Business News of Friday, 21 May 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.comOn May 21, 2018, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stated that it is inappropriate for foreign-owned banks to dominate the banking sector. According to him, it is important indigenous banks are taken care of to withstand any shocks in the banking sector. Nonetheless, it is important that the regulator recognises that a banking sector dominated by foreign-owned banks does not bode well for the Ghana Beyond Aid project." Nonetheless, it is important that the regulator recognises that a banking sector dominated by foreign-owned banks does not bode well for the Ghana Beyond Aid project,” President Akufo-Addo said. He continued, “It is essential that indigenous banks grow and survive in any meaningful reform of the banking system.

In videos from the meeting available to GhanaWeb, the NPP National Women's Organizer amidst singing of worship songs could not help herself but break into uncontrollable tears. Addressing the meeting, Madam Gyamfua said, “at [the] right time, we will bring out all our documents showing our compliance to tax obligations. I am fully behind the president and the party and I am against galamsey just as every Ghanaian is. According to reports, nine (9) excavators among other equipment of Xtra Gold Mining Company Limited allegedly belonging to Madam Kate Gyamfua were burnt by the military team during the raid on the site. According to the Minister, Madam Gyamfua is only an employee of the company serving in the capacity of a Managing Director.

General News of Friday, 21 May 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• According to the President of the Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education, all 46 Public Colleges of Education have not received students maintainance funds since the beginning of the year. • Mr Emmanuel Nyamekye notes that the situation has led the suppliers ceasing their supplies to the Colleges. • He notes that Principals of the Colleges will be compelled to shutdown their schools after a week if government does not disburse funds. Speaking in an interview with Joynews monitored by GhanaWeb, the President of the Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education, Mr Emmanuel Nyamekye noted that the government since the beginning of the current academic year in January has not released any funds for students maintenance, including feeding. “If nothing is done in the next couple of weeks, we may be compelled to ask our students to go home,” he said.

• He says some individuals who felt threatened by his work plotted to get him out in order to pursue their exploits in galamsey. One of such individuals who was indicted by the Anas video was the former Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue. According to Charles Bissue, the said individuals he refused to name, plotted the allegation of fraud to discredit him and get “him off their backs”. However, the Anas exposé which alleged fraud on the part of some members of the Committee including Charles Bisue rendered their work questionable. Commenting on the allegations and his work on the Committee, Charles Bissue in his interview on Okay FM stated that "we had the technology.

General News of Friday, 21 May 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman has been sacked by the National Security Minister• This follows an alleged assault on journalist Caleb Kudah• Col. Agyeman is to report to the Chief of Defence Staff for further investigation and appropriate actionThe National Security Minister has dismissed Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman, the Director of Operation at the National Security following an assault on journalist Caleb Kudah on May 11, 2021. “The committee also established that the journalist’s unauthorized entry into the premises of the Ministry of National Security was unlawful,” the statement read further. Following his release, Caleb Kudah has been recounting harrowing experiences during his time with the National Security operatives. Process him for court, this is what we call due process.”“If he did anything wrong he is wrong and wrong is wrong. You come and turn everything upside down in the name of primitive National Security,” he recounted.

General News of Friday, 21 May 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com•Mr Oquaye says he has not endorsed the Vice President or anyone for NPP's 2024 flagbearership. “I wish to state emphatically that I have not endorsed anyone as the 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party. It centred on the NPP and what it stands for from ancient to modern, including Ghana's digitisation progress. “Indeed, having asked the progress of Ghana's digitisation initiative under Dr. Bawumia, I categorically stated that, ‘It will be fantastic if we are able to continue with this digitisation, automation and ICT. Ursula at the Ministry of Communications.”“I consider Dr. Bawumia as an 'A Plus' performer, but so are other NPP stalwarts, including Hon.

Business News of Friday, 21 May 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.comThe Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Thursday, May 20, 2021, closed down 7 oil marketing companies in Accra for failing to pay their taxes. These 7 include Santol Limited, Grid Petroleum, Life Petroleum, Sawiz Petroleum, Deliman and Co Ltd, Petra Energy and Sonnidom Limited. He added that these closed down filling stations have partly become the property of the Ghana Revenue Authority until they clear their debts. In an interview with the media after the lock-up exercise, Mr Tetteh explained that “the intention of the commission is not to lock up these places. Below is the amount of money these closed down companies owe GRASantol Limited GH¢57,398,141.90Grid Petroleum GH¢ 1,253,969.51Life Petroleum GH¢ 1,149,946.78Sawiz Petroleum GH¢ 5,122,387.20Deliman and Co Ltd GH¢ 11,631,689.80Petra Energy GH¢ 20,736,960.30Sonnidom GH¢ 862,702.13

Fifty (50) days, the 25 days that I suffered, how and where was I going to be able to articulate? Baako in a long post on his Facebook page explained, “a journalist is released from security custody after 5 hours. No hint of the reported physical assault or torture was/is communicated to the audience of the program or the nation. He questioned why the management delayed reporting the physical torture of Caleb Kudah. The decision not to run with the story of the physical assault or torture timeously was explained to me.

