What Are the Functions of Insurance Companies?

The money you pay for your business's many insurance premiums might seem to be a waste, especially if you never claim a loss. But the primary function of an insurance company is to safeguard your business against such losses. 

The type of business you own determines the type of insurance you need. The government requires you to have certain types of insurance to protect the public, and lenders require insurance to protect their investment. Optional policies exist to protect your own interests if you suffer a loss.

Required Insurance

The government requires certain types of insurance if you are an employer. According to the Small Business Administration, you must purchase, at minimum, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance. If your business is in Rhode Island, California, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New York or New Jersey, or any part of the world you also must purchase disability insurance for your employees.

These insurances provide your employees with a financial safety net if they are hurt on the job or lose their job. Your employees do not pay any part of the premiums for these plans. You can deduct the premiums you pay as a business expense when you file your taxes.

Liability Insurance

Liability insurance policies pay the legal fees and judgments associated with accidents, negligence and professional errors. The government requires some companies and professionals to carry liability insurance. For example, trucking companies must have general liability insurance, and physicians must have professional liability insurance.

If you receive notice of a lawsuit, your insurance company's function is to hire lawyers to represent you in court. Your insurance company pays any settlements or judgments against your company up to the policy's limits. Manufacturers often have product liability insurance that pays if a product has a defect that results in an injury.

Property Insurance

Property insurance comes in three types: basic, broad and special, according to the InsureU website. Examples of items covered by policies include your business's buildings, machinery, inventory and even your copyrights and trademarks. While coverage differs depending on the type of policy, the insurance company's function is to pay for damages or losses after storm damage or theft.

Business interruption policies pay for your lost earnings if you have to close your business while repairs are made from storm or fire damage. Property insurance policies typically pay for either replacement costs or the actual value of the property before the damage or loss occurred.

Home-based Businesses

If you have a home-based business, you may think your homeowner's policy covers all of your insurance needs. This is not necessarily so. It may be possible to add an endorsement to your homeowner's policy to cover your business. If your revenues are above $5,000, clients come to your home or you have expensive equipment, you should talk to an agent about stand-alone policies such as a business owner's policy. The company insuring your home-based business is there to provide assistance if you are sued and pay for losses from theft and storms.

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Importance of Insurance to Businesses and Individuals

Insurance has evolved as a process of safeguarding the interest of people from loss and uncertainty. It may be described as a social device to reduce or eliminate risk of loss to life and property. The insurance has been useful to the business society also. Some of the uses are discussed below:

Read Also: List of Insurance Companies in Ghana

                   What is insurance?

Medical support

A medical insurance considered essential in managing risk in health. Anyone can be a victim of critical illness unexpectedly. And rising medical expense is of great concern. Medical Insurance is one of the insurance policies that cater for different type of health risks. The insured gets a medical support in case of medical insurance policy.

Business Continuation

In any business particularly partnership business may discontinue at the death of any partner although the surviving partners can restart the business, but in both the cases the business and die partners will suffer economically.

The insurance policies provide adequate funds at the time of death. Each partner may be insured for the amount of his interest in the partnership and his dependents may get that amount at the death of the partner.

With the help of property insurance, the property of the business is protected against disasters and the chance of disclosure of the business due to the tremendous waste or loss.

Provide safety and security

Insurance provide financial support and reduce uncertainties in business and human life. It provides safety and security against particular event. There is always a fear of sudden loss. Insurance provides a cover against any sudden loss.

For example, in case of life insurance financial assistance is provided to the family of the insured on his death. In case of other insurance security is provided against the loss due to fire, marine, accidents etc.

Enhancement of Credit

The business can obtain loan by pledging the policy as collateral for the loan. The insured persons are getting more loans due to certainty of payment at their deaths. The amount of loan that can be obtained with such pledging of policy, with interest, thereon will not exceed the cash value of the policy.

In the case of death, this value can be utilized for setting of the loan along with the interest. If the borrower is unwilling to repay the interest, the lender can surrender the policy and get the amount of loan and interest thereon paid.

The redeemable debentures can be issued on the collateral of capital redemption policies. The insured properties are the best collateral and adequate loans are granted by the lenders. 

Source of collecting funds

Large funds are collected by the way of premium. These funds are utilised in the industrial development of a country, which accelerates the economic growth. Employment opportunities are increased by such big investments. Thus, insurance has become an important source of capital formation. 

Life insurance encourages savings

Insurance does not only protect against risks and uncertainties, but also provides an investment channel too. Life insurance enables systematic savings due to payment of regular premium. Life insurance provides a mode of investment. It develops a habit of saving money by paying premium. The insured get the lump sum amount at the maturity of the contract. Thus life insurance encourages savings.

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What is 'Insurance' - Insurance Definition

Insurance is a contract, represented by a policy, in which an individual or entity receives financial protection or reimbursement against losses from an insurance company. The company pools clients' risks to make payments more affordable for the insured.

Insurance policies are used to hedge against the risk of financial losses, both big and small, that may result from damage to the insured or her property, or from liability for damage or injury caused to a third party.

There are a multitude of different types of insurance policies available, and virtually any individuals or businesses can find an insurance company willing to insure them, for a price. The most common types of personal insurance policies are auto, health, homeowners and life insurance policies. Most individuals in the United States have at least one of these types of insurance.

Businesses require special types of insurance policies that insure against specific types of risks faced by the particular business. A fast food restaurant, for example, needs a policy that covers damage or injury that occurs as a result of cooking with a deep fryer.

An auto dealer is not subject to this type of risk but does require coverage for damage or injury that could occur during test drives. There are also insurance policies available for very specific needs, such as kidnap and ransom (K&R), medical malpractice and professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions insurance.

Insurance Policy Components

When choosing a policy, it is important to understand how insurance works. Two of the most important components of all insurance policies are the premium and the deductible. A firm understanding of these two concepts goes a long way to helping you choose the policy that is best for you.

A policy's premium is simply its price, typically expressed as a monthly cost. The premium is determined by the insurance company based on your, or your business', risk profile. For example, if you own several expensive automobiles and have a history of reckless driving, you pay more for an auto policy than someone with a single mid-range sedan and a perfect record. 

However, different insurers may charge different premiums for similar policies, so finding the price that is right for you requires some legwork.

The second important policy component is the deductible. Whenever you make a claim, you are required to meet a minimum out-of-pocket expense, or deductible, before the insurance company pays for your losses. Deductibles can apply per-policy or per-claim depending on the insurer and the type of policy.

Policies with very high deductibles are typically cheaper because the high out-of-pocket cost means insureds are less likely to make small claims. When it comes to health insurance, for example, people who have chronic health issues or need regular medical attention should look for policies with lower deductibles. Though the annual premium is higher than a comparable policy with a higher deductible, cheaper access to medical care throughout the year may be worth the trade-off.

Insurance Premium

An insurance premium is the amount of money that an individual or business must pay for an insurance policy. The insurance premium is considered income by the insurance company once it is earned, and also represents a liability in that the insurer must provide coverage for claims being made against the policy.

