Day: May 25, 2023

Mr Edward Boateng, Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), has been honoured for his excellent contributions to public sector management in the country.

He was honoured at the 7th Ghana CEO’s Summit held on May 22, 2023, in Accra.

Mr Eric Bonsu Agyabeng, the Acting Head of SIGA’s PME Division, received the award on behalf of Mr Boateng, who was away on another official duty.

This was communicated in a release issued by the Corporate Affairs Division of SIGA and copied to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra.

The release said Mr Boateng lauded the organizers of the summit for recognising SIGA’s accomplishments.

He also highlighted President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s visionary efforts in establishing SIGA to ensure the profitable operations of Specified Entities.

While commending his team for the hard work and purpose of duty, which led to him receiving the award, the DG also encouraged staff to keep striving and to be torchbearers in carrying out SIGA’s mandate.

‘SIGA is working tirelessly with the Specified Entities to rise to the occasion and to create the economic super highway where businesses can thrive without being constrained by unnecessary bureaucracy. This will make Ghana a hub of economic prosperity, attracting both local and foreign investments,’ he added.

The Ghana CEO’s Summit, a renowned forum for encouraging dialogue and collaboration among corporate executives, featured a number of thought-provoking sessions, including presentations and panel discussions on a variety of topics.

Experts shared useful concepts and strategies as they discussed digital transformations and their economic implications and highlighted success stories and a road map for creating a conducive business environment.

The summit also featured a vibrant business fair where exhibitors displayed their wares.

The exhibition provided companies with a unique opportunity to promote their offerings, forge potential partnerships and contribute to the summit’s goal of supporting entrepreneurship and economic growth in Ghana.

This year’s Summit was on the theme: ‘Economic Sovereignty, Sustainable Corporate Governance, Digital Industrial Transformation: New Paths for Growth and Prosperity. A Private -Public Sector CEO Dialogue and Learning’.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) has embarked on an indefinite strike.

They last Wednesday announced the commencement of a strike starting on Thursday, May 25, 2023, after issuing an ultimatum to the government to address demands for the approval of salary increases and payment of arrears.

The action was a result of the government’s failure to approve reviewed salaries and other allowances of its members.

It noted that the various proposals made to the government regarding the implementation of the approved cost of living allowance for members were not being addressed urgently.

The Court Complex in Accra, the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts in Accra and the Kaneshie Magistrate Court were all empty.

Mr Samuel Affotey Otu President of JUSAG in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the withdrawal of service would continue until all their demands were met and directed the executive to ensure full compliance with their directives.

The JUSAG President said the association had not heard anything from the government.

Mr Affotey noted that a letter from the National Labour Commission was served on the Association, Chief of Staff, the Finance Minister, and the Labour and Employment Minister, to meet the government to resolve their issues, but all fell on deaf ears.

‘They served us, they served the Chief of Staff, they served the finance minister, and then labour and, employment minister, but nothing happened,’ he added.

He said stakeholders were not ready to meet their demands.

‘We have not received any call yet. So we are still on course.

‘Since yesterday, if our issue is pressing or important to them by now they should have done something, so we are waiting for them,’ he said.

Addressing the implication of the strike, the JUSAG President noted that the administration of justice would be affected.

‘As you can see nobody is here I mean, no court is sitting now, he said.

According to him, until their money hit their bank account, they would not resume work.

‘We have asked them to meet our demand, to the president, this is just a signature, he can sign today, he noted.

All the Courts across the country with over 5000 workers have embarked on an indefinite strike for the government to meet their demands.

Mr Nii Adjei Adjetey Akuffo, acting Mankralo of Teshie Traditional Area, who came to the Court to pick up the date for delivery of judgement in a matter said he was disappointed.

He emphasised that the strike would delay some cases as well as proceedings ‘because we don’t know the time they will call off the strike’.

Mr Ajetey Akuffo therefore, appealed to the Government and stakeholders to call JUSAG and talk to them and ‘pay their money by tomorrow, it will help all of us’.

He described the action as unfair because it would prolong the cases of remanded prisoners.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), per Acts 30, 31 and 42 of its Constitution, has inaugurated eight committees for the smooth running of the Association.

The committees, with the exception of the Ethics and Disciplinary Council, are chaired by the national executives in consonance with the constitutional provisions.

