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E-Levy, betting tax would be scrapped in first budget – Ato Forson

By
Adwoa Afranewaa
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Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson
Finance Minister designate

Finance Minister-designate, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has pledged to remove both the E-Levy and betting tax in the government’s first budget, should he be approved, adding that both taxes hinder economic progress.

He further explained that the E-Levy discourages digital transactions and discourages the country’s move towards a cashless economy, while the betting tax generates minimal revenue.

“I have said that given the opportunity, I will abolish the e-levy. I want to restate that position that if approved, as part of the first budget, I will announce that we will abolish the levy as part of our first budget. Recognising the commitment H.E. John Dramani Mahama said that as part of his 120-day agenda, we will abolish the e-levy and we stand by that.”

Ato Forson also added that he acknowledges the revenue that these taxes bring in, however, it is still a major factor that retards the growth of the economy.

I will increase revenue without tax increment – Ato Forson.

By
Adwoa Afranewaa
-
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson
Finance Minister designate

Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Minister designate of Finance has stated that his administration would increase the nation’s revenue without having to widen tax net, thereby inconveniencing Ghanaian businesses.

He says he believes Ghana has a substantial potential in revenue mobilisation, therefore there would be no need to increase taxes.

Speaking during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on January 13, Dr. Ato Forson pledged to raise the tax revenue-to-GDP ratio from 13.8% to 16% if approved.

“In the medium term, it is my vision when approved to increase the tax revenue from 13.8% of GDP to 16% -18%. By this, we will be able to compare ourselves to our peers. I believe the potentials are out there, but it doesn’t necessarily mean we should increase taxes”, he stated.

Ato Forson also expressed his commitment to working with the various government financial and revenue generating institutions to ensure the growth of the economy, and also assured that the Mahama government would scrap off certain taxes as promised earlier during the campaign season.

Statue of Former President Akufo-Addo Destroyed in Sekondi

By
Ivy Hollys
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Unknown individuals have destroyed the statue of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital.

Police confirmed receiving a report about the incident and immediately visited the scene but found the statue already damaged.

A source close to the police revealed that they received information about the incident and promptly rushed to the scene “By the time we got there, the damage had already been done.” 

The incident reportedly occurred at about 1:30 am on January 13, 2025, according to eyewitness accounts.

The statue, unveiled on November 6, 2024, to honor the former president, had recently undergone repairs in December 2024. Earlier damage to the statue’s left leg sparked debate, with residents blaming either vandalism or structural flaws.

Police are investigating the latest act of destruction.

Read also: Damage on President Akufo-Addo’s Statue in Sekondi-Takoradi

Ministerial vetting commences today in parliament.

By
Adwoa Afranewaa
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Ministerial nominees
Ministerial nominees

The vetting of the first batch of ministerial nominees presented by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama is set to begin today, January 13, 2025 in parliament.

The vetting procedure would begin with the examination of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam and Majority leader of the ninth parliament, who has been nominated Minister-designate for Finance. He is expected to convince the house by presenting possible and feasible solution to stabilize Ghana’s economy, especially in these challenging times of compounding public debts and high inflation rates.

Next to be examined would be John Abdullai Jinapor, Minister designate for Energy.

The former Deputy Minister for Energy, is expected to address Ghana’s energy sector concerns including unreliable power supply, energy development and energy sector debt. The vetting would allow him give insight into his plans for the energy sector.

Last nominee to face the Appointments committee would be Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, nominated as the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice-designate.

He is the Bolgatanga East Member of Parliament, a legal practitioner and Former Attorney General. As a legal advisor to government, he would be pivotal in addressing legal reforms and ensuring justice for all Ghanaians.

President Mahama Dissolves all Statutory Boards

By
Ivy Hollys
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President John Dramani Mahama on lgbtq+ bill
John Dramani Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has dissolved all statutory boards, corporations, commissions, and councils appointed by the previous administration.

The directive aligns with the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845) and took effect on January 7, 2025.

The Acting Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, announced this in a statement issued on January 13, 2025.

The statement emphasized that all members of statutory boards, corporations, commissions, and councils appointed by the former administration ceased to hold office.

It read, “in accordance with the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845), all members of statutory boards, corporations, commissions and councils appointed by the former President or a former Minister of State ceased to hold office on 7th January 2025, following the assumption of office of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama.” 

Exemptions and Reconstitution

The directive excludes independent constitutional commissions. The statement assured that the affected entities would be reconstituted under their respective enabling laws.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this excludes commissions that are independent constitutional creations. In due course, the affected boards, commissions, councils and statutory corporations will be reconstituted according to their respective enabling laws,” the statement added. 

President Mahama thanked the outgoing members for their service and extended best wishes for their future endeavors.

In the interim, management teams of the affected entities have been directed to seek clearance from the Chief of Staff before making any major decisions. 

This move forms part of President Mahama’s strategy to streamline governance and appoint new leadership for statutory bodies.

Parliament Begins Vetting of Ministerial Nominees Today

By
Ivy Hollys
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Parliament vets ministerial-picks-by-john-mahama

Parliament will start vetting the first batch of ministerial nominees presented by President John Dramani Mahama today, January 13, 2025.

The vetting process kicks off with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Majority Leader and MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, nominated as Finance Minister.

Ato Forson’s nomination comes amidst economic challenges, including high inflation, rising public debt, and demands for economic reforms.

The Appointments Committee, formed on January 9, 2025, will oversee the vetting as required by the Constitution.

Next, John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister-designate for Energy, will face the committee to discuss his vision for the energy sector.

Jinapor, a former Deputy Minister of Energy, is expected to address issues like unstable power supply and energy sector debt.