The amount of insurance premium that is required for insurance coverage depends on a variety of factors. Insurance companies examine the type of coverage, the likelihood of a claim being made, the area where the policyholder lives or operates a business, the behavior of the person or business being covered, and the amount of competition that the insurer faces.

Actuaries employed by an insurance company can determine, for example, the likelihood of a claim being made against a teenage driver living in an urban area compared to one in a suburban area. In general, the greater the risk associated with a policy the more expensive the insurance policy will be.

Policyholders are often given a number of options when it comes to paying an insurance premium. Some insurers allow the policyholder to pay the insurance premium in installments, for example monthly or semi-annual payments, or may require the policyholder to pay the total amount before coverage starts.

Insurance premiums may increase after the policy period ends. The insurer may increase the premium if claims were made during the previous period, if the risk associated with offering a particular type of insurance increases, or if the cost of providing coverage increases.

Insurers use the insurance premium to cover the liabilities associated with the policies that they underwrite, as well as to invest the premium in order to generate higher returns. Insurers will invest the premiums in assets with varying levels of liquidity and return, with the amount of liquid assets often set by state insurance regulators. Regulators want to make sure that policyholders will be able to have their claims paid for, and thus require insurers to retain adequate reserves.

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List of Insurance Companies in Ghana

There are 53 insurance companies in Ghana, with 23 life insurer companies, 26 non-life insurers and 4 reinsurer companies. Are you looking for an insurance company? Here is the list of the insurance companies in Ghana, 2017.

List of Life Insurers

1. Adamas Life Assurance Company Limited

2. A-Plus Life Assurance Company Limited

3. Capital Express Assurance (Gh) Ltd.

4. Donewell Life Insurance Company

5. Enterprise Life Assurance Company

6. Esich Life Assurance Company Limited

7. First Insurance Company Limited

8. Ghana Life Insurance Company

9. Ghana Union Assurance Life Company

10. Glico Life Insurance Company

11. GN Life Assurance Limited.

12. Metropolitan Life Insurance Ghana Ltd.

13. Millenium Life Insurance Ghana Ltd.

14. Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (Ghana) Limited

15. Phoenix Life Assurance Company

16. Prudential Life Insurance Ghana Ltd.

17. Quality Life Assurance Company

18. Saham Life Insurance Ghana Ltd.

19. SIC Life Company Ltd. (also listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange)

20. Starlife Assurance Company

21. Unique Life Assurance Company.

22. UT Life Insurance Company

23. Vanguard Life Assurance Company

Non-Life Insurers

24. Activa International Insurance Company Ghana

25. Allianz Insurance Company Ghana Limited

26. Best Point Insurance Limited

27. Donewell Insurance Company Limited

28. Enterprise Insurance Company Limited

29. Equity Assurance Company Limited

30. Ghana Union Assurance Limited

31. Glico General Insurance Company Limited

32. Imperial General Assurance Company Limited

33. International Energy Insurance Company Limited

34. Hollard Insurance Ghana Limited

35. Millennium Insurance Company Limited

36. NEM Insurance (Ghana) Limited

37. NSIA Ghana Insurance Company Limited

38. Phoenix Insurance Company Limited

39. Prime Insurance Company Limited

40. Priority Insurance Company Limited

41. Provident Insurance Company Limited

42. Quality Insurance Company Limited

43. Regency Alliance Insurance Ghana Limited

44. Saham Insurance Ghana Limited

45. SIC Insurance Company Limited

46. Star Assurance Company Limited

47. Unique Insurance Company Limited

48. Vanguard Assurance Company Limited

49. Wapic Insurance (Ghana) Limited

List of Reinsurers

50. Ghana Reinsurance Company

51. Mainstream Reinsurance

52. GN Reinsurance Company Limited

53. WAICA Reinsurance Corporation PLC

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Akufo-Addo Government to Have Worst Record in History – Adams

At the pace, President Akufo-Addo is going with his administration, he might set record for the wrong reasons, the National Organizer of the opposition NDC, Kofi Adams has said.

Adams feels several decisions taken by the President could be politically costly, especially his ‘elephant government’ that has come under serious criticisms for the past few days.

Read Also: Nana Addo Running a 'Family and Friends' Government - PPP

“At least the immediate past President distinguished himself with infrastructure development, in the areas of education, health, Aviation, and the massive Circle Interchange project which has made him popular. I believe that this current President also wants to set a record, but for the wrong reasons, either through plagiarism or record appointment of Ministers. That is what the President wants to set his record and this is not good for our economy. It is bad, unacceptable and must be stopped.”

President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday nominated 50 deputies and 4 others to serve as Ministers of State at the presidency and ministries.

This brings his total number of ministers to 110, the highest in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.

In a reaction to the criticisms of his “elephant size government” President Akufo-Addo said, the unprecedented problems confronting Ghana demand a large government to face them.

“I don’t believe that my government in the Fourth Republic has big numbers in view of the swollen challenges,” President Akufo-Addo said in an interview with the Daily Graphic.

“These are the background and the circumstances that were facing my government and the people of Ghana, hence they need a new paradigm shift to solve the problems.

“We have a problem and what is the best way? It is better to have men and women capable of serving the nation’s interests and to work to grow the economy…If I succeed, you will soon find out the brouhaha is nothing compared to the success.”


Read: How NDC Gurus Grab ‘Free’ Cars

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, the National Organizer of the largest opposition NDC said the so called bold initiatives of the President, with which he based his large Ministerial appointments on must not be left to plunder the public purse, insisting that the political appointments are added cost to the tax payer.

“The first bold initiative I was expecting from him[Akufo-Addo], was to see him reduce drastically the size of his government. The justification for his action has been that ‘if I succeed, you will soon find out the brouhaha is nothing compared to the success’ what if you fail? Adams questioned.

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Nana Addo Running a 'Family and Friends' Government - PPP

The leadership of the Progressive Peoples Party PPP has accused President Nana Akufo-Addo of running a “family and friends” government in the wake of his appointments of new ministers and other appointees.


Read Also: Ghanaians Are Fast Losing Hope in Akufo-Addo – Omane Boamah

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the national chairman of the PPP, Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond took a swipe at the NPP government for its inability to form an all-inclusive government as promised during the 2016 campaign prior to the presidential and parliamentary elections.

He also indicated that the outlined policies of government will only yield slow pace of development in the country.

“We the PPP are increasingly surprised the that the change in government from NDC to NPP seems to repeat mere changes to personalities occupying high offices and positions of trust in our land and not change in the substantial matters of reorientation.”


Related: List of NDC gurus who grabbed "free cars"

“How does a strictly partisan NPP local government ensure that all Ghanaians get the opportunity to participate in it?” Dr. Brew-Hammond questioned further.

PPP ready to merge with other parties

At the same press conference, the PPP also announced its readiness to merge with other political parties to form an effective third political force in the country.




