Friday, 17th September, 2021

Page 2

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian

said trust with Australia "had been betrayed"

The UK, US and Australia

have announced a

historic security pact

in the Asia-Pacific, in

what's seen as an effort

to counter China.

It will let Australia build

nuclear-powered submarines for

the first time, using technology

provided by the US.

The Aukus pact, which will also

cover AI and other technologies,

is one of the countries' biggest

defence partnerships in decades,

analysts say.

China has condemned the

At least seven people

have died after drowning

in rough Mediterranean

seas in the south

of France, authorities

say.

They were swept out to sea

while swimming off seven beaches

- despite warnings of dangerous

choppy waters.

The seas were stirred up by

storms and high winds.

Five people, in their 60s and

70s, died at five beaches in Hérault,

in the south west. Another two

men, aged 58 and 71, drowned at

two beaches in the Bouches-du-

Rhône, further east.

Emergency services in Hérault

say they tried to save 12 people

drowning off beaches at Agde, La

Grande-Motte, Marseillan, Serignan

and Vias. Seven were rescued

but five died.

"I cannot understand how

people got into the water when the

seas were rough. It's a dramatic day

for our region," said Jordan Dartier,

the mayor of Vias, where one man

drowned after reportedly falling

from rocks.

Hérault's fire and rescue

service had urged people to avoid

agreement as "extremely irresponsible".

Foreign ministry spokesman

Zhao Lijian said it "seriously

undermines regional peace and

stability and intensifies the arms

race".

China's embassy in Washington

accused the countries of a

"Cold War mentality and ideological

prejudice".

The pact also created a row

with France, which has now lost

a deal with Australia to build 12

submarines.

"It's really a stab in the back,"

French storms:

Seven drown in choppy

Mediterranean

swimming.

"Choppy seas are making water

activities dangerous," it tweeted

in the afternoon, with a video of

waves crashing into the shoreline.

Two swimmers drowned off

beaches at Cassis and La Ciotat in

the Bouches-du-Rhône after being

dragged out to sea, local media

reported.

People did not understand the

dangers of underwater currents,

local fire chief Aurélien Manenc

told broadcaster TF1.

"The water is warm, you think

you are going to have fun, and

quickly you are pulled towards the

open sea and towards the bottom,

and you get exhausted trying to

come back - this is what causes

drowning or the beginning of

drowning."

By late afternoon, police officers

in Hérault were evacuating

any beaches without life guards.

An orange weather alert is in

place in the region, warning of

storms and flooding.

"Wednesday 15 September will

remain a black day for the Hérault

coast," wrote local newspaper Midi

Libre.—BBC

Choppy waters were seen at Vias in Hérault, where a man died

DAILY ANALYST Friday, 17th September, 2021

France's Foreign Minister Jean-

Yves Le Drian told France Info

radio.

The new partnership was

announced in a joint virtual press

conference between US President

Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister

Boris Johnson and his Australian

counterpart Scott Morrison on

Wednesday.

And while China was not mentioned

directly, the three leaders

referred repeatedly to regional

security concerns which they said

had "grown significantly".

Speaking to the BBC, UK

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace

said China was "embarking on one

of the biggest military spends in

history".

"It is growing its navy [and] air

force at a huge rate. Obviously it is

engaged in some disputed areas,"

he said. "Our partners in those regions

want to be able to stand their

own ground."

"It's not about antagonising

anyone," Mr Wallace said.

In recent years, Beijing has

been accused of raising tensions

in disputed territories such as the

South China Sea.

The Aukus alliance is probably

the most significant security

arrangement between the three

nations since World War Two,

analysts say.

The pact will focus on military

capability, separating it from the

The head of the Islamic

State group in the Sahara

has been killed by French

troops, President Emmanuel

Macron has said.

Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi

formed Islamic State in the Greater

Sahara (ISGS) in 2015.

The group is blamed for most

attacks in the region, including

the targeted killing of French aid

workers in 2020.

Mr Macron called Sahrawi's

death "another major success in

our fight against terrorist groups in

the Sahel".

The Sahel is a vast, three million

sq km (1.16 million sq miles) area

that stretches across Africa south of

the Sahara desert, from Senegal in

the west to Somalia in the east.

Mr Macron did not disclose

the location or any details of the

operation.

French Defence Minister Florence

Parly tweeted that Sahrawi

died after a strike by France's Operation

Barkhane force, which fights

Islamist militants in the Sahel,

mostly in Mali, Niger, Chad and

Burkina Faso.

She added that it was "a decisive

blow against this terrorist group",

and that the "fight continues".

Sahrawi, who was born in the

disputed Western Sahara in 1973,

and had been a member of the

Polisario Front which is fighting for

independence from Morocco.

He later joined al-Qaeda in the

Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and co-led

Mujao, a Malian Islamist group

responsible for kidnapping Spanish

aid workers in Algeria and a group

of Algerian diplomats in Mali in

2012.

Last August, Sahrawi personally

Global News

UK, US and Australia launch

pact to counter China

Five Eyes intelligence-sharing

alliance which also includes New

Zealand and Canada.

While Australia's submarines

is the big-ticket item, Aukus will

also involve the sharing of cyber

capabilities and other undersea

technologies.

"This is an historic opportunity

for the three nations, with

like-minded allies and partners, to

protect shared values and promote

security and prosperity in

the Indo-Pacific region," the joint

statement read.

"This really shows that all

three nations are drawing a line in

the sand to start and counter [China's]

aggressive moves in the Indo-Pacific,"

said Guy Boekenstein

from the Asia Society Australia.

Western nations have been

wary of China's infrastructure

investment on Pacific islands

and also criticised China's trade

sanctions against countries like

Australia.

Australia had in the past

maintained good relations with

China, its biggest trading partner.

But the relationship has broken

down in recent years amid political

tensions.

But there is tension now too

with France, after Australia tore up

the A$50bn (€31bn; £27bn) deal to

build 12 submarines.

"We had established a relationship

of trust with Australia, this

ordered the killing of six French

charity workers and their Nigerien

guides and drivers, the French

presidency said.

The killings followed a series of

large-scale attacks on military bases

in Mali and Niger in late 2019.

The group was also said to have

been behind a deadly attack on US

troops in Niger in 2017.

The Sahel's porous borders are

often exploited by drug runners,

people smugglers and militants

such as the ISGS.

Jihadist attacks also spill into

neighbouring Nigeria.

French forces have been hunting

jihadist cells in the region for

years. In 2013, France intervened to

prevent an al-Qaeda affiliate from

taking over the Malian capital

Bamako.

There are now two concurrent

missions running in the Sahel

- a UN peacekeeping mission,

comprising 56 nations and 14,000

troops, and the French-led counter-terrorism

mission Operation

trust has been betrayed," Mr Le

Drian said.

Why nuclear-powered submarines?

These submarines are much

faster and harder to detect than

conventionally powered fleets.

They can stay submerged for

months, shoot missiles longer distances

and also carry more.

Having them stationed in Australia

is critical to US influence in

the region, analysts say.

The US is sharing its submarine

technology for the first time

in 50 years. It had previously only

shared technology with the UK.

Australia will become just the

seventh nation in the world to operate

nuclear-powered submarines,

after the US, UK, France, China,

India and Russia.

Australia has reaffirmed it has

no intention of obtaining nuclear

weapons.

Meanwhile New Zealand said it

would ban Australia's submarines

from its waters, in line with an

existing policy on the presence of

nuclear-powered submarines.

New Zealand, although a Five

Eyes member, has been more cautious

in aligning with either the

US or China in the Pacific.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

said her nation had not been approached

to join the pact.—BBC

Head of IS in Sahara killed

Sahrawi was killed by French forces

Barkhane, which is backed by US

intelligence.

• Critical stage for fight

against jihadis in West Africa

• West Africa faces up to

policing its terror triangle

• Taliban takeover raises

fears about Africa's jihadists

In June, Mr Macron announced

that Operation Barkhane would

end in its current form, and that

French troops would be cut in

the region over the course of

several years. Last month, Chad announced

it was halving its counter-terrorism

force in the region.

After announcing Sahrawi's

death, Mr Macron added in a

tweet: "The nation is thinking

this evening of all its heroes who

died for France in the Sahel in the

Serval and Barkhane operations,

of the bereaved families, of all its

wounded.

"Their sacrifice is not in vain.

With our African, European and

American partners, we will continue

this fight."

DAILY ANALYST

Friday, 17th September, 2021 Page 3

Story: Prosper Kwake

Selassy Agbitor

ECOWAS Chairman,

President Nana Addo

Dankwa Akufo-Addo,

has called on leaders

attending the Extraordinary

Summit on the political

situations in the Republics of

Guinea and Mali to proffer durable

solutions to those crisis.

Opening the meeting in Accra

yesterday, Mr Akufo-Addo, who

is also the President of Ghana,

said the positive response to the

meeting to further deliberate on

events in those two countries

was “a clear manifestation of the

solidarity and commitment of

the ECOWAS community to the

democracy, peace, prosperity and

unity of the region.”

