Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021b
- Page 2 and 3: Page 2Sergeev's arrival at Heathrow
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Page 2
Sergeev's arrival at Heathrow, under the name
Sergey Fedotov, was captured on security cameras
A
third Russian faces
charges over his
alleged involvement
in the 2018 Salisbury
poisonings, which left
three people critically ill and one
dead.
Prosecutors have authorised
charges against Denis Sergeev in
the Novichok attack on former
double agent Sergei Skripal and
his daughter Yulia.
Dawn Sturgess died after the
poisoning and a police officer was
badly injured.
Police also confirmed they
believe the suspects in the case
belonged to a Russian military
intelligence team.
Security sources believe
Sergeev acted as the on-theground
commander for the operation
and was the senior member
of the team from Russia's GRU.
He has also been linked to
other covert activity across
Europe.
While the Crown Prosecution
Service has authorised charges,
the suspects cannot be formally
charged unless they are arrested.
On 2 March 2018, the alleged
GRU hit team came to the UK.
Two men, using the names Alexander
Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov,
arrived in the afternoon at
Gatwick airport. Police have now
for the first time confirmed their
real names as Anatoliy Chepiga
and Alexander Mishkin.
The third man, Denis Sergeev,
using the name Sergey Fedotov,
had arrived at Heathrow airport
earlier that day at 11:00 GMT.
Chepiga and Mishkin travelled
to Salisbury on Sunday 4
March, allegedly to smear the
military-grade nerve agent
Novichok on the handle of former
GRU officer Sergei Skripal's front
door.
He and his daughter fell seriously
ill as did Nick Bailey, then a
police officer.
Sergeev remained in London
the whole time before leaving
on a flight to Moscow at 13:45,
having made a late change to
his plans. The other two left on a
later fight at 22:30.
Police say they now have evidence
the men were operating as
a team and that all three met on
a number of occasions in London
over that weekend.
On some occasions, this was
indoors, on others it was in the
open air - although the police will
not specify exactly where.
The role and identity of
Sergeev had been previously
disclosed by the investigative
site Bellingcat in February 2019
and some of his movements and
phone contacts were detailed in
a joint investigation with the
DAILY ANALYST Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021
BBC, including his proximity to
Paddington, Oxford Circus and
Embankment.
But the police have been
working on building up evidence
of his role, a process described
as "challenging" but which has
eventually led to today's announcement.
"We remain as determined as
ever to bring those responsible
to justice," said Dean Haydon,
assistant commissioner at the
Metropolitan Police and senior
national coordinator for counter-terrorism
policing.
The charges authorised
against the three men are conspiracy
to murder, attempted
murder, causing grievous bodily
harm and use and possession of a
chemical weapon.
Chepiga and Mishkin appeared
on Russian TV after being
identified in 2018 and said they
had been to the city simply as
tourists to see the cathedral.
Russia has always denied any
involvement.
Traces of Novichok were
found in Chepiga and Mishkin's
hotel room, although none were
found in that used by Sergeev.
The Novichok in the perfume
bottle could potentially have
killed thousands of people, police
say.
But there remain significant
gaps in the investigation, including
how the Novichok came into
the UK and where it was between
its use in March and its discovery
in June in Amesbury in a discarded
perfume bottle.
Dawn Sturgess died days after
spraying some of the bottle's
contents on herself.
Pre-inquest hearings into her
death, presided over by former
Global News
Salisbury poisonings:
Third man faces charges
for Novichok attack
High Court judge Baroness Hallett,
are due to resume this week.
The police are asking the
public to get in touch if they have
any more details of Sergeev's
movements in London or that of
the perfume bottle.
Sergeev, aged around 50, is
believed to be in Russia, like the
other two suspects. Russia has
always said it cannot extradite its
citizens.
The UK authorities will inform
Interpol to seek his arrest
if he does travel outside of the
country.
"We now have the evidence
that links them to the GRU," Mr
Haydon said. "All three are dangerous
individuals."
Intelligence also links Sergeev
and the team to a trail of covert
activities across Europe.
Who is the third man?
Sergeev is alleged to be a major
general and senior member
of Unit 29155 of the GRU, a team
tasked with sabotage, subversion
and assassination. He joined the
team after serving in Russian
special forces.
Bulgarian authorities say
Sergeev and two other men from
Unit 29155 checked into hotels
in the capital Sofia in April 2015,
insisting on rooms with a view of
the underground car park.
Surveillance of that car park
released by a Bulgarian prosecutor
shows one man approaching
the cars of a Bulgarian arms
dealer Emilian Gebrev, as well as
his son and business partner.
A toxic substance is believed
to have been smeared on the
handles - similar to the way Novichok
was placed on the handle
of Sergei Skripal's house. They
would fall ill but survive.
Although he had a return
flight booked two days later,
Sergeev left the country on 28
April - the day of the poisoning.
He may be the man caught on
CCTV in the car park.
Chepiga and Mishkin, meanwhile,
have been linked to a blast
that tore apart an ammunition
storage depot used by Emilian
Gebrev in a forest in the Czech
Republic on 16 October 2014,
killing two.
On 11 October 2014, the men
used the same cover identities
they used in Salisbury - Ruslan
Boshirov and Alexander Petrov -
to arrive at Prague airport before
staying near the depot and then
leaving on the day of the explosion.
The accusation by Czech
authorities this summer led to a
major diplomatic row with Russia
and the expulsion of diplomats
from a number of countries.
It followed investigative work
by European security services
who, since Salisbury, have tracked
the travel of the three suspects
as well as others from the unit to
see if they can link it with covert
activity.
For Sergeev, this includes
visits to Spain, France, Germany,
Switzerland and Austria as well
as other countries.
He is also believed to have
been in touch with members
of the GRU unit involved in a
planned coup in Montenegro in
2016.
UK police also say they
believe the three all travelled to
the UK before March 2018. They
say they continue to investigate
other suspects.—BBC
Coup attempt fails in
Sudan —State media
Sudan says it has thwarted
an attempted military
coup, and arrested "all
those involved".
A government
spokesman told state media the
coup plotters were linked to the
ousted President Omar al-Bashir,
who was toppled two years ago.
Earlier reports from the capital
Khartoum and nearby Omdurman
described intense military
activity, and the main bridge
across the River Nile was shut.
The road to Khartoum and
ports have also been blocked.
The plotters had tried to take
over a building housing the state
media, AFP news agency reports.
A government involving the
military, civilian representatives
and protest groups is in place,
was established as part of power-sharing
agreement after Presi-
dent Bashir was ousted in 2019.
The BBC's media monitoring
service reports that several coup
attempts have taken place in
Sudan since then.
There has been tension within
this Sovereign Council which
is supposed to be overseeing a
return to civilian rule, and BBC
Monitoring adds that some are
claiming the security lapses in
parts of the country may be an
attempt by the military to obstruct
the transfer of power back
to civilians.
Correspondents say elements
within the military are thought
to be behind several of days of
protests in Port Sudan in the east
of the country.
The Sudanese government
says the situation in the country
is now "under control".
Video footage shared on Tues-
day morning appeared to show
armoured vehicles on city streets,
but AFP news agency reports that
traffic now appears to be flowing
smoothly in central Khartoum.
According to Reuters news
agency, military spokesman
Mohamed Al Faki Suleiman says
the interrogation of suspects will
soon begin.
Journalist Mohanad Hashim
in Khartoum says the government
is blaming a group of officers
disgruntled by Sudan's tough
economic situation.
The BBC's Africa correspondent
Catherine Byaruhanga says
Sudan's transitional government
is under pressure to deliver
economic and political reforms
amid competing demands from
conservative and liberal constituencies.—BBC
Abdalla Hamdok is Sudan's interim prime minister in the
Omar al-Bashir was toppled in 2019
DAILY ANALYST
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021 Page 3
Frontpage Stories
Story: Prosper Kwaku
Selassy Agbitor
The ruling New Patriotic
Party (NPP)
has sounded a word
of caution to party
members and
faithful discontented with the
President’s nominees for the
role of Metropolitan, Municipal
and District Chief Executives
(MMDCEs) not to cause
mayhem.
The National Youth Organiser
of the party, Henry Nana
Boakye (Nana B), who gave the
warning, stressed that the party
was reliably informed that
some persons were planning
to foment trouble, adding that
such individuals must reconsider
their intended action.
Last Sunday, the government
released the list of
MMDCE nominees. But since
then, parts of the country have
recorded pockets of violent
protests over the list.
There were also been
threats from some NPP mem-
NPP warns party members
bers, who said they would
boycott party activities due
to the failure of the president
to nominate their preferred
candidates.
However, speaking on
Eyewitness News, which was
monitored by DAILY Ana-
lyst, the NPP national youth
orgnaiser made a passionate
appeal to the disgruntled party
members to be measured in
expressing disappointment
and not engage in acts that
could destabilise the peace in
the country.
“All 2,000 aspirants cannot
be MMDCEs so certainly 260
names ought to be presented
for approval. So they have to
be measured in their disappointment.
They need to blend
the highs and the lows. People
should also know that the fact
that they are disappointed
does not mean they should go
about vandalizing properties.
So if anyone is caught and
prosecuted, it is just a matter
of law. So I am calling on the
teeming youth to be calm”.