Read: Over ¢110,546 Oil Money For School Building Missing

Dr. Brew Hammond revealed the PPP was negotiating with some political parties to create a political alliance that would provide a formidable opposition to the ruling government.

‘’It is only by bringing forces together that the dominance of the NPP and NDC duopoly can be broken… The PPP and other political parties would want to stand together now, united to offer disciplined, objective opposition and prove to the people that there is a better choice out there,” Dr. Brew-Hammond, stated.

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How NDC Gurus Grab ‘Free’ Cars

More names of people who acquired state vehicles in the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration are popping up.

About 250 people, mostly ministers of state, appointees, chiefs, journalists and secretaries, were said to have grabbed some of these state vehicles after the assets were ‘privately’ auctioned for pea-nuts, without any public participation.

Clear Breach

DAILY GUIDE currently has a list of all NDC bigwigs who benefited from the auction and the document explains how some of the vehicles which were barely two years old, were sold in clear breach of the law.

The document titled, “Auctioned vehicles for the period December 2016 to January 2017,” indicates date of approval, vehicle registration number, vehicle type, chassis number, present owner/address, new owner/address as well as issuing office.


Read Also: Rawlings Lied – Kufuor

Most of the vehicles were in the name of the Office of the President while a couple of them were in the names of some ministries and agencies.

Strangely, some of the beneficiaries had long left the Mahama administration but managed to grab some of the vehicles.

Big Names

Former sports minister and immediate-past MP for Ayawaso North, Dr. Mustapha Ahmed and Emelia Arthur, a leading NDC member, both grabbed 2013 Toyota Camry while Samuel Yaw Adusei, a former Deputy Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing, got 2014 Toyota Camry.

Babanlamine Sadat, Special Assistant to Mahama on Zongo affairs and Mohammed Adamu Ramadan, a presidential staffer, had 2014 Toyota Camry as well as Mawusi Lorlornyo Dzirasa, a secretary at the Office of the President, grabbing 2014 Nissan Teana.

Kofi Abbew Nkrumah grabbed 2014 VW Passat and the present owner has been recorded as Students Loan Trust Fund, while Christopher Tulasi went home with a 2014 Nissan NP 300/UP from the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.

Raymond Hiame took away a 2014 Nissan Sentra while Antoinette Kailey Ankrah also grabbed a 2014 Toyota Avensis with Baba Jamal, a former deputy minister, taking home a 2012 Toyota Avensis.

Dr. Bernice Adiku Heloo, a former Deputy Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, grabbed a 2010 Toyota Avensis with Henry Seidu Danaa, a former Minister for Chieftaincy, getting a 2013 Toyota Camry and Joseph Boateng taking home a 2014 Nissan Sentra.

Anthony Obeng Afrane grabbed a 2015 Toyota Corolla from the Office of the President while Kale Cezario grabbed a 2013 Toyota Camry, with Benjamin Fiakuna taking home a 2014 Nissan Sentra.

More Names

Benjamin Affisah took home a 2014 Toyota Camry while former National Security Advisor, William K. Aboah, annexed a 2013 Toyota Camry; Benedicta Micah also took home a 2014 Toyota Avensis.

Lydia Abi and Issah Ibrahim both grabbed a 2014 Toyota Camry and a 2014 Toyota Corolla respectively while both former Central Regional Ministers George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan and Aquinas Tawiah Quansah got a 2013 Toyota Camry each, with Rosetta Olympio, a special assistant to Lordina Mahama, grabbed a 2014 Toyota Avensis.

Sandow Seidu Kpebu, another aide to Lordina Mahama, also grabbed a 2014 Toyota Camry; Francis Nkrumah had a 2015 Toyota Avensis and Kyei John grabbed a 2014 Toyota Land Cruiser from the Ghana Shipper’s Authority while Samuel Ofori Boateng sent home with a 2014 BMW 740i.

Magnus Jacob Yama Tampuri got a 2014 Toyota Fortuner from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

Chairperson of the Council of State whose tenure ended recently, Cecilia Johnson, annexed a 2014 Toyota Camry while R. Kofi Nyantakyi took a 2015 Hyundai Elantra home; Frank Annan took home a 2015 Toyota Avensis.

Alfred Amuzu grabbed a 2015 Hyundai Elantra from the Office of the President with a former Chief Director at the Ministry of Petroleum, Prof. T.M. Akabzaa, having a 2013 Toyota Camry; former Local Government Minister, Collins Dauda, also took home a 2013 Toyota Camry.

Doreen Annan took a 2014 Honda Civic from the Ministry of Transport; Cosmos Dikro also took a 2014 Toyota Camry home while Alhaji Alhassan Iddi grabbed a 2014 Toyota Land Cruiser – all from the same ministry – with Isaac Kwaku Mintah taking home a 2014 Toyota Camry from the Energy Commission.

Reverend Abraham Botchwey, former CEO of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, grabbed a 2013 Toyota Camry while Mbui Roland Kofi went away with a 2014 Toyota Camry from the Ghana Revenue Authority; Philip Senyo Tsagli had a 2015 Toyota Camry.

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Rawlings Lied – Kufuor

Former President J.A Kufuor is livid over comments by his counterpart JJ Rawlings that he softened his stance on prosecuting a son of former Speaker of Parliament Peter Ala Adjetey.

“The 31st December Movement suffered bankruptcy in supporting Atta Mills. How many of us bothered to show up in court to offer her moral support in recognition of the foundation she laid in leading the women from the PNDC to the NDC?


Read Also:  Ghanaians are fast losing hope under Akufo Addo - Omane Boamah

“During that trial, Peter Ala Adjetey, the then Speaker of Parliament, whose son, NDC’s well-fed Larry Adjetey, was charged together with my wife, threatened Kufuor that if he did not drop the ‘false’ charge against his son, he would personally go to court to defend his son.

Kufuor dropped his charges.

“How many of these qualities of principled solidarity did we demonstrate towards our own? Instead, people got rewarded with appointments by denigrating and trying to destroy some of us. What money did I not borrow to assist some of our colleagues and comrades who were suffering financially under Kufuor’s regime? Those debts are still on my head today,” Rawlings said in an interview with the state-owned Daily Graphic.

Kufuor has denied Rawlings’ assertion, saying “there is no truth whatsoever in this allegation. I wonder what ails Rawlings to make him always try to impugn my integrity in his interviews.

“It is not true that I tried to prosecute Larry Adjetey but relented because his father, Peter, threatened me.”


Read Also: Ibrahim Mahama Warns Kennedy Agyapong

He added: “The circumstances of his (Rawlings) wife’s (Nana Konadu’s) trial is a matter of public record, available for anybody who cares to verify. Rawlings should stop posturing as the only person of integrity and truth.”

“If he wants to continue to blow trumpets from rooftops about his integrity and incorruptibility, let him do so, but he should leave Kufuor alone,” the former president said in a statement.