He recounted the coup of 5th

September, 2021 in Guinea which

saw the government of President

Alpha Conde toppled, and measures

taken so far in the interim,

including the condemnation

of the coup, the suspension of

Guinea from the regional forum,

and demand for the release of

the detained Conde, as well as

the establishment of a high level

ECOWAS mission to Guinea to

assess the situation and report

back to the regional authorities.

“I count on you, Excellences,

to help proffer durable solutions

to the crisis and I’m confident

that as in the past, we will rise to

the occasion.

“The delegation went to

Guinea on Friday, the 10th of September,

met the military leaders

and saw President Alpha Conde

at his place of detention. They

Frontpage Stories

We need durable solutions!

have made a report to us, which

will be the basis of our deliberations

at this emergency summit

on Guinea. We will receive also

a report from the mediator of

the Malian crisis, His Excellency

Goodluck Jonathan, the former

President of the Federal Republic

of Nigeria, on developments in

Mali.

“We are required to take informed

decisions on these matters.

I count on you, Excellences,

to help proffer durable solutions

to the crisis and I’m confident

that as in the past, we will rise to

the occasion.”

The soldiers who staged

the Guinea coup, led by Colonel

Mamady Doumbouya, cite

undemocratic practices, hopelessness,

non-accountability and

mounting unemployment as

justification for the coup.

Similarly, soldiers in Mali

led by Colonel Assimi Goïta and

Colonel-Major Ismaël Wagué

capitalised on political unrests

following disputed parliamentary

elections results in March and

April to oust President Ibrahim

Boubacar Keïta, and Prime Minister

Boubou Cissé. ECOWAS once

again condemned the coup and

demanded the reinstallation of

President Keïta.

Govt can’t be forced!

Story: George Obeng

A

member of the Justice

Koomson Committee

that probed

the Ejura disturbances,

Dr Vladimir

Antwi-Danso, has stated that it

is unfair to ask the committee to

pile pressure on the government

to publish the Ejura report.

Speaking to the media, Dr

Antwi Danso said the committee

is done with its work, hence

the onus now lies on the government

to make the report public.

“Our work ended with the

submission of our findings to

the government, and it ends

there. I will still insist that it is

not our duty to demand the publication

of the report. Legally, we

don’t have the right… It is also

not fair,” he said.

The three-member committee

was constituted by the

Interior Minister, Ambros Dery,

at the behest of President Nana

Akufo-Addo, and tasked to investigate

the circumstances that

led to the death of social activist,

Kaaka and the ensuing unrest

in Ejura.

The committee held public

hearings for close to two weeks

and subsequently submitted its

report to Mr. Dery over a month

ago.

Ghanaians have in the past

few weeks been demanding the

publication of the report.

The Minister of Information,

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, had

earlier said the findings of the

committee will be made public

by the end of this week.

“The President has instructed

that we publish the report so

perhaps before the end of this

week or next week, we will be

publishing the report in full

and at the same time also announcing

the implementation

measures that come along with

that publication,” the Minister

said on Point Blank on Eyewitness

News.

Mr. Nkrumah also indicated

that the findings were subsequently

handed over to the

Attorney General for advice.

“The President asked the

Attorney General to look at it

and give advice on a number

of things, which will become

clearer when implementation

starts. The Attorney General

has completed the study of the

committee’s report.”

Moderna vaccine rollout begins next week —GHS

Story: Serge Kojo

Apaloo

The Ghana Health

Service (GHS) will

from next week start

administering the

1.2 million Moderna

COVID-19 vaccines it received

from the United States (US)

government.

According to the GHS,

training of its personnel on

the use of the vaccine was

expected to be completed this

week across all 16 regions of

the country.

The Programme’s Manager

for the Expanded Programme

on Immunisation at the GHS,

Dr Kwame Amponsa-Achiano,

in a Citi News interview

monitored by DAILY Analyst

disclosed that the next phase

of the vaccination will cover

all persons 18 years and above.

He added that a date for the

commencement of the exercise

will be announced later

next week.

He explained that this

phase will include the deployment

of other available

vaccines.

“We are holding training

reps on the vaccine. We are

also in discussion on the date

for the commencement of the

vaccination exercise. Once

a date is chosen, it will be

communicated to the public.

Hopefully, getting to the latter

part of next week, we should

be able to continue our vaccination

exercise.”

“We will do all the vaccines

we have available. So we have

taken stock of what we have

done so far and what we need

to do going forward.”

A few weeks ago, Ghana

took delivery of some 249,000

doses of AstraZeneca vaccines

from the UK government to

support its vaccination drive.

Despite a slow start to the

vaccine rollout, the government

remains committed to

vaccinating 20 million Ghanaians

by the end of 2021.

Ghana has so far has secured

over 3.2 million vaccines.

The President, Nana

Akufo-Addo, earlier in July 2021,

directed the Interior Ministry to

conduct a public inquiry following

the killing of two people and

Dr. Vladimir Antwi Danso

the injuring of four others by

soldiers during a protest against

the killing of a social activist,

Ibrahim Muhammed, popularly

known as Kaaka Macho.

Page 4


Story: DAILY Analyst

Correspondent

Journalists and Media

practitioners in the

country have been urged

to report attacks on

them be ready to testify

to seek redress.

According to the Chairman of

the National Media Commission

(NMC), Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh,

who made the call, his outfit

was a legitimate body to handle

issues of attacks on journalists.

He, therefore, encouraged to

journalists to cooperate to protect

themselves.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh was

speaking at a consultative meeting

with journalists in Tamale,

Northern Region on the Coordinated

Mechanism on the Safety

of journalists.

The consultative meeting,

which was organised by the

NMC together with the Ministry

of Information and the United

Report attacks against you!

Nations Educational, Scientific

and Cultural Organisation (UNE-

SCO), was to school participants

on the Coordinated Mechanism

on the Safety of Journalists

amongst other emerging issues

on the safety of journalists.

The NMC chairman was particularly

worried that some journalists

and media practitioners,

who suffered attacks, failed to

make formal complaints or were

unwilling to testify in such matters

to help ensure justice for

them, saying “There is little we

can do if you do not report to us

or willing to testify.”

In this regard, he reaffirmed

the NMC’s commitment to protect

journalists stressing that “If

the journalist is not secure, we

cannot get quality journalism”

urging journalists to consider

the long term effects of attacks

on their health and wellbeing

programmes, capacity building

and training sessions for journalists

and public officials across

Ghana. In 2019, for instance,

the organisation trained over

150 journalists from the Ashanti,

Northern and Greater Accra

regions on how to utilise the RTI

law for critical reporting. In 2021,

the organization brought together

some 15 investigative journalists

in a three-day residential

bootcamp to equip them with

skills and knowledge on how to

use the RTI law to advance their

investigations. To also improve

local governance accountability,

the MFWA has trained 30 journalists

from community-based

radio stations in some parts of

the country on the RTI law, information

request processes and

how they can seek information

to facilitate more detailed and

factual reporting. About 150 local

government officials made up

of Metropolitan, Municipal and

District Chief Executives, Coordiand

seek justice rather than settle

such matters on the quiet.

For his part, the Head of

Office and Representative of UN-

ESCO, Mr Abdourahamane Diallo,

in Ghana lamented the increasing

cases of attacks on journalists

in the country. He called

for a multi-sectoral approach to

protect, prevent and prosecute

the perpetrators of such attacks.

The Acting Northern Regional

Chairman of the Ghana Journalists

Association, Mr Yakubu

Abdul Majeed, applauded the engagement

and said the development

of the Coordinated Mechanism

on the Safety of Journalists

was in the right direction to

help protect journalists in line of

work in the country.

Recently, attacks on journalists

have been on the increase,

giving cause for worry.

Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, NMC Chairman

Deepening access to information for

accountable governance in Ghana

Story: George Obeng

Access to information

is a universal human

right. Accordingly, it

is recognised in several

international human

rights treaties and protocols

such as the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights, the International

Covenant on Civil and

Political Rights and the African

Charter on Human and Peoples’

Rights. These instruments place

obligations on States that have

ratified them to respect, protect

and fulfil citizens’ enjoyment of

the right to information.

Access to public-held information

is also a critical tool

for attaining the key indicators

of good governance i.e. participation,

transparency and

accountability among others. It

strengthens and institutionalises

mechanisms for citizens-government

engagements on development

issues that affect their lives.

–the MFWA experience

It empowers citizens to demand

transparency and accountability

on matters of public interest

thereby holding governments

and public office holders accountable

for their stewardship.

Ghana is a signatory to these

international and regional instruments

and protocols. Accordingly,

the 1992 Constitution and

the recently passed Right to Information

law (Act 989) grant citizens

the full enjoyment of this

right. Sadly, however, the mere

existence of an RTI law does not

guarantee citizen participation,

state accountability and state

responsiveness. The law is almost

needless without real structural

mechanisms and political will

to provide information, and the

ability of citizens to claim their

right to information and to use it

to demand better governance and

public services.