“We also have intel that
some miscreants want to use
us as a platform to cause trouble.
So we are calling on the
security agencies to be on the
alert”, he further advised.
The nomination of MMD-
CEs across the country has
been greeted with mixed
reactions, with many agitating
and accusing the President of
nominating the wrong people
to represent him at the local
level.
Some are also saying they
do not associate with nominated
persons and for that matter
calling for different persons to
be nominated.
In the Tema Central constituency,
some aggrieved
supporters of the New Patriotic
Party (NPP) earlier locked
up the party’s office in protest
of President Akufo-Addo’s
nomination of Yohane Armah
Ashitey as the MCE for Tema.
Some NPP youth at Chereponi
in the North East region
also destroyed some structures
after the nomination of
Zuwera Mada Nashiru as the
District Chief Executive was
announced over the weekend.
Hundreds picket in FixTheCountry demo in T’di
Story: George Obeng
Hundreds of residents
in the Western
Region yesterday
participated in
the #FixTheCountry
demonstration in Takoradi to
register their displeasure with
governance in the country.
It was obvious that the
droves of demonstrators were
spurred on by the fact that the
day was a holiday in memory
of Ghana’s first President, Dr
Kwame Nkrumah.
Speaking to journalists at
the onset of the demonstration
from Takoradi to Sekondi, the
leadership of the #FixTheCountry
and participants called on
the Akufo-Addo administration
to fix the governance system,
corruption, unemployment and
kidnappings in the Sekondi-Takoradi
metropolis.
A member of the movement,
Oketekyere Afrifa Mensah, said,
“we are tired of substandard
governance. We are tired of
governance that has no plan.
We are tired of directionless
leadership.”
The Commander-In-Chief, of
the Economic Fighters League,
Ernesto Yeboah, also said they
were protesting against a “false”
and “rotten” system “that allows
the blatant stealing of our resources.”
“What you are seeing here
today is a manifestation of the
boiling anger of the youth and
good people of Ghana,” he said.
#FixTheCountry movement
began to take shape in May 2021
after gaining traction on social
media.
It saw young Ghanaians
demand social and economic
reform as well as better governance.
The online movement
evolved and culminated in its
first physical protest, also on a
holiday, on July 6, 2021.
The FixTheCountry demonstrators in Takoradi yesterday
We shall vote against MMDCEs nominated!
Ackah Nelson Frank, GAAM President
Story: Freeman
Koryekpor Awlesu
The Western North
Regional President for
the Ghana Association
of Assembly Members
(GAAM), who doubles
as the Assembly member for
Asawinso ‘A’ in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai
Municipality,
Hon. Frank Ackah Nelson, has
stated that they are working to
vote against the Municipal and
District Chief Executives (MD-
CEs) nominated by the President
within the region.
This was made known to the
press in an interview after the
regional and district executives
of the association held a crunch
meeting at the regional capital
Sefwi Wiawso, to deliberate on
the welfare of the members.
He continued that the association
had submitted several
petitions to the President of the
Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo, concerning their
welfare, but has turned deaf ears
to their entreaty, perhaps the demand
for them to take proactive
measures in order to meet their
requests.
“We have presented several
suits to H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo concerning restitution
of our ex gratia, electoral
area funds to bolster the various
assembly members, procurement
of inferior motorbikes
for the assembly members and
other relevant demands but
he has turned deaf ears to our
argument, we are calling on him
to act now, “ he reiterated.
Mr Ackah revealed that the
association since its inception
has made a reasonable impact
on the various MMDAs, notably
in the Western North region.
Meanwhile, they cannot boast of
any progress in the course of its
members.
“With our support, MMDAs
without presiding members in
the region, have one now, we
can boast of several noteworthy
accomplishments by the
association but the government
wants to take us for granted,
we yearn to take this medium
to voice out our concerns to the
President to attend to our plea,”
they appealed.
However, he observed that
the government has scorned
their applications upon uncountable
attempts, but urged
the various assembly members
to remain obstinate and rally
behind the association to fight
for the welfare of the members.
“I will plead with the assembly
members to rally behind
the association to fight for the
welfare of the members. We
cannot endorse any MMDCE if
our demands are not satisfied,”
he confirmed.
Writer's email: koryekporfreeman@yahoo.com
Page 4
DAILY ANALYST Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021
Story: George Obeng
Knutsford University
College has won the
2021 Global University
of the Year Award.
It also received an
International Award of Global
Business Excellence. This was
stated in a release signed by Mr
Affail Monney.
The event, which was the
International Sustainability and
Growth Summit in Dubai, was
attended by Her Royal Highness,
Princess Dr Maradeun Oguanlana,
some of the most influential
leaders in the world, educationists
and “pioneer thinkers who
are at the frontiers of advancement.”
According to the statement,
Knutsford University College
clinched the feat for its equitable
but affordable university education
in Ghana, Africa and across
the world” as well as its impressive
academic facilities, innova-
Knutsford University wins Best
Global University Award
tive life changing programmes,
dedicated staff, good governance
management structure, and
highly enriched, conducive
learning environment.”
Pro-Vice Chancellor and
Founder of Knutsford University
College, Bishop John Kwamena
Essel, said the global recognition
was a testament of the crucial
role of private universities in
Ghana in meeting the educational
needs of the people and
advancing the cause of national
development.
“The global award challenges
Knutsford University College to
offer more services which are
qualitative in content and global
in scope so as to project Ghana
as the preferred destination for
education. We will do our best to
meet these lofty expectations,“
Bishop Essel added.
He commended management
and teaching staff of the university
who made it possible for the
award to materialise.
Knutsford University College
attracts a lot of students in West
Africa and other parts of the
world in addition to Ghanaian
nationals. In collaboration with
the Ghana Journalists Association
(GJA), Knutsford University
College every year runs free,
intensive Advanced Diploma
programme in Communication
and Governance for journalists
across the country.
ADB new Board inaugurated
The new Board of Directors
of the Agricultural
Development Bank
Limited (ADB) have
been sworn into office
with the charge to continue
with its core mandate of agricultural
financing.
At a ceremony at the Ministry
of Finance, a Deputy Minister
of Finance , Hon. Dr. John Kumah
commended the previous
Board for refocusing the Bank on
its core mandate of agricultural
financing and was optimistic
the new board will continue
with the vision making the Bank
the best Bank for agribusiness
financing in the country.
The nine member Board is
Chaired by Daasebre Akuamoah
Agyepong II , Omanhene of the
Kwahu Traditional Area with Dr.
John Kofi Mensah (Managing
Director) , Alhaji Habib Iddrisu
, Prof. Eric Yirenkyi Danquah,
Hon. Abena Osei-Asare, Prof. Peter
Quartey, Mr. George Kwabena
Abankwah-Yeboah , Mr. Evron
Rothschild Hughes and Madam
Mary Abla Kessie as members.
“With the coming in of the
National Development Bank,
ADB will get more funds for medium
and long term agricultural
financing programmes and I am
sure this will help increase the
Banks portfolio in the sector,”
he said.
According to the Deputy
Minister, the Bank was well
positioned to assist the National
Development Bank equally
fulfil its mandate of providing
long term loans for agribusiness
financing to ensure food security
and create wealth for Ghanaians.
“ADB has since 2017 remained
a key partner to government
initiatives such as
the Planting for Food & Jobs,
Rearing for Food & Jobs and
also the novel One District One
Factory initiative and I wish to
commend the Bank for such a
support” he said.
The new Board Chairman,
Daasebre Akuamoah Agyepong
II on behalf of the members
, thanked the President , His
Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa
Akuffo Addo and other shareholders
for the opportunity for
them to serve as Directors on the
ADB Board.
He pledged the determination
of the Board to work assiduously
so the Bank can start
paying dividends to government
whiles ensuring the Bank focuses
on agricultural financing.
“We are going to work hard
to ensure we continue to improve
on the financial performance
of the Bank so we can pay
dividends to shareholders, he
said.
NLA gets new Board of Directors
A
new Board of Directors CEO, Sammy Awuku who is being building among stakeholders.
was sworn in last Friday
by Deputy Finance ning disputes between NLA and that there is the need to learn
looked up to resolve the long run-
The Board Chairman asserted
Minister Dr John Kumah
for the National suring that laws governing their oped countries that had used the
private lotto operators, while en-
the best practices from devel-
Lotteries Authority,
activities are adhered to. Already lottery industry to develop their
The Board Chairman of NLA, he has commenced a re-registration
of private lotto operators –
I assure that, the Board would
countries.
Torgbui Francis Nyonyo, assured
that, the Authority would work licensing to operate having been ensure NLA achieves its full potential,”
Torgbui Nyonyo said.
assiduously to enhance revenue a major bone of contention – even
generation and also improve its as he is arranging new, potentially “We will do this through the
operations and to block all revenue
leakages in the system.
the Authority.
the 1960 Lotto and Betting (Act 94)
gainful collaborations on behalf of mandate given to the authority in
“My administration will ensure
that transparent policies are policy, the NLA is expected to in-
722) to be the integral part of the
By adherence to transparent and National Lotto Act, 2006(Act
brought to bear by the management
team on their day to day contribute its quota to the needed to the national development,”
crease the revenue generation and revenue generation to contribute
performance of the NLA.
developmental goals of the country
in line with the NLA Act, and
Sammi Awuku, Director-General of NLA
Torgbui Francis Nyonyo stressed.
