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MTN Ghana modifies tariffs in accordance with CST adjustments

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MTN Ghana has announced an adjustment to its tariffs following the passage of the Communication Services Tax (CST)(amendment) Act, 2020 (Act 1025).

In accordance with the amendment of the law, MTN Ghana has adjusted its tariffs to reflect the 4 per cent reduction in the Communication Services Tax.

A statement issued in Accra by Mr Samuel Koranteng, the Corporate Services Executive, MTN said the tariffs for all voice calls, data and SMS have been amended to reflect the downward adjustment of the CST.

It said in addition, MTN was giving a 5 per cent bonus on all types of recharges including; physical voucher, Mobile Money and EVD. The tariff adjustment took effect from the 15th of September, 2020.

It said, “as a responsible corporate citizen, MTN has since the amendment of the law taken several steps to ensure customers enjoyed the best of value propositions and an enhanced experience on the network.”

“The adjustment will enable our customers to enjoy more talk time and browsing time for the same price of voucher or bundle they buy,” it added.

The statement explained that the 5 per cent bonus on every recharge can be used for all types of calls, SMS to all networks and also browse on the internet.

It said the bonus on recharge is valid for a period of 7 days and is available until the 31st of December 2020.

To further to the enhanced Voice and Data values as well as the 5 per cent bonus on recharge, customers will continue to enjoy the existing 100 per cent Bonus on Recharge (BOR) done on the Electronic Voucher Device (EVD) and Mobile Money with validity period of 7 days.

It said customers, who have been on the network for less than 6 months would continue to get 100 per cent BOR on all airtime top-ups.

The statement said the 4G data bundle bonus remains the same. Again, 50 per cent 4G bonus 25 per cent data bonus on ‘Terrific Thursday’ offers are still available to customers.

MTN data bundle prices on TurboNet and Fibre Broadband bundles will remain unchanged even though customers will get more data volumes for their purchases.

GNA

Accra Gye Nyame Club donates to Accra Psychiatry hospital

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As part of activities marking the National Volunteers Day which falls today, the Accra Gye Nyame Lions Club of Dansoman has visited the Children’s ward of the Accra Psychiatry Hospital to make a donation of a number of items to the inmates.

The items were made in collaboration with iDonateGh and Decrease for Increase Foundation, local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

Some of the items included; rice, cooking oil, liquid soap, detergents, toilet rolls and used clothing.

Others were biscuits, bottled water, hand sanitizers, adult diapers and hand gloves.

Making the donation on behalf of the three NGOs, Lion Isaac Awuku Adu, President of the Gye Nyame Lions Club said, the club started collaborating with iDonateGh in 2016 and have been making donation to the children’s ward since then.

Mr Adu said, even though some of the inmates of the Children’s ward were strictly speaking not children, but because of their mental disabilities, they were put at the ward for special care and attention.

On her part, Ms. Naa Amerley Tagoe, Founder and President of iDonateGh said, she founded her NGO in the then Upper West Region in 2013 whilst schooling there to help the vulnerable in the society.

Ms Tagoe said in 2014, her NGO made some donations to the Osu Children’s Home in Accra and in 2015 made another donation to Mother of All Nations, an orphanage at Madina in Accra and started collaborating with the Lions Club in 2016 to make donations to the Hospital.

In 2018, she said iDonateGh raised funds for a boy at Asesewa in the Eastern Region who needed surgery at the Orthopedic Department at the Koforidua St. Joseph’s Hospital and made another donation to the Accra Psychiatry Hospital in 2019 in addition to the one this year.

Receiving the items on behalf of the ward, Madam Grace Agyei-Twumasi, Nurse Manager in-charge of the ward expressed appreciation to the donors and appealed to other NGOs, both local and international and well-meaning

Ghanaians for assistance since according to her, the government alone could not shoulder the needs of the hospital.
Madam Agyei-Twumasi said the ward which had 14 patients used on the average 15,000 diapers annually. 

