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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BEIGE’s Mike Nyinaku adjudged The Most Influential Young Ghanaian Business Leader

The Chief Executive Officer of The BEIGE Group (TBG), Mike Nyinaku, has been adjudged The Most Influential Young Business Leader in Ghana. This follows a poll organised by Avance Media, a rating agency, on the 50 Most Influential Young Ghanaians.

The ranking poll was categorised into Business, Entertainment, Law and Governance, Leadership and Civil Society, Lifestyle, Media, Science and Technology, among others.

The 50 Most Influential Young Ghanaian ranking is an initiative of Avans Media in partnership with Reputation Poll, EOD Partners, Jaguar Designs, CELBMD Africa, My Naija Naira, Dream Ambassadors Foundation GH, iCare Hub Africa, Global Skill Exchange, Core Foundation, and Project Know Thyself International.

Speaking on the exercise, the Managing Director for Avance Media, Prince Akpah, extended his appreciation to all those who participated in the polls. He also used the opportunity to encourage the youth to take a cue from the lifestyle and inspirational stories of these young achievers who are defining youthfulness in Ghana and beyond.

Reacting to the news on the ranking, Mike Nyinaku said: “I’m humbled. And I’d be quick to note the weight of responsibility such honours put on me. I pray for strength so I do not let Ghana down”.

Mike also used the occasion to encourage all young people to keep pushing themselves towards their aspirations remarking that “work as though your last breath depended on it.” The overall most influential young Ghanaian was won by the ace Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

After receiving nominations from the public during its nomination process, Avance Media chose 50 of the Most Influential Young people who are blazing trails in various categories introduced under the ranking.

Mike Nyinaku founded The BEIGE Group (TBG) in 2008 after a successful career as a professional accountant with OIC International-Ghana (OICI-GH) and Deloitte & Touche (D&T) for 10 years.

TBG is a financial services provider with business interests in Banking, Pensions, Insurance and Investments. Together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, TBG is providing direct employment to about 4,000 people and serving a clientele base in excess of 600,000 clients.

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Kenya Airways Celebrates 40 Years in The Skies

Kenya Airways on Sunday January 22, 2017 marked its 40th anniversary since it was incorporated in 1977.

From humble beginnings Kenya Airways has grown to become a leading player in Africa connecting the region to the World and the World to Africa through its hub in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi. The airline launched its inaugural flight on 4th of February two weeks after the company was incorporated on 22nd January 1977.

Over the last four decades Kenya Airways has emerged as an important economic drive in Kenya and the region as a whole.

“Today Kenya Airways connects directly from Nairobi to more than 54 destinations in four continents, with a fleet of 36 aircrafts from the initial 4. It has been an interesting journey and we believe our best years are ahead,” said Kenya Airways Managing Director and Chief Executive Mbuvi Ngunze.

He was speaking during the celebrations held at JKIA Terminal 1A with customers and partners. He noted Kenya Airways growth has been characterised by a strategic network expansion focusing on Africa, fleet modernisation, and high quality service among other facets of development.

In addition, Kenya Airways was the first African flag bearer carrier to be privatized, in 1996, a move that saw it listed across East Africa.

The airline has commercial partnerships with various global carriers, including a joint venture with KLM and codeshares with airlines in Europe, Asia and Africa. Through its membership in the Sky Team Alliance, Kenya Airways offers service to 1,057 destinations in more than 177 countries.

Beyond Kenya, Mbuvi cited that the growth and economic transformation of the region and African continent is largely tied to success of Kenya Airways owing to its pivotal role in promoting trade; cultural exchanges, enabling an exchange of ideas as well as promoting peaceful co-existence among people of different beliefs and cultural backgrounds.

He noted the journey was made possible by the tremendous support from staff, guests, partners and shareholders.

“We sincerely thank everyone who have been a part of this journey in the past and today, and look forward to many more years of being the Pride of Africa. Kenya Airways is committed to continue serving the region promoting trade, and offering quality service to our guests,” he said.

As part of the celebrations, Kenya Airways had launched a sales campaign offering customers up to 40% discounts on tickets to various destinations across its network. The offer also includes a special US$ 1977 price for its business class tickets to Europe; Paris, London and Amsterdam.

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AfDB President Advocates Improved Finance for Africa

The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has called for improved access to financing to accelerate the transformation of African economies.

Mr Akinwumi Adesina said this was likely to improve the quality of life of African populations.

Speaking before African leaders at the Africa-France Summit, which took place in Bamako on January 13- January 14, Mr Adesina said Africa could speed up its economic transformation through the Bank’s five main priorities: “The High 5;” “Light up and power Africa;” “Feed Africa,” “Industrialise Africa,” and “Integrate Africa.”

These five key priorities are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, as demonstrated by an independent evaluation conducted by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Mr Adesina, however, noted, in a release copied to the Ghana News Agency that the resources needed for Africa’s economic transformation were enormous and that was why the AfDB was poised to launch the Africa Investment Forum designed to create a space where supply and demand could meet.

