Day: December 29, 2023

The Tarkwa circuit court has sentenced a shop attendant to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a 13 year-old girl at Efuanta in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.

Eric Okyere, 24, now convict was found guilty on charge of defilement after trial by the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu.

Prosecution led by Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, said the complainant was a food vendor and an aunt to the victim, resided at Efuanta with Okyere.

She said during the early part of this year, the complainant was at her food joint working when she sent the victim to pick something from the house for her.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said while, on the way Okyere met the victim and engaged her in a conversation asked her if she had a boyfriend and victim told him she had none.

Prosecution said Okyere then started making sexual advances towards the victim and in August 2023, while the victim and the aunt were at the shop busily going about the day’s work, Okyere came around, and called the
victim without the aunt spotting him.

According to the prosecution, Okyere lured the victim to an uncompleted building nearby and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her.

The convict, who was not satisfied with the sexual advances took the victim to his house twice and had sex with her.

On November 7, this year, the complainant noticed the victim’s attitude had changed, suspected she was pregnant, questioned her, but she mentioned Okyere as the one who had been having sexual intercourse with her.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said on November 30, complainant took the victim to the Western Central Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service where a medical report form was issued to the complainant on behalf of the victim to seek medical care for her.

The prosecutor said after examination, the complainant returned the medical report endorsed by a medical officer at the Apinto Government hospital and Okyere was picked.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Freda Prempeh, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources has called on the staff of the Ministry to reaffirm their pledge to provide better sanitation and water resources for Ghanaians.

She said: ‘As we stand on the threshold of a new year, let us reaffirm our unwavering dedication to our cause. Let us renew our pledge to serve our communities with even greater zeal, to redouble our efforts in ensuring that every individual in Ghana has access to clean water and improved sanitation facilities.’

Dr Prempeh made the call at a staff durbar held at the forecourt of the Ministry in Accra.

She urged the staff to embrace the challenges ahead with enthusiasm; and that their collective efforts would pave the way for a healthier and sustainable future for all.

She said throughout the year the Ministry has navigated complexities, devised innovative strategies, and timelessly worked towards enhancing the accessibility and quality of water resources while championing the cause for improved sanitation across the n
ation.

‘It’s been a year marked by perseverance, resilience, and remarkable achievements and to the hardworking and committed staff of the Ministry, I extend my deepest appreciation. Your dedication, unwavering commitment, and steadfast efforts have been the cornerstone of our success.

‘Your passion for service and tireless endeavours have not gone unnoticed, and I commend each one of you for your invaluable contributions,’ the Minister acknowledged.

Dr Prempeh expressed gratitude to the media for highlighting the Ministry’s endeavours, which had been instrumental in garnering support and raising awareness about the critical importance of sanitation and water resources.

‘Your continued support in disseminating our progress will undoubtedly inspire more to join hands in our shared mission. As we embrace the dawn of a new year, let us carry forward the lessons learnt, the achievements attained, and the challenges overcome.

‘Let our collective resolve be undeterred, and let us march ahead with renewed vigou
r, knowing that our commitment to this cause will shape a healthier, more prosperous future for our nation.

‘And in conclusion, I wish each one of you a joyous festive season filled with hope, unity, and an unwavering spirit to continue our noble work. Together, let us forge ahead, making a meaningful difference in the lives of our fellow citizens.’
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Chartered Institute of Taxation Ghana (CITG) is mandated under the Chartered Institute of Taxation Act, 2016 (Act 916) to promote the study of taxation and regulate the practice of taxation in Ghana.

As part of its mandate, it recently educated members of the major professional accounting bodies in Ghana on issues of withholding taxes and the theme was ‘Navigating the Nuances of Withholding Taxes in Ghana.’

The event, the first of such a collaborative programme brought together professionals from the CITG, the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

The participation of the 1,195 professionals was part of CITG’s commitment to tax education and knowledge sharing to promote professional development and inform taxpayers and the public towards improved voluntary tax compliance, where collaboration, particularly in the area of withholding taxes was emphasized

Education

Dr. Isa
ac Nyame, Managing Partner of Ikern and Associates, who was the lead presenter for the webinar, explained withholding tax as a form of tax imposed on income at source.

He provided changes in withholding taxes and other related obligations, including changes in the Income Tax Amendment Act 2023 (Act 1094) whose purpose was to add an additional tax bracket of 35% for persons earning income exceeding GHC 600,000 per annum, impose a tax of 25% for non-resident persons, impose a withholding tax on the realisation of assets at 3% and 10% for residents and non-residents, respectively, and introduce a requirement to file returns on the realisation of assets and liabilities.