The newly inaugurated board
included the recently appointed anchor its policies on consensus
DAILY ANALYST
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021 Page 5
Do Ghanaians really love Ghana?
By Aseye Dey
One Wednesday
morning, I was listening
to Bernard
Avle and his team
on the Citi Breakfast
Show.
They were talking about
the swearing-in of the new
board of governors for the various
State-Owned Enterprises.
Bernard Avle admonished the
new board members to carry
out their duties with patriotism
and not be focused on the
allowances they would be receiving
like what many public
officers do.
As I listened to him, a question
popped out of my mind,
“Do Ghanaians really love
Ghana? Do they want to see
the motherland progress like
the “Asian tigers”? The answer
that followed was; just a few
Ghanaians really love Ghana.
This answer came out after a
reflection on the recent happenings,
the attitude of Ghanaians
from leadership down to
the ordinary citizens.
For Ghana to make it, there
should be a conscious effort
by our leaders and citizens to
make Ghana develop not just
for us but for future generations.
Unfortunately for
Ghana, she does not have the
full support of her citizens to
enable her to develop.
Many of our politicians,
public servants, professionals
are more concerned with
what they will get from the
state while caring less about
the service they render to the
state to move its steps forward.
For instance, a politician is
sworn in as a minister, his first
focus is to get his Land Cruiser,
allowances, fat salaries, and
other goodies that come with
the position but are not patriotic
enough to be more concerned
about serving the state
earnestly; critically looking for
solutions to solve the problems
bedevilling the state. People
who occupy positions that
require them to make decisions
beneficial to the country
end up putting their interests
above that of the state. Some
sign bad deals on behalf of the
state causing the state to lose
millions of cedis.
They sign deals that they
know they will never sign if
it were their private company
they were running. They read
clauses that do not ensure to
the benefit of the state, but
they still sign it because there
is a cut for them personally or
for their friends and family.
Contractors are given
contracts to construct roads,
schools, gutters, bridges, and
other projects, and instead
of the government officials
charged with the responsibility
to supervise the work to
ensure the state gets value for
money they just want their
percentage from the funds
meant for the construction. As
a result, shoddy work is done,
causing the state to spend
more money to reconstruct or
maintain them when they do
not stand the test of time.
In the bushes, left to waste
away, are abandoned projects:
hospitals, schools, factories
simply because it was started
by the previous government or
because starting a new project
would enable a big man to line
his pocket.
A similar thing was done
by the previous government.
Sadly, it is the trend now. If our
leaders had the least sense of
patriotism, they would have
been more concerned about
the way taxpayers’ funds are
wasting. Some of these projects
were financed with loans
which the state is expected to
pay back. Unfortunately, the
taxpayers will be paying back
loans they have not benefitted
from. Too much partisanship
and vindictiveness are causing
the state dearly.
The situation of Komenda
Sugar factory saddens me so
much, how a multi-million
dollar sugar factory could be
left to rust away while many
residents of Komenda are
unemployed. We import all
the sugar we consume, putting
stress on the cedi while
we have a sugar factory in the
bush. The state has not been
able to recoup the investment,
yet more money would have
to be spent to renovate it. I almost
wept when I watched the
Joy News hotline documentary
on the state of the sugar
factory.
The government has assured
us for some years now
that they were getting investors
to operate the factory
but to date, the factory is still
there rusting further. Nothing
was done to prevent the metals
from rusting, completely
heartbreaking.
The story would have been
different if the money used to
build the sugar factory came
from their pockets. However,
there has been some assurance
from the trade minister,
Alan Kyeremanten to get the
Komenda Sugar Factory operational
by the end of 2021. I
hope he does not relent on his
assurance.
Another issue is the greed
of many Ghanaians. A number
of Ghanaians especially
professionals, politicians, and
public workers just work to ensure
the problems of the state
do not affect them instead of
them using their expertise to
solve the problems bedevilling
the state as a whole. Bribery
and corruption are the order
of the day. The people who genuinely
fight the wrong within
the system are frustrated by
the people who are supposed
to empower them; Domelevo
and the likes would tell you
their story. Public servants
paid with state funds rip off
the state with their actions or
inactions.
The rot superintended by
some public servants within
the system with impunity
is mind-boggling. The past
months saw the release of
audit reports by the Auditors
General Department on the
running of State-Owned Institutions.
Almost all the audit
reports on the various State
Institutions revealed financial
malfeasance and infractions,
mostly deliberately caused.
The reports also revealed how
the state lost millions of Cedis
to these financial infractions.
The intent to protect the public
purse is lost. Even universities
like KNUST, University of
Ghana were not excluded.
Public servants causing
all these infractions without
caring about how they would
slow down the country’s development.
Little or nothing
has been done to punish the
culprits of these infractions or
even retrieve the monies lost.
Ghanaians Celebrate First President
With #Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day
As the country
celebrates the
birthday of its
first President,
Dr Kwame Nkrumah,
many people both young
and old have taken to social
media to celebrate him with
the hashtag Kwame Nkrumah
Memorial Day.
Today’s statutory public
holiday followed the passage
of the Public Holiday Amendment
Bill into law in March
2019.
After leading the CPP to
victory to form a government,
he became the leader of government
business in 1951. The
move, eventually led Ghana,
formally the Gold Coast to independence
from British rule
in 1957.
As the leader of the country,
Dr Nkrumah led massive
socio-economic development
that resulted in a number
of infrastructural projects,
including the construction
of the Akosombo Dam, the
Tema Motorway, among other
projects.
I am yet to hear that monies
stolen from the state were
retrieved. If it were China or
those other countries that
have their systems working
well or have the development
of their country at heart, these
people would be jailed by now.
Mind you, the huge sums
of money the state loses to
corruption, misappropriation
and mismanagement deprive
other aspects of the needed
development. For instance,
these young women and girls
migrating from the north to
work as head potters in Accra
and Kumasi. They live undignified
lives here. The millions
of Cedis that are wasted could
be put into developing the regions
in the North so that the
opportunities they seek here
in Accra and Kumasi would be
available to them there. This
would take away the need to
migrate to the south for greener
pastures. The infrastructural
development those monies
could have provided the state
misapplied without the fear
of God.
The big problem with the
youth in Ghana is too much
affiliation to political parties.
Putting their love for NPP or
NDC above that of the state,
refusing to discern on issues
as a result. They forget that
NPP and NDC will not support
the future generation, but the
state.
This problem is also with
some of our professionals, who
should know better. Ghana
is bigger than NPP and NDC.
Issues that border on national
interest are seen through
party lenses. I was highly
disappointed when I heard the
MP for Ningo Prampram, Sam
George says he puts NDC first
before Ghana. A person with
that mentality in parliament
is no good for Ghana. Many
other politicians get power
and want to first satisfy their
party needs before that of Ghana.
How will Ghana make the
progress it ought to make?
The wealthy countries
we admire today did not get
there by doing the things
Ghanaians are doing to their
country. They got there as a
result of love for their country,
strengthened institutions,
putting the interest of the
country above individual or
party interests, and a lot of
sacrifices from leaders and
citizens. Their leaders yearn
for the development of their
country; the well-being of the
masses. Last but not least, they
use state resources judiciously;
the state benefits largely
from expenditures made,
unlike here in Ghana with all
the wastage.
Page 6
DAILY ANALYST Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021
Dan Botwe Defends MMDCEs
Dan Botwe, Minister for Local Government,
Story: Freeman
Koryekpor Awlesu
Outgoing Municipal
Chief Executive (MCE)
for Ketu South Municipal
Assembly in the
Volta Region, Mr Elliot
Edem Agbenorwu, has congratulated
the newly-nominated MCE
for the area, Mr Maxwell Koffie
Lugudor, and pledged support
to work with him to deliver on
his constitutional mandate to
succeed.
Following this development,
Mr Agbenorwu urged the 57
Assemblymen and women in all
the electoral areas in Ketu South
to vote massively to approve the
nomination of Mr Lugudor to help
continue to bring sustainable
development to the area.
Speaking in an interview
with Aflao-based Holy F.M 98.5
on Monday, September 20, 2021,
which was monitored by DAILY
Analyst, Mr Agbenorwu expressed
gratitude to the President, Nana
Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for
appointing him to head the Ketu
South Municipal Assembly in his
first term.
He was hopeful that although
President Akufo-Addo did not
re-appoint him as the MCE for
Ketu South, he believes that
"properly the President has another
place for him to serve under
his second term administration."
The outgoing MCE congratulated
those who, in diverse ways,
have supported him to contribute
to the socio-economic development
and growth in the electoral
areas within the municipality.
"The projects and programmes
l have completed or started in the
municipality are there for all to
see. More importantly, I have also
helped to improve lots of lives in
all the 39 electoral areas in the
municipality,” the outgoing Ketu
South MCE stressed.
"I want to use this opportunity
to thank all the chiefs, clergy,
assembly members, media, students,
fisher-folks, market-folks,
staff members of the Ketu South
Municipal Assembly and the
entire populace of the municipality
who have supported me
towards positive transformation
of the communities and the great
impact l have made by adding value
to humanity," Mr Agbenorwu
expressed.
