The 500 were sent to the largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates [UAE] by fake recruitment agencies for non existing jobs.

[contextly_sidebar id=”zCSOMn5ENqiDxVHz8NmAu92FNqXt2wYn”]Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid, however said government is collaborating with authorities in the UAE to repatriate them.

The Minister further indicated that government is working closely with the security agencies to arrest owners and managers of the fake recruitment agencies that only end up exploiting the desperate job seekers.

“As we speak 500 young Ghanaians have been left stranded in Dubai and do not know what to do. The security agencies are tracking  down these recruitment agencies as well as travel and tour companies who are doing this to these young people. These agencies manage to secure only tourism visas for these young people which expires after three months. They charge them between 8,000 and 15,000 cedis to secure them these visas.’’

‘Ban on labour export still in force’

Mustapha Hamid also reiterated that the ban on the export of labour to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is still in force, adding that government will do all it can to enforce the ban.

‘’Let me emphasize that the ban on the exportation of labour to the Gulf is still in force and the security agencies will not hesitate to apply it..’’

There have been several reported cases of abuse and maltreatment of Ghanaians who usually take up jobs as maids and nannies not only in the UAE, but other countries such as Saudi Arabia and Libya.

Over 800 Ghanaians in Saudi Arabia return home

In 2017, about 800 Ghanaian migrants living in Saudi Arabia illegally turned themselves in at Ghana’s mission there to be deported.

This followed a three-month amnesty granted illegal residents by the Saudi government to leave or be sanctioned.

Over 500 Ghanaians to be repatriated from Saudi Arabia

The Ghana Embassy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in May 2017 appealed to Ghanaians living in Saudi Arabia without residency and work permits to take advantage of a package by the Embassy to return them to Ghana.

Ghana’s mission at the time said over 500 people applied voluntarily to be repatriated.

This was because Saudi Arabia announced a 90-day amnesty for persons living in that country illegally who wished to return to their countries of origin as part of the Kingdom’s “A Nation Without Illegal Expatriates” campaign.

Reversing illegal migration’

President Nana Akufo-Addo has vowed to reverse the trend of illegal migration by Ghanaians, by building a sound economy with opportunities for all.

In an address at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, the President stated that it was inappropriate for any Ghanaian to go through the life threatening ordeal of an immigrant.

“There have always been adventurous Ghanaians who would go out and try their luck in other parts of the world but the periods of economic collapse turned our country into places of wholesale emigration,” the President noted.

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By: Sammi Wiafe/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Forum, organized by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is under the theme “Next Generation Africa” and will take place at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah from November 1st-2nd, 2017.

The high-profile event, held under the patronage of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will explore new opportunities to enhance economic cooperation and expand trade and investment ties between the Middle East and Africa.

The two-day forum features a total of 24 sessions that will involve the participation of heads of state, ministers and dignitaries, policymakers, CEOs, prominent entrepreneurs, and heads of private banks, as well as UAE government and business leaders.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the METL Group in Tanzania, Mohamed Dewji, will be discussing the topic “Industrialisation – the path to growth?”

The Vice President will also partake in a number of sessions, meet potential investors and the Ghanaian community in Dubai.

As well, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will hold private meetings with a number of former and current Heads of States including Paul Kagame of Rwanda, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel de Souza and former President of Botswana, Festus Mogae.

The President and CEO, Dubai Chamber, Hamad Buamim, said: “African economies are witnessing remarkable growth at the moment, offering exciting business opportunities in a wide range of sectors. Therefore, it is an ideal time to examine these trends in more detail and determine how Dubai can play a greater role in facilitating Africa’s future growth.”

The Global Business Forum series, launched by Dubai Chamber in 2012, focuses on Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Latin America.

To date, the series has hosted 10 heads of state, 74 ministers and dignitaries, and 5,400 executives, as well as a host of influential decision makers from 65 countries around the world.

The previous Global Business Forum on Africa in Dubai attracted more than 1,000 participants, while more than 100 bilateral investment meetings were held during the event.

