recent developments and documents available uncovered the scandal.

Read Also: BOST fingered in $78m scandal; Minority calls for probe  

Response
Reacting to this, BOST explained that, it was currently occupying rented premises and in its view, securing the single block at the $23.5million will help to do away with the burden of rising cost of rent in the current premises.

It said the tower blocks are not the same in terms of the facilities they harbor, adding that the one BOST is acquiring is customized to accommodate the staff of the company based on the corporate structure which existed at the time of the contract.

It continued to explain that the other block was intended to be rented out to raise further income for BOST.

“The two blocks per the valuer’s report in 2020 cost $49.6million and the simplistic arithmetic of multiplying the original contract cost of $39m submitted to the PPA for ratification by 2 to claim the blocks cost $78 million is simply erroneous and mischievous.
These are the facts pertaining to the BOST Head Office building which started in 2016 and is yet to be occupied by the company,” BOST stated.

Meanwhile, it urged the minority to at least seek better understanding and clarification of issues before engaging the press because at some points in time, failure to do due diligence could result in embarrassment.

“It is the contract signed without resort to due process which by law was submitted for ratification by the PPA before any variation of the terms could be attempted by the current management. Money has time value and what costs $39 million in 2015 would most likely cost something higher six years later. These are fundamental principles of finance which cannot be overlooked,” its stated.

BOST added that its current management used the Procurement Law to correct the anomalies of the processes and through a transparent process decided to acquire half of the twin-tower to house their operations.

It said the fact that the contract was under investigation by EOCO and relevant authorities did not allow them to enter into negotiations with the contractor early enough.

“With an independent valuer involved, we believe the figures arrived at were a true and fair reflection of the current pricing of the project and we are confident that the decision is in the best interest of the taxpayer.”

BOST added that,”We therefore urge the public to ignore the ill-informed allegations of the minority and be assured that BOST is safe and secure in the hands of the current management. The ever-loss-making BOST is set to announce a huge turnaround in the next couple of weeks due to the diligence and hard work of the current management.”

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori

SIM re-registration: Momo agents beg for extension of deadline to 2023

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SIM re-registration: Momo agents beg for extension of deadline to 2023

The Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana (MMAAG) has appealed to Government and the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation to consider extending the deadline of SIM card registration from 31st July 2022 to January 2023.

The SIM registration exercise began on October 1, 2021 and was expected to end on March 31, 2022.

As at 17th March, 14,091,542 SIM Cards had been linked to the Ghana Card, 10,348,532 Bio-Captures conducted and 99,445 New SIMs registered.

The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said due to a number of factors including the fact that over 7.5 million citizens and residents are yet to obtain Ghana Cards to enable them register their SIM cards, it was clear that the deadline for completion of the registration of the remaining active SIM cards could not be met.

The deadline for the registration of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards using details of the Ghana Card was therefore extended to July 31, 2022.

However, it appears a lot of Ghanaians have still not gotten their Ghana cards while some are also having issues with theirs and have not been able to re-register their SIM cards.

Read Also: Adwoa Safo sacked

In a statement, the MMAAG observed that although millions of its customers and members are willing to update their credentials with the common denominator, unfortunately, access to the National Identification Authority’s service is really frustrating and difficult.

It also noted that their business was already struggling with the impact of e-levy, adding that this blockage will only not affect them but the Ghanaian populace.

“The Association has since endorsed this policy of Government due to its positive impact on our businesses by helping to curb fraud. As business people in the industry, it will be very detrimental to our businesses and the industry in general should Government pursue the 31st July 2022 deadline since many Ghanaians running into several millions are yet to be registered and issued the Ghanaian Identification card.
The business is already struggling with the impact of e-levy, and this blockage will only not affect us but the Ghanaian populace,” MMAAG stated.

It continued that,”It’s very clear that millions of our customers and our members are willing to update their credentials with the common denominator, unfortunately, access to the National Identification Authority’s service is really frustrating and difficult.
We appeal that with the realism and having considered the above inconveniences and challenges, the Government should extend the deadline to January 2023.”

Meanwhile, MMAAG pledged to support government in this exercise through its various touch points across the country to ensure significant Ghanaians update their SIMs.

“We believe this time frame should enable the NIA to decentralise the exercise for the smooth reach of Ghanaians,” it added.

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori

Odwira: UN Eminent Peace Amb. pushes for peace after Nungua clash

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Odwira: UN Eminent Peace Amb. pushes for peace after Nungua clash

The United Nations (UN) Eminent Peace Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Samuel Ben Owusu, is pushing for peace between the Elders of Nungua and the youth who clashed recently during the Odwira festival.

