- 8/1/2023
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Hello, good afternoon, and welcome to JO News today,
00:02 live on the JO News channel, live from here in our studios
00:06 at Kokomlemle in Accra.
00:08 We're live on DSTV channel 421, GO TV channel 125,
00:11 and around the world on myjoyonline.com.
00:14 Coming up, government says it's still
00:16 on top of the economic situation,
00:18 despite mixed reactions after presentation
00:21 of mid-year budget review.
00:23 We'll hear from the Deputy Finance Minister.
00:25 Also, fuel prices up by 9%.
00:29 We'll hear from the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers.
00:34 Burkina Faso and Mali say they would regard
00:36 any military intervention in Niger
00:38 as a declaration of war on them.
00:41 We have business, sports, world news, and showbiz
00:47 all in this hour package.
00:49 My name is Samuel Okojo.
00:50 Brace to stay tuned for details.
00:53 (upbeat music)
00:56 Now, there have been mixed reactions
01:14 following the delivery of the mid-year budget review
01:16 by Finance Minister Ken Oforiata in his speech.
01:19 Mr. Oforiata said more than 160,000 direct
01:23 and indirect jobs have been created,
01:25 especially for the youth who have been mobilized
01:28 to establish agro-processing factories in 58 districts
01:32 as part of the One District, One Factory initiative.
01:34 Speaking to JOY News, the Deputy Minister of Finance
01:37 asserts that government is still in control
01:39 despite a short-term financial crisis.
01:41 - And why?
01:44 That argument will not change.
01:45 Going to an IMF gives you a short-term breathing space
01:50 to think in the long-term.
01:53 And then it will still come back to us as a people
01:56 to have responsibility to address
01:59 the long-term financing problems of our country.
02:01 So a lot still depends on us.
02:03 - Are you in control?
02:04 - We are in firm control, and so far,
02:06 every indication shows that we are pointing
02:09 to the right direction.
02:10 On the issues of the targeting,
02:13 yes, we targeted 2.5% growth for the year,
02:16 which has been revised downwards.
02:18 But the first quarter growth announcement
02:22 as published by the Ghana Statistical Service is 4.2.
02:26 So you cannot be spot on
02:31 when it comes to estimates and projections.
02:33 You could get it wrong, you could get it right.
02:36 So the estimation is that we may slow down
02:39 in the course of the year.
02:41 But when we did projection for 2.5,
02:45 the 2.8, the first quarter growth rate actually is 4.2.
02:49 So we were not outside the growth projection
02:53 when we projected 2.8, except that going forward,
02:56 we are anticipating to see more slow growth.
02:58 But we have also provided for it in the media
03:02 that we are going to have private sector-backed
03:04 growth strategies to ensure that
03:06 we don't slow down the economy.
03:09 Meanwhile, members of the trading community say
03:11 they are pessimistic about the content
03:13 of the media budget review.
03:15 Michael Ashley has more in the following report.
03:18 - To address the impact of excess capacity payments
03:22 on the economy, government has sustained
03:25 collaborative engagement of IPPs.
03:27 Currently, IPPs have been engaged to restructure
03:31 their crude outstanding balances
03:33 and eliminate payment shortfalls
03:35 and areas of cruel in the sector.
03:38 Finance Minister Ken Oforiata,
03:40 on the floor of parliament hinted at plans
03:43 to restructure our crude outstanding balances
03:46 as part of a raft of decisions taken by government
03:49 for some interim economic respite.
03:52 At the end of July, government owed
03:54 the independent power producers $2.3 billion.
03:58 CEO of the independent power producers,
04:01 Dr. Eliplim Apetobor says they are opposed to that move.
04:05 - We have been very emphatic that to restructure
04:09 our debt is not acceptable.
04:13 And I'm saying that unless it's something different
04:16 that I do not know of,
04:18 but it's a question of what do you want to restructure?
04:22 And we have indicated that the areas in question
04:26 pertaining to us is actually our course of service
04:29 for that matter cannot be restructured.
04:31 We have proposed a renegotiation,
04:34 not engaged for restructure.
04:36 I think we have communicated that
04:39 in three different correspondences to government.
04:42 I will take his mention of restructure
04:44 in his presentation as a proposal,
04:47 which I believe is very much aware
04:50 of our position regarding that.
04:52 But to the best of my knowledge,
04:54 what we are doing is renegotiating
04:56 and not debt restructure negotiation.
05:00 - Additionally, Ken Oforiata said the country was now
05:03 on the path of recovery after they implemented
05:06 a number of stringent and effective fiscal measures.
05:09 - As I've indicated, we have made significant progress
05:13 on restoring macroeconomic stability
05:15 and the narrative is changing.
05:18 The economy is showing signs of recovery.
05:20 The exchange rate has stabilized,
05:22 inflation has softened and interest rates
05:26 have declined since December, 2022.
05:30 Mr. Speaker, we have turned the corner
05:34 and more importantly, we are determined
05:37 to continue down that path.
05:39 Soon, we expect the measures taken
05:41 resulting in economic activity greater
05:45 than anything experienced in the history
05:46 of the fourth republic.
05:48 Our plans and programs should soon lead
05:50 to a sustained increase in domestic production,
05:53 including manufacturing and farming,
05:55 replacing many of the products that we are used to import.
05:59 - Minority leader Atufosin disagrees with him.
06:02 He argues that the current government
06:05 has instead exacerbated the challenges faced
06:07 by the ordinary Ghanaian.
06:09 - Mr. Speaker, he said that the performance so far
06:14 shows that we have turned the corner.
06:16 Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the evidence
06:20 and the numbers before us shows
06:22 that he has rather deepened our woes.
06:25 Mr. Speaker, I say this because he has said to us today
06:29 that he is revising economic growth
06:32 from 2.8% of GDP to 1.5% of GDP.
