General News of Monday, 26 July 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.comThe Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) have expressed dissatisfaction with the announced base pay increment for public sectors. The new base pay increment for 2021 and 2022 will increase their pay by 4 percent for 2021 and 7 percent for 2022, a report on citinewsroom.com. Also, the national minimum wage has been increased by 6 percent for 2021 and 8 percent for 2022, the report added. Ransford Lolih, who is the Greater Accra Regional Chairman, while speaking at the 6th Quadrennial and 53rd Greater Regional Delegates Conference of GNAT, said there was “so much apprehension and agitation” among members. “The anger boiling in our members must be taken seriously if we want a congenial atmosphere for teaching and learning in our schools.

He said the practice of borrowing money and using it for other things that investing it has caused the country a great deal. “At the end of December 2016, interest payment on total public debt was about 150% of capital expenditure. What this means is that if you are to spend one Cedis on capital expenditure, you need to spend one cedi fifty pesewas on paying your interest. We are spending more on interest payment than even capital expenditure because we are borrowing left, right, and center," he explained. Cassiel Ato Forson made this known during an NDC Ranking Members Forum on the Policy Dialogue on the Economy in Accra.

General News of Monday, 26 July 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• The University of Ghana has a new Vice-Chancellor• Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo becomes the first female to occupy the position• She was in charge of Academic and Students Affairs at the University of GhanaProf. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo has been appointed to act as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana. Should Prof. Amfo be confirmed, she would be the youngest so far, as well as the first female Vice-Chancellor in the history of the premier university. Profile of Professor Nana Aba Appiah AmfoProfessor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo is an alumna of the University of Ghana. Prof. Amfo has received additional training in higher education management and leadership from Harvard Business School, University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and INSEAD, France. Professor Amfo is currently an Advisory Board member of the Coalition of People Against Sexual and Gender Based Violence and Harmful Practices (CoPASH) – A UNFPA supported programme.

Regional News of Monday, 26 July 2021Source: GNAPencils of Promise (POP), an education-focused Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), and the Evangelical Presbyterian University College (EPUC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote effective teaching and learning. Mr. Freeman Gobah, Country Director, Pencils of Promise, speaking at a short ceremony to mark the signing of the MoU said the agreement would help enhance professional training opportunities for students of the College. Mr. Gobah said the University College would also provide human resources to Pencils of Promise to undertake specific activities. Professor Bakah said the University College was well-positioned to provide students with the requisite knowledge and skills to enable them to compete favourably in the world of work. The President said the University College aimed to become a centre of research, creativity, and excellence, thus, comprehensive ways were being developed to make it an IT-based institution.

Wading in the perception that old gospel musicians produce ‘holy spirit-filled' gospel songs as compared to the contemporary ones, Brother Sammy said veteran gospel musicians cannot withstand the temptation new school of gospel artistes face in recent times. To buttress his point, Brother Sammy cited instances where women in churches nowadays fail to cover up their bodies and busily gallivant during praises and offertory time. We have done better than the old gospel musicians. "These days, women show a lot of flesh during worship. One can recall that Brother Sammy on the same platform highlighted the importance of pre-marital sex.

Performance of the banking sector during the first half of 2021 reflected sustained growth in total assets, investments and deposits. However, gross advances recorded sluggish annual growth of 5.7 percent, relative to 15.7 percent growth in the same period of 2020. For the first half of 2021, New Advances totalled GH¢16.0 billion, marginally above the GH¢15.8 billion for same period in 2020. The overall weighted inflation expectations index declined in June 2021, on account of lower businesses and financial sector inflation expectations, despite the slight pick-up in consumer inflation expectations. On the whole, the Committee assessed that the risks to inflation and growth were broadly balanced and decided to keep the policy rate at 13.5 percent.

General News of Monday, 26 July 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• President Akufo-Addo has appointed two new deputy directors of communication at the Presidency• The two are Jefferson Sackey and Kofi Agyapong• They are expected to assist Eugene Arhin in the role who is currently the Director of Communications at the presidencyPresident Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed two new deputy directors of communication at the seat of the presidency, AdomOnline has reported. The two appointees are Jefferson Sackey and one Kofi Agyapong. They are expected to assist Eugene Arhin who is currently the Director of Communications at the presidency. Per the report, Jefferson Sackey, prior to his appointment was serving as Head of Media Production at the Jubilee House. Kofi Agyapong, on the other hand, served in the capacity of deputy director of Communications of the ruling New Patriotic Party in charge of Media Relations.

“What I am hearing is that the outgoing IGP is about promoting some officers; Lower Rank Officers, Other Rank Officers and Some Senior Officers. Even though the intention may be good, I am aware that for Senior Officers to be promoted, it must go through the Police Council. And so I would urge that the outgoing IGP should not do any promotions if he has any intentions of doing that,” he added. According to Adam Bonaa, the outgoing IGP if he has any intention of issuing promotions should rather leave a list of officers due for promotion in his handing over notes for the incoming IGP to work with. All promotions will have to suspend because technically it makes the work of the incoming IGP difficult.

