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Trump brings Brexit advice on state visit to troubled UK

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Britain is rolling out the red carpet for US President Donald Trump on Monday as he arrives in Britain for a state visit already overshadowed by his outspoken remarks on Brexit.

Queen Elizabeth II will welcome Trump and his wife Melania to Buckingham Palace, where they will be treated to a guard of honour, a private lunch and a glittering state banquet.

But beneath the pomp and ceremony, Britain is in turmoil with Prime Minister Theresa May due to step down within weeks over her handling of her country’s exit from the European Union.

True to form, Trump ripped up the diplomatic rule book before he even touched down by saying former foreign minister Boris Johnson would make an “excellent” choice to succeed May.

He also recommended May’s successor walk away from talks with Brussels, refuse to pay Britain’s agreed divorce bill and leave the EU with no deal.

The much vaunted UK-US “special relationship” was already under strain over different approaches to Iran, China and the Paris climate change accord.

Protesters are planning another big turnout this week and are hoping to once again fly their inflatable balloon showing Trump as a baby over the streets of London

Opposition politicians are boycotting the banquet over what London’s mayor Sadiq Khan called Trump’s “divisive behaviour” and large protests are expected across the capital.

But May and Trump are expected to emphasise the wider benefits of the old alliance when they hold talks at Downing Street on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, they will join other world leaders in the English port of Portsmouth to commemorate 75 years since the D-Day landings, which changed the course of World War II.

“Our relationship has underpinned our countries’ security and prosperity for many years, and will continue to do so for generations to come,” May said ahead of the visit.

– No-deal Brexit –

May announced her resignation last month after failing to get her Brexit deal through parliament and twice delaying Britain’s EU departure.

She will formally quit as her Conservative party’s leader on Friday, but will stay on while they find someone to replace her.

Three years after the referendum vote for Brexit, Britain remains divided and anxious about its place in the world.

Trump recommended the new government “walk away” from talks with the EU if it cannot get a good deal, and refuse to pay the £39 billion (45 billion euros, $50 billion) divorce bill May agreed.

In an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper, he emphasised that there was “tremendous potential” for Britain to trade with his country after Brexit.

The president’s itinerary in Britain will keep him away from the public

Trump also said he might meet with Johnson, one of 13 candidates vying to replace May, as well as pro-Brexit populist leader Nigel Farage during his UK visit.

“They want to meet. We’ll see what happen,” he told reporters before he left the United States.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran socialist, has denounced the president’s “entirely unacceptable interference in our democracy”.

He earlier condemned putting on a show for a world leader who “rips up vital international treaties, backs climate change denial and uses racist and misogynist rhetoric”.

– Strained special relationship –

Trump’s first official visit to Britain last year was overshadowed by criticism of May’s approach to Brexit, as well as large demonstrations.

Protesters are planning another big turnout this week and are hoping to once again fly their inflatable balloon showing Trump as a baby over the streets of London.

Donald Trump’s first official visit to Britain last year was overshadowed by criticism of Theresa May’s approach to Brexit, as well as large demonstrations

But the president’s itinerary, which also includes a tea with heir to the throne Prince Charles, will keep him away from the public.

He is not due to meet Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan Markle, who has previously been highly critical of Trump.

Asked about Markle’s comments in his weekend interviews, Trump said: “What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty.”

May was the first foreign leader welcomed to the White House after Trump’s election victory in November 2016, but their relationship has not always been rosy.

They have clashed in the past over his migration policies, while Britain still backs the Iranian nuclear deal and the Paris climate accord, both of which Trump has abandoned.

Washington has also been putting pressure on Britain to exclude Chinese tech giant Huawei from its 5G network over security concerns, suggesting it might harm intelligence sharing.

 

Source:  AFP

Iraq death sentences a ‘disgrace’ for France: lawyers

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The execution of nine French jihadists on death row in Iraq would be a disgrace for France and leave an “indelible stain” on the mandate of President Emmanuel Macron, a group of prominent French lawyers said Monday.

With controversy growing in France over the sentences handed out to the nine for joining the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, the 40 lawyers urged Paris to keep the men alive, irrespective of their crimes.

A court sentenced two more French citizens to death on Sunday, meaning that nine French jihadists are now at risk of execution in the country.

“We have taken a historic risk, which, if it is realised, will leave an indelible stain on the mandate of Emmanuel Macron,” said the lawyers, who included some of the country’s best known legal professionals such as William Bourdon, Henri Leclerc and Vincent Brengarth.

