SARPONG'S BLOG

GOtv Ghana decoders have been certified by the National Communications Authority (NCA) after a thoroughly assessment by the authority, a statement from MultiChoice Ghana stated.  “We are proud to announce that on the 1st of December the NCA issued us with a Type Approval Certificate for our GOtv Decoders. This means all GOtv decoders are ready for use after digital migration,” says Cecil Sunkwa-Mills, Managing Director of GOtv Ghana Limited. He explains that all persons who have purchased GOtv decoders already will not need a new decoder when Ghana migrates onto the digital broadcast platform in September 2017. With this certification all GOtv decoders will now bear the Digital Ghana logo, a sign to confirm the decoder has gone through the certification and approval process of the NCA for use in Ghana. The GOtv Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Service in Ghana was launched on the 18th January 2013 as the first approved Version 2 DTT service in Ghana in seven ...

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong sarpong007@gmail.com Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) has officially launched the Chibuku Super drink at Bolgatanga in the Upper East region with the aim of reaching a lot of customers. Mr. Thomas Nii Ponku, Supervisor in charge of Chibuku Super at ABL told Daily Express that the management decided to launch the Chibuku Super drink in the Upper East region because they’ve realized it is similar to a traditional drink in the region. “Chibuku is like a well developed pito, a traditional drink made from fermented millet or sorghum in the Northern part of Ghana. So the idea is to provide them with similar drink,” he added. Mr. Nii Ponku disclosed this when members of the Institute of Finance and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) toured the facility of ABL to acquaint themselves with the expansion project at the factory. He mentioned that after a feasibility study, they realized there is a potential market for the product in the northern part of Ghana ...

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong sarpong007@gmail.com The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group has announced that it’s arranging US$65 million loan from the Managed C0-Lending Portfolio Program (MCPP) to enable third-party investors to participate passively in IFC's senior loan portfolio. According to the IFC, the MCPP Infrastructure is designed for institutional investors who are seeking to increase their exposure to emerging market infrastructure debt. IFC said it has committed a loan of US$235 million to the Vitol Ghana to support investors in Ghana especially for those into oil and gas industry. Phlippe Le Houérou, the IFC Executive Vice President and CEO announced this in Accra when his outfit collaborated with the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), also a member of the World Band Group to announce a US$517 million loan in support of the Sankofa Gas Project. The Sankofa Gas Project is an integrated offshore o...

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong sarpong007@gmail.com The Bank of Ghana (BoG), the regulator of the banking industry will on Friday, December 23, 2016, launch a Contact Centre as part of efforts to improve communication for the public to better understand its work. With the aim to promote accountability, officers of the Contact Centre will be available to deal with requests, queries and complaints. “The public understanding of the work that we do at the bank will ultimately help build policy credibility,” says Bernard Otabil, Director of Communications. According to him, the Contact Centre will be in full operation 24-hours on weekdays, except public holidays.

                                L-R: Tina Mensah, Jessica Manuel and Obuobia Darko-Opoku By: Fred Yaw Sarpong The all-female parliamentary contest in the Weija-Gbawe constituency will be a keen contest as election watchers have predicted the battle will not be an easy one. . The contest is among the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Obuobia Darko-Opoku; the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Tina Mensah and Jessica Adwoa Manuel Simpson from the Progressive People’s Party (PPP). The two-time aspirants; Obuobia Darko-Opoku and Jessica Adwoa Manuel Simpson of the PPP are facing Tina Mensah who is a fresh candidate riding on the success of the NPP in that constituency. However, pollsters have limited the battle between the NDC candidate, Obuobia Darko- Opoku and Tina Mensah of the NPP. A Pollster and Elections Expert, Ben Ephson has already predicted that the NDC will not...

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong It’s about 13 days to the Presidential and Parliamentary election in Ghana. The December 7, 2016 election will be the 7th Parliamentary elections to be held in the country since the 1992 Constitution came into existence. Per the 1992 Constitution every four years, elections must be organized by the Electoral Commission (EC) in order to allow the voting public to elect their President and Parliamentarians.                                                       Dr. Zenator Rawlings Winning a Parliamentary seat is by a majority votes or a higher percentage obtained by a candidate, unlike the President who must get 50% plus a single vote cast. If none of the presidential candidate is able to get 50% plus one vote the law requires for a round-off to be organized for the two main candidates who had higher votes counted. One of th...

By: Sefakor Fekpe sefjoan@gmail.com The Mpamproase and Kudikope communities in the Asuogyamang District of the Eastern region have expressed worry about the high rate of teenage pregnancy among female pupils in the area.  Speaking at the inauguration of a three-unit classroom block for the Mpamproase basic school built by an NGO, Pencils of Promise, the head teacher of the school, Sarpong William Yaw said for the past eight years, only one female pupil has been able to complete both JHS and SHS. He described the situation as very worrying.  The two communities are therefore appealing to the Ghana Education Service to as a matter of urgency post female teachers to the basic schools to serve as role models for the pupils.  “I have been here for eight years and only one has completed JHS and SHS. It’s like the children when they reach JHS two, all of a sudden then they are get pregnant. So one problem also is that we don’t have female teachers here; if t...