The Committees comprised Membership and Vetting chaired by Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, GJA President; Professional Development chaired by Mr Kofi Yeboah, GJA Secretary; Social Affairs, chaired by Dominic Hlordzi, GJA National Organiser; International Relations, chaired by Madam Linda Asante Agyei, GJA Vice President, and Finance and Resource Mobilisation, chaired by Madam Audrey Dekalu, GJA Treasurer.

The rest are Project Management, and Social Media Visibility, both chaired by Madam Rebecca Ekpe, GJA Public Affairs Officer, and Ethics and Disciplinary Council, chaired by Colonel M’Bawine Atintande (rtd).

Mr Albert Dwumfour, President of the GJA, said the formation of the committees was a constitutional provision to promote efficiency and strengthen the structures of the Association.

He stressed that the GJA in its quest to improve its affairs needed the committees on board to place the Association at an enviable position.

Mr Dwumfour said members of the committees were carefully chosen based on professionalism and commitment to the Association.

Mr George Sarpong, Executive Secretary, National Media Commission, urged the committees to work hard to enhance the operations of the GJA.

He urged them to work towards making every journalist a member of the Association to offer them some form of safety in their work.

Mr Sarpong commended the Association for making it possible for Ghana to be chosen to host a conference for journalists in Africa next year.

He said that showed that the country was still having a thriving independent and free press contrary to claims the media was under threat.

Madam Yaa Oforiwaa Asare-Peasah, a member of the Finance and Resource Mobilisation Committee, on behalf of her colleagues, said they would work diligently to propel the forward march of the Association.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Judicial Service of Ghana has appealed to the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) to call off its industrial strike declared on May 24, 2023.

A statement issued in Accra said the appeal was to enable JUSAG participate in the engagement between the Ministry of Finance and the Service scheduled for May 31, 2023.

The Association declared the industrial strike over the delay in approving the recommendation/advice of the Judicial Council on the review of their salaries and related allowances in accordance with Article 149 of the 1992 Constitution, among others.

It assured the Executives of JUSAG that their concerns outlined in their press release would be addressed hence their cooperation in resolving the matter was needed.

The statement said initially, Management invited the Executives of the Association to appraised them on the ongoing discussions between the Government and Management, regarding the review of the salaries and related allowances but the invitation was not honoured.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Angola’s prominent and irreversible role in promotion of peace and democracy in the continent was stressed on Thursday in Luanda.

The country’s engagement was expressed by the Secretary of State for Social Communication, Nuno Caldas, while speaking to the press prior

to the opening ceremony of the 1st International Women’s Forum for Peace and Democracy.

The official said that the country’s commitment to peace enabled the Head of State, João Lourenço, to receive the title of champion for peace in Africa.

Nuno Caldas described the factor as crucial for Angola to assume this prominence in the context of the biennial of Luanda, a pan-African forum for peace and non-violence in Africa.

The official said that the 1st International Women’s Forum for peace and democracy is a privileged space for debate and exchange of experience related to peace and stability of the continent.

Nuno Caldas said that African politicians, researchers and diplomats, who have been contributing to the continent´s stability, have been invited.

Leading figures, such as former Liberian President Ellen Johnson, former Costa Rican Vice President, Epsy Cambell Barr, United Nations representatives, and diplomats will address the five thematic panels

at the event, which runs until Friday.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The governor of Kavango East Bonifatius Wakudumo defended Thursday in Rundu, Republic of Namibia, the effective cohesion of the African countries aimed to end the foreign influence in the political and economic instability of the continent.

The official, who was speaking to ANGOP, ahead of May 25, the Africa Day, blamed the foreign influence in the continent for delay of sustainable development of Africa.

He is of the view that many African countries have only political independence and not economic independence, which contribute little or nothing to the affirmation of the Democratic State of Rights in the continent.

The official said when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was created there was hope that the Independent African countries would embark on development processes to ensure a decent life in the continent, but the conflicts ended up disrupting the development on the continent.

According to Bonifatius Wakudumo, the fight for the establishment of the continent free of foreign influences should continue, in order to conquer both political and economic independence in its fullness.

The African continent marks Thursday, May 25, 60 years since the creation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the current African Union (AU).

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)