Dress a Kid Foundation donates to 3 communities

Three basic schools in the Upper Manya Krobo District in the Eastern Region of  Ghana, have  benefited from a  free exercise books distribution project  by Dress a Kid Foundation, an online Charity group with the aim of  supporting the less privileged. Dubbed ‘Project 1,000', the donation saw  over 1,000 customized exercise books and other teaching and learning materials  presented to about 500 pupils from the district .

 According to the Foundation, the gesture is to relief some of the burden on parents who are finding it difficult to get basic school materials for their wards in the new academic year. Beneficiary schools included  Kpeti Basic School, Kumankuma Anglican School  and the Brepaw Upper Presbyterian  School. 

 As part of the project, the Foundation also donated some clothing and shoes to the children in the deprived  farming  communities. Addressing a gathering of  pupils, teachers and parents at Brepaw , the  leader of  Dress a Kid Foundation, Mr  Attah-Effah Badu, said the project forms part of the group’s objectives to elicit smiles from the faces of children in deprived communities on quarterly basis.

 He revealed that about  3,000 needy children in deprived communities and orphanages have  so far benefited  from the initiative since it was established some five years ago.

“Our initial  aim was  to provide one of the major necessities of life ,clothes to a minimum of hundred  children every quarter of the year, due  to our experiences at some  of the communities and schools we  visit,  we raise stationery in addition to the clothes we donate,” Mr Attah-Effah said. 

 “To us at Dress a Kid Foundation, we believe we can be a blessing unto others if we can share with them the little we have.  We may not be able to do all but we know with our little contribution, we are   giving some children reasons to be happy,” he noted. 

At Kumankuma, one of the communities the team visited, the Assemblyman of the area, Mr. Sam Martey, lauded the group for the gesture, and urged other benevolent organisations to do same. “We are surprised to see this team of young individuals embark on a journey of over 150 kilometres just to donate to the children of this community. It is a poor farming community and this donation came at the right time,” the Assemblyman who doubles  as one of  the two teachers in the school said.

 Dress a Kid Foundation comprises young Facebook friends who have the passion to share.

 The team has solely, and in partnership  with other groups  embarked on several outreach programmes which includes  giving face-lifts to  deprived schools.  

Source :Citifmonline

Ghana reduces new HIV infections among children by 76% - UNAIDS Report

A new report by the UNAIDS suggests that since 2009, Ghana and six other countries in sub-Saharan Africa have reduced new HIV infections among children by 50%, with others making significant progress.

The report, titled, “2013 Progress Report on the Global Plan towards elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive,” (Global Plan) showed that Ghana, Botswana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia were successful in reducing the incidence of HIV infection by half, while Tanzania and Zimbabwe were also reported to have made substantial progress.

According to the report, Ghana in a short time span, “tripled its coverage of antiretroviral medicines for pregnant women living with HIV, resulting in a 76% reduction in the number of new HIV infections among children – the highest reduction observed among the countries with a high burden of pregnant women living with HIV”.

The report praised the Ghanaian government for this success story saying; “the high level of political and financial commitment and the expansion of services by the government are producing results”.

It however recommended that attention now needs to turn towards expanding the coverage of antiretroviral therapy for eligible children and pregnant women and addressing the large unmet need for family planning services.

The report highlights the “130,000 fewer new HIV infections among children across the 21 Global Plan priority countries in Africa – a drop of 38% since 2009.”

 “The progress in the majority of countries is a strong signal that with focused efforts, every child can be born free from HIV,” said Michel Sidibé, executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

“But progress has stalled in some countries with high numbers of new HIV infections. We need to find out why and remove the bottlenecks which are preventing scale-up,” he indicated.

Though access to HIV treatment has doubled from 2009-2012 in Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, the report says, “urgent steps need to be taken to improve early diagnosis of HIV in children and ensure timely access to antiretroviral treatment.”

The Global Plan initiative is spearheaded by UNAIDS and the United States Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). For 2015, the Global Plan targets a 90% reduction in the number of children newly infected with HIV and a 50% reduction in the number of AIDS-related maternal deaths.

Ghana loses over GHc2.065billion To financial irregularities in 2011 – Auditor General

Story by: Attah-Effah Badu

Cash embezzlements, payroll irregularities, unrecovered debts, procurement and tax irregularities by over 80 public boards, corporations, and institutions landed Ghana in a whopping loss of GH¢2,067,745,512 in 2011, according to the country’s Auditor General.

This revelation was contained in the latest Auditor General’s report submitted to parliament a few weeks ago for consideration and action.

