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COVID-19: Upper East achieves herd immunity 

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Mr Dominic Yeboah, the Upper East Regional Coordinator for the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), says the Region has attained herd immunity against COVID-19.  

He said a total of 806,688 representing 91.9 percent of residents had taken at least a dose of the vaccine which gave them some level of immunity out of 877,624 targeted population in the Region.  

Mr Yeboah in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, said “Those who have taken full doses that we can be very sure of their immunity, at the optimum level, are 723,820 representing about 82.5 percent of the population.  

“So technically, in Public Health, if you vaccinate above 80 percent, we say you have attained herd immunity; meaning a lot of people are covered and there is the possibility that even if the organism is found in circulation, it would not be able to cause serious disease outbreak,” he said.  

The EPI Coordinator said even though a lot of residents had received COVID-19 vaccines in the Region, it was important for them to take booster and additional doses to maintain their immunity levels. 

“There is the need to sustain the gains that we have made over the years, so that we can all be safe. The fact that COVID-19 is declared not a public health emergency, does not mean the virus does not exist,” he said. 

Asked if there was any recorded case of the virus in the Region as recorded in Greater Accra, Mr Yeboah said “We have not recorded any case, but then, our population is mobile, people move around, so we cannot tell when anyone can pick the virus. That is why we undertake vaccination exercises from time to time”. 

Speaking on the five-day ongoing 10th national COVID-19 vaccination exercise in the Region, which began on May 5, 2024, the EPI Coordinator said despite some challenges including the unwillingness of residents to patronize the vaccines, the exercise had started smoothly across all 15 Municipalities and Districts in the Region. 

He said 176 teams were deployed across the 15 Municipalities and Districts to vaccinate a targeted population of 21,000 who required any of the doses, including booster doses.  

He disclosed that as of the second day of the vaccination exercise, a total of 2,527, representing 12 percent of the targeted population was vaccinated. 

Mr Yeboah said some members of the public who hitherto resisted the vaccines owing to some rumours about the vaccines, eventually dispelled the rumours after they realized the vaccines were good and protected them from the virus. 

“Just that it takes us a lot of time for us to engage and get their buy-in so I urge the public that COVID-19 is not completely off the hook. There is the need to continue to vaccinate to keep ourselves protected,” he said. 

He said the Region had enough Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines to cater for the five-day exercise and indicated that pregnant women and people under 18years were eligible for the vaccine.  

“Apart from pregnant women and people under 18years, any individual above 18years, even if they have other health conditions, they can still take the vaccine,” the EPI Coordinator said.  

He said even though some intense COVID-19 protocols were relaxed, the use of nose masks and adherence to hand washing protocols should be part of residents to check Respiratory Tract Infections (RTI) and other disease conditions.  

“If for nothing at all, hand washing, use of nose masks and hand sanitizers should not necessarily be used because of COVID. The protocols are there to prevent other conditions as well and advisable we heed to it so that we can get protected from other diseases,” Mr Yeboah said.  

Vote for Bawumia for Ghana’s progress, not Mahama- President

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on Ghanaians to vote for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as the next President in the impending December elections.

He contended that selecting former President John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), would jeopardize the country’s progress.

The President who made the call when he addressed a crowd of supporters in Dobro in the Eastern Region after a visit to the premises of the Blue Skies Ghana Limited, said if given power, the former president would reverse the country’s achievements under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

“The person I defeated, my work since I took over, seems not to please him. I cannot hand over power to such a person… He will destroy whatever we have done when he comes,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that Vice President Bawumia was the best person to carry on his legacy and lead Ghana into a prosperous future.

He expressed confidence in Dr. Bawumia’s abilities to manage the country and promote the socioeconomic well-being of the people.

“I am pleading with you to vote for the person I have worked with for the past seven and a half years. I have faith in him, and I know that he will come and continue the work I began,” he added.

The President urged Ghanaians to take advantage of the ongoing limited voter registration exercise to register to vote and retain the NPP in power to keep the country on track for progress and development.

“This is our election year, and the limited registration has started. Anybody who has not registered and is eligible should go and register. This is because your right to vote is your power,” he said.

We need to establish more viable African Carriers to help facilitate trade- CEO Kenya Airways

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Mr Allen Kilavuka, the Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Airways, says there is a need to establish more viable African Carriers to help facilitate trade among the various countries on the Continent.