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Ghanaians Are Fast Losing Hope in Akufo-Addo – Omane Boamah

President Akufo-Addo won the 2016 general election on the back of several promises he made to Ghanaians including the restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowances, rebuilding of a stable and robust economy, repayment of DKM victims money, free education and restructuring of the NHIS, raising the hopes of Ghanaians for massive progress and development of the country.

But after only six weeks in power, former Communications Minister in the Mahama administration that lost the 2016 election to NPP explains that the good will from Ghanaians that Akufo-Addo enjoyed and rode on to victory has vanished.

According to Omane Boamah, Akufo-Addo has failed so far to align his words with the necessary actions.

Making reference to a section of Ghanaians who were to benefit from particular promises, Omane Boamah indicated that they had lost hope in the government’s ability to live up to their promises.

“They talk about good will of the Ghanaian people. It worked for them during the election because they went about on the lofty promises knowing very well what they knew about the economy they were going to give excuses. There’s no point arguing with the electorate agreed with them and gave them the mandate”

“…that person in the Brong Ahafo Region, that person in the Upper West Region, that person who is a victim of the DKM scandal, that person who is a victim of the ‘God is love’ scandal whose promise has not being paid, who voted for the NPP because of the lofty promise that the money was going to be paid has lost hope because that person does not see practice been aligned with the promise 6 weeks after the Akufo-Addo administration started working”.

President Akufo-Addo reiterated his government’s commitment to delivering on the promises they made to Ghanaians ahead of the 2016 elections when he appeared before parliament on 21st February 2017 to present his maiden SONA.

Omane Boamah expressed these sentiments in his reaction to the content of the President's maiden SONA on Alhaji and Alhaji show on Radio Gold.

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The Bilateral Talks Between Ghana and Britain

As is commonly known, bilateral relations involve the conduct of political, economic and cultural relations between two sovereign states. Such relations are carried out to promote friendship and socio-economic development for the mutual benefits of the two countries.

Generally speaking, Ghana’s foreign policy is usually based on certain broad objectives. The objectives include maintaining friendly relations and co-operation with all countries that yearn for such co-operation, irrespective of ideological considerations, on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

Issues discussed at the meeting, which aimed at boosting the already strong bilateral relations, involved matters of mutual interest to both Ghana and the United Kingdom (UK). The discussions focused on improving Ghana-UK trade, matters of common interest in foreign policy and security, as well as ensuring stability of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region. Other areas discussed were business co-operation, especially ensuring that UK encourages it firms to invest in Ghana’s economy.

The UK government is particularly happy about events in Ghana because of issues relating to democracy, good governance, rule of law, as well as the determination of the new government to make life better for Ghanaians just as the British government would also want to improve welfare conditions for its people. Also, matters of security are of great interest because without security, bilateral relations would not have any meaningful impact on the two countries.

It is generally recognised by British business entities that Ghana is a stable place to do business. What Ghana needs to do is to streamline and smoothen out the business regulatory framework in the country to entice investors. Generally, however, many companies from the UK share the view that Ghana’s environment is beautiful and investor-friendly.

This is why the government of Ghana has no choice but to focus on further improvement to make it far easy for companies to do business here. At the same time, it must continue to take strong measures to address or tackle corruption.

Apart from the UK, other countries have demonstrated that they have great confidence in the determination of Ghanaians to deal with their own problems and improve upon the welfare of the people. The world has become a global village and this explains why internationalisation of issues relating to common interests in the form of bilateral and other forms of relations have become a common feature among countries that stand for peace.

Currently, it is estimated that there are 900,000 Africans living in the UK, of which 9,400 people are of Ghanaian origin, including British-Ghanaians. In the same way, British companies have been playing key roles in the Ghanaian economy, notably the oil sector, extractive industries, telecommunications network across the country, the financial sector, the cocoa industry and other areas of agri-business.

In fact, the two countries are cemented by a common bond of employer-employee socio-cultural traits that are mutually beneficial. For example, in 2005, a study carried out by the Sheffield University Social and Spatial Inequalities Research Group revealed that 64 per cent of new immigrants from Ghana were employed in the UK, of which 17 per cent and three per cent were low and high earners respectively.

Ghana-UK bilateral relations have come to stay since the two countries share a common interest of ensuring economic growth for their respective countries. Indeed, the meeting between the two leaders was very significant, seeing that the people of the two countries have been involved in economic relations over the years.

Relations between the two countries are rooted in long-standing economic, political and cultural connections, as well as shared values. Furthermore, the democratic credentials of the two countries have helped in strengthening the links between the two countries, which are committed to fighting for the eradication of disease, poverty, squalor, promotion of bilateral trade and improvement in the welfare of people.

It is important for the two countries to pursue a common agenda towards the promotion of good governance, rule of law, democracy, the eradication of corruption, as well as committing themselves to the enhancement of continuous growth, prosperity and equitable or mutually beneficial trade relations.

No country in the world is an island, so both Ghana and the UK should do all they can to consolidate their bilateral relations for their mutual benefit.

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Ghana@60 Photos and Artworks

Ghana will celebrate her 60th independence anniversary starting in March 2017. We bring you photos and artworks including events around the Ghana@60 celebration.

EIB Network donates GH¢200k towards Ghana@60 celebration

Ghana@60 artwork

Ghana@60 Event

Ghana@60 onaapo T-shirts for sale

Ghana@60 logo

 Printex, a leading textile manufacturer in Ghana, produced the anniversary cloth for Ghana’s 60th independence celebrations.

The textile company is the first to come out with the Ghana@60 cloth to prepare Ghanaians for the celebrations on March 6, 2017.

The cloth has been designed with Sankofa and Gye Nyame symbols as well as the rainbow colors of Ghana with the Black Star.

The beautiful designs are ideal for men, women and children.

Printex manufactures an amazing assortment of colorful fabrics that are sold in the country and the Sub-Saharan region. According to the committee, the wholesale price for the cloth is GH¢220 with the retail price pegged at GH¢240.

The cloth comes in four different colours: white, cream, blue, and green with the 60th anniversary logo embossed on each.

 

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Ghana@60 Launches Jubilee Innovation Challenge for App Developers

The Planning Committee for Ghana at 60 Anniversary on Wednesday launched a competition christened: “Jubilee Innovation Challenge, (JIC)” aimed at challenging the youth from 18 to 35 years, to innovate creative ideas that would solve societal problems.

The Committee expects applicants to originate ideas that would provide solutions to social issues pertaining to healthcare, science and technology, education, as well as local governance, industrial and manufacturing management.

 Mr Laud Commey, the Chairperson of Events and Media Sub-committee, addressing the media at the launch of the competition, in Accra, said it was a platform to mobilise young people to contribute their quota towards national development



The competition opens from February 22 to May 19, and shortlisted applicants would be announced on July 2.

 The awards ceremony would come off on July 19, and the winner would receive GH¢100,000.00 prize package while the First Runner-up would get GH¢75,000.00 and the Second Runner-up would go home with GH¢50,000.00, which would be financed by the Universal Merchant Bank.