It would mean allowing a “legal assassination which is now proscribed by the majority of countries on the planet with the exception of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, China and the United States,” said the open letter, published on the website of radio station Franceinfo.

“It equates to renouncing our engagements by permitting the overseas implementation of the death penalty,” they added.

“It would be a great disgrace for our country to make these death sentences possible.”

The French citizens were handed over to Iraqi authorities in January by a US-backed force fighting the jihadist group in Syria.

Hearings for the last two suspected French IS members to be tried in Baghdad were set for Monday.

France has long insisted its adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial before local courts, while stressing its opposition to capital punishment.

French government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye insisted Sunday that officials were intervening “at the highest level” in the cases.

Source : AFP

Five dead as Sudan military rulers try to disperse sit-in

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At least five protesters were shot dead Monday as Sudan’s military rulers tried to break up a sit-in outside Khartoum’s army headquarters, a doctors’ committee said as gunfire was heard from the site.

Heavily armed security forces in pick-up trucks mounted with machine guns were deployed in large numbers all around the capital, while protesters put up makeshift barricades and closed off streets.

The United States and Britain called for an end to the crackdown on demonstrators, who want the generals behind the overthrow of veteran president Omar al-Bashir to hand over to civilian rule.

Three more people were killed “by the bullets of the military council,” bringing the total to five dead, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, which is close to the protesters, wrote on Facebook, calling it a “massacre”.

It also reported a “large number of critical casualties”.

Khartoum, Sudan

Gunfire was heard from the protest site by an AFP journalist, who reported a heavy deployment of security forces around the streets of the capital.

There were multiple reports of the military using force to disperse the sit-in in front of army headquarters, where protesters have been camped out for weeks.

“Now an attempt is taking place to disperse the sit-in at the headquarters of the people’s armed forces by force by the military council,” said the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), the group which spearheaded nationwide protests that started in December.

The SPA said it amounted to a “bloody massacre” and called on Sudanese to take part in “total civil disobedience” to topple the military council.

Gunfire was heard from the protest site by an AFP journalist, who reported a heavy deployment of security forces around the streets of the capital

Rallies against Bashir’s authoritarian, three-decade rule led to his ouster in April, but protesters have remained outside the army headquarters calling on the generals to cede power to a transitional authority.

Near the demonstration site, a witness living in the Burri neighbourhood said he could “hear the sound of gunfire and I see a plume of smoke rising from the area of the sit-in.”

Another resident of the area, in east Khartoum, said he had seen forces in “police uniform” trying to expel the demonstrators.

– ‘Heavy gunfire’ –

Britain’s ambassador to Khartoum, Irfan Siddiq, said he had heard “heavy gunfire” from his residence.

“Extremely concerned by… reports that Sudanese security forces are attacking the protest sit-in site resulting in casualties. No excuse for any such attack. This. Must. Stop. Now,” he wrote on Twitter.

The US embassy in Khartoum said “security forces’ attacks against protesters and other civilians is wrong and must stop.”

Protesters build a brick barricade on Street 60, one of the main streets in the capital

“Responsibility falls on the TMC. The TMC cannot responsibly lead the people of Sudan,” it added referring to the transitional military council.

The Alliance for Freedom and Change, the umbrella group of the protest movement, urged “peaceful marches and rallies” nationwide and for barricades to be put up including in the capital.

Protesters had already set about building a brick barricade and had set tyres and tree trunks alight on Street 60 — one of the main streets in the capital.

The SPA had said on Saturday that it had reason to believe the military council was “planning and working to end the peaceful sit-in at the headquarters with excessive force and violence” after three people were killed in incidents on the fringes of the demonstration last week.

Negotiations between protest leaders and the ruling military council have broken down, as the two sides have failed to agree on whether a planned transitional body would be headed by a civilian or a military figure.

 

Source : AFP

Wasteful Hearts bundled out!

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Kasoa-based second division side Unistar Soccer Academy FC yesterday hounded out a very wasteful Accra Hearts of Oak side from the ongoing Normalisation Committee Tier-Two Special Cup Competition with a 5-4 penalty victory at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The hero for the lower tier side was Rahman Abdul, who converted the final spot-kick after goalkeeper Peter Onyame had saved Aminu Mohammed’s kick.

Had the Phobians been that purposeful in front of goal, they could have buried the Division One oufit by an avalanche of goals within the first quarter of the game.

