By Emmanuel Nyatsikor

Ho, March 01, GNA – The authorities of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) has been urged to make public charges inherent in their operations in the county. 

The NAS is one of the humane interventions rolled out by the erstwhile Nana Akufo-Addo-led government to address emergency service. 

By this intervention, every Constituency owns an Ambulance, which makes the transfer of patients and accident victims, who need critical and urgent medical attention faster. 

But the operation of NAS is allegedly shrouded in secrecy as the public does not know its fees and charges. 

A beneficiary of NAS, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency on condition of strict anonymity for fear of victimisation said his son was referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra by a Doctor at the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) and an ambulance was arraigned for him last Wednesday. 

He continued that the driver of the Ambulance demanded GHC1,100 for fuel, which he readily provided. 

The man stated that on reaching a fuel filling station, the driver bought GHC700 worth of fuel and kept the rest of the money and the receipt but considering the condition of his son he did not question him. 

He said on reaching their destination, he narrated what happened to a lady friend, he met there, who told him, she paid GHC1,500 before her mother was brought to Korle Bu. 

Another lady, who also spoke to the GNA disclosed that her brother had an accident and was rushed to the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH), last week and the medical officer, who attended to him asked them to do a scan of the head. 

She said the services of the Ambulance cost her GHC40 from the HTH to, where they did the scan, a distance of about 300 meters. 

She noted that the driver told her the money was for fueling the vehicle. 

The clients, who elicited the services of NAS demanded the authorities to come out publicly with their fees and charges from destination to destination. 

They contended that without that, some drivers of NAS would exploit the vulnerability of those, who needed their service to enrich themselves. 

Mr Amos Dzah, Public Relations Officer of Ho Teaching Hospital in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said by policy, NAS does not charge, “but what pertains sometimes is the demand for cost of fuel to destinations.” 

GNA 

Mr Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, has called for significant constitutional reforms and a shift in national mindset to strengthen the fight against corruption and state capture. 

He said these measures were crucial to ensuring the country’s development.

Speaking at the 5th Annual Constitution Day Public Lecture in Accra, Mr Agyebeng proposed embedding the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) within the Constitution to safeguard its independence and operational effectiveness. