Hire purchase fraud exposed… pay slips used by unknown persons
GCAA votes $20m for safety at KIA
Despite the declaration we will stop drumming inside churches-youth
Currency crises: flicker of hope but for how long
Endorse Mills or get sacked - Kwamena Ahwoi tells delegates
Currency crises: flicker of hope but for how long
Don’t blame country’s problems on NDC – Bishop Brown
We’ll select honest MPs – NDC
Outlook of economy precarious – CEPA
Exempt us from VAT
UGMS demands $200 for transcript
NDC guru wants Kwaku Baah expelled
Secret – Foreign accounts of NDC big shots to be exposed
Don't play my music Rex Omar urges radio stations
In-law settles score with razor blade
Man Presents credited items at marriage ceremony
Hire purchase fraud exposed… pay slips used by unknown
persons
The Times in its lead story says some unidentified people at Tamale have been using teachers’ pay slips to procure items on hire purchase from some companies without the knowledge of the teachers.
According to the story, they use the pay slips as prove that they were teachers and then issued a standing order to the pay slip which directs the Controller and Accountant General's Department to deduct money from their salaries every month.
So far, about 17 teachers have fallen prey to this fraudulent practice and amounts ranging between 30 and 200,000 cedis are being deducted from the salaries at the end of each month.
The Times continues that investigations indicate that items purchased included stoves, sound systems, foam mattresses television sets and video decks.
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Despite the declaration we will stop drumming inside
churches-youth
The Dispatch writes in its lead story that despite a well-worded declaration between the Ga traditional authorities and some churches, a section of the Ga youth have decided that they will stop all drumming inside the churches from 8 May when the Ga state enforces it annual ban on drumming and noise making as a prelude to the celebration of the Homowo festival.
According to the Dispatch a spokesman for the Ga Youth said the declaration was not realistic, saying, confining crusades to church buildings "was impracticable".
He is also reported to have pointed out that the portion of the declaration, which asked the churches to avoid excessive noise "was also relative. Who will monitor the levels of noise?"
The Dispatch says the spokesman, giving an example asked: supposing we hear a church making unnecessary noise in the course of the ban on Sunday morning or evening, how do we report to the local Standing Committee? Do we go to their houses or their offices? We know that we can not report to the police because in the past they have been telling us that there is no law backing the ban on drumming".
"If the churches insist that the a right to worship is their constitutional right, we will teach them what obeying the law really means."
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Endorse Mills or get sacked - Kwamena Ahwoi tells delegates
The Ghanaian Chronicle writes in a front-page story that the Minister responsible for the newly created Regional Economic Integration, Mr. Kwamena Ahwoi, has conceded that this year's election will not be easy for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Consequently, he has called on party supporters to work hard if they are to ensure their stay in power.
According to the Chronicle report, Mr. Ahwoi told an extraordinary regional conference of the party at Sekondi Takoradi, where they unanimously endorsed Professor Mill's as the party's presidential candidate, that any one who would vote contrary to the resolution being adopted in the various constituencies to endorse Professor Atta Mills as their presidential candidate at the Ho congress would be banished from the party.
The minister is reported to have said that it has become common place to see workers especially nurses, doctors and teachers going on strike in every election year thereby putting pressure on the economy.
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Currency crises: flicker of hope but for how long
In another front-page story the Chronicle says firm indications emerged from policy makers that US$50 million would hit the banks by the weekend and filter through to the forex bureaux as part of measure to stabilise the free fall of the cedi against major world currencies.
The Chronicle states that the amount is part of the assistance the Japanese Government has offered ostensibly to assist roll back the consuming havoc that scarcity of forex is creating in the country.
Within the next few months the Chronicle says, much more forex is expected to flow in as donors honour their pledges, though the cedi is not expected to regain its stature in any significant way, it is believed that the speculation element in the value of the currency will wash off.
Don’t blame country’s problems on NDC – Bishop Brown
The Evening News reports the Methodist Bishop of Koforidua Diocese, Rt. Rev. Joseph Atto Brown, as saying that the economic problems of the country should not be blamed on the NDC government but on the 1966 coup makers and all the other regimes that followed.
Bishop Brown is reported to have said in a sermon at Koforidua that the current crises is cumulative and should therefore not be blamed on a particular government adding that the country’s problems would be solved only when God is put at the centre of the nation's affairs.
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We’ll select honest MPs – NDC
The Evening News in another front-page story says the National Democratic Congress said it is selecting parliamentary candidates who are honest, loyal and dedicated, and not those who will go to parliament and champion the cause of the opposition.
According to the report, the General Secretary, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya told delegates at the Party’s fifth Eastern Region annual congress at Nkawkaw that the NDC has the machinery to investigate the background of any candidate wishing to stand on its ticket.
“The NDC has a vision to see Ghana move forward, and will therefore not allow the opposition to thwart its efforts”, Alhaji Yahaya said and urged members who will man the polling stations during the elections to be vigilant, saying, “ if you allow people to bully you and we lose, it would mean that all that we are doing would go waste”.
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Outlook of economy precarious – CEPA
The Centre for Economic Policy Analysis (CEPA) says the country’s economic outlook is precarious and it is crucial that a critical and hard look is taken at it for solutions to be found, reports the Daily Graphic.
According to the paper, Dr. Joe Abbey, CEPA Executive Director said during the centre’s launch of a report on the review and outlook of the country’s macro-economy that difficult choices will have to be made, if the country is to be relieved of its present hardships.
Dr. Abbey said the problems facing the country could not have been predicted, adding that “they were here and they said we were doing fine. And now if there is a problem, then they must help us to resolve it.”
