Otumfuo’s Mawerehene, Baffour Osei Brentuo Hyiaman V, who disclosed this to Citi News on Thursday, said the Asantehene and the Manhyia Palace are not ready to respond to such stories emerging from the United Kingdom.

[contextly_sidebar id=”VsgHLhWuzXBZUXbWRcf0ZhaM70Gtb3aa”]According to him, Otumfuo has never responded to such allegations before, and is equally not ready to respond to this one.

“For me, I don’t even know what stories are making rounds. So for now, it is for you the press to handle it yourselves – you started something and you know where it has gotten to. But it is not for Manhyia, and Otumfuo is not going to respond to this. He’s never responded to anything before,” he said.

The Mawerehene, who is a Special Aide to the King of the Asante Kingdom, and head of the Manwere Division of the Kumasi Traditional Council, made the remark in an interview with Citi News’ Hafiz Tijani, during the arrival of Otumfuo to Kumasi following his trip to Brazil.

Business activities in Kumasi came to a halt on Thursday as scores of residents lined up on the streets to give Otumfuo a rousing welcome when he touched down at the Kumasi Airport.

Background

The Asantehene’s name popped up in the UK media, in a suspected money laundering case, after he sent a bank official to deposit a cash amount of £350,000 on his behalf.

According to the UK’s Telegraph, when Osei Tutu II, summoned Mark Arthur to his multi-million-pound residence in Henley-on-Thames and handed him a bag containing almost £200,000 in sterling as well as $200,000 in US currency with consecutive serial numbers, the bank official felt it inappropriate to ask too many questions.

However, the subsequent deposit of the cash at the Ghana International Bank, triggered a money laundering alert in the City of London and cost Mr. Arthur his job.

Asantehene money laundering claims baseless – Ghana Intl. Bank

The Ghana International Bank has since clarified that there is no suggestion of money laundering allegations against the Asantehene.

A statement from the UK-based bank, asserted that, the ongoing litigation between the bank and a former Executive Director, Mark Arthur, concerned breaches of the Bank’s internal policies and UK laws.

These breaches were said to have happened when Mr. Arthur carried out a transaction on behalf of the Asantehene, reportedly involving £350,000.

Youth lock up Daily Guide office for ‘defaming’ Otumfuo

The Kumasi Office of the Daily Guide Newspaper, was locked up on Wednesday by the Kumasi Youth Association who claim a recent publication by the private newspaper had defamed the Asantehene.

They youth placed notices at the entrance of the office, demanding an immediate apology and retraction of the story by the newspaper.

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey & Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Otumfuo won’t respond to money laundering claims – Manhyia appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“At the end of the moratorium July 31^st such goods will be considered as contraband and will be seized immediately by the Ivoirian Customs under article 290 of the Customs Code,” Dr. Kofi Mbiah, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Shippers Authority stated.

Dr Mbiah  called on the shipping community to take note of the Ivorian authority’s directive and act accordingly whilst further negations between the two countries continue.

The Ghana Shippers Authority has also advised the shipping community that documents required for clearance includes detailed invoice, packing list, copy of the transit declaration, way bill, a declaration which must be presented exclusively by the recognized Customs Agent.

The three-member delegation to Abidjan, which was led by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Mr Emmanuel Martey, with the help of the Ghana Mission in Cote d’Ivoire, held meetings with stakeholders to allow the trucks to enter and deliver the goods to their owners.

Dr Mbiah also explained that following consultation with the Ivorian Authority, it had finally allowed stranded cargo trucks at the Elubo border to move into the country after being denied entry due to the ban.

He said the decision to allow the trucks entry was taken by the Ivorian authorities after negotiations by two delegations from Ghana which held series of meetings with officials in Abidjan and Elubo to get the Ivorian government to review the enforcement of a trade directive.

The directive is said to have been on the statutes of Cote d’ivoire since 2005 but had not been enforced until now.

He said the development has affected the business of freight forwarders, the livelihood of truck drivers and their conductors, and business dealings between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, while the congestion caused by the 59 trucks parked at the border also had negative environmental implications.

He said GSA team met the stranded drivers and officials of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) at the border and customs officials of Cote d’Ivoire separately.

A circular issued by the Ivorian Director General of Customs, Colonel Issa Coulibaly obtained by the Ghana News Agency ban the clearance of goods imported through the land borders.

It said cargoes originating from non ECOWAS member states, including car engines are banned from entering Cote d’Ivoire through the land borders.

“These goods, even if they are transiting through ECOWAS member states can only be cleared at the port of Abidjan or San Pedro after arriving by sea or by air,” the directives stated.

Sanctions for violation include confiscation of  cargo, means of transport and container as well as culprit would pay a fine amounting to four times the cost of the goods but without prejudice to the payment of levies and taxes due.

In addition, a possibility of a prison sentence of six months to three years.

The directives said goods seized and or confiscated would be considered a property of the state and if necessary could be destroyed eventually.

According to the directives used vehicles imported into Cote d’Ivoire through the land borders are exempted; “therefore they should go through the right clearance procedure by completing declaration form in Abidjan.

Source: GNA

The post Ivorian Authority issues two months moratorium to Shippers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.