It was recently reported that the youth of Nungua Amanfa, led by the Council of Elders and the Family Head of the Nungua Amanfa (Omanfna) gate on Friday 21st July 2022 sent Nungua into a state of confusion when they stopped the Nungua Mantse King Odaifio Welentsi Ill from riding in a palanquin through the principal streets of Nungua Old Town to climax the celebration of the Odwira festival.

The elders and the youth who thronged the streets wielding stones and sticks faced off with the youth and Asafoiatsemei from the Sanshie gate of Nungua.

The fuming youth explained to reporters present that, the Odwira festival celebrated by the Nungua Mantse was alien to them as it is not a Gadangme culture.

The people also accused the Nungua Mantse of arrogating the title “Shitse’, a title which is the sole prerogative of the Gborbu Wulomo Shitse on himself.

According to them, to the provocation of the Amanfa people, the Nungua Mantse boldly inscribed the title “Shitse” on banners to publicize an Odwira festival which was instituted some three years ago.

In the end, the youth stopped the Nungua Mantse from going further through the principal streets of the town which resulted in some casualties.

In his quest to ensure peace prevails, the Eminent Peace Ambassador who paid a courtesy call on the Nungua Chief on Thursday, July 28, 2022 expressed belief in the Chief to ensure calm and peace among his people.

“I have been following you for some time and I know the capacity of knowledge and the vast understanding of peace that you have so I know for sure that this will not lead to anything, it will rather come back to the development of our people. The youth needs to understand that whatever we are doing today is what is going to affect our tomorrow, therefore we need to have everything we want to do in peace so that we will not destroy what our fathers built for us,” he said.

Response
Meanwhile, in response, the Nungua Mantse Professor OBoade Notse King Odaifio Welentsi III assured they will do their best to ensure there is peace between his people, acknowledging the fact that violence does not solve problems.

He admitted the youth are supposed to be very vibrant and sometimes do not understand the elderly until they become like them.

Meanwhile, he said whether the youth were ‘wise’ or not, this was not time to show them his authority and what he can do or not, adding that they are his people and so he has to restrain himself from a lot of things to make sure they understand him.

King Odaifio Welentsi III also appreciated the Eminent Peace Ambassador for showing concern and trying to support when he heard about the incident.

Eminent Peace Ambassador
Dr Samuel Ben Owusu in the end expressed hope that the incident would rather draw development to the people of Nungua, noting how far it reached.

He also appreciated the Nungua Chief for admitting to ensure peace between the Elders and the youth and as well ensuring calm was restored even after the incident.

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori

Sim card re-registration: Minority calls for another extension

Daniel Opare
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Sim card re-registration: Minority calls for another extension

The Deputy Ranking Member on the Communications Committee of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, is asking for another extension of the deadline for the registration of SIM Cards in Ghana.

Sam George argues that there are several factors that have militated against many in their quest to register their SIM cards.

The Ministry of Communications and Digitalization has indicated that people who fail to comply with the directive will have their SIM cards deactivated after Government’s July 31 deadline elapse.

Speaking to the Media, Sam George said the President must ensure that, the registration goes beyond the 31st July deadline.

“We hope that within the next 24 to 48 hours, reason will apply. We want to use this means to call on the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to instruct his Minister for Communications, to rescind his decision on the deadline as it poses potential national security implication for millions of Ghanaians who have not been able to register due to no fault of theirs.”

Read Also: Adwoa Safo sacked

“We urge the President and the National Security Minister not to treat this issue with kids gloves and take cognizance of the threat of terror and ensure that the millions of Ghanaians who use their SIMs on a daily basis are not disenfranchised,” Sam George said.

The sim reregistration exercise which began on 1st October 2021, was originally scheduled to end on 31st March 2022.

The exercise was, however, extended by the sector Ministry to 31st July 2022, due to the fact that over 7.5 million citizens and residents at the time, were yet to obtain their Ghana Card, to enable them register their SIM cards.

The Minister for communications Ursula Ekuful says 12 million Ghanaians have so far linked their Ghana cards to their SIM cards.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu

Give female footballers same bonuses as their male counterparts – Hasaccas Ladies CEO

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Give female footballers same bonuses as their male counterparts – Hasaccas Ladies CEO

Evelyn Nsiah Asare, CEO of Hasaacas Ladies and Board Member of Asante Kotoko, has endorsed the policy of equal winning bonuses for both male and female players on the various national teams.

Madam Nsiah Asare wants the Ghana Football Association to emulate the policy recently announced by SAFA President, Danny Jordan.