In view of this, the Media

Foundation for West Africa

(MFWA), since the passage of the

RTI law in 2019, has been implementing

a series of activities to

sensitize and promote public

awareness and engagement on

the RTI law in Ghana. Below are

some key specific interventions

undertaken by the organisation.

1. Capacity building and

sensitisation on the RTI law

According to Alianza Regional

(2009)[1], lack of training on access

to information is one of the

major obstacles to its effective

implementation. This is because

users need to know and understand

the law, as well as their

rights and obligations under the

law in order to effectively evoke

it. The MFWA in this regard has

organised several sensitisation

nating Directors and Information

Officers from various Metropolitan

Municipal and District

Assemblies (MMDAs) have also

been trained on their obligations

under the law. The aim has been

to empower both the demand

and supply sides of governance of

their responsibilities and obligations

under the RTI law.

2. Publication of a simplified

version of the RTI Law

To make the RTI law user

friendly for the media and the

public in general, the MFWA,

with support from the DW Akademie,

produced and published

a Journalists Guidebook on the

law. Titled Essentials of the RTI

Law, the guidebook helps readers

highlights key areas of the law

such as exempt information;

information request process; the

appeal process etc. So far, over

500 copies of the Guidebook have

been distributed to newsrooms,

media organisations and some

public institutions across Ghana.

A copy of the Guidebook is also

available online for easy access.

3. Sensitisation Forums for

Media and the Public

To encourage public participation

and usage of the right to

information law among citizens,

the MFWA periodically organises

national forums on the law.

These forums usually bring

together high-profile lawyers,

journalists, representatives of the

government, the media, citizens

and other key stakeholders to

discuss these topical issues such

as government efforts to ensure

an effective RTI regime; how the

law can engender Ghana’s fight

against corruption; as well as

emerging trends and challenges.

These Forums harvest key recommendations

towards ensuring a

more robust access to information

regime in Ghana.

4. Gauging Public Institutions

Responsiveness to Making Information

Request

Between September 2020

and June 2021, the MFWA has

made over 30 requests to some

public institutions in Ghana. The

outcomes of these requests have

Cont’d on page 5

DAILY ANALYST


Optimising digital services

By Ebo Richardson

Digital – along with

its many variants

and associations

– has become a

pervasive buzzword

of our times. More than

just some contemporary hype,

it is fast becoming the de-facto

medium for both social

interactions and commercial

endeavour.

Indeed, many organisations

cite digital as the mainstay of

their strategic ambitions, and

the facilitator of the value-creating

assets that will sustain

their businesses well into the

future.

And why not? The opportunities

and benefits that digital

technologies promise to bring

are set to dwarf and wildly disrupt

traditional offerings. But

how do we get the most from

our digital setups?

Variations of Digital

Though most organisations

have resolved to ply the digital

path, for obvious reasons, the

nature and extent to which

they have invested in and

committed to this journey

varies significantly. While

some are merely digitising and

others are digitalizing, a bold

few are executing all-encompassing

digital transformations.

It is worth noting that

these descriptions are not just

different words to describe the

same practice, but actually

represent different faces and

varying degrees of the “digital

movement”.

The first – that is digitisation

– is the creation of

technology-based versions or

replicas of existing processes

and artifacts. It is thus another

word for basic automation.

The second – digitalization

– involves a more substantial

(re)construction of key assets

using digital technologies

such as analytics and artificial

intelligence. Digital transformation,

on the other hand, is a

more extensive strategic activity

that seeks to challenge and

reimagine an organization’s

value co-creation and capture

capabilities, to the extent that

it may materially alter the

entire business model (or large

aspects of it).

The Make-up of Digital

Digital is not equal to technology.

It is far more involving

than that. It is the facilitation

of human activities and experiences

– from socialisation

to commerce – using new age

technologies and devices. Simply

put, it is the use of modern

technologies to enable things

to be done simpler, faster, more

conveniently, and in a more

customised way. In that sense,

digital is more than the sum of

its component parts.

Building digital assets to

solution needs or drive service

delivery requires bringing

together a number of important

elements. These make

up the various components,

which fit and work together to

enable interfacing, processing,

and servicing. They include

core services and platforms,

channels or user interfaces,

analytics and AI, and digital

marketing, all of which are

enabled by technology and

encapsulated in a conducive

culture. Additionally, as our reliance

on technology increases

and its associated threats

become a menace, the need for

robust controls is also brought

to the fore.

Optimising Digital Components

Regardless of whether an

organisation is merely digitising

or wholly transforming,

both the digital capabilities

used by its personnel and

those used to service customers

must perform optimally if

goals are to be achieved. Optimal

performance essentially

means the organization must

undertake some concerted

work to fine-tune all components

across the spectrum.

Since the digital construct is

made up of distinct components,

each must be improved

in a manner that is commensurate

with the nature and

size of the organisation and

its customer base. The objective

is to make each as good as

possible.

So, how should this optimisation

manifest? Those

responsible for the separate

components should ensure

best-in-class configuration and

execution, as per the typical

standards described below:

- A robust, resilient, and

scalable technology infrastructure,

to provide the necessary

processing power, storage and

network connectivity. This

will ensure that platforms and

applications have the needed

resources (dynamically allocated)

and function in a highly

available environment.

- An effective data

management approach that

ensures appropriate access to,

use of, and protection for customer

and transactional data.

This will be the “fuel” for all

services. Solid analytics would

also birth optimized product

development, tailored experiences,

and targeted sales and

marketing.

- Effective operational

and security controls that safeguard

assets and processes, as

well as assure efficient day-today

operations. The objective

here would be to achieve >70%

controls automation.

- A set of well-architected

and highly available core

platforms and services. This is

where the servicing or solutioning

of customer needs or

requests happens. For a Bank

this will most likely be the

Core Banking, while a Telecoms

Operator may point to

the IN (Intelligent Network).

- Friendly, intuitive, and

consistent channels that make

it easy for customers to engage

and transact. This will be a

primary touchpoint and will

therefore be perceived as the

key value delivery hub. Obviously,

top-notch design considerations

must be applied

here, including user interface

(i.e. look and feel), fulfilment

processes, and usability.

- A strategically aligned

digital marketing machinery

that churns out well-crafted,

targeted, and well-timed messages

(and stories) using all

available media.

A culture that is agile and

future-oriented will be the

glue that makes these components

work well together. It

will also create Ambassadors

who will evangelize the offering

to colleagues and customers

alike. The eventual result

will be a digital machine that

is not only well-oiled and optimised,

but also greater than

the sum of its parts in terms of

impact and outcome.

Management buy-in is key

The requirements of a digital

setup that is both fit-for-

purpose and fit-for-use tend

to be extensive. Building such

an asset requires substantial

investment and sustained

support. Consequently, buy-in

from top management is a

critical success factor. They

must see a clear line-of-sight

between the substantial

investment needed and the

benefits expected to accrue.

To create sustainable value,

management must then strategize

to achieve a good balance

between what their organisation

is good at today and what

it must be good at tomorrow.

With such commitment, the

chances of success will outstrip

the likelihood of failure.

As the digital race heats

up, those organisations that

manage to find the pulse of

their customers and leverage it

to optimise their digital offerings

will undoubtedly deliver

superior experience that will

set them apart from their competition.

It will also engender

levels of loyalty that may well

stave-off likely digital disruptions.

The race is make-or-break

and very much on!

Cont’d from Page 4

triggered reactions that have

questioned some of the tenets

of the RTI law and called for a

look at some grey areas within

the law. For instance, in 2020, the

MFWA requested information

from the National Communications

Authority which demanded

an exorbitant amount of

Ghc2,000 to enable it “research”

the information. In a related

development, the Minerals

Commission of Ghana asked The

Fourth Estate, a public interest

and accountability investigative

journalism project of the MFWA,

to pay approximately US$1,000

for information that ordinarily

should be public information.

So far, demands for fees and

charges before the release of

information to an applicant have

been a major problem that calls

for policy directions on the issue.

Deepening access to information for

accountable governance in Ghana

To ensure a holistic implementation

of the Right to Information

law, the MFWA has held engagements

with the RTI Commission

on the best ways to address some

of these issues.

Challenges and some lessons

learnt

The MFWA is also picking up

lessons along the line as it continues

to implement interventions

on access to information in

the country.

a. Limited knowledge of the

RTI law among public officials:

There is very limited knowledge

on the RTI law among officials

of public institutions which is

affecting their responsiveness to

RTI requests. Majority of them

including some of the officials

designated or appointed as RTI

officers are not abreast of their

obligations or responsibilities

under the RTI law and request

processes.

b. Poor record keeping /information

management culture:

The way information is managed

within some public institutions

are also affecting how requests

are treated or responded to. In

many institutions, past records

or data are not accessible. This is

because the record was not kept

well or the manner in which it

was kept makes it ineligible.

c. Poor human resource

management and bureaucracy:

Typically, letters and correspondence

that go to some public

institutions are often recorded at

the registry for onward submission

to the appropriate offices

later. Under the new regime of

RTI where an application must

be addressed to the designated

information officer, the challenge

has been in two folds: firstly, if

a letter takes longer time at the

registry before submission, it

takes out from the initial 14-day

period within which the institution

has to make a determination

on the application. The other

challenge observed is that, in

some other instances, officials in

some public institutions are hesitant

in receiving RTI requests

in the absence of the designated

officials who may either be indisposed

or on leave.

d. Undue delay in the release

of the information requested: Because

the law does not state explicitly

how long an institution

must take to give the requested

information, some public institutions

turn to abuse the time and,

in the process, unduly delay the

release of the information being

requested.

