Category: General

The Republic of Sierra Leone expressed, on Tuesday in Rabat, its full support for the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, while considering the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative as the only ‘credible, serious and realistic’ solution to the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

This stance was expressed in a joint communiqué issued following talks between Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Timothy Musa Kabba.

In the joint communiqué, Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister reiterated his country’s firm support to the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, which was reinforced by the opening, in August 2021, of a Sierra Leonean

Consulate General in Dakhla and its participation, on January 15, 2021, in the Ministerial Conference in support of the autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty, at the invitation of the Kingdom and the United States of America.

In this regard, he expressed his full suppo
rt for the UN-led process to reach a realistic, practical and lasting solution to the Moroccan Sahara issue.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Karimu Kusubari, West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive, has handed over a site for the construction of a one-storey shopping mall at Damongo, the Savannah Regional capital.

The project, when completed, will facilitate commercial activities and boost the local economy.

Mr Kusubari, speaking at the handing over ceremony, reiterated the government’s commitment towards the development of the municipality to improve the quality of lives of the people.

He said it was the government’s priority to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (one), which sought to eradicate extreme poverty.

He said the project was one of the key projects he desired to witness its commencement and completion.

The project is being funded by the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme, a World Bank Loan Facility, aimed at improving road network among others in the area.

The contractor is expected to commence work in two weeks and the project duration is six months.

Mr Kusubari inspected a completed drainage system at Ngbaripe, a
suburb of Damongo, which is aimed at preventing flooding in the area.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A delegation from the China Media Group (CMG) Africa accompanied by some officials of the Chinese Embassy in Ghana Tuesday called on the management of Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra to explore partnership and collaboration opportunities with the wire service.

The engagement focused on how the two Organisations can explore opportunities to upscale their news production and reach.

The CMG Africa delegation was led by Mr. Li Peichun, Deputy Director-General of CMG Africa.

The members were; Mr. Kwame Ren, Media Manager of Chinese Embassy, Madam Li Ye, Senior Editor and Corespondent at CMG Africa, and Mr. Shan Feng, a Photographer.

Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, the General Manger of Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the Agency was working towards the production of digital content to serve its radio and television subscribers locally as well as the international market.

‘…We have always felt the need to explore the leading digital market that has emerged. Last year, we did a pilot project and produced audio-visual conte
nts for our tv and radio subscribers and they liked it. So this year, we are going big in that area,’ he said.

Mr Owusu said the partnership would offer opportunity for trainings and capacity building for editorial staff in audio-visual and digital content creation and distribution.

He also talked of a possible collaboration in the area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive optimum content creation, productivity and speed.

‘We are open to these partnerships and hope to learn from each other in projecting our respective brands and reach. We are ready in this regard to better tell the Ghanaian and African story,’ he added.

Mr Li Peichun said the leadership of the CMG in China would sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the GNA at the Forum on China Africa Cooperation Summit this year in Beijing to give life to the partnership.

He said the partnership would be a ‘win-win’ engagement between the two Organisations, explaining that it would be generic so that the two parties could decide on areas of inter
est.

The China Media Group is a national broadcaster of China, comprising China Global Television Network, China Central Television, China National Radio and China Radio International.

The Group has eight oversea bureaus and operates in 20 countries, with the African outlet headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

Source: Ghana News Agency

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called for a review of the contract for downstream petroleum audit services, particularly the fee structure, regarding the transactions between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilization Ghana Ltd (SML).

Given the experience and proficiency of SML over the last four years of providing that service, the President directed that the fee structure be changed from a variable to a fixed fee structure.

He asked that other provisions of the contract such as clauses on intellectual property rights, termination, and service delivery expectations also be reviewed.

The directives were given by the President in response to the final report of the audit conducted by KPMG on the GRA/SML transactions.

The President was provided with the final report on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.