The Vice President returns to Accra on Friday November 3, 2017.

–

Source: Office of the Vice President

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The regional launch took place in Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai in the presence of 200 guests.

Addressing the media at the event, Arif Chowdhury, Vice President of Transsion Group – the parent company of Tecno Mobile, spoke about the brand’s fortunes, advancement of smartphone technology and the brand’s expansion strategy into new markets.

“We are very excited about the launch of the Phantom 8 today. It has not been an easy ride to success but as they say in the end, success is all that matters and I can say 2017 has been a very remarkable year for us as a company. We have received admirable awards and recognitions like the Smartphone Brand of the Year Award at Ghana Information Technology and Telecom Awards in Accra this year, and recognitions in key markets, expanded our product lines, ventured into new markets and raised the bar on smartphone innovation.”

The newly launched Android operated Phantom 8 features a revolutionary camera, attractive design and high-speed experience.

Debuting an impressive 20MP bright front Camera and 12MP + 13MP dual cameras at the rear with 10x super zoom, single shot HDR, “4 in 1” skin brightening technology, real-time refocus and filter, ultra-quality super pixel lens with great noise control, the device is powered by a 6GB high speed RAM, 64ROM, 2.6GHz MediaTek Helio P25 processor and a 3500mAh battery with 50% extra ultra-fast charge capacity, all of which ensures that the device is faster and consumes less energy.

The device is wrapped in a diamond design uni-body with drip screen, 2.5D glass and has a 5.7 Full HD screen mounted on its surface. With a glass fingerprint scanner that guarantees 50% more responsiveness planted at the rear of the device, handling and securing the Phantom 8 is such a delight.

The Phantom 8 will be available in Shadow Gold, Galaxy Blue, Royal Purple, Jack Black and Diamond Blue colors and fully supports VR Videos.

The Phantom 8 will ship to several markets across the world.

The new Phantom 8 is compatible with Micro SIM or Nano SIM Card and supports up to 2TB (Terra Bytes) TF (Trans Flash) Card, and it holds 4 modules, 20 bands and covers more than 200 countries and zones.

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Source: Tecno

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The high-profile event, held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will explore new opportunities to enhance economic cooperation and expand trade and investment ties between the Middle East and Africa.

The two-day forum features a total of 24 sessions that will involve the participation of heads of state, ministers and dignitaries, policymakers, CEOs, prominent entrepreneurs, and heads of private banks, as well as UAE government and business leaders.

H.E. Hamad Buamim, President and CEO, Dubai Chamber, said: “African economies are witnessing remarkable growth at the moment, offering exciting business opportunities in a wide range of sectors. Therefore, it is an ideal time to examine these trends in more detail and determine how Dubai can play a greater role in facilitating Africa’s future growth.”

Dubai Chamber’s President and CEO, described the Global Business Forum on Africa as the largest event of its kind in the region which provides a unique platform for constructive dialogue between public and private sector stakeholders, adding that the event will seek to brainstorm sustainable solutions to the challenges facing African countries as they look to open up their economies to the world.

Overview of key sessions

H.E. Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman, Dubai Chamber, will kick off the forum with a welcome address which will be followed by the opening session entitled “Next Generation Africa.”

The session will highlight existing obstacles to trade, investment and prosperity, and examine the role that Africa’s dynamic young entrepreneurs can play in resolving such challenges.

Sessions on the first day will delve into the concept of leapfrogging and look at whether technology and entrepreneurship are enough to unleash Africa’s economic potential and bring about inclusive growth.

Leading figures from Rwanda, Estonia and Peru, will come together in a special session to discuss how countries can change existing perceptions and reinvent themselves as entrepreneurial hotspots.

Other sessions will highlight key business opportunities and the investment climate in major African markets, tap into the insights of fintech experts in Africa and the UAE, and draw valuable lessons that the next generation of African leaders can benefit from.

Entrepreneurship and Investment Opportunities

The second day of the forum will resume with a “VIP Masterclass”, where delegates will be joined by leading African entrepreneurs to discuss successes, failures and lessons learned. Later in the day, influential heads of African states will tackle environmental issues in a session titled “Coping with Climate Change: Future-Proofing Diversification.”

