A Ghanaian based in Germany, Mr Kwasi Heiser, and his wife, Mrs Jessica Heiser, have presented items worth GH¢40,000 to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other organisations in Accra.
The items include items such as used computers, used clothes, footwear, toys, stationery, television sets and crutches.
There were also items meant for the physically challenged.
According to Mr Heiser, the items were made possible by his friends in Germany for distribution among victims of the recent floods in some parts of the country, the physically challenged, street children and other vulnerable people.
The National Co-ordinator of NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy, who received the items, expressed his deep appreciation to the couple and their friends for the kind gesture and gave the assurance that they would be used for the intended purpose.
He said recovery missions initiated by the government and other organisations were ongoing to improve the livelihoods of people who had been affected by the floods.
Mr Portuphy appealed to benevolent organisations and individuals to emulate the kind gesture of the couple to offer similar help to victims of the floods.
Other beneficiaries of the donation were Kinder Paradise, a foster home, the African Faith Tabernacle, as well as organisations of the physically challenged.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
VAT STORY (11/7/09)
THE Value Added Tax (VAT) Service has rolled out a comprehensive nationwide educational campaign to whip up compliance with the indirect tax system.
One of the difficulties facing the VAT regime is that most buyers do not insist on VAT receipts, leaving retailers to keep revenues otherwise meant for the state.
The increased VAT tax education would therefore sensitise the public to some of the simple things they need to do to help the service to meet its national revenue collection targets.
An Assistant Revenue Officer of VAT at the Okaishie VAT Sub Office (VSO), Mr Frank Appiah Boadi, said seminars and workshops for targeted groups would increase compliance necessary for generating adequate revenue to finance the national budget and reduce the over-reliance on donor funds.
He said this when the Okaishie VAT Sub Office organised a one-day seminar for students and staff of the Holy Trinity Cathedral Secondary School (HOTCASS) as part of the educational programme.
Topics discussed included the importance of paying taxes, its benefits, as well as the need to patronise shops that were registered under the VAT scheme.
Mr Boadi said increasing revenue generation was important for funding crucial projects such as the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and the National Health Insurance Scheme.
“When we are able to generate internal revenue effectively, we can finance development projects such as roads, hospitals and schools,” he stated.
Consequently, the public had a civic and responsibility to patronise shops that were registered under the VAT scheme, Mr Boadi stated, and entreated the public to patronise such shops.
He also urged the public to demand their VAT invoice whenever they bought goods or patronised services from VAT-registered shops.
The VAT Service, he said, was aware of fraudsters who issued fake invoices to customers, saying “we have taken measures to arrest them”.
He called on the public to report any trader who issued fake invoices to customers to the VAT service for the necessary action to be taken.
The Assistant Revenue Officer of VAT also advised businesses to register with the VAT scheme and collect revenues on behalf of the government for national development.
One of the difficulties facing the VAT regime is that most buyers do not insist on VAT receipts, leaving retailers to keep revenues otherwise meant for the state.
The increased VAT tax education would therefore sensitise the public to some of the simple things they need to do to help the service to meet its national revenue collection targets.
An Assistant Revenue Officer of VAT at the Okaishie VAT Sub Office (VSO), Mr Frank Appiah Boadi, said seminars and workshops for targeted groups would increase compliance necessary for generating adequate revenue to finance the national budget and reduce the over-reliance on donor funds.
He said this when the Okaishie VAT Sub Office organised a one-day seminar for students and staff of the Holy Trinity Cathedral Secondary School (HOTCASS) as part of the educational programme.
Topics discussed included the importance of paying taxes, its benefits, as well as the need to patronise shops that were registered under the VAT scheme.
Mr Boadi said increasing revenue generation was important for funding crucial projects such as the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and the National Health Insurance Scheme.
“When we are able to generate internal revenue effectively, we can finance development projects such as roads, hospitals and schools,” he stated.
Consequently, the public had a civic and responsibility to patronise shops that were registered under the VAT scheme, Mr Boadi stated, and entreated the public to patronise such shops.