 Mr Commey noted that countries such as South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia which Ghana started the development journey with had thrived and advanced technologically because they adopted innovation and technology.

 Launching the competition at the Black Stars Square, Mr Mustapha Abdul Hamid, the Minister of information, said there was no way Ghana would develop if the citizenry continued to engage in mediocrity and shun excellence and innovation.

 He said excellence and innovation were the key principles that the youth should imbibe, to make the country the African lion that Ghanaians had been craving for.

 “If Ghana were a human being, she will have reached her retirement. Ghanaians should ask themselves, what have you achieved of the 60 years of your life?”.

  “More often than not, Ghanaians lamented that they started life journey with South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia, and proudly use their innovative products. We drive Hyundai vehicles and hold our Samsung phones with pride.

 “But in my humble opinion instead of being proud, we should be ashamed that we started the same pedestal with them, and today, it’s their products that give us essence of belonging,” he said.

 The Minister said such products could have been Ghanaian products if the people were innovative and adopted excellence as the watchword at the beginning.

 Mr Hamid said, nothing was late in life and thus, challenged young Ghanaians to be inventive and think outside the box in order to come out with creative ideas that would change the lives of people for the better.

  “We were told the one who invented Facebook conceptualise the idea in a university hostel and now he is one of the richest guys on the face of the earth,” he said.

 He indicated that the competition would open avenue for the youth to become economically prosperous in the near future.

 The Minister, therefore, implored young people to take up the challenge to get ideas, create them and put them out.

  “You may never know, your idea may turn out to be the winning idea until you have entered the challenge." 

Mr John Awuah, the Chief Executive Officer of Universal Merchant Bank, expressed optimism that the new ideas would transform the country because the problems for the future needed innovative thinking.

He said the Bank chose to finance the price package for the would-be winners because it believed in youth development and thus, asked the Anniversary Secretariat to sustain the competition in order to provide solution to societal problems.

 The theme for the anniversary celebration is: “Ghana, 60 years on, mobilising towards the future,” and urged Ghanaians to be part of the celebration.

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Ghana is The Most Expensive Country in Africa

Ghana tops the rest of Africa as the most expensive country to live in.

The survey report published by MoveHub, an Independent website, Ghana ranks among 20 other nations the world over considered as the most expensive to reside in.

The report said MoveHub based its assessment on a range of costs such as the price of groceries, transport, bills, restaurants and rents.

“Ghana is one of Africa’s more prosperous nations, and this is reflected in the cost of living, which is higher than any other African nation,” the report stated. “New York was given an index score of 100, and countries were then ranked based on this. So a country with a score higher than 100 is more expensive than New York, while below signals that it is cheaper.”

Ghana, with a score of 53.89, is one of Africa’s more prosperous nations, which has a bearing on the cost of living, according to MoveHub.

Below is the list of the 21 most expensive countries in the world

21. Ghana — 53.89: Ghana is one of Africa’s more prosperous nations, and this is reflected in the cost of living, which is higher than any other African nation, according to MoveHub.

20. Italy — 53.89: The cost of living in Italy is higher than in the eurozone’s two largest economies, Germany and France.

19. Israel — 54.11: Israel is, comparatively speaking, pretty inexpensive compared to other states in the region like Kuwait and the UAE.

18. Kuwait — 57.31: Kuwait’s currency, the Kuwaiti dinar, is one of the strongest currency units in the world, with a single dinar worth £2.63.

17. Japan — 57.62: Japan’s economy may have stagnated somewhat in recent years, but it still remains one of the world’s powerhouses, and that is reflected in the cost of living.

7. Bahamas — 73.63: The Caribbean state of the Bahamas faces the same problem as many island nations, that imports far outstrip exports, pushing up the price of goods.

6. Norway — 74.47: Scandinavian countries are notoriously expensive, and Norway is no exception. According to Numbeo, the average 1 bedroom apartment in the country costs around £925 per month to rent.

5. Singapore — 76.57: According to the blog Singapore Life News, the average cost of a pint of beer in the city-state is around £8.50.

4. Iceland — 80.47: Cut off from the rest of Europe and with very little fertile ground, Iceland is forced to import much of its food, pushing up costs.

3. Hong Kong — 81.93: Hong Kong is notoriously expensive, and with space at a premium in the incredibly crowded city, apartments are usually both tiny and pricey.

2. Switzerland — 90.68: Switzerland frequently tops lists of the best places on earth to live thanks to great infrastructure, healthcare and a clean environment. However, all this comes at a price and it is the most expensive place in Europe to live.

1. Bermuda — 126.34: The Atlantic Ocean tax haven of Bermuda is officially the most expensive nation on earth, with the country’s capital Hamilton also the most expensive individual city on the planet.

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Gold Production to Increase in 2017- Minerals Commission

The Minerals Commission has disclosed to Citi Business News that its projection for gold production this year will be one of the best the industry has witnessed in recent times.

According to the commission, mining companies in the country have lined up a series of activities aimed at ramping up operations this year, hence will invest more funds into the industry.

Already, President Nana Akufo-Addo has announced that Randgold’s partnership with Anglogold Obuasi mine will commence this year after the agreement to invest in the mine was canceled last year.

Read: Ghana to Partner Germany in Agriculture



Speaking to Citi Business News on the expected activities in the industry, the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Dr. Toni Aubynn was hopeful thousands of jobs will be created for Ghanaians this year.

He stated that the companies have developed modalities to cushion them from shocks on the world market that negatively impact the price of the commodity.

“Most of the mining companies have learnt to withstand the cost and price dynamics much better than before. So most now understand the cost of production,” he said.

He pointed out that the development has led to companies making huge investment ahead of the 2017 production year, which is good for Ghana’s economy.

“We expect 2017 to be a positive year. We expect that production will go up. I will not be able to tell you exactly how much but we expect production to go up slightly above 2016 figures,” he said.

Sounding more hopeful, Dr. Aubynn stated that companies such as Asanko Gold Mines, Goldfields and Gold Star Resources have all shown signs of increasing production through injection of new investment.

“…You would have Asanko Gold now ramping up, fortunately Goldfields after its [preliminary] agreement with government has now secured 1.4 billion [dollars] resources to invest in the Damang project. If they are able to go into actual production within the year then it means that production is likely to go up,” he said.

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Over ¢110,546 Oil Money For School Building Missing

The African Centre for Energy Policy is raising an alarm over a community kindergarten school in the Brong Ahafo Region, paid for with proceeds from Ghana's oil but does not exist.

The 245,082 cedis project is said to have been completed in June 2014 at Dabaabi, a little farming community in the Brong Ahafo Region but checks by ACEP indicate that no such project was ever executed.


Read Also: Ibrahim Mahama Warns Kennedy Agyapong

Policy Advisor for ACEP Dr Ishmael Ackah told Joy FM's morning show host Kojo Yankson instead of a brand new kindergarten building funded with the oil money, residents in the community are struggling to put up a kindergarten school to house their future generation.