The Phobians, predictably, started on the front foot as they attacked the visitors in droves but were very wasteful all afternoon.

Joseph Esso had the first chance of the game to score in the fourth minute but goalkpeer Onyame scored full marks to deny him the opener.

A minute later, it was Kofi Kordzi who was clear on goal only to be denied by the out-stretched hand of goalkeeper Onyame.

In the 12th minute, Onyame was up again this time saving a goal-bound header from Kordzi for entering the net.

Unistar Academy had their moment in front of goal two minutes after that save but striker Yaw Obuoba had his low drive miss the post by inches.

Hearts’ skipper Fatawu Mohammed, Kwadwo Obeng Jnr and Esso all failed to connect home begging opportunities that fell their way in the 16th, 19th and 22nd minutes of the game, leaving the fans yelling and raining insults on them from the stands.

Goalkeeper Onyame, who was the busier of the two goalkeepers all afternoon, was again called into action in the 31st minute to save a thunderbolt from Obeng Jnr, drawing applause from the handful of spectators in the stands.

Onyame’s heroism all afternoon was punched in the 41st minute when Obeng Jnr exploited a space in between the defence of the opposition to poke home the opener.

Hearts had a great opportunity to double their lead in the 46th when Benjamin Afutu Kotey was set up by Kordzi, but the midfielder pulled a trigger that went over the bar.

On the 47th minute mark, Hearts of Oak defender Randy Ovouka was sent off for an off-the-ball incident.

Kordzi was denied a second goal in the 51st minute as he was flagged offside after planting the ball in the net from a Fatawu  Mohammed pass.

Esso had another great opportunity to score but poor judgement on his part saw him trying to dummy the goalkeeper instead of shooting.

At this point, it was virtually the Hearts attack versus the defence of Unistar. However, the backline of skipper Owusu Lawrence and Nurudeen Bukari held their own to prevent further goals

With about 10 minutes to end the game, Unistar coach Ernst Jerat Wolfgang introduced Godknows Wisdom and striker Joseph Doe-Fia.

Their inclusion did magic for them as the game quickly turned on its head with the Phobians coming under some incessant pressure in the final five minutes of the game.

The Rainbow side’s resolve to hold on capitulated in time added on when Doe-Fia made his presence felt on the pitch with a headed goal from a Donatus Akobila cross from the right to send the match into penalties

BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY

Big shake up at Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)

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The Ministry of Finance has made changes at the top management level of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) as part of ongoing reforms to improve the performance of the tax collecting institution.

Mr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah has been appointed the Acting Commissioner for Domestic Tax Revenue Division; Colonel Kwadwo Damoah (Rtd), Acting Commissioner, Customs Division and Ms  Julie Essiam, Acting Commissioner, Support Services Division.

A statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Ministry in Accra yesterday, said about 1,418 employees were being rotated to other areas of the organisation as part of the exercise.

“Further changes will be made to retool Ghana Revenue Authority for the critical task of mobilising revenue to finance improvements in the lives of our people,” it stated.

According to the statement, the ongoing reorganisation had been necessitated by factors, including the need for better domestic revenue mobilisation in order to realise the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.

It said with Ghana’s Revenue to GDP of 12.6 per cent, below the West Africa average of 19.9 per cent, it was important to raise domestic revenue in a more efficient way in order to meet the country’s commitments.

“GRA revenues have failed to reach budget targets, and over the last three years there has been an accumulated gap of about GH¢3.5 billion,” the statement said.

Another factor, it said, was the need for much stronger, world-class structures, following its growth over the years and current revenues of approximately GH¢38 billion which has made it one of the biggest institutions in Ghana.

 Additionally, it cited the increase in number of employees of the GRA to 12,000 including   5,000 NABCO personnel, which has made the authority the largest employers outside the civil service, as a factor.

The statement said the new team is expected to drive transformational changes, including modernising and digitising tax processes and systems and also introducing big data and block chain technologies to improve compliance.

It is to expand the tax base to encompass, more effectively, the informal sector and professional classes which currently encompassed more than six million eligible tax -paying individuals but only about 2.5 million had been registered and about 1.2 million were active direct tax payers.

 According to the statement, the team is mandated to develop a stronger culture of performance and accountability, enhance staff integrity and anti-corruption measures.

It is the expectation of the Finance Ministry that the new leadership would ensure an increase in the quality of tax payer services, create a fair and firm tax organisation that ensures equitable treatment of every tax payer.