Page 6


Nii Armah Quansah, newly installed Head

of Akwaanor Royal Family of Ashalaja

Story: Freeman

Koryekpor Awlesu

The principal and accredited

elders of Akwaanor

Royal Family of Ashalaja

in the Ga South municipality

of the Greater

Accra Region have performed traditions

and customs to officially

Story: Freeman

Koryekpor Awlesu

Disparities in healthcare

delivery as a

result of poverty,

unequal access to

health care, lack of

education, stigma, and discrimination

are underlying, contributing

factors of health inequities in

Ghana. To reduce these inequities

in Ghana's healthcare delivery,

Penplusbytes together with its

partners SEND Ghana and the

Ghana News Agency implemented

the People for Health (P4H)

project and are set to host the

maiden edition of the Reducing

Inequities in Healthcare Awards

(RIHCA 2021) themed rewarding

media efforts in promoting

equitable healthcare delivery in

Ghana.

RIHCA 2021 is the first of its

kind to celebrate outstanding

journalists whose media activities

have contributed specifically

to reducing inequities and

promoting of quality healthcare

delivery of the five major thematic

areas the P4H project focuses

on - Maternal Health and Family

Planning, Malaria, WASH, Nutrition

and HIV.

There is jubilation galore

in the Central Tongu

District of the Volta

Region over an alleged

leak of the names of

the Municipal and District Chief

Executives (MDCEs).

The youth groups, particularly

members and supporters of the

New Patriotic Party (NPP), are

happy because they are privy to

information that the 2020 Central

Tongu Constituency Parliamentary

Candidate for the New Patriotic

Party (NPP), Mr Raymond Escambellar

Abledu, has been recommended

by the Dan Botwe chaired

Committee to President Nana

Addo Dankwa Addo-Addo to be

appointed as a new District Chief

Executive (DCE) for the area.

Information is that, when a

purported detailed report of the

MDCEs Vetting Committee was

leaked, majority of the youth

in the area came out publicly

to commend the committee for

doing a great job to replace the

incumbent DCE of the area, Mr

Moore Zonyra with Mr Abledu.

The members of the committee

in their report appealed to

President Akufo-Addo to appoint

Mr Abledu as the new Central

Tongu DCE to help to bring

sustainable development to the

constituents.

In the said report, members of

the vetting committee, after vetappoint

a new head of the family.

The Principal new Head of the

family is in the person of Nii Armah

Quansah who was appointed

on September 2, 2021, to replace

the former Head of Akwaanor

Royal Family, Mr Solomon Mintah

Ackaah, who was removed following

several charges of wrongdoings

levelled against him.

In order to make the change

legal and genuine, the elders have

instructed the Kwame Gyan and

Associate Law Firm in Accra to officially

write to inform Mr Ackaah

that the family has resolved after

a meeting held on August 19, 2021,

to remove him [Mr Ackaah] per

the customs and traditions of the

people of Ashalaja.

The letter, which in the

possession of DAILY Analyst and

headlined: "Appointment of New

Head of Akwaanor Royal Family

of Ashalaja reads in part; "We

respectfully refer to the above

mentioned subject-matter and

write as solicitors for Akwaanor

Royal Family of Ashalaja."

"We have been instructed by

our client to submit to you the attached

self-explanatory document

on removal of Mr Solomon Mintah

Ackaah, head of Akwaanor Royal

Family of Ashalaja. We are by this

notification requesting you to

Penplusbytes, partners to

award health reporters

The successes and impact

achieved under this citizen-centred

project have been largely

influenced by the works of journalists

reporting on our health

sector in the seven project regions

(Northern, Savannah, North

East, Volta, Oti, Greater Accra, and

Eastern). The journalists’ reports

have headlined untold stories of

citizens’ challenges in seeking

healthcare, provided direction to

health professions and provided

relevant ideas to policy makers.

According to the Executive

Director of Penplusbytes Ms.

Juliet Amoah “the media’s contribution

has been very pivotal in

bringing out issues that form the

basis for our constant engagements

with duty bearers and

demand for social justice and accountability

and they deserve to

be encouraged and empowered to

bring out public interest stories

that informs policy direction on

citizens’ wellbeing.”

Ms Amoah added that RIHCA

is going to be an institutionalised

annual awards ceremony that

will recognise the efforts and

strides being made by individuals

and groups in reducing the inequities

in healthcare delivery and

wellbeing of citizens.

This year’s awards, RIHCA

Akwaanor Royal Family of

Ashalaja appoints new head

...warns public against

Solomon Mintah Ackaah

2021 under the P4H project looks

at six categories: Best reporting

on Malaria, Most impactful

story on HIV/AIDS, Best WASH

Awareness Report, Best Nutrition

Report, Special Maternal Health

and Family Planning Report and

Most impactful P4H Reporter

and journalists whose works

fall within these health areas

are encouraged to send in their

nominations.

Over the last five years, a

consortium made up of Penplusbytes,

SEND Ghana and Ghana

News Agency have been implementing

the P4H project, a project

aimed at reducing inequities

in the delivery of health services

through the promotion of good

governance practices of accountability,

transparency, equity and

participation.

About Penplusbytes

Penplusbytes is a not-forprofit

organisation driving

change through innovations in

the following key areas: using

new digital technologies to

enable good governance and

accountability, new media and

innovations, climate and well-being,

and enhancing oversight for

effective utilisation of mining, oil

and gas revenue and resources.

amend your records accordingly.

"Kindly accept our best regards,"

the letter ended.

The letter, which is signed and

certified by Mr Lawyer Kwame

Gyan, is copied to the Survey

and Mapping Division of Lands

Commission, Director in charge

of Land Registration at the Lands

Commission, Greater Accra

Regional Police Commander,

Amasaman Divisional Police Commander,

Amasaman District Police

Commander, Weija District Police

Commander and Ngleshie Amanfro

District Police Commander.

However, members of the family

have declared that they have

made a resolution to remove Mr

Ackaah by the customs and traditions

of the people of Ashalaja.

They explained that their

decision to remove the head of

the Akwaanor Royal Family was

as a result of charges of irrespon-

Story: Freeman

Koryekpor Awlesu

sibility, disrespect, unconcerned

attitude towards the welfare of

the Akwaanor Royal Family members

in particular and the people

of Ashalaja in general.

"We have made a resolution

to appoint a new head of family

following the removal of Mr Ackaah,

whose removal was preceded

by the performance of certain

customs.

"We have resolved to ensure

the publication of the removal

and the appointment of a new

head of family to the whole

world," they stated.

Following this development,

the members of the family has

cautioned the general public to

desist from buying land from

Mr Ackaah, stressing that he has

been removed as the Head of the

Akwaanor Royal Family.

They also sounded a strong

word of warning to Mr Ackaah

against parading himself as the

substantive head of the family

since his headship has been

removed.

Writer's email: koryekporfreeman@yahoo.com

Central Tongu

commends MDCEs

Vetting Committee

...for nominating Raymond

Abledu for DCE post

ting the prospective candidates

vying for the position of the DCE

in the area, shortlisted the three

in the persons of Mr Abledu, Mr

Ebenezer Kwadzo Azumah and Mr

Moore Zonyrah.

But the committee’s report

noted that Mr Abledu was the

immediate 2020 PC for the constituency.

According to the report, he

significantly improved the votes

of the party in the last election,

adding that he is determined to

improve the fortunes of the NPP

in the area.

The report stated that Mr

Raymond Abledu is conversant

with the district/constituency

and relates well with the chiefs,

the youth, and the constituency

executives.

According to the report, Mr

Raymond Abledu holds an MBA

from the Australia Institute of

Business and a BA in Psychology

and Linguistics from the University

of Ghana.

Most of them believe that the

committee, through the appointing

authority; the President,

wants to impose the incumbent

DCE, Sarah Pobee, on them once

again which they say will be

chaotic.

Speaking to some supporters

and executives of the NPP in

the Central Tongu constituency,

who pleaded anonymity, they

welcomed recommendations in

favour of Mr Abledu.


DAILY ANALYST


Story: Freeman

Koryekpor Awlesu

The Minister of

Transport, Hon. Kwaku

Ofori Asiamah, has

charged the Governing

Board of Metro Mass

Transit Limited (MMTL) to

bring their expertise to bear by

introducing innovative measures

that will help turn around the

transport company.

According to the minister,

the challenges confronting

the transport company were

enormous and will require

wise counselling and decisions

from the board, team work and

experience to address them.

