General News
Democratic and governance group supports dismissal of Ofori-Atta
The Coalition for Democratic Accountability and Inclusive Governance has backed calls for the dismissal of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister.
According to the group, previous comments by the Minister towards an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme warrant calls for his removal from office.
“At least from the citizens, they feel that it is important that government must at least also show that it is responsive to the concerns that citizens are raising”, said Dr. Kojo Asante, the Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) and a member of the coalition.
Dr. Asante said government must sack the minister to rebuild public confidence.
“It is a trust-building measure, so whatever the government is going to do for us to think that it is acting with credibility and is serious must be substantial. So everyone says that the Finance Minister [must go because], there are other capable people who can continue with the work.”
The hashtag #KenMustGo trended online as some Majority MPs called for the removal of the Finance Minister.
Mr. Ofori-Atta, has been the subject of some of the more intense criticism as Ghana struggles with an economic crisis.
Inflation has reached 37.2 percent and the cedi has been singled out as the worst-performing currency in the world.
Observers online remarked that the call of the Majority MPs against their own government was unprecedented.
On the ground, some Ghanaians were also in favour of calls for the removal of the Finance Minister.
Some residents in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, the government’s electoral stronghold, said it would be in everyone’s best interest for the Finance Minister to go.
Some residents who spoke to Citi News say Ken Ofori-Atta’s removal as the Finance Minister is long overdue and should be shown the exit.
“If the key members of the government are saying that the Finance Minster should go, then I believe it has a lot of benefits for us, especially those of us who are sympathisers of the NPP,” one of the residents said.
“I agree with them that the Finance Minister should be changed. It is long overdue because that is the clarion call of everybody,” another Kumasi resident said.
But President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked persons demanding the dismissal of the Minister to be patient until the conclusion of Ghana’s deal with the IMF and the passage of the 2023 budget.
The post Democratic and governance group supports dismissal of Ofori-Atta appeared first on Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana.
General News
Good news for teachers: 1 teacher, 1 laptop
Teachers in public schools will receive the laptops promised by the government in 2021 by the end of June 2024.
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, said this on Adom FM’s morning broadcast, Dwaso Nsem, on Tuesday.
“I can tell you that the instructors will receive their computers by the end of June, as promised. They’ve already met with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and are figuring out how to get their laptops,” he said.
His remarks came after the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) expressed reservations about the Ghana Smart School Project, which debuted on Monday, March 25, 2024.
According to GNAT, since 2021, when the government launched a similar scheme for teachers dubbed the “1 Teacher 1 Laptop” project, over 100,000 instructors in public schools have yet to receive theirs.
However, Dr. Adutwum, a teacher himself, told teachers that his Ministry has their best interests at heart and will never fail them.
He indicated categorically that the instructors will receive their computers by the end of June.
Speaking about the Ghana Smart School Project, Dr. Adutwum emphasised its significance as a component of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, which aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning in public second-cycle schools.
He stated that these tablets, packed with necessary textbooks and previous questions, will be great instructional aids, improving students’ access to information critical to their academic endeavours.
General News
Create your own ‘dumsor’ timetable – Energy minister to critics
Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has challenged those lobbying for a load-shedding timeline from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to submit their own proposals.
His statements came amid the country’s current electricity issues, particularly in the Greater Accra Region, which affect both residents and companies.
Despite rising calls for a systematic load-shedding plan, ECG has maintained its opposition to creating one, citing the lack of a formal “dumsor” scenario and so judging a timetable unnecessary.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and numerous important personalities have repeatedly urged ECG to give a timeframe. They also urged the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to address the present power situation.
However, speaking to the media at the launching of the NPP campaign team in the Ashanti Region, Dr Opoku Prempeh urged detractors to create their own timeline if required.
He questioned the point of defining a timeline since ECG said that there is no such strategy in place.
“Ask those who desire it to bring it, if any. I have not seen any timeline. The ECG claims there is no timeline coming; why do you wish to bring one, and for what purpose? Why would someone wake up and want wicked and awful things for the country? You can’t inform the individual when it’s unplanned.”
Dr. Opoku Prempeh told the public that measures are underway to solve the difficulties facing the electricity industry.
General News
Deputy CHRAJ Commissioner reported dead
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has confirmed the death of Richard Ackom Quayson, its Deputy Commissioner.
Mr Henry Ashley, the Director of Human Resources and Administration, signed a notification on behalf of the Commissioner on March 22, 2024, announcing the death.
The letter, which was sent to the GNA, read: “It is with a heavy heart that we inform members of staff of the death of our Deputy Commissioner (APR), Mr Richard Ackom Quayson, who passed away unexpectedly on the 21st of March 2024, after a short illness.”
Mr Quayson was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Commission in August 2005, overseeing the Commission’s anti-corruption duty, as well as public education and research.
He joined the Commission as a senior legal officer in 1993, having previously served as a legal officer at CHRAJ’s predecessor organisation, the Office of the Ombudsman, from 1987 to 1993.
He was the Western and Central Regions’ regional director prior to his appointment as Deputy Commissioner.
He also headed the National Working Group that established Ghana’s National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) and served on the Commission that oversees its implementation.
He was a lawyer by profession, specialising in human rights promotion and protection, administrative justice, and corruption prevention and investigation.
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