The residents pay Ȼ8:00 every month to have the building completed, Dr Ackah stated with ACEP providing additional funding to roof the building.

Background

According to the Policy Advisor, in 2014 an amount of  Ȼ110,546.00 of Ghana's oil money was allocated to build a kindergarten school in Dabaabi to replace a mid-shift building that served as a classroom block for the kids.

The cost of the project was 245,082 cedis but  Ȼ110,546.00 of the oil money was said to have been paid to a company to execute the project. The project is captured in page 30 of Petroleum Reconciliation Report 2014, as finished project, paid for and of immense benefit to the people in the community.

However, under a partnership program between DFID, and ACEP to investigate projects funded with Ghana's oil money, it has emerged the kindergarten school said to have been built is only a mirage.

Dr Ackah said several letters written to the Finance Ministry to show evidence of the building they paid for have come with no response.

However, officers at the Ministry, on condition of anonymity, confirmed to ACEP that monies have been paid for the construction of the project.

More than two years after the Ministry claimed to have completed the project, nothing is on the site, except the structure the community members are contributing to put up by themselves.

The former Municipal Chief Executive of Dormaa, Godwin Asubonteng later confirmed on the SMS no such project has been built in the area.

He said that under normal circumstances the Municipality is contacted to award such contracts  but nothing like that happened.

He was  even under the illusion that projects to be funded with oil money are only executed in Accra or in the Western Region.

ACEP is preparing a detailed report on the matter.

First time?

Dr Ackah said this is not the first time Ghana's oil money has been misappropriated. In 2015 several thousands of dollars was supposed to have been invested in the construction of 14 km asphalt road at Tafo in the Eastern Region.

The road was expected to facilitate the transport of farmers and their produce from Tafo to adjoining communities and markets.

However Dr Ackah said only 1.3 kilometers of the road was constructed at the same cost it would require to complete the 14 kilometers stretch.

The explannation by the contractor was that at the middle point of the road project was hilly and required concrete instead of asphalt. So a decision was taken to invest all the money into the concrete to build the 1.3 kilometer stretch.

"There is a hilly part, about 1.3 kilometers. So he used concrete instead of Asphalt to build the hilly part. So 1.3 kilometers concrete the money got finished. From Wiabeng to the concrete, the road is bad. From Tafo to the concrete, the road is bad. We just have some tourist attraction sitting in the middle and that is all," Ackah stated.

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Ibrahim Mahama warns Kennedy Agyapong

Chief Executive of Engineers and Planners, Mr Ibrahim Mahama, has warned acerbic tongue New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyepong, to forthwith, refrain from dragging his hard earned reputation in the mud or face his wrath.

Irked by the incessant but unwarranted and unguarded attacks on his person and family by the foul mouth Assin Donpem-born legislator, Mr Ibrahim Mahama has been narrating how Kennedy Agyepong, for several years without any provocation, has made him his chop stick in the media.

The shrewd entrepreneur and media-shy Engineers and Planners CEO, who is also a younger brother of immediate past president John Mahama, having perhaps had enough of Kennedy Agyapong’s never-ending vituperations in the media, was speaking to well-wishers and friends who thronged his residence to inquire what the problem is between him and the maverick MP.

Most of the people who came to “commiserate” with Mr Ibrahim Mahama following the NPP MP’s recent attacks on him and her late mother; could not fathom why Hon Agyepong, who was only recently adjudged by policy think tank, ODEKRO, as among MPs who never made statements on the floor of parliament in the life of the 6th parliament, would spend much of his time lampooning the business magnate at the least opportunity.

Livid by the shameful behavior of the NPP MP, the former President’s brother intoned: "I don’t go around bragging about what God has blessed me with and I don’t also go round threatening people like what Ken does...but he should know that some people, such me may, not be abrasive publicly as he is but…some of us when we’ve had enough of trash can be as ‘wild’ as the beast.”

Short of sharing exactly what that meant, the usually reclusive and soft spoken Engineers and Planners CEO only told his audience, "go n tell him (Ken) that I can be more ruthless than he thinks he is but, I just respect myself, my family and Ghanaian people hence; I have restrained myself following him into the gutter in spite of his numerous unsubstantiated and wild allegations and most of the time, pure lies.”

"Tell Ken that by the grace of God I have long been blessed before John (John Mahama) became Vice-president and later President... is it my fault that my senior brother climbed to those heights? Is it my fault that I am where I am today…I’m not God to determine others’ future and I’m content with what God has gifted me...I don’t compete with anyone neither do I envy those before me and even those after me. It is God's wish,” he stated.

The NPP Assin Central MP has since the defeat of President John Mahama and the NDC in last December elections picked on Mr Ibrahim Mahama and his family and has on countless occasions made unguarded statements and spurious allegations against him.

In one such unsubstantiated allegation against Mr Ibrahim, the MP who has always promised to expose shady deals of his political opponents but is yet to redeem any of his pledges accused the former President’s brother of dealing in cocaine and stolen cars.

In his usual abrasive no hold bar claims on Oman Fm’s Boiling Point programme, Kennedy Agyapong alleged that President John Mahama’s late step mum, who is also the mother of Ibrahim Mahama, was a drug baron. “She is obsessed with drugs and she baths with it,” he alleged

He also accused Mr Ibrahim Mahama of dealing in stolen cars which he alleged the latter supplies to some prominent chiefs in this country.

Interestingly, checks on the CEO of Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama who is being accused of involvement in stolen cars revealed that his company is having in its possession over 300 pieces of earth moving equipment, pay loaders, bulldozers, multi-purpose tipper trucks, tankers, pickups etc.
With the attacks becoming one too many, Mr Ibrahim is warning Kennedy Agyapong he has had enough of his gibberish and may be forced to react in like manner “I'm just blessed by God as a young man, I don’t engage in shady deals as Ken has variously alleged neither have I been boastful of where God has placed me...I’m not even directly into politics nor being executive member of my brother's party, the NDC, so what is my offence that should warrant his (Ken) inexorable attacks on me?” Ibrahim queried.

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Donald Trump’s Visit to the U.K. Puts the Queen in a ‘Very Difficult Position’

President Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain has put the Queen in a “very difficult position,” the former head of the U.K. Foreign Office claims.

Lord Peter Ricketts says the visit, announced by British Prime Minister Theresa May while meeting President Trump in Washington on Friday, should be downgraded from a state visit to spare Her Majesty any controversy.

As a UK petition to stop President Trump’s planned visit to Britain reached more than 1.5 million signatures and thousands protested across Britain on Monday, Lord Ricketts, in a letter to the The Times of London, said the invitation so early in Trump’s presidency was “premature.” He also added May must “move fast” to protect the Queen from more controversy.

Read Also:  Donald Trump Is Wrong About Israel's 'Security' Wall

Lord Ricketts said that it is unprecedented for U.S. presidents to be given a state visit in their first year of office – and said he questioned whether Trump is “specially deserving of this exceptional honour.”