According to him, he would
not have worked during his tenure
of office to the expectation
of the good people of Ketu South
had it not been for the support of
the good people of the thrity-nine
electoral areas within the Ketu
municipality and the entire staff
of Ketu South Municipal Assembly.
Mr Agbenorwu further urged
the chiefs and people of Ketu
South to rally behind the new
MCE nominee as it was done to
him to develop the area.
According to him, his successor
was a strong and courageous
figure who understands local
dynamics.
“My brother, Maxwell Koffie
Lugudor, has been nominated
as my successor I know him to
be a very strong and courageous
person who knows the dynamics
of local leadership to the top
echelon.
He noted that his prayers will
always be with him to succeed
in the interest of Ketu South municipality,
Voltarians, and Ghana
The Minister for Local
Government, Regional
Reorganisation
and Development,
Dan Botwe, has
defended President Nana Addo
Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s choices
of Metropolitan, Municipal,
and District Chief Executives
(MMDCEs).
Mr. Botwe insists President
Akufo-Addo found them to be
competent and qualified for
the job.
The nomination of MMD-
CEs across the country has
been greeted with mixed
reactions, with many agitating
and accusing the President of
nominating the wrong people
for their districts.
Some are also saying they
Outgoing Ketu South MCE
lauds Maxwell Koffie Lugudor
…and calls for calm
through the vision of President
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo."
He stressed the need for the
chiefs, clergy, Assemblymen and
women and the entire populace
of the municipality to accord Mr
Lugudor the needed support to
succeed in office as was done to
him
Ṁr Agbenorwu called on his
supporters and the NPP members
to continue to remain calm since
President Akufo-Addo was the
final appointment authority and
he has appointed Mr Lugudor and
this should be supported by all
and sundry to maintain peace and
unity in the municipality.
President Akufo-Addo has
through the minister for local
government decentralisation and
rural development brought all
speculations to an end by naming
the metropolitan municipal and
district chief executives who will
help him in the second term of
his administration.
“Having served in the first
term of the administration I
know how passionate the president
is to see to the development
of mother Ghana therefore the
decision to re-nominate and to
drop appointees will always be
apt.
Writer's email: koryekporfreeman@yahoo.com
Mr Elliot Edem Agbenorwu, Outgoing MCE for Ketu South
do not associate with nominated
persons and for that matter
calling for different persons to
be nominated.
But speaking on The Point
of View on Citi TV, on Monday,
September 20, 2021, Dan Botwe
said a lot of consideration went
into the nomination.
He also added that everyone
who couldn’t get nominated
will be contacted in due time.
“The most important thing
is that I had the opportunity
to sit through some of these interactions
and saw the calibre,
the quality of people who really
wanted to come and serve
at that level. I was very much
encouraged, and we have kept
their resumes, and they will be
contacted at the right time.”
Outgoing District Chief
Executive (DCE) for
Awutu Senya West
District Assembly in
the Central Region,
Mr Stephene Kwame Quaye, has
pledged to work in harmony with
the newly-nominated DCE for
the area, Mr Joseph Aidoo, for the
needed sustainable development
and growth.
Mr Aidoo was among the list
of the Metropolitan, Municipal
and District Chief Executives
(MMDCEs) officially announced
by the Local Government Minister
on Sunday, September 19, 2021.
According to the outgoing
DCE, he personally called Awutu
Senya West nominee around 6:30
a.m., on Monday, September 20,
2021, to officially congratulate
him and pledged his readiness to
support him in delivering on his
mandate.
“Even after the announcement
was made yesterday,
(Sunday September 19, 2021, I
have toured the constituency
to educate my supporters and
sympathisers to be calm and accept
the DCE nominee for Awutu
Senya West,” he said.
Speaking in an interview
with this news outlet on Monday,
September 20, 2021, via telephone
call, Mr Quaye asserted that "the
two of us pledged to work together
to improve the living conditions
of our people."
The DCE called on his supporters
and sympathisers to rally
The government released
President Akufo-Addo’s choice
of nominees for the various
MMDCEs on Sunday, September
19, 2021, after nearly nine
months of the new administration.
The Minister for Local
Government, Dan Botwe at the
minister’s press briefing after
the announcement indicated
that the list has been forwarded
to the various regional
ministers.
The regional ministers are
thus expected to contact the
Electoral Commission, which
will commence processes for
assembly elections on the various
nominees.—Citifmonline.
com
Stephen Kwame Quaye,
DCE for Awutu Senya West
District Assembly
'I’ll work with Awutu
Senya West DCE
nominee in harmony'
support for the newly-nominated
DCE, saying that it does not mean
he was sacked by President Nana
Addo Dankwa Addo-Addo but
rather his term of office has come
to an end.
He reaffirmed his commitment
to support the newly
nominated DCE to complete all
his ongoing social and infrastructure
intervention projects and
programmes in the area.
The Local Government Minister,
Dan Botwe, released the
list of MMDCEs during a press
conference in Accra on Sunday,
September 19.
He called for calm following
the announcement of the MMD-
CEs nominee list.
He said the MMDCEs position
was service to the nation; hence
persons whose preferred choices
were not selected should not
engage in disturbances.
“The whole idea is service to
the nation. So far as I am concerned,
and all well-meaning
Ghanaians know, this is aspiring
to serve our motherland. If [the]
opportunity has not been given
to you to serve, there cannot be
any reason for disturbances.
“If truly you wanted to serve,
then there is absolutely no basis
for you to involve in disorderly
conduct,” he said at a press conference
in Accra while announcing
the list.
Writer's email: koryekporfreeman@yahoo.com
DAILY ANALYST
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021 Page 7
Danfa residents mad at NDC MP
Story: George Obeng
A
group calling itself
the Concerned
Residents of Danfa
in the Greater
Accra Region have
registered their displeasure at
their Member of Parliament’s
(MP’s) inability to have their
roads fixed after making all
manner of promises in the 2020
As of the close of
August 2021, aYo
Intermediaries Ghana
has paid over GH¢6.2
million in benefits to
over 21,000 customers who made
claims from their aYo “Recharge
with Care’ (RwC) and aYo ‘Send
with Care’ (SwC) policies.
aYo is an MTN Ghana mobile
micro insurance subsidiary
that provides affordable Life and
Hospital insurance policies. As of
August 2021, the company had a
customer base of about 6.3 million
subscribers.
TechGh24 can confirm that as
of August 31, 2021, aYo had paid
22,041 claims to both Recharge
with Care and Send with Care
policyholders, with 89% being
hospital admission claims while
remaining 11% was death claims.
Out of the number of claims
paid for, 21,834 were under ‘Recharge
with Care’ while some 207
were under ‘Send with Care.
In terms of value, ‘Recharge
with Care’ paid out about GH¢6.15
million, while ‘Send with Care’
has paid out over GH¢82,000.
election.
According to the group,
the MP, on the ticket of the
opposition National Democratic
Congress (NDC), has reneged
on his promises to have the
dilapidated roads leading from
Ayimensah-Danfa-Armahia
areas in the La-Nkwantanag
municipality fixed as promised.
‘We have been expecting the
current National Democratic
MTN aYo Insurance
pays out over GH¢6M
...to over 21,000 customers
Last year, aYo doubled customer
benefits under its Recharge
with Care policy. Benefits
for customers on hospital admission
under RwC was doubled
from GH¢50 a day to GH¢100,
while the benefit in the event of
death went up from GH¢3,000
to GH¢6,000 per customer. That
accounts for the huge settlement
payments under the RwC policy.
aYo Ghana further increased Hospital
admission benefit to GH¢120
per day, this year.
TechGh24 gathered that
the highest single claim settlements
were GH¢6,000 paid to a
‘Recharge with Care’ customer,
while that for a single ‘Send with
Care’ customer stood at GH¢3,920
which was hospital admission
claim.
aYo insurance cover is
currently for 30 days and it is
renewable. The more a customer
recharges airtime on their MTN
number, the more they accumulate
higher benefit.
Premiums
Premium for RwC is automatically
deducted from subscriber’s
...over bad roads
Congress’ Member of Parliament
for Madina Constituency Mr.
Francis Xavier Sosu, to continue
from where Ahaji Boniface left,
but so far, nothing has been done
‘We are aware of the
steps taken by the former
Member of Parliament for
the Madina constituency and
first Minister for the defunct
Ministry of Inner-City and
Zongo Development under the
leadership of President Nana
Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Alhaji
Abubakar Saddique Boniface,
got the roads in the areas
reconstructed.
In fact, Alhaji Boniface
during his time as MP, had the
local chiefs and dignitaries visit
the roads and announced the
presence of the contractor on
site
Ṡpeaking at a press
conference organised in Accra
recently, the President of the
group, George Bossman, said the
Roads and Highways Minister,
Kwesi Amoako Atta, recently
airtime in bits anytime they recharge
their airtime until a total
of GH¢4.00 or GH¢6 is paid for the
month. That for SwC is paid when
one sends mobile money. The information
on that is available on
*170#, and select Send with Care.
Also, customers have the
flexibility to boost their cover
by buying cover manually using
the MyBoost Menu option on the
USSD or aYo App, app.ayo4.com
and paying from their airtime
wallet.