Other changes, Dr. Nyame listed included the increase in the withholding tax on bet winnings from 5% to 10%, imposition of 20% on the gross revenue of betting or gaming companies, increase in the income tax rate from concessions from 1% to 5%, increase in the elective tax rate of gifts and gains from from 15% to 20% and changes in the treatmen
t of unbeliever losses for period of 5 years.

He also talked about the imposition of income tax on persons declaring losses for five consecutive years (which tax calculated on 5% of the person’s turnover), changes in the treatment of exchange losses and changes in determining control in relation to related parties, and the reduction in the withholding tax on unprocessed minerals from 3% to 1.5%.

Challenges

Dr. Nyame highlighted certain challenges withholding agents encounter in performing their obligations, including withholding tax as a resident entity for goods, services, or works supplied by a non-resident entity, the impracticality of withholding tax from individuals and entities in the informal sector, and the bulking of transactions beyond the maximum threshold of GHC 2,000 during a tax audit.

In addition, he observed that the net fee requirements for resident or non-resident persons as opposed to the grossing up of the same and the obtaining of TCC from the tax payer portal, where outstanding issue
s were not considered during migration could be other potent challenges.

On per diems, Dr. Nyame advised tax payers to satisfy themselves about whether the per diems paid were strictly for the purposes of conducting the business of the taxpayer and could be accounted for. Besides that, he revealed, they were to be treated as allowances with the relevant taxes applied.

Excessive Liabilities

Dr. Martin Kolbil Yamborigya, Head of Audit at the Ghana Revenue Authority, advised withholding tax agents to arrange the tax affairs of their businesses properly in order not to incur excessive liabilities arising from tax audits, adding that withholding taxes were one of the most important revenue sources for the government, hence the need for taxpayers to comply.

‘Once the law says that you must withhold, you should be able to arrange your tax affairs in a way that you can pay. It is important that withholding agents do not put themselves in positions where they avoid tax only for them to be penalised during tax audi
ts,’ he said.

Dr. Yambomgyari explained that direct payments via online channels to non-residents for certain services, e.g., software licences, the withholding agent may need to gross up the actual amount paid to the vendor and bear the withholding tax expenses.

However, he said that may pose another challenge by reducing the chargeable income of the withholding agent.

He said taxpayers must inform their non-resident vendors that the contract they were entering into demanded an amount deducted as withholding tax to be paid to local revenue authorities.

For transactions with the informal sector, Dr. Yamborigya stated that although there was a limitation in how the GRA was resolving this issue, he encouraged withholding agents not to abuse the system by conducting business only with those in the informal sector.

He said those in the informal sector will be roped into the tax bracket using their TIN, and there will be little room for tax avoidance.

Mr. George Ohene Kwatia, President, CITG, noted that desp
ite the significant influence withholding taxes had on the revenue of the government, it was one of the trickiest yet overlooked areas by taxpayers, adding that it had a considerable impact on cash flows and profitability for taxpayers, which ultimately affects the net or disposable incomes of entities and individuals.

‘Today we convene not only to acknowledge the complexities associated with withholding taxes but also to investigate them together. Failing to withhold taxes carries weighty consequences, such as penalties and interest charges by the GRA,’ Mr Kwatia said.

Madam Sena Dake, President of ICAG, stated that the webinar fit into ICAG’s financial literacy programmes, which sought to enrich more professionals with learning and create more opportunities to share insights and exchange ideas.

In urging taxpayers to keep accurate records as the first step in navigating the withholding tax landscape, she said ‘our records are sometimes the problem we have. Records for income expenses and deductions are t
hose that, when we are not doing them well, can bring us the penalties and sanctions that come along with taxation.

Mary Kwarteng Darko, Associate Director of Tax Services at PwC Ghana, called on organisations including NGOs, to prepare themselves for tax audits and ensure that all adequate documentations were organised prior to the audit.

‘Ensure there are sufficient explanations and resolutions for all issues raised during the draft stage of the tax audit and not wait after the audit when an assessment is given. Once an assessment is issued, there are strict rules to be followed before a resolution can even start,’ she said.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Some African scientists, and experts in biosafety and the seed industry say, the Africa’s goal of achieving zero hunger by 2030 will not be feasible if farmers do not have access to quality seeds for farming.

