Day: January 26, 2024

Accra: The military rulers of Mali have ended a major peace deal with Tuareg separatist rebels in the north of the country, government spokesperson Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga said in a televised statement on Thursday.

Maiga said the government ‘notes the complete impossibility of the deal… and in consequence announces its end, with immediate effect.’

Rebels, grouped under the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), had already accused the government in Bamako of ‘abandonment’ of the peace deal in July 2022.

The 2015 Algiers Accord brought stability to the north of the country as jihadist violence was on the rise. The military took control of Mali following two coups in 2020 and 2021.

The Algiers Accord was signed in 2015 with support from the UN. It had been considered an essential agreement to maintaining stability in the region that has seen a flare-up of jihadist violence since 2012.

The agreement aimed to see ex-rebels integrated into the national army and allowed for more autonomy for the various regio
ns.

Mali’s junta blamed a ‘change in posture of certain signatory groups’ as well as ‘acts of hostility’ from Algeria, the peace deal’s main mediator.

Tensions have been increasing between Mali and Algeria, with the former accusing the latter of ‘interference’ and ‘unfriendly acts.’

Mali’s government summoned the Algerian ambassador in December last year, saying that the diplomat had held meetings with the Tuareg separatists.

There were already signs of the deal coming apart when fighting broke out between Mali’s military and the separatists in August last year.

The West African country has undergone two coups since 2020, leading to military rule and a fallout with Western powers that had been present in Mali as part of a counterinsurgency operation.

The junta ordered UN peacekeeping troops to leave the country, as well as French troops who had been fighting insurgents in the north of Mali.

Their departure has been seen as an instigator for the upsurge in violence as both the government and separatist
groups raced to fill up the vacuum.

Algeria on Friday expressed ‘many regrets and deep concern’ after neighbouring Mali’s military rulers scrapped a 2015 peace deal with separatist groups that it had mediated.

‘Algeria has taken note, with many regrets and deep concern, of the Malian authorities ending the agreement for peace and reconciliation in Mali,’ the Algerian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms. Akua Aniniwa Owusu-Asamoah, the Head of Fiscal Decentration Unit of the Ministry of Finance, has encouraged budget analysts and officers in the various District Assemblies to help the Assemblies raise funds for programmes and projects.

‘Let not rely solely on the Building Operating Permit, property rates but let turn attention on modern and electronic revenue mobilization schemes like crowd funding, individual donations among others to build a better Ghana,’ she said.

The Head of the Fiscal Decentration Unit gave the advice at a two-day workshop for Budget Analysts and Officers, to remind them of the roles in budget control mechanisms and expenditure mainstreaming.

She said: ‘Ghana is now under a programme (IMF) and so we will not be able to do things as usual business, but the need for pragmatic approaches and innovative solutions to help the country get back on track economically in a more appreciable manner’.

The Budget Analysts and Officers were drawn from Western and Western North Regions to pla
n for 2024 and how ethical, professional, efficient and responsiveness could help to cut fiscal excesses in the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

Ms Owusu-Asamoah described them as strategic Architect of the District Assembly and therefore, tasked to advise the Chief Executives on spending, proposed better strategies for procurement, identify new revenue items that could bring in more inflows and other potentials of the assemblies for growth.

She advised the officers to change their attitudes towards data collection and analysis, adding, ‘start the process early, co-create the budget with other sectors and departments within and out of the Assembly for effective deliverables.’

Mr Kirk Mensah, the Western Regional Director for the Controller and Accountant Department urged the Assemblies to prepare programme-based budget.

‘Be in tuned with policies and programmes of the day and frame your budget around that for effective implementation,’ he said.

Mr. Mensah also called on them to be abreast
with the Financial and legal framework among other public sector financial management briefs to help them stay on course in the execution of their mandate.

Mr. Daniel Ofosu-Adjei, the Western Regional Budget Analyst said the IMF programme coupled with other economic indicators behooved on such crucial staff of the assembly to ensure prudent resource allocation and usage for the betterment of all.

The Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko- Mensah, urged the District Assemblies to closely work with businesses for the common good of the populace.

He said the growth of the private sector will result in the growth of the local economy and the country at large.

He added: ‘This is the real thing for local economy development and the District Assemblies Concept.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Cape Coast: The Central Regional Office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has made significant subscriber enrolment registering 1,366,321 out of its target of 1,600,244 for 2023.

Representing 85.4 per cent of its target, the Authority is poised to go all out to achieve further strides in the years ahead.

‘For this great achievement, we are exceedingly grateful to the NHIA offices, across the Region.

‘They have worked hard together with our registration outreaches, NHIS App, and stakeholders support has brought us this far,’ Mr Fred Appiah, Regional Director told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Cape Coast.

Recounting the districts’ contributions, he said the Assin North District recorded the highest number of registrants, scoring 94 per cent target of 110,975.00 whilst Gomoa came last, registering 74 per cent of its target of 140,000.

The Cape Coast Metro emerged as the Best Performing Scheme regarding the key performance indicators (KPIs).

