Day: December 21, 2023

Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, Chief of the Army Staff, has asked personnel in the Army to remain focused and selfless in the performance of their duties, especially as the country heads for the polls in 2024.

‘2024 is also an election year, and you will be expected to support the conduct of peaceful elections. Our success will largely depend on sound intelligence and total commitment to defend our country at all cost.

‘Therefore, I urge all of you to keep your ears to the ground at all times and remain selfless and focused in the performance of your duties,’ he said.

Major General Oppong-Peprah said this in a speech read on his behalf by Brigadier General BB Owusu, Chief Staff Officer Army, at the end of year West African Soldiers Social Activity (WASSA) at the Headquarters Southern Command, Ghana Army.

The occasion offered an opportunity for the personnel to interact with each other, take stock of the passing year and plan for the future.

It was also used to award hardworking military and defence
civilian staff of the Command, who exhibited extraordinary work ethic in the past year.

‘If the level of commitment and loyalty that you have demonstrated over the year is anything to go by, then I am sure that we shall be successful in the conduct of our duties in the coming year as well,’ he said.

Major General Oppong-Peprah noted that a lot would be expected of the Army in 2024 in the area of Internal Security Operations such as the Operation HALT II, to stop illegal miners, who were degrading the environment in many parts of the country.

He commended the military leadership for the commitment shown towards the spiritual welfare of all ranks through the conduct of Non-Denominational Religious Services and weekly Padre Hours.

He admonished them to stay strong in their respective religious faith, love their neighbour, trust and obey all leaders, and hold their friends close and stand up for loved ones.

Brigadier General Samuel Yeboah Asare, the General Officer Commanding of the Headquarters Southern Com
mand, urged the command to continue to be disciplined and fearless in the discharge of all duties.

‘Avoid illegal one-man operations, and other activities and habits that will land you in trouble.

‘I also charge you all to join in the crusade to strengthen civil-military cooperation and to foster better relations with other sister security agencies.’ he added.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Central Business District of Takoradi is geared up for this

year’s Yuletide as traders begin to occupy every space, including sidewalks, with their

goods.

Along the streets, one could easily tell that the metropolis was ready for the yuletide.

Shoes, red hats, toys and different shapes and sizes of hampers, drinks, biscuits, wrappers,

and firecrackers among other things were on display.

A visit by the Ghana News Agency to the Takoradi Mall and some big shops in the area saw

enthusiastic crowd doing some shopping ahead of the festive season.

The GNA also observed some prices of goods were discounted to get more customers to

purchase.

Some shops too were giving out gifts to customers to show appreciation to them for their

service and loyalty throughout the year.

Some traders told the GNA that though people were not trooping in large numbers to shop,

they hoped the atmosphere would change by the weekend.

Madam Elizabeth Opare, a gift shop owner, said business had not been good as expected,

esp
ecially for this year’s Christmas.

‘Few people had placed orders of different kinds of gifts for loved ones, we hope for a good

turnout,’ she said.

‘I also think because parents and guardians are enrolling their wards in various senior high

schools, we are not getting the numbers expected to patronise our goods.’

Madam Abigail Adjei, a boutique shop owner, urged customers and the public to be on

guard, especially when buying online.

‘Certain individuals will use this festive season to scam people, thus the public should

beware of online marketing fraudsters’ she said.

Some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) had also seized the opportunity to organise

health screening for people ahead of the festive season to aid in a healthy celebration.

Christmas is celebrated across the world to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ and

served as a period of reunion for most families across the world.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Tarkwa Circuit Court has remanded a front desk officer of Access bank, Tarkwa branch, for dishonestly appropriating a cash sum of GH?9,190.57 belonging to a customer of the bank.

Edmond Nashiru, 30, in his statement to the police, said he needed money to organise a church programme, hence he resorted to the criminal act to raise funds.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and his lawyer, Mr Bright Baiden, prayed the court, presided over by Mrs Hathie Ama Manu, to grant his client bail but that was declined, and the case adjourned to December 28, 2023.

The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Joseph Lartey, said the complaint was made by the management of Access Bank, Tarkwa branch, and Nashiru was the first point of call for customers who visited the bank with issues to be addressed.

He said on November 22, 2023, management of the bank reported to the police that, Daniel Atigah, a witness and customer, lodged a complainant that a total amount of GH? 9,190.57 had been withdrawn from his account.

Accor
ding to prosecution, management quickly activated an audit management team to investigate the issue and report their findings.

The team’s report indicated that Nashiru was responsible for the withdrawal so a formal complaint was lodged with the police and he was arrested to assist in investigations.

The prosecutor said on July 3, 2023, while Nashiru was on duty, Atigah went to the banking hall and complained of an error with his Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, and he directed him to fill a form requesting for a new card without his knowledge.

The problem persisted and Atigah went back to the bank for it to be rectified but Nashiru was not on duty and a different staff issued another ATM card to him, the prosecutor said.

He said Nashiru took custody of the other ATM card, which he intentionally assisted Atigah to apply for and was using it to make withdrawals from his account.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU) Ghana has urged the government to take quick and needful measures to reverse the economic conundrum currently plaguing the country and bring the requisite economic relief to the people.

