The prediction of the Economist Intelligence Unit (ElU) that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will win the 2024 general elections, but the party needs to revitalise its leadership to increase its prospects is one of the trending stories in the Ghanaian press on Wednesday.
The Graphic reports that the Economist Intelligence Unit (ElU) has predicted that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will win the 2024 general elections, but the party needs to revitalise its leadership to increase its prospects.
In a report, the EIU said the NDC has a higher prospect of winning the 2024 elections.
“The next parliamentary and presidential elections are due in 2024.
“Under constitutionally mandated term limits, the incumbent President Akufo-Addo, cannot run for a third term.
“The former president, John Mahama, is reportedly considering running again, but we expect the opposition NDC to try to revitalise its prospects with a fresh candidate.
“Our [EIU] baseline forecast is that ongoing public dissatisfaction with the slow pace of improvements in governance—such as infrastructure development, job creation and easing of corruption—will trigger anti-incumbency factors and push the electorate to seek a change.
Mr Mahama led the NDC and won the 2012 elections but lost two subsequent elections in 2016 and 2020 to the New Patriotic Party’s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
According to EIU’s five-year forecast for Ghana released on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, the opposition party has a higher probability to be victorious in the next general elections.
The newspaper says that the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has directed banks and other non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) to always inform borrowers in clear terms that they could be sued to recover funds in the event of default.
The central bank said although lenders had the right to enforcement under the Borrowers and Lenders Act 2020, (Act 1052) and other applicable laws, some borrowers were unaware of same.
In a notice to the general public, BoG reminded the lenders and the borrowers alike that Act 1052 provided a regime for the rights and obligations of borrowers and lenders.
The notice was issued on April 14 and signed by the bank’s Secretary, Ms Sandra Thompson.
It said the directive to banks and other lenders to always remind their borrowers in clear terms of their right to sue was in line with the central bank’s mandate to promote and support the development of a fair, transparent, competitive and accessible credit market under Section 76 of Act 1052.
It said it was also meant to ensure improved disclosure during the lending process.
BoG said in the notice that Section 59 to Section 75 enumerated the process for the repayment and recovery of debts.
The Ghanaian Times reports that the UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr Natalia Kanem, and the Vice President of Costa Rica, Mrs Epsy Campbell Barr, yesterday arrived in Ghana to participate in activities lined up to mark this year’s ‘Return Mission’.
The two were met at the Kotoka International Airport by a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Thomas Mbomba, Resident Representative of the UNFPA, Niyi Ojuolape, heads of other UN agencies and selected staff.
The visit is a follow-up to the celebration of the International Day for People of African Descent observed in Costa Rica in August 2021, an event at which Ghana represented the African region.
The UN as part of measures to advance the equity for people of African descent launched the decade of African Descent (2015 to 2024) and adopted a resolution to establish August 31 as the International Day of people of African Descent.
The day seeks to promote greater recognition and respect for the diverse heritage, culture, and contribution of people of African descent to the development of societies, and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of people of African descent.
As part of the five-day visit, the team would today visit the AssinManso slave market and the Elmina Castle in the Central Region.
They would tomorrow Thursday, April 21, 2022 call on the Vice President, DrMahamuduBawumia, at the Jubilee House here in Accra and then pay homage to the Akwamuhene, OdenehoKwafoAkoto III, at his palace, Akwamufie, in the Eastern Region.
The visit would be climaxed on Friday with a high-level Diaspora Forum with advocacy and thematic conversations towards advancing equity for People of African Descent.
The newspaper says that the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) has set the highest monthly average record of 215 Million Standard Cubic Feet per day of gas (MMscfd) delivery to customers last month.
This saw the highest one-day peak of 258 MMscfd given the history of gas supply challenges on the WAGP in the past.
The Managing Director of the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo), Mr Gregory Germani, disclosed this at the 10th Anniversary celebration of the commencement of Commercial Operations of the Company in Tema.
WAPCo owns and operates WAGP – a regional infrastructure linking natural gas resources to customers with a growing demand for cleaner and more efficient energy in the West African sub-region, especially in Ghana.
He said these developments constituted remarkable progress, demonstrating how gas supply prospects on the WAGP had evolved, and reflecting how hard they had worked to overcome previous vulnerabilities.
“Additionally, the WAGP has transitioned into a multi-shipper environment, allowing access to multiple supply sources of natural gas to multiple customers,” he added.
Mr Germani indicated that WAPCo’s tariffs were now “more competitive, fair and transparent,” assuring adequate and meaningful returns on investment.
He said in an effort to help build capacity in the gas sector, most of in-country job vacancies were filled locally.
“Our social interventions are driven by our solid relationships with our communities, and WAPCo has a longstanding commitment to providing critical support to help advance social progress in these communities,” he said.
GIK/APA