March 7

spread_March 7 2018.qxp_SHOWBIZ TEMP 3/6/18 8:08 PM Page 1
News
DAILY HERITAGE, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
You don’t know security
related power play better
than me
– Rawlings to critics
BY JONATHAN ADJEI
FORMER PRESIDENT Jerry John
Rawlings has slammed critics who
sought to downplay his views on the
spate of armed robbery incident in the
country.
The ex-military leader in a tweet
fumed:” None of them are in a
position to recognise security related
power play better than me.”
In the wake of the increased
robbery and violent crime, former
President Rawlings said he hoped the
heightened insecurity was not
politically motivated.
“Let us hope the recent robbery
and killings are downright plain
robbery and not a politically motivated
action from within or without,
calculated to undermine those in
charge of the security machinery in
order to pave the way for certain
parochial ambitions,” the former
President stated.
But, his concerns over the recent
spate of armed robbery in the country
angered a section of the main
opposition National Democratic
Congress (NDC) members.
The founder of the NDC has been
taking the flak for the comment he
made from members of his party.
Commenting on the reaction in
relation to his robbery statement, Mr
Rawlings said: “Loud and timid minds
incapable of recognising the most
obvious desecration of Ghana’s pride,
cannot and should not expect to be
able to know or see what I see-much
more to downplay it.”
Meanwhile, President Nana Akufo-
Addo has directed the Finance
Minister to release funds for the
purchase of the state-of-the-art
equipment for the country’s security
agencies, especially the Police Service.
Additionally, he asked that the joint
Police/Military patrol be intensified to
cover every part of the country. The
directives were issued following a
meeting between the President and the
nation’s security chiefs to deliberate on
the recent upsurge in robbery activities
in some parts of the country.
Retire right
BY ALBERT AMEKUDZI
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Officer of NBC
Ghana Trust, Mr
William Asiedu
Yeboah, has urged
workers, especially
those in the informal sector to retire
right by investing in pension schemes
to enable them enjoy their retirement
life.
Speaking on a wide array of issues
about pensions and retirement, Mr
Yeboah said “our traditional norms
such as funerals, engagements, and
outdooring, among others increase the
retirement resources needed by each
of us, hence the need to invest now
for a better future.”
Mr Yeboah added that there is the
need to save for retirement, “because
every working individual will retire
one day, this should not come as a
surprise. It is important for workers to
plan their retirement well and enjoy
their old age and minimise the burden
on their children and other family
members.
“Retirement is something we all
need to consider and start planning as
soon as we start our working life. The
little we invest today towards our
retirement can change our lifestyle,
therefore, everyone must take pension
seriously,” he pointed out.
The NBC CEO further urged
industry players to venture into the
informal sector, educate fellow
citizens on pension benefits, the
various products or services and
enroll them for a secured future.
The informal sector workers
constitute about 80% of the working
population and pension administrators
have not been able to enroll most of
them onto any retirement package.
This, according to Mr Yeboah,
provides an opportunity for the
private sector pension administrators.
Touching on the operations of
pension administrators, Mr Yeboah
stated that NBC Ghana Trust has the
most robust operating system in the
industry.
He explained that “we have
invested so much into building a very
robust system that can be used to
manage huge data in the country.
With the growing number of clients,
it is important we invest in building
this kind of system so we can serve
our customers better.”
Mr Yeboah added that all pension
administrators have similar products
and services; however, “what
distinguishes us from the rest is our
operating system and the technical
support we receive from our
partners.”
Ghanaians are unpatriotic – Jantuah
• CEO urges workers
• William Asiedu Yeboah, Chief Executive
Officer of NBC Ghana Trust
According to him, the company
will keep investing in its systems with
trending technology to ensure that
clients are satisfied.
NBC Ghana Trust Limited is part
of the NBC Group, a leading force in
the African Employee Benefits and
Retirement Industry.