They argued that farmers faced many challenges with farm inputs coupled with negative climate change greatly affecting them and threatening food security, and seed production was no exception.

‘For us to put food on the table, it starts with the seed production and there is the need for us to focus on seed production to ensure that farmers get the quality of seeds they need for quality food production.’

Speaking the three-day consultative meeting on seeds systems regulatory support in Nairobi, Kenya, participants agreed that farmers in Africa needed quality seeds that could withstand droughts and fight pests.

The meeting, organized by the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) was aimed at engaging stakeholders to identify gaps and opportunities within national and regional seed systems
towards ensuring functional seed regulatory systems that would enable access to approved biotech seeds.

Participants made up of biosafety experts, communication experts, seed experts, legal practitioners and agriculture specialists from Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, Zambia, and Nigeria.

The meeting also discussed elements of instruments that would facilitate the conduct of a landscape assessment of seed sector actors and role, outlined a complementary implementation approach with the Africa Seed and Biotechnology Partnership Programme (ASBPP) as well as foster new strategic linkages with new partners and institutions.

Participants deliberated on planned knowledge-based advisory support and technical advice from AUDA-NEPAD in 2024, including communication support, that would enable African countries to benchmark their policies, regulatory, and investment frameworks, and in alignment with the AU Agenda 2063.

Mr Sam Timpo head of the AUDA-NEPAD/ABNE said there were multiple seed systems with unique strengths and lim
itations, which included farmers own savings, local seed supplier, national and international seed companies and there was the need to give greater attention to the often overlooked or marginalized political economy factors that hindered progress in the seed industry.

‘The seed interventions must cover the broad spectrum of the seed value chain,’ he added.

He expressed the concern of the gap of capacity building in the areas of outreach and communication and called for the need to address them to cover agri-industry, market trade, farmers economic growth, food security, improved nutrition, research, and development as well as technology and biosafety.

Mr Timpo explained that for the communication gap to be identified, science technology and innovation required an advance global agricultural sustainability goal and transform society.

Dr Clement Ajorlolo, Principal Programme Officer, Africa Union Commission of AUDA-NEPAD who took participants through African Seed and Biotechnology Program 10 year’s Action p
lan noted that it was important that issues with seed were tackled to address food security issues on the continent.’

Dr Adjorlolo explained that the draft plan, which started in 2020 and expected to end in 2030, had not been able to achieve much and called on stakeholders to speed up efforts and ensure that implementation of agreed regulatory framework were achieved by the targeted date.

According to the framework, all the concerned legal frameworks would have been harmonized with the Regional Economic Communities and aligned to the continental integration vision by 2030

Dr Adjorlolo said guidelines for the domestication of seeds have been developed, benchmarking tools and indicators have developed, regional/continental level biosafety risk assessment mechanism have already been established.

Among other things he said by 2030, there should have Increased youth and women participation in the seed sector as indicated in the action plan, reports on increased women and youth participation and benefits.

Dr A
djorlolo said the action plan required that countries prepared national seed compendiums, and review and verify compendium information to support establishment of integrated policies for seed system development, including germplasm conservation, characterization, utilization and improvement, application of biotechnologies, variety release and seed production and distribution.

The Action plan also required the establishment of a policy and regulatory framework to facilitate the establishment of small seed enterprises and called for the need enhance communication to for public education and flow of information pertaining to the seed industry in the continent.

The meeting discussed elements of instruments that would facilitate the conduct of a landscape assessment of seed sector actors and role, outlined a complementary implementation approach with the Africa Seed and Biotechnology Partnership Programme (ASBPP) and foster new strategic linkages with new partners and institutions.

Additionally, the meeting dis
cussed planned knowledge-based advisory support and technical advice from AUDA-NEPAD in 2024, including communication support, to enable African countries to benchmark their policies, regulatory, and investment frameworks, and in alignment with the AU Agenda 2063.
Source: Ghana News Agency

At about 11:45 hours late Monday morning in November 2021, when 14-year-old Fuseini (pseudo name) a Junior High School pupil got knocked down by a motorbike on the Bawku highway in the Bawku Township.

The accident led to a fracture of his leg and arm. It has been more than two years, and the fractures are not completely healed.

‘Although I can walk and use my hand to help myself, it still hurts me especially when I engage in tedious work. I went through pains at the initial stages, but after we sought local treatment, it became better,’ he narrated his ordeal to the Ghana News Agency.

Fuseini and his mates of a school located in the Bawku Township (name withheld) on that faithful day had to abandon their academic work and seek shelter due to sporadic gunshots that were heard from the Township.

