The nurses withdrew their services last week over government’s failure to provide them with basic logistics and essential medicines which they said worsened the conditions of some of the mental patients.

They were also making a demand for better conditions of service.

[contextly_sidebar id=”iwl4MP8Nh0AjroYupfPi1XTC7uF3zjYa”]Government has also released some funds for the facility to offset some of its debt and to also run the place. Government is expected to release more funds for the facility in the coming weeks.

According to the Chairperson of the nurses, Jemila Hussein, the decision to call off the strike was taken due to the partial provision of some logistics they requested for.

She however noted that, they will not hesitate to lay down their tolls again if their conditions get worse.

Meanwhile, the Hospital on Sunday released some nineteen patients due to its financial challenges, and management plans to release a total of about two hundred and fifty by the end of this week if their situation doesn’t improve.
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By: Zoe Abu-Baidoo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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[contextly_sidebar id=”XbaaJ4VDNg9fHToMsmXiPkilRmmqL0Tu”]Alliance Motors Ghana Ltd, dealers in Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles had refused to compensate clients who were affected by the floods and claimed the company’s insurance policy with Enterprise Insurance, does not cover them.

Some of the car owners subsequently dragged the two companies to court over the matter while others reported the matter to the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA).

The Consumer Protection Agency also dragged the insurance company to the NIC.

Speaking to Citi Business News, head of legal for NIC Emma Ocran said the insurance firm has been directed to pay up by the 25 th of January next year.

“This is not a penalty this is the agreement that the parties entered into that in case of such an incidence the company will pay so long as the company had such policy in place at the time of the incidence they were liable and they should pay according to the terms, we looked at the quantum and decided that by the end of January 2016, the company should have made payments,” she said.

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By: Vivian Kai Lokko/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post June 3 flood: NIC orders Enterprise insurance to pay Alliance Motors customers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”45Ny7tsrvXVtGPIalIJcAoxUwdFon6C0″]The amount represents total funds transferred to Trustees in 2015.

The Authority commenced the transfers in November this year after applicants (Licensed Trustees) had successfully gone through validation of data and due diligence on compliance processes put in place by the Authority.

So far, 12 Occupational Pension Schemes and 1,918 employers have benefited from the exercise.

These beneficiaries include Schemes and Employers in the private sector as well as other state organisations.

They include Enterprise Tier 2 Occupational Pension Scheme (for 779 Employers), Metropolitan Master Occupational Pension Scheme (for 369 Employers), Petra Advantage Pension Scheme (for 336 Employers), Cedar Pension Scheme (for 188 Employers), Pensions Alliance Trust Fund (for 128 Employers) and Secure Pensions Occupational Master Trust Scheme (112 Employers).

The rest include ECG Tier 2 Pension Scheme (for one Employer), GOIL Occupational Pension Scheme (for one Employer), SSNIT Second Tier Occupational Pension Scheme (for one Employer), Newmont Ghana Occupational Pension Scheme (for one Employer) Ecobank Ghana Limited Tier 2 Pension Fund (for one Employer) and GPHA Tier 2 Pension Scheme (for one Employer).

The Authority will resume the transfers after the Christmas and New Year break.

In the first half of 2016, the Authority will also commence transfers to schemes in the public sector on the payroll of Controller and Accountant General’s Department, once such schemes have been duly registered by the Authority.

Employers who have not registered their Mandatory 2^nd Tier Occupational Schemes are advised to comply with the ongoing compulsory enrolment, embarked upon by the Authority, in collaboration with Licensed Corporate Trustees in order to qualify to receive the TPFA Funds.

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Source:  National Pensions Regulatory Authority

The post NPRA injects cash into private pension funds appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”BdpTeFyz4l167gZWfvWlaXGKlbMqTBat”]There have been growing concerns over the availability of power during the yuletide.

Although the power barge is said to have commenced power generation, the Ghana Gas Company is facing an imminent shut down on December 25 due to a 10.5 million dollar debt accruing from unpaid facility insurance and a faulty compressor which requires replacement.

Meanwhile the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) has sanctioned increases in the prices of utility with consumers already expressing their displeasure at the development.

But speaking to Citi Business News, Public Relations Manager at ECG, William Boateng, said a decision on a time-table for the festive period will be arrived at after a stakeholders meeting scheduled for later today.

“We have seen an improvement in the generation but we are unable to tell you the projection ahead unless we hear from our supplies, I am not with generation but based on what GRIDCO is telling us, Mr. Boateng said.
“Until all stakeholders meet, then we will come out with a statement, ECG alone cannot how we are going to handle the holidays,” He added.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post ECG to meet stakeholders over electricity supply schedule during yuletide appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5n7fkHWAg4iwFHV7SsLcgMNlQ3Ypqzxu”]At the end of the third week in December, Tomato recorded the highest drop in price by 12 percent, to close the week at 8cedis 90 pesewas per ‘medium size tomato tin”.

This was followed by Soyabean and Yam which dropped by 6 percent each to close the week at 5 cedis 80 pesewas per olunka and 3 cedis 90 pesewas per medium size tuber respectively.

Cowpea, Groundnut, Maize and Millet followed with a percentage point loss each.

Prices for other commodities however remained the same.

The price of tomato declined between 6 and 22 percent on the Techiman, Takoradi, Accra and Dambai markets. Maize also declined by 13 percent in Dambai.

Tomato however gained in the Bawku and Kumasi markets.

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Credit:  Esoko Ghana

The post Prices of foodstuff continue to decline days to Xmas appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is the caution coming from the finance Ministry.

[contextly_sidebar id=”xrlClCxCDFO2nezQC6Xh9wYyudrbjXUU”]The bill, currently at the draft stage, will allow all legislations on public financial management to be structured into one law to enhance efficiency, revenue generation and expenditure management.

