NEW DANCE REVOLUTION TO HIT GHANA. AN INITIATIVE BY THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CULTURE.

In Ghana, music or dance or a combination of both is a great part of the peoples lives and would normally be seen or heard anywhere. On daily basis, you will find young people dancing to loud music by the roadside just to market or promote a product.

Over the years, dance is gradually loosing it's significance especially during events and theatre shows. This is due to fact that there is no longer a strong zeal or commitment towards the art. The art of dancing which pays a lot in other countries and is taken as a profession or hobby for some is loosing it's beauty and place in the lives of Ghanaians. Some dancers who have taken the art professionally complain bitterly about how less respect is given to their profession.

In an attempt to revive the art of dance in Ghana, Mr Socrate Safo the director of creative arts, programs and projects of the National Commission on Culture had a meeting with some creative artists which included poets, drummers and dancers. The meeting brought about the formation of a dance company that will help market Ghana to the world. Some of the dancers spoke about the problems they face as dancers especially their income. They complained about how people pay them less than they charge because the art isn't considered anymore.

Mr. Socrate encouraged them to be more committed to the art and be ready to make sacrifices for the arts. He also challenged them to work harder in order to grow the dance industry because that is one of the important things he hopes to achieve as the director of creative arts, programs and projects. Mr Safo promised to initiate a pension scheme that will enable them hold on to something after retirement and also an insurance policy for them.

The dance company will not only help improve the state of dance in Ghana but also put Ghana on the map and help educate on the transition of dance in Ghana. Interested dancers should visit the National Commission on Culture to pick up a registration form.

Writer :THELMA SEDEM KUDAH.

ASAMOAH GYAN COMMISSIONS ASTRO TURF PITCH FOR ALMA MATTA

The captain of the senior national team the Black Stars,Asamoah Gyan popularly and commonly referred to as baby jet yesterday July 18,2017 commissioned an astro turf football pitch he had single handedly constructed for his alma matta,Accra Academy.The black stars captain who was accompanied by his father,brothers and friends alike were met at the Accra Academy school amidst pump and pageantry as the students,teachers,stakeholders in the sports industry and onlookers couldn't hide their excitement at the entry of their Icon who had done this country proud in so many ways,especially through his unraveled exploits in the field of football.The fastest goal scorer at the world cup and the only player to have scored 50 goals out of 100 appearances he had made for the Black Stars was also supported by the former president of the republic of Ghana Jerry John Rawlings,The minister of youth and sports Hon Isaac Asiamah(who represented the sitting president Nana Addo),The Turkish ambassador to Ghana and a host of dignitaries including musicians (Obrafour,Miss V,D Black),ex Black star players (Mohammed Gargo,Damba,Peter Ofori quaye,Barfour Gyan,Stephen Baidoo,Laryea Kingston,Godwin Atram..Odartey Lamptey etc),actors(Kwaku Manu,sumsum etc etc).The 200,00 dollar facility was accompanied by rest and changing rooms for the comfort of users.The past students association supported by the board of directors and the present administration headed by the headmaster presented a citation to the black stars captain in recognition of his philanthropic gestures to his former school and urged him to continue doing more.On his part by way of an acceptance speech,Asamaoh Gyan thanked the authorities and all Ghanaians for the fervent prayers and support for his career and said he hoped that the pitch would produce the next Asamoah Gyan in the near future.

