APA – Accra (Ghana)
The report that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has taken delivery of and commissioned 105 militarised vehicles for the security agencies to enhance the country’s efforts to secure its northern borders against terrorists is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Monday.
The Graphic reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has taken delivery of and commissioned 105 militarised vehicles for the security agencies to enhance the country’s efforts to secure its northern borders against terrorists.
The vehicles and equipment for intelligence and surveillance, military engineering, explosive ordnance disposal, as well as electronic warfare systems, are valued at €20 million. They were donated by the European Union (EU).
Commissioning the vehicles and equipment in Accra last Saturday, President Akufo-Addo stated that latest attempts by terrorists and extremist groups to expand their scope of influence from the Sahel to coastal West Africa were obvious and posed a substantial security risk to the people and stability of the country.
“Recent occurrences of terrorist activities in neighbouring Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin underscore the pressing need for Ghana to enhance her counterterrorism measures,” he stated.
The President added that it was imperative to understand that no single country could confront the terrorist threat on its own.
That required collaborative efforts among nations facing the challenge and critical support from partners such as the EU who shared the security concerns, the President explained.
President Akufo-Addo said within the context of the collective efforts and the pooling of resources, Ghana appreciated the significance of the 105 militarised vehicles donated by the EU.
He indicated that the vehicles would play a pivotal role in Ghana’s efforts to fortify its northern frontiers against terrorists.
The newspaper says that Occupy Ghana has called on the government to establish a Commission of Inquiry into the Akosombo Dam water spillage to know the precise cause of the catastrophe and whether it was preventable.
The organisation expressed the firm believe that the totality of the matters met the constitutional standard of a matter of public interest and importance that warrant the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry as provided for under Chapter 23 of the Constitution.
A statement released by the organisation yesterday said the establishment of the commission could help identify those responsible and hold them accountable.
“If there are indications of criminal acts or negligence, we expect independent police investigations leading to prosecutions.
And if it was indeed an unforeseeable event, this experience has made it foreseeable and we need to know and understand the measures to be put in place to prevent such a disaster in the future,” it added.
The statement said the call for an independent Commission of Inquiry was rooted in the conviction that the full truth must be uncovered, lessons must be learned to safeguard Ghanaians and the future of the nation.
The pressure group also expressed concerns about the devastating consequences of the disaster and the extensive harm it had caused.
As the aftermath unfold, it said it had followed the official explanations provided for the situation but was, however, not satisfied.
The Graphic also reports that no further power outages due to limited gas supply as WAGPCo grants access to 100 mmscf
There are indications there will be no load shedding on Saturday night and subsequent days following the West African Gas Pipeline Company’s {WAGPCo) decision to grant Ghana access to 100 mmscf (million standard cubic feet) of gas.
The 100mmscf (million standard cubic feet) of gas was flowing through WAGPCo’s pipeline as of Saturday morning, Graphic Online has gathered.
The Ghana Grid Company Ltd (GRIDCo), the operator of the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS), had informed the public on Thursday to expect power outages in parts of Ghana due to limited gas supply to Tema.
In a press statement, GRIDCo explained that the power outage being experienced in some parts of Ghana was due to limited gas supply to Tema.
Graphic Online gathered on Saturday that there will be no further load management following the WAGPCo intervention in the commercial resolution.
Later on Saturday evening (Oct 28), the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCO) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) announced a restoration of power to the entire country after the Thursday and Friday cut in supply to some areas.
In a joint press statement, GRIDCo and ECG said the restored power is a result of the resumption in gas supply for use by power-generating plants in Tema.
“The Ghana Grid Company LTD. (GRIDCo) and ECG wish to inform the public that power supply has been restored to all affected customers, following the resumption of gas supply from Takoradi for use by generating plants in Tema.”
The Ghanaian Times says that the youth have been advised to take interest in pension issues to ensure their retirement income security.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), Hayford Attah Krufi, who gave the advice during a debate to close this year’s National Pensions Awareness Week Celebration, the youth should not wait until they were employed before they took keen interest in pension.
He said the Pensions Act allowed persons at the age of 15 years either employed or unemployed to register for pension, adding that the tier-three of the pension scheme was voluntary and any person above the age of 15 could enroll on it.
Mr Krufi said both the employed and the unemployed could enroll with the tier-three as the contribution to that scheme was not strictly monthly and not fixed and as a result, the youth could sign on the tier-three pension even while in school.
The debate was held between the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) and the University of Ghana which had three debaters from each side which debated on the topic “The new Pension Act, Act 766 has made retirement savings accessible to all Ghanaians.”
There was a tie in the debate which the UPSA spoke for the motion while University of Ghana spoke against the motion.
Each of the universities which participated in the debate was presented with a plaque and the participating students presented with a medal, certificate and an undisclosed amount.
In addition, the CEO of NPRA enrolled the six participating students from the two institutions onto a tier-three pension of their choice and paid the first premium.
GIK/APA