Claims
To make a claim, one can file
for claims on the mobile phone
by dialing *296#, and valid claims
are paid immediately to your
Mobile Money wallet as soon as
claim document is validated.
For MyHospital claims,
you need to submit a hospital
discharge letter, excuse duty or
itemized medical bill; and for
MyLife claim, the customer must
show proof of death – i.e. death
certificate, medical certificate
of cause of death, burial permit
or letter from a local chief or
religious leader confirming the
death of the deceased person.
The backing documents can
be submitted via WhatsApp number
0555948648 or app.ayo4u.com
or at any MTN Service Centre.
MTN customers who wish
to sign-up to aYo Recharge with
Care insurance policy, should
simply dial *296# on your phone
and follow the prompts. You can
also sign-up via app.ayo4u.com.
Registration is free.
aYo Ghana currently has a
staff strength of about 700.
Sanlam
Meanwhile, the MTN Group
recently signed a partnership
agreement with South African-based
insurance giant, Sanlam
Group to establish InsurTech
alliance and sell insurance
policies in Africa leveraging on
technology. It is still not clear
what that means for aYo Ghana.—Tech24
assured Ghanaians of raising
the levels of roads construction
to about 75 per cent by the close
of the year which was quite
laudable.
‘It is gratifying to observe
the relief such level of road
construction has brought to the
masses, especially drivers of all
shades, across the length and
breadth of the country.
He explained that besides
reducing the considerable
man-hours, drivers use to carry
passengers to and from their
destinations, it will also bring
about some improvement in the
wear and tear of vehicles at large.
‘We want to, first of all,
acknowledge efforts by the
current government to build
roads throughout the country
ever since it came to power.
…Suffice it to say that
the country has witnessed
unprecedented road
construction over the past few
years since the New Patriotic
Party assumed power,’ the group
Chereponi:
Twelve persons have
been arrested in
Chereponi in connection
with the disturbances
that met the
nomination of Zuwera Mada
Nashiru as the area’s District
Chief Executive on September
19, 2021.
The 12 were picked up by police
early on Tuesday, September
21, 2021, and paraded at the regional
police station in Nalerigu.
The police, led by the regional
commander and three senior
officers, raided the homes of the
suspects and arrested them.
Some residents were opposed
to the nomination of Zuwera
Mada Nashiru and vandalised
property in the district.
Though police say calm has
contested.
‘As for the economic benefits,
we cannot easily quantify them,’
he added.
He noted that all said and
done, it cannot be denied
that the Ayimensah – Danfa –
Amrahia road definitely stands
to benefit from the government’s
efforts on road construction.
However, the current state
of the road networks in the area
has become very deplorable and
unmotorable due to the recent
spate of rainfalls.
At nights, for instance, the
road is virtually a death trap
with its lack of street lights.
…Unfortunately, since the
elections were over, we haven’t
seen any further actions.
He maintained that it was in
the light of the foregone that ‘as
residents, we are appealing to
the government to come to our
aid by at least undertaking some
repairs on the road pending
reconstruction.
“As concerned citizens of the
areas aforementioned would be
very grateful if this appeal would
be given a positive hearing.”
12 arrested
...after disturbances
over DCE nomination
returned to the area, there was
evidence that residents are still
agitated.
Some youth in Chereponi had
thronged the residence of the
man they preferred to have been
nominated as DCE, S. K. Orlando.
But they dispersed soon after
because of a downpour.
The Chereponi District Police
Command had invited the
Chereponi New Patriotic Party
Constituency Chairman, Aliu
Sulemana and some of the youth
leaders, after the disturbances.
And after the discussion, the
Chairman of the youth leaders
realized the need to keep the
peace and abide by the advice of
the police not to proceed with
the demonstration.—Citifmonline.com
Page 8
DAILY ANALYST Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021
Environmental & Mining Matters
Sustain sanitation campaign
The Omanhen of the
Oguaa Traditional Area,
Osabarimba Kwesi
Atta II, has called for
sustained efforts to deal
with the sanitation challenges of
the country.
He said if that was not done,
not only would the health of
the citizenry be threatened; it
could also be a major drawback
at efforts at promoting tourism
in the country, particularly in the
Central Region.
Osabarimba Atta made the call
at a sanitation awareness forum
organised by the Graphic Communications
Group Limited (GCGL),
in conjunction with Zoomlion
Ghana Limited (ZGL), in Cape
Coast yesterday.
“It is important to have an
environment that is appealing
and attractive to visitors. We cannot
get visitors to patronise our
tourist sites such as our beaches if
they are unhygienic and unattractive,”
he emphasised.
Forum
The forum, held on the theme:
“National sanitation awareness
campaign”, was intended to raise
national discourse on how to
manage and deal with the sanitation
challenges in the country.
Launched in Accra on April 28,
2021, the campaign is advocating
strict enforcement of sanitation
bye-laws, as well as the naming
and shaming of sanitation offenders.
The forum has so far been held
in nine regions where stakeholders
have discussed sustained ways
of solving Ghana’s sanitation
challenges.
Open defecation
Osabarimba Atta, who chaired
the event, bemoaned open defecation
at the beaches and called
on the authorities to help clamp
down on the practice to improve
tourism.
According to him, it was a
very worrying development that
residents living along the beaches
attended to the call of nature
at the beaches which served as
tourism hubs for many coastal
—Oguaamanhen
Marigold Assan, the Central Regional Minister, at the
communities.
He said open defecation at the
beaches had the tendency to ward
off tourists from visiting such
places to boost the local tourism
industry.
"Indeed, many countries
around the world are reaping the
full benefits from their beaches
through tourism, and Ghana can
do same by improving sanitation
at the beaches to attract tourists,"
he said.
He added that in order for the
nation to fully benefit from its
natural environment, particularly
beaches, it must take steps to
make the beaches clean to boost
tourism in coastal areas and improve
the local economy as well.
“One challenge that needs
to be tackled head on is open
defecation at our beaches. That
is not only unhygienic but also
an action that does not promote
tourism. We cannot attract tourists
to particularly our beaches if
we can not deal with the menace,”
he said, and stressed the need for
swift action.
The Omanhene commended
the GCGL and Zoomlion for the
collaboration aimed at complementing
government’s agenda to
improve sanitation in the country.
Strict enforcement of by-laws
The Central Regional Minister,
Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, in
her submission, charged metropolitan,
municipal and district
assemblies (MMDAs) to strictly
enforce by-laws on sanitation to
help address sanitation challenges
in the region.
According to her, the strict enforcement
of by-laws would help
trim down insanitary conditions
to a minimal level and help reduce
the spread of sanitation-related
diseases and infections in
the region.
“It is important for MMDAs to
strictly enforce existing by-laws
on sanitation to win the fight
against poor sanitation in the
region for the ultimate benefit of
all,” she said.
Collective efforts
Mrs Assan emphasised that issues
relating to sanitation were a
shared responsibility, and that all
major stakeholders were required
to play their respective roles towards
improving conditions in all
communities.
She stressed the need for collective
efforts by all stakeholders
for the nation to be able to deal
with all sanitation-related issues.
“Let us put our shoulders to
the wheel and commit to improving
insanitary conditions in the
country. As a country, we can win
the war against poor sanitation
if the citizenry complemented
efforts by the institutions and
agencies mandated to spearhead
the fight,” she indicated.
Poor attitude
The Editor of the Daily Graphic,
Mr Kobby Asmah, in a speech delivered
on his behalf by the Deputy
Editor, Mr Theophilus Yartey, bemoaned
the poor attitude towards
keeping the environment clean,
stressing that it was nothing to
write home about and rather cost
the nation dearly.
He said it was time to deal
decisively with non-conformists
and punish sanitation offenders
according to the law, adding:
“Clearly, there is a problem dealing
with filth in the country; to keep
the nation clean will require an
all-hands-on-deck approach.”
He noted that issues of sanitation
were everybody’s business
and not one-sided, and so demanding
accountability from leaders
alone would not yield the desired
results.
“We should demand accountability
from all and sundry, including
those who litter the streets,”
he stressed.
Whip up citizenry
Mr Asmah said the GCGL was
focused on efforts to get the citizenry
to adhere to good sanitation
habits and practices, noting: “We
are satisfied that the national sanitation
campaign has received the
backing of all MMDAs to enforce
sanitation regulations aimed at
keeping the environment clean.”
He said the GCGL and its partners
were determined to sustain
the sanitation awareness campaign
and make the most out of it
to help make the nation clean for
the benefit of all, adding: “We hope
to build such a collaboration with
district assemblies to improve sanitation
across the country.”
The Senior Communications
Manager of the ZGL, Mr Adams
Mohammed Mahama, disclosed
that plans were underway for the
construction of an Integrated
Recycling and Composting Plant
in the region.
He noted that the enforcement
of by-laws and attitudinal
change were key towards improving
sanitation in the region, noting
that “if these two measures
are put in place and enforced, the
region will be able achieve the
expected results on sanitation”.
Concerns
On how to address the issue
of insanitary conditions in the
region, Assistant Superintendent
of Prisons Thomas K. Kumapley
called on the government to sign
a memorandum of understanding
with the Ghana Prisons Service
to engage inmates of the prisons
to clean public places and other
facilities on a regular basis.