He said Kenya Airways was collaborating closely with other African Carriers to develop a viable entity to serve the Continent and stand strong against any competition.

Mr Kilavuka was speaking to journalists during his recent visit to Ghana. The visit is a follow-up visit by Kenyan President William Ruto earlier this month and officials from the Kenyan Tourism Board in February.

In partnership with Kenya Airways (KQ), they led a consortium of over 15 travel trade companies for in-market activations to boost intra-Africa trade.

He said the purpose of the visit was also to cement their relationship in the aviation market and identify areas of mutual support and collaboration.

The CEO said, “we need to be involved more in the travel market to develop the aviation market, we recommend collaboration and cooperation with other airlines.”

Mr Kilavuka said Ghana was a critical market for the Airline because it was the Company’s Hub in the West Africa Region, adding that they had developed Accra as the hub, simply because of the support from regulatory agencies as part of their operations.

He said last year the Company had for the first time in seven years recorded an operating profit as an airline, adding that they had also recorded the highest revenue number in the history of the company.

“We have also recorded the highest number of passengers in the history of the company, including being voted the second most efficient airline in Africa,” he added.

Mr. Kilavuka said was anticipating a 20 per cent growth in revenue this year.

He said the Airline was considering operating some direct flights to the new Kumasi International Airport in Ghana as part of efforts to deepen bilateral trade and tourism between the two friendly countries.

“We are looking at this marketplace favourably, so in the first place, it [operating flights to Kumasi Airport] is something to consider,” he added.

The Kumasi International Airport, located at the heart of Ghana’s second most populated city, Kumasi, has undergone a total makeover within the past half-decade.

The new ultra-modern terminal building, which is capable of handling over 800,000 passengers per year, has modern passenger processing installations in place and is equipped with navigation aids.

Mr. Kilavuka said that flying to Kumasi looks viable and would be favourably considered by its management.

Zenith Bank’s 2024 Q1 profit up 41 per cent, boosted by loan, asset and deposit growth

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Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited emerged from the First Quarter (Q1) of 2024 with impressive financial results, showcasing a robust performance across profitability, liquidity, and capital adequacy. 

The Bank’s unaudited financial statements for the period revealed a continuation of the stellar performance in 2023 with a 41.03 per cent year-on-year growth in profitability to GH¢306.5 million, compared with GH¢217.3 million in the same period of 2023.

This performance was driven by a marked increase in both interest income and non-interest income, with interest income growing by 59 per cent to GH¢437.6 million in Q1 2024 from GH¢275.2 million in Q1 2023. 

Consequently, net interest income, which reflects the difference between interest income and interest expense, also saw a substantial rise of 59.2 per cent to GH¢302.2 million in Q1 of 2024, up from GH¢189.8 million in Q1 of 2023.

Fees and commission income also grew by 9.6 per cent to GH¢64.3 million in Q1 of 2024 compared to GH¢58.7 million in Q1 of 2023. 

This increase, in addition to the trading income of GHGH¢91 million, helped to diversify Zenith Bank’s revenue streams.

The Bank’s balance sheet also defines its strategic growth as its total assets grew by 39.6 percent to GH¢15.1 billion in Q1 of 2024, from GH¢10.8 billion in the comparative period of 2023. 

A striking feature of this growth was a 54.9 per cent increase in loans and advances to GH¢2.1 billion in Q1 of 2024, reaffirming the Bank’s commitment to enhancing credit availability to various real sectors of the economy. 

This also suggested a strong demand for credit from businesses and consumers, potentially indicating a pick-up in economic activities. 

The growth was also reflected in a GH¢1.75 billion increase in investment securities year on year, underscoring the Bank’s strategic approach to diversifying its portfolio of earning assets.

Deposits from customers reached GH¢12.7 billion in the first quarter of 2024 compared to GH¢9.3 billion last year, indicating a 36.4 per cent increase year on year.

This surge not only reflected the growing trust and confidence of the Bank’s clientele but also underscores its reputation for delivering exceptional value and customer service.

Beyond profitability, the Bank maintained a firm grip on its financial well-being. Its liquidity ratio, a key metric for measuring a Bank’s ability to meet short-term obligations, improved to 99.84 per cent in Q1 9f 2024, compared to 92 per cent in the same period last year. 

This indicated Zenith Bank Ghana’s exceptional capability to manage its cash flow and fulfil its short-term financial commitments.