General News of Monday, 26 July 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• More details have been revealed in the alleged $5m case involving the Chief Justice• It has emerged the Chief involved tried to get the Chief Justice off his case in previous times• Meanwhile the allegations are still under investigationThe chief of Efutu and Gomoa Adjumako traditional area, who has made some bribery allegations against Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah and Lawyer Akoto Ampaw had made attempts to take the Chief Justice off his case. The local media reports that Ogyeedom Obrani Kwesi Atta IV tried to get Kwasi Anin-Yeboah and Senior Supreme Court Judge, Jones Doste off the case without succeeding. Ogyeedom vs Ghana Telecom case before Supreme Court:The High Court in Swedru in the Central Region granted Ogyeedom IV a $16millon judgement debt against then Ghana Telecommunication Co. Ltd. He among other things alleged that the CJ had questioned the cost of the said ‘village land’ in the open court. Ogyeedom also applied to the Supreme Court for leave to lead fresh evidence to contradict the fresh evidence that Vodafone had been granted leave to adduce.

Midfielder Salifu Ibrahim played the first round of the 2020/2021 Ghana Premier League season under coach Ignatius Osei-Fosu at Techiman Eleven Wonders where he won Five Man of the Match Awards. Salifu left the mid-table club in Techiman to join giant Accra Hearts of Oak before the start of second round of the Ghana Premier League in February 2021, where he established himself as one of the current household name in the Ghana Premier League. He won the Ghana Premier League with the Phobians for the first time since 2009 and was also adjudged at the 3rd edition of the Ghana Football Awards as the Best Local-Based Footballer. But according to coach Ignatius who gave him his first taste of Premiership football, Salifu couldn’t maintain his form from Techiman when he joined Accra Hearts of Oak. “I think Salifu Ibrahim's level has dropped after he joining Hearts of Oak,” he told Kumasi-based Wontumi Radio.

He wondered why the Western world hasn't sanctioned Arabian countries for frowning against the activities of LGBTQ+ in their territories. "Why have they not blacklisted Ghana and other African countries for the massive looting of resources and aid money by their leaders while the masses suffer? Why should some powerful nations tie aid to LGBTQ+ rights instead of other important issues of governance such as corruption? Here are major highlights of the bill before parliament:- Sex shall only be between a man and woman. A media person can be jailed for 5-10 years, while the owner of a media platform may also be jailed.

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Entertainment of Monday, 26 July 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• Kofi Mole has asked parliament to shift its focus from LGBTQ to more important issues• MPs have been involved in series of discussions as far as the passage of the LGBTQ+ bill is concerned• Some MPs have been involved in a back and forth with other celebrities on social media over issues of LGBTQPopular Ghanaian hip-hop artiste, Kofi Mole has criticized the legislature for choosing to tackle LGBTQ issues instead of attending to more pressing needs in the country. It has been the case that some Members of Parliament (MPs) are championing the passage of LGBTQ+ bill which seeks to incriminate homosexual menace in the country. The likes of Ningo Prampram MP, Ras Mubarak, and Madina MP, Francis Xavier Sosu have engaged in series of social media banters with other personalities over the passage of the LGBTQ+ bill in the country. But sharing his thoughts on the subject, Kofi Mole who appears disappointed about the manner in which LGBTQ issues have been given prominence over ‘more important issues in the country said;“If you compare this LGBT issue with other pressing issues in this country you would realize there are weightier ones which need urgent attention. Sister Derby, in particular, was caught in a long-lasting 'fight' with Ningo Prampram MP Sam George, on Twitter over the passage of the LGBTQ+ bill

Business News of Monday, 26 July 2021Source: thebftonline.comAs part of multi-stakeholder efforts geared toward promoting the capital market, the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), in partnership with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), has held a workshop targeted at pension funds. “The opportunities the GSE platform provides for pension funds are enormous in realising good returns for their principals. Since pension funds are long-term in nature, opportunities exist for players in this space to invest in equities as well,” he explained. Director-General of the SEC, Daniel Ogbamey Tetteh, also added his voice to the call for pension fund players to invest in long-term securities including equities in their portfolios. Relying on historical data, he proved that over the medium to long-term, returns from investing in equities outpaces that of every other asset class.

“Multiple award-winning journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni rode a motorbike when he rejected all sorts of very tempting offers to drop investigations he conducted,” a portion of the write-up read. Samson who is the lawyer of Manasseh continued: “I was contacted to tell him to drop a story for a good car and cash in one case. I cautioned the elderly ‘respectable’ man sent by a big politician never to try that on Manasseh. Reacting to the recognition, Samson said: “It has taken young Manasseh to take journalism and the media to the coveted awards. In a Facebook post, Manasseh said: “Thank you very much, Samson Anyenini, for the kind words and honorable mention.