The SAFA  president announced recently that South Africa’s men’s and women’s national football teams will receive equal pay and bonuses in the wake of unprecedented success achieved by the women’s team at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Madam Nsiah Asare insists the GFA should outlaw pay discrimination and embark on a programme to bridge the gender pay gap.

Speaking on Atinka FM’s Total Sports she said, “Even women deserve to be paid more than their male counterparts. Black Queens were the first senior national team to qualify for the World Cup. SAFA President Danny Jordan confirmed that it’s time South Africa Bayana Bayana got the same bonuses as the Bafana Bafana . They all play for 90 minutes,”, she ended.

In September 2020, the Sierra Leonean government and the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) also announced that both the men’s and women’s teams will receive equal pay to motivate more women to get into the game in the West African country.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Osenkafo Addo

Adwoa Safo sacked

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Adwoa Safo sacked

President Akufo-Addo has sacked the Minister for Gender and Social Protection, Sarah Adwoa Safo.

The Minister’s dismissal was contained in a statement issued by the presidency this night.

below is the full statement:

BOST fingered in $78m scandal; Minority calls for probe  

Daniel Opare
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BOST fingered in $78m scandal; Minority calls for probe  

The Minority in Parliament is calling for an independent probe into an alleged US$ 78 million procurement scandal at the Bulk Oil and Transportation Company (BOST).

Speaking to the media in Parliament today July 28, 2022, the MP for Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency and Ranking Member, Mines and Energy Committee, John Abdulai Jinapor mentioned that a single unit tower that can be constructed at US$ 39 million has been inflated and approved by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) at US$78 million.

He revealed that the project is being supervised by the Akufo-Addo government without recourse to the law and respect to the citizenry amidst the current economic hardships.

John Abdulai Jinapor  added that former Chief Executive Officer at BOST, Kwame Awuah Darko began the construction of the twin tower office in 2015 to serve as office accommodation and enhance internally generated funds at the company.

He claimed that the current Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration falsely accused Mr. Awuah Darko of inflating and padding the contract and as a result, they suspended the project.

The Minority argues that although Mr. Awuah Darko was cleared of any wrongdoing after a probe by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), recent developments and documents available uncovered the scandal.

Read Also: Gov’t asked to offer sustainable livelihood opportunities to charcoal producers

“We are firm in our conviction that this is a classic case of causing financial loss to the state. This is another PDS, Ameri and Movinpina scandal in the making. The Energy sector under the current NPP administration has become a Pollution Haven for regularized corruption, inflated favouritism, and rusted nepotism,” he said.

”We say so because we have noted that the current Management of BOST decided to acquire only one of the twin unit buildings due to the precarious financial position of the company, however, it applied to the Public Procurement Authority for approval to vary the original contract for the single unit from the original price of $19. 5 million per unit to a new cost of $24 million.”

“To our utmost shock and dismay, but, of course, as usual of this government, the PPA without any reasonable justification in granting the approval hiked the contract sum to an inflated figure of $39,000,000.00 (Thirty-Nine Million United Sates Dollars) for a single unit when BOST could have originally constructed the twin-tower office at the original price of $39 million”, “We, the Minority in Parliament, hereby serve notice that anything short of an independent investigation shall be rejected and denounced by the NDC and the good people of Ghana. We shall remain vigilant and resolute in our quest to ensure that the continuous looting and plundering of the resources”, John Abdulai Jinapor told press men.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu

Gov’t asked to offer sustainable livelihood opportunities to charcoal producers

Daniel Opare
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Gov’t asked to offer sustainable livelihood opportunities to charcoal producers

The Executive Director for the Association for Climate Change Officers Ghana, Mohammed Haruna, has stated the need for government to offer sustainable livelihood opportunities to persons engaged in charcoal production in Ghana.

Mohammed Haruna believes that an alternative livelihood opportunity to charcoal sellers will reduce the impact of climate change as well as sustain the green Ghana initiative in the northern regions. 

He made the revelation after a sensitization program for over 300 hundred charcoal producers in the Yapai-Kusawgu constituency in the Central Gonja district.

Speaking at the programme, Mohammed Haruna, called on the producers to opt for a sustainable alternative livelihood support to limit charcoal production in the district.

Read Also: SA president calls for equal pay for women footballers

Mohammed Haruna believes sustainable climate change intervention is needed to halt or minimise the activities of charcoal production in the Savannah region. 

He added that the sensitization initiative will be rolled out in seven regions where the production is common in the Savannah ecological zone. 