06:37 Mr. Speaker, again, he said to us here and now
06:43 that he has borrowed 5.5 billion Ghana cities
06:48 from January to June from the TPO market.
06:52 Mr. Speaker, not long ago, this same minister
06:54 had informed us that he will not borrow at all
06:56 in the year 2023 and that going into the remaining part
07:00 of the year, he's going to borrow
07:02 another 41 billion Ghana cities.
07:05 Mr. Speaker, aside that, the city depreciation
07:08 we are seeing so far is largely because he has defaulted
07:12 in the payment of external interest and principal.
07:15 Let our minister not say this anywhere,
07:18 that he has turned the corner.
07:19 He has rather deepened our woes.
07:21 - That true.
07:22 - Now, still on issues relating
07:26 to the media budget review,
07:27 Associate Professor of Finance
07:28 from the University of Ghana Business School,
07:30 Professor Lord Mingsam believes that the Bank of Ghana
07:33 must embrace transparency to boost confidence
07:36 in the financial sector in the midst
07:38 of growing financial uncertainties.
07:40 - I can tell you with the structures that we have
07:43 in this country, where the governor is appointed
07:46 by the executive, it will be difficult to control inflation.
07:51 It will be difficult to control money supply
07:53 from the Bank of Ghana to the government.
07:56 To some extent, the first IMF that we went to,
07:59 we had a condition of the Bank of Ghana
08:04 financing government expected revenue
08:06 for a particular fiscal year up to 5%.
08:09 But this time in the current, I mean, PC program,
08:14 we get to 0%, which in itself is more or less a punishment
08:17 because there's no way Bank of Ghana,
08:21 sorry, the government will not seek financing
08:24 from Bank of Ghana because of the maybe possible,
08:27 I mean, lags and delays in taxes and all those that comes
08:31 before the end of the fiscal year.
08:34 So obviously that financing will be needed.
08:37 But now because of the indiscipline and all those
08:39 as a result of that relationship between the government
08:44 and then the Bank of Ghana,
08:46 how do we seem to be punished on that?
08:48 And I think it's something that we may have to relook at,
08:53 I mean, going forward.
08:54 So from where I sit, Bank of Ghana's condition,
08:57 I'm not surprised at all.
08:58 And then again, well, the last time Bank of Ghana
09:01 made an advert that they are looking for someone,
09:04 I mean, the advertising for employment.
09:06 I mean, nobody knows.
09:08 So I'm not saying they don't have the experts.
09:10 They have the expert there, but they're too opaque
09:14 in some of their dealings.
09:16 And you ask yourself what at all is going on there.
09:20 So there are so many things we may have to look at
09:23 until we come out to see the way they operate
09:28 and the way they do their things.
09:29 The system was supposed that kind of macro risk to us.
09:34 And I mean, I can go on to say that it will be difficult
09:39 to control some of these indicators in a long time.
09:41 And look, in economics, when we are looking at
09:45 a particular variable, we don't look at it in short term.
09:47 I can pick inflation and trace it back in the years.
09:50 And you come to realize that the last time
09:53 we recorded this kind of high inflation
09:55 was somewhere in the late '90s to 2000.
09:58 And by that time, we all knew the situation.
10:00 We're transiting from military to what do we call it,
10:03 a democratic government.
10:06 So it's not something that we're expecting
10:09 to be repeating itself.
10:14 - Now let's still stay with matters of the economy
10:17 because oil prices are up again.
10:19 Prices of petrol and diesel have shot up by an average 9%.
10:24 Let's speak to Duncan Amwa.
10:25 He is Executive Director of the Chamber of Petroleum
10:27 Consumers, the group that predicted this rise last week.
10:30 He joins us via phone now.
10:31 Duncan, I'm grateful for joining us.
10:33 So what could be the contributory factors to this rise?
10:37 - Well, Samuel, what you are seeing now
10:42 is largely due to international market price movement.
10:47 As we speak, just a fortnight ago,
10:50 a metric ton of petrol diesel that used to hover around $830
10:59 a metric is currently doing about $960 a metric.
11:03 That is quite, quite high.
11:05 The city within the period, I must say,
11:08 has been relatively stable.
11:11 So that cannot be attributed to the rise
11:14 at the pump currently.
11:16 And then again, the third variable,
11:19 which is the taxes yesterday, the finance ministry,
11:22 indeed didn't add any more taxes.
11:25 So what you are seeing now is basically, basically,
11:29 international market price movement
11:32 that we do have to deal with at this point.
11:34 - Which means there's nothing that, or there's little,
11:38 the state can do about it.
11:41 - On this, yes, I must say the state can do very little
11:45 because we do not determine what happens globally
11:49 as far as fuel price movements are concerned.
11:53 And so what will happen to pricing globally,
11:57 that is not within our domain.
11:59 What is within our domain would be the taxes.
12:02 And then again, how the local currency is handled.
12:06 And I do think that those two haven't done badly
12:10 over the past fortnight.
12:12 - But is there a possibility that if things
12:14 probably go out of hand, the government can come in
12:17 and say, okay, I'm removing so-and-so taxes
12:20 from the price buildup?
12:21 - Well, Samuel, that option exists
12:26 and has all along existed.
12:29 If you take a look at the petrol price buildup,
12:32 quite a lot of taxes are heaped on there.
12:36 Some of which clearly cannot be justified
12:40 or even tenable up to this point.
12:42 But then again, you ask for its removal or reduction
12:47 and the excuse is that government needs revenue.
12:50 And so whereas government could have taken some decisions
12:53 to bring down prices or even stay fewer prices,
12:57 the excuse has always been that they need revenue.
