We’ll shift focus from taxation to production – Akufo-Addo

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Starrfm.com.gh

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December 21, 2016

President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo, has stated his administration will shift the focus of the country’s economic management from taxation to production in order to deliver progress to Ghanaians.

According to him, the vision of the incoming government is to build a fair and prosperous society in a democratic and united nation.

“To achieve this, we need a well-educated and skilled population, an efficient public service with strong institutions and a competitive economy that is capable of producing sustainable growth, jobs and shared benefits for all,” he said.

The president-elect was speaking at the post-AGM private sector forum of the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF) on Wednesday.

He said the PEF constitutes a critical part of the solution to the main task of the incoming government administration to be led by him and that he needs to have them on board “right from the start and there can’t be a better time…

“…If, as we believe, the private sector is to lead in the development of the national economy, PEF and its members are key constituents in any discussion on Ghana’s future.”

According to him, he was enthused about the sense of optimism and hope among the business community since the Electoral Commission (EC) pronounced him as the country’s president-elect in the just ended 2016 presidential race.

The role of the government, he said would be to create the atmosphere for the private sector to flourish stating that “we aim to achieve double digit GDP growth annually for the next four years, and this is possible if you remember that under the Kufuor-led NPP government the economy attained a GDP growth rate of 9.1% in 2008 without oil.”

He continued that his government would reduce the cost of doing business, maintain fiscal discipline, reduce government borrowing and reduce interest rates to spur private sector investment.

“Our economic programme will enhance agricultural production and productivity, along with a transformation of the economy through value- addition to our raw materials in a process of rapid industrialization,” he pledged.

Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM/Mohammed Awal

Gbese Chief given 7-day ultimatum to relinquish throne

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December 21, 2016

Some chiefs in the Ga traditional area have given the Gbese mantse, Nii Ayibonte, a seven-day ultimatum to relinquish his throne.

The Chiefs are angry with the Gbese Chief over claims he made prior to the 2016 general elections.

Nii Ayibonte promised to abdicate his throne if president John Mahama loses the presidential election.

Nii Ayibonte told his subjects before the election that he had no doubt Mahama would win the election based on the numerous infrastructural projects.

But luck eluded the former Chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak after he gambled with his seat.

Nii Ayibonte has not whispered a word about what he intends to do after the massive victory of Nana Akufo-Addo.

The Ga Chiefs who are demanding he abdicates his throne have also pricked old wounds. They are also challenging his eligibility as the Gbese chief.

Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM

Fuel station story false – John Dumelo

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December 21, 2016

Actor, John Dumelo, has dismissed reports making rounds on social media that a filling station in East Legon refused to attend to him.

According to the story, the attendant at the filling station in East Legon claimed Dumelo is affiliated with NDC and campaigned for the outgoing party hence he would not sell to him. The report alleged that the attendant asked the actor to go to Mahama’s petrol station to be served.

But Mr. Dumelo took to his Twitter to deny the reports:

“Pls disregard story about fueling station refusing to sell fuel to me in east legon because I supported JM”.

Pls disregard story about fueling station refusing to sell fuel to me in east legon because I supported JM. #fakestory

— Mr Dumelo (@johndumelo1) December 20, 2016

Just had a call from Chamber of petroleum consumers(COPEC) asking me d particular station it was so they sanction them. #noneed #fakestory

— Mr Dumelo (@johndumelo1) December 20, 2016

Source:Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM/Miriam Hayford

2017 CAF CL: WA All Stars play Libya’s Al Ahly

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Starrfm.com.gh

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December 21, 2016

Ghana champions Wa All Stars have drawn Libyan outfit Al Ahly Tripoli in the 2017 CAF Champions League preliminary round.

The Northern Blues will host the first leg between the weekend of 10–12 February 2017 and the return clash the following week.

If the debutants advance, they will play the either FC Johansen or FUS Rabat in March.

The Champions League will be played on a new format with 16 teams drawn into four groups of four clubs playing a mini-league.
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the quarterfinals to be played on a knockout basis.

Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/Tony Bebli

Dumsor returns February 2017 – VRA

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Starrfm.com.gh

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December 21, 2016

The Volta River Authority (VRA) has warned that there will be a return of the dreaded power crisis popularly called “dumsor”, which engulfed the country for three years, resulting in collapse of businesses.

According to the authority in a letter written by its Chief Executive Officer, Kirk Koffi, and addressed to the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), the situation is due to the fact that there will be a 15-day interruption in gas supply from the months of February and March.

The authority has therefore called on managers of the power system to meet to limit supply challenges, warning that there will not be power from the Ameri power during that period.

“We shall be grateful if the system control manager will meet with our plant managers to manage the power system during the above stated period to limit any supply challenges,” said the letter.

Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM/Mohammed Awal

2017 CAF Confed. Cup: Bechem United to face MC Alger

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Starrfm.com.gh

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December 21, 2016

Bechem United will play MC Alger of Algeria in the preliminary qualifying round of the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup.

The Bechem Hunters will play home for the first leg which will be staged between 10–12 February 2017.

MC Alger will host the FA Cup winners at the Stade Omar Hamadi in Algiers for the second stanza

The winner will face either Akanda FC (Gabon) or Renaissance du Congo (DR Congo) in the first round.

Meanwhile, Bechem United is likely to pitch camp in Turkey ahead of the commencement of the Ghana Premier League as well as the continental competition.

Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/Tony Bebli

Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh lambasts Ecowas mediators

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Starrfm.com.gh

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December 21, 2016

Par934006 — Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh shows hi...Banjul, GAMBIA: Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh shows his fingers with ink after casting his vote during the presidential elections 22 September 2006 in Banjul. Gambians voted today in elections in which President Yahya Jammeh, who seized power in a coup 12 years ago, is tipped to win a third term to run the tiny west African country that is regularly criticised for its media repression. AFP PHOTO SEYLLOU (Photo credit should read SEYLLOU/AFP/Getty Images)

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has hit out at regional mediators urging him to step down, saying he will not be intimidated.

The West African regional bloc Ecowas had called on him to honour his initial pledge to accept electoral defeat.

Mr Jammeh, who subsequently said the 1 December poll was flawed, added that he would defend his country if need be.

Ecowas had said military intervention might be a possibility if diplomatic efforts failed.

Mr Jammeh has lodged a case before the Supreme Court to annul the vote after the electoral commission changed some results.

The commission insists the outcome was not affected by an initial error and property developer Adama Barrow defeated Mr Jammeh.

On Wednesday, the chief justice had to adjourn the Supreme Court hearing until 10 January, eight days before Mr Jammeh’s term in office officially ends, because there were not enough judges to hear the case.

Mr Jammeh seized power in the tiny country in 1994 and has been accused of human rights abuses, although he has held regular elections.

In a 45-minute speech at the African Bar Association on Tuesday night, Mr Jammeh defended his position, saying West African leaders had violated the Ecowas principle of non-interference.

“Who are they to tell me to leave my country?” he said during his televised speech.

“I will not be intimidated by any power in this world. I want to make sure justice is done.

“I’m a man of peace, but I cannot also be a coward. I am a man of peace but that does not also mean that I will not defend myself and defend my country and defend my country courageously, patriotically and win.”

The BBC’s Umaru Fofana in the capital, Banjul, says it was his first public reaction to last week’s intervention by Ecowas leaders, and he reiterated his call for fresh elections as the only way to resolve the impasse.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the opposition coalition that backed Mr Barrow has said Mr Jammeh will not face prosecution after leaving office.

“President-elect Barrow says he is going to treat outgoing President Yahya Jammeh like a former head of state and would consult him for advice,” Halifa Sallah told the AFP news agency.

Some analysts have suggested that reports that Mr Jammeh could face prosecution were behind his U-turn.

Human rights groups have accused President Jammeh of committing serious abuses against opponents during his 22-year rule.

The Gambia has not had a smooth transfer of power since independence from Britain in 1965.

