Day: April 20, 2024

The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has organised a farewell ceremony for Alhaji Iddrisu Iddisah Seidu, the out-going Commissioner of the Customs Division. The ceremony brought together heads of sister security agencies, staff, and families of Alhaji Seidu to witness the colourful ceremony. The outgoing Commissioner inspected the guard of honour paraded by the Customs Division personnel. Dr Stephen Amoah, Deputy Minister of Finance, commended Alhaji Seidu for his remarkable contribution and exemplary leadership to the nation over the past three decades. The Customs Divisions, under the tenure of the outgoing Commissioner, the Deputy Minister said witnessed improvement through innovation and technology. The division, he stressed, saw advancements in trade facilitation, travel, and economic growth. Dr Amoah said the ceremony did not only mark the end of his service to the nation but also the beginning of a new chapter due to his expertise in the sector. 'Your commitment to humanity, integ rity, and dedication to public service issues are well appreciated, and we hope to sustain the partnership for a prosperous nation,' he said. The Deputy Minister was optimistic that the Customs Division would improve the gains made by the outgoing Commissioner and have a positive impact on security and revenue mobilisation. Alhaji Seidu, in his remarks, thanked the government and management of the Authority for the confidence they reposed in him, saying, 'It was the greatest privilege to serve the nation.' 'My journey has been made possible by the support of my predecessors and colleagues, and I acknowledge the good relationships with other security agencies,' he said. Among his achievements, he stated, were the easy facilitation of goods at the ports, promoting cross-border cooperation, and designing a bachelor programme in Customs with the University of Cape Coast. He urged the in-coming Commissioner to ensure the completion and start of the programme to chart a new path of growth for the Customs Divis ion. Alhaji Seidu called on the government to facilitate financial clearance to employ staff in the Divison, adding that the Division needed about 5,000 personnel to function effectively. He charged the in-coming Commissioner to prioritise issues of promotion and welfare of the staff and called on them to support him in succeeding in his new job. Brigadier General Zibrim Bawah Ayorrogo, the Commissioner of Customs, thanked the government for the honour, and pledged to serve with integrity, dedication, and excellence. He pledged to embrace emerging technology and best practices to enhance the operations of the Customs Divisions. He pledged to operate an open door policy and allowed every staff member to express his or her ideas for the growth of the company. Ms Julie Essiam, the Commissioner-General, Ghana Revenue Authority, said the Customs Division during Alhaji Seidu's tenure enhanced operational efficiency and revenue mobilisation. 'Your legacy will serve as a testimony for others to follow. 'We ho pe to continue to foster collaboration across the government and industry stakeholders for improved growth,' she said. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Richard Kwame Sefe, the Member of Parliament of Anlo Constituency, is embarking on a project to construct some roads in the Agbledomi area to bring relief to the residents. The project, which covers about 1.8 kilometres, would connect six communities, including Agornume, Anyigbatsite, Dzefinu and Kolikogbor all within Agbledomi electoral area of the Anlo Constituency. According to reports, residents in the area, mostly vegetable farmers and fisherfolks, found it difficult to transport their products to nearby markets due to the lack of access roads linking their communities to the Anloga-Anyanui Highway. The challenge has led to heavy losses of farm produce. Mr Jasper Agbonlahor, the Assembly-member, narrating their plight to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, said they paid huge sums of money to potters to transport their products to the roadside. 'We are mainly farmers here, but we find it very difficult transporting farm inputs like manure and fertilisers to our farms, even after harvesting, we do no t have direct access to Anloga and Anyanui Market because there is no road, so the tomatoes, onion and other vegetables just rot on the farms,' he said. 'Another major problem is how to transport sick people and pregnant women in labour to the hospital, we suffer a lot, because motorbikes cannot pass through the sand…we are very grateful to the MP for coming to our aid.' According to the Member Parliament, the project, which involved clearing of the marked areas, laying of laterite and construction of drainage, costs about GHC80.000 without taxes. It started from Kolikogbor and expected to finish in few days to avert the plights of community members, he said. Mr Sefe, in an interview with the GNA, said the project was to enhance the welfare of his people. 'My working visits made me to discover a lot of these problems, and this is just one of those road projects I intend to embark on for my people, I made a pledge to my people to seek their welfare and that is what I'm doing, I feel fulfilled doing all th ese.' He hinted on other similar projects to be done, saying: 'After we are done here, my next project is to work on the Anyanui-Wededeanu Road as well as Woe Dziedzorve Road too.' Agbledomi-Dzita is one of the coastal electoral areas in the Anloga District, bothered by the sea, the Keta Lagoon and creeks, hence the major economic activities in the area are farming, fishing, mangrove plantations and trading. However, access to market have been the major concern of the people over years, making the MP's intervention a great relief. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Richard Kwame Sefe, the Member of Parliament of Anlo Constituency, is embarking on a project to construct some roads in the Agbledomi area to bring relief to the residents. The project, which covers about 1.8 kilometres, would connect six communities, including Agornume, Anyigbatsite, Dzefinu and Kolikogbor all within Agbledomi electoral area of the Anlo Constituency. According to reports, residents in the area, mostly vegetable farmers and fisherfolks, found it difficult to transport their products to nearby markets due to the lack of access roads linking their communities to the Anloga-Anyanui Highway. The challenge has led to heavy losses of farm produce. Mr Jasper Agbonlahor, the Assembly-member, narrating their plight to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, said they paid huge sums of money to potters to transport their products to the roadside. 'We are mainly farmers here, but we find it very difficult transporting farm inputs like manure and fertilisers to our farms, even after harvesting, we do no t have direct access to Anloga and Anyanui Market because there is no road, so the tomatoes, onion and other vegetables just rot on the farms,' he said. 