Tackling revenue leakages across both Domestic Tax and Customs in ensuring that shared best practices, to create a truly world-class organisation were also listed as expectations.

The changes, according to the statement, are expected to bring improvements in the institution, including the best of private sector practices in addition to public sector technical expertise to improve functionality.

The statement thanked the current leadership team for their efforts made in the past and wished the Commissioner-General and his new team success as they take the reins to lead GRA to the next level.

Trial census kicks off in 3 regions

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In preparation towards the 2020 Population and Housing Census, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) will this morning begin a trial version in three selected districts in three regions across the country.

They are the Dormaa West in the Bono Region, Bunkprugu in the North East Region and Accra Metropolis, specifically Ashiedu Keteke, Ledzokuku, Korley Klottey, Ayawaso West and Okaikoi South, in the Greater Accra Region.

Yesterday midnight was declared by the service as trial census night to serve as reference point for information collection and enumeration of residents in the designated areas.

Mr Francis Nyarko-Larbi, Head of Census Publicity, Education and Advocacy Committee told the Ghanaian Times on Saturday, that all was set for the three-month exercise.

The conduct of the census is in accordance with the Statistical Service Law, 1985 (PNDCL 135), which empowers the Government Statistician to conduct statistical surveys and any census in Ghana.

It is an essential national exercise that takes count of every person residing in Ghana at the time of the census, and establishes other important demographic details about every individual in the country.

The 2020 Census scheduled for March would be the sixth in the country following six others conducted in 10 year spaces in 1960, 1970, 1984, 2000 and 2010.

In 1960, the population was 6.7million; it increased to 8.5million in 1970, soared to 12.3 million in 1984 and inched up to 18.9 million and 24.6million in 2000 and 2010 respectively. Currently it is estimated to be 30 milion.

According to Mr Nyarko-Larbi, the trial census was in line with the United Nations’ recommendations guiding the conduct of Population and Housing Censuses worldwide.

The aim, he said it was to provide a base for accurate reports and data collection and help detect challenges they could be encountered in the multistage census so as to correct them.

This year’s trial census, he said was paramount than ever because the GSS would, for the first time, use of electronic data collection with other geo-spatial technologies, which has been recommended by the UN for the 2020 census.

Mr Nyarko-Larbi said 250 census officials from GSS from May 26, visited the communities designated for the trial census to identify and number houses and other structures to ensure complete coverage of all households.

He estimated that the 2020 census would cost in the region of GH¢500 million.

So far, he said residents in the selected areas had been cooperative, making the exercise proceed smoothly.

He, therefore, entreated all persons residing within the selected communities to cooperate with the census officials in order to ensure a successful trial census.

BY JONATHAN DONKOR

BoG moves to complete revocation of microfinance firms

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The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has appointed Eric Nana Nipah, a Director of PricewaterhouseCoopers (Ghana), as Receiver to wind up the operations of the 386 microfinance firms whose licenses were revoked on Friday.

 Appointed in accordance with Section 123(2) of Act 930, he is to recover and maximize asset realizations for Creditors, mainly depositors and distribute same in accordance with the relevant provisions of Act 930, to satisfy the indebtedness of the firms to their Creditors, to the extent possible.

A statement issued and signed by Mr. Nipah, with approval from the Central Bank on Saturday, said he had started the process of taking control over the affected microfinance companies.

It said an assessment of the state of affairs of the institutions would be completed within the next 10 days, to ascertain the types and values of assets and liabilities of the firms as of the commencement of receivership.

While at it, it said all creditors including depositors would be requested to submit their completed Proof of Debt (PoD) forms with supporting documentation to the Receiver for validation and agreement on claims.

It estimated that the validation and agreement process would take another 30 days from the date of the deadline for the submission of Creditor claims to be completed.

During the period, the statement said validated and accepted depositor claims which had been validated would be paid concurrently at designated Consolidated Bank of Ghana Ltd (CBG) branches, to the extent possible.

In order for the Receiver to determine the indebtedness as well as the order of ranking of these Creditors for dividend distribution, the statement said a Creditor Administration process would be put in place.

The features it said included the submission of PoD forms by Creditors in addition to relevant documentation supporting their claims as well as amounts owed to them.

During the validating and agreeing of claims, it said the Receiver would independently verify and reconcile the claims submitted by Creditors to the records of the affected microfinance companies, to determine the validity and quantum of claim made by the Creditor.

