The report of the quarterly Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey which stated that among persons in the Ghanaian labour force (aged 15 years and older) about 380,000 are triple burdened with food insecure, multidimensionally poor, and unemployed is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Friday.
The Graphic reports that among persons in the Ghanaian labour force (aged 15 years and older) about 380,000 are triple burdened i.e. simultaneously food insecure, multidimensionally poor, and unemployed”.
This finding was revealed by the Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim in a presentation at the release of the quarterly Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey (AHIES) report on Thursday, September 1, 2022, in Accra.
Prof. Annim further revealed that the “Savannah Region has the highest percent of triple burdened persons” (8.2%) which is more than twice the national average of 3.2%.
The event released highlights on multidimensional poverty, food insecurity, and labour statistics from the first and second quarters.
The statistics revealed that between the first and second quarters of 2022, food insecurity dropped by 7.0 percentage points while multidimensional poverty dropped by 2.6%. The unemployment rate increased by 0.5 percentage points.
The release was chaired by Professor Kwaku Appiah-Adu, Senior Advisor to the Vice President.
In his remarks, he commended the Ghana Statistical Service for conducting the AHIES which is generating timely and relevant data for policy and planning.
He concluded by stating that “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, as a country, we have great challenges and great opportunities; I am in no doubt that the comprehensive quarterly labour force, food insecurity and multi-dimensional poverty report obtained will support Government in evidence-based decision-making and policy design of its programmes and projects for development and a more robust outlook of the Ghanaian economy.”
The Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey (AHIES) is the first nationally representative high-frequency household panel survey in Ghana.
The newspaper says that the Auditor-General has asked the Head of the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate to recover an outstanding debt of GH₵1,350,252 from the Cocoa Marketing Company.
The amount was owed the Directorate between February 2019 and December 2020 for the risk-based inspection and phytosanitary certification of cocoa beans in the Western, Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.
The Auditor General made the recommendation in its 2021 Report on the Public Accounts of Ministries, Departments and Other Agencies (MDAs) for the year ended 31 December 2021
It noted that the delay in recovery of the debt was contrary to Regulation 46 of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378), which noted that a Principal Spending Officer shall ensure that non-tax revenue was efficiently collected and immediately lodged in gross within 24 hours in the designated Consolidated Fund Transit bank accounts
Between April 2020 and May 2020, it was revealed that revenue cheques totalling GH¢50,820.06 presented to Access Bank, which were returned had remained outstanding while 195 used General Counterfoil Receipts (GCRs) from the various revenue collection centres across the country were not submitted for examination.
The report also highlighted that used GCRs at nine collection points used in collecting a total of GH¢1,244,334.00 were not included in the returns submitted to the PPRSD.
“We recommend that the Head of the Directorate should ensure that the Regional Officers provide the GCRs for our inspection failing, which the Regional Officers will be held liable for the amounts collected with the GCRs.
“The Heads of the Directorate and Accounts should immediately liaise with the nine collection centres involved and ensure that the returns for the used GCRs are submitted for review” the report stated.
The Ghanaian Times reports that about 500 mining exploration projects mainly targeted at gold, lithium, copper and cobalt are currently ongoing in various parts of the country, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel AbdulaiJinapor, has disclosed.
According to him, the exploration projects were expected to increase in the coming years following recent geological investigations which revealed viable prospects for iron ore, nickel, zinc, chromium, lead and columbite-tantalite.
To this end, he noted that, the government was focused on translating the volumes of minerals production into wealth to benefit all Ghanaians and stakeholders equitably.
Mr Jinapor was speaking yesterday at Perth, Australia during this year’s edition of the Africa Down Under (ADU) Conference.
The conference provides a platform for engagement on matters pertaining to the mining industry, and geared towards strengthening Australian-African relationship in the industry.
“Our policy for the development of these minerals is to pursue a path that fosters optimal socio-economic development, through effectively and efficiently exploiting and managing Ghana’s green minerals, and contributing positively to dealing with the climate change phenomena, working towards the net zero emission target, and collaborating with other relevant stakeholders in employing climate-friendly technologies and practices, to achieve the maximum developmental impact for the country.
“We are, therefore, committed to work with all stakeholders to retain the full value chain of these ‘minerals of the future’ in our country by adding value to the minerals mined,” the Minister noted.
Presently, he said there were 15 large scale mining operations in the country, with 13 of them producing gold while the other two produce manganese and bauxite.
In this regard, the government, he said, was implementing mining-friendly policies to sustain the achievements chalked in the sector while ensuring environmental sustainability, and protecting the interest of both Ghanaians and investors.
“Anchored on this business-friendly environment, the government continues to adopt policies to improve transparency in the industry, beneficiation and value addition, upstream and side-stream linkages, and to ensure a win-win situation for both investors and Ghana,” he stated.
The newspaper says that financial impropriety in nine of the 10 Technical Universities in the country has led to a GH¢34,876,924 financial loss to the state.
The Accra Technical University, according to the Auditor-General’s report on Technical Universities which has been submitted to Parliament, has recorded no financial irregularity in the year 2021.
Of the defaulting institutions, the Koforidua Technical University is the biggest culprit recording GH¢21,142,821 irregularity.
The Ho Technical University recorded GH¢4,472,995 infractions followed by the Bolgatanga Technical University with GH¢3,529,793.
With a GH¢2,513,076 infraction, the Kumasi Technical University was followed by the Cape Coast Technical University with GH¢2,144,029 irregularities.
The rest are Takoradi Technical University, GH¢583,123, Wa Technical University, GH¢371,842, Tamale Technical University, GH¢69,617 and Sunyani Technical University, GH¢49,560.
The report, signed by the Auditor-General, Johnson AkuamoahAsiedu, said the irregularities were recorded in the areas of contracts, GH¢20,909,101, outstanding loans and recoverable charges, GH¢7,792,954.
The rest are payroll irregularities, GH¢3,396,381, procurement, GH¢2,066,600 and cash GH¢711,888.
The 132-page report attributed the GH¢20,909,101 contract irregularity to delays in construction projects at the Koforidua Technical University.
“The delays in the completion of the projects were mainly due to the Ghana Education Trust Fund’s non-payment of interim certificates raised for work done,” the report explained.
On the over GH¢7 million outstanding debts and loans, the A-G’s report said it related to student and staff debtors.
GIK/APA