Story by Don Paino

Ghana signs $4bn MoU with Chinese company...To Undertake Key Projects Across The Country

The Government of Ghana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sinohydro Corporation Limited for the execution of a number of key projects across the country. Among others, the Chinese state-owned company will among others undertake a Multipurpose Hydro Project at Pwalugu; a Volta Lake Transportation Project; an Accra Flood Prevention Project, as well as other priority infrastructure projects including garbage treatment plants, solar power plants, and rail projects, at an estimated cost of $4 billion. This brings to $19bn, the commitments made by the Chinese government and its agencies following the acceptance of the financing model proposed by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, which involves the leveraging of a fraction of Ghana’s bauxite deposits, during his recent State visit to the People’s Republic of China. The MoU was signed on behalf of the Government of Ghana by the Senior Minister, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, while Mr Chen Zhenrong, Representative of Sinohydro in Ghana, initialled for his company in Accra on Wednesday July 13, 2017. “Sinohydro has made representations to Ghana that the financing model proposed by Ghana is acceptable to her and that it has the technical capability, the competencies, the experience, the financial capacity and other resources to finance and execute the Projects proposed in this MoU and to be determined totaling up to US$4 Billion”, part of the MoU read. According to the terms of the MoU, the proposed Projects shall be executed in accordance with specifications and standards approved by the Government of Ghana, while Sinohydro will act as the principal project development partner and work through local companies with significant Ghanaian participation. It would be recalled that the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, after a four day official visit to the People’s Republic of China, announced the signing of a number of MoUs with Chinese state actors to provide financing for a number of infrastructure projects in Ghana, to be financed by the exploitation of some of Ghana’s minerals, in particular bauxite. Briefing the media after the 4-day State visit, Dr Bawumia indicated: “Our trip was purposeful. We came back with some leading Chinese companies and agencies of the Chinese government signaling their interest in our agenda and with agreements totaling $15 billion, with the possibility of a further $4bn in the near future.” Giving a breakdown of the agreements, H.E. Dr Bawumia stated: “The China National Building Materials and Equipment Import and Export Corporation (CNBM) signed a $2 billion facility with the private sector – led by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) – to provide funding for the ‘One District One Factory’ programme; “China Development Bank (CDB) agreed to unfreeze $2bn loan and signaled their willingness to re-negotiate it into a concessionary facility with a grant element, an extended maturity and at a much lower interest rate. “The China Exim bank is committed to providing about $1 billion to Exim Bank Ghana to support infrastructure and business development; “China Railway International Group Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide $10 billion to support the components of a massive infrastructure development programme spanning the mining, industrial and railway fields. “We are undertaking all of these projects, not by borrowing but with less than 5% of our refined bauxite reserves.”

Source: The Ghanaian Observer

I Supply Meat To Chop bars In Accra - John Dumelo

Popular Ghanaian actor, John Dumelo has said he was unnecessarily lambasted by Ghanaians over his “What went wrong” comment about a bread seller some months ago. According to him, the controversial post which angered many and generated a social media storm was not meant to mock the “bread seller”. In an interview with Joy FM Tuesday, July 11, 2017, Mr. Dumelo said, he was only shocked to see the graduate hawking bread and, therefore, asked a simple question which anyone in his shoes would have asked. “I wasn’t there to mock anybody. Why would I mock a bread seller? Three months ago I was supplying my meat to chop bars in Accra. I was personally and physically handling meat so why would I go and laugh at somebody who’s selling bread on the street? I will never do that,” he explained. John Dumelo who happens to be an entrepreneur himself was severely attacked on social media for posting a picture of a graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) captioned “Just saw a Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) grad hawking in traffic…What went wrong?” The hawker, Godfred Obeng Boateng who turned out to be the CEO of A1 Bread has however, forgiven the actor after the latter deleted the post and openly apologized.

Source: ghanaweb.com

Inusah Fuseini 'Wasn't Smart' . . . - Kweku Baako

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Kweku Baako has slammed Former Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Inusah Fuseini for planting a secret recorder in his office. Kweku Baako wondered why Hon. Fuseini failed to inform the National Security when he began to feel threatened in his official capacity. According to him, if Hon. Fuseini felt his security might have been compromised or could be compromised, his first resort should have been the National Security and not a private security firm. To him, having a private person to install secret security devices in his office is risky because the person could have a personal data about the Minister and his activities, and use it to blackmail him. "He didn’t have too much confidence and trust in National Security to tell them what he was perceiving, that insecurity he was perceiving and where it was coming from so that together with National Security; he could have cured that mischief. That can be an indicator. There must have been a reason why he decided not to invest his confidence and trust in National security at that material moment that he perceived some personal insecurity within the context of his public duties,” he said. Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Mr. Baako asked Hon. Fuseini to describe the nature of the threat that accounted for his planting of the secret recorder. "What threat was it? Where was it coming from?" he questioned. “He took such a risk. I find so difficult, in this case, to defend . . . Even if he did, then I think he wasn’t smart,” he stressed.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Akufo-Addo Replaces YES With NEIP