The Controller and Accountant General’s Department has also revealed that about 5,800 ghost names have been deleted from the public pay roll between January and November, 2015.

However, speaking at the launch of a stakeholders’ forum on the 2016 budget, the Chief Director of ministry of finance, Major Retired M.S. Tara was hopeful the punishment will enhance strict compliance.

“We have put in place systems that should enable people working together to expunge ghost names so if the administrator or head teacher blacklists the names and informs us, we can delete all of them,

“There are some people who deliberately connive and put these names on the payroll and we are making it clear that we are making provisions in the new public financial management law to make it mandatory for culprits to be charged and jailed,”

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post New Public Management Law to jail ‘crooked’ public service officials appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7xpNI4AWiVJDiBrM5vsECN6l0HnHKRul”]According to its Chief Director, approval of payment for the contract, followed prior approval by cabinet and parliament respectively.

The power ministry has come under intense pressure for its alleged role in the signing of the 510 million dollar deal with, Umar Farouk Zahoor; in the generation of 250 megawatts of power by AMERI.

The Ministry has since denied the allegations insisting it followed due process.

Some have begun questioning the role played by the Finance Ministry in this development but Major Retired M.S. Tara tells Citi Business News the Ministry cannot be faulted.

“If there is a transaction that emanates from a ministry like the AMERI power deal, a joint cabinet memo is issued and signed by the Ministry of power and submitted to finance as a co-sponsor if we go through the term sheet and if it is attainable, the sector minister will endorse it then forward it to cabinet’.

“It is subsequently sent to Parliament to be looked at both the committee and House levels, no agreement can be entered into by the ministry of finance unless it is specifically approved by Parliament,” Major M.S. Tara stated.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Don’t drag Finance ministry into AMERI deal fray appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”napxWDRV7tsmCUcNd5Is5Q2a0P8GO4OZ”]The new date for the search avenue to close, will now be 28th January, 2016.

Government which fully owns the company has asserted its intention to sell 70 percent of the company as part of moves to revamp its operations.

Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah this year announced government intends to revamp the company through a public private partnership (PPP) with preferred Ghanaian investors to boost the economic prospects of the factory and create jobs for the people.

The company which is located in the Upper East region was established in 1962 to process tomatoes into paste and to package same into cans for sale locally and for export.

However since 1998 production has been brief and intermittent and the company’s facilities, equipment and machinery significantly underutilized despite being retooled and restructured in 2005.

Data from the Ministry of Trade indicates that for the year 2000, Ghana imported about 10 million kilograms of tomato paste at about $8.9 million.

This rose to about 12 million kilograms at $9.6 million in 2001.

The year 2002 saw the importation of 16.4 million kilograms at a total cost of $12.7 million.

The European Union is reported to have exported 27,000 tonnes of preserved tomatoes to Ghana in 2003.

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By:  Vivian Kai Lokko/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Govt extends investor search for Northern Star Tomato company appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”C7kPC7IT0VfHHh4JFX3ioq7zbngXb5MV”]The Boankra port and Eastern rail line project proper when completed will among other things decongest the Tema and Takoradi Harbors.

The port is also expected to bring import and export services closer to the doorsteps of shippers in the northern part of the country as well as those coming from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Government officials are confident the project should take off by the middle of 2016.

According to officials from the Finance ministry full feasibility test for the Boankra port and Eastern rail line has been completed and will be submitted to players involved in the project by Friday 18th December, 2015.

After submission of the test, it will be subjected to market testing where the project will be sold to private sector investors after which there will be an evaluation which will be approved by the Finance ministry.

Cabinet and Parliament will follow suit with approval after the Finance ministry’s approval.

Citi Business News has gathered government will begin negotiating with investors by June 2016 and most likely sign a deal by July 2016.

The Boankra Inland Port and Eastern Line Railway Line project, is an inland extension to the Tema Port, to make railway efficient, decongest the eastern port, enhance Ghana’s role as a transit corridor, feed traffic from other modes of transportation, improve service to customers and reduce cost.
Meanwhile the Eastern rail line track will be provided with rolling stock station upgrades, signaling and communication equipment, while the inland port will have shippers and freight forwarders office, warehouse, commercial buildings, customs co-ordination protocols, customs clearance and procedures and controls.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Kofi Imbeah the project will cost about 1.5 billion dollars.

The Eastern rail project on its own will cost 1.2 billion dollars inclusive of compensation without compensation it will be at 800 million dollars.

While the port will cost 300 million dollars.

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By:  Vivian Kai Lokko/citimonline.com/Ghana

The post Feasibility tests for Boankra port & Eastern rail project completed appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”MfDne7y6qCHUJpTkzzw7ZLZHoB71bm0o”]Organized labour is demanding that the PURC suspends the implementation of the tariff increments to next year.

According to the union, the timing of the increase is unfavorable to labour.

The price of electricity has been increased by 59.2% while water has been increased by 67.2% effective yesterday.

The Chief Executive of the Consumer Protection Agency, Kofi Kapito is also in court to restrain the commission from implementing the tariff hikes.

But the Executive Secretary of PURC, Samuel Sarpong insists the increases in utility tariff has taken effect as scheduled,

“We know that the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has taken the case to court but so far as we are concerned, we followed due process by Act 538 … tariff has already been gazetted and is effective.” he said.

Samuel Sarpong however indicated the CPA has not followed due procedure before going to court,

“The procedure is that when you have any case or issue with the Commission, we have internal process by Act whereby you first have to submit it to the Commission for review and when anything before you go through the court which they didn’t follow…We have not received any document from the court.”

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post PURC goes ahead with tariff hikes as meeting with labour stalls appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.