Other sessions will analyze key trends that are expected to drive the next phase of Africa’s development, including industrialization, foreign investment, entrepreneurship, population growth, and rising incomes.

The Global Business Forum series, launched by Dubai Chamber in 2012, focuses on Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Latin America.

To date, the series has hosted 10 heads of state, 74 ministers and dignitaries, and 5,400 executives, as well as a host of influential decision makers from 65 countries around the world.

Dubai Chamber is collaborating with the Economist Group in developing the content of the forum.

The previous Global Business Forum on Africa in Dubai attracted more than 1,000 participants, while more than 100 bilateral investment meetings were held during the event.
–
By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Footage posted on social media showed flames spreading up the Torch Tower, and burning debris falling down.

The authorities later said that civil defence workers “successfully evacuated” the building and the blaze was brought under control.

It is not clear what caused the fire in one of the world’s tallest buildings.

“No injuries have been reported so far in the Torch Tower fire incident,” the government of Dubai’s media office tweeted.

It added that “cooling operations were under way”.

The Torch Tower was damaged by an earlier blaze in 2015.

The Torch Tower, Dubai

• The 79-storey skyscraper opened in 2011
• Was the world’s tallest residential building at its opening, but has since been surpassed by six others
• Is thought to be the 32nd tallest building in the world, according to the Skyscraper Centre
• It has 676 apartments. A two-bedroom flat starts at more than $500,000 (£381,000)
• Residents have access to an eight-storey garage and a swimming pool overlooking Dubai’s waterfront

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Source: BBC

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The Mahama government has been accused of procuring 43 new vehicles for the presidency four days before leaving office at a cost of over nine million dollars.

But speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue on Saturday, Dr. Apaak insisted that they did nothing untoward.

[contextly_sidebar id=”n9ZaXVbtDfSrTOc2OZiFh6zEQxvDCWUV”]“It’s indeed true that the said vehicles were ordered, but the request was made to our side during the transition. So if indeed the vehicles have been procured, I can say on authority that it was part of the request which was made by the incoming government,” he added.

Dr. Apaak, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Builsa South constituency on the ticket of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), further argued that they couldn’t have on their own accord, procure the vehicles for another person’s to use.

He added that, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), would be compelled to release documentary evidence if they feel victimized by the current government because they believe there was “nothing fishy” in the deal.

“…What would have been the motivation to place an order for these vehicles for use by the office of the president? I don’t want to mention names but I know that in the coming days if this issue of trying to make sure that governance is a continuum at the request of an incoming government is used to try and tag our government as corrupt, we will have no choice but to provide documentary proof to confirm the fact that this request was made during the transition process by the current government. So there is nothing fishy about it and I think the timing itself should make Ghanaians know that it wasn’t President Mahama who was going to be in office after January 7^th so what was the need to procure this kind of vehicles when we were leaving office?”

Dr. Apaak also noted that, the NDC government at the time acceded to the request by the NPP because they felt that the security of the incoming president was very important.

“The security of the president is very important and if a request had been made that those vehicles be procured for use by the incoming government and that was done, I don’t see why we should quibble about it,” he added.

Apaak’s claims untrue

Meanwhile, the NPP MP for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, Emmanuel Agyarko, who was also on the programme, refuted Dr. Apaak’s claims.

He said “as far as I know, nobody from the current Govt asked for any vehicle…Why would this government ask the previous one to procure vehicles when they were about to take over?”

Vehicles in limbo

Documents sighted by Citi News reveal that, the contract was awarded by the erstwhile government on the 3rd of January, 2017, to Amalgamated Security Services LTD for the purchase of 43 vehicles for the Presidency.

However, the contract is in limbo following a recent moratorium placed on the purchase of new vehicles by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo–Addo.

The President,  in March 2017, banned the purchase of new cars until further notice.