13:00 Secondly, one would have expected
13:03 that the Gold for Oil program would be tailored
13:07 for moments or times of pricing seasons as these ones.
13:12 I have said, I mean, countlessly,
13:15 that you cannot have a program that only engages
13:18 in perpetual trading, I mean, January to December.
13:23 Both have a certain core mandate to Ghanians
13:26 that they have to fulfill.
13:28 And so whatever happens with both,
13:31 the expectation would have been that
13:33 whatever product that we get through
13:35 the Gold for Oil program, both can reserve some
13:39 for times like these when the price variations
13:42 look quite daunting.
13:44 So that both could step into the market and say,
13:46 look, we got some just a month ago for 840, 830.
13:51 Don't worry about pricing at 960 now,
13:55 we can be able to keep the market for at least six weeks.
13:58 If that was to be done,
13:59 Ghanians would have derived a premium benefit
14:04 from what both is engaged in.
14:05 But as a stance, both itself is engaged in active trading,
14:10 i.e. the Gold for Oil program.
14:12 And so, whereas the BDCs will have to pay spot price today,
14:16 both is also gonna have to pay spot price today.
14:19 If they had just talked up just a week or two ago,
14:22 they could have sustained this market.
14:24 I do think that our thinking should be channeled to that
14:27 so that both could serve the core use
14:30 for which the Ghanian taxpayer
14:32 has sustained it up to date, Samuel.
14:35 - Solid proposal, but do we have the capacity to store
14:38 enough such that in periods like this,
14:42 both could sustain the old pricing for some weeks?
14:47 How many weeks can our current capacity
14:50 have in stock for us?
14:52 - Well, Samuel, if both was doing its thing optimally,
14:57 between six to eight weeks,
14:58 we could have, I mean, petroleum stock.
15:01 I have said that not they should go and get stock
15:04 and leave it for a year.
15:06 You have pricing cycles.
15:09 There are periods where prices are lower
15:11 or they go down globally.
15:14 There are periods where they inch up.
15:16 So buy products when prices are a bit easier on the market
15:20 and then store, just in case tomorrow,
15:22 the next week, a month later,
15:24 prices reverse to the other, I mean, the other direction,
15:29 then both could step in and say,
15:30 look, for two weeks,
15:31 the windows that we do a process in Ghana
15:34 is just up to two weeks.
15:36 So if you're there for a window,
15:38 both can safely sustain all of us
15:40 without importing a liter further.
15:42 Unfortunately, both is actively trading
15:45 with the gold for oil.
15:46 And we do think that maybe they need to think
15:49 of that program just a little bit
15:51 so that they can have the optimum benefit
15:54 that the Ghanaian expects both to give all of us.
15:58 - Grateful to you for joining us here on our news.
16:00 That's Dan Kanamwahi, he's Executive Secretary for COPEC.
16:03 Now to Parliament and Defence Minister Dominic Nitu
16:07 has ruled out the possibility of a coup d'etat in Ghana
16:11 following the growing trend of violent extremism
16:13 and unconstitutional takeovers
16:15 of democratically elected governments in West Africa.
16:19 He's urging all Ghanaians who want to see a change
16:22 of government to express their opinion
16:24 through the ballot box as Ghana goes
16:25 for a general election next year.
16:28 - Well, James Cleverley, the UK's Secretary of State
16:36 for Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
16:39 is beginning a stall of some West African countries
16:41 starting off here in Accra.
16:43 Earlier today, the Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom
16:47 paid a visit to Burma camp where he witnessed
16:50 a joint military exercise targeted at showing him
16:54 first hand some of the measures being undertaken
16:57 by the Ghana military in conjunction
16:59 with its international allies and partners
17:01 such as the United Kingdom, targeted at checking
17:05 the growth of violent extremism
17:07 which is taking centre stage in West Africa.
17:10 We know that just last week, the Republic of Niger,
17:12 one of the West African countries witnessed
17:15 an unconstitutional change of government.
17:17 We caught up with the Defence Minister,
17:20 Dominic Nituwu, after today's engagements
17:23 and bilaterals with the UK's
17:26 Foreign Secretary, James Cleverley.
17:28 Dominic Nituwu tells us a number of measures
17:30 being taken by the Ghanaian government
17:33 together with ECOWAS, attacking the growing rate
17:36 of violent extremism in the West Africa sub-region.
17:40 - Training exercises with the UK,
17:43 a lot of training exercises with them.
17:45 They give us a lot of support in training our troops
17:48 in combating terrorist activities.
17:50 Not just the UK, the United Kingdom, France,
17:52 all of them, they do give us China,
17:54 they do give us a lot of training.
17:55 So this is the Foreign Minister for the UK.
17:58 He's on a visit and we decided to give him
18:01 a demonstration about if there's a terrorist attack
18:05 in a location like this, which is a room,
18:08 what our troops can do.
18:10 And I believe that he himself saw it,
18:12 the sort of professionalism and the coordination
18:16 and the sort of discipline because for you,
18:18 you need to have a lot of discipline
18:19 to be able to achieve that.
18:20 That's the essence of it, just to show that, look,
18:24 our troops are as good as we get all the training
18:26 with our various partners across sport.
18:28 And I'm impressed with what I saw.
18:31 And I believe that we'll have to continue to train,
18:34 train day and night to ensure.
18:37 - Well, the minister is also ruling out the possibility
18:39 of a military coup d'etat in Ghana.
18:41 He explains why.
18:44 - ECOWAS has given the junta a one-week automatum
18:49 to Hanover or face severe consequences,
18:56 including the use of force.
18:59 After the one week, we'll seek the direction
19:01 of the presidents exactly what they will do.
19:05 But I can say that the member states are ready.
19:09 If it means using force, the member states
19:11 will be ready to do that.