“If we want to effectively
engage stakeholders in fighting
sanitation-related issues, I believe
the government can partner the
Prisons Service to get inmates to
help clean up public places,” he
said.
Other participants lamented
the bad state of public sanitary
facilities, stressing that their
current state contributed to open
defecation in some communities.
The Assembly Member for
the Kru-Town Electoral Area, Mr
Doffoe Forson, said most households
lacked toilet facilities, while
available public toilet facilities
were in a bad state.
“The state of our public facilities
is very bad and people who
do not have toilets in their homes
prefer going to the shore to ease
themselves,” he said.
He called on government to
ramp up on efforts at getting
households to own toilets to
address sanitation challenges,
stressing: “There is the need to
coordinate and sustain individual
efforts at keeping personal
hygiene and ensuring that local
communities are kept clean at all
times.”—www.graphiconline.com
Afriwave Telecom
has rehabilitated an
abandoned water
facility to serve the
over 7,000 residents of
the Ekye-Amanfrom community
in the Kwahu Afram Plains South
District of the Eastern Region
with potable water.
The facility was constructed
by the Millennium Development
Authority (MiDA), but was
abandoned by the community for
a decade due to the salty taste of
the water from the borehole.
Afriwave is a Ghanaian company
which provides telecommunications
solutions and the
first interconnect clearinghouse
service in Ghana.
The rehabilitation works,
undertaken upon an appeal by
the community, included the tapping
of the raw water from the
Afram River through submersible
pumps and pipes, which had
been extended 750 metres into
the river from the shore.
With the extended pipes, raw
water can now be effectively and
efficiently channelled through
Ekye-Amanfrom gets potable water
treatment plants before it is
pumped into storage tanks for
accessibility by the people.
The treatment plant has also
been improved to deal with the
salty taste of the water.
Critical need
At the inauguration ceremony,
the Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of Afriwave Telecom, Mr
Francis Poku, said access to safe
drinking water was a fundamental
right of every citizen and not
a luxury or a privilege.
“The revamped water facility
means the community will have
access to clean drinking water
which will in turn impact the
health and sanitation of the
thousands who desperately need
it,” he said.
He further noted that Afriwave,
as part of its corporate
social responsibility activities,
had also supported the education
of the youth in ICT by giving opportunity
to students from public
and private universities to learn
on the job as interns and national
service persons.
The Commercial Director
of Afriwave Telecom, Mr Henry
Searyoh, said the rehabilitation
of the water facility was further
proof of how the company had
elevated the needs of the people
as a priority.
He said the gesture was also
to support the community in the
fight against COVID-19 given that
clean water was key to efforts to
stop the spread of the virus.
“Afriwave is a people-centered
brand and we are happy to touch
lives by saving the residents of
Ekye Amanfrom from drinking
unsafe water,” he stated.
Problem solved
The Secretary to the Unit
Committee of Ekye-Amanfrom,
Mr Charles Sebi, who led the
campaign to solicit support for
the repair works, expressed appreciation
to Afriwave for coming
to their aid.
“We are grateful that our cry
for help caught your attention,”
he said.—www.graphiconline.
com
facility was commissioned
DAILY ANALYST
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021 Page 9
The capture of democratic
political
systems by private
power networks is
arguably the greatest
threat to civil liberties
and inclusive development in
Africa. That’s the conclusion of
two new reports that address
the issue of threats to democracy
on the continent.
The first report is published
by Ghana’s Centre for
Democratic Development. It
focuses on the capture and
subversion of democratic
institutions in Benin, Ghana,
Kenya, Mozambique and
Nigeria.
These case studies reveal
that even in more democratic
states such as Benin and Ghana,
ruling parties can “hijack”
democracy and appropriate
its benefits. They do this by
capturing the institutions of
democracy itself. This includes
electoral commissions, judiciaries,
legislatures and even
the media and civil society.
The net effect is to undermine
transparency and
accountability. This in turn
facilitates the abuse of power,
especially in more authoritarian
contexts.
The second report was curated
by Democracy in Africa
and takes a slightly different
approach. It looks at how unelected
networks can infiltrate
and subvert state structures.
In particular, it maps the
emergence of shadow states
in the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC), Uganda, Zambia
and Zimbabwe. These case
studies show that networks of
unelected businessmen, civil
servants, political fixers and
members of the presidents’
families wield more power
than legislators.
By mapping how these
networks are organised across
different groups and countries,
the report reveals how influential
and resilient certain
groups have become. It also
shows how many shadow
states have been integrated
into transnational financial
and – in some cases – criminal
networks.
This is not an “African”
issue. Similar processes have
been identified in a number
of different countries and
regions. These include Bangladesh,
Brazil and the US. But
this does not mean that the
need to recognise and confront
these issues is any less
pressing.
States with higher levels of
democracy capture are prone
to becoming more authoritarian,
corrupt and abusive.
Democracy capture and
the shadow state
According to politics
professor Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi,
democracy
ing impunity for its members.
Africa is not a country
The nine case studies featured
in the two reports show
that the extent of democracy
capture varies significantly. It
is lower in states like Ghana,
where robust electoral contestation
among rival parties
has seen multiple transfers
of power. It’s much higher
in states such as Zimbabwe,
where the government has
never changed hands.
The shape and resilience
of unelected power networks
also varies in important ways.
In Uganda, the shadow state
is run by an axis of President
Yoweri Museveni’s family, a
“military aristocracy” and
interlocutors in the business
community.
In Benin, President Patrice
Talon has exploited the weakness
of the legal system, the
judiciary and the legislature
to expand his power. Through
this process he has turned one
of the continent’s most vibrant
democracies into a near
political monopoly.
Guinea has a long history
of coups: here are 5 things to
know about the country
The picture is different
again in the DRC. International
military alliances were
critical to the way that former
presidents Laurent Kabila and
Joseph Kabila took and held
power. This led to a shadow
state that has been more
profoundly shaped by transnational
smuggling networks
and the activities of the security
forces.
The situation in Zambia is
also distinctive. Under for-
Opinion
Shadow states are the biggest
threat to democracy in Africa:
fresh reports detail how
mer President Edgar Lungu,
the security forces were less
relevant than the nexus between
politicians, government
officials and businessmen.
This led to rampant corruption
and mismanagement. But
it did not prevent a transfer of
power in 2021.
In contrast, in Zimbabwe
the government has been
progressively militarised, penetrating
further areas of the
state and the economy. This
raises serious questions about
whether President Emmerson
Mnangagwa – or army leaders
– holds real power.
It is, therefore, important
to map the shadow state on a
case-by-case basis because no
two networks are the same.
The differences between
them reveals who really holds
power.
The consequences
Shadow states have a negative
impact on democracy and
accountability. But the damage
they do goes well beyond
this. It undermines inclusive
development through three
related processes:
- creating a culture
of impunity, which facilitates
corruption and diverts
resources from productive
investments
- manipulating government
expenditure and other
public resources and opportunities
to sustain the patronage
networks and ensure the shadow
state’s political survival
- creating monopolistic
or oligopolistic conditions that
increase prices and enable
companies with links to the
shadow state to make excescapture
occurs when a few
individuals or sections of a
supposedly democratic polity
are able to systematically
appropriate to themselves the
institutions and processes as
well as dividends of democratic
governance.
In other words, democracy
capture expands the idea of
“state capture” to include all
political institutions and democratic
activities including
civil society and the media.
The term is widely used
in South Africa to refer to the
undue influence of special
interest groups over state
institutions.
Indeed what is striking
about this process is the
well-structured networks that
encompass a broad range of
individuals from government
to the security forces, traditional
leaders, private businesses,
state-owned enterprises,
and their family members.
According to a separate study
by South African academics
Ivor Chipkin and Mark
Swilling, what distinguishes
these actors is their privileged
“access to the inner sanctum
of power in order to make
decisions”.
One helpful way of conceptualising
these networks
is the idea of shadow states
developed by the influential
political scientist William
Reno.
For Reno, a shadow state is
effectively a system of governance
in which a form of
parallel government is established
by a coalition of the
president, militias, security
agencies, local intermediaries
and foreign companies. In extreme
versions such as Sierra
Leone real power no longer
lies in official institutions of
government such as the legislature.
This kind of shadow state is
characterised by the existence
of private armies and a severely
limited, almost imaginary,
formal state.
More recently, researchers
have identified manifestations
of the shadow state in countries
that are not in the middle
of civil war and have stronger
formal political systems. Good
examples include Kenya and
Zambia.
In these cases, the shadow
state is more oriented towards
hampering the activities of
opposition parties and ensursive
profits.
The result is that resources
and investment are systematically
diverted into private
hands.
In Uganda, Museveni
issues tax waivers to business
allies in return for election
support. This denies the treasury
hundreds of millions of
dollars in revenue.
In Zimbabwe, companies
in league with the ruling party
and the military have used
these connections to establish
near monopolies in key
sectors of the economy that
exploit the public. In one case,
this led to severe fuel shortages
that artificially inflated
prices.
When added to the billions
of dollars lost through
straightforward corruption,
theft and fraud, it is clear that
these processes represent
one of the most significant
barriers to inclusive development
in Africa. Unless these
networks are challenged, they
will continue to keep citizens
in poverty while enriching
those connected to the shadow
state.
Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh,
executive director of the
Ghana Centre for Democratic
Development, co-authored
this article
Nic Cheeseman, Professor
of Democracy, University of
Birmingham
This article is republished
from The Conversation under
a Creative Commons license.
Read the original article.
Source: The Conversation
Page 10
Business
DAILY ANALYST Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021
GUTA members demonstrate
...lock up shops of foreign retailers in K’dua
Over 40 shops belonging
to foreigners
engaging in retail
trading in Koforidua
have been locked by
members of the Ghana Union of
Traders Association (GUTA) in
the Eastern Region.
The members on Monday,
September 20, 2021, embarked on
a demonstration to register their
displeasure about the continuous
involvement of foreigners in
retail trade in the New Juaben
South Municipality.
The peaceful demonstration
almost turned violent when the
owner of Mighty Light Plus Shop
which is adjacent to the Koforidua
Central Police station broke
the locks placed on his shop and
started trading; a situation that
infuriated the GUTA members
who heckled him and forced him
out of his shop.
The angry members who
protested wielded placards with
inscriptions such as “Obey Act
865 section 27A now”, “Police
must prevent illegal trading”,
“Foreigners are prohibited from
retailing our markets”, “We shall
police our own market”, among
others.
Darlen Nana Boateng, the
Public Relations Officer of GUTA
in the region, spoke to Citi News.
He said members will use all
legal means to prevent foreigners
from engaging in retail
trading in the region.
“Right now, it has turned
a bit chaotic, although that is
not the plan we came out with.
Our members shut down a shop
but when the business owner
came in, he opened the shop and
insisted that he will work and
whatever it takes, he will not
comply with the directive. No
one is here destroying anybody’s
business, but people should not,
on their own, take the law into
their own hands and be resisting
the laws of Ghana. The foreign
retailers should just comply
with the law.”
Some other members who
also spoke to Citi News about
the activities of the foreigners
expressed worry over the development
and asked for immediate
intervention.
Over the years, there have
been various disagreements
between Ghanaian traders and
their counterparts from other
countries, particularly Nigerians.
The local traders have argued
Hollard’s Patience Akyianu is African
Female Business Leader of the Year
Hollard Ghana’s
Group Chief Executive
Officer (GCEO)
Patience Akyianu
has achieved continent-wide
recognition as the
African Female Business Leader
of the Year at the just-ended
6th Invest in Africa Summit
2021 (virtual) organized by the
prestigious African Leadership
Magazine.
The award ceremony was
held as a highlight of the 6th
Invest in Africa Summit which
was organized under the theme:
Africa 4.0: Redefining Growth,
Sustainability, and Innovation.
African Business Leadership
Awards seeks to acknowledge
and commend top-performing
individuals for their selfless
services to nation-building. This
meritorious award recognizes
leading lights on the continent,
contributing towards changing
the African narrative.
The selection process ethics
entails three steps, involving
nomination, subsequent voting,
and final screening by the editorial
team of the African Leadership
Magazine.
Patience Akyianu emerged
winner of the African Female
Business Leader of the Year category.
Patience was recognized
as an exceptional female leader,
with fantastic managerial skills
who despite stiff competition
in a male-dominated world, has
shown resilience, courage, and
sagacity in building a worthy
brand.
Receiving the award,
Patience Akyianu in her acceptance
speech expressed
profound gratitude to God, the
advisory council, the editorial
team, and Dr Giami of the African
Business Leadership Awards.
“I am so delighted to be
honoured as the African Female
Business Leader of the Year
and I give all the glory to God
from whom all blessings flow. I
am completely stunned by the
massive support I have received
from across Africa, especially
from Ghana during the voting
process and I thank everyone
for this overwhelming vote of
confidence. It is clear to me that,
I could not have emerged the
winner of this prestigious award
without the help and support of
my family, friends, my church
community, colleagues at
Hollard Ghana, and the various
networks I’m part of”.
“I, therefore, dedicate this
award to my entire network and
all the people who have contributed
to making me who I am
today. I’m very encouraged by
this recognition and will continue
to contribute my best to the
financial services sector and the
development of our continent.
Together through hard work, we
will create and secure a better
future for all. Thank you for
this international honour,” she
added.
According to Dr Giami, the
Publisher of the African Leaders
Magazine, the 2021 Africa
Business Leadership Award
(ABLA) celebrates grit, purpose,
and impact in Africa’s business
environment, especially in what
continues to be a difficult period
for most people due to the impact
of coronavirus. He further
added that the leaders who have
emerged winners in the various
categories have exhibited these
celebrated attributes in admirable
capacities and are deserving
of great accolades.
that per Ghana’s laws, foreigners
have no right to engage in retail
trade within the country, as their
activities affect the local retailers
negatively.
The government subsequently
set up a presidential committee
to properly scrutinize all
foreigners engaging in trading
activities in the country.
This has led to the closure of
several shops belonging to foreign
retailers across the country.
But last week, GUTA threat-
MTN Ghana has
been awarded Investors
in People
Platinum Accreditation
by the
United Kingdom based Investors
in People (IiP) International.
The Platinum Accreditation is
the High-Performing standard on
the IiP accreditation model and
the highest level on the IiP Standard.
MTN is the first company
in Ghana to receive the Investors
in People Accreditation.
The Accreditation confirms
MTN Ghana as an organisation
that adhere to the Investors
in People Standard and global
best people management
practices. MTN Ghana received
the Platinum Accreditation in
September 2021 after rigorous
evidence-based assessment
including a survey of Employees,
a review of the company’s people
practices and policies, interviews
with a cross section of selected
employees and confirmation of
evidence provided.
ened to resume locking up shops
of foreigners because of stalled
negotiations under the Joint
Implementation Taskforce.
The brunt of GUTA’s action
in the past has been towards the
Nigeria Union of Traders Association,
Ghana (NUTAG).
Though there is free trade
among ECOWAS countries, Ghana’s
laws say a person who is not
a citizen or an enterprise that is
not wholly-owned by a citizen
shall not invest or participate
in the sale of goods or provision
of services in a market, petty
trading or hawking or selling of
goods in a stall at any place.
There is also a $1 million
minimum capital requirement
for foreigners doing business in
Ghana, in line with GIPC Act.
MTN Ghana receives
investors in People
Platinum Accreditation
Commenting on the award,
the Chief Human Resource
Officer of MTN Ghana, Amma
Benneh-Amponsah, said “We
are glad MTN has received the
high-performing accreditation
in the Investors in People
standard. Since MTN Ghana
received its first Investors in
People Accreditation in 2014, we
have continuously and consistently
worked hard, invested in
our workforce and continued to
employ best practices in people
management to ensure the organization
continues to meet the
global standard on all fronts.
“As an organisation, we are
committed to enabling our employees
live inspired, Work with
meaning, Thrive in positivity,
Grow with purpose and Connect
to develop in all that we do. I
am also excited this accreditation
is coming at a time MTN is
celebrating its 25th Anniversary,
a testament of the organisation’s
growth and contributions to
society,” she added.
Amma Benneh-Amponsah, Chief
DAILY ANALYST
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021 Page 11
Sports
Koeman
under
pressure
Ronald Koeman said
he doesn't have the
players to implement
Barcelona's renowned
style of football as
pressure increased on his job following
Monday's 1-1 draw with
lowly Granada.
Barcelona were missing
Ousmane Dembele, Martin
Braithwaite, Pedri, Jordi Alba,
Sergio Aguero and Ansu Fati for
Monday's match, and fell behind
after just 88 seconds at Camp
Nou. They needed a header from
defender Ronald Araujo in the
final minutes to salvage a draw
against a team yet to win a game
in LaLiga this season.
Koeman's men are in seventh,
five points behind leaders
Real Madrid, with only 27,000
out of a possible 40,000 in attendance
at the match. The 1-1 draw
with Granada, who are 17th,
followed a 3-0 humbling at the
hands of Bayern Munich in the
Champions League last week.
When asked about the team's
style of play, Koeman candidly
said this wasn't the Barca team
of old.
"It depends on what we have
available," Koeman said after
the match. "How are we going to
play tiki taki [sic] if there is no
space? Look at the squad. We did
what we have to do. With a bit
more time, we would have won.
"Today's Barcelona is not the
Barca of eight years ago. We play
the Barca way, but we don't have
players to play one-on-one or
Ronald Koeman
with pace. You can't be unhappy
with the team's attitude.
"We played 4-3-3, but we
didn't have pace out wide. Neither
Coutinho nor Demir are
that player. They're not Ansu
[Fati] or [Ousmane] Dembele, so
we have to look for another way."
Amid a turbulent summer in
which the club lost Lionel Messi
to Paris Saint-Germain after
financial difficulties meant they
could not register his new contract,
Koeman's job was under
threat as president Joan Laporta
pondered alternatives.
Koeman and Laporta have
both insisted that their relationship
is fine but tensions
have spilled into the media in
recent weeks. Laporta intimated
Koeman didn't have complete
control of playing issues, which
led the coach to complain in an
interview with the Dutch media.
"Something happened that
I don't think is right," Koeman
told NOS. "[Laporta] was suggesting
that the coach doesn't have
all the power. He spoke too much
and was not wise."
Previously, Koeman has
said he was upset by Laporta's
behaviour in the summer, too,
when he created uncertainty
around his future at the club.