A statement issued by the Communications Directorate, Office of the President, noted that the President had acted on the findings and accepted recommendations of KPMG, and had, by a let
ter dated Thursday, April 18, given directives to the Ministry of Finance and the GRA.

Per the directives, the SML’s performance in any renegotiated contracts should be monitored and evaluated periodically to ensure that it met expectations.

Additionally, any renegotiated contract should be compliant with section 33 of the Public Financial Management Act, according to the statement.

The President stated that the upstream petroleum audit and minerals audit services had not yet commenced, and no payments had been made in respect of those services, therefore, they may be terminated.

‘However, given that the upstream petroleum audit and minerals audit services could prevent significant revenue leakages, the President has directed that the Ministry and GRA conduct a comprehensive technical needs assessment, value-for-money assessment, and stakeholder engagements before implementing such services.

‘The transaction audit and external price verification services may also be terminated,’ he noted.

According to t
he KPMG’s findings, GRA obtained partial value or benefit for those services due to lack of monitoring on the part of GRA to ensure that SML performed the services as stipulated in the contracts.

The KPMG’s investigations found that GRA had introduced external price verification tools as part of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), among its other functions.

That rendered the reliance on SML for external price verification redundant.

‘There is a clear need for the downstream petroleum audit services provided by SML. GRA and the State have benefited from these services since SML commenced providing them,’ the President stated.

Referring to the KPMG’s findings, he affirmed that there had been an increase in volumes of 1.7 billion litres and an increase in tax revenue to the State of GHS 2.45 billion.

KPMG also observed that there were qualitative benefits, including a 24/7 electronic real-time monitoring of outflow and partial monitoring of inflows of petroleum products at depots where SML had
installed flow meters and six levels of reconciliation done by SML.

‘This minimises the occurrence of under-declarations,’ the statement emphasised.

It called on the Ministry of Finance and the GRA to give effect to the above directives of the President immediately and provide the Office of the President with an update on the steps taken.

Following public criticism, the President directed KPMG, an internationally acclaimed Audit, Tax and Advisory Services firm, to conduct an audit regarding the transactions which the two entities entered in 2020.

The contract was meant to enhance revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, the upstream petroleum production and the minerals and metals resources value chain.

KPMG, which was initially given up to January 16, 2024, to complete its work, was granted an extension of its working period, following a request to the President.

The auditors were tasked to conduct an audit to ascertain the rationale or needs assessment performed before the contract approv
al by GRA and assess how the arrangement aligns with specific needs.

They were also to assess the appropriateness of the contracting methodology.

The KPMG’s working mandate was to verify compliance with legal standards and industry best practices in the procurement process for the selection of SML and evaluate the degree of alignment between current activities and the stipulated contract scope, identifying any deviations.

Per its terms of reference, the audit firm was to evaluate the value or benefit that SML had so far offered to the GRA through the engagement.

The President tasked the auditors to review the financial arrangements, including pricing structures, payment terms and resolution of any financial compliance issues and submit a report on its findings, together with appropriate recommendations.

He, therefore, directed the Ministry of Finance and GRA to provide KPMG with whatever assistance it required for conducting the audit.

The KPMG, per its investigations and findings, established that no t
echnical needs assessment was done prior to the engagement of SML.

‘However, such an assessment was not legally required for engaging SML. After SML was engaged, a Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors’ industry report, a 2021 Ernst and Young audit report commissioned by GRA and a report by the Revenue Assurance and Compliance Enforcement of the Ministry of Finance, all found that there might be underreporting, under-declaration and potential revenue leakages.

‘On three occasions (between June 2017 and September 2017), GRA sought approval from the Public Procurement Authority (‘PPA’) to use the single source procurement method to engage SML to provide transaction audit services. The PPA did not grant approval.

‘Subsequently, GRA engaged SML as a subcontractor to West Blue, which was already providing services to GRA at the port.