John Mahama begins campaign tour of Bono Region

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Former President John Dramani Mahama, NDC Flagbearer for 2020 elections on Monday began a four-day campaign tour of the Bono Region.

Accompanied by NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Campaign Manager Professor Joshua Alabi, former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah and Special Aide Joyce Bawah Mogtari, the former President made his first stop at Nchira in the Wenchi constituency, where he interacted with farmers and chiefs.

In his remarks, Mr. Mahama explained his plans to modernise agriculture through improved services to be provided by mechanization centres in various districts.

According to him, the centres would be established in all farming zones to help increase yield and income levels of farmers and pledged to prioritize the completion of all abandoned projects, particularly in the road, education and health sectors.

Former President Mahama said the stoppage of work on various projects had caused financial loss to the state and worsened the plight of contractors and the beneficiary communities.

Mr Asiedu-Nketiah said they would roll out a National Apprenticeship Programme, explaining that the initiative would target some 500,000 youth who would benefit from skills training and receive start-up packs to start their own businesses.  

He said the John Mahama administration would set up agro-processing factories to add value to crops for export to boost revenue generation.

On the agri- business sector, he added, it would open up job opportunities in the value chain.

Former President Mahama will visit Subinso, Wenchi, Badu, Nsawkaw and Brohani on Monday, where he will among others interact with cashew farmers.

Election 2020: Police advised not to engage in political activities

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DCOP Afful Boakye Yiadom, the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander has advised police personnel to be professional in the discharge of their duties and avoid “loose talk” before, during, and after the general elections.

“You are public servants and not politicians, you are not supposed to engage in political activities because it is against the Police regulation which calls for stiffer punishment”, he said.  

The Police Commander tasked the officers to be guided the tenets of the regulations and not involve themselves in political controversies to affect the image of the service.

DCOP Yiadom gave the advice on Monday when interacting with the officers at the Police headquarters after a route march in some principal streets of Accra as part of preparation towards the upcoming December elections.

He said any officer caught involving in political activities would be dealt with according to its laws to serve as a deterrent to others.

DCOP Yiadom said the exercise was to keep the officers ahead of the polls since they would need a lot of energy to withstand the hours of standing during the election day.

 As a result, DCOP advised them to reduce their sexual escapades to get enough energy for the electioneering work ahead to avoid any untoward situation.

DCOP Kwaku Boadu-Pepra, the Director-General in charge of Operations said the Police were well prepared to ensure peace and stability ahead of the elections.

He said the police has so far trained  1,968 special police officers and noted the IGP had given approval for another 2000 to be trained purposely for the elections.

He said the Police strength should have been 50,000 but were in the region of 35,000 to 40,000, to handle the 33,367 polling stations in the country, but had to rely on assistance from other sister security services to ensure peace during elections.

 

GNA

Selection of schools into SHSs begins

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The selection of schools into Senior High Schools(SHS) by the Junior High School candidates who just completed their Basic Education Certificate Exams begins today, Monday September 21, 2020 and ends on Saturday October 31, 2020.
 
A statement from the Ghana Education Service copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the 2020 SHS register was available in all schools and education offices.
 
The statement urged parents and guardians to take active interest in guiding their wards to choose schools based on their performance.
 
It advised parents to seek for explanations and clarifications from the school management ‘if you do not know what to do’.
 
GNA

Next NDC administration will promote modern industrial parks-Mahama

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Mr John Dramani Mahama, the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has promised to build modern training centres to update the skills of garage owners to keep them in business.
 
A statement issued by Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, the Campaign Spokesperson of the NDC, which was copied to the Ghana News Agency said Mr Mahama stated this in his address to artisans and garage owners in Tuobodom in the Techiman North Constituency as part of his three-day tour of the Bono East Region.
 
Mr Mahama said the next NDC government would promote the development of industrial parks for garage owners and workers.
 
He said fully equipped industrial parks with diagnostic centres and other modern facilities for vehicle maintenance would be developed to train garage operators on the maintenance of cars with new and improved technology.
 
Mr Mahama said given the rapid deployment of new technologies in vehicles, it was imperative that garage owners and workers were given the needed training to make them relevant for their industry to keep them in employment.
 
“So, we are going to collaborate with the Eureka Garages Association, Suame Magazine Industrial Development Organisation in Kumasi and all other garage associations in the country to build the training centres with the modern diagnostic machine to train their members and be able to stay in business”, he added.
 
Mr Mahama also said government would engage master artisans such as masons, carpenters, fashion designers, hairdressers and seamstresses, and pay the apprenticeship fees of all those who were willing to train under them in the various vocations.
 
Those who complete the government-sponsored apprenticeship training, he said, would be provided the needed tools to enable them also set up their own businesses Mr Mahama therefore, urged electorates to vote for him and the NDC in the December 7 general election to enable the Party fulfill its promises to the people of Ghana.

Adolescents need accurate information to navigate life successfully

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Madam Enyonam Afi Amafuga, Volta Regional Director of Education, has stressed the need for adolescents to be provided with the rightful information to guide and empower them through life successfully.
 
“Our adolescent children need accurate information in this fast-paced 21st Century to be able to navigate life successfully. We owe it a duty to provide them not only these information, but equip them with knowledge and skills that position them to make the most of the adolescent stage,” she stated.
 
Madam Amafuga who was speaking at a four-day Mentorship and Empowerment Camp for 120 adolescent girls and boys in Ho, said the adolescent stage was a unique one that came with both opportunities and challenges.
 
The Director said it was therefore necessary for adolescents to use the period to explore the world around them to acquire requisite knowledge and skills and build their capacity to enhance their self-worth.
 
She urged them not to sit idle, but rather engage themselves in activities that would offer them the needed space within which they could discover and nurture their God- given talents they embodied to make a meaningful progress in life.
 
Ms Lena Alai, Volta Regional Director, Department of Gender, said adolescents engaging in early sex and marriage gave rise to gender based violence and abuse as most of them were not mentally developed to face marital challenges.
 
She said most of them lacked the knowledge and skills to negotiate for safe sex from their partners, thereby becoming victims of unsafe relationships, and therefore urged them to desist from early sex and marriages.
 
Ms Alai said previous Empowerment Camps were helpful to the beneficiaries as most of them became assertive and willing to take up leadership roles to support the development of their communities, and expressed hope that this year’s one would provide the participants greater opportunities.
The participants were selected from Afadjato South, South Dayi, North Dayi and Central Tongu Districts of the Volta region.
 
The programme was organised by the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) and the Department of Gender with sponsorship from the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) and the Canadian government on the theme: “Adolescent lives matter.”

MCE honoured for being responsive to tourism-related development

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Mr. Osei Assibey-Antwi, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Kumasi, has received the ‘Tourism Personality of the Year’ award, for his instrumentality in the development and growth of the sector.
 
His support for the sector, according to the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), had helped to whip up knowledge and awareness-creation of the tourism potentials in Ghana’s oldest and second-largest city.
 
“We present to you this honorary award for your outstanding contribution to tourism promotion for the Year 2019,” a citation presented to the Mayor read.
 
This was at the GTA’s ‘Ashanti Regional 2019 Tourism Awards’ hosted at the Rattray Park, Kumasi, and Mr. Assibey-Antwi, for his prize, also received a plaque and certificate of excellence.
 
Nana Yaw Owusu, Mpaboahene, representing the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, presented the prizes to him at the colourful ceremony.
 
The programme had more than 20 individuals, corporate organizations and key players in the tourism industry receiving awards for their respective contributions to the growth of the sector.
They were awarded with certificates of excellence, citations and plaques.
 
The MCE in a bid to promote eco-tourism rolled out programmes such as ‘Keep Kumasi Clean and Green’, an initiative which witnessed the growth of more than 72, 000 trees of varied species recently.
 
The idea is to restore to Kumasi its status as the ‘Garden City of West Africa’, in order to beautify the city, while also presenting it as the tourism-destination for international tourists visiting the country.  
 