Adding, “It would have been far wiser to wait to see what sort of president he would turn out to be before advising the Queen to invite him. Now the Queen is put in a very difficult position.”

Lord Ricketts spoke out following President Trump’s ban of refugees and citizens of seven mainly Muslim countries from the United States signed in an executive order hours after May’s visit.

The Times claimed that Buckingham Palace was privately unhappy about the perception the Queen was being dragged into a political event.

Regardless of the protests, May has insisted that the state visit will go ahead.

Lord Ricketts, 64, says that the decision to rush forward an invitation risks breaching the convention that while the Palace acts on ministers’ advice, the government stops the Queen from “getting drawn into political controversy.”

Conservative Muslim lawmaker Sayeeda Warsi told BBC radio that Britain should question whether it should roll out the red carpet for “a man who has no respect for women, disdain for minorities… and whose policies are rooted in divisive rhetoric,” according to the AFP.

On Monday, May told a press conference in Dublin that “the United States is a close ally of the U.K., we work together across many areas of mutual interest and we have that special relationship between us.”

Adding, “I have issued that invitation for a state visit to President Trump to the UK and that invitation stands.”

Along with the Queen, Prince Charles, along with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will take a prominent place in the visit. He normally meets the visiting head of state and brings them to Horse Guards Parade where there is the formal welcome by his mother the queen. Then, a lunch at Buckingham Palace typically follows.

The prince has made no secret of his belief that climate change is one of the key issues of our time. A royal source previously told PEOPLE that Charles will not be stopped from raising the issue with Trump, but he will do so when it’s “entirely appropriate to the situation.

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Donald Trump Is Wrong About Israel's 'Security' Wall

President Donald Trump's use of Israel's separation wall as an example of a valid security measure is based on gross ignorance, at best. Israel's wall separates families from their land, communities from each other, and often communities from educational, medical and religious services [Finbarr O'Reilly/Reuters]

On January 27, as proof of the effectiveness that walls can have in preventing the movement of people between borders, United States President Donald Trump told Sean Hannity of Fox News: "A wall protects. All you have to do is ask Israel. They were having a total disaster coming across and they had a wall. It's 99.9 percent stoppage."

One could say, after all, that it's the Palestinians who were "having a total disaster coming across".  Since 1967, Israel has built some 250 illegal settlements and outposts on Palestinian land in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, in which more than 600,000 Israelis now live, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Putting that aside for the moment, there are several key problems with Trump's claim. The first is the wall's raison d'etre: it's a "separation" wall, not a "security" wall, according to its name in Hebrew (gader hafrada). It was originally conceived in 2000, by Ehud Barak's government as a negotiation threat to Palestinian Liberation Organization leader, Yasser Arafat: "show more flexibility or we'll unilaterally create a consolidated demographic border". Fast forward a few years, and that threat materialised with profound humanitarian and economic consequences that continue to be felt by the Palestinians.

Border constrictor

A glance at a map detailing the separation wall's route quickly reveals that the vast majority of it - 85 percent - is, or is planned to be, built within the West Bank, not along the Green Line or the 1949 Armistice Line, the border between Israel and the Palestinian West Bank recognised by the international community.

This annexation accounts for nearly 10 percent of the West Bank and includes prime agricultural land and strategic water reserves. At one point, the wall cuts 22km deep into the West Bank.

The purpose of its meandering deviation from Israel's border, and into the West Bank, is to unilaterally annex the land on which the majority of Israel's illegal settlements and outposts have been built.

 It's a border constrictor for Palestinians - coupled with an elaborate matrix of movement and access restrictions - that separate families from their land, communities from each other, and often communities from educational, medical and religious services.

The wall has also separated Palestinian towns and cities from Jerusalem, Palestine's economic, cultural and religious centre.

In 2004, the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion on the illegality of Israel's separation wall, among other things, stated that the wall's route deep into the West Bank to annex Israeli settlements, and allow space for them to develop and expand, proved that security was not the main motivation behind the construction of the wall.

Several highly respected international and Israeli NGOs concluded the same. Israeli NGOs BIKOM and B'tselem stated in a report published in 2005:

    "[I]it is clear that contrary to the [security] picture portrayed by the state, the settlement-expansion plans played a substantial role in the planning of the Barrier's route. The report shows that not only were security-related reasons of secondary importance in certain locations, in cases when they conflicted with settlement expansion, the planners opted for expansion, even at the expense of compromised security."

 '99.9 percent stoppage'

The second problem with Trump's claim is the alleged "99.9 percent stoppage". For starters, the wall is only two-thirds complete. A rector at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute, a centre of theological research between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, told me: "An incomplete wall is about as effective as a mosquito net that covers two-thirds of you. Would you buy one to protect you?"

 The wall was also not primarily responsible for stopping Palestinian attacks on Israelis during the Second Intifada. Rather, the steep drop in attacks in 2005 was primarily due to a tactical decision by Hamas and other Palestinian political organisations to suspend these attacks, focusing instead on the Palestinian parliamentary elections imminent at the time - a fact reported in January 2006 by Shin Bet, Israel's intelligence agency.

While the separation wall has had a part to play in making these attacks more difficult, a pervasive Israeli security intelligence network and military presence on the ground inside the West Bank - in tandem with a complicit Palestinian Authority - play a greater role.

In 2009, Yuval Diskin, then head the Shin Bet, said that the wall didn't need to be completed as Israeli military intelligence was sufficiently robust to thwart any Palestinian attacks from the West Bank.

addition, on any given day there are tens of thousands of Palestinians, predominantly labourers, who smuggle themselves inside Israel to seek work.

At obscure points around Jerusalem, one can see Palestinian labourers scaling the wall with makeshift ladders and disappearing into the distance, or can find ropes or resourcefully used skips that labourers have used to get into Israel.

It is clear that the primary reason for West Bank Palestinians to smuggle themselves into Israel is to find work, given the devastating effect of Israel's separation wall and occupation on the Palestinian economy.

Trump's use of Israel's separation wall as an example of a successful security measure is based on gross ignorance, at best. Its real damage comes in his championing and legitimising a wall built by Israel - an occupying, colonising power - predominantly inside the West Bank, in breach of international law. Such public statements enable Israel to continue its systematic violations of Palestinian rights with impunity.

Written By: William Parry (a freelance writer, author of Against the Wall: the art of resistance in Palestine, and co-director and co-producer of a short documentary, Breaking the Generations: Palestinian prisoners and medical rights).

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Germany to Partner Ghana in Agricultural Development

The German Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Christoph Retzlaff, has met with Ghana's Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, to dicusss ways the German Government can contribute towards the growth and development of the sector.

The two parties discussed amongst other things, how the European powerhouse can partner the private sector in order to support the development of Ghana's agriculture.

His Excellency Christoph Retzlaff, who announced this when he paid a courtesy call on the Agric Minister at his office last Friday, observed that there are great potentials in the country's agricultural sector which when tapped will inure to the utmost benefits of all Ghanaians.

