At least four people have been reported dead in a ghastly on the Kumasi-Techiman highway.
The accident, which involved a VIP bus and a trailer truck, occurred at Nkenkaasu in the Ashanti Region on the dawn of Wednesday, August 2.
Driver of the VIP bus, according to eyewitness, veered off his lane and collided with the truck.
The bus with registration number AP 1986-22 was heading towards the direction of Techiman whilst the truck with registration number BF 2315 F1 03 loaded with cereals was coming towards Kumasi.
The injured have been sent to the Nkenkaasu Government Hospital for treatment
Director of Finance at the Bank of Ghana Mr. Charles Elias Reindorf (Middle)
The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has explained what went into servicing its vehicles as captured in its annual report.
The report revealed that GH¢131.586 million was spent on motor vehicle maintenance/running as of December 2022.
This is away from the GH¢61.510 million spent over the same period in 2021.
The report also noted that personnel costs were GH¢1.620 billion away from the GH¢1.260 billion recorded in 2021.
For foreign and domestic travel, the Central Bank spent GH¢97.437 million. This indicated over a 300% increase in the GH¢28.176 million recorded in 2021.
The cost of servicing the ars raised concerns among analysts.
But addressing a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, August 2, the Director of Finance at the Bank of Ghana Mr. Charles Elias Reindorf stated that the Moror and Vehicle Maintenance Running has several components including fuel, insurance, miscellaneous and licensing.
“Fuel has been 90 percent of that line but because maintenance came first people kept talking about maintenance but the maintenance was only 2.18 percent of the cost, 94 % of the cost is fuel. By the end of 2021, fuel was about 5.9 on average, it rose by 148 percent,” he said.
He added “in 2021 maintenance was 2.38 it even dropped in 2022. so that is the issue because the title says Motor Vehicle and Maintenance and running expenses, everybody was dwelling on maintenance of vehicles
New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer aspirant Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has cleared the air on comments he made purportedly targeted at Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
As part of his campaign tour in Kintampo East in the Bono East Region on Sunday, July 16, the Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) is said to have used the word ‘strategist’ for the current managers of the economy, one of whom being Dr Bawumia, who is also in the race to lead the party in 2024.
“You call yourself a strategist but when we were taking over power the Dollar was GH¢4, today $1 is GH¢12 and yet you call yourself a strategist,” he told the NPP delegates he met.
“In March 2022, I had $40 million in Cedi equivalent, in August 2022 the value of the $40 million had dropped to $16 million.”
But Ken Agyapong has clarified that the term ‘strategist’ was not in reference to Dr Bawumia but a fellow NPP lawmaker.
“You see, they are not being fair,” he stressed.
“I did not hit the Vice President but I hit one MP because he said we don’t want somebody who will say I have done this for the party and I have done this for Ghana but we want a strategist,” he opened up in an interview on Wa-based Home Radio.
“So I asked ‘Who is a strategist?’”
Though he failed to name the said MP, the Assin Central lawmaker said that MP was in Parliament “shouting” Ghana was not going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) but within two hours the country was there.
The businessman blamed the media for spinning his statement, chiding them for ignoring some of the admonition he gave about a clean campaign.
But he expressed disappointment politics has made some of the people he helped “my number one enemies”.
He said those he funded to retain their seats in Parliament have turned against him because he is being truthful
New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer aspirant Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has cleared the air on comments he made purportedly targeted at Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
As part of his campaign tour in Kintampo East in the Bono East Region on Sunday, July 16, the Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) is said to have used the word ‘strategist’ for the current managers of the economy, one of whom being Dr Bawumia, who is also in the race to lead the party in 2024.
“You call yourself a strategist but when we were taking over power the Dollar was GH¢4, today $1 is GH¢12 and yet you call yourself a strategist,” he told the NPP delegates he met.
“In March 2022, I had $40 million in Cedi equivalent, in August 2022 the value of the $40 million had dropped to $16 million.”
But Ken Agyapong has clarified that the term ‘strategist’ was not in reference to Dr Bawumia but a fellow NPP lawmaker.
“You see, they are not being fair,” he stressed.
“I did not hit the Vice President but I hit one MP because he said we don’t want somebody who will say I have done this for the party and I have done this for Ghana but we want a strategist,” he opened up in an interview on Wa-based Home Radio.