The Akufo-Addo government has renamed the Youth Enterprise Support (YES) as National Entrepreneurship and Innovations Plan (NEIP). Its Chief Executive Officer, John Kumah, confirmed the name change to Kwesi Parker-Wilson on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Friday, 14 July, 2017. “YES has been enhanced into the new programme called the National Entrepreneurship and Innovations Plan. So there is nothing like YES again. It is now National Entrepreneurship and Innovations Plan,” Mr Kumah stated. He noted that the idea of the NEIP is to expand the programme to accommodate all age groups and not only the youth. “It is the same concept, just that this is an enhanced package and a bigger vehicle. Instead of focusing on only the youth…the Youth Enterprise Support, government believes that to create jobs and push enterprises in the country, it is not a question of age. Some people can be grown but have ideas to start up business and also require support… So starting a business is not a question of age even though the emphasis is always on the youth. Although this is still emphasising on the youth, we want to remove the age limit and focus on the idea of innovation and entrepreneurship so that irrespective of your age, as long as you have a business idea to develop into an enterprise, government must be in a position to support that vision. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched the flagship initiative, which will be the primary vehicle for providing an integrated, national support for start-ups and small businesses in Accra on Thursday July 13, 3017. The Plan, according to the President, will enable new businesses to emerge and give them the space to grow, to receive financing and business development services, to secure markets during the critical formative years, and to tap into a wide supply chain and network during their growth years, helping to create jobs at a widely distributed, national level. Despite the severe constraints of the country’s public finances, resulting from years of mismanagement and corruption, Nana Akufo-Addo’s government has contributed US$10 million as seed money for the Plan. “It is the intention that this seed money should be leveraged to raise money from private sources and public organisations to the tune of US$100 million to fund its programmes,” Nana Akufo-Addo added. The overall objective of this Plan, the President added, is to stimulate private sector growth at the early-stages of businesses, to accelerate job creation and to provide entrepreneurial Ghanaian youth with a critical alternative to salaried employment. He was confident that NEIP would help start-up businesses to grow and compete domestically and internationally. In addition to providing tax incentives for start-ups owned by young entrepreneurs, NEIP will incentivise and partner private sector investors to set up business incubator hubs and industrial parks for youth-owned businesses nationally. The Plan will also establish a Youth Enterprise Fund which will be leveraged to attract private capital to fund start-ups, and also provide a ready market for the products and services of start-ups through the reservation of a percentage of the proposed 70 per cent of local content public procurement contracts. Nana Akufo-Addo indicated further that NEIP will implement a Buy-Local policy for ICT services from youth-owned businesses, as well as set up an Industrial Sub-Contracting Exchange to link large industries with small businesses and start-ups as a supply chain for goods and services. “I am confident that this Plan will be made to work to provide young people with what it promises. Young people who take the risk of entrepreneurship will find that they have support through the difficult, early stages,” he said. “I am passionate about the Plan working. I am investing a lot in it, and I have confidence in the Minister for Business Development, Ibrahim Awal Mohammed, who has devised the Plan, and will be in charge of seeing it to fruition.”

Source: classfmonline.com

EOCO chases Awuah Darko over GHC40m BOST cash

The Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) is on the heels of Kingsley Kwame Awuah-Darko, the immediate-past Managing Director (MD) of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited, over some alleged payments and withdrawals from the government’s account.