‘Our teachers asked us to go home and stay indoors because it was not safe and so I was running and did not check well when I was crossing the road and the motorbike knocked me down, but he was able to help me to m
y house.

‘We couldn’t go to the hospital because there were gunshots around that area, so the best was to go home,’ he lamented.

Initially, the cause of the fight was unknown, but later that day, it was revealed that it was the renewed chieftaincy conflict that involved two tribal factions that had re-emerged.

Fuseini and his friends’ school and many basic schools within the Bawku Municipality were closed for several weeks and months to ensure safety of children and their teachers after the shooting incident and since then, Fuseini and colleague school mates remained at home without school.

Abdulai (not real name), father of Fuseini, told the GNA that due to their inability to afford a better school outside Bawku Township, his son has been in the house since 2021 and it was a source of worry to him.

‘Some of his colleagues whose parents have money have taken their children to schools outside Bawku and some have even taken their children to Bolgatanga, and some have even relocated with their children to B
olgatanga.

‘There is need to end this conflict because our children cannot go to school, the schools are always closed for several weeks and months whenever the clashes and gun shots start and all the time there is shooting in the Township.

‘The teachers are running away, and we cannot even visit the hospital without having the fear that you could be shot and killed,’ he lamented.

The story of Fuseini is not different from that of Mary (not real name), a 13-year-old girl also from Bawku Municipality who is currently schooling in one of the basic schools in Bolgatanga whom due to the conflict she and her mother were compelled to relocate from their house in Bawku to Bolgatanga because the only provision shop, her mother was depending on to cater for the family was burnt down in one of the numerous renewed clashes in 2022.

‘I am not educated, and I can’t afford to let my child miss out of school, that was why I took her and ran to Bolgatanga so that I can hustle and take care of her since her father died a
few years ago through a stray bullet in one of the clashes,’. Comfort, mother of Mary shed tears while narrating her ordeal to the GNA.

The plights of Fuseini and Mary are not isolated cases but the reality of thousands of children of school going age bearing brunt of the Bawku chieftaincy conflict.

BAWKU CONFLICT

The Bawku chieftaincy dispute is a communal conflict over the Bawku Chieftaincy institution and the issue has spanned several decades.

There was relative peace for some time, but the protracted conflict re-emerged in November 2021 leading to at least,200 people dying in the renewed Bawku conflict from November 2021 to August 2023.

Checks by the GNA revealed that daily, gunshots are heard, many lives were lost, and many maimed with many cases went unreported.

The phenomenon has adversely affected every sector of the local economy in the area, neighboring districts, and the region.

For instance, the Ghana Health Service revealed earlier this year that 27 pregnant women lost their lives in the B
awku Municipality between 2021 and 2022 due to their inability to access the health facilities because of the conflict.

Educational sector has been affected and specifically basic education in the area where schools were closed several times and when they were even in operation, many parents were still skeptical about sending their children to school for fear of the conflict.

Checks also revealed many students had also rejected posting to the three second cycle institutions in the Municipality that included Bawku Senior High, and Bawku Technical School.

Teachers and transfers

Checks by the GNA showed that between 2021 and 2023, 246 teachers sought transfer to leave the Municipality due to the conflict and the situation was affecting education in the area.

In an interview with Mr Azeriya Ayeriga, Bawku Municipal Director, Ghana Education Service, the Bawku chieftaincy conflict has not only disrupted management and supervision of schools but has also denied children’s access to their preferred schools.

Mr
Ayeriga said ‘sometimes it is difficult to deny teachers transfer requests because of the current situation, some can be posted to the area and within one year he or she is looking for transfer and you will go to a school and only one or two teachers will be there.

‘Our plea is that the factions involved, stakeholders and all those who can bring peace should come together and resolve the conflict for everybody to work because it is not good for the future of our children,’ he stressed.

Madam Ivy Betur Naaso, the Upper East Regional Chairperson of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), indicated that more than 100 teachers who were their members had left the Municipality due to the recurrent conflict which threatened their lives.

‘Our main aim is to seek welfare of our members and if I have to give education which is the right of everyone and I have to stay until I lose my life, then it is not worth it,’ she lamented.

SDG four

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), globally,
over 27 million children (about the population of Texas) of primary and lower secondary school age are out of school in conflict zones.

The UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency and UNICEF recently revealed that more than 13,200 schools in eight African countries had been closed because of insecurity, affecting the education of at least 2.5 million children.