'Another major problem is how to transport sick people and pregnant women in labour to the hospital, we suffer a lot, because motorbikes cannot pass through the sand…we are very grateful to the MP for coming to our aid.' According to the Member Parliament, the project, which involved clearing of the marked areas, laying of laterite and construction of drainage, costs about GHC80.000 without taxes. It started from Kolikogbor and expected to finish in few days to avert the plights of community members, he said. Mr Sefe, in an interview with the GNA, said the project was to enhance the welfare of his people. 'My working visits made me to discover a lot of these problems, and this is just one of those road projects I intend to embark on for my people, I made a pledge to my people to seek their welfare and that is what I'm doing, I feel fulfilled doing all th ese.' He hinted on other similar projects to be done, saying: 'After we are done here, my next project is to work on the Anyanui-Wededeanu Road as well as Woe Dziedzorve Road too.' Agbledomi-Dzita is one of the coastal electoral areas in the Anloga District, bothered by the sea, the Keta Lagoon and creeks, hence the major economic activities in the area are farming, fishing, mangrove plantations and trading. However, access to market have been the major concern of the people over years, making the MP's intervention a great relief. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Right Reverend Emmanuel Kwesi Ansah, the Bishop of the Sekondi Diocese of the Methodist Church, Ghana has queried if prosperity messages in some pulpits are the key enablers for the many corrupt practices in the country. He asked: 'Is our state of Corruption a result of the prosperity Gospel some of us pastors preach? 'You have to be rich, a child of God does not live in poverty, why should a Christian suffer and many others.' The bishop was speaking at the 63rd annual Synod of the Diocese at the Christ the King Methodist Church in Anaji under the theme: 'Discipleship: Growing into Christian Maturity.' He said the Christian or any individual could only become rich through right living, following good financial principles, and trusting God who is the source of all good and perfect things. ' So, keep the spiritual formula for financial growth and prosperity, 'he implored Bishop Ansah was worried that Ghana after 67 years of independence was still not economically empowered due to corrupt practices and has been tossed here and there by the waves of IMF and other international agencies to the extents of forcing the country to even legislate on doctrine against the country's cultural values. He said: 'Now even a Class One pupil wants to give a bribe to the teacher to allow him or her cheat in exams, school elections are now full of bribery acts of sharing pencils and gifts to win pupil's heart.' The bishop wondered that though there are many Christians in every sector of the economy from the high office of the presidency to the messenger at the MDAs, 'we have given up the training we went through and are adopting new strategies which don't conform to our moral and cultural values as Christians. The bishop admonished Christians not to be swayed away from the good teaching and doctrines they had been taught, but rather become so mature and stable in their faith that no one could lead them astray into doing things contrary to the word of God. He said, the church numerical strength was also becoming a subject of concern…. although communities around us keep growing, churches have all been in decline in recent times and called on believers to be agents of change, through Christ-like living to draw more and more people to Christ. On election 2024, the bishop called Christians to approach the process as matured individuals conducting themselves very well. 'Don't allow yourself to be used for any gain by any political party,' he advised, adding, 'learn to respect each other's views…remember that we are one body created in the image of God after his own likeness to live and love one another.' The 63rd Synod is also highlighting the massive contributions of Church members and the various coordinating offices for helping to build a successful year under review. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Right Reverend Emmanuel Kwesi Ansah, the Bishop of the Sekondi Diocese of the Methodist Church, Ghana has queried if prosperity messages in some pulpits are the key enablers for the many corrupt practices in the country. He asked: 'Is our state of Corruption a result of the prosperity Gospel some of us pastors preach? 'You have to be rich, a child of God does not live in poverty, why should a Christian suffer and many others.' The bishop was speaking at the 63rd annual Synod of the Diocese at the Christ the King Methodist Church in Anaji under the theme: 'Discipleship: Growing into Christian Maturity.' He said the Christian or any individual could only become rich through right living, following good financial principles, and trusting God who is the source of all good and perfect things. ' So, keep the spiritual formula for financial growth and prosperity, 'he implored Bishop Ansah was worried that Ghana after 67 years of independence was still not economically empowered due to corrupt practices and has been tossed here and there by the waves of IMF and other international agencies to the extents of forcing the country to even legislate on doctrine against the country's cultural values. He said: 'Now even a Class One pupil wants to give a bribe to the teacher to allow him or her cheat in exams, school elections are now full of bribery acts of sharing pencils and gifts to win pupil's heart.' The bishop wondered that though there are many Christians in every sector of the economy from the high office of the presidency to the messenger at the MDAs, 'we have given up the training we went through and are adopting new strategies which don't conform to our moral and cultural values as Christians. The bishop admonished Christians not to be swayed away from the good teaching and doctrines they had been taught, but rather become so mature and stable in their faith that no one could lead them astray into doing things contrary to the word of God. He said, the church numerical strength was also becoming a subject of concern…. although communities around us keep growing, churches have all been in decline in recent times and called on believers to be agents of change, through Christ-like living to draw more and more people to Christ. On election 2024, the bishop called Christians to approach the process as matured individuals conducting themselves very well. 'Don't allow yourself to be used for any gain by any political party,' he advised, adding, 'learn to respect each other's views…remember that we are one body created in the image of God after his own likeness to live and love one another.' The 63rd Synod is also highlighting the massive contributions of Church members and the various coordinating offices for helping to build a successful year under review. Source: Ghana News Agency