Mr Morgan Ayawine, the General Secretary, commended the government for taking steps to bailout certain distressed State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), especially, the National Investment Bank upon appeal by the Union.

It is to empower them to play their traditional roles in the economic scheme of Ghana to help grow and develop the national economy.

The General-Secretary in his Christmas and New Year message said the year 2023 had been fraught with dire economic vagaries ranging from hyperinflation to high lending rate engendering economic downturn in the country.

He said it adversely affected the real income of workers and drastically reduced workers’ purchasing power and this situation had left both workers and the citizenry in a social and economic quagmire.

‘Admittedly, the
economic downtown and its negative ramifications on businesses has caused attrition in sustainable employment and hampered new job creation thus exacerbating the already precarious unemployment situation and increasing the dependency rate and poverty levels in the country,’ he added.

He expressed appreciation to the social partners for their unreserved gratitude to the good Employers for their understanding and effective collaboration with the union for sustainable employment which brought about increased productivity and business profitability for economic progress.

He cautioned other employers, who were bent on pushing their agenda of outsourcing and casualization of jobs to destroy sustainable employment and amass abnormal profits thus jeopardizing the future financial security of workers to mend their ways and conform to the labour laws.

He urged gallant workers who were the pivot of the growth and development of the national economy, to press on and work harder in their efforts despite the current vic
issitudes of the economy until ‘we win the war over factors militating against full recovery of businesses and economic prosperity of the Ghanaian workforce.’
Source: Ghana News Agency

The European Union (EU) has committed EUR 32 million to boost vaccine production in Ghana under the Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies in Africa Initiative (MAV+).

The MAV+ is a global initiative backed by the EUR 1 million from the EU budget and the European Investment Bank to help create an enabling environment for local vaccines manufacturing in Africa.

Mr Irchad Razaaly, Ambassador of the European Union to Ghana, who was speaking at an event held in Accra to announce the support, said the funds would tackle barriers on both vaccine supply and demand.

He said the MAV+ existed because the EU acknowledged the complexity and urgent needs of the vaccine manufacturing sector.

‘A country that aspires to become a vaccine-manufacturing hub needs a 360-degree approach that is aimed at establishing a thriving ecosystem for the production of vaccine and drugs,’ he said.

In April this year, the EU through the European Investment Bank (EIB), provided five million as seed grant
funding to the vaccine -manufacturing unit at DEK vaccine limited.

Mr Razaaly said the EU also joined the German Development Corporation in a project aimed at upgrading the vaccine licensing capacity of Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

Vaccine licensing, he said, was crucial to ensuring that vaccines made in Ghana met the quality standards that would see them gaining access to regional and global markets.

He said about weeks ago, the GAVI Board approved the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, a financing instrument that would make up to USD 1 billion available support for sustainable vaccine manufacturing.

He said with the above support and others from for the EU and development partners, Ghana was well positioned to access the resources needed to continue its ambitious vaccine manufacturing agenda.

Mr Razaaly said the EU looked forward to supporting Ghana to develop a national vaccine policy to help lay down conditions for the government’s take-off of domestically produced vaccines.

Dr An
thony Nsiah-Asare, Presidential Advisor on Health, said the government was working tirelessly to ensure that Ghana became a vaccine manufacturing hub.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Chief and Council of Elders of Dodowa have installed Mr Randy Grebe, the longest-serving Director of Logos Ships Company, as a Development Chief of Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region.

Mr Grebe, whose stool name is Nene Ayertey Wasu, has been tasked to ensure the development of education in the community.

The new Chief is expected to equip Ghanata Senior High School with library books and computers.

Okukrubuor Nene Teye Kwesi Agyemang V, the Chief of Dodowa, said that beyond education, the Development Chief would assume a crucial role in ‘safeguarding the welfare of our esteemed King and overseeing various aspects of community development’.

The title Wasu, the Chief stressed, symbolised a collective journey towards progress, a sentiment that resonated deeply with the collaborative spirit that defined the community.

‘In his role, he embodied the spirit of togetherness, ensuring that no one is left behind on the path to advancement.

‘The ceremony should not be seen as a recognition of a title but as th
e investiture of a leader committed to steering our community towards a brighter and more harmonious future,’ he said.

Nene Wasu in his response, thanked the Chief and the Council of Elders of Dodowa for the honour and pledged his unflinching support to develop the community.

He asked the people to assist him in initiating more developmental projects and promote unity among the people in the area.

Reverend Dr Lawrence Tetteh, Founder, Worldwide Miracle Outreach, urged the diaspora to come home and help in the development of communities.

‘I want to plead with those of us who believe God has blessed us in diverse ways to use our resources to develop our communities.

‘This is how we can build the generation behind us since there are a lot of people looking up to us to help develop the community,’ he said.

The Logos Hope Ships Company is part of OM International and has been in existence for over 60 years with five vessels, sharing knowledge, help and hope across the world.
Source: Ghana News Agency