On the payments, the statement said with regard to the depositors of the affected microfinance companies, the Receiver would make payments to this class of Creditors using funds provided by Government for this purpose.

For the class of other Creditors, excluding depositors, it said depending on the quantum and timing of asset realisations in the receivership of the affected microfinance companies, the Receiver will declare and pay dividends to this class of Creditors in accordance with the order of ranking of Creditors provided in the relevant sections of Act 930.

According to the statement “Stakeholders may direct all concerns on the receivership of their affected microfinance companies to The Receiver, Eric Nana Nipah”.

BY TIMES REPORTER

Contract awarded for rehabilitation of Wa West roads – Veep

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The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has said that contract has been awarded for the construction of four major roads in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region.

Estimated at a cost of GH¢352,000, the roads, which would be financed with the District Development Fund, are the 3.5 kilometres (km), Tanina-Polee, 3.2km Polee-Nakor, 5.6km Polee-Jolireyiri and the 12km Poyentanga-Jenbob-Buli roads.

The Vice President announced these when he addressed Muslims at Tanina in the Wa West District, during a visit to the community, as part of his nationwide Ramadan tour.

Dr Bawumia said work on the roads, formed part of government’s bid to ensure equal distribution of the state’s resources.

“The government of the Nana Addo Dakkwa Akufo-Addo’s led New Patriotic Party (NPP) government is pursuing an all-inclusive social transformation agenda, and so you realise that most of the interventions are socially targeted for the general good of every citizen,” he stated.

Dr Bawumia said: “We have restored teacher and nursing trainee allowances, we have pursued the Free Senior High School policy, and we have introduced the Planting for Food and Jobs as well as the Rearing for Livestock and Jobs with its fertiliser subsidy component that has made fertiliser readily available to farmers, so we are on course.”

He urged Muslims not to relent on their oars, but constantly pray for peace, unity and tranquility to prevail among Ghanaians, irrespective of their religious or ethnic affiliations.

The Vice President, who was accompanied by the Minister for Zongo and Inner-city Development,  Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, as well as others from the presidency and the Regional Coordinating Council, presented bags of rice, boxes of oil and bags of sugar with GH¢5,000 to the community for the pending Eid-Ul Fitr celebrations.

Dr Bawumia and his entourage also visited Bulenga in the Wa East and Tabiase in the Daffiama/Bussie/Issah districts, respectively.

In a speech on his behalf, the Chief of Tanina, Naa Sidiki Galla II, commended the government for assisting the community with developmental projects, which included school buildings and mechanised wells.

Naa Galla II, however, lamented the intermittent robbery incidents, which occur on roads, and said it was a source of worry to many commuters in the district.

“Security is really an issue in the Wa West District, robbers attack commuters on the roads and this is particularly due to the fact that most of our roads are in deplorable states. Robbers can easily stop motorists and seize their valuables and that is why getting good roads in the district would be very beneficial,” the Chief stated.

LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA

Newspaper Headlines Monday 3rd June 2019

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Works on Dansoman roads begin

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Construction and repair works on about 25 kilometres of roads at Dansoman in Ablekuma West municipality is expected to commence today, to improve mobility in the area.

The six-month project, involves reconstruction of the Western Link Road, adjacent the Dansoman main road, and adjoining roads, in addition to asphalting of 12 kilometres of roads.

A local construction form, Oswald Investment Limited, is undertaking the project, which forms part of efforts by the Ministry of Roads and Highways to repair roads in the municipality.

At a brief sod-cutting ceremony on Friday, the Minister of Communications, and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ablekuma West constituency, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, asked the constructors to ensure quality work and timely completion.

She recalled that the construction and repairs of roads in the area had been a necessity of the residents for some time, during which some of them had taken to the streets to register their displeasure.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, said the project When completed, would reduce traffic on the main Dansoman road, and bring relief to commuters, and those heading towards the central business district from Cape Coast.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful appealed to owners of buildings and fence walls, which would be demolished as part of the project, to cooperate with the authorities for the collective benefit.

She said other road and drainage projects were being negotiated and would be started in due time, to resolve flooding and related challenges in parts of the constituency.

Reaffirming her commitment to address the needs of the area, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful urged the constituents to exercise patience as the government had not turned a blind eye to their plight.

The Municipal Chief Executive, George Cyril Bray, said the government would not renege on its responsibilities, and would, therefore, need the corporation of the people to fulfil its mandate.

BY JONATHAN DONKOR

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