The Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, has presented a bill to Parliament seeking to amend the VAT Act.

This amendment aims to exempt the supply of motor vehicle insurance from VAT, as stated in the 2025 budget.

It also sought to fulfill the National Democratic Congress’ promise to abolish Value Added Tax (VAT) on motor insurance policies.

The First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, who presided over proceedings on Friday referred the bill to the Finance Committee for consideration and reporting back to the House.

“Honorable members, the bill on Value Added Tax amendment 2025, is accordingly read for the first time and referred to the finance committee for consideration and report,” Mr Ahiafor stated.

Accorsing to the finance minister, the move is expected to bring relief to motorists and insurance companies, who had been advocating the removal of VAT on motor insurance policies.

The exemption is likely to reduce the cost of motor insurance, making it more affordable for vehicle owners.

The Finance Committee will now review the bill and provide a report to Parliament, paving the way for the amendment to become law.

If passed, the exemption will take effect, providing welcome relief to the insurance industry and vehicle owners.

Source: GNA

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Mr Joshua Ansah, the Secretary General of the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC), has called on the management of Keda Ghana Ceramics Limited, producers of Twyford Ceramic Tiles, based in the Shama District to allow its workers to freely belong to a trade union of their choice.

He made the call at the Western Regional TUC Women’s Day celebration in Takoradi which sought to empower workers, especially women.

Mr Ansah mentioned that every Ghanaian worker had the right to belong to a union of his or her choice at the workplace to promote progress, peace and harmony.

He appealed to employers of Twyford to allow its workers to join any labour union of their choice as it was the sole right for workers to belong to a union in line with the labour laws in the country.

Mr Ansah indicated that should the management failed to comply with the labour laws of the country then force would be applied.

He urged Ghanaian management at the company to educate their Chinese partners on the country’s labour laws to see the need for them to allow workers to join a labour union.

The TUC Secretary-General appealed to the government to stiffen the labour laws of the country to serve as a deterrent to foreign investors who were likely to trample on the rights of Ghanaian workers.

Source: GNA

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Ghana is currently exporting 300 megawatts of electricity to her neighbouring countries, Mr John Abu Jinapor, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, announced this on the floor of Parliament on Friday.

Contributing to the debate on President Mahama’s State of the Nation Address, the Minister said: “We are exporting about 300 megawatts of power outside including Burkina Faso, Benin and to other neighboring countries, and so obviously when you have enough, you can export,” he said.

The Energy Minister also dismissed the Minority Caucus’ claims that there was ongoing load shedding in parts of the country and thus said there was no need for a load-shedding timetable.

He said the Mahama-led government was working to stabilise power supply.

“Today, let me put on record that we are not shedding load, and so the demand by the minority and some people that we publish a load-shedding timetable is mute,” he stated.

He stated that the energy system was fragile due to fuel supply constraints and thus assured the public that efforts were underway to secure more fuel and settle outstanding payments to some power producers.

“The system is very fragile and weak, but we’ve been working around the clock to procure enough fuel and to make some payments to power suppliers to hold the system,” he said.

Source: GNA

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The Royal Danish Embassy has paid a courtesy call to the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to discuss wastewater management among other water-related concerns.

Mr Tom Norring, the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, said Denmark excelled in wastewater management, much like its strength in providing clean water.

He said Denmark was committed to ensuring that water, whether supplied to private households or businesses, remained clean upon entry and was effectively treated when it became contaminated.

“We must find sustainable solutions to ensure that water is managed effectively and can be safely reintroduced into circulation,” Mr Norring said.

“We will work closely with Ghana as a strong and reliable partner, particularly in addressing water-related challenges.”

He said Denmark had supported Ghana with development aid for more than 40 years, and that since Ghana’s independence and its transition to democracy, the country had consistently been regarded as a strong and resilient nation, one that had served as a beacon of hope for development in West Africa.

