The optimism expressed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that Ghana will bounce back from the current economic challenges is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Monday.
The Graphic reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed optimism that the country will bounce back from the current economic challenges.
While acknowledging the enormity of the economic challenges, he rallied Ghanaians to work together to ensure that the difficulties were overcome.
“I know we are capable. I believe in the can-do spirit of the Ghanaian, the first people in sub-Saharan Africa to rid ourselves of the shackles of imperialism and colonialism. Ours is a bright future, and I am confident that our years in Mother Ghana will be great. Let us work together and bounce back together, the battle is the Lord’s,” he said.
Addressing the 65th Independence Day parade in Cape Coast yesterday, the President said: “We will find Ghanaian solutions to our Ghanaian problems.”
The anniversary was on the theme: “Working together; Bouncing Back Better”.
President Akufo-Addo indicated that over the last two years, the world had been confronted with multiple challenges that had dislocated many economies globally.
He traced the economic challenges to the COVID-19 pandemic, the disruption of the global supply chain and the global financial system; the opening up of a huge funding gap for many countries, the erosion of fiscal space, the widening of fiscal deficits and increased public debt levels resulting in the rising crude oil and fuel prices, and depreciation of currencies.
The newspaper says that President Akufo-Addo has stressed the preparedness of the government to build the capacity of the country’s security services to ensure the protection of the country’s territorial integrity.
“The government is determined to do everything within its power to guarantee the nation’s territorial integrity and ensure the safety of citizens,” he said.
He has, therefore, encouraged all Ghanaians to cooperate with the security services in the discharge of their duties.
President Akufo-Addo, who made the call at the Ghana’s 65th independence parade at Cape Coast in the Central region on Sunday, March 6, 2022, said when all the security services worked together, it would help to ensure the safety of all Ghanaians.
The 65th independence celebration was held on the theme: “Working Together, Bouncing Back Together”.
For President Akufo-Addo, when the country’s security is secured, the country could then channel its energies into building a prosperous nation.
The President, however did not underestimate the challenges that the country will encounter in ensuring the protection of its territorial integrity.
He said when all the security services together with the citizenry worked together, the country would be able to overcome every security challenge.
The Graphic also reports that a sports gaming firm, Sportsbet.io, is gradually deepening its presence in the West African sub-region after signing a Nigerian singer, Mr Augustine Miles Kelechi, popularly known as Tekno.
With the signing, Tekno is now the latest global ambassador of the sports gaming firm.
A press release issued by Sportsbet.io last Thursday said: “Tekno is beloved across the region for his flow and production on hits such as Pana and Don’t jealous me. He joins other Sportsbet.io global ambassadors, including fellow rapper King Kaka.”
“He’ll work with Sportsbet.io to deliver game-changing promos and bonuses to players in West Africa. Sportsbet.io is the world’s most popular place to bet on sports, and offers users the chance to play with a range of cryptocurrencies.
“Tekno and Sportsbet.io will also link up to offer players the chance to win out-of-this-world experiences, like attending a Premier League match in an executive box,” the statement said.
The Ghanaian Times says that the Energy Minister Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has asked Energy Business leaders and Decision makers to find in Ghana’s energy sector, a friend and a partner.
Speaking at an Energy Investment Forum organized by the Ministry of Energy on the sidelines of EXPO 2020 in Dubai, UAE, Dr. Prempeh said Ghana’s energy sector was awash with plethora of opportunities, which could be the basis for mutually beneficial partnerships.
The Energy Minister said in Ghana, Exploration and Production (E&P) licenses are awarded through open, transparent and competitive public tender processes.
However, he added that E&P licenses may be awarded through direct negotiations without public tender if direct negotiations represent the most efficient manner to achieve optimal exploration, development and production of petroleum resources in a defined area.
“There are also farm-in opportunities in some of the existing licenses for prospective investors to operate through existing Petroleum Agreements without having to go through block application and negotiation processes,” he said
“Ghana’s sedimentary basins are de-risked and highly prospective and our petroleum industry is regulated by clear, predictable and suitable fiscal, legal and regulatory regimes,” he said.
In the downstream petroleum sector, the Minister, who is also Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, stated that Ghana aspires to become a hub for refined petroleum products in the West African sub-region and beyond, and thus the establishment of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC).
He said the hub will host infrastructure such as refineries, port terminal facilities, storage facilities, petrochemical plants as well as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals with a network of pipelines.
In the power sector, the Minister said the generation, transmission and distribution value chain presents opportunities to the private sector. “Our quest to promote energy efficiency in electrical appliances, among others within the context of scaling up 10% renewable energy penetration by 2030 brings key opportunities for strategic investor partnership” he added.
GIK/APA