Source: BBC

Akufo-Addo picks Alan for Trade Ministry

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Starrfm.com.gh

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December 21, 2016

President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has picked Alan Kyerematen as the minister for Trade and Industry for his incoming government.

Akufo-Addo made the announcement when he met with leaders of the Private Sector Wednesday afternoon.

Mr. Kyerematen returns to the trade ministry after he served in that ministry during the erstwhile Kufuor administration.

The president-elect also called on the Private Sector/Enterprise leaders to join hands with him as he gets ready to take up the leadership mantle of the country.

Speaking at the Post AGM Private Sector Forum organized by the Private Enterprise Federation (PEF) under the theme: ‘Strategy for the Private sector’, the president-elect said his government will give a special and particular attention to the private sector throughout the period of his presidency.

Akufo-Addo will be sworn-in on January 7, 2017 after he defeated President John Dramani Mahama in the recently held presidential elections in Ghana.

Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Kobina Welsing

NPP ‘noise’ over Mahama appointments baffling – Baako

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December 21, 2016

The Editor-in-Chief of the Crusading Guide Newspaper, KweKu Baako says the noise by members of the New Patriotic Party over the last minute appointments being made by President John Dramani Mahama is baffling.

According to him, the incoming NPP administration has the right to review all major decisions being taken by the current administration after the swearing-in of President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

“I don’t get the noise. You have the power to review those things that are within your remit,” Mr. Baako said in an interview on Peace FM Wednesday.

Members of the New Patriotic Party have slammed President Mahama for making last minute appointments less than 15 days for him to exit office.

The claims come after the president on Tuesday appointed Joseph Whittal and Josephine Nkrumah as the head of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and the National Commission for Civic Education respectively.

However, Mr. Baako citing a similar instance during the Mills administration said the late President Mills delayed the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure after it was passed days before former President John Kufuor left office in 2009.

“Whatever it is Kufour did, presented a challenge to the Mills government so the government met with organised labour and stakeholders and decided to defer it at least for a year and implemented it in 2010.

“Obviously the Mills administration suspended the thing, subjected it to review, deferred implementation and began at the time it thought was in the national interest to do so. So what is the big deal,” he queried.

Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM

Kasapreko CEO employs five on Starr Chat

By

Kwame Acheampong

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December 21, 2016

The founder of local liquor manufacturing giant Kasapreko Company Limited Dr. Kwabena Adjei has offered to give employment to five “qualified” ardent listeners of Starr Chat on Starr 103.5FM.

“We are looking for a brilliant can do attitude, young ladies and men in the marketing department now. We are looking for HND part three people to come and work in our technical department now. They should come next week,” he told Starr Chat host Bola Ray on Wednesday, December 21, 2017.

Touching on his vision, he said he has only achieved five percent of his vision in life.

“Yes we have dreams and there are three kinds of dreams, we have the subconscious dream, we have what we call building castles in the air and the visionary dream.

“So if you have a dream and you give it legs normally you would get to where you want to go and that is the dream that I started some 26 years ago and you know business is not a destination, it is a journey, so if you keep journeying you would get to where you want to go,” he said
Dr. Adjei, an industrialist, entrepreneur, businessman and an administrator started Kasapreko Company in 1989 with one distilling plant. The Company which operates in several African countries is worth more than 70 million dollars in value.

But according to Mr. Adjei, Kasapreko’s success has surprised him.

“For me, my life has always been aggressive…but actually I never thought we will be where we are now, so I know whatever you do if God is in it, you would get to where you want to go,” Mr. Adjei added.

In addition to being the Managing Director for Kasapreko Company Limited and its sister company KasaGlobal Ventures Limited, Mr. Adjei holds the alternate directorship of Midland International (Ghana Limited.). He is also an Advisor/ National Executive Member of the Chartered Institute of Administration of Ghana and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Administrators.

Dr. Adjei has won a number of International awards to his credit. These include ‘Marketing Man of the year, 2000 Award’ by the American Biographical Institute.