Inaugurating a nine-member

Governing Board of MMTL in

Accra on Tuesday, September 14,

2021, on behalf of Mr Asiamah,

the deputy Minister of Transport,

Story: Freeman

Koryekpor Awlesu

Frederick Obeng Adom, tasked the

board to take up the challenge and

ensure that the operations of the

transport company were boosted.

“Over the years, the

company has gone through

several challenges, including the

drastic reduction in operational

fleet, frequent breakdowns and

rising operational cost. It is our

expectation that the new board

will take up this challenge to

ensure that the company is

revived to the level of winning

back its share of the market and

expand its services,” he noted.

The minister also entreated

the board to work in unison with

management of the company to

address the increasing number

of agitations among MMTL’s

workforce and ensure that

industrial harmony prevails,

stressing that “these agitations, if

not addressed, could potentially

derail the ongoing efforts.”

Among the Governing Board

members of Metro Mass Transit

Limited are Hon Kofi Ahenkorah

Marfo, Chairman, Mr Albert Adu-

Boahene, Member, Mr Francis

Kofi-Nunoo, Member, Mr Robert

Karikari-Darko, Member, and

Mrs Bernadette Addo Dankwa,

Member.

The rest are Dr Joseph Okine

Afrane, Member, Nana Yaw

Mantey, Member, Mr Marcus Deo

Dake, Member and Mad. Angelina

T. A. Mensah, Member.

Mr Asiamah commenting

further said the ministry

between 2018 and 2019 supported

the MMTL with a total of 100

new intercity buses to revamp

operations.

That notwithstanding, the

ministry was pursuing other

arrangements to bring in more

buses to augment operations.

However, there would be the

need to improve infrastructure

such as terminals and

maintenance workshops, urging

the board to support management

to deliver on its mandate.

The ministry, on its part, he

added, will provide the needed

support and guidelines to enable

the board delivers on its mandate

but cautioned against unfortunate

practices of the temptation by

TUC urges members to get vaccinated

...for general well-being against Covid

sociation at a sensitisation forum

in Accra, the Secretary General

of the TUC, Dr Yaw Baah, said 90

per cent of the country’s workforce

comprise informal workers

thus it was prudent to bring the

education closer to their working

jurisdiction.

The forum was organised by

TUC and sponsored by the Danish

Trade Union Development Agency

under the COVID-19 project.

According to Dr Baah, the

primary purpose of the forum was

to have a clearer understanding

of the essence of the vaccination

and explained that it was meant

to boost the immune system of

humans against the virus, adding

that health plays a significance

in daily life, works and other

activities.

A facilitator and medical

doctor with the Ghana Health

Dr Yaw Baah, Secretary General of the TUC

Bring your expertise to

bear to turn around MMT

—Transport Minister charges board

Service (GHS), Dr Dominic Nartey,

dispelled myths surrounding the

vaccines that it created infertility,

a medical drug on experimental

basis, impotent, among others and

said the rumours have created

anxiety among people and have

further discouraged people for the

vaccination exercise.

He said the vaccines have

been scientifically proven and its

efficacy have been endorsed by

the World Health Organisation

(WHO).

He pointed out that it was safe

and effective, hence participants

as well as members be vaccinated

to have maximum protection

against the disease.

Dr Nartey added that the

vaccine was an immune booster

which keeps the body healthy and

fights the virus when one is infected

and explained again that a

vaccinated person stands a higher

chance of survival than the one

who has not been vaccinated.

He, however, commended participants

for the massive attendance

and urged them to be ambassadors

of the COVID-19, saying

it was a collective effort to spread

the education on the virus and the

surest way to curb its spread.

He urged participants to

strictly adhere to the Covid-19

protocols by washing their hands

under running water, sanitise

their hands, wear nose masks and

observe social distancing at all

times.


The Trades Union Congress

(TUC) has urged its

members, particularly

those in the informal

sector, to get vaccinated

against the coronavirus disease

(COVID-19), saying their health

benefit was essential to their general

well-being.

It is against this background

that TUC has targeted between

500 and 1,000 of its Union of

Informal Workers Association

(UNIWA) in Accra and other parts

of the country to educate them

on the need to protect themselves

against the disease which has

claimed thousands of lives across

the country.

Addressing members of the asthe

board to take over the role of

management in any instance.

“I will entreat the Board

and Management to work as a

team to realise the objectives

of the company. As a matter of

caution, I wish also to remind the

Board that under the governance

framework, they are under the

supervision of the Ministry and

for that matter, must report

directly to the Ministry no matter

the magnitude of the issues and

we will do our best to resolve it. I

operate an open-door policy, and

members are free to knock on

my door as and when you require

my attention to discuss issues of

importance to the development

and improvement of MMTL’s

operations,” he noted.

Chairman of the Board, Hon

Kofi Ahenkorah Marfo, speaking

on the task bequeathed on the

shoulders of the board said they

were poised to working together

with management of the company

to achieve their objectives.

He expressed their

appreciation to the President,

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,

for having reposed confidence

in them by nominating them to

serve on the Governing Board of

MMTL.

“As a Board, we are aware of

Story: Freeman

Koryekpor Awlesu

The veterinary officer

in the Jaman North

District Agriculture

Directorate has recently

discovered an outbreak

of African swine fever which has

attacked several pigs and killed

over 200 pigs within a week in

some seven (7) farms.

The virus, according to the

veterinary officer, was first detected

and confirmed at Jankufa,

a community in the Jaman North

district.

Speaking to the affected farmers,

they stated that the dying rate

of their pigs was extremely worrisome,

hence government and the

Jaman North district assembly

the huge challenge thrown to

us as a result of the matters we

will be faced with to resolve and

surmount. We, however, pledge

that we are ready to face these

challenges squarely and deal

appropriately with them,” he

pledged.

He urged members of the

board to work hard as a team

as they strive to make Metro

Mass Transit Limited the most

preferred transport company in

the sub-region.

“We promise to work in

unison with all stakeholders

of the company including

the government as a hole,

the Ministry of Transport,

shareholders, employees,

passengers among others to lift

up the company to its rightful

place,” he assured.

Touching on the challenges of

the company, Hon. Marfo said the

board together with management

will explore all the avenues at

their disposal to get spare parts

to revamp all broken down buses

and also ensure that those that

have been declared not fit for

purpose are scrapped off.

Welfare issues of workers

of MMTL, he added, will duly be

addressed.

200 pigs killed by swine

fever in Jaman North

should come to their aid.

They stressed how they have

spent so much on rearing pigs

since its commencement and how

the African swine fever has affected

their investment.

They made this appeal at a

sensitisation programme organised

by the Jaman North

agriculture directorate and the

veterinary officer for pig farmers

and other stakeholders on how

to combat the spread of the virus

within and outside the district.

The farmers, therefore, pleaded

with government, the Jaman

North district directorate and other

stakeholders to support them

in kind or in cash to help them

recover from their losses.


Page 8

Celestine Donkor releases

‘Only You’ ahead of EP

Ghanaian gospel musician,

Celestine Donkor,

is out with a new single

titled ‘Only You’, as

precursor to the release

of her new EP later this year.

The song produced by

Shadrach Yawson (Shaa), talks

about God’s goodness and how

protective he has been to humankind

in the midst of trials and

tribulations.

Done in a low tempo highlife

style, Celestine showcases her

unbridled vocal prowess in ‘Only

You.’

The video was directed by

Alexander Fiifi Grey of Photogbee

Production.

The one-time Best Vocalist

winner at Vodafone Ghana Music

Awards has been working hard

not to only affect lives with her

music on Ghanaians but to traverse

other soils across the globe.

The coming months and years

will see the dynamic gospel singer

do more to win more souls the

world over for Christ, through her

ministry.

She recently won Female

KobbySalm bags 10 nominations

Urban Gospel artiste

KobbySalm has

bagged 10 nominations

at the 2021

Urban Gospel Music

Awards.

This was announced during

Ghanaian musician, Fuse

ODG has recounted

his experience living

outside of Ghana.

In an exclusive interview

with Asempa FM, anchor

Adu Kumi, he admitted that he

fled the nation as a youngster.

During his time in the United

Kingdom, he had to adjust to the

culture, which came to him with a

bit of a shock.

He was also unimpressed by

the situation where the western

portrayed Africa as being in the

wild, especially in documentaries.

The musician also added that

whenever they broadcast documentaries

from Africa, the white

students portray him as someone

who lives in a forest.—Myjoyonline.com

Entertainment

the release for the 3rd edition of

the awards ceremony on Wednesday,

September 8, 2021.

He earned these covetable

slots with his hit songs like ‘Jejeli’,

‘Obiara Nse Wo’ and ‘Gye Yen So’,

including his debut album ‘In The

Living in UK was a cultural

shock for me – Fuse ODG


Gospel Artiste of the Year at this

year’s National Gospel Music

Awards.

...at 2021 Urban Gospel Music Awards

KobbySlam

Midst Of Comfort’, which has all

these singles on.

KobbySalm also bagged nominations

for the Event Act of the

Year, Rap Artiste of the Year, Most

Popular Song of the Year.