The MCE is currently spearheading the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to attract investors for the development of heritage and cultural tourism, which the city is well noted for.
 
The plan is to work with the Manhyia Palace, the seat of the Asante monarchy, to develop to appreciable standards the many museums dotted around the ancient city.
 
This is part of a grand agenda by the KMA to use tourism as an avenue for job creation to generate wealth for the people.
 
Already, he had helped to upgrade facilities at the Rattray Park, a state-of-the-art recreational facility, to boost the hosting of tourism-related events in the Metropolis.
 
Nana Yaw Owusu, who chaired the occasion, lauded him and all the award-winners for their selfless and unflinching support for tourism growth.
 
He urged them to work harder in their various roles to harness the tourism potentials of the Metropolis.
Mr. Akwasi Agyemang, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GTA, in a message delivered on his behalf, thanked key players in the industry for remaining resolute towards the tourism cause in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He advised them to avail themselves of the stimulus packages government was giving to cushion stakeholders to strengthen them to absorb the shocks of the pandemic.
 
Mr Assibey-Antwi, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), on the sidelines of the programme, advocated a collected effort from all stakeholders for the development of tourism.

Males must be active in bridging gender equality gap

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The Department of Gender has urged males in the Ningo-Prampram district to active in gender inequality gap bridging activities which includes engagements on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR).
 
Madam Matilda Banfro, Acting Greater Accra Regional Director of the Department of Gender, made the request when her outfit in collaboration with the Ningo-Prampram District Assembly (NIPDA), with support from the UNFPA, and the Canadian Government held a one day male only dialogue session on their roles on SRHR and Gender Equality.
 
Madam Banfro said even though men had a critical role to play in bridging the gender inequality gaps, often they were an untapped resource in such gender initiatives.
 
“To address this gap, there is the need to engage and sensitize men and boys to be change agents in ending gender inequalities and for Sexual Reproductive Health and Right, “she said.
 
She said it was critical to understand men’s roles and responsibilities in working towards gender equitable world adding that they must therefore be reached, and included so that interventions for women and girls were not derailed by male resistance.
 
She further stated that men should therefore be actively involved in developing and implementing legislations, and policies to foster gender equality, as well as provide role models to promote gender equality in the family, the workplace and in society at large.
 
“Studies have pointed out that for gender relations to be transformed; the structures that underpin them have to change. Gender equality is not just a women’s issue so it’s vital that men and women work together to end human rights violations and inequalities amongst women and girls and men and boys”.
 
 
Madam Zubaida Damago, Development Planning Officer, and Gender Desk Officer at NIPDA, said it was unfortunate that in Ghana, once gender was mentioned, people misconstrued it to mean women saying, “Gender talks about both males and females”.
 
Madam Damago added that, however in Ghana, females had been marginalized for so long in so many aspects of life, and still continued to be appendages to men in all walks of life, accounting for government championing of the cuase of females to bridge the gap between males and females socio-economically.
 
Madam Augustina Nartey, Ningo-Prampram District Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, in a presentation said gender inequality was a form of social division relating to varying amount of power, resources, and opportunities between men and women, where one gender became more socially privileged than the other.
 
Madam Nartey noted that gender equality did not mean women and men must become the same, but rather their rights, responsibilities and opportunities would not depend on their sex adding that “men and women have the capacity to do whatever each one wants to do irrespective of sex. ”
 
Reverend Ebenezer Asiamah, District Director of Health Services, Shai-Osudoku , on his part, said some of the effects gender inequality among women included, high HIV infections, low intake of family planning, vulnerability to high maternity morbidity and mortality, low levels of formal education, poor health status and violence on women among others.
 
Mr David M Tuglo, Deputy Director at NIPDA, welcoming participants urged Ghanaians not to only associate gender with women but must also think about how men were experiencing the same problems.
 
 According to him “society has tagged men to be the strong force and has been consumed by the stereotype that men have to be firm and not emotional hence many young men in particular are left to battle the fields of life as supermen”.