 Denmark was also very supportive in the just ended 2024 General Election, which ended peacefully, enabling the continuity of being active partners, the Ambassador said.

Mr Norring noted that Ghana and Denmark shared numerous mutual interests that must continue to be nurtured, and that both nations were dedicated to addressing significant security challenges in the region, including terrorism and extreme violence.

“Denmark also takes the threat of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea seriously, aligning with Ghana’s concerns in this area,” he added.

The Embassy, he added, had an extensive programme in place to help strengthen the capacity of Ghana and neighboring countries to combat maritime insecurity, including piracy and other crimes at sea.

Both Denmark and Ghana valued standing together to support the United Nations and the multilateral system to ensure the safety and security of nations, and safeguarding borders through the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, he added.

Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, said Denmark’s collaboration with the Government spanned decades across various sectors like water, sanitation and local governance through the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).

The Ministry had collaborated with DANIDA in the implementation of interventions such as Danish Support to District Assemblies Phase I and II, District Development Facility, and Local Service Delivery and Governance Programme.

“In 2022 and 2023, the Embassy also, through the DANIDA Fellowship Centre, facilitated the participation of two staff from the Ministry in short courses on Organisational Change Management, and had again requested the nomination of two staff for the 2024/2025 programme.

He said currently, the Embassy was collaborating with Tema Metropolitan Assembly in the implementation of the Strategic Sector Corporation, based on a proposal the TMA sent to the Embassy.

That was to assist in the effectively management of the Central Sewerage System, which was over stretched due to increase in population, coupled with improper disposal of liquid waste and the release of hazardous effluent from industries into the environment.

Mr. Ibrahim said the Ministry would continuously collaborate with the Danish Embassy to build capacities for officials and staff of the Regional Coordinating Councils and District Assemblies in the execution of their duties through the soon to be established University of Local Governance and Development.

“We will also collaborate to improve sanitation and environmental sustainability akin to the DSDA II, and provide support to sub-district structures to revamp them and ensure their functionality,” he added.

Source: GNA

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Three commercial motorbike riders were on Tuesday granted a GH¢50,000.00 bail with two sureties each by the Amasaman Circuit Court over alleged robbery.

The sureties of Richard Lamptey, 18, alias Patapa, Bright Guamah, alias Barrister, 24, and Michael Tetteh, aka Passward, 23, are to be justified with titled deed documents.

They denied conspiring to rob Madam Yaa Horsu, a food vendor, and are to deposit their valid national identity cards with the Court’s Registry.

Lamptey, Guamah and Tetteh are to make their next appearance on April 2, 2025 at the court, presided over by Ms Enid Marful-Sau.

Police Chief Inspector Benjamin Arthur, giving the facts, said Madam Horsu, the complainant, was a food vendor at Dome Sampaman in Accra, the same area where Lamptey lived.

He said Guamah and Tetteh lived at Kwashiekuma and Addeyman, respectively.

On October 23, 2024, at about 0400 hours, the complainant was trekking to the market among three others when, suddenly, three young men, armed with machete and riding on an unregistered motorbikes, pulled up and furiously ordered her to surrender everything in her possession to them, else they would butcher her.

The prosecution said the three accused persons succeeded in robbing the complainant of her mobile phone, value unknown, and cash amount of GH¢6,400.00, and bolted.

Intelligence gathered led to the arrest of the accused persons, prosecution said.

They were cautioned and Tetteh admitted having conspired with Lamptey and Guamah to rob the complainant, the court heard.

They were arraigned after investigations.

Source: GNA

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Daniel Tuffuor, the suspect in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) murder case, was on Friday remanded into police custody by the Prempeh Assembly Hall District Court in Kumasi. 

Tuffour was arrested on Thursday in connection with the tragic death of a final year biological sciences student at the university on Thursday February 27, 2025. 

His plea was not taken after the fact sheet was read; he will reappear before the court on Friday March 24, 2025. 