About NBC
NBC Holdings Limited has its
origins from the mid-80’s when it
championed the establishment of
defined contribution schemes in
South Africa, a trend that accelerated
during the late 80’s and early 90’s as
trade unions gained more influence
and companies took advantage of the
commercial certainty offered by
defined contribution funds in the
context of legislative changes
regulating inter alia financial reporting
of Defined Benefit pension fund
liabilities.
NBC Ghana was incorporated in
November 2009 as a joint venture
between South African investors and a
local Ghanaian investor, MAY
International Holdings Limited. The
company’s primary goal is to
participate in Ghana’s Employee
Benefits Market by providing
administration and consulting services,
building and strengthening capacity
and skills to provide solutions to our
client’s needs.
Cut excessive
presidential
powers – Haruna
BY MOHAMMED AWAL
THE MINORITY Leader, Mr
Haruna Iddrisu is calling for an
amendment to the 1992
Constitution to whittle down
the powers vested in the
president.
Speaking at a ceremony to
celebrate 25 years of
uninterrupted Parliamentary
Democracy under the Fourth
Republic, Mr Iddrisu said: “Mr
President [Nana Akufo-Addo],
this is not directed at you but
to all other presidents under
our Republican constitution.
“I think and I feel that the
powers vested on the President
of the Republic are just too
excessive and therefore we will
look to water down not just the
powers of Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo but all other
presidents of our Republic.”
On the ceremony, he said a
“stronger parliament reflects an
accountable and transparent
government; a stronger
parliament remains the
custodian of the liberties of
the people at all time.”
In a subtle jab at the
Speaker of Parliament Prof.
Mike Oquaye, following the
Minority’s incessant accusations
of his style, Mr Iddrisu said,
“It is important that I say that
Parliament remains the
medieval speech domination
and we must be allowed to
ventilate and secure full
discussion and ventilation on
all matters at all time. That is
how we can enrich our
democratic process.”
Vowing that the Minority
would at all times hold the
executive arm of government
accountable, he bemoaned how
oversight responsibility since
1993 remained largely the
function of the political
oppositions and the political
Minority.
“I think and I feel
that the powers
vested on the
President of the
Republic are just too
excessive and
therefore we will look
to water down not
just the powers of
Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo but all
other Presidents of
our Republic.”
• Former President Jerry John Rawlings
BY ALBERT AMEKUDZI
A MEMBER of the Public
Interest and Accountability
Committee, Mr Kwame Jantuah has
called on Ghanaians to be more
patriotic and think Ghana first as the
country marks 61 years of
Independence.
According to him, leaders over
the years have failed to ensure that
Ghana progresses beyond aid and the
dependence on foreign help.
“Ghanaians are not patriotic
enough to put Ghana first,” Mr
Jantuah told Kafui Dey host of
GhToday on GHONE TV Tuesday.
He added that the West African
Nation, which gained Independence
few months before Malaysia, has
failed to take advantage of the many
natural resources at its disposal and
are nowhere near achieving economic
• Kwame Jantuah, member, Public Interest and
Accountability Committee
independence.
Mr Jantuah urged President Nana
Akufo-Addo and his government to
put Ghana first and put in place
measures and a development agenda
that will ensure that the ‘Ghana
Beyond Aid’ mantra becomes a
reality and not mere talk.
Ghana marked 61 years yesterday
after gaining independence on March
6, 1957.
Independence Day parades were
held across the country with students
and security personnel displaying
their marching skills while saluting
the national flag.
In the capital Accra, where
President Akufo-Addo received the
national salute at the Black Star
Square, the Ghana Armed forces, the
Police and other security agencies put
on display, the nation’s arsenal and
state of preparedness for external
and international aggression.
Nigeria’s President Mahamudu
Buhari gave the key note address at
the event which was attended by
many diplomats.
In the capital Accra,
where President Akufo-
Addo received the
national salute at the
Black Star Square, the
Ghana Armed forces, the
Police and other security
agencies put on display,
the nation’s arsenal and
state of preparedness
for external and
international aggression.
• Haruna Iddrisu (L), Minority Leader and
President Nana Akufo-Addo