The other categories included

the Album of the Year, Music

Video of the Year, Afro Pop Song of

the Year, Songwriter of the Year,

Collaboration of the Year, Record

of the Year including the prestigious

category, the Over All Artiste

of the Year.

From the latter part of 2020

through to 2021, the artiste says

God has been faithful to him.

From his album concert to the

release of his hit single ‘Aseda’ to

his nominations at the Vodafone

Ghana Music Awards (VGMA),

3Music Awards and National Gospel

Music Awards (NGMA).

Following his exploits and

work output over the years, KobbySlam

has been touted as one

of the hottest musicians when it

comes to the new phase of gospel

music.

Fuse ODG

Akon on Michael K. Williams’ death:

Rich people have ‘more

issues than the poor’

Michael K. Williams

On the heels of actor

Michael K. Williams’

sudden death, close

friend Akon is mourning

both the man —

and the closed-off “rich people”

culture of celebrity that may have

hastened his tragic end.

“He was actually a really

good friend, amazing person,

super funny, super talented,” the

48-year-old Senegalese-American

songwriter told TMZ Wednesday

of the 54-year-old star of “The

Wire,” who was found dead in his

Brooklyn penthouse on Monday.

“It’s definitely a sad day for everybody.”

The shocking death of the

five-time Emmy nominee — who

currently has a Best Supporting

Actor in a Drama nod for “Lovecraft

Country” — has prompted

the “Don’t Matter” singer to think

on how Hollywood’s elite fails to

communicate with each other, or

open up even to confidantes about

personal struggles.

“There’s just too many of us

going down like that and I think

when moments like this happen

we all gotta reflect, cause we’re all

going through things in our lives

… and making decisions that actually

affect not only us and our life

but everyone that surrounds and

looks up to us,” Akon said. “The

famous and the rich go through

more issues than the poor. You

know when they say ‘More money,

more problems,’ that’s a real

thing.”

Williams is suspected to have

died from a heroin overdose, a fate

that Akon believes far too many

celebrities share because being in

the spotlight makes it harder for

household names to address or be

open about their addictions.

“You know, this business creates

this, like, environment where

everyone’s wearing a mask, no

one tells you what’s really going

on in your life, so real friends

can’t even really advise you cause

we don’t really know what’s

happening cause we put on this

facade of success but yet behind

the face there’s so much happening,”

Akon went on.

The actionable takeaway is

simple.

“So we gotta check up on each

other, man, make sure everybody’s

sound, you know, state of

mind is intact, family’s good, and

figure it out,” he said. “Just reach

out and check on each other,

man, cause we never really know

what we’re going through.”

When the rapper needs help,

he reaches out to his support

network, and when he’s really

struggling, he opts for direct

solutions, not substances.

“I’m not afraid to ask for

help,” he said, adding, “I face

my problems head-on. Whatever

challenges I have, I face it,

because if you don’t face it it’s

gonna haunt you, and when it

haunts you long enough, before

you know it, you go crazy … I

would advise anyone who’s on

any kind drugs of that nature:

Man, just let it go, there’s other

ways to cope with issues and

challenges in your life besides

drugs and alcohol.”

Williams’ death is additionally

painful for Akon as the two

hadn’t seen each other since before

COVID-19 gripped the globe.

“Unfortunately because of

the pandemic we haven’t seen

each other,” he told TMZ. “That’s

another reason why it hurts so

much.”

Akon

DAILY ANALYST


A noble profession,

ignoble association

Opinion

By Manasseh Azure

Awuni

Dear Ghanaian lawyer,

In December 2020, Ghanaian

voters were presented

with the option to choose

between dying by firing

squad or dying through

hanging. A choice was made, and

we are feeling the debilitating effects

of the ever-tightening noose

of bad governance and impunity.

Today, you lawyers in Ghana

have an opportunity to choose

leaders of your association, the

Ghana Bar Association (GBA). I

don’t know the contestants. And

I cannot pass any judgment on

their competence, character or

courage.

What I know, however, is that

the GBA is now like an over-aged

breast, one that cannot produce

milk for babies or entertain the

eyes and mouths of grownups.

In effect, the GBA has lost its

essence and appeal.

There is no doubt that law is

among the most respected, powerful

and influential professions

in this country. When I delivered

a speech to students of the

University of Ghana Law School

a few years ago, I mentioned that

lawyers were the most dominant

professionals in all three arms of

government in Ghana.

As I write this, the executive,

the legislature and the judiciary

are all headed by lawyers. The

dominance goes beyond the

heads.

In his welcome address to

the 2021 batch of Harvard Law

students, the Dean of the Harvard

Law School, John F. Manning, said

“being a lawyer is a superpower.”

The Ghana example attests to

the fact that he is right. (This is

despite the fact that some crooks

who have found their way into

your fold are known by the people

who deal with them and should

not bask in this unearned glory

because they undermine the very

nobility of the profession.)

Aside from being one of the

most boastful and (sometimes

arrogant) sets of professionals

ever to crawl on Oboadeε’s earth,

lawyers are like medical doctors.

Every other professional needs

them. So, the nobility and power

accorded to the legal profession

are reasonably grounded.

If lawyers are powerful and

respected in our country, then its

union, the GBA, ought to be one of

the most respected associations

in the country. Unfortunately,

that isn’t the case.

As an observer, themoribund

GBA isn’t different from the Ghana

Journalists Association (GJA)

to which I belonged until it lost

its way.

I say the GBA is moribund

because Martin Luther King Jr.

taught us that “our lives begin

to end the day we become silent

about things that matter.”

Our wise elders have also

taught us that a man does not

run after rats when his roof is on

fire

Ṡo, when you hear the GBA

louder on the policing of boobs of

female lawyers than the deterioration

of the rule of law, corruption

and bad governance, then

you don’t need anyone to tell you

that this is an association that

has outlived its usefulness.

When the President of the

Republic and his team formed

themselves into the instigator,

investigator and adjudicator

in suspending (in the form of a

forced leave) and later hounding

the Auditor-General out of office,

one would have expected the

GBA to lead the pack fighting for

the reversal of that unfortunate

decision.

When some individuals and

civil society groups petitioned

the Supreme Court to intervene,

the apex court could have dealt

with that important constitutional

matter in two weeks if it

had attached the same seriousness

it gave to the 2020 election

petition. But after seven months,

the petitioners discontinued

the case because the delay of the

Supreme Court had rendered it

moot. And the GBA was mute.

When an MP and influential

member of the governing party

put the photograph of an undercover

journalist on television,

told the world where the journalist

lived and ordered whoever

saw him to attack him, nothing

was done to the MP. Later, the

undercover journalist was shot

and killed by unknown persons.

Again, nothing was done to MP

who issued the threats.

Shockingly, the President had

the guts to use the 2019 Bar Conference

in Takoradi to state that

the killing of Ahmed Suale should

not be taken to mean an attack

on press freedom. Again, the GBA

did not find anything wrong with

the desecration of its platform. If

it did, it did not find its voice.

The list is endless. But the

trend is simple. The GBA has lost

its voice against any democratic

vice.

I have learned about the

influential role played by the GBA

in the days of military rule. I have

learned that the GBA used to be a

respected voice when the cost of

speaking up in this country was

more detrimental than the fear of

not getting favourable judgment

in court or the inability to court

the friendship of the powerful

and mighty in the land.

Today, we have some semblance

of a democracy. We have

a democracy that is strong and

robust only when it is compared

with the miserable mess in our

sub-region and continent.

We have a democracy in

which the rule of law, separation

of powers, and checks and balances

are only useful to academics

who must teach them to earn

their salaries and students who

must know them to earn their

degrees.

We operate a democracy

whose legislature isn’t different

from the executive and whose

conservative judiciary, which is

perceived to hardly stray from

the wishes of the executive.

We run a democracy in which

the poor and vulnerable cannot

walk to a police station and be

sure to get justice against the

rich; where getting such justice

in the court of law remains a

remote dream to the average

citizen.

Our democracy has deteriorated

considerably in recent years

in many aspects. The abuse of

power by the executive, the legislature,

and to some extent the

judiciary, is becoming a norm.

Critical voices from associations

such as the GBA should

serve as the guardrails against

the arbitrariness in a country

where state institutions are

either robbed or rob themselves

of the power to act in the interest

of the people.

But when Supreme Court

Judges attacked a law professor

over academic research, which

they found unpleasant, and the

Ghana Bar Association did not

put the Supreme Court in its

rightful place, then members

of the association should have

announced the date of burial of

the GBA.

Some individual lawyers

wield powerful voices that can

cause change. But some have

decided to kiss asses and sing

praises in order to be invited

to the sumptuous buffet of the

political and judicial spoils. Other

conscionable ones are also afraid

to speak up because of the fear of

victimization and retribution.

There is, however, strength

in numbers. There is safety and

anonymity in speaking with the

collective voice of the GBA. That’s

why the GBA must not be allowed

to die.

Whoever gets onto the executive

committee of the GBA today

should not be left alone. Until

lawyers sit up and demand the

best from the association, nothing

will change.