19:13 - I, armed forces, I can assure you
19:15 that the professional level of the Ghana armed forces
19:17 is par excellence.
19:19 And I'm not worried at all, not at all.
19:21 I don't worry about any member of the armed forces
19:25 taking up arms to say, "I'm going to remove the government."
19:27 No, not at all.
19:29 They would rather protect the will of the people.
19:31 They would rather not allow anybody to cheat
19:36 in an election.
19:38 They would rather not allow anybody
19:39 to manipulate in an election.
19:41 But to take up arms to remove a government,
19:43 the armed forces are beyond that.
19:47 Armed forces of Ghana is far beyond that.
19:49 - But one major worry is that...
19:51 - Meanwhile, security analyst, Mumtaru Mummony Mukthar,
19:57 says that we're not yet out of the wood
20:00 because many countries in the region
20:01 are plagued with issues of bad governance and insecurity.
20:05 - We are not out of the wood yet
20:08 because there are several other vulnerable states
20:10 within the sub-region.
20:12 And if you look at that, of course,
20:13 I have made this point several times,
20:15 that it's a functional product of dysfunctional governance
20:18 or dysfunctional leadership within this space.
20:21 And it's because if you look at these countries,
20:24 the four countries that have had these poor situations,
20:26 all of them, they do very, very poorly
20:29 when it comes to governance,
20:31 when it comes to economic opportunities for young people,
20:33 when it comes to the provision of social amenities.
20:36 And that's why they run very low
20:38 on the Human Development Index.
20:40 And so these things we need to watch out very carefully
20:43 in terms of our ability to sustain democracy.
20:46 Anyone who is familiar with these kinds of situations
20:50 and ECOWAS' record in terms of dealing with this,
20:54 will tell you that it's a very difficult situation
20:57 for ECOWAS.
20:58 And I actually appreciate the difficulty
21:01 that ECOWAS finds itself.
21:03 In the last three years,
21:05 we've had similar opportunities for ECOWAS
21:08 to act in ways that shows that they are
21:10 an effective regional body,
21:12 they are capable of restoring order,
21:14 and capable of ensuring that we do not have situations
21:17 like this from happening.
21:18 And they fail to do that.
21:19 And that's why we continue to have that happen.
21:22 I think that is a very difficult situation.
21:24 And I have very, very little hope of ECOWAS' chances
21:28 of having any meaningful intervention or impact
21:31 in what is going on.
21:33 (audio cuts out)
21:36 - Well, Interim Minister Ambrose Derry says,
21:42 "34-year-old Salahuddin Tafilu, who died at Dagumba Line,
21:46 "was not brutalized and killed by the police.
21:48 "The minister was ordered by the house
21:50 "to brief MPs on the matter."
21:53 Speaking on the floor of the house,
21:54 the Interim Minister, who was recounting
21:56 what the police had told him,
21:57 explained that the deceased person was arrested
22:00 and released by the police, who hit himself into a wall,
22:03 suffering some internal bleeding.
22:05 Listen to the minister's account.
22:07 - The deceased was handcuffed to get on one other person,
22:15 exhibited some signs of sickness.
22:17 As a result, the handcuffs were taken off him,
22:21 and he was released by the police,
22:24 while the others were taken away
22:26 to the Sarwasi Police Station.
22:29 On the same day, one alleged,
22:32 Mohamed Salif Obrahim, father of the deceased,
22:37 reported to the Sarwasi Police Station
22:39 that Salahuddin was one of the people
22:43 arrested by the police during the operation,
22:46 and later replaced to go home.
22:49 Had been sent to Menchia Government Hospital
22:53 for medical attention, but had been pronounced dead
22:58 while being attended to by a medical officer.
23:02 Following his death, a mob, at about 8 p.m. the same day,
23:08 besieged the Sarwasi Police Station
23:13 and caused damage to the office,
23:17 lower blades, and electric meter at the station.
23:19 Following the report of his death,
23:23 the police flew him to the hospital
23:26 where the deceased body was inspected,
23:28 and no marks of assault were found on him.
23:32 Police commenced investigations
23:34 into the circumstances surrounding his death,
23:38 and on the instruction of the Inspector General of Police,
23:41 the Police Professional Standards Bureau, PPSB,
23:45 also initiated investigations
23:48 into the professional conduct
23:50 of the officers involved in the operation.
23:55 Alvin Jaffe has corresponded with Kwaku Asante,
23:57 he joins us with details, he joins us via Zoom now.
23:59 Kwaku, the MP for Sarwasi who made the demand,
24:02 Muntaka Mubarak, says the account does not add up.
24:06 Why did he say so?
24:07 Kwaku, I wanted to find out from you
24:14 that the MP for Sarwasi, Muntaka Mubarak,
24:16 was the one who demanded that the minister explains
24:21 what accounted for the demise of the man,
24:23 but he says the account the minister gave does not add up.
24:27 All right, now the story is that someone who died
24:37 after the police released him,
24:40 that Salahuddin Tafilu, who died at Dagomba Line,
24:44 the minister says his death was not caused
24:46 by the police brutalities,
24:49 and that he was released on bail
24:53 and hit himself to a wall,
24:55 causing an internal bleeding,
24:57 which possibly resulted in his death.
24:59 Kwaku Asante is joining us from Parliament
25:01 where the minister has been briefing the House
25:03 on this particular development.
25:04 Kwaku, the Sarwasi MP, Muntaka Mubarak,
25:08 says the account of the minister does not hold up.
25:11 Did he give any reason for this?
25:14 - In fact, Grace, he actually attacks
25:18 the minister's statement to the floor of Parliament.
25:21 He says that how can this person
25:23 who was arrested by the police,
25:25 was in handcuffs, possibly have gone
25:27 to hit himself by a wall?