Checks by Citi News revealed that the said vehicles have already been purchased and are currently in Dubai. There are fears government could pay a judgement debt if it cancels the contract.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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The leader of the Committee, Philip Addison, is thus of the view that, there’s no way the committee’s work could have been influenced as suggested by critics, because the firm only took care of their airfare and hotel bills, and did not give them per diem as alleged.

The Committee has come under criticism after it emerged that its trip to Dubai was funded by the power company.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Di8iHlxo9AoQHXPPzJuULnU97tvbJNIF”]The Minority in Parliament had argued that the findings of the committee on the deal were not objective, given that it had engaged in what has been described as shady deals [including a fully funded trip to Dubai] with Ameri.

But speaking on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana, Philip Addison, who is Chairman of the Committee, denied these claims, clarifying that the committee traveled to Dubai to only negotiate with Ameri for better terms and not to investigate  the firm.

“I keep reading and hearing that they were supposed to investigate Ameri, no, we were not going to investigate Ameri. We were going to have negotiations, not investigation. There was no antagonistic relationship so they freely offered to pick up the bill. So I don’t understand when so much noise is being made about this,” he said.

Asked why government did not foot the bill for the trip , he said “these are people who have expressed the wish to renegotiate the contract. The issue of payment of these tickets had nothing to do with us. I did not go and negotiate for payment of tickets. The way it is being said it is as if I went to Ameri and requested for money to buy tickets. I was sitting in the office and I got the ticket and I got the visa on my phone so I did not go and procure this. It was done under the Ministry of Energy…”

Offering further explanations on the said trip, Mr. Addison said : “I think a lot of noise has been made about this …The delegation that went to Dubai was a government delegation of three. We were suppose to be four but the Chief Executive of VRA who was supposed to be part of it could not attend because of pressing matters. “

“We did not even know the hotel until we got to Dubai and we were sent to the hotel. When we got to Dubai, I understood why they put us in the hotel because it was a walking distance from Ameri’s office,” Mr. Addison added.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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According to him, Ameri Power upon whose request they traveled to Dubai, only took care of their plane tickets and hotel bills.

[contextly_sidebar id=”AYggGvnXuQYMPAUFLw0cCnFxpY5JBBWk”]“Our per diem was given to us here, by the Minister of Energy,” he added.

Three of the 17-member committee went to Dubai in a bid to renegotiate the agreement which the Akufo-Addo government believes was bloated by about $150 million.

But the Minority in Parliament rebuked the committee for accepting Ameri’s hospitality offer claiming it could have influenced the final report.

They also accused Mr. Addison’s committee of traveling on first class ticket, and lodging at a plush hotel in Dubai at the expense of Ameri. They also alleged the committee members were given per diem by Ameri.

But Mr. Addison on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday, said such was not the case.

He further explained that, Ameri’s offer did not influence them in any way.

“The delegation that went to Dubai was a government delegation of three. We were supposed to be four, but the Chief Executive of VRA who was supposed to be part of it couldn’t attend because of pressing issues. The payment of these tickets had nothing to do with us. I didn’t go and negotiate for ticket payments. The way it’s being said it’s like I went to Ameri and requested for money to buy tickets. I was sitting in my office and I got the ticket and I got the visa on my phone. So I didn’t go and procure this thing,” he explained.

Minority to petition CHRAJ over Ameri-funded Dubai trip

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has threatened to petition the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) over the matter.

The Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson in a Citi News interview described the committee’s acceptance of the hospitality offer as “embarrassing, unethical and shameful.”

“I am going to take this matter to CHRAJ to probe the committee. I am going to petition CHRAJ for them to probe this company,” Mr. Ato Forson stated.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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The committee had sent a delegation to Dubai on the invite of Ameri, which the New Patriotic Party government has accused of bloating a power agreement contract by about $150 million.

But the Minority in Parliament rebuked the committee for accepting Ameri’s offer to travel to Dubai, claiming it could have influenced the final report.

They also accused Mr. Addison’s committee of traveling first class ticket, and lodging at a plush hotel in Dubai at the expense of Ameri.