‘SML eventually took over the services provided by West Blue when the latter’s contract came to an end on 31st December 2018. GRA then added external price verification to the servic
es offered by SML and signed a downstream petroleum audit agreement with SML.

‘All these were done without PPA approval,’ the KPMG’s findings established.

Following a change of leadership at GRA, the new leadership sought to regularise the contracts with SML and on August 27, 2020, the PPA ratified the procurement processes used to engage SML.

In 2023, the Ministry of Finance (MoF), GRA, and SML entered a Revenue Assurance Services Contract (2023 Contract).

The 2023 Contract extended the scope of SML’s services to include upstream petroleum and minerals audit.

The PPA’s approval was obtained for this contract, which is now the governing agreement for the services offered by SML to GRA.

Another issue raised by KPMG is the absence of parliamentary approval for the contracts, given that they are multi-year contracts.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Very Reverend Isaac Amo Brentu, the Superintendent Minister of the Berekum Circuit of the Methodist Church, has advised the youth of the church to be Christ-like in all their activities.

He said the youth of the church ought to allow the biblical teaching of love, humility, modesty and honesty, respect and patriotism to guide them in schools, homes, and churches and communities.

Very Rev. Brentu gave the advice at the 46th Synod Youth Rally of the church, held at the Sunyani Wesley Cathedral.

The synod was on the theme: ‘Discipleship: Growing into Christian Maturity.’ He said Christian maturity was not about ‘slogans or religious gimmicks,’ but a life of godliness anchored in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Very Rev Brentu, also the Assistant Synod Secretary of the Sunyani Methodist Diocese, said he was unhappy about the way and manner the social media was controlling the youth, luring them into perversions.

He said it was unfortunate that many of the youth were addicted to the various social media
handles, exerting influences on their upbringing and development.

The Rev Jonathan Amankwaah Oppong, the Diocesan Youth Organizer (DYO) of the church, advised the youth against engaging in political violence, which was not only sinful but could ruin their life.

Earlier, the synod held a youth rally which assembled all the 17 circuits within the Sunyani Methodist Diocese and prayed for the nation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Gender Unit of the Minerals Commission has sensitised women in Artisanal Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in the Eastern Region to take advantage of the opportunities within the small-scale mining sector.

The day’s workshop was on the theme: ‘Capacity Building of ASM Women for Future Wealth’.

The participants were taken through topics including Financial Management, Health, Safety and Environmental Sustainability and procedures for the acquisition of licence and mining concessions.

Madam Monalyn Anokye-Bempah, Principal Officer at the Gender Unit, Minerals Commission, encouraged the women in Artisanal Small-Scale Mining, popularly known in the local parlance as ‘Korlikorli’ to form co-operatives to make it easier to secure mining concession and financial support from banks to assist their businesses.

Mr Patrick Pinamang, the District Officer at Akim Oda, Minerals Commission, took the women through the procedures for the acquisition of licences and concessions and encouraged them to observe the provisions in t
he Mineral and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).

On requirements for applying for a concession, Mr Pinamang said one was supposed to provide a Ghana Card, tax identification number and register the business as a sole proprietor or limited liability at the Registrar General’s Department.

The Government, through the Minerals Commission, had earmarked blocked-out areas for small-scale mining, and that an individual could be given up to 25 acres of mining concession after fulfilling the necessary legal and administrative requirements, Mr Pinamang stated.

Madam Grace Anim- Yeboah, Director of Banking at ABSA Bank, engaged the participants on record keeping and efficient financial management tips.

She urged them to be focused and resilient with their finances in order not to incur unnecessary losses in their businesses.

She believed that if women in ASM organised themselves into co-operatives, it would enhance their bargaining power to secure affordable loans from the Bank.

On her part, Madam Victoria Adobea Guerri
eri, the National Women’s Coordinator, Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, encouraged the women in mining to be bold and work collaboratively in order to access funding for their businesses.

She believed that if women were empowered financially, they would become huge asset for the nation and their families.

Source: Ghana News Agency