25:29 In fact, he says that if the police arrest someone
25:32 and that person is sick,
25:34 or they see that that person is not feeling so well,
25:37 it is not up to the police to just release the person
25:39 to go back home, but that the police would have
25:41 to take this person to the hospital.
25:43 And so if the police claim that because that person
25:45 exhibited some sign of sickness,
25:47 because of that alone, he was released and let to go,
25:50 what about the other persons as well?
25:52 And so he generally says that if you listen
25:54 to the account of the interior minister,
25:56 it is clear that the police's account does not hold,
25:59 the police's account is not consistent
26:01 with the story you're trying to tell.
26:03 And because of this, he believes that Parliament
26:05 should have constituted an independent
26:07 parliamentary committee to probe this police killing.
26:10 But the consensus on both sides of the House
26:13 is that they should give the interior minister
26:15 some more time.
26:16 Yes, the police are still investigating this matter.
26:19 They should continue doing this investigation
26:21 until when Parliament resumes from their break in October,
26:24 and then the interior minister can come
26:25 before Parliament again and provide some more answers.
26:29 But MPs on both sides took turns to criticize the police
26:32 for what they say is their continuous act
26:35 which squanders the public trust in them.
26:37 And the MPs on both sides believe that it is time
26:40 that the police continuously do and put up behavior
26:43 that will allow the public trust them.
26:46 But if every now and then the police come out
26:48 with accounts like this, and the public do not trust
26:51 that these accounts are true and proper,
26:53 then the police will get to a point
26:55 where the people will not trust them,
26:56 and that will not be good for public security.
26:59 - Has there been any further directive
27:01 on the matter after the debate?
27:03 - So the directive is now that the interior minister
27:07 would have to brief MPs again when Parliament resumes
27:10 from their break somewhere in October on this investigation.
27:13 Interior minister have told the House
27:14 that investigation was still going on,
27:16 and that after the investigation,
27:18 he will come before the House.
27:19 That was when Muntaka had made an application
27:22 to the Speaker to constitute an independent committee
27:24 to look into this killing.
27:26 But according to the Speaker of Parliament,
27:29 they should allow the police to continue their investigation
27:32 when they conclude and there's a need
27:33 for Parliament to investigate, they can do so.
27:35 - Great for two.
27:37 So that's Kirk Wasante from Parliament.
27:38 Now, members of Parliament for Bumkubu
27:41 in the North East region, Abednego Bandin,
27:44 has expressed worry about the delay in payment
27:46 of the areas of the National Health Insurance Scheme
27:49 owed to the District Health Centre.
27:51 According to the District Health Authority,
27:54 services rendered under the National Health Insurance
27:56 services haven't been paid for several months to date.
28:00 The MP says that non-payment of these accumulated debts
28:04 is hindering the effort to ensure the provision
28:06 of quality healthcare services to the people.
28:09 Speaking after donating several motorbikes
28:11 to the District Health Directorate,
28:13 the MP demands the immediate settlement of the NHIS areas
28:16 to improve service delivery of the facility.
28:19 - I want to thank you, Director,
28:23 and I hereby hand over to you the four motorbikes
28:27 for your use, for police use and judicial use.
28:30 Thank you.
28:31 - The donation of these four motorbikes,
28:34 according to the Member of Parliament,
28:35 is in response to the request for assistance
28:38 from the District Health Directorate.
28:40 He said the Directorate had requested
28:42 from him means of transport to assist
28:44 in the extension of healthcare services to residents
28:46 in far-flung communities in the District,
28:48 especially as the rains have begun.
28:51 The Bunkurgu-Nakpanduri District
28:52 is one of the deprived districts without a hospital
28:55 and where the provision of primary healthcare services
28:58 is being hampered by bad rules
29:00 and inadequate staff and logistics.
29:02 Receiving the donation at the health facility in Nakpanduri,
29:05 the District Health Director Awuni Mbabila
29:08 bemoaned the numerous challenges confronting
29:10 the health directorate, but added that the motorbikes
29:13 provided would contribute to addressing the challenges.
29:16 - It's just to make health service accessible
29:20 to the doorsteps of the people.
29:22 Some of the areas, vehicles and others cannot move in there.
29:26 And so this is there to ensure that.
29:28 And currently, we know that Bunkurgu
29:31 is one of the seriously deprived in this region.
29:34 And so this one comes to at least help us
29:39 to improve upon the living conditions of the people.
29:42 - Health director also expressed concern
29:45 about the impact of the delay in getting payment
29:48 for services rendered
29:49 under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
29:51 He implied that the situation contributes
29:54 to the constant shortages of medical supplies
29:57 and the poor service delivery at the facility.
29:59 - As of now, they are owing us 11, 12,
30:01 whatever amount they are paying us, two months.
30:03 You know, we even spoke about that.
30:04 Here's the case, health insurance is owing you a much.
30:09 They pay you two months and you have to pay 70%
30:11 to defray your debts.
30:13 How much?
30:14 So there's a lot of, and when they bring the drugs,
30:17 the drugs, the component you have been requested
30:20 is not even enough.
30:22 And then you have to wait for the next three months.
30:24 And those days, what happened is that when you request
30:26 for the drugs at the regional medical stores and you go,
30:29 the quantity they can't get for you,
30:30 they give you a certificate to go outside and buy.
30:33 And so if they don't give you the certificate,
30:35 and then I will not want to go outside and buy
30:37 and tomorrow they drag me to public accounting.
30:40 So sometimes we have other issues.
30:42 And so the challenges are there.
30:43 - A member of parliament speaking
30:44 after donating the motorbike said,
30:46 despite the delay in payment of the statutory funds
30:49 by the government, he will continue his efforts
30:52 to ensure all public institutions in the district
30:54 are adequately retooled to effectively serve the people.
