The response of the Ghanaian government to the accusations made by the Federal Government of Nigeria regarding the harassment of its citizens in Ghana dominates the headlines of Ghanaian press on Monday.
The Graphic reports that the government has responded to the accusations made by the Federal Government of Nigeria regarding the harassment of its citizens in Ghana.
A statement signed by the Minister of Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the allegations made by Nigeria are inaccurate, hence, “Any protests, decisions or actions based on these reports will, thus, be unjustified”.
“We are obliged, therefore, as a first step, to provide our counterparts, as well as the Ghanaian and Nigerian publics, with a more reflective account of events, even as we pursue substantive diplomatic engagements to resolve matters,” the statement said.
The statement added that “Ghana remains committed to the maintenance of warm relations with all sister nations, particularly, for well-known historical reasons, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and will proceed to engage the Federal Government of Nigeria with a view to resolve comprehensively and exhaustively.”
The newspaper says that the selling Ghana’s Gold Royalties to investors through an SPV – has created a hullabaloo and rightfully so.
The report says that it succeeded in muddying the waters and raises a number of legal and valuation questions.
Firstly, it raises the important question as to whether Ghana Govt should be gambling by investing in a Fund, which will be managed by a Fund Manager with no reported fund management track record.
A Fund with unknown objectives, and backed by a rather questionable amendment to the MIIF Act that only the Majority in Parliament approved (after a walkout by the minority), which restricts any government from changing the directors or fund manager irrespective of non-performance.
One should also question the timing of this amendment, which has subsequently allowed the SPV, originally set up as Asaase Royalties, only to be renamed in August when questions surfaced linking it to the owners of Asaase Radio – Gabby Okyere Darko and the Akuffo-Addo family – to be constructed as is.
The Graphic also says that Ghana will on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, open the Kotoka International Aiport (KIA) for international flights, President Akufo-Addo has announced.
The President in the 16th national address on measures taken to control the spread of the Coronavirus on Sunday, August 30, added that the country’s land and sea borders remain closed.
“Fellow Ghanaians, I am glad to announce that Kotoka International Airport will reopen and resume operations from Tuesday, September 1, 2020. This decision has been communicated to all international airlines,” the President said.
The announcement was made hours after President Akufo-Addo visited the KIA on Sunday to ascertain the readiness of the facility to resume international flights.
The President also announced that some stringent measures that have been put in place at the airport to prevent the importation of new Coronavirus cases which may lead to a resurgence of the disease in the country.
The Times reports that 35 out of the resolved 370 microfinance companies and savings and loans companies and finance house companies, all Specialised Deposit-taking institutions (SDIs), have no books or records to enable validation and settlement of depositors’ claims.
Receiver of the resolved companies, Eric Nana Nipah, in a statement issued on August 28 in Accra, said, claims of depositors of the 35 companies was worth approximately GH¢252 million.
The companies include Abis Plus Microfinance Limited, African Trust Microfinance Limited, AG Microfinance Limited, Bedel, Bengay Microfinance Limited, Big Dreams Microfinance Limited, Godigo Microfinance Limited, Crown Capital Microfinance Limited, Boin Microfinance Limited, D-Vanc Microfinance Limited, Elite Microfinance Limited, ICS Microfinance Limited and Liberty Daily.
The rest are Kingdom Trust Microfinance Limited, Kapital Express Microfinance Limited and Golden Trust Microfinance Limited, Star Plus Microfinance Limited, Noble Dream Microfinance Limited, Man Capital Microfinance Company, Royal Future Microfinance Limited, Era Microfinance Services Limited, among others.
Mr. Nipah noted that his outfit was working with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to locate and retrieve the records of the affected companies, in order
to be able to validate and settle depositors’ claims made on these companies.
The newspaper says that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has received 50% of the COVID-19 Relief Fund from FIFA.
The report added that the Ghana FA will inform clubs today about the arrival of the relief fund as they prepare for the 26th Ordinary Congress tomorrow.
The US$500,000 will benefit Premier League clubs, Division One League clubs, Regional football clubs and all other stakeholders.
According to the report another US$500,000 which has been specified for Women’s football has also been received.
The Ghana FA has therefore received US$1,000,000 which will be disbursed among the football community in coming days as a way of mitigating the financial difficulties they have faced due to the coronavirus crisis.
The Ghana FA officials, who confirmed the news to Ghanaweb, hinted that rendering proper accounts for this US$1 million by the beneficiaries is a condition for FIFA releasing the other tranche of US$500,000 in January 2021.
GIK/APA