Category: General

Mr Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem, the Controller and Accountant General, has said any public sector worker without Ghana Card will risk losing his/her salary effective March 2024. This follows the launch of a software solution that integrated the databases of the Mechanised Payroll System of the Controller and Accountant General's Department (CAGD) and the National Identification Authority (NIA) for validation and verification of salaries of government workers. The measure is to help eliminate 'ghost names' from the government payroll and ensure only legitimate government employees are paid. It will also ensure transparency, efficiency and accountability in the utilisation of public funds. Vice President Bawumia launched the innovative system at the premises of the CAGD in Accra on Wednesday. The initiative was championed by the Office of the Vice President as part of the Government's digitalisation agenda, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, the CAGD and the NIA. The Vice President described the c eremony to unveil the System as historic and a major landmark event, noting that, the government had been leveraging soft infrastructure it implemented to even leapfrog the advanced countries. He believed that the System would help remove non-existent workers on the government payroll, popularly known as the 'ghost names' and curb corruption in payroll management. He cited an instance at the National Service Secretariat in 2022 where 14,027 'ghost names' were discovered on the payroll and expunged, thus, saving the nation 120 million Ghana Cedis. The Vice President noted that since the NIA had the biometric data of every Ghanaian, it would enable the system to verify the biometric details of every recruit and check payroll fraud. In his welcome remarks, Mr Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem, the Controller and Accountant-General, said the initiative would promote transparency, efficiency, accountability of the government payroll system and ensure judicious use of public funds. He, therefore, urged public sector work ers and CAP 30 pensioners to acquire the Ghana Card to avoid any inconveniences. Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, lauded the efforts of the staff of the CAGD and the NIA and believed the system would save the public purse and payroll irregularities. The Minister added that it would also save the government the resources it used in undertaking payroll audit. Madam Georgina Marku Tyson, the Oracle Payroll Functional Consultant for the CAGD, made a presentation on the use of the system and how innovative it would help to curb payroll fraud in through country. The programme was attended by staff of the CAGD, heads of the Office of the Local Government Service and the Civil Service as well as other government functionaries. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Chiefs and the people of Gomoa Ekwamkrom in the Gomoa Central District of the Central region have launched the 2024 Annual Akwambo festival, envisaging short and long term development projects. They include the construction of market with modern lorry park, Ultra-Modern community Center and a newly designed Chief's palace, all to be executed in 2024 and beyond. The week-long festival is scheduled to come off on August 11 to 18, 2024 with activities of programme which include float, clean-up exercise, purification rites and a durbar. Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister who officially launched the festival, said the Central Regional Coordinating Council would support the projects financially and materially to its completion. She said the Council had collaborated with the MP for Gomoa Central, Mrs Naana Eyiah Quansah to build an Astroturf at Ekwamkrom. The Regional Minister hinted that the government had prioritised the development of sports for the youth, hence the construction of As troturfs in all the 16 regions of the country. Mrs Assan assured the chiefs and people of Ekwamkrom that government would continue to offer infrastructural development in the areas of education, health, agriculture, and road networks to promote wellbeing of the people. Mr Benjamin Kojo Otoo, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Gomoa Central expressed profound gratitude to the chiefs and people of the town for the installation of new Odikro in a peaceful manner. He said peace was the most effective tool for development and urged the chiefs and people to continue to maintain it to ensure socio-economic advancement. The DCE said the Assembly would facilitate the upgrading of the Community based Health Planning and Services Compound to Clinic status to ensure quality health care delivery in Ekwamkrom and surrounding towns. The Assembly would further collaborate with Mrs Quansah to construct a new market and lorry park to help in the economic transformation of the people. The DCE on behalf of MP presented GHC 6,000.00 cash and pledged 50 bags of cement in support of the projects and promised the MP's readiness to finance the rest of the projects from her own resources. Nana Dr Okogyedom Ewuahaa II, Odikro of Ekwamkrom said the chiefs in collaboration with Akwambo Planning Committee had instituted festival levy of GHS20 per female and GHS30 per male to raise enough funds to execute the proposed projects. He called on the people to eschew negative tendencies that may affect the progress of the town, adding that without unity, the expected developmental projects would not be achieved. Source: Ghana News Agency