30:58 - The releases are no longer coming regularly
31:01 as it used to be.
31:03 Talk about common fund, it doesn't come regularly.
31:08 Talk about gate fund, it doesn't come regularly.
31:11 The gate fund that came last year was what I used
31:14 to acquire mono desk for the district's
31:18 education directorates.
31:21 So in education and health, I will not relent
31:26 in ensuring that we use it to develop our people.
31:30 - You also described the reports about the non-payment
31:33 of the NHI's claims at the health facility as worrying
31:36 and thus joined the cause for the settlement of all areas.
31:40 - Quick releases of the NHI funds, you know,
31:45 because when I came as the MP,
31:49 I had to chase the health insurance authority.
31:53 So cumulatively, I had to lobby them to pay that money
31:58 under the retired director general.
32:03 I'm yet to meet with the new director general.
32:06 I understand that they have not been paying them.
32:09 In fact, my intervention in 2001 actually made them
32:14 to pay all, including MU, right?
32:16 There were some facilities in MU that they were also owing.
32:20 So it's important that the NHI at the national level
32:25 pay and pay quickly so that they can help the local
32:30 or district's health directorates across the country,
32:34 particularly MBU to continue with their work.
32:37 - The health directorate expressed gratitude
32:39 to the member of parliament and ensure that the motorbikes
32:42 will be properly utilized and maintained.
32:44 Elias Sotanko reporting from Nakbanduri for JOY News.
32:49 (whooshing)
32:51 - Now, former Food and Agriculture Minister,
32:53 Dr. Oswe Friakotu says the level of despondency
32:56 in the grassroots of the governing new patriotic party
32:59 requires a deep-rooted loyalist to restore hope
33:01 and break the eight.
33:03 The MP will hold a super, the MPP will hold
33:06 a super delegate congress on August 27th
33:09 to elect five aspirant for the November congress
33:12 to select a flag bearer.
33:14 Out of the polls, Dr. Friakotu says he has identified
33:17 a problem and has a solution to fix it.
33:19 - According to Dr. Oswe Friakotu,
33:22 only a strong, formidable and united front
33:25 can guarantee electoral victory in the 2024
33:27 general elections for the MPP.
33:29 But he says the current state of the MPP epitomizes
33:33 despondency and hopelessness due to the neglect
33:35 of the grassroots.
33:37 - Because everywhere you go, (speaking foreign language)
33:41 Everywhere you go, and you know, in my job,
33:44 for the six years, in five of those six years,
33:47 I go around the country.
33:49 I'm not somebody who sits in the air conditioning in a car.
33:51 I go out there every year.
33:53 And I have the opportunity to meet farmers.
33:55 A lot of them are party people.
33:58 And they will tell you, apart from what you've come
34:01 to discuss about the work on the farm
34:03 and so on and so forth, they complain.
34:06 So it gives you an idea, apart from the conflicts.
34:12 The conflicts are due to the fact that discipline
34:15 in the party is not enough.
34:18 And we don't really insist on the rules.
34:23 I mean, people break the party rules,
34:27 and nobody comes to say anything to them.
34:30 And it just festers.
34:32 And you need discipline in any organization.
34:35 So, and the discipline comes from the leadership,
34:38 which can really make all that difference
34:42 in the way the party is organized.
34:46 - He's assuring delegates of the party
34:47 that he will work assiduously to ensure
34:49 that their welfare is improved when voted
34:52 to bear the flag of the UP tradition.
34:54 - We need to fix this party.
34:57 In other that, we can sustain ourselves in power
35:01 come 7 December, 2024.
35:05 We have a lot of contracts.
35:09 Government is the biggest business giver in this country.
35:12 And if the military can have companies to do business,
35:17 why can't political parties?
35:21 The ANC in South Africa owns mines,
35:24 it owns manufacturing, it owns insurance companies,
35:27 and so on.
35:28 They have to be more entrepreneurial.
35:31 That's what I'm saying.
35:32 That's the key to all these things about inertia
35:35 and all that.
35:36 We need to, the party as a body,
35:38 should have some business edge
35:43 to raise income for themselves.
35:47 - And as your election headquarters,
35:51 we'll be there to bring you everything you need to know
35:54 about this special delegate congress.
35:57 Stay with us, you're still watching "Journey."
35:58 Today, we'll take a quick break.
36:00 We'll be back with business.
36:01 Stay with us.
36:02 (upbeat music)
36:05 (alarm ringing)
36:08 - Hello, good afternoon.
36:16 Welcome to the business segment on "Journey News Today"
36:18 with me, Pius Kodjoe-Bakaa.
36:20 Textiles Ghana Limited, producer of Lysco and GTP fabrics,
36:23 has launched a new collection in addition
36:25 to its wide range of designs.
36:27 According to the marketing director of Lysco Ghana,
36:29 Marianne Watting, the textiles manufacturer
36:32 is committed to creating quality and affordable fabrics
36:35 to suit the demands in the market.
36:37 She spoke to Joy Business
36:38 at the launch of the new collection.
36:40 - The Q3 new collection is made up
36:43 of different printed super wax fabric patterns
36:47 in bold, bright patterns
36:49 with approximately 100 different vivid colors
36:51 created using the old techniques of wax printing.
36:54 Marianne Watting said the move
36:56 is to celebrate African women.
36:58 - So today we are launching our latest collection.
37:02 We themed it Storm.
37:04 So it's in line with the season.
37:06 It's in line with the season in Ghana.
37:08 We have special designs that we have used
37:12 to inspire the special celebration of life.
37:15 So that's why we are here today.
37:16 So we're here to launch our latest collection
37:20 in the Lysco portfolio.