He also urged the public to demand their VAT invoice whenever they bought goods or patronised services from VAT-registered shops.
The VAT Service, he said, was aware of fraudsters who issued fake invoices to customers, saying “we have taken measures to arrest them”.
He called on the public to report any trader who issued fake invoices to customers to the VAT service for the necessary action to be taken.
The Assistant Revenue Officer of VAT also advised businesses to register with the VAT scheme and collect revenues on behalf of the government for national development.
SOEs to account for stewardship — Hayibor (15/7/09)
State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) will henceforth be made to account for their stewardship under a programme to be rolled out by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment, Social Welfare and SOEs.
The rationale behind the programme is to afford the Ghanaian taxpayer the opportunity to know whether or not their taxes are being used profitably.
The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Prince Jacob Hayibor, Member of Parliament (MP) for Hohoe North Constituency made this known in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra.
He said SOEs would be made to account for what they used their funds for and whether or not they made profits and losses.
Mr Hayibor said the programme which was a collaborative effort between the Parliamentary Select Committee and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), would be broadcast live.
The programme which is an interactive one will also allow members of the public to make contributions and ask questions on the performance of SOEs.
Responding to the ineffectiveness of some SOE’s, Mr Hayibor said targets had to be set for Chief Executive Officer’s of the Various SOE’s in which failure to meet targets would result in dismissal of such officials.
He said public enterprises were being mismanaged and were not succeeding like private enterprises, an issue that had to be explained by officials in charge of the enterprises.
He added that measures had to be put in place to ensure that targets were met.
He said SOE’s had to be managed properly to prosper and make profits for the development of the country’s economy just like privately owned enterprises.
Mr Hayibor said the committee needed funds to run and sustain the programme to ensure accountability in SOE’s.
He, therefore, appealed to institution and benevolent organisations to support the programme.
The rationale behind the programme is to afford the Ghanaian taxpayer the opportunity to know whether or not their taxes are being used profitably.
The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Prince Jacob Hayibor, Member of Parliament (MP) for Hohoe North Constituency made this known in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra.
He said SOEs would be made to account for what they used their funds for and whether or not they made profits and losses.
Mr Hayibor said the programme which was a collaborative effort between the Parliamentary Select Committee and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), would be broadcast live.
The programme which is an interactive one will also allow members of the public to make contributions and ask questions on the performance of SOEs.
Responding to the ineffectiveness of some SOE’s, Mr Hayibor said targets had to be set for Chief Executive Officer’s of the Various SOE’s in which failure to meet targets would result in dismissal of such officials.
He said public enterprises were being mismanaged and were not succeeding like private enterprises, an issue that had to be explained by officials in charge of the enterprises.
He added that measures had to be put in place to ensure that targets were met.
He said SOE’s had to be managed properly to prosper and make profits for the development of the country’s economy just like privately owned enterprises.
Mr Hayibor said the committee needed funds to run and sustain the programme to ensure accountability in SOE’s.
He, therefore, appealed to institution and benevolent organisations to support the programme.
Twin foundation to set up education fund (15/7/09)
THE Catholic Twins Society (CTS),a twin foundation within the Roman Catholic church is expected to institute an educational fund for needy brilliant twins in the country.
The fund is to afford needy twins the opportunity of accessing quality education to be able to achieve their ambitions in the future.
This was disclosed by the Spiritual Director of the society, Rev. Fr. Raphael Atta Donkor at the fifth anniversary and feast day celebration of the Patron Saint Thomas the Apostle, a twin, in Accra.
He said giving the needy brilliant twins the opportunity of accessing quality education,would also help them contribute their quota to the development of the country.
He charged twins in the Catholic Church to fully participate in voluntary and benevolent activities to aid social development.
He stress the need to foster corporation within the twin foundation to help them achieve targets they set for themselves.
Rev. Donkor encouraged twins to let society see their special potentials in order for them to be recognised as such.
He said it was the Society’s aim to stop all rites that were not in conformity with the principles of the church involving twins.