The police prosecutor requested the court to keep him in custody for two weeks to enable the police cto continuewith their investigations. 

Tuffuor was picked up by the Police after campus CCTV footage captured him engaged in a violent confrontation with the deceased, Joana Deladem Yabani. 

Reports suggested that Joana fell on the ground during the altercation and after realizing she was unresponsive, the suspect allegedly relocated her body close to the University’s Disability and Rehabilitation Centre, where she was later found at dawn on that day. 

Medical personnel from KNUST Hospital arrived at the scene, but she was pronounced dead before her body was transported to the morgue for further examination. 

Source: GNA 

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The State on Tuesday informed an Accra High Court that it was awaiting the analytical report on over 16 kilogrammes of narcotic drugs allegedly found on two South Africans and a Nigerian.

The drugs, found on the three women, are suspected to be methamphetamine concealed in two suitcases.

Mr Frederick Adu Gyamfi, an Assistant State Attorney, prayed the court to remand the accused persons into custody of the Narcotics Control Commission pending the conclusion of investigations.

“Our update is that we are yet to receive the analytical report from the Ghana Standards Authority on the substances found on the accused during the arrest.

In the circumstances, we pray for short adjournment by which we would have received the report on the substances retrieved on the accused persons and proceed with the trial,” prosecution said.

Defence Counsel told the court that although he had just been approached to defend the accused, he would like to pray for bail for them.

Counsel held that it was unfair for prosecution to ask the court to remand his clients.

He said his clients had been in custody for more than a month and emphasised that they were innocent until proven guilty.

The court, presided over by Justice Kizita Koowa Quarshie, urged defence counsel to formally file his bail application.

The matter has been adjourned to March 11, 2025.

The accused persons, names withheld, were picked up at the Kotoka International Airport on January 20, 2025 by officials of the Narcotics Control Commission.

They were found to have concealed drugs suspected to be methamphetamine in two suitcases.

The court is yet to take the pleas of the accused persons although they have been charged.

Source: GNA

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Mr Richard Gyan-Mensah, Deputy Energy and Green Transition Minister-designate, has supported the call to privatise certain aspects of the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) operations to enhance efficiency and ensure quality service delivery.  

Speaking during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on, Mr Gyan-Mensah asserted that engaging a private entity to take charge of the ECG’s metering and billing systems would enhance efficiency and rake-in the needed revenue for the government.  

The move, he said, would also help in reducing the ECG’s commercial losses and invariably bring down electricity tariffs.  

Asked whether the nation has returned to the days of dumsor (power outages), the nominee indicated there was no power rationing now, however, the ongoing gas pipeline maintenance works being undertaken by the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) had affected gas supply to some thermal plants for power generation.  

Mr Gyan-Mensah, also the Member of Parliament for Gomoa West in the Central Region, was confident that when the maintenance works were completed by next month, the country would no longer experience any power outages.  

Asked whether the nation would abandon its unexploited fossil fuel sources given the global leaders call to transition towards renewable energy,  the nominee said energy transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources was a gradual process and that the nation would continue to exploit its fossil fuels while measures would be put in place to tap the renewable energy sources in the longer term.  

On how the nation could tap funds under the carbon credit facility, Mr Gyan-Mensah stated that government would encourage the planting of commercial trees across the country and was optimistic that the setting up of the Tree Crop Development Authority by the previous government was in the right direction.  

The nominee pledged his commitment to supporting the substantive minister to implement the policies of President John Mahama’s government in the energy sector.  

Source: GNA  

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A 40-year-old businessman, accused of defrauding a retired judge of GH¢300,000.00 under the pretext of securing him a plot of land, has been granted bail by the Amasaman Circuit Court.

Charles Amoateng was granted a GH¢200,000.00 bail and is to get two people to stand as sureties for him.

The court, presided over by Ms Enid Marful-Sau, ordered that the sureties deposit valid national identity cards with the Court’s Registry.

Amoateng will make his next appearance on April 2, 2025.