And if groups such as the GBA

continue to “see no evil, hear no

evil and speak no evil”, lawyers

will one day be called to join the

pallbearers of our dying democracy

Ȧnd when democracy dies,

the rule of law dies. And what’s

the essence of lawyers when

there is no rule of law?

This is a view of someone

with enormous respect and enormous

disdain for the law profession

and lawyers.

My views may mean something.

They may also mean

nothing.

Yours sincerely,

Manasseh Azure Awuni, the

Bongo Boy.

NOTE: Bongo is about 20 minutes’

drive from Bolga, so visit

when you have time. You might

find a business idea in water

production

Security takes over KNUST campus

The police and the

Operation Calm Life

team which includes

the military will take

over the campus of

Kwame Nkrumah University of

Science and Technology (KNUST)

from Saturday, September 18.

Already, the police water canon

has been detailed on campus.

The University Relations

Office tells TV3’s William Evans-Nkum

the directive forms

part of a recommendation made

by a committee that investigated

the July clashes between the

University Hall and Unity during

the SRC vetting.

Students of the Kwame

Nkrumah University of Science

and Technology (KNUST) have

been warned not to remain on

campus after midday on Saturday,

September 18.

Only foreign students and

students permitted by management

can stay, the regional

minister has directed.

According to the Ashanti

Regional Security Council

(REGSEC), it has picked intelligence

that some “unruly”

students are planning some disturbances

on campus on Friday,

the eve of vacation.

In a press statement issued

on Wednesday by the Head of

REGSEC, Simon Osei-Mensah,

who is also the Regional Minister,

the campus is still a security

zone as declared in 2018.

“It is instructive to remind

the student population that the

declaration of the University

Campus as a security zone in

November 2018, is still in force

and, therefore, it is an offence to

demonstrate within the security

zone,” he stated.

He announced the deployment

of security personnel on

campus to “ensure peace and

security and prevent any unruly

behaviour by any group of students”.

Page 10

Business

2nd quarter GDP growth rate

encouraging; economy can expand

by 5% in 2021 – ISSER Boss

Economist, Professor

Peter Quartey has

described the second

quarter Gross Domestic

Product (GDP) growth

rate estimates as encouraging and

demonstrating signs of sustained

economic recovery.

The economy for the second

quarter of this year expanded by

3.9%, compared to the more than 5

percentage points contraction in

the same period last year.

Professor Quartey who is

the Director of the Institute of

Statistical, Social and Economic

Research tells Joy Business government

must prioritized targeted

investments in some sectors to

safeguard this growth.

“The 3.9% growth rate is quite

positive and encouraging. Then

if you even look at the non-oil

growth rate of 5.2%, it clearly tells

you that the economy is certainly

recovering. And all things being

equal, we are likely to hit an

average of 5% GDP by the end of

the year”.

He said the 3.9% growth rate

is positive because majority of the

real sector of the economy have

witnessed appreciable expansion,

adding, “that is positive and I

think they [government] should

continue to invest in the real

sector in order to realise targeted

growth rate for 2021.”

Telcos Chamber warns against

taxing mobile money in Ghana

The Ghana Chamber of

Telecommunications

has urged government

not to consider the possibility

of taxing mobile

money in the short to medium

term.

This follows ongoing concerns

amongst mobile money agents

and other stakeholders of a likely

introduction of some taxes on

mobile money transactions.

Data from the Bank of Ghana

over the years shows how mobile

money has transformed and

continues to transform lives in

the country, especially in an era of

COVID-19.

“I’m encouraged by the fact

that manufacturing is growing at

an average rate of 5% because majority

of the people are employed

within this sector. And therefore,

it is quite encouraging that if that

sector is growing it is likely to

employ more people, so we reduce

the unemployment rate, especially

the youth who are unemployed

– a lot of them being trained by

the tertiary institutions, but yet

cannot find jobs”, the ISSER Director

stressed.

Economy expands 3.9% in

quarter 2 2021

Ghana’s economy expanded

by 3.9% in the second quarter of

this year, according to provisional

figures from the Ghana Statistical

Service.

Professor Peter Quartey

Between June 2020 and

June 2021, active mobile money

accounts have risen from 15.5

million to 18.3 million, while the

total value of transactions has

risen from 45.3 billion to 89 billion

within the same period.

On the back of the impressive

numbers, the Minister for Communication

and Digitalisation,

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful had hinted

at the possibility of taxing aspects

of mobile money to help shore up

governments’ revenue.

Also, a few months back,

Mobile Money agents across the

country were kicking against

a 10% tax they say was being


During the same period last

year where Covid-19 had emerged,

the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

growth rate was -5.7%.

However, GDP growth rate

without oil and gas (Non-Oil GDP)

for second quarter 2021 was 5.2%,

which is against a growth rate of

-5.8% recorded the same period

last year.

According to the figures, the

increase in the Gross Domestic

Product (GDP) growth rate was

driven by a strong pick-up in the

Services and Agriculture sectors.

The Health and Social Work

(20.75%), Information and Communication

Technology (20%),

Hotel and Restaurants (18.7%) as

well as Fishing (12.7%) Sub-sectors

expanded significantly.

imposed on their earnings by the

government.

But speaking at the 18th

Knowledge Forum organized

by the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications,

the Head of

Research and Communications

at the Chamber, Derek Laryea,

opined that taxing any aspect of

mobile money now will be counterproductive.

“Rather than going direct

in terms of taxation, how about

allowing the market dynamics

to play out. This, if allowed to

happen, will lead to improved

efficiency, profitability and productivity.

For us, as a chamber, we

don’t think this is the time to discuss

the matter of direct taxation

of mobile money.”

On his part, however, the CEO

of the Chamber of Telecommunications

Kenneth Ashigbey noted

that Mobile money is already

being taxed.

“There are various ways by

which mobile money is taxed.

There is the Corporate Income

Tax that is paid. The agents and

merchants also pay withholding

taxes on the commissions that

they earn. By virtue of the fact

that you have mobile money

running, you have businesses who

leverage the platform and also pay

taxes. We definitely think that

taxing mobile money directly is

like taxing the cash in your pocket.”--Citifmonline.com

‘Economy grew by 3.9%

…between April and June 2021’

Ghana has recorded a

Gross Domestic Product

(GDP) growth rate for

the second quarter of

2021 at 3.9%. This means

that the economy between the period

of April to June this year has

grown by 3.9%

The Gross Domestic Product

is the final value of the goods and

services produced within the geographic

boundaries of a country

during a specified period of time.

The services sector was the

main driver for the growth during

the second quarter, which spans

from April to June.

Although the figure recorded

in the second quarter is an improvement

from the first quarter

figure of 3.1%, the overall economic

growth is still lower than pre-pandemic

levels. This is seen when

compared to figures recorded in

the year 2019.

According to findings by the

Ghana Statistical Service, the ser-

Corporate communications

together with

South West Relcom

members have hosted

about 80 journalists

from Western, Central and Western

North regions.

The event which came off last

Monday at the Atlantic Hotel in

Takoradi in the Western region

provided journalists in the above

regions updates on MTN operations

and its Ambition 2025.

The Chief Executive Officer

of MTN Ghana, Selorm Adadevoh,

joined virtually and commended

journalists for their support over

the years.

He also shared the future focus

vices sector largely accounts for

the growth recorded in the period.

A look at the distribution of

all three sectors that were used

in calculating the GDP saw the

services sector with the highest

share of 50%, followed by the

industry sector with 29%, while

agriculture had the least share of

21%.

President Akufo-Addo is

however on record to have said

the country’s second-quarter GDP

growth rate is 8.9%.

He said this at this year’s Business

Summit in Accra on Tuesday

14th September 2021.

“In spite of the ravages of the

pandemic, we’re working to grow

the economy at a much faster

rate this year, our target being a

5% gross domestic product (GDP)

growth rate,” Akufo-Addo said.

“In the first quarter of this

year, the economy grew by 3.1%. In

the second, at 8.9%”.—Citifmonline.com

Corporate Comms organises

South West Media forum

of MTN with them.

Dubbed the anniversary edition,

the usually very formal event

was spiced with performances by

Kwamina (an MTN Discovery and

winner of Stars of the Future reality

show) who welcomed guests

with a brilliant performance.

Emma Ofosua, a Lyricist, also

dazzled journalists with spoken

word as she used words provided

by the audience to develop interesting

poems.

MTN used the occasion to

reward journalists for their commitment

to the brand for the past

25 years.

Some received phones, airtime

and shopping vouchers.

DAILY ANALYST


Nyaho Tamakloe

Nyaho

Tamakloe

chides GFA

Former Chairman of the

Ghana Football Association,

Dr. Nyaho Nyaho

Tamakloe, has described

the current GFA administration

as ‘confused’, after they

sacked Black Stars head coach

CK Akonnor and tasked a 3-man

committee to find his replacement

within 72 hours.

Following Akonnor’s sacking

on Monday, a 3-man committee

led by GFA Vice President, Mark

Addo, was quickly assembled

and given 72 hours to find his

successor.