Advocating  agro-industrialisation and involvement of young people in the sector for the future, he said: "The solution to the migratory crisis is in Africa.”

This was why the Bank launched the "Enable Youth" programme, which would help create 1.5 million jobs in 30 countries, helping to retain young people in Africa.

Mr Adesina also highlighted the need to reduce areas of fragility.

“That is why the Bank launched recently the Forum on Resilience in Africa, which will enable us to achieve the Top Five in 10,000 communities in 1,000 days, with an immediate impact in fragile areas.

"Let's mobilise and make the High Five reality in order to unleash the potential of Africa," he said.

The President of the AfDB thanked donors for their commitment to support the African Renewable Energy Initiative, a joint initiative with the African Union that is now fully operational.

Its aim is to accelerate and increase the enormous potential of Africa in the field of renewable energies.

The European Union has already committed € 3 billion, plus € 6 million from France and € 2 million from Germany.

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66% of Rice Consumed in Ghana Imported

The latest Oxford Business School report has revealed that only 34 percent of rice consumed in the country is produced locally, resulting in the importation of 680,000 tonnes annually.

Read Also:  University of Ghana MIS Web Portal and Sakai

Even though the country’s domestic production has increased by 12 percent over the 2010-15 period, states the report, domestic consumption increased by double that rate over the same time frame. As a result, Ghana imports between $300 million and $500 million of rice annually.

The report further states that, between 1999 and 2008, rice consumption grew from 17.5 kg to 38 kg per capita and is expected to reach 63 kg per capita by 2018. With population growth, urbanisation and shifting consumer preferences, demand for rice is expected to continue expanding in the coming years.

Reversing the country’s import-dependence has been a tough nut to crack by successive governments of the fourth republic, with a number of initiatives failing to boost local rice production to appreciable levels.

In 2008, under President John Kufour, the National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS) was out doored, with the goal of doubling rice production by 2018 and improving quality to increase demand for domestic rice.

As part of the NRDS and the Food and Agricultural Sector Development Policy II, adds the report, the government provided extension services, stabilised prices through the National Buffer Stock Company, which was formed to intervene in staple markets such as maize and rice in order to set minimum prices at the beginning of the growing season.

The erstwhile government under President John Mahama also introduced a number of programmes. In the 2015 budget, the rice production sub-sector received GH¢22 million to boost rice production.

Also under the Enhanced Access to Quality Rice Seed Initiative, 200mt of improved rice seed were distributed to 10,000 farmers in the Volta, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions to increase productivity.

Again, to boost local rice production, 77 tractors, 49 power tillers, 20 rice threshers, 11 rice reapers and six rice mills with their respective components were assembled and sold to farmers.

In addition, 100 units of Cabrio tractors, with multi components, were assembled for sale to farmers on hire purchase. But a number of challenges continue to bog down the sector, including the lack of adequate rice mills.

In the Northern Region, for example, where nearly 40 percent of the country’s rice is produced, thousands of bags of rice are locked up in warehouses due to the unavailability of mills to process the commodity, a situation that has compelled the farmers to use manual means of rice processing, which do not meet market demand.

In an interview with the B&FT at last year’s Rice Festival, Mike Bartels, German Cooperation—Green Innovation Center for The Agriculture and Food Sector, Ghana, said there is tremendous opportunity in the rice industry if the private sector increases its participation.

“We believe that there is a huge potential in rice production in Ghana which is untapped. I don’t believe that it is the task of only the government to promote the local rice industry.

It is the responsibility of the government to create a conducive framework for innovations that work so that the private sector takes over the task of investing in machinery and logistics that will help the industry thrive,” he said.

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National Friday Wear Program Creating Jobs For The Chinese

The Chairman of the Textile Workers Union, Abraham Koomson claims the National Friday wear program has created jobs for Chinese textile manufacturers and not Ghanaian textile industry players.

Speaking to Onua Business News, he said even though the campaign to wear African prints on Fridays has been a success, the objective of creating jobs through the extensive use of local fabrics is yet to be realized.

The National Friday Wear programme is an initiative launched in November 2004 with the aim of projecting a unique Ghanaian identity through the use of local fabric and designs as business wear.

The programme, initiated by the Ministry of Trade during the Kufuor administration, sets aside Fridays for all public officers and the private sector, as much as practicable, to wear locally designed garments produced from locally manufactured fabrics.

It was part of a comprehensive programme to promote made-in-Ghana goods and to revitalise the textile and garments industry. Years down the line, the initiative seems to have been a success as people are seen even on days aside Fridays wearing African clothes to the office.

However, a chunk of the African prints are imported from China, creating employment for the Chinese. Some of the fabrics are also pirated designs from Ghanaian textile manufacturers.

This has become a challenge for the local textile industry with some laying off workers as they are unable to compete with the cheap products being imported and sometimes smuggled into the country.