“Johnson Asiedu Nketia is living in the 13th century, that’s why he talked the palm wine talk. He continued: “as General Secretary, he has made the General Secretary as if it is a joke. “Johnson Asiedu Nketia, you have failed…get up and apologise to your people…you went to court to disgrace the party, talk about that. You’re the General Secretary of a party, so, stop joking. Stop joking Asiedu Nketia, get serious,” he stressed.

The IGP speaking at the opening of the National Police Command Conference 2021 said, these crimes are perpetuated by a network of organized criminal gangs who are quite well resourced and equipped to commit crimes internally and externally. “We need to develop sustainable security measures to insulate the communities from violent crimes. We can only do this with the collaboration of the members of the community supports in our fight against criminals,” he added. He asked his Commanders to always prioritize the physical and psychological wellbeing of personnel working under their respective commands. He said the Police can only achieve it’s organizational mandate of maintaining law and order when they create an avenue where officers will express their concerns for appropriate solution.

Leticia Kyere Pinaman, a 14-year-old final year student, was found hanging by her colleagues whilst they had converged at the school’s church auditorium for Bible studies. She said the note had been taken by the police to compare with the deceased’s handwriting. Since then, a new note has emerged with different content from the one the police picked up. According to the note, Leticia’s friends only come around when she has food in her chop box and that makes her unhappy. “I know you are not going to be happy to have this but today, I am very sad.

Sports News of Friday, 21 May 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.comInter Allies will take on Teman Yout in the MTN Fa Cup 2021 Round 64 scheduled to take place on the weekend of May 28-30. The fixture will be played at the Accra Sports StadiumThe Eleven Is To One lads will play away against Division One side Tema Youth in Round 64 fixture. This comes after the organisers of the tournament held yet another round of draws to determine fixtures for round 64 of the 2021 edition. With the last edition played in 2017, Kumasi Asante kotoko remains the current holders of the Cup after they beat Hearts of Oak 3-1 in the final that year.

General News of Thursday, 20 May 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• The AMA has confiscated some five dozens of cigarette boxes at public toilets in Accra. • The public health officers from the AMA visited places like Roman Boys, Koolo Moomo, and Gamoth. Some over 50 packets of cigarettes being sold at some public toilets in Accra, posing threats to the facilities they were found at, have been confiscated by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA). Head of the Public Health Department, Florence Kuukyi, who led the team explained that "smoking in the public toilet can lead to explosion since a piece of the live cigarettes can mistakenly fall into the drop hole which is full of gases," a statement said. She cautioned patrons of public toilets to desist from smoking in the facility to avoid any disaster.

General News of Thursday, 20 May 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• A group called the United Peace Federation wants the Speaker of Parliament to help it attain its target of setting up a Ghana chapter of the IAPP. The National Coordinator of the United Peace Federation- Ghana Dr. Mrs. Helen Osei has appealed to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to support efforts towards the setting up of the Ghana chapter of the International Association of MPs for Peace (IAPP). Mrs Osei made the appeal when she led a delegation of the United Peace Federation-Ghana to call on the Speaker in parliament today. Speaker commended the federation for its dedication to building a world of peace centered on universal spiritual and moral values. The United Peace Federation is and NGO in General Consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and supporting the work of the UN achieve the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)

General News of Thursday, 20 May 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• John Mahama has formally withdrawn his acceptance as the African Union’s Special Envoy to Somalia• He explained that the proposed assignment requires a High Representative for the position• Somalia has in recent times witnessed a renewed political crisisFormer President John Dramani Mahama has formally withdrawn his acceptance as the African Union’s Special Envoy to Somalia. In a statement signed by Special Aide to the former president, Joyce Bawa Mogtari explained John Mahama has in a letter to the Chairperson of the AU pointed that the proposed assignment requires a High Representative for the position. “The high political importance of the proposed assignment requires that the High Representative enjoy the unalloyed support and co-operation of all political stakeholders,” parts of the statement read. Mr Mahama however thanked the African Union for the confidence earlier reposed in him and reaffirmed his commitment to the African Union’s vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa. Prior to John Mahama's appointment, Somalia has in recent times witnessed renewed political crisis after the incumbent president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed decided to extend his tenure by two more years.