Mr Appiah identified the issue of illegal payment
s by some health providers from their subscribers as a major challenge affecting their operations.

However, the NHIA would soon begin what it called ‘the pulpit approach’ of assigning staff to some health facilities in the Region to address such concerns.

It will also strictly monitor health institutions on such misdeeds and accordingly sanction where appropriate to deter others.

To deal with that challenge, again, Mr Appiah disclosed that some health facilities have received sanction letters from the Authority for engaging in illegal payments with the aim of sanitizing the system.

‘The Authority will intensify monitoring, clinical audit, and compliance to ensure some debts could be avoided in the years ahead.

‘Some fund deductions will be affected from claims of some facilities after clinical audits are conducted in 2023,’ he said.

Mr Appiah pledged the Authority’s commitment to work harder with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the 2024 targets were achieved.

Equally, he urged all to enrol using th
e *929# and MYNHIS App to help boost membership for quality healthcare services towards achieving universal health coverage.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Benjamin Essilfie, General Manager of the Emmanuel Co-operative Credit Union, has expressed optimistic of the Union meeting its 2024 financial target to ensure economic transformation.

He said the Union had met all indicators which would facilitate sterling performance in 2024 in the areas of savings, deposits, payment of dividends and others to enhance its operations.

Mr Essilfie gave the assurance when he addressed customers, shareholders, board of directors, management, and staff of the Union at Agona Swedru in the Central Region.

He said the last year performance of the Union was superb as far as financial transactions were concerned and that hundreds of customers, depositors and shareholders were able to meet their expectations.

The General Manager stated that the indices of the 2023 financial performance was excellent despite the worldwide economic crisis that confronted countries including Ghana and that through prudent management they were able to maximize profit.

‘The Union was able to pay e
ight per cent on shares and 10 per cent on deposits respectively to customers, and shareholders,’ he said.

Mr Essilfie said this year, the Union would spread its tentacles to open new branches in Ashanti and Eastern Regions as part of strategic plans to provide service opportunities to businessmen, and women.

He appealed to the people, especially market women and business operators in and around Agona West Municipality and beyond to join Emmanuel Co-operative Credit Union to access quality, and regular financial services.

Mr Essilfie expressed the hope that with maximum support of the dynamic board chaired by Mrs Mercy Asante, the Union has a brighter future in making giant strides in its operations, especially in 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Cape Coast: A man believed to be in his mid-20s has gruesomely decapitated his biological father, Mr Kwaku Manu, at Assin Akrofuom in the Assin South District of the Central Region.

A timely intervention by the Central North Regional Police Command patrol team, saved the suspect, Richard Manu, also known as ‘Azonto’ from being lynched by an angry youth in the area.

The suspect is presently receiving treatment at the St. Francis Xavier Hospital in Assin Fosu under police guard.

Some residents told the Ghana News Agency, that, the suspect earlier accused his father (deceased) of exchanging his destiny for his elder brother following a visit they made together to a spiritualist.

The situation, the aggrieved suspect believed, had aided his elder brother to become rich at his expense and he confronted his father amidst accusations.

The accusations, however, led to a serious altercation between father and son and the latter who was wielding a machete, subsequently inflicted it on his father, beheading him on t
he spot.

Meanwhile, the mother and niece of the suspect who attempted to intervene, also sustained cutlass wounds on their head and back.

The Police patrol team transported the injured people to the St. Francis Xavier Hospital at Assin Fosu.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms Cynthia Anima Boadu, the Bono Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has underscored the need for political tolerance and love among citizens as fundamental principles for nation-building.

She explained until citizens begin to embrace a sense of belongingness and eradicate greed and selfishness, which had been major contributors to corruption and hindered the country’s progress, holistic development would be limited.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani on the NCCE’s theme for 2024, ‘Together We Can Build Ghana, So Get Involved,’ Ms Boadu emphasised nation-building was not the responsibility of one person or a selected few, but rather a collective effort that required the active participation of every citizen.

She stressed every country aspired to achieve prosperity, characterised by robust economic growth, attractive governance and a peaceful environment that fostered economic activities, asserting those objectives could only be accomplished if citize
ns fulfilled their civic responsibilities.

Ms Boadu stressed citizens without positions had crucial roles to play in the governance of the country because they granted authority to the elected few to manage the affairs of the nation.

She questioned whether, ‘we are actively ensuring that this authority and power, vested in a select few is being utilised for the benefit of all citizens.’

Ms Boadu urged citizens to take responsibility for their actions and abide by the law, emphasising that ‘if people are bold enough to break the law, they should also be prepared to face the consequences and allow the legal system to deal with them.’

She noted that was an aspect of citizenship that the populace often neglected, indicating that to build a developed country, all citizens must fulfil their responsibilities of all forms regardless of their positions and circumstances.

Ms Boadu concluded that developed countries demonstrated a strong determination to build and progress, saying unless citizens were fully committ
ed to the task of building the country, the needed level of development would not be achieved.

 

Source: Ghana News Agency