Commenting on the issue, Mr. Abraham Koomson says most of the smuggled textiles come through unapproved routes at Ghana’s borders, whilst others are taken through the borders with the connivance with some custom officials.

He was however hopeful that the minister designate for Trade and Industry , Alan Kyeremateng will help resolve these challenges.

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Businesses Lament Over 25.5 % Policy Rate

Private sector businesses and economists want the Bank of Ghana to review its stance in pegging the policy rate at 25.5 percent in January 2017.

They argue that the development is less likely to compel commercial banks to adjust their respective rates on loans and advances to customers.

The Monetary Policy Committee of the central bank in its first meeting for 2017 kept the policy rate unchanged at 25.5 percent.

Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Abdul Nashiru Issahaku cited concerns over inflation outlook and exchange rate volatility.

But reacting to the position, Economist Professor Godfred Bokpin described the Bank of Ghana’s decision as a clear indication of the central bank’s pessimism of the performance of the economy.

“I think that looking at the stance that the MPC has taken over the last couple of months, it is not surprising because they seem to be a bit more pessimistic about the economy than the other data seem to suggest and for which reason they have decided to keep the policy rate at 25.5%.” he said.

According to him, prevailing economic conditions such as a drop in inflation should have prompted a drop in the policy rate to ease cost of accessing credit by businesses.

“Ideally, if they had reduced it even marginally, it would have been consistent with what we are observing. But I think that with the new government and the goodwill, I want to believe that we are better positioned to be able to contain the threat of inflation better than we have seen in the time past and therefore the inflation expectation would not be that high.”

Meanwhile the Private Enterprise Federation has insisted that the rate is still high.

The CEO of the Federation, Nana Osei Bonsu explains that the figure must be reviewed downwards to support private sector growth.

“For the policy rate, I think it is misguided; uncalled for and it should be reviewed in prudent manner where it allows private sector to get the liquidity to do their investments.”

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Ghana Will Re-negotiate IMF Deal – Osafo-Maafo

senior minister Osafo Maafo

Senior Minister Designate Yaw Osafo -Maafo has stated that the new government will re- negotiate  Ghana’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

”Now the IMF program will certainly be reviewed and there are two main reasons why the IMF program must be reviewed I have already hinted to one of the bosses of the IMF. Now President Nana Akufo-Addo came out with a manifesto and in that manifesto he needs fiscal space to move it.

The current program literally squeezes all the fiscal space out and therefore from the point of view of the program of the NPP, the IMF program must be reviewed”.

Ghana in 2015 signed onto a 918 million dollar extended credit facility program with the fund.

Ghana has so far received a total of about US$464.6 million as disbursements from the IMF. The latest was on September 28, 2016.

The program aims to restore debt sustainability and macroeconomic stability in the country to foster a return to high growth and job creation, while protecting social spending.

The deal which was not approved by Parliament has been heavily criticized by the new government, raising concerns that it will be reviewed under their tenure.

Calls for the renegotiation of the deal however has attracted mixed reactions from economists.

While some have welcomed the move others say it is needless.

Economist with the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) Dr Adu Sarkodie for example believes that  the new government must restructure the deal to grow the economy.

“We must renegotiate certain parts of the IMF deal. One of the items that have contributed to the slow effectiveness of the program is that they have front loaded the policies and programs and have kept the money.

So in other words I go into a deal with you, I expect you to take certain good steps before I hand you the money but it has not been the case in the previous IMF programs.”

He added, “So I think that this time round the IMF should rather front load the money.

They should frontload about 70% of the remaining 50% for us to stabilize because the macroeconomic stability is the most important thing.”

While an economist at the University of Ghana Business School, Dr. Lord Mensah has stated that renegotiating the deal is not needed because the IMF programme is yet to mature and the deal must be allowed to mature before any changes could be made to it.

“Personally, I don’t think it is something that we need to consider — we have to allow it to roll, let’s realise its maturity, when it comes to the IMF and its allied agencies, it is not the government that goes into negotiation, but it is the country. The government which was voted by the people, always in such case, represents the country; so a new administration does not mean that the agreement has to be cancelled.”

But speaking to Law makers during his vetting as Senior Minister Yaw Osafo -Marfo said the new government will not abrogate the deal but will re-negotiate it to fit into its targets and objectives.

”Now the IMF program works along achieving targets and the targets set between the government and the IMF, so far most of the targets have been missed therefore whether we even ask for it or not the IMF will themselves want the program reviewed, because if we talked about ensuring that your growth end of the year is 5.3% and your growth end of the year is 3.3% its way out.

If we want to talk about deficit being not more than 5% and everybody thought deficit was about 5% ……figures I’m seeing from Bank of Ghana deficit is getting between 8 and 9% then it is enough for the IMF itself to request for a review because you can’t go on when you haven’t met the targets, going on with what .

Therefore the program will certainly be reviewed from two angles from the targets angle and from our own need to factor in our manifesto and objective in governance”. Mr Osafo -Marfo stated.

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