Koeman's contract runs until
the end of the season but sources
have told ESPN there are some
board members that are unsure
it would be wise to keep him in
place until then.—ESPN
Women’s football:
We are joking
and sleeping
– Mercy Tagoe slams GFA
Head coach of the
Ghana Women’s National
team, Mercy
Tagoe-Quarcoo, has
slammed the country’s
attitude towards women’s
football development and says
authorities are merely “joking”
and “sleeping” on the job.
Tagoe-Quarcoo was speaking
following the Black Queens’ 2-0
victory over Cameroon in the
Aisha Buhari Cup tournament in
Lagos on Monday.
The former national star
contends the country is getting
left behind because of the Ghana
Football Association’s lackadaisical
attitude towards women’s
football development in the
country.
“Coincidentally both sides
(Ghana and Cameroon) brought
fresh legs into their team, trying
to test their pulse and how best
they can fit into the team,” she
started.
“My team for instance, like
I told you the last time, South
Africa being our sisters and
girlfriends brought all their stars
Alonso to stop
taking a knee
Chelsea defender Marcos
Alonso has said he
will stop taking a knee
before matches this
season because the
anti-racism gesture is "losing a
bit of strength."
Players and staff have been
taking a knee prior to kickoff
since the Premier League returned
to action in June last year
to show their support for the
Black Lives Matter movement.
and we all know what Thembi
Kgatlana can do, and what she is
doing and what she will continue
to do,” she added.
“I respect them so much
because they have taken the
women’s football to the next level
and we all have to look at it and
emulate. We are joking, believe
you me, we do this today, tomor-
The 30-year-old said he has
decided to stand while other players
kneel and will instead point
to the "No Room For Racism"
badge on the sleeve of his kit to
highlight the issue.
"I am fully against racism and
I'm against every type of discrimination,
and I just prefer to put
my finger to the badge where it
says no to racism, like they do in
some other sports and football in
other countries," he said.
Marcos Alonso
row we do that and next time
when we are called we think we
will get there. When you sleep,
others will wake up and do it for
you to see.”
Ghana had lost 3-0 to South
Africa in their opening game
of the invitational tournament
before redeeming themselves
against the Cameroonians with
goals from Princella Adubea and
Vivian Konadu.
The team travelled to Nigeria
without key members of the
team’s foreign-based players,
including captain Elizabeth Addo,
who was reportedly left out of the
team after she criticized the Ghana
Football Association on social
media for neglecting the Queens.
Ghana will play Nigeria on
October 17, in the first leg of the
qualifiers for the 2022 Africa
Women’s Cup of Nations.—
Citifmonline.com
"I prefer to do it this way and,
of course, to say very clearly that
I am against racism and I respect
everybody."
When asked whether his
decision had changed as a result
of politics, he replied: "I don't
know, I just prefer to do it this
way. It's my way to do it, I think
it's another way.
"And maybe I think it's losing
a bit of strength the other way, so
I just prefer to do it this way and
to show I am fully supportive of
fighting against racism."
Crystal Palace winger Wilfried
Zaha became the first Premier
League player to not take a
knee in March earlier this year
after calling for tangible change
instead of being used to "tick
boxes."
Alonso also said he had not
told his teammates about his
decision but was confident that
the squad will support him in his
stance.
"We are in the changing room
and we are like a family," Alonso
added. I have a very good relationship
with everyone, I love everyone
and up to now we haven't
talked about it.
"I don't think there is a need
to, but, of course, if I have to
speak to anyone, I will say the
same thing I just told you and
I don't think there will be any
problems."
Chelsea, who are joint leaders
of the Premier League, welcome
Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge
for their third round Carabao Cup
clash on Wednesday.—ESPN
DAILYAnalyst
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021
Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021
Govt dragged to court
...over continuous stay
Story: George Obeng
The Member of Parliament
for South Dayi,
Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor
has dragged
the government to
court over the continuous stay
of Metropolitan, Municipal and
District Chief Executives (MMD-
CEs) in office.
According to him, President
Akufo-Addo has no constitutional
mandate to direct MMDCEs to
remain at post in acting capacity.
The President, in January
2021 after he was sworn in to
Henry Quartey,
Greater Accra
regional minister,
on Thursday,
reiterated that his
"Let's make Accra work' agenda
was not only geared towards
sanitation in the capital, but
also towards health, education,
security, and indiscipline.
He said: "'Let's make Greater
Accra work' agenda focuses on
five significant pillars of security,
sanitation, health, education,
and indiscipline, which is
cross-cutting."
Mr. Quartey who made the
call when addressing the annual
conference of the Greater Accra
Presiding Members in Accra
on the theme: "Making Greater
Accra work, the role of local
assemblies (Let your action
count)" said the agenda was
borne out of indiscipline and
total disregard for orderliness in
the capital.
The programme brought
together all presiding members
in the region, experts in local
governance, and development
partners.
It would also serve as a
training ground for members to
strategize towards the growth
and development of the region.
serve a second presidential term,
directed all MMDCEs to remain
at post until new ones are appointed.
According to the communiqué
signed by the Chief of Staff,
Akosua Frema Opare, announcing
the directive also warned
the MMDCEs against taking any
policy-related decisions.
“You are to take note of the
provision of section 14 (5) of the
Presidential (Transition) Act
(2012) which states that you shall
not take a decision involving a
policy issue,” the notice said.
Dafeamekpor, who filed the
suit as a private citizen of Ghana,
among other things wants a
“declaration that upon a true and
proper interpretation of Article
243(1), the President of the
Republic of Ghana cannot direct,
instructor appoint any person to
either act or hold office as a Metropolitan,
Municipal and District
Chief Executive without the
prior approval of the Members of
the District Assembly to which
the said person would be acting
or holding office as a Metropolitan,
Municipal and District Chief
Executive.”
He also wants the court to
order the acting MMDCEs to immediately
vacate their post.
“An order directed at all
Metropolitan, Municipal and
District Chief Executives continuing
in office pursuant to the
above-mentioned Presidential
directive to vacate office with
immediate effect.”
'Let's make Accra work'
agenda is holistic -Minister
and other stakeholders in a group photograph
Sanitation and waste management
would also form an
integral part of their conference.
Mr. Quartey called on the
presiding members to influence
their assemblies to carry out
educational programmes with
stakeholders to achieve the
vision of the agenda.
He said the next line of
action would be on maintaining
high standards in the erection
of advertising signs on the major
streets of the region.
The regional minister said
the Regional Coordinating
Council was currently carrying
out training programmes to
bring sanity into good advertising
standards.
He announced that stakeholders
in the private sector had
been supportive of the agenda
and called for more support to
achieve it.
Mr. Joseph Korto, Regional
Dean of presiding members
called on his colleagues to place
a premium on education as it
was the bedrock of education.
He said: "Honourable members
since education is the only
weapon that society can use to
level up, I will want to suggest
that we intensify education in
our various districts to fight the
disease."
He commended Henry Quartey,
the Greater Accra regional
minister for his innovations in
keeping the city clean and appealed
to his colleagues to offer
the minister maximum support
to achieve health and sanitation
goals.
"The regional minister's
operation clean your frontage
and the demolition of unauthorized
structures on waterways,
among many others cannot
yield positive impact without
the support of the assemblies in
the region."
He described the regional
minister as a courageous leader
with a high level of intelligence
who needed their support for
the Greater Accra region to
work.
Mr. Korto, who is also the national
dean of presiding members
appealed to the executive
and legislative arms of government
to take steps to improve
the conditions of service of
members across the country.
Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, Head
of Service at the office of Local
government service called on
the presiding members to be
innovative towards the development
of their assemblies.
He called on the assemblies
to avoid awarding contracts
that could not receive adequate
funding as that could lead to
putting up so many uncompleted
buildings.
Enoch Teye Mensah, Greater
Accra representative of the
Council of State urged assemblies
to move their conversations
towards electing MMDCEs,
a proposal that had lingered on
for some time now.
Story: Freeman
Koryekpor Awlesu
A
40-year-old mason,
Richard Oppong, has
met his untimely
death on the Gomoa
Fetteh Kakraba
Nkwantanan road yesterday
morning after an alleged gang
attacked him.
According to an eyewitness
who lives in the area, “around
2:00 a.m., midnight, he heard
the deceased screaming for help
while he was being beaten but
because it was midnight and was
afraid to step out he couldn’t rescue
him till they saw him naked
and dead this morning”.
The people in the area confirmed
that the deceased lived
in Manfam, a suburb of Gomoa
Fetteh Kakraba
The Awutu Bereku District
President Nana Akufo-Addo
Tension in Gomoa
Fetteh Kakraba
Police Officer, Chief Superintendent
Mr Joshua Semenyo, who
was at the scene with his men
also confirmed to journalists
that the man was brutalised by
an unknown gang with several
injuries all over his body
He said no arrest has been
made so far and the cause of the
dead was yet to be identified
“The body will be sent to the
police mortuary for postmortem
pending investigations,” the
police commander added.
On his part, Odikro for Gomoa
Fetteh Kakraba, Nana Essel
Amokoando II, appealed to the
new acting IGP to beef up security
in the area because robbery
cases kept on increasing.
Writer's email: koryekporfreeman@yahoo.com
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