“So I asked ‘Who is a strategist?’”
Though he failed to name the said MP, the Assin Central lawmaker said that MP was in Parliament “shouting” Ghana was not going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) but within two hours the country was there.
The businessman blamed the media for spinning his statement, chiding them for ignoring some of the admonition he gave about a clean campaign.
But he expressed disappointment politics has made some of the people he helped “my number one enemies”.
He said those he funded to retain their seats in Parliament have turned against him because he is being truthful
Chelsea have expressed a keen interest in signing Ajax’s talented attacking midfielder, Mohammed Kudus, according to The Athletic.
Though no formal offer has been submitted yet, initial discussions have taken place between the Premier League club and their Dutch counterparts.
Kudus is among the top options being considered by Chelsea for bolstering their squad. The two parties are reportedly close to reaching an agreement on personal terms with the player.
Under contract with Ajax until 2025, the 22-year-old declined a one-year extension offer from the club in April and has expressed his desire to move on from the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The dynamic midfielder showcased his prowess during the previous season, notching up an impressive tally of 18 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances across all competitions for Ajax.
He further displayed his international potential by netting twice for Ghana in the group stages of the World Cup in Qatar last November, earning the accolade of the Player of the Year at the Ghana Football Awards.
Since his debut in Dutch football, Kudus has exhibited his versatility, featuring in seven different positions, ranging from a deep-lying No 6 role to playing as an out-and-out centre-forward. His ability to cause havoc on the right wing by taking on full-backs has been a notable aspect of his gameplay
Chelsea have expressed a keen interest in signing Ajax’s talented attacking midfielder, Mohammed Kudus, according to The Athletic.
Though no formal offer has been submitted yet, initial discussions have taken place between the Premier League club and their Dutch counterparts.
Kudus is among the top options being considered by Chelsea for bolstering their squad. The two parties are reportedly close to reaching an agreement on personal terms with the player.
Under contract with Ajax until 2025, the 22-year-old declined a one-year extension offer from the club in April and has expressed his desire to move on from the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The dynamic midfielder showcased his prowess during the previous season, notching up an impressive tally of 18 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances across all competitions for Ajax.
He further displayed his international potential by netting twice for Ghana in the group stages of the World Cup in Qatar last November, earning the accolade of the Player of the Year at the Ghana Football Awards.
Since his debut in Dutch football, Kudus has exhibited his versatility, featuring in seven different positions, ranging from a deep-lying No 6 role to playing as an out-and-out centre-forward. His ability to cause havoc on the right wing by taking on full-backs has been a notable aspect of his gameplay
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has observed that there are noticeable inconsistencies in the report of the stolen cash from her home.
She implies that what is being discussed in the public domain is quite inconsistent with the facts in the original complaint on the case.
Breaking her silence on the matter, which was heard at an Accra Circuit Court for the first time on Thursday, July 20, the former Member of Parliament of Bantama said she is taking steps “to examine the origins of the inconsistencies and will provide a detailed response in the coming days”.
There has been public uproar over revelations in court that the Minister had kept $1 million, €300,000 and millions of Cedis in her house.
Two house helps, according to the charge sheet, had stolen the monies between July and October, 2022.
The house helps – Patience Botwe, 18, and Sarah Agyei, 30 – have been granted bail to reappear in court on Wednesday, August 2.
Three other persons including the father of the teenage house help were also arrested by the police for benefitting from the booty.
Already, some political leaders are calling for her to step aside.
The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, is demanding immediate investigations into the matter.
His party’s flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, described the matter as “scandalous”, lunging at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for allowing his ministers to go unpunished in many similar situations
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has observed that there are noticeable inconsistencies in the report of the stolen cash from her home.
She implies that what is being discussed in the public domain is quite inconsistent with the facts in the original complaint on the case.
Breaking her silence on the matter, which was heard at an Accra Circuit Court for the first time on Thursday, July 20, the former Member of Parliament of Bantama said she is taking steps “to examine the origins of the inconsistencies and will provide a detailed response in the coming days”.
There has been public uproar over revelations in court that the Minister had kept $1 million, €300,000 and millions of Cedis in her house.
Two house helps, according to the charge sheet, had stolen the monies between July and October, 2022.
The house helps – Patience Botwe, 18, and Sarah Agyei, 30 – have been granted bail to reappear in court on Wednesday, August 2.