The kingdom of Morocco has been remarkably elected to the Presidency of the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2024, during a vote held on Wednesday in Geneva. Of the 47 members of the United Nations Human Rights Council, 30 supported Morocco's candidacy compared to that of South Africa, which only received 17 votes, the ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates said in a press release. Morocco's election, for the first time in its history, to the presidency of this prestigious UN body, expresses an acknowledgment by the international community of the farsighted vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in protecting and promoting human rights. Indeed, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, Morocco has, in fact, made the irreversible choice of enshrining the rule of law and safeguarding human rights. This choice, enshrined in the 2011 Constitution, results in a continuous momentum of reforms aimed, in particular, at consolidating democracy, gender equality, socia l and territorial justice, the effectiveness of human rights, inclusive participation and youth empowerment, stresses the press release. The Kingdom's election, thanks to the adherence of a large number of countries from all regions of the world, and despite the mobilization of Algeria and South Africa to counter it, also reveals the trust and credibility inspired by Morocco's external action under the Royal Impetus in Africa, on the international stage and in the multilateral system. The Kingdom of Morocco, which makes a recognized contribution within the Human Rights Council, particularly in the founding development processes of this body, is delighted with the trust placed in it. It considers this as a strong signal from the international community for its constructive approach and its unifying leadership on key subjects including interfaith dialogue, tolerance and the fight against racial hatred, the right to a healthy and sustainable environment, migrants' rights and the impact of new technologies. Du ring its Presidency, the Kingdom will remain faithful to the line it has set itself during its three mandates within the Human Rights Council, always favouring dialogue and consensus. Therefore, it intends to actively continue, with the Council's members and all regional Groups, to strengthen and promote this important body of the UN human rights system, the press release concluded. Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr. Michael Tetteh, a herbal physician and head of the Herbal Unit at the Tema General Hospital, has debunked assertions that herbal medications do not cure malaria. Some doctors in conventional medicine have indicated that herbal medications could not destroy the malaria plasmodium parasite but rather only manage the symptoms of the disease. Dr. Tetteh, speaking at the weekly Tema Ghana News Agency Health advocacy platform Your Health, Our Collective Responsibility!' platform, said such an assertion could not be generalised to all herbal medications as those certified could treat malaria just like conventional medicines. He explained that the chemical compound artemisinin found in conventional medicine was extracted from the plant Artemisia annua, adding that the same compound was found in plants like neem and others used in the preparation of herbal medicines in Ghana. 'There are several studies done on this issue that proves that herbal medicine clears the malaria parasite either from the lever or blo od stream,' he added. He therefore advised the public to rely on herbal medicines approved by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) to treat malaria and other illnesses instead of using the services of drug peddlers. He said they could visit any of the public secondary health facilities, such as the Tema General Hospital, to opt for herbal treatment for all their diseases, as herbal medicine was being integrated into mainstream health care. Meanwhile, the list of health facilities recommended by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to use approved herbal medicines in Ghana includes: LEKMA Hospital, Tema Polyclinic, Police Hospital, Shai-Osudoku District Hospital, Ga South Hospital, Ga West Hospital, Maamobi Government Hospital, Ga North Municipal Hospital, Ofankor; and Tema General Hospital in the Greater Accra Region. In the Eastern region, the list includes Eastern Regional Hospital, New Tafo Hospital, Nsawam Government Hospital, Asamankese Government Hospital, Kibi Government Hospital, Kade Government Hospital, and Atibie Government Hospital. Facilities in the Volta Region mandated to provide herbal services include Ho Municipal Hospital, Volta Regional Hospital, Sogakope Regional Hospital, and Hohoe Municipal Hospital, while Oti Region has Worawora Government Hospital. The Ashanti Region has the following facilities: Obuasi Municipal Hospital, Suntreso Government Hospital, Kumasi South Government Hospital, Tafo Government Hospital, Ashanti Bekwai Government Hospital, Ashanti Juaben Government Hospital, Kokofu Government Hospital, Manhyia Government Hospital, Effiduase Government Hospital, and Ejisu Government Hospital. In the Western Region, there is Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Tarkwa Municipal Hospital, Axim Government Hospital, and Prestea Government Hospital, while in the Western North, there is Bibiani District Hospital. The Central Region has the following facilities: Cape Coast Metropolitan Hospital, Ewim Polyclinic, Winneba Municipal Hospital, Twifo Praso District Hospital, and Swedru Government Hospital. The Ahafo Region is Asunafo North Municipal Hospital; the Bono Region is Sunyani Regional Hospital; and the Bono East Region is Kintampo North Municipal Hospital, Kintampo. Facilities in the Northern Region are Tamale Central Hospital, Yendi Municipal Hospital, and Tamale West Hospital; Savannah Region: Salaga Government Hospital, Bole District Hospital, and Damango Government Hospital; and North East Region: Walewale District Hospital. The Upper West has the regional hospital, and the Upper East also has the regional hospital, Bawku Municipal Hospital, and Navrongo Government Hospital. Source: Ghana News Agency

The inflation rate falls for the fifth consecutive month to 23.2 per cent in December 2023 compared to 26.4 per cent in November, the Ghana Statistical Service said on Wednesday. This means that in December 2023 the general price level was 23.2 percent higher than December 2022. Month-on-month inflation between November 2023 and December 2023 was 1.2 per cent Professor Samuel Anim, the Government Statistician at a press briefing, said the Consumer Price Index for December 2023 was 200.6 relative to 162.8 for December 2022. Food inflation was at 28.7 per cent in December compared to 32.2 per cent the previous month with the month-on-month food inflation at 1.3 per cent. Meanwhile, non-food inflation was also down at 18.7 per cent, compared to 21.7 per cent in November. The Month-on-month non-food inflation stood at 1.0 per cent. Inflation for imported items was 29.1 per cent compared to that for locally produced items, which was 23.8 per cent. On regional basis, the Eastern Region recorded the highest inflation rate of 35.2 per cent while the Greater Accra Region was the region with the lowest inflation rate of 16.0 per cent. Source: Ghana News Agency