He said the fiscal position of the nation is weak but it is camouflaged with the non-payment of government bills asked the authorities to tell the nation how much arrears it has on its hand adding, that “the entire expenditure envelope must be opened for wider debate and scrutiny to ensure that waste is eliminated.
CEPA, according to the Graphic does not see reason in the increase in VAT from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent because if the base is broadened by removing the threshold and the domestic market is closed to smuggled imports, the revenue accruing from the tax will be enormous.
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Exempt us from VAT
The Graphic has another front-page story, which says that the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has called on the government to exempt its production chemicals, Marine mix and Tetra Ethyl Lead, from the Value Added Tax since it does not charge VAT on its products.
TOR’s Head of Materials Management, Mr. Solomon Asmah, told the Tema branch of the Institute of Chartered Accountants at a seminar on ‘One year after the Introduction of VAT – Its impact on the economy’, that petroleum products under the VAT law are exempted from the tax on grounds of administrative convenience.
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UGMS demands $200 for transcript
A group of house officers and doctors calling itself ‘Concerned Alumni of University of Ghana Medical School' (UGMS) has petitioned the Executive Council of the school to review the increases in charges for transcripts from the school because they are prohibitive and punitive.
According to the Free Press, the Concerned Alumni in a statement issued on 13 April said previously the first copy of transcript cost 10,000 cedis and 5,000 for an additional copy but this is being raised to 50,000 cedis. Applicants in the country to an address abroad would pay 200 dollars, nearly one million cedis, and those outside the country applying to an address abroad would have to pay 500 dollars or two million cedis.
According to the story, the group noted that although the directive was issued last December, no explanation has been given to despite persistent demand.
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NDC guru wants Kwaku Baah expelled
The Free Press in its banner story says Nana Baffuor Ahimah, a leading member of the NDC has called on the leadership of the Party to bring Mr. Kwaku Baah, national Vice-Chairman, to order or expel him because his utterances are driving away people.
According to the Free Press, Nana Ahimah, in an interview said he perceived Mr. Baah to be controversial and opportunistic, whose actions and inactions has alienated people from the NDC, claiming that not a single deed of his sought to promote the Party’s interest.
The leading NDC figure is said to have supported his claim of the controversial nature of Mr. Baah with a chronicle of parties he had previously joined, among them the NPP.
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Secret – Foreign accounts of NDC big shots to be exposed
The Weekly Insight reports that Mr. Kweku Baako Jnr. Editor of the “ Crusading Guide” and a few of his associates are sitting on something that can be more explosive than a landmine, having stumbled on the foreign accounts of some heavyweights of the NDC including, ministers of state.
The Insight says its investigations revealed that Mr. Baako and his friends have the coded numbers of the accounts and that the account with the smallest balance has a credit of $3million.
The Insight says its investigations indicated that Mr. Baako has been checking and cross checking his information, adding that a source close to the ‘Crusading Guide’ told the insight that “they are sure of what they have and I suspect they will release the information very soon”
According to the story, some of the accounts hold deposits of more than 10million dollars.
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Don't play my music Rex Omar urges radio stations
The Graphic Showbiz reports that Rex Omar is set for a head on collision with radio stations because he has placed a ban on the airplay of his latest album titled 'Twi' due to be released soon.
The paper writes that Rex has authorised radio stations to play only one track on the album and explains that even though he would love his fans to hear his music on air, he is compelled to control it.
The renowned musician denied having any problems with any DJ saying, "in fact they are my friends, we are in the same business. But just as a film can't be shown without the permission of the producer, so also should a song not be played without the writers consent".
"In Ghana a musician spends sleepless nights, money, time, energy, creativity to put together an album then somebody buys the CD from a shop and plays it on a radio station where the public records the music”, he is quoted as saying.
Rex announced that he will from this year release two albums every year, saying that six months from the release of “Twi his second album for the year “Who Am I” will hit the stands in 24 countries simultaneously.
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In-law settles score with razor blade
The P and P reports that an Ashaiman trader is in Police custody for assaulting her sister-in-law following a misunderstanding between them which degenerated into a fight.
Mama Matilda is alleged to have picked up a quarrel with her sister-in-law, Freda Agusah, 19, who she accused of spreading rumours that she, Matilda, has cast a juju spell on their brother, which has made him not to care anymore for his siblings.
Freda was rescued by a neighbour and a complaint lodged at the Tema Police which is now investigating the matter.
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Man Presents credited items at marriage ceremony
In another story the P and P reports that a few months after Agnes Antwiwaa, a hairdresser at Odorkor, joined her husband, Yaw Annor, a spare parts dealer, she encountered an unpleasant scenario that is likely to haunt her for a long time.
The paper when Agnes, 26, returned home from work on March 2, to find that someone had gone into their room and made away with the six pieces of cloth given to her as part of her dowry, she suspected the thief must have entered with master key since they was not sign of damage anywhere.
Upon inquiries from her neighbours she was told that it was his husband, Yaw who came home during the day and left with a black bag. Yaw however denied ever coming home during the day and suggested that the culprit might one of the auto mechanics who lived in the area.
Agnes not satisfied with the explanation, reported the matter to the police who arrested the two mechanics but was later to receive the shock of her life when her husband confessed to the crime.
According to Yaw he credited the clothes from a trader at Makola who has been pestering him for payment and since he was not in the position to meet the debt, he decided to return them.
Yaw said he was forced to buy the cloth on credit because Agnes had threatened to abort her pregnancy unless she was properly married.
The paper says the case has been withdrawn from the Police station to be settled at home.
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