37:22 - Lysco Ghana's ambassador, Lucy Quest, said,
37:25 "The celebration of life collection is unique,
37:28 empowers customers,
37:29 and cause positive change in our society."
37:32 - Yeah, so the theme for this quarter's launch,
37:35 Lysco collection launch,
37:37 is a celebration of life.
37:38 As you all know,
37:40 recently we've had challenging times in our lives.
37:43 For some people personally,
37:45 some people professionally,
37:47 and in many different ways,
37:48 people sometimes find reason
37:51 to look at the half of life
37:52 or the part of life that may not be going well.
37:55 And with the theme celebration of life,
37:56 we're just reminding everyone
37:58 that there's always great things.
38:00 There are always great things in your life
38:02 worth celebrating.
38:04 Don't forget to celebrate those things.
38:06 And as we launch this Lysco collection,
38:08 we're saying, come and try out the latest fashion,
38:11 but celebrate all that your life has to offer,
38:14 whether it's hanging out with friends and family,
38:16 whether it's recognizing your achievements,
38:18 whether it's just being grateful
38:19 for the gift of life itself,
38:21 celebrate your life.
38:23 - The company says it will continue
38:24 to provide quality goods to the Ghanaian market.
38:27 (silence)
38:29 Corporate institutions have been urged
38:32 to leverage on artificial intelligence
38:34 to increase productivity.
38:35 According to the chief executive officer
38:37 for DataWare Tech, Kwesi Kofi,
38:40 AI can aid businesses in streamlining job processes
38:43 and aggregating data to prevent job losses.
38:45 He explained that businesses can incorporate AI
38:48 to reduce operational costs and increase efficiency.
38:51 He spoke to Joy Business
38:52 at an industry academia dialogue
38:54 organized by the Institute of ICT Professionals
38:57 in partnership with the AFOS Foundation
39:00 at the University of Ghana Business School.
39:03 Artificial intelligence is expected
39:04 to take digital technology out
39:06 of the two-dimensional screen
39:08 and bring it into the three-dimensional
39:10 physical environment surrounding an individual.
39:13 AI's evolution is shaping the future of academia
39:17 and the growing demand for expertise
39:19 and thus fast-growing technology.
39:20 Kwesi Kofi said, "A collaborative effort
39:23 is critical for developing an inclusive approach
39:26 towards AI."
39:27 - Well, you know, one of the things
39:28 that a lot of people say is that AI is taking away jobs.
39:31 But when you look critically at it,
39:35 as much as AI changes the way businesses do things,
39:39 AI also creates new opportunities for new businesses.
39:42 So in other ways, even though we are losing jobs,
39:46 in a way, we're also creating new ones.
39:48 And so leveraging this technology,
39:50 we are able to provide solutions and services
39:52 that serve different needs
39:54 that perhaps were not there in the first place.
39:56 And we can rely on that to create new jobs for everybody.
40:00 - Executive Director
40:01 at the Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana,
40:03 David Gowu, explained the need for an introduction
40:06 of AI in educational institutions.
40:08 - That's it for Business.
40:12 I am Pius Kodjoe-Baka.
40:14 (upbeat music)
40:18 (upbeat music)
40:21 (upbeat music)
40:23 (upbeat music)
40:26 (upbeat music)
40:28 - As we pause now, I wanna join you today
40:30 with me, Mufti Awanabila Abla.
40:32 The Ministry of Youth and Sports has released a statement
40:35 detailing how much has been paid
40:37 to former Black Star Coach, CK Akuno,
40:41 after the former Asante Kotoko Hasafoq
40:44 and Ashanti Good-Balls
40:46 he has not received $100,000 from the Ministry of Youth and Sports
40:50 following the decision of the Ghana Football Association
40:52 to terminate his contract in September 2021.
40:56 The ministry, in a statement released on Monday,
40:59 said that upon the termination of CK Akuno's contract,
41:04 he was paid $318,000,
41:07 $378.41 Ghana Cedis,
41:10 which is equivalent to $54,054
41:14 at a rate of 5.89.
41:17 And it went on to say that on 22nd of October, 2021,
41:22 just a month and some few days
41:24 after the termination of his contract,
41:26 he was paid about $335,675.71,
41:31 which is equivalent to $54,054.
41:38 And it went on to say that on 12th January, 2023,
41:42 he was given 860,000 Ghana Cedis,
41:45 which is equivalent to $100,000.
41:48 So Monday, which was just yesterday,
41:51 the ministry again paid him some $30,000,
41:55 saying that he's been paid a total of a little over $508,000
42:00 and his outstanding areas is about $220,000.
42:05 And now let's talk about the lack of patronage
42:11 when it comes to Ghana Premier League.
42:14 Well, on Monday, Joy Sports and Insurance Sports
42:17 organized a top leadership program
42:19 to present findings following a survey
42:23 that was conducted by Insurance Sports,
42:27 having football fans across the country
42:29 answer some questions.
42:30 Well, we've made to understand that
42:33 some of the reasons why people do not patronize
42:35 the Ghana Premier League is due to poor quality.
42:37 But one of the things too was about the facilities
42:40 which organizes or host the competition.
42:43 The Minister of Youth and Sports, Muzaffar Youssef,
42:45 has tasked the National Sports Authority
42:47 to ensure the venues are family-friendly.
42:49 - Sports authority, entrusted with the care of our stadiums,
42:55 I urge you to transform these venues
42:57 into more than the mere arenas for watching games.
43:01 Let us create family-friendly spaces
43:04 where parents can bring their families and children
43:07 to engage in sports that we all love,
43:09 and also leisure activities.
43:11 Safety must be paramount,
43:13 and the stadium experience should be perceived
43:16 as an exciting place for everyone.