According to the report, out of the total figure, misapplication of funds, embezzlements, unverified payments and uncredited  bank lodgements  as a result of poor control environment and ineffective  internal audit units at the various public boards, corporations  and statutory institutions resulted in GH¢1,965 ,052,672 in cash irregularities alone.

This amount constituted 95.5% of all financial irregularities identified by the Auditor General in the financial operations of the different public boards and organisations. The total loss includes US$50,309,512 converted into cedis at the prevailing exchange rate of Gh¢1.5467 to the US$1 as at 31st December 2011.

Outstanding debts in the year amounted to 4.8% of the anomalies translating into GH¢ 99,170,464.

According to the report, the outstanding debts owed to these bodies are as a result of ineffective debt management systems and lackadaisical attitudes of managements to put in place strong measures to promptly collect debts when they fall due.

The Auditor General, Mr Richard Q. Quartey, in the report recommended that  management of public boards, corporations and other statutory bodies should put in place adequate mechanisms towards debts recovery to ensure prompt recoveries on  due dates to mitigate or avoid the occurrence of bad debts.

To avoid cash irregularities Mr. Quartey, further recommended that the boards and other statutory institutions should improve the control environment, including the establishment and effective operation of internal audit units and enhance the supervision over accounting staffs.

“I also recommend the prompt retirement of imprests, authentication of all payment    vouchers and early credit lodgements”, the AG said in his report.

 In the case of tax irregularities which resulted in the loss of Gh¢303,596, the Auditor General says it was caused by the failure of finance officers to diligently act in accordance with statutory tax laws resulting in non-deduction of withholding tax, and delays in payment of withholding tax to Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). He advised finance officers to strictly adhere to tax laws.

The report also revealed a loss of GH¢1,795,607 to payroll irregularities during the same period. The report noted that this form of irregularity mostly included the non-deletion of separated staff from the institution’s payroll after their termination dates. It added that the lack of coordination between the Accounts office and the various    administrative heads was responsible for the lack of deletion of the ghost names.

The Auditor General called for coordination between departments of government institutions and the swift notification of respective bankers of former staff to withhold salaries paid into their bank accounts in error. The report also urged the recovery of all the wrongful payments made to the said employees.

He said to enhance accountability and timely stewardship of public funds as well as effective financial management, sector Ministers must as a matter of urgency take remedial measures to ensure that Public Boards and statutory institutions adopt measures to prevent these loses.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Assemblies land Ghana in GHc12.1million financial loss

Story by: Attah-Effah Badu

The 2011 Auditor General’s report on the accounts of 117 District Assemblies, reveals that over GH¢12.1 million could not be traced, due to what the report says were internal control weaknesses and managerial ineffectiveness, leading to  widespread irregularities in the financial administration of the various District and Municipal Assemblies.

Significant among the irregularities observed by the Auditor General in the accounts of the Assemblies for 2011 were misappropriation of revenue, direct disbursements from revenue collections, contract and procurement irregularities, tax irregularities, uncollected staff rent, unsubstantiated payments, unrecovered loans and advances, unretired imprests among others.

According to the report, these substantial losses were triggered by the low level of commitment shown by various accountants and Coordinating Directors towards ensuring and adherence to the provisions of the Financial Memoranda for MMDAs, 2004, the Financial Administration Regulations, 2004 and the Public Procurement Act, 2003 as well as the non-performance of the monitoring and supervisory functions of the Finance and Administration (F&A) Sub-Committees of the Assemblies.

The report also discovered that the failure of some key stakeholders at the Assemblies to exercise their monitoring and supervisory responsibilities over their subordinates to ensure compliance with relevant provisions played part in the loss of the aforementioned amount.

The Audor General disclosed that the misappropriation of revenue by Revenue Collectors in 25 District Assemblies cost the country GH¢210,411.66 as compared to GH¢287,299.21  observed in the accounts  of 30 District Assemblies a year earlier.

Likewise, Poor supervision and ineffective internal controls at 10 Assemblies resulted in direct disbursement of GH¢158,715.06 from the total revenue collected, a practice the report says does not only contravene Part VIII Section 31 of the Financial Memoranda, but also “weakens expenditure controls, increases the risk of misappropriation, and encourages unauthorized borrowing of funds for private purposes and other cash irregularities”.

Laxity in revenue collection also saw three Assemblies in the Greater Accra and Western Regions not take any action against firms which owed them a colossal GH¢3,910,051.66 in property rates and business operating permits.

Another shocking revelation was that persons who issued dud cheques to these three assemblies were not even prosecuted as the law requires.