Three other persons including the father of the teenage house help were also arrested by the police for benefitting from the booty.
Already, some political leaders are calling for her to step aside.
The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, is demanding immediate investigations into the matter.
His party’s flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, described the matter as “scandalous”, lunging at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for allowing his ministers to go unpunished in many similar situations
North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said that every Ghanaian should be concerned about the content of the leaked tape that captures an alleged plot to oust the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, July 15, he said “The content of that tape must be a concern to any Ghanaian.”
His colleague Tolon Member of Parliament Habib Iddrisu condemned the recording of the conversation on the plot to oust the IGP.
Also speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, July 15, he said this audio raises serious questions that should be answered.
“It is very disappointing, you have a lot of questions to ask, and I appreciate that this thing happening in our country is totally unacceptable
“Why did they record it, who recorded it, and who leaked it? These are the critical questions to ask. The recording is wrong, the one who leaked it is wrong,” he said.
He further said the work of the committee formed by the Speaker to look into this matter will not yield any results.
He added “It will be an exercise that will not yield any results. The speaker did not indicate clearly the reference.
“If that committee is set up and parliament finishes its work then what? There are agencies that are equipped to handle this tape, not Parliament. From where I sit I don’t see where it is going, it is just the politics we are seeing. This committee the speaker has formed, I don’t see where it will go. I don’t think Parliament was the right forum for this to be done. There is more to it than we have heard,” he said.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has ordered the constitution of a seven-member committee to probe the leaked audio recording of some persons purportedly plotting the removal of the IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare.
The committee will have three members each from the two sides of the House with one technical person.
The names of the three members apiece from the Majority and Minority caucuses are expected to be made available within one week, the Speaker so directed on Thursday, July 13.
This comes barely 24 hours after the Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, filed an urgent statement on the floor, calling for an investigation into the recording.
The Speaker had asked him to put the statement in writing for him to make orders. This was done on Thursday.
According to the Speaker, the committee will investigate the authenticity of the leaked audio recording, the conspiracy to remove the current IGP, any other matter contained in the audio recording and recommend sanctions to persons found culpable where appropriate.
It is also to make recommendations for reforms where necessary and make such other recommendations and consequential orders as the committee may deem appropriate.
These will be the Special Committee’s terms of reference
Thousands of residents who were displaced by floods in six communities in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region have received relief items and various sums of monies from their Member of Parliament, Dorcas Affo-Toffey.
The communities are Nzulezu, Elubo, Ghana Nungua, Cocoa Town, Nsuano, and Zongo Community in Elubo.
Also affected were basic schools, especially the Nzulezu Primary School.
It has been destroyed by the floods, affecting pupils, since teaching and learning were halted.
It was the first time in over six hundred years that such floods hit the world’s tourism destination area, Nzulezu, and other communities.
Some residents in Nzulezu were evacuated on boats to Beyin, a nearby community in the area, for shelter.
The community, which is entirely made up of stilts and houses of over 500 inhabitants, almost submerged after it rained continuously for seven days.
Properties worth thousands of Ghana cedis were destroyed in these communities.
The MP was in these six communities to assess the extent of damage to the residents and property and sympathize with the victims.
Madam Affo-Toffey, apart from the relief items to all these communities, also donated an amount to them.
Nzulezu, for instance, received an amount of GH¢10,000 to be used to solve the unsanitary situation due to the floods.
In an interview with the media, Madam Affo-Toffey said: “It’s all about education, zoning and planning because elsewhere, before someone would build, you have to go to the town and country planning department to seek approval and permit.”
“They will ensure the buildings are built in a place that would not disrupt raining water. What we can say for now is for them to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse. We have a long way to go but I am sure with time, things will change,” the MP said in Twi.
Madam Affo-Toffey added, “They [residents] have built here for a long year so they cannot leave here but we shall educate them to stop dumping refuse.
“Provisions are being made to support those who do not have places to sleep. These places are flood zones areas so there is nothing that could be done.”
The Abusuapayin of Nzulezu, Abizi Kojo, said the walkways and toilet facilities which are used by tourists have also been destroyed.
He, therefore, called on the Tourism Ministry and the Ghana Tourist Board to urgently help in fixing their slipways and the tourist toilet facility since the community is still welcoming tourists from all over the world despite the flooding
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