The account in question is the Chief of Staff’s ‘Sundry Account’ which the BOST boss regularly lodged money into and reportedly cashed by the Office of the Chief of Staff under President John Mahama.

Even though the amount involved has not yet been disclosed by EOCO, DAILY GUIDE learnt that it runs into several millions of Ghana cedis.

The ‘invitation’ extended to Mr Awuah Darko, who is current cooling off in the United States – where he has been for some months following the National Democratic Congress (NDC) humiliating defeat in last December’s general election – was issued on Tuesday when his name reportedly popped up concerning the withdrawals.

Contaminated Fuel Sale

The BOST has been in the news lately following the release of large quantities of contaminated fuel (dirty oil) to private companies for distribution by the current Managing Director, Alfred Obeng Boateng.

The BOST action sparked heated political debate when the minority NDC called for Mr. Obeng Boateng’s suspension, but the majority New Patriotic Party (NPP) hit back, exposing the BOST under Mahama’s NDC of being behind the contamination of fuel in the country when it was in power.

The majority revealed that there was evidence to show that about 12 million litres of the same contaminated fuel were sold to about 36 unlicensed entities and individuals in 2016 during the tenure of Mr. Awuah-Darko under the Mahama administration.

Huge Transfers

According to the majority, there is evidence to show how the Awuah-Darko-led management transferred over GH¢40 million to the presidency under John Mahama in a very bizarre manner.

It is unclear into which accounts the huge payments were made, but DAILY GUIDE understands about GH¢40,500,000 was allegedly transferred secretly from BOST account between August 2015 and early January this year.

The NPP claimed the Awuah-Darko administration led a corrupt administration, siphoning money to the Flagstaff House – the seat of government – for unexplained purposes.

Flagstaff House

The NPP said at a press conference that there were massive rotten deals under the former BOST MP, with the Office of then President John Mahama and his Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, allegedly siphoning huge amounts of money between GH¢2.5 million and GH¢3.5 million at the end of every two weeks from 2015 under the guise of security transfers, amounting to about GH¢40.5 million.

According to documents from the majority, the particulars for the transactions indicated “transfer of funds accrued from security fees.”

Dubious Transfers

Starting from August 28, 2015, BOST transferred GH¢3.5 million; released GH¢3 million on October 2, the same year and another GH¢3 million on November 12, 2015 while on December 23 the same year, GH¢20 million was transferred.

On February 05, March 15, April 15 and May 13 – all in 2016 – GH¢2.5 million on each occasion was transferred by BOST while on June 09, July 15 and August 24 in the same year, GH¢3 million each was transferred from BOST.

Later in September 29 and November 17, in 2016, GH¢3.5 million each was transferred by BOST while on January 03, 2017 – when it was left with just three days for the Mahama-led government to leave office – BOST transferred GH¢3 million.

Unlicensed Entities

BOST, during the tenure of Mr. Awuah-Darko, sold contaminated fuel to about 36 unlicensed entities and individuals and records showed that between March 05, 2015 and August 04, 2015, the previous BOST management sold 8,190,000 litres of contaminated fuel to 24 companies that were all unlicensed, as well as another 12,400.000 litres sold to other 25 unlicensed companies between January 16, 2016 and November 30, 2016.

DAILY GUIDE has learnt that the price per litre sold by BOST under the then NDC government was lower than what was sold to the private entities under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

BNI Action

The Minister for Energy, Boakye Agyarko, has already cleared Alfred Obeng Boateng, BOST Managing Director, of any wrongdoing in the recent sale of some 5 million litres of contaminated fuel.

The minister said BOST never erred in transacting that business with energy firm, Movenpiina.

According to Mr Agyarko, investigations so far conducted by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Security and the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) on the contaminated products had established that the fuel had not spilled onto the retail market for sale to vehicle owners.

Mr Agyarko told the media on Tuesday that “on the basis of previous practice, there was no wrongdoing at BOST on the sale of the 5 million liters of contaminated products.”