The Founder of CTS, Mrs Lucy Tawiah Peprah, called for the abolishment of some native rites, such as “Abbam” performed on twins in the country.
She said such rites performed on twins had psychological impacts on them and made the twins feel their lives were dependent on some gods.
She added that such rites should to be streamlined in order to maintain and inculcate the positive ones into Christian principles.
She said practices where twins were exploited and used as instruments for begging on the streets, a popular practice in the Moslem community, had to be discarded.
Mrs Peprah said as part of efforts to check the menace, the CTS had rehabilitated some parents and supported them to undertake various trades to help them cater for their children without having to beg.
She said twins were special and influential people, adding that, it was important for them to unite and fight for their rightful positions in society and fight for other twins in the society.
She said one of CTS's main aim was to get twins out of the streets and give them the needed attention they deserved.
The fund is to afford needy twins the opportunity of accessing quality education to be able to achieve their ambitions in the future.
This was disclosed by the Spiritual Director of the society, Rev. Fr. Raphael Atta Donkor at the fifth anniversary and feast day celebration of the Patron Saint Thomas the Apostle, a twin, in Accra.
He said giving the needy brilliant twins the opportunity of accessing quality education,would also help them contribute their quota to the development of the country.
He charged twins in the Catholic Church to fully participate in voluntary and benevolent activities to aid social development.
He stress the need to foster corporation within the twin foundation to help them achieve targets they set for themselves.
Rev. Donkor encouraged twins to let society see their special potentials in order for them to be recognised as such.
He said it was the Society’s aim to stop all rites that were not in conformity with the principles of the church involving twins.
The Founder of CTS, Mrs Lucy Tawiah Peprah, called for the abolishment of some native rites, such as “Abbam” performed on twins in the country.
She said such rites performed on twins had psychological impacts on them and made the twins feel their lives were dependent on some gods.
She added that such rites should to be streamlined in order to maintain and inculcate the positive ones into Christian principles.
She said practices where twins were exploited and used as instruments for begging on the streets, a popular practice in the Moslem community, had to be discarded.
Mrs Peprah said as part of efforts to check the menace, the CTS had rehabilitated some parents and supported them to undertake various trades to help them cater for their children without having to beg.
She said twins were special and influential people, adding that, it was important for them to unite and fight for their rightful positions in society and fight for other twins in the society.
She said one of CTS's main aim was to get twins out of the streets and give them the needed attention they deserved.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
(13/7/09) ICB launches funeral policy
THE International Commercial Bank (ICB) in partnership with Enterprise Life Assurance Company (ELAC) has launched its funeral insurance policy in Accra to provide decent burial for beneficiaries.
Named the ICB Bancassurance product, the policy is aimed at providing immediate cash within 48 hours to cater for funeral expenses of a policy holder or the family.
The Assistant General Manager of Sales and Marketing, ELAC, Mr Fiifi Simson, said funerals were important events in the society, adding that the ICB and ELAC came out with the product to provide large sum benefits in the event of death to provide decent burials for beneficiaries.
He said policy holders could be on the scheme by 55 years as well as make provisions to cover a spouse, six children, two parents and two in-laws.
He said claims could be made after six months of joining the scheme.
A Director of the Board of ICB, Mr Michael Ezan, said ICB was the first bank in its banking group to venture into the product, adding that it was the fourth bank in the country to launch the product.
He was confident that customers would find the product useful since death created an immediate need for cash.
The Chief Executive Officer of ICB, Mr L.K. Ganapathiramam, said his staff in all 12 branches nation-wide had been given the requisite skills to create awareness and sell the product to make it successful in the market.
He said the bank was going to ensure that customers really understood the product to help them make good use of it.
The Executive Director of ELAC, Mr Cleland Bruce, said his company was proud to be associated with ICB in the partnership, and believed that their passion and experience would enrich the partnership.
He said Bancassurance was one of many products to be rolled out from the partnership.
The Head of Banking Supervision of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Mr Dela Serlomey, said many households were not taking advantage of the protection that insurance provided against unforeseen difficulties that could disrupt their lives.