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong   Ghana as crude oil importing country will benefit from the International Oil Pollution Corporation Fund if the country witnesses oil spill at its ocean.   “The fund is a global fund and it’s meant for the countries that import crude oil. The fund is voluntary but Ghana through the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) contributes annually on behalf of Ghana,” Mr. Kojo Agbenor Efunam, the Deputy Director in charge of oil and gas at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told the Daily Express.   He explained that the fund is mostly for crude oil importing countries but not those into production and exportation.   Mr. Efunam further explained that once Ghana is part of the fund, anytime there is an oil spill involving an oil tanker on the seas of Ghana, the country can apply for the fund to solve any problem resulting from the spillage.   “If the incident does not involve a tanker the country does not benefit. But if the incident involves a ...

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong   Ghana Cocoa Board, this year spent an amount of GHc474,384 on awards for 167 farmers at various locations across the country, as part of the 2016 National Farmer’s Day celebration.   Beneficiaries of the package include cocoa, coffee and shea farmers at the District, Regional and National levels during the 2016 Farmer’s Day which took place earlier this month.   Dr. Francis Kofi Oppong, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control at the COCOBOD told the Daily Express that the initiative was to appreciate the works of these groups of people in the country.   He mentioned some of the packages received by the farmers as a brand new Toyota Hilux Pick-up for the winner, full pieces of GTP cloths, television sets, machetes, motorized spraying machines, complete set of protective clothings, litres of insecticides and plaques. Others are new tricycles, double door fridges, knapsack sprayers, pairs of hand gloves, we...

By: Sefakor Fekpe sefjoan@gmail.com Pencils of Promise (PoP), an NGO in education has commissioned a three-unit classroom block each for the people of Mpamproase and Asegya in the Asuogyamang District of the Eastern Region.  The two Kindergarten blocks worth Ghc400, 000 came to replace the deplorable structures which according to the head-teachers of both schools were having dire consequences on teaching and learning especially during the rainy season.  The new blocks consist of offices to accommodate teachers, sanitation and water storage facilities. This brings to total three completed three-unit blocks after the first one commissioned in Sapor D/A school. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Country Director of PoP, Freeman Gobah said the organisation was moved by the dilapidated and life threatening school structures, which were housing young children; thus leading to the construction of the state of the art classrooms in collaboration with the District ...

By: Emelia Essumanba- Josiah essumanba@gmail.com Access Bank has unveiled its newest branch at the Cargo Centre village in Airport City increasing its business office locations to forty-seven.  The ultra- modern branch, according to a press statement is said to be a strategic move to bring world-class banking to its customers and cater for the specialised needs of the business community within the Airport City enclave. Mr. Dolapo Ogundimu, Managing Director said that the bank’s presence within the cargo centre enclave demonstrates its unflinching commitment to play a meaningful role in Ghana’s development.  “We see ourselves as major contributors and are supporting businesses to access banking services without having to move long distances”, he added.  Accordingly, he added that the Bank will further deepen its financial inclusion agenda and play a facilitating role for cargo and passenger handling payments at one of the largest cargo hub...

By: Raphael Apetorgbor   rapetorgbor@theeventpr.com The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ledzokuku Krowor Municipal Assembly, (LEKMA) of Accra, Mr. Seth Badu Tawiah, has dismissed the insinuation that there was division among constituency executives in the area , describing it as part of a plot to blackmail the area as disunited.   He was speaking to the Daily Express in an interview   on Friday , about speculations that the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ledzokuku constituency, Mrs. Benita Sena Okity –Duah, Former MP, Mr. Nii Nortey Duah and Former MCE, Mr. Daniel Amartey are alleged to be embroiled in personality clashes which has led to polarization among the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).   Mrs. Sena Okity –Duah, who is aspiring as the MP for the constituency beat her three male contenders during the NDC parliamentary primaries in November last year thus, Former MP, Mr. Nii Nortey Duah, Former MCE, Mr. Daniel Amartey and Gilbert ...

By: Raphael Apetorgbor   rapetorgbor@theeventpr.com   The Greater Accra Security Council has warned those agitating for violence as the   December 7   poll approaches to have a rethink, saying government would not fold its hands and allow anyone to plunge the country into crisis.   The Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo who gave the warning to the Daily Express, in Accra, said government would not watch whiles some individuals and caucus create unnecessary tension in the region in the guise of political machination. “Lion” as Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo is affectionately known assured the people living in the city that effort was far advanced towards strengthening the Police-community watch-dog collaboration and intelligence gathering in the city to halt the occurrence of crime.   The Regional Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kpone- Katamanso constituency further appealed passionately to Ghanaians to eschew vio...