His plans to develop renewable energy and stabilize the energy sector will be closely scrutinized during the vetting process.

Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, nominated as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, will be the final nominee to appear.

The vetting will shed light on each nominee’s strategies to tackle the challenges in their respective portfolios.

Read also: Ministerial Picks: Jinapor, Ato Forson and Dominic Ayine Nominated by John…

Energy Minister-designate Orders ECG to Halt Payments for Supplies

By
Ivy Hollys
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John Jinapor: energy minister designate

The Energy Minister-Designate, John Jinapor, has instructed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to immediately stop supply payments. This directive aims to address inefficiencies and stabilize ECG’s operations to improve financial and operational performance.

Speaking to Citi FM on January 9, 2025, Jinapor expressed concerns over ECG’s substantial revenue losses.

He identified operational inefficiencies, including over 70 separate accounts, as a key challenge to effective monitoring and control.

“The core issue lies in inefficiencies. ECG loses more than 40% of the power it generates, which is unsustainable. Comparatively, other countries have power losses as low as 2-4%. When ECG sells $100 worth of power, only 60% is recovered, and even then, deductions for contracts, IT services, and other provisions further erode revenues,” Jinapor explained.

Jinapor warned ECG staff, especially those in finance, against ignoring the directive, promising severe penalties for non-compliance.

“This is an instruction from the Chief of Staff. Payments for supplies must cease immediately. I want to be very clear—failure to adhere to this directive will attract serious repercussions,” he stated firmly.

Ghana Seeks Renegotiation with US for $190M Electricity Deal

By
Ivy Hollys
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electricity

Ghana is ready to renegotiate with the United States (US) government for possible reinstatement of $190 million under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), that had been devoted to the electricity sector.

President John Dramani Mahama disclosed this during a courtesy call on him by Mr. Ousmane Diagana, the World Bank Vice President for West and Central Africa, in Accra.

Mr. Diagana was in Accra to witness the inauguration of President Mahama at Independence Square, which took place on January 7.

Mr. Mahama reiterated that there was a need for his administration to change the systems in the energy sector to make sure that they pay down the debts and make it more efficient than it is currently.

He recalled that during his tenure as Vice President under the late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills, he on behalf of the President, signed the MCC, which was meant to improve and make Ghana the most efficient producer of electricity in Africa and become a major hub for electricity exports.

“Unfortunately, democracy has its dividends, but it also sometimes can be a curse. We left the government and a new government took over and took over the Millennium Challenge Compact. Next up, the last segment of it, which was providing efficiency in distribution, billing, metering, and all that,” he stated.

“And of course, PDS is history now. But we want to look at that again because if we do not fix the Electricity Company of Ghana, we will continue to have a major problem with our whole power value chain.

“And so, going ahead with privatizing the last point of distribution of electricity to bring in private sector efficiency is something that we want to take up again.”

“I spoke to the Americans and met the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and we asked if they could reinstate the $190 million that they had devoted to that aspect of it. And they said the door is not closed,” the president said.

“And so, we need to pursue that discussion. Or, if we don’t have access to the $190 million if the World Bank can support us to be able to finish that aspect of it, we can reduce the losses where it has to do with the independent power producers (IPPs).”

He said in the meantime, they would restore some transparency in the system and restore the cash waterfall mechanism to stabilize the situation until they were able to carry out all the reforms in that sector.

Source: Citinewsroom

Dumsor Whispers: President Mahama Re-assures an End to Energy Crisis

By
Ivy Hollys
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dumsor

President John Dramani Mahama has reassured Ghanaians of his government’s dedication to resolving the nation’s energy challenges.

He said this while speaking at the National Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission Ghana on January 9. While he acknowledged the current energy crisis, he assured citizens that his administration is taking decisive action to address these pressing issues.

He said his government came during a challenging time, but he believes that is why they were elected. He promised transparency about the difficulties Ghana faces and vowed to take full responsibility for resolving them.

“We are assuming office at a critical time in our nation’s history. Ghana is faced with significant challenges. But that is exactly the reason why you elected us. We will transparently let you understand what those challenges are, and we will take responsibility for solving them,” he stated.

The President highlighted the risk of power outages due to limited fuel supplies (dumsor). “There is a threat of power outages, but my brothers and sisters, don’t despair. You elected us to solve the problems, not to put the blame on anybody else,” he said.

He expressed confidence in the innovative ideas presented by the team he convened and pledged to ensure consistent energy availability.

“I can assure you of some of the ideas they have come up with. We will make sure that your lights stay on and that we do not have dumsor,” he stated.

The President further called for urgent and collaborative efforts to tackle the energy crisis. 

Read also: GRIDCo: Gov’t Needs Nearly $90m to Avert Power Crisis

School Feeding Programme Suppliers Worried About Contracts – Kofi Asare

By
Ivy Hollys
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school feeding

The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has attributed the food shortages in second-cycle schools to suppliers’ fears about losing their contracts under the new government.

Mr. Asare noted that the school feeding program faces a liquidity issue. He said, “The issue with school feeding is a liquidity challenge. However, within the context of this challenge, the immediate problem is the reluctance of suppliers who are unsure about the future of their contracts.”  

Mr. Asare explained that suppliers are hesitant to deliver food due to doubts about the future of their contracts. He further suggested that a clear statement from the government could address these concerns and restore confidence among suppliers.

He explained, “A statement from the new government affirming that the contracts are not automatically terminated, and that suppliers will be paid, would provide some degree of comfort to those in the food supply chain. This reassurance could reverse the current situation.” 

This reassurance, Asare believes, could resolve the food shortages and ensure students receive adequate meals.

Source: Joynewsonline

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