Speaking to Atinka News, Abiba Mahamadu, a charcoal producer who participated in the program revealed that she had to travel several kilometres to cut down ten trees daily for each bag of charcoal to be produced, a situation she described as difficult.

“I cut down ten trees on the average in a day. Sometimes getting buyers for the bags of charcoal I have produced becomes very difficult. Despite all the challenges associated with the business and the fact that I have to travel miles in search for trees for my business, I cannot quit as it is my only source of income”, Abiba Mahamadu told Atinka News.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

SA president calls for equal pay for women footballers

Daniel Opare
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SA president calls for equal pay for women footballers

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that the country’s women’s football team “deserve equal pay” to the men.

He made the call at a ceremony to welcome home the female players who had just won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after beating Morocco 2-1 at the weekend.

“I have been told that you get 10 times less than what the men get when they play, and that has to come to an end,” he told the women, who cheered his announcement.

He urged the country’s ministers of finance and sports to increase the bonus.

“We are a non-racial, democratic and non-sexist country. I am hugely opposed to non-equal pay and it must come to an end.”

The president said South Africa should outlaw pay discrimination and embark on a programme to bridge the gender pay gap.

His statement follows a public debate around equal pay in the country after the Wafcon victory.

It was earlier reported that the players would receive less money in prize bonuses than their male colleagues did for reaching the quarter-finals of the men’s tournament in 2019.

BBC

Bawumia commissions ultra-modern educational facility at Tunga Zongo

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Bawumia commissions ultra-modern educational facility at Tunga Zongo

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has, on Wednesday July 27, commissioned a two-story classroom block for the Tunga Zongo Community in Dansoman, Accra.

The project, a complete rebuild snd transformation of a dilapidated classroom of Tunga Community Islamic School into a modern facility, was funded by the Zongo Development Fund, the development agency created by the Akufo-Addo Government to ensure inclusive and sustainable development in Zongos and related deprived communities.

Speaking at the commissioning of the facility, Vice President Bawumia said investing in such an edifice, and many others across the country, demonstrates government’s resolve and commitment to expanding access to quality education to all, especially in Zongo communities, through the Zongo Development Fund.

“Expanding access to quality and relevant education is pivotal to the transformation we are determined to engender in Zongo Communities, and the Zongo Development Fund is the frontline agency and vehicle through which government seeks to ensure the realization of the development objectives relating to Zongo communities,” said Dr. Bawumia.

“Indeed, since Ghana attained independence, no budget has ever been deliberately allocated for the development of Zongo communities. The establishment of the Fund dedicated to Zongo communities is indisputably unprecedented.

“The construction of this impressive educational complex and its ancillary facilities by the Zongo Development Fund in Tunga championed by our ever vibrant and hardworking member of Parliament, Hon. Ursula Owusu Akurful, clearly underscores our commitment to leave neither nook nor cranny in our efforts at expanding access to quality education, particularly in Zongo Communities,” Dr  Bawumia said.

Since the establishment of the Zongo Development Fund in 2018, the Fund has championed development infrastructure in education, health, sports, sanitation, drainage system, roads, water in many Zongos, as well as provided educational scholarships and entrepreneurial support to many.

Dr. Bawumia listed a number  of these projects and their locations in Zongos nationwide, and lauded the impact of the ZDF on communities, as envisioned by the NPP Government.

“These obvious interventions by the Fund are commendable efforts aimed at bridging the yawning gap in the educational fortunes of Zongo communities vis-a vis other communities.

“Not only has government implemented a comprehensive development of educational infrastructure in Zongo communities, it has also intervened positively by improving health facilities, sanitation, human resource development through skills training and educational grants and in improving the ambience, visibility and security in Zongo Communities in Accra.”

“Indeed, communities such as New Fadama, Madina and others have witnessed remarkable transformation in social, recreational and sporting activities through the construction of Community Sports and Social Centres (astro turfs). These centres have provided a new fillip to the lives of the inhabitants of these communities.”

Reiterating government’s commitment to expanding access to education, Dr. Bawumia noted that with the rapid expansion in enrollment into Senior High Schools as a result of the Free SHS policy, it is incumbent upon government to expand access at all levels.

“In this regard, government has, through the Zongo Development Fund initiated the construction of one Model Senior High School in each of the 16 regions. We are working assiduously to ensure the commencement of three of the schools this year.”

The newly commissioned edifice has ancillary facilities such as offices and library. 

Present at the ceremony was Minister of Communications and Digitalization and MP for the area, Ursula Owusu Akurful, who expressed delight at the construction and commissioning of the facility

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