He said the partnership provided an immense opportunity to reach more households and businesses with suitably designed and priced products that could insulate patrons of the product from the financial difficulties associated with living in recent times.
He called on Ghanaians to take advantage of the product.
Named the ICB Bancassurance product, the policy is aimed at providing immediate cash within 48 hours to cater for funeral expenses of a policy holder or the family.
The Assistant General Manager of Sales and Marketing, ELAC, Mr Fiifi Simson, said funerals were important events in the society, adding that the ICB and ELAC came out with the product to provide large sum benefits in the event of death to provide decent burials for beneficiaries.
He said policy holders could be on the scheme by 55 years as well as make provisions to cover a spouse, six children, two parents and two in-laws.
He said claims could be made after six months of joining the scheme.
A Director of the Board of ICB, Mr Michael Ezan, said ICB was the first bank in its banking group to venture into the product, adding that it was the fourth bank in the country to launch the product.
He was confident that customers would find the product useful since death created an immediate need for cash.
The Chief Executive Officer of ICB, Mr L.K. Ganapathiramam, said his staff in all 12 branches nation-wide had been given the requisite skills to create awareness and sell the product to make it successful in the market.
He said the bank was going to ensure that customers really understood the product to help them make good use of it.
The Executive Director of ELAC, Mr Cleland Bruce, said his company was proud to be associated with ICB in the partnership, and believed that their passion and experience would enrich the partnership.
He said Bancassurance was one of many products to be rolled out from the partnership.
The Head of Banking Supervision of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Mr Dela Serlomey, said many households were not taking advantage of the protection that insurance provided against unforeseen difficulties that could disrupt their lives.
He said the partnership provided an immense opportunity to reach more households and businesses with suitably designed and priced products that could insulate patrons of the product from the financial difficulties associated with living in recent times.
He called on Ghanaians to take advantage of the product.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Obama look alike (9/7/09)mp
A 12-year-old boy from Kumasi, has been identified as an Obama look-alike in Ghana.
The boy, Felix Agyaba Afriyie, a pupil of Nagie’s Angels Educational Centre, Kumasi, is fair in complexion has big ears, thick eyebrows and is a left handed person just like the United States of America (USA) President.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Felix said his schoolmates had nicknamed him Obama,due to his resemblance to the US President.
“They say I look, talk, walk and laugh like President Obama”, he stated, adding that, “I always feel excited when they call me Obama”.
Born to Mr Kwame Agyaba Afriyie and Mrs Evelyn Davis on March 15, 1997, Felix wants to be a pastor in future.
He said his passion was to spread the word of God and save souls for Christ.
He said he would like to become an inspirational person like President Obama someday, to also touch the lives of people and offer a helping hand to people in need.
He described the US President as an intelligent and kind person for deciding to visit Ghana, the first nation he would be visiting in sub-Saharan Africa since he assumed office at the White House.
Fried rice and chicken is twelve-year-old Felix’s favourite food.
He said he would love to meet President Obama during his visit to Ghana and tell him to help Ghana develop to the standard of the USA.
The boy, Felix Agyaba Afriyie, a pupil of Nagie’s Angels Educational Centre, Kumasi, is fair in complexion has big ears, thick eyebrows and is a left handed person just like the United States of America (USA) President.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Felix said his schoolmates had nicknamed him Obama,due to his resemblance to the US President.
“They say I look, talk, walk and laugh like President Obama”, he stated, adding that, “I always feel excited when they call me Obama”.
Born to Mr Kwame Agyaba Afriyie and Mrs Evelyn Davis on March 15, 1997, Felix wants to be a pastor in future.
He said his passion was to spread the word of God and save souls for Christ.
He said he would like to become an inspirational person like President Obama someday, to also touch the lives of people and offer a helping hand to people in need.
He described the US President as an intelligent and kind person for deciding to visit Ghana, the first nation he would be visiting in sub-Saharan Africa since he assumed office at the White House.
Fried rice and chicken is twelve-year-old Felix’s favourite food.