He said Germany will readily support Ghana's agriculture particularly in partnership with the private sector to improve its growth and development.


Read Also: 66% of Rice Consumed in Ghana Imported

The German Ambassador to Ghana therefore commended the Agric Minister for his zeal and commitment towards his duty.

He therefore requested that the Ministry furnishes him with government's plans and proposals towards revamping the agricultural sector so that his government can adequately contribute.

On his part, the Food and Agriculture Minister welcomed the idea and expressed government of Ghana's readiness to partner Germany in the development of the agric sector.

He said the government under the leadership of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo, made a promise to Ghanaians to modernize the agricultural sector and create jobs for the teeming youths, adding that any effort geared towards the the fulfilment of that objectives will be gladly welcomed.

"Our President is passionate about the development of the agric sector and the creation of jobs, we will therefore not hesitate at all in making sure that objective is fulfilled," the minister emphasized.

The Minister had earlier on met with Ambassadors from Canada, Sweden and other developing partners.

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The Untold Story of The Kenyatta Family's Wealth

The vast wealth of the Kenyatta family was considered such a crucial factor in Kenya’s internal security that the CIA, America’s spy agency, issued a special report on it the day Kenya’s founding father was buried in 1978.

The report, which was made public last week, talked of thousands of acres of land owned by Mzee Kenyatta and his wife Mama Ngina, high-powered wrangles over gemstones mines, a colossal stake in the charcoal trade, secret exports of ivory and an unspoken fear that Kenyans would revolt and seize back land from the First Family.

Stamped ‘secret’, the Economic Intelligence Weekly Review dated August 31, 1978 is part of nearly 800,000 declassified files that the CIA was forced to publish online just ten days ago.

It gives an insight into the explosive mix of power and business in the post-independence Kenya and might explain why the Kenyatta family has always appeared to be indebted to President Daniel arap Moi, who took over on Mzee Kenyatta’s death, amid a wave of resentment against the country’s ruling class. The CIA, in the report, equates the Kenyatta family to royalty and expresses fear that it might be the target of “wealth redistribution” following the change of government.

Contrary to its analysis, however, Moi not only vowed to protect Kenyatta’s legacy in the Nyayo philosophy — following in Mzee’s footsteps — but anointed a scion of the Kenyatta clan, now President Uhuru Kenyatta, as his successor when he stepped down in 2002 after ruling Kenya for 24 years.

Uhuru’s first stab at the presidency was thwarted by the candidature of Moi’s former Vice-President Mwai Kibaki, who rode to victory on a national coalition and a last-minute backing of Raila Odinga.

According to the CIA’s assessment in 1978, the Kenyatta family was “resented”, perhaps because of a public perception that their wealth had been acquired through dubious means.

The CIA wrongly speculated that that Moi and the then Attorney General Charles Njonjo were likely to “capitalise on the widespread dislike of Mama Ngina and on public discontent over corruption to take over large shares of the family’s holdings.”

Such a move would lead to conflict, it warned. “Whether attempted as a first step toward widespread income redistribution or merely as a shift of resources in favour of the new rulers, such a move would almost certainly provoke a strong political response from the Kenyatta family,” the report says.

Mama Ngina Kenyatta

That “strong political response” is undefined, but part of the 13-million page document shows America was worried that the ministers who had been loyal to Kenyatta were likely to overthrow Moi or ensure that he did not succeed Kenyatta after acting as President for 90 days as the Constitution then prescribed. That did not happen.

After being sworn in as Acting President, Moi neutralised ministers considered closest to Kenyatta, such as Paul Ngei and Mbiyu Koinange, and outmaneuvered his opponents with the support of Njonjo and the Laikipia politician G.G Kariuki, deftly establishing his own rule The Kenyatta family was already rich, and the CIA was able to find what it describes as “extensive holdings of farms, plantations, hotels, casino and insurance, shipping and real estate companies” as part of the wealth portfolio.

Vast farms

It reported: “Kenyatta himself owned only about a half-dozen properties covering roughly 4,000 hectares, mainly farms in the Rift Valley and in the district of Kiambu where he was born.

His wife, Mama Ngina Kenyatta, however, owns at least 115,000 hectares including a 13,000 hectare ranch in the Kiambu district, two tea plantations at Matu and Mangu, and three sisal farms near the Tanzanian border.

She also has considerable holdings in the resort areas around Mombasa and is involved in coffee plantations and in the Kenyan ruby mines.” The Standard on Sunday has been unable to establish the veracity of this assertions, which were cabled to Washington by the agency’s Nairobi operatives.

Mama Ngina, who is distinctly private and whose public appearances are rare, and Uhuru’s half-sister Margaret, now in her eighties and ailing, are depicted as very wealthy at that time. Margaret, the second African Mayor of Nairobi, was the daughter of Kenyatta’s first wife Wahu.

Source: Standard Media

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'It's Not a Muslim Ban': Trump Defends Controversial Executive Order on Refugees

President Donald Trump on Saturday defended his executive order barring travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.

"It's not a Muslim ban," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he signed several executive orders.

"It's working out very nicely. You see it at the airports, you see it all over," he added.

Trump's order halted refugee arrivals into the US for 120 days, and it barred citizens of Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen for 90 days.

 The order was meant to "protect the United States from foreign nationals entering from countries compromised by terrorism" and implement "a more rigorous vetting process."

But the new restrictions caused chaos and confusion at airports across the country on Saturday, as refugees and even permanent residents of the US were detained by border agents.

A White House official told reporters that people from the seven countries who hold US green cards will be cleared to enter the US on a case-by-case basis. If they plan to travel outside the country, they must now check with a US consulate before leaving to find out if they can return, the official said.

The official also rebuked the notion that Trump's order amounted to a Muslim ban, noting that several predominantly Muslim countries are not affected. The official said the number of people affected by the action is "relatively small."

"It’s important to keep in mind that no person living or residing overseas has a right to entry to the US," the official said.

Lawyers have already filed legal challenges to Trump's order, arguing it is "unconstitutional" and "a violation of international law."

Protests over the order erupted at John F. Kennedy airport on Saturday after two Iraqi refugees who had been granted asylum and were carrying valid visas were detained by border agents and denied entry.

Protesters assemble at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017 after two Iraqi refugees were detained while trying to enter the country.

At least seven other travelers were reportedly detained at the same airport on Saturday, one official told The New York Times.

 One of the Iraqis, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was released Saturday afternoon after two New York lawmakers arrived at the airport and demanded to see him.

Hundreds of protesters descended on the airport's Terminal 4, wielding signs that read, "No ban, no wall," and, "Refugees welcome," local media reported.

It's unclear how many travelers have been affected by the order so far, but refugee advocates and lawyers say they have been receiving reports of immigrants and refugees being detained at airports across the country.

“They’re literally pouring in by the minute,” Becca Heller, the director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, told The Times.


Source: Business Insider

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