Prosecuting, Police Sergeant Faustina Asamoah said Justice Fred Kwesi Awuah, the complainant, was a retired High Court Judge staying at Sarpeiman near Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region.

Amoateng, the accused person, is a businessman who is into estate development and stays at the Amasaman Stadium area. 

Prosecution said somewhere in December 2023, the complaint needed a piece of land to buy, and the accused person was introduced to him.

 Justice Awuah and the one who introduced Amoateng to him both met the accused person (Amoateng) and he took them to a land located at Abor village near Amasaman. 

Prosecution said the complainant developed interest and he was asked to pay GH¢400,000.00. 

The complainant made a part-payment of GH¢300,000.00 leaving a balance of GH¢100,000.00 to be paid after he had received the document covering the land. 

The Court heard that the complainant visited the land and realised that someone was developing it, and he contacted the accused person who told him (complainant) to hold on for some time. 

The accused person explained that the family had a problem with the land, which was being solved at the court. 

Justice Awuah again confronted the accused person, who promised to give him a different piece of land but the complainant refused.

 He (complainant) demanded his GH¢300,000 back but the accused refunded only GH¢100,000.00, Sergeant Asamoah said. 

On November 19, 2024, a formal report was made to the Amasaman Divisional CID, leading to the arrest of Amoateng. 

In his caution statement he admitted the offence and promised to refund the rest of the money but failed. 

He was, therefore, arraigned after investigations. 

Source: GNA

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The Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate has introduced an innovative mobile-based system designed to assist pregnant women and mothers in accessing vital health information and services. 

The initiative aims to enhance maternal and child health outcomes by leveraging mobile technology to provide timely and relevant support to women across the country.

The system, known as “Nurse Mary,” is championed by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and supported by Jacaranda Health to deliver time-sensitive information to pregnant women and offer reminders about upcoming appointments, information on expected symptoms, and self-care tips on nutrition and hygiene, among others. 

The launch was characterised by a role play in Twi, Ga, and Ewe languages to depict how the system works and its benefits for pregnant women, mothers, and infants.

Dr. Sally Quartey, the Tema Metropolitan Director of Health Services, said the Ghana Health Service (GHS) introduced a policy that assigned each pregnant woman to a specific midwife to improve personalised care and foster a stronger connection between expectant mothers and healthcare providers.

Dr. Quartey, however, said there could be instances when a midwife might be engaged elsewhere when a pregnant woman required urgent attention, noting that the SMS system would address this challenge and provide timely, relevant, and accessible health information to pregnant women and mothers. 

She mentioned that Tema Metro was one of the districts the project was being piloted in, adding that it had significantly empowered women to make informed decisions about their health while also providing feedback to healthcare providers.

“After the pilot phase, women now receive messages informing them about critical stages of their pregnancy; for instance, if they are supposed to feel foetal movements at a certain stage but do not, they can send a text message to 384 to seek guidance. In some cases, if urgent care is needed, they receive a prompt response directing them to the appropriate healthcare providers or facility,” she stated.

She expressed confidence that the SMS initiative would enable women to quickly identify danger signs, seek medical assistance promptly, and enhance maternal and neonatal health outcomes.

Mr. John Hammond, an official from Jacaranda Health, said his outfit was an international organisation that partnered with government and health facilities to implement cost-effective digital health interventions, with their services targeting service users, providers, and healthcare managers.

Mr. Hammond said the initiative had been named “Promoting Mothers in Pregnancy and Postpartum through SMS” to empower women with information to recognise danger signs during pregnancy and seek immediate medical attention when necessary.

He noted that the initiative had begun in the Greater Accra Region and would be extended to the entire country by the end of the year.

He said to enroll in the service, women could register by dialing ‘MAMA’ to 384 through an SMS where they would receive further details in English and Twi.

He added that they were ensuring that all pregnant women and mothers, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status, could benefit from the free service.

Source: GNA

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