He said he would love to meet President Obama during his visit to Ghana and tell him to help Ghana develop to the standard of the USA.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Starwin sign MoU(1/7/09)MP
THE Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM) at Mampong Akuapem has secured a partnership with Starwin Products Limited (Starwin) to transform its herbal preparations into capsules and tablets.
The transformation of the herbal preparations into capsules and tablets would pave the way for the centre to conveniently dispense and market its products locally and internationally.
An agreement to give effect to the partnership between the centre and Starwin, an orthodox medicine producer, was signed in Accra yesterday.
The Board Chairman of Starwin, Rev Dr Mensa Otabil, and the Managing Director (MD) of Starwin, Mr Kwasi Yirenkyi, signed for Starwin while the Deputy Director of CSRPM, Dr Archibald Sittie, initialled for the centre.
In his remarks, Dr Otabil, who expressed optimism about the success of the collaboration, said the agreement signified the beginning of a major breakthrough in the health delivery system in Ghana.
He said the expression of eagerness and anxiety by the management of both institutions to get the project started, as well as the enormous potential those institutions possessed, made him optimistic about the success of the project.
He said Starwin could boast highly skilled and dedicated manpower and modern machinery and equipment that could meet the challenges of the project.
He said the selected malaria, typhoid, arthritis, diabetes and hypertension drugs were already in reasonable demand, even in their raw form, adding that there was no doubt that as the products got to their finished forms, demand for them would increase tremendously.
That, Dr Otabil said, would lead to increase in the operation capacity of Starwin and increase in turnover, adding, "In the end, our shareholders and indeed Ghana as a whole will benefit."
He expressed his desire for the management of the institutions to work hard to bring the project into fruition in the quickest possible time.
The MD of Starwin said the collaboration would be of enormous benefit to the whole country in the delivery of quality health care.
He said the agreement was an indication that Starwin was going to increase its line of products to increase revenue for its shareholders and the country as a whole.
The Deputy Director of CSRPM, Dr Archibald Sittie, said this was the opportunity for traditional medicine to break boundaries and gain recognition and market internationally.
He said revenue generated would help the centre widen its research agenda and produce more herbal medicines to be transformed into tablets and capsules to complement the health delivery system in the country.
The transformation of the herbal preparations into capsules and tablets would pave the way for the centre to conveniently dispense and market its products locally and internationally.
An agreement to give effect to the partnership between the centre and Starwin, an orthodox medicine producer, was signed in Accra yesterday.
The Board Chairman of Starwin, Rev Dr Mensa Otabil, and the Managing Director (MD) of Starwin, Mr Kwasi Yirenkyi, signed for Starwin while the Deputy Director of CSRPM, Dr Archibald Sittie, initialled for the centre.
In his remarks, Dr Otabil, who expressed optimism about the success of the collaboration, said the agreement signified the beginning of a major breakthrough in the health delivery system in Ghana.
He said the expression of eagerness and anxiety by the management of both institutions to get the project started, as well as the enormous potential those institutions possessed, made him optimistic about the success of the project.
He said Starwin could boast highly skilled and dedicated manpower and modern machinery and equipment that could meet the challenges of the project.
He said the selected malaria, typhoid, arthritis, diabetes and hypertension drugs were already in reasonable demand, even in their raw form, adding that there was no doubt that as the products got to their finished forms, demand for them would increase tremendously.
That, Dr Otabil said, would lead to increase in the operation capacity of Starwin and increase in turnover, adding, "In the end, our shareholders and indeed Ghana as a whole will benefit."
He expressed his desire for the management of the institutions to work hard to bring the project into fruition in the quickest possible time.
The MD of Starwin said the collaboration would be of enormous benefit to the whole country in the delivery of quality health care.
He said the agreement was an indication that Starwin was going to increase its line of products to increase revenue for its shareholders and the country as a whole.
The Deputy Director of CSRPM, Dr Archibald Sittie, said this was the opportunity for traditional medicine to break boundaries and gain recognition and market internationally.
He said revenue generated would help the centre widen its research agenda and produce more herbal medicines to be transformed into tablets and capsules to complement the health delivery system in the country.
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