GTA holds Regional Tourism Awards in Tema

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The Tema Regional Directorate of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has held its regional awards to recognise excellence in the tourism sector for 2019 at an event in Tema over the weekend.  
The awards, instituted by the GTA to recognise excellent performance in the sector, was meant to, among other objectives, raise standards and encourage healthy competition among industry players to firmly position tourism as a vibrant economic activity.
 
Held under strict Covid-19 safety protocols, the colourful event which attracted industry actors and selected media personnel, was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture on the theme: “Growing Tourism Beyond the Return”.
 
In all 23 categories, some 23 enterprises were awarded and an individual honoured for their adherence to high standards and quality service delivery particularly in making Tema a preferred tourism destination.  
 
The categories included; 3-Star and 2-Star Hotel of the year, Consistency in payment of tourism levy (Accommodation, Food and Beverage), Tour operator, Traditional caterer, Drinking bar and nightclub of the year, Best tourism programme, Tourism oriented media outfit and car rental of the year.
 
The rest were; Guest House of the year, Serviced apartment, Restaurant (Grade 1, 2 and 3) of the year, Visitor attraction of the year, Best Hostel, Best Travel Agent and Tour guide of the year.
 
Mr Charles Buabin, Regional Director of the GTA Tema, addressing awardees and participants at the awards ceremony said, the GTA could not be oblivious of the exemplary and remarkable sacrifices organisations and individuals were making to drive the tourism sector in Tema.
 
Such display of excellence, he added, necessitated the flagship event to celebrate enterprises that were advancing the vibrant economic sector and consolidating the country’s position, especially Tema, as one of the preferred tourism destinations in the country.
 
He indicated that, the Covid-19 pandemic had evidently affected the tourism sector immensely and said “not much has been accomplished this year, but there is work to be done collectively in harnessing our strength to promote our region to tourists to be prominently featured on the itinerary of tour operators”
 
Citing some notable tourist attractions in the region; the Shai Hills Resource Reserve, sandy and rocky beaches, the super water sports in the Volta Estuary in Ada, cultural and historical edifices amongst others, he called all and sundry to better discover Ghana by visiting Tema.
 
Mr Isaac Adomako-Mensah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Finance and Administration, Ghana Tourism Authority, who delivered a speech on behalf of the CEO, Mr Akwasi Agyeman, said the awards had come at a time when the Kotoka International Airport had been opened for tourism traffic after a long closure due to Covid-19.
 
He, therefore, called on tourism industry players to grow beyond their boundaries and better improve on their standards and quality service delivery.
 
He noted that the GTA was tasked with the onerous responsibility of organizing the “Year of Return” initiative in 2019 and by dint of hard work and dedication, culminated into “Beyond the Return” to sustain the momentum of the gains achieved under the year of return.
 
Beyond the Return, he emphasized, hinged on seven solid pillars; Experience Ghana, Diaspora Pathway to Ghana, Promote Pan African Heritage and Innovation, Give Back to Ghana, Celebrate Ghana, Brand Ghana and Invest in Ghana.
 
Mr Adomako-Mensah informed that, under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the GTA in supporting and cushioning tourism stakeholders throughout the country during the Covid-19 pandemic, had disbursed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE’s) to various stakeholders in the tourism industry.
 
In addition, he said “the GTA ensured that stakeholders applied for the stimulus packages announced by the President including the one billion Ghana Cedis channeled through the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) and a stimulus package of three million Ghana Cedis loan from Commercial Banks.”
 
Brigadier General Jo-Sylvester Kwame Nkrumah, Chairman of the occasion, in his closing remarks, called for a collective effort by all stakeholders including government agencies, with a stake in providing service, direction, sector policy, to enhance domestic tourism and attract tourists to the country.
 
Among some of the awardees, Aqua Safari Resort in Ada was adjudged 3-Star Hotel of the year, whiles Agba Maami Chop Bar in Tema won Traditional Caterer of the year, African Ancestral Wall in Prampram was also awarded Visitor Attraction of the year.
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