…But NPP told to call supporters to order The campaign team of President John Dramani Mahama has condemned a clash between the supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and that of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Accra. A statement signed by the Spokesperson for the President Mahama 2016 Campaign, Madam Joyce Bawa Mogtari, said the NDC accused the NPP of twisting the story thereby painting a gloomy picture of the ruling party as though they started the incident. She therefore called the leaders of NPP to call their supporters to order. The statement follows a confrontation between some supporters of the two major parties last Sunday in front of Nana Addo’s resident in Accra where some members of the NDC were on a health walk. The incident which resulted in gunshots was brought under control by the Nima police. “The sad developments, which were occasioned by an unprovoked attack followed by sporadic gunshots by identified hooligans from the Nima residence of Nana Aku...

Traders in the Western Region have expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama and the Chief Executive Officer of Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Mrs. Sedina Tamakloe Attionu for supporting them financially. They said the assistance would empower them to expand their businesses and improve their livelihood. The traders made this commendation when MASLOC through the intervention of President Mahama disbursed loans totalling GHc36,800.00 to them in 11 constituencies of the Region. The amount was given to 37 groups made up of 924 beneficiaries. They said they had never thought that such an opportunity would be falling them since there were equally millions of Ghanaians who were looking for the MASLOC intervention. The traders pledged their commitment to follow all the regulations attached to the loan facilities. Mrs. Attionu, the Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, said women played a vital role towards the development of the economy adding tha...

The Electoral Commission (EC) will in the 2016 elections go by its norm of not announcing Special Voting results as the Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit which seeks an order to compel the EC to declare the results on the same day. According to the Supreme Court justices, led by Justice William Atuguba, the suit being sought by the plaintiffs were not in agreement with the 1992 Constitution. The five-member panel also said the end of the special voting cannot be considered as end of polls and can therefore not be announced. Other members of the panel are Mr. Justice Anin Yeboah, Mr. Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Mr. Justice Jones Dotse, and Mr. Justice A.A. Benin. A member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Kwame Amoako-Tuffuor sued the Commission at the apex court seeking an order that will compel the EC to count and declare outcome of special voting separately. Dr. Amoako Tufour, joined by two other Ghanaians, Benjamin Arthur and Adreba Abrefa Damoa questioned...

A top-up error left pay-as-you-go customers out of pocket and complaints were mishandled Vodafone has been fined a record £4.6 million by the telecoms watchdog for   leaving thousands of customers out of pocket in a disastrous IT blunder. Ofcom found that the operator mishandled complaints and failed to pay into the accounts of more than 10,000 pay-as-you-go customers when they topped up their credit. The top-up error, which cost customers £150,000 over 17 months in 2014 and 2015, stemmed from the moving of 28.5 million accounts to a new billing system.   Errors in billing data and price plans caused so much protest that it made Vodafone the most complained-about mobile network in Britain.   The technical issues were resolved by April 2015 and all accounts are now on the new system, Vodafone said. Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s consumer group director, said:“Vodafone’s failings were serious and unacceptable, and these fines send a clear warning to all telecom...

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong Enterprise Life and Sanlam South Africa together with SOS Children’s Villages Ghana have jointly inaugurated a newly constructed social centre at the SOS Children’s Village, Kumasi in the Ashanti region. The project, valued at GHc485,000.00 forms part of Enterprise Life and Sanlam-South Africa’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) to promote quality education and health for vulnerable children in Ghana. The newly established social centre provides a suitable multi-purpose facility with a spacious auditorium among others to host different social activities related to child growth and development and will cater for both SOS children and students of the Hermann Gmeiner School. The centre also offers the beneficiaries the opportunity to freely socialize and participate actively in educational oriented activities such as school concerts, art exhibitions and workshops. The Executive Director of Enterprise Life, Mrs. Jacqueline Benyi expressed sat...

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong About 6.0% Ghanaians says they have not decided to vote or not to vote for the forthcoming Presidential elections in December 7, 2016, NCCE Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian voter survey has reveal. However, 4.3% Ghanaians are saying they will not vote at all for this election while about 89.7% of the populates are of optimistic to vote this year.               The respondents reasons why they were not sure of voting includes that political parties keep disappointing the electorate, recording as the highest percentage of 34.5%. The second highest percentage of 24.7% was respondents not having interest in voting. Some of the reasons were economic hardship/high cost of living 7.6%, yet to evaluate party’s manifestos 6.9%, uncertain of being around on the voting day 4.0%, I have not transferred my vote/may not go to the polling station 3.1%, due to old age/ill-health 2.2%, problems at the p...