[contextly_sidebar id=”9NFzeYyAzjhBtBZPCYWP6O1qQY246JA4″]But Mr. Addison on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday, said such was not the case. He argued that the offer could not have influenced the committee’s report.

“We are saying that Ameri owed us close to $200 million, so if it is that they pick a bill for tickets and hotel, how much would that amount to, that it becomes an issue?”

“The delegation that went to Dubai was a government delegation of three. We were supposed to be four, but the Chief Executive of VRA who was supposed to be part of it couldn’t attend because of pressing issues. The payment of these tickets had nothing to do with us. I didn’t go and negotiate for ticket payments. The way it’s being said it’s like I went to Ameri and requested for money to buy tickets. I was sitting in my office and I got the ticket and I got the visa on my phone. So I didn’t go and procure this thing,” he explained.

Mr. Addison, who is also a private legal practitioner, further disclosed that, they went to Dubai to negotiate with Ameri for better terms and not to investigate them.

“I keep reading and hearing that they were supposed to investigate Ameri, no, we were not going to investigate Ameri. We were going to have negotiation not investigation. And there was no antagonistic relationship. So they freely offered to pick up the bill. So I don’t understand when so much noise is being made about this,” he said.

Background

Ameri Power secured a contract from the erstwhile National Democratic Congress government to provide about 250 Megawatts of power for Ghana due to an existing erratic power supply in the country at the time.

However, the New Patriotic Party government upon assuming office, tasked a 17-member committee to investigate the contract, which they believe was not in the best interest of Ghanaians.

Minority charges

The Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, had earlier lambasted the committee for accepting Ameri’s hospitality offer which he said was wrong.

“How can a Ministerial Committee which is a public body tasked to investigate a deal that you claim there was a wrong doing, accept gifts and hospitality? To the extent that it was material and they failed to make the public aware, that is my concern. Are you telling me a public body should accept gifts and hospitality from the very person that you are going to investigate?”

Philip Addison on the Show said “our per diem was given to us here, by the Minister,” adding that they used a business class ticket and not first class.”

On why Ameri sponsored them to Dubai, Mr. Addison said “they [Ameri] said they couldn’t come so we should go. We could have had it anywhere, in Dubai, here or in a third country.”

We were not satisfied after negotiation

Mr. Addison said the committee was not satisfied with Ameri’s position on the matter.

“The outcome of the negotiation was not what we expected, but we engaged them, we told them the position we were coming from, but we did not get what we wanted,” he added.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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National Chairman of the NDC, Kofi Portuphy, on Thursday alleged that some members of the NPP in the wake of Nana Akufo-Addo’s victory vandalized the colourful lights at the water park.

Kofi Portuphy also lamented that, further works on the interchange has come to a standstill because the workers were being attacked by supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) describing it as shameful acts.

“…Shameful attacks on the contractor and workers at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange popularly known as Dubai have brought the work to a standstill. The pity of it is the destruction of the colourful lights from the water fountain that flows to the admiration of all,” he noted.

But an engineer at the site, Walter Ashong, told Citi News that the facility is intact even though some jubilant NPP supporters besieged the area when Nana Akufo-Addo was declared winner.

“Everything works properly but on the day the elections results were declared by the EC chair, a lot of people who were jubilating came around and were a bit rowdy. So we put everything off. Eventually they entered so we had to calm them down and turn them away. But we put it off because we didn’t want any rowdy reactions.”

He said “we just want things to normalize, put one or two things together and after the handing over from the current government to the next, then we will know how to manage it properly.”

Traders say facility is working

Some traders who Citi News spoke to around the fountain, also confirmed that the facility has been working.

Some of them said they saw it activated earlier on Thursday, December 15, 2016.

The 74 million euros project was inaugurated by President John Mahama in November 2016 amidst a huge fanfare.

The project has among other things three flyovers, a colourful water fountain, library, bus terminal, fire, police and ambulance stations.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey & Akosua Ofewaa Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post ‘Dubai’ fountain lights not faulty – Managers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.