Furthermore, the Bank boasts an impressive Capital Adequacy Ratio of 31.76 per cent at the end of Q1 of 2024, surpassing the regulatory minimum 

requirement of 10 per cent. 

This robust capital adequacy ratio is a testament to the Bank’s strong capital base and its ability to absorb potential losses and maintain financial stability during economic downturns.

Zenith Bank Ghana’s credit quality continues to improve, notwithstanding the growth in risk assets. 

The Bank’s Non-performing loans ratio dropped from 5.05 per cent in Q1 of 2023 to 2.14 per cent in Q1 of this year, suggesting credit risk management strategies are proving effective, leading to a high-quality loan portfolio.

Mr. Henry Onwuzurigbo, the Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited, assured that, “Our approach is to deepen our understanding of customer needs and to provide financial solutions that will foster beneficial synergies for all  stakeholders.”

He said the bank’s commitment to this strategy had been pivotal in achieving the remarkable results seen today, and “we remain extremely grateful to customers for the beneficial relationship over the years. We will continue to team up with them for excellence in the remaining quarters of the year.”

President visits Blue Skies company

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Blues Skies Ghana Limited, the company that produces Blue Skies fruit juice, has asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for help to address the activities of land guards and illegal sand winners in their operational areas.

The company explained that unlawful activities in the area were affecting pineapple cultivation, which served as the primary raw material for its operations.

Ms Janet Lutterodt, the company’s General Manager, made the appeal to the President on Tuesday when he visited the company’s production site at Dobro near Nsawam in the Eastern region.

She said the appeal was necessary due to the adverse effects of the activities on their business.

Ms Lutterodt noted that, in addition to the illegal operations of sand winners and land guards, the continuous sale of farmlands to estate developers hampered the expansion of their out-grower farms, and that the company lost their 200-acre mango plantation because of such actions.

The land tenure issue is plaguing this community and its impact on pineapple production was adverse. Today you have land and then tomorrow you do not. You have land, you have all your papers intact and then the next day a chief has sold the land and before you know, you are in litigation,” she emphasised.

Ms Lutterodt informed the President that the company was also facing some challenges because of the new regulation, which required the company to establish a Letter of Commitment (LOC) before export.

President Akufo-Addo committed to ensure that such negative acts did not disrupt the company’s operations.

He said that his government would implement the procedures required to ensure that the company expanded while also serving the interests of the community.

Later, during an interaction with the company’s workers, the President thanked them for their commitment to the company’s growth.

He said the government had instituted policies to promote agriculture in the country, and that those arrangements would be extended to the company to enable them to continue operations.

Limited Voter Registration exercise takes off peacefully in EKMA  

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The Limited Voter Registration exercise has commenced in various districts and centers in the Western Region to register new voters ahead of the 2024 General Elections.  

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA), visited the Effia Kwesimintim Constituency, EKMA, 
 
Office of the Electoral Commission (EC) at 0930 hours on Tuesday, it was observed that, the place was set and ready for the exercise. 

It was also observed that the center was crowded with people in readiness to get registered.  

Speaking to Mr .Clement Afrane, the Registration Officer at the Effia-Kwesimintim EC Office, he said all logistics were available as at 0700 hours when the exercise started.  

He mentioned that, only fifteen persons had gone through the first phase of the registration and were in waiting to get the biometric registration done adding that due to some technical challenges they had not gone through the process successfully and were in waiting for the issue to be resolved. 

” Security is very tight as security officers assigned to the center are seeing to the smooth flow of the process and making sure everyone is in check as they wait to get registered”, he said.  

In an interview with some first time registrants, they shared missed feelings about the whole process, while some were patiently waiting to be registered, others were complaining of the delays in the process.  

Ms Blessing Cobbinah, a first time registrant expressed happiness going through the process saying, “I am happy I will get the chance to also take part in the upcoming December 7 elections to exercise my franchise should I go through the registration process successfully”.  

Master Richard Asare also expressed dissatisfaction with how things were going at the center saying, ” we have been here since 0700 hours but have not been told anything whether or not today’s exercise will go through, or we should come back later due to the technical challenge.”  

Mr Nana Odekrow, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth Organizer for Kwesimintim said the first day of the exercise has not been the best, especially with the technical challenge they were facing.  