In Ghana, the Ghana Statistical Service revealed that more than 1.2 million children are out of school, conflicts especially chieftaincy in many parts of Northern Ghana particularly Bawku had significant impact on the education of these children.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly goal four puts emphasis on access to equal and quality education for all by 2030.

The achievement of SDG four will have a significant impact in building the needed human resources to propel attainment of the rest of 16 goals of the SDGs.

However, it is barely seven years left to the deadline, children in conflict prone areas particularly
those in Bawku are being left behind due to the conflict.

CALL FOR PEACE AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Mr Stephen Yakubu, Upper East Regional Minister and Chairperson of the Regional Security Council, noted that apart from the conflict compelling many teachers and health workers to leave the area and scaring investors away from the region, the conflict had made the place vulnerable to threats of terrorism.

He said REGSEC was ready to support any intervention to help resolve conflicts in the region particularly the protracted Bawku chieftaincy conflict to propel sustainable development.

Mr Ali Anankpieng, Executive Secretary of the Upper East Regional Peace Council, noted that if nothing drastic was done to resolve the Bawku conflict several sectors including healthcare, education, agriculture, and economic ventures would collapse.

He said the entrenched positions of the factions involved in the conflict had been the bane to resolving the conflict and called for synergies to help soften the stance of the parties.

‘What has always worked is when the parties engage so that they understand each other better and take the right steps to close the gaps between them, so we encourage all parties involved and those affected to dialogue to find lasting solution,’ he said.

Dr Joseph Bangu, Director of Good Governance, Justice, and Peace, of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Organisation (NABOCADO), one of the faith-based organisations focused on peace building identified lack of succession plans as one of the major causes of chieftaincy disputes particularly in Northern Ghana.

He said the chieftaincy institution was a noble and significant part of governance system and it was imperative for all Paramountcies to develop strategic documented succession plans to help chart path of succession.

‘The lack of succession plans has really created problems for us, and we believe if Paramountcies are able to have well documented succession plans it will help to resolve the numerous chieftaincy conflicts experienced i
n recent times,’ he added.

CONCLUSION

Resolving the Bawku conflict would require collective and strong commitment from multiple stakeholders including government, traditional rulers, peace building organisations and the factions involved in the conflict, among others.

While there is the need for the factions to reconsider their stance on the Bawku chieftaincy institution, there is the urgent need for the constitution of eminent chiefs to intervene as in the case of Dagbon chieftaincy dispute.

The future of school children in the Bawku Municipality and its environs will continue to be in jeopardy and hindrance to the attainment of the SDGs particularly goal four will only be a mirage if the conflict that has turned the once business town into scary environment is not resolved.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Prince Nsoh, the Board of Director of the Feed the Hungry in Your Community, a non-governmental organisation has promised the people of Ayensuano District in the Eastern of the establishment of a vocational centre for persons with disability.

He said preparation was underway to acquire some acres of land at Marfokrom and Kyekyewere in the District for the project.

Mr Nsoh made the pledge in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Nsawam after the NGO in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare, Community Development, and the Ghana Education Service organised a Christmas party for the people.

It was dubbed: ‘HOPE On a Plate: Reach Out Communities – 2023.’

The event drew thousands of people including people living with disabilities, the aged and children from Nsawam Central, Adoagyiri, Ahodwo, Otukwadjo, Fotobi, Buokrom, Kofisa, Nkyenekyene Amanfro, Djankrom, Sekyikrom, Osae Djan Darkokrom, Akwamu Dobro (Nsumia), Prisons, Panpaso, Akufokrom, Kwakyekrom, among others.

Mr Michael Boahene, t
he Project Manager of the Feed The Hungry In Your Community said when the vocational centre project was completed it would offer several skills trainings to persons with developmental challenges to prevent them from begging on the streets.

Mr Patrick Oppong, the Director of the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal Social Welfare commended the NGO for organising the programme to refresh the poor and vulnerable in the area.

He said the organisation’s plan of establishing a vocational centre was laudable and called on the government and other NGOs to support the initiative.

Feed The Hungry In Your Community is a non-profit organisation established on December 25, 2021, by Madam Angela Adobea Parry to empower the neglected ones in communities and eliminate hunger by emphasizing Sustainable Development Goal ‘2’.

It was also to improve the health of people living with developmental disabilities in communities by providing them with good nutritional meals, behavioural services, special education and activities, empowermen
t programmes and residential services.
Source: Ghana News Agency