“In the Ledzekuku-Krowor Assembly, it was observed that the Assembly could not abrogate the contracts of three firms which reneged on an agreement to collect property rate arrears of GH¢2,811,695.60 for  the Assembly but collected only GH¢207,816.16 or 11.8%”.

It was also identified that unearned salaries totalling GH¢346,054.31 were paid to separated staff (ghost employees) in 20 Assemblies due to delayed deletion of their names from the payroll.

Unpresented value books, unsubstantiated payments, unrecovered loans, advances, unretired imprests and unpaid rents were all forms of irregularities that contributed to the loss of the GH¢12.1 million in financial operations of the assemblies.

Assemblies in the Greater Accra region led the league table of losses with a whopping GH¢6,136,911.59 representing more than 50%; followed by Eastern region with GH¢1,358,899.98 and the Northern region with GH¢1,047,804.86.

Upper East region accounted for the least amount of losses totalling GH¢37,575.95.

To ensure that the irregularities noted are minimized, the Auditor-General Richard Q. Quartey, among other things recommended  that “desk officers for Assemblies are appointed at the ministerial level to monitor both internal and external audit reports, as well as any other internal monitoring or evaluation reports and to prepare periodic status reports on these matters for the attention of the Minister for Local Government and Rural  Development (MLGRD) who would ensure prompt implementation of recommendations.

“I would also continue to urge the Minister, MLGRD to organise frequent  training workshops for the staff of the District Assemblies on the applicable  provisions in the regulatory framework on District Assemblies to ensure  improvement in compliance with laws and other regulations governing the financial  operations of the Assemblies”, he stated in the report.

GOOGLE TRADER FEVER CATCHES PHONE VENDORS AT NKRUMAH CIRCLE

GOOGLE TRADER FEVER CATCHES PHONE VENDORS AT NKRUMAH CIRCLE

 The number of Internet users in Ghana according to   data from the World Bank rose from   2,329,419 in 2010 to 3,522,677  in  2012, and considering  the trend since 2007  ,there is the expectation that it will increase at the end of the year, but  if one thought internet usage was reserved solely for a particular group of people  in the society, then the notes needs to be revised because the hawker selling phones  on the street is not left out either.

Out of naivety, one might conclude  the phone vendor  at the Kwame Nkrumah circle  is  alien to the internet  craze but In a bid  to reach more   customers  and increase the sales of their products ,  these vendors  have  adopted a new  advertising strategy by enlisting on ‘Google Trader’, a   free online classifieds  service website which provides a  platform for  buying and selling of products and services .

This move according  to them  is  to ensure they are not left out in  the current  trend where  the internet has become   a business hub for a lot of Ghanaians.

Since it  was  launched in Ghana in 2010  with the aim of making buying  and selling  more easier  and convenient  for local internet  users , thousands of     technologically inclined Ghanaians have made the Google Trader website a first point of call whenever the idea of  selling  or buying items ranging electronic  gadgets, auto-mobiles , stationaries , and houses  comes  in mind.

Realising this, some mobile phone hawkers and  ‘table-top mobile shop’ owners  at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle who hitherto only  advertised their mobile phone solely by word of mouth have resulted to the use selling their phones  on the internet  via Google Trader.

‘Things  are  changing , hence, the need to catch up,   there are many Ghanaians who  are  on the internet  these days and for me as a marketer, personally, this Google trader helps me to reach more people with my products and also buy products which I later resell  .‘  a Nigerian phone trader who gave his identity as just Mustapha  told our  reporter.

According to  Mustapha who claimed to have dropped out  from    a  college  in Nigeria,  together with his other friends  who are  also listed on the site, what they do  is to post a  

A Firefighter's Prayer

When I am called to duty, God,

wherever flames may rage,
give me strength to save a life,
whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child
before it is too late,
or save an older person from
the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert,
and hear the weakest shout,
quickly and efficiently
to put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling,
to give the best in me,
to guard my friend and neighbor,
and protect his property.
And if according to Your will
I must answer death's call,
bless with your protecting hand,
my family one and all.
- Author Unknown

IBN CHAMBAS COMMENCES UNAMID JOB

                                 

Former Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Secretary-General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, Muhammad Ibn Chambas, this week commenced his term as of Head of the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and Joint Chief Mediator.

The Ghanaian diplomat was in late 2012 appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General , Ban Ki-moon and African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zumato succeed Ibrahim Gambari of Nigeria in the troubled western Sudan region.

According to a Press Release by UNAMID, Mr Chambas upon arriving in  Khartoum on Monday to take up the position expressed his happiness to take up his duties in Darfur at this crucial time.