“I see it to be some sort of a sabotage by the EC, but I hope the issue gets resolved as early as possible”.  

EC Volta Director confirms initial hitches resolved

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The technical glitches that challenged the smooth start of the limited registration exercise has been overcome, according to Electoral Commission (EC).

Mr Eric Dzakpasu, Volta Regional Director of EC disclosed to the Ghana News Agency that all the 18 District Offices had resumed registration, including 18 mobile teams and additional two centres stationed at University of Health and Allied Science and Ho Technical University in the region.

He said there were six permanent district offices to service inaccessible electoral areas.

He said some Districts had been categorised into three teams such as Ketu South, Ho, Hohoe, North Tongu and South Tongu to assist in the registration exercise.

He disclosed that Agotime Ziope and Akatsi South had two teams each.

The rest have a team each for the registration exercise for the 21-day activity.

Mr Michael Boadu, acting Director, Public Affairs of EC, earlier in a release disclosed that the initial challenges had been sorted and the systems across the country had begun running smoothly and urged registrants to patronise the exercise.

The limited Voter registration exercise commenced today Tuesday 07 May and would end on May 27 nationwide, to capture new applicants unto the electoral roll for the December elections.

Prospective voters stranded as activation code delays limited registration exercise in Sunyani

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The first day of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) limited voter registration in the Sunyani East Constituency was delayed because of the absence of activation codes to access the registration process.

During a visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in the Sunyani East Constituency at approximately 0840 hours, it was observed that two of the EC’s voter registration centres were still in the process of setting up their systems to facilitate voter registration.

The delay in the activation codes hindered the smooth operation of the registration process, causing inconvenience to both the EC officials and the potential voters.

The registration process was scheduled to take place on May 7th to May 27th, 2024, at exactly 0700 hours to 1800 hours each day, however by the time GNA departed from the two district registration centers at about 1330 hours, new applicants were still seen waiting and feeling frustrated.

In an interview with the GNA in Sunyani, Lawyer Ernest Opoku, the Sunyani Municipal EC Officer, stated that the registration exercise had not yet commenced due to a delay in receiving the activation code for the registration kit.

He explained that the EC officials were ready to work but were hindered by the absence of the code on the first day of the exercise, saying they have been assured of EC’s technicians working to resolve the issue promptly to facilitate the registration process.

Lawyer Opoku said the applicants waiting in the queue for the exercise had been informed about the situation and were asked to have patience as the issue would   be resolved.

He emphasized that the EC’s goal was to register about 5,000 new voters during the 21-day period of the registration process in the constituency, adding that during the last limited voters registration exercise, about 3,583 new voters were registered in the area.

On the other hand, information gathered from the third centre at Yawsae indicated that the registration had also not yet commenced at the place.

Registration delays in Tumu due to intermittent lights out

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Intermittent power supply compelled the Electoral Commission to start the registration exercise of persons who turned 18 years, four hours behind schedule in Tumu in the Sissala East Municipality.

Mr Charles Oteng Bonsra, the Sissala East Municipal Electoral Officer told the GNA that by 07:00 am the commission had set up ready to start the process but due light off the exercise could not start as scheduled.

Mr Bonsra said the first successful person registered around 11:30 am because the router connected to the computer also depended on the electricity to function, but the frequent outage made it slow.

He said about 15:00 hours about 21 persons were able register and who were mostly students.

Mr Bonsra said he advised students against registering if they are not of age.

He revealed that four electoral areas that are hard to reach will get mobile registers on services including Wellembele, Bawiesebelle, Santijan and  Kwapun electoral areas, which will start from 9th to 16th May 2024.

Agents of both the NPP and the NDC as well as security personnel and CODEO were at the centre.

Voter Registration hitches resolved at Kadjebi

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The registration of eligible voters for Voter ID Cards which witnessed some technical hitches this morning, successfully commenced some hours ago at the Kadjebi District Office of the Electoral Commission (EC).

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the E.C Office at 1450hours, seven registrants have registered for their Voter ID Cards.

Master Abdul Rahman Manaf, SHS form two student and first-time registrant, told GNA he wanted the Voter ID Card to enable him to participate in the December 7 polls.

He said his community, Kadjebi Zongo lacked social amenities, so he wanted to vote for someone who was development-oriented person to bring development projects to the community.

There was no queue at the Centre.

The NDC and NPP Party Agents were still at the centre.

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