43:19 Premier League clubs, in your pursuit of attracting fans,
43:23 consider innovative marketing strategy
43:26 that resonates with the young generation.
43:28 Engaging the community and giving back
43:31 through corporate social responsibility initiative
43:34 can foster deeper connection with fans.
43:37 (audience applauding)
43:40 To Ghana Football Association,
43:43 the organizers of the league strive for fair
43:46 and attractive competition that fans can be proud of.
43:50 We must be conscious of global competition
43:53 from the top league like the English Premier League,
43:57 and avoid future clashes.
44:00 Take taking into consideration
44:02 our account of our climate and work schedule.
44:05 We should aim to match time that are convenient
44:09 and enjoyable to our football fans.
44:12 - That's your sports for now.
44:18 We do have more sports stories on myjoyonline.com
44:21 and also at 2 p.m. when we come your way with sports.
44:24 Today, we appreciate your company.
44:26 (upbeat music)
44:29 (bell ringing)
44:32 - Good afternoon, welcome to Showbiz here on Joy News today.
44:43 Now, fans of the classics are being exposed
44:46 to a new package from internationally acclaimed
44:49 jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger, Derek Gardner.
44:53 Together with the jazz prophets,
44:55 the performer launched his latest initiative,
44:58 Jazz Accra Repetition Project
45:00 at the Coltrane Jazz Club in Adenta.
45:04 (upbeat music)
45:08 The three-stage project is an ambitious venture
45:21 that aims to establish Accra and Ghana by extension
45:26 as the hub of jazz music on the African continent.
45:30 Derek explains the project as a prominent strategy
45:34 to foster the possibility of collaborative performances
45:38 with other symbols, both musical and non-musical.
45:43 He sees it as an opportunity to reconnect
45:46 and pay homage to ancestral roots
45:48 as the project embodies the return of not only people
45:52 who are part of the African diaspora,
45:55 but the art form that keeps African history alive.
45:59 - Jazz right here in Accra,
46:01 he is more than likely the ringleader of jazz here in Accra.
46:06 When I discovered him, I said,
46:09 "Oh my goodness, where have you been hiding all my life?"
46:14 Please give it up for Mr. Victor Day.
46:16 (audience applauding)
46:19 - At the launch, the band exhibited
46:21 their dexterity via electric performances,
46:24 rooted in the spirit and traditions
46:28 of the African diaspora.
46:29 (upbeat music)
46:33 - Now, Ghanaian playwright, Ankle Bo White
46:40 has advised people in the creative sector
46:43 not to always ask for money from prospective sponsors
46:48 of their content and events.
46:49 The chief executive officer of Overmoon Production
46:52 believes there are other forms of sponsorship
46:55 that these brands should explore.
46:57 - When you are seeking sponsorship,
47:01 when you have sponsorship,
47:03 and after you've received sponsorship.
47:05 So let us go.
47:06 Number one, don't always ask for money.
47:10 Unfortunately, too many event organizers
47:13 are always looking for money.
47:14 There are brands and companies
47:16 that would want to support your event,
47:19 but may not have money.
47:20 They may not have the budget to give you cash,
47:23 but they may have products.
47:24 They may have services.
47:26 So for instance, a hotel may not be able to give you money,
47:30 but the hotel may be able to give you space.
47:32 A hotel may be able to give you some refreshments
47:35 or even some rooms.
47:38 So don't always look for money.
47:40 Sponsorship also comes in kind.
47:43 So look for those.
47:45 Number two, once you sign the contract,
47:50 the sponsorship contract,
47:51 make sure you deliver on the contract.
47:53 Unfortunately, the experience for many companies
47:57 have been that the guys come looking for the sponsorship.
48:00 Once they get it and they get the money,
48:03 they just ignore all the terms of the contract.
48:07 - Now, Joy Prime's cooking show, "Big Chef Tertiary"
48:13 on Sunday saw all six schools battle it out again
48:17 in the kitchen show in their cooking prowess
48:20 to win the hearts of and marks of the judges.
48:23 Contestants were given a tax on time
48:26 and it was the jam and pancake challenge.
48:30 Guess what you missed.
48:31 - So we are going to prepare jam today.
48:35 So you have all the various ingredients you have
48:37 to prepare a particular jam, a unique jam.
48:41 We are looking at you getting us pancakes as well.
48:44 Time begins now.
48:46 (upbeat music)
48:48 - Don't work in a messy environment.
49:00 Clean as you go.
49:01 Clean as you go.
49:04 - Across technical university, present your food to us.
49:08 - For our pancakes,
49:09 Mr. Law's pancake.
49:13 - I love the taste of your jam.
49:15 - Jam. - Thank you, sir.
49:16 - But I didn't really enjoy your pancake.
49:19 - We have rough pineapple jam and then fruity pancake.
49:24 - Master Technical University, please.
49:27 - Okay, so we have for you a fluffy lemon pancake
49:30 with a cabbage jam.
49:31 - The cabbage feel, I'm not having it, okay.
49:35 - Man and jam. - Man and jam.
49:38 - Mango and ginger. - Man and jam.
49:41 - Man and jam.
49:42 - There's more showbiz news in our subsequent bulletins
49:50 that will be all for showbiz here on Joy News today.
49:54 Good afternoon to you, Brice.
49:55 - Good afternoon to you, Becky.
49:57 And that's how we wrap it all up here.
50:01 There's more news on myjoyonline.com.
50:04 My name is Samuel Okojo-Brice.
50:05 Do enjoy the rest of your afternoon.
50:07 Up next is Marketplace with Daryl Cole.
50:10 (upbeat music)
50:13 (upbeat music)
50:16 (upbeat music)
50:18 (upbeat music)
50:21 (upbeat music)
50:24 (upbeat music)
50:27 (upbeat music)
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