APA – Accra (Ghana)
The appeal by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the international community, both public and private, to partner with Ghana to implement its Country Package under the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Monday.
The Ghanaian Times reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on the international community, both public and private, to partner with Ghana to implement its Country Package under the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP).
Dubbed “Resilient Ghana: Advancing Climate Action for Prosperity,” he said, the urgency to implement forest solutions to tackle climate change, required that the world comes together, to mobilise support for nature-positive action.
The President made the call at a high-level event at the ongoing 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), where he announced Ghana’s Country Package.
Announcing the details of the Country Package, President Akufo-Addo said “Resilient Ghana” was a vision to strengthen Ghana’s economy, protect and restore her abundant forests and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, he said, it would boost cocoa production, position the country as a global leader in sustainable timber, and scale up tourism potential, while creating jobs and livelihoods for people.
President Akufo-Addo noted that, through the Country Package, Ghana would showcase how to transform the forest sector and strengthen the economy in tandem.
“This will be achieved, through strategies, such as building a strong foundation to access international carbon markets, strengthening agricultural and mining practices, promoting aggressive afforestation and reforestation programme, and reinforcing the enabling conditions for a just transition,” he stated.
The newspaper says that the Parliament has scheduled the approval or otherwise of the 2024 budget statement and economic policy of government for Thursday, December 7, 2023.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, in Accra last Thursday told lawmakers that contrary to claims that the budget had been approved, the document was still under consideration before the House.
“I direct that the Business Committee reschedules the issue for next week for us to finally take a decision on the budget.
“The budget statement and economic policy of the government for the year 2024 is still before the House,” he stated.
The directive was in response to a prayer made to the Speaker by the Minority Leader and MP for Ajumako/Enyan/Esiam, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, for the Speaker to rule on whether or not the budget had been approved.
The Speaker’s clarification comes in the wake of claims by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, that the budget had been approved and that he would go ahead to spend from the Consolidated Fund if finality was not brought to the matter.
Dr Forson said it was important the Speaker ruled on the matter to correct what he said was the erroneous impression that the budget had been approved, an impression he said sent the wrong signal to stakeholders.
“Mr Speaker, I urge you to set the record straight. There is a lot of confusion out there because the impression has been created that the budget has been approved whilst we in this House know for sure that the budget is hanging,” Dr Ato Forson prayed the Speaker.
But Majority Leader and MP for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, held that records of the House bore his caucus out that indeed the budget had been approved barring any further development.
He backed that assertion by referencing to the votes and proceedings of the House for Wednesday which stated that the question was put and in the opinion of the Chair, motion (to approve budget) agreed to; prompting a challenge by the minority.
The Graphic reports that Ghana and Germany have signed an agreement on bilateral cooperation at the end of bilateral discussions in Berlin.
The agreement focuses on climate and energy, good governance and sustainable economic development, with Germany committing €145.9 million to help address pressing issues in these areas.
Ghana’s social protection policies under the Post Covid-19 Programme for Economic Growth (PC-PEG) were also praised by Germany as a critical intervention that would help protect the poor and vulnerable.
The Ghanaian delegation, including Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, who also signed the agreement on behalf of Ghana, and Ghana’s Ambassador to Germany, Gina Blay, were in Berlin to attend the 2023 G20 Compact with Africa conference.
Other members of the delegation were O. B. Amoah, Gifty Twum-Ampofo and a Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Agyapa Mercer.
The delegation also completed the annual bilateral negotiations with Germany and engaged with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, on Ghana’s IMF Programme during a working lunch for Africa Finance Ministers and representatives of international institutions at the conference.
The German Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze, signed on behalf of his country.
The Minister of Finance said the strides made had paved the way for a future marked by strengthened economic ties, innovation and inclusive growth.
The newspaper says that the Minerals Commission has said that the Lithium deal between the government of Ghana and Barari DV Ghana Limited is in the best interest of Ghana.
In a press statement issued on Monday, December 4, the Commission said the government thoroughly examined all available options before entering into the agreement.
The commission in the statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer, Martin Kwaku Ayisi said several concerns raised about the deal are rooted in ignorance, suggesting that critics may not have thoroughly read the agreement.
The Minerals Commission reaffirmed that the deal is a well-considered decision beneficial to the country.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the mining lease was granted for 15 years to Barari, which is the subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium Limited, an Australian company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and also on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange. The lease covers an area of 42.63 Km2 in and around Ewoyaa in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region.
“The Commission notes in spite of the publication of the lease which is now widely available to the general public, it has become increasingly clear that the commentators have not read the agreement in its entirety and as result many of the concerns are based on assumptions that are inaccurate and assertions that are not supported by facts or any data.”
Key stakeholders, including the Institute of Economic Affairs (lEA) and former Chief Justice Sophia Akufo, have criticised the contract as colonial and Guggisberg-type, respectively.
These concerns stem from a mining agreement signed on October 20, 2023, between Ghana and Barari DV Ghana Limited.
GIK/APA
Ghanaian press spotlights President’s appeal to world leaders to support climate change, others