“I will work diligently and tirelessly to accomplish the tasks assigned to UNAMID, including advancing the agenda of peace and stability in Darfur,” Mr. Chambas said adding that “Only an all-inclusive peace on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur can bring a lasting solution to the suffering of millions of men, women and children in this region”.

The new UNAMID Chief in the few weeks is expected to meet with a range of top Sudanese government officials, Darfur authorities, ambassadors, United Nations representatives, as well as UNAMID leadership and staff.

Mr. Chambas brings to his new position extensive experience after a long and distinguished career in both international and governmental forums.

He served as a Deputy Foreign Secretary of Ghana in 1987 as well as  Deputy Minister for Education in charge of Tertiary Education from 1997 to 2000.

Between 1991 and 1996, he was involved in mediation efforts in Liberia.

He resigned his post as Secretary General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States after just three years in the job to take his up this new lucrative job.

ACCESS BANK LAUNCHES ‘KNOWING YOU BETTER’ CAMPAIGN

Access Bank (Ghana), one of the largest retail banks in the country  has launched a campaign dubbed ‘Knowing You Better’, a campaign aimed at getting all of the Bank’s individual account holders, small business and corporate customers to provide the bank  with the  latest  and accurate 

                                                                            information  on their bio-data and other personal information.

The campaign is to entice the cherished  customers of the bank to update their account records as recommended by the Bank of Ghana in it’s “Know Your Customer Policy”.

The four (4)- month campaign  which  is  expected to end at the end of May , 2013  is also geared towards promoting  effective communication between the bank and its customers.

Briefing the media at the launch of the ‘Knowing You Better’ campaign  , the Group Head of retail Banking, Mr. Stephen Abban, posited that the first 10,000 customers  who will  furnish the bank with their latest (customer) details will receive instant branded gift items from the bank.

In furtherance, over one hundred (100) customers of the bank will also be rewarded with a Lifetime free COT & other bank charges.

Mr. Stephen Abban  posited that  Access bank considers customers information as the single most important factor in creating a trusting relationship with customers hence the need for the exercise.  

“As a way of life, we expect that some of our customers may have changed their names as a result of marriage. Others may have changed their email or phone numbers and even relocated their office or place of residence . The campaign is therefore part of the banks continuous efforts of keeping updated database of customers to serve them better”. He Said.

The Group Head of retail Banking, therefore encouraged  customers of the Bank  to access the forms from any of the bank’s branches across the nation or via  the corporate website of the bank (www.accessbank.com.gh)  to complete and submit at the branches.

He asserted that customers who update their records with the bank would continue to enjoy access to wide range of products and services including; Electronic statements, internet banking, mobile banking and other exciting bouquet of electronic products.

“Customers with   updated records will also receive regular updates on key financial and market information”. He noted.

Mr. Abban  also took the opportunity to thank  the thousands of  customers of the bank  for their continued confidence in the bank and assured them of a lot more exciting banking relationship.

 Access bank (Ghana) is one of the largest retail banks in Ghana with over Thirty- Nine 39  branches locations and forty-three  (43) Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) ATMs . The bank is currently leveraging on its geographical network to showcase its expertise in technology driven banking solutions and customers relationship management.

The bank is set to re-define the future of retail banking business in Ghana with a number of exciting, innovative and breath-taking customer engagement and promotions this year.

CJA CONDEMNS FUEL PRICE INCREMENT

CJA CONDEMNS FUEL PRICE INCREMENT

Pressure group, Committee for Joint Action (CJA) says it is shocked by recent increase of the prices of petroleum products by the government.

The group  is therefore calling on government to reverse its decision on fuel price increases since it  has a ripple effect throughout the economy .

The government of Ghana through the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), announced a 15%  to 20% increment on  the cost of fuel.

But in a statement signed by the convenor for  the Committee for Joint Action, Kwasi Adu, the increases in fuel prices betray the principles which underlined the election campaign of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2004 and 2008.

According to the group, it is an “indication of the growing insensitivity of the Ghanaian political elite to the worsening plight of the working people and the underprivileged”.

In the view of the group, the NDC administration is today repeating the same justification put forward by the erstwhile John Agyenkum Kufour government for fuel price increases.

These justifications, the group said have ranged from the need to remove imaginary subsidies to the imperative of combating fuel smuggling across Ghana’s borders.

“The claim that Government is subsidising the prices of petroleum products is at best fraudulent having regard to the numerous taxes which have been imposed on the products. In making this claim the CJA has also taken into account the fact that ex-refinery prices used in calculating ex-pump prices are assumed and could be far away from real cost”. The statement said.