According to Nyaho Tamakloe,

it is impossible for the

committee to use three days to

find a competent coach for the

national team.

“The FA itself is confused;

totally confused,” he said.

“The three days they gave

these three gentlemen to look

for a new coach doesn’t make

sense to me.

“Either they already have a

coach in mind, or these gentlemen

can never get us a good

coach within that period. Mark

my words,” he said.

Reports have emerged that

Serbian trainer, Milovan Rajevac,

is the frontrunner to be appointed

the next Black Stars coach for

a second spell.

“Milo” was first in charge of

Ghana between 2008 and 2010

where he led the country to

CHAN 2009 final, AFCON 2010

final, as well as the quarter finals

of the 2010 world cup.

CK Akonnor

Former WBO Super

Bantamweight Champion,

Isaac Dogboe, says

a third fight against

Emmanuel Navarette is

a possibility despite two losses

to the Mexican.

Dogboe’s two professional

career defeats have come against

Navarette in back to back fights

which culminated in the Ghanaian

losing his title in 2018.

Both boxers have since

moved up in weight but Dogboe

insists he anything can happen

as far as his old nemesis is

concerned.

Asked if he would take a

fight with the Mexican again,

Dogbe said: “I’d let nature take

its course. This is a fight game;

anything can happen, but when

that day comes, people will know

my decision,” he told Citi Sports.

“But right now I am in a position

of control, navigating my

own way and I am in a position

to make bold decisions. So when

that day comes, people will know

Jack Grealish scored a

wonderful goal on his

Champions League debut

as Manchester City

put the pain of losing

last season’s final behind them

to get their European campaign

off to a winning start against RB

Leipzig.

Grealish, the British record

£100m signing from Aston Villa,

illuminated Etihad Stadium

after cutting inside from the left

before curling home to make it

4-2.

In an extraordinary game,

Nathan Ake put Pep Guardiola’s

side ahead with a powerful header

– the 10th different player to

score in a City shirt this season –

before a calamitous own goal by

Nordi Mukiele doubled the lead.

The France defender got

his angles horribly wrong as

his attempted header back to

his keeper following Kevin de

Bruyne’s delivery ended up in

the net.

City did not have things all

their own way, however, and

Mukiele made up for his error

by playing a role in Christopher

Nkunku’s goal to make it 2-1

before Riyad Mahrez restored

the two-goal cushion with a

penalty after Lukas Klostermann

handled.

Nkunku gave RB Leipzig

hope with a header only for Grealish

to his second for the club

with a delightful finish.

Former Paris St-Germain

player Nkunku completed his

hat-trick, but Joao Cancelo added

a stunning fifth and substitute

Gabriel Jesus a sixth to set City

up nicely for their biggest test

in Group A away to PSG on 28

September.

Sports

Isaac Dogboe not

Emmanuel Navarrete

the step that I am going to take.”

In June 2021, Isaac Dogboe

took another step towards his

UCL: Man City beat RB Leipzig

...in nine-goal thriller

RB Leipzig finished with 10

men after former Manchester

Jack Grealish

dream of a second world title

after beating Adam Lopez via a

majority decision in Las Vegas.

City player Angelino was sent

off.—BBC

DAILYAnalyst

Friday, 17th September, 2021

Friday, 17th September, 2021

Govt dragged to court

...over continuous stay

Story: George Obeng

The Member of Parliament

for South Dayi,

Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor

has dragged

the government to

court over the continuous stay

of Metropolitan, Municipal and

District Chief Executives (MMD-

CEs) in office.

According to him, President

Akufo-Addo has no constitutional

mandate to direct MMDCEs to

remain at post in acting capacity.

The President, in January

2021 after he was sworn in to

Henry Quartey,

Greater Accra

regional minister,

on Thursday,

reiterated that his

"Let's make Accra work' agenda

was not only geared towards

sanitation in the capital, but

also towards health, education,

security, and indiscipline.

He said: "'Let's make Greater

Accra work' agenda focuses on

five significant pillars of security,

sanitation, health, education,

and indiscipline, which is

cross-cutting."

Mr. Quartey who made the

call when addressing the annual

conference of the Greater Accra

Presiding Members in Accra

on the theme: "Making Greater

Accra work, the role of local

assemblies (Let your action

count)" said the agenda was

borne out of indiscipline and

total disregard for orderliness in

the capital.

The programme brought

together all presiding members

in the region, experts in local

governance, and development

partners.

It would also serve as a

training ground for members to

strategize towards the growth

and development of the region.

serve a second presidential term,

directed all MMDCEs to remain

at post until new ones are appointed.

According to the communiqué

signed by the Chief of Staff,

Akosua Frema Opare, announcing

the directive also warned

the MMDCEs against taking any

policy-related decisions.

“You are to take note of the

provision of section 14 (5) of the

Presidential (Transition) Act

(2012) which states that you shall

not take a decision involving a

policy issue,” the notice said.

Dafeamekpor, who filed the

suit as a private citizen of Ghana,

among other things wants a

“declaration that upon a true and

proper interpretation of Article

243(1), the President of the

Republic of Ghana cannot direct,

instructor appoint any person to

either act or hold office as a Metropolitan,

Municipal and District

Chief Executive without the

prior approval of the Members of

the District Assembly to which

the said person would be acting

or holding office as a Metropolitan,

Municipal and District Chief

Executive.”

He also wants the court to

order the acting MMDCEs to immediately

vacate their post.

“An order directed at all

Metropolitan, Municipal and

District Chief Executives continuing

in office pursuant to the

above-mentioned Presidential

directive to vacate office with

immediate effect.”

'Let's make Accra work'

agenda is holistic -Minister

Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey (R)

and other stakeholders in a group photograph

Sanitation and waste management

would also form an

integral part of their conference.

Mr. Quartey called on the

presiding members to influence

their assemblies to carry out

educational programmes with

stakeholders to achieve the

vision of the agenda.

He said the next line of

action would be on maintaining

high standards in the erection

of advertising signs on the major

streets of the region.

The regional minister said

the Regional Coordinating

Council was currently carrying

out training programmes to

bring sanity into good advertising

standards.

He announced that stakeholders

in the private sector had

been supportive of the agenda

and called for more support to

achieve it.

Mr. Joseph Korto, Regional

Dean of presiding members

called on his colleagues to place

a premium on education as it

was the bedrock of education.

He said: "Honourable members

since education is the only

weapon that society can use to

level up, I will want to suggest

that we intensify education in

our various districts to fight the

disease."

He commended Henry Quartey,

the Greater Accra regional

minister for his innovations in

keeping the city clean and appealed

to his colleagues to offer

the minister maximum support

to achieve health and sanitation

goals.

"The regional minister's

operation clean your frontage

and the demolition of unauthorized

structures on waterways,

among many others cannot

yield positive impact without

the support of the assemblies in

the region."

He described the regional

minister as a courageous leader

with a high level of intelligence

who needed their support for

the Greater Accra region to

work.

Mr. Korto, who is also the national

dean of presiding members

appealed to the executive

and legislative arms of government

to take steps to improve

the conditions of service of

members across the country.

Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, Head

of Service at the office of Local

government service called on

the presiding members to be

innovative towards the development

of their assemblies.

He called on the assemblies

to avoid awarding contracts

that could not receive adequate

funding as that could lead to

putting up so many uncompleted

buildings.

Enoch Teye Mensah, Greater

Accra representative of the

Council of State urged assemblies

to move their conversations

towards electing MMDCEs,

a proposal that had lingered on

for some time now.

Story: Freeman

Koryekpor Awlesu

A

40-year-old mason,

Richard Oppong, has

met his untimely

death on the Gomoa

Fetteh Kakraba

Nkwantanan road yesterday

morning after an alleged gang

attacked him.

According to an eyewitness

who lives in the area, “around

2:00 a.m., midnight, he heard

the deceased screaming for help

while he was being beaten but

because it was midnight and was

afraid to step out he couldn’t rescue

him till they saw him naked

and dead this morning”.

The people in the area confirmed

that the deceased lived

in Manfam, a suburb of Gomoa

Fetteh Kakraba

The Awutu Bereku District

President Nana Akufo-Addo

Tension in Gomoa

Fetteh Kakraba

Police Officer, Chief Superintendent

Mr Joshua Semenyo, who

was at the scene with his men

also confirmed to journalists

that the man was brutalised by

an unknown gang with several

injuries all over his body

He said no arrest has been

made so far and the cause of the

dead was yet to be identified

“The body will be sent to the

police mortuary for postmortem

pending investigations,” the

police commander added.

On his part, Odikro for Gomoa

Fetteh Kakraba, Nana Essel

Amokoando II, appealed to the

new acting IGP to beef up security

in the area because robbery

cases kept on increasing.


The DAILY ANALYST is published by DE WESTEND COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA CONSULTANCY LTD.

Registered at NMC as a Newspaper. Editor: Dennis Ato Keelson Phone: 0244992243,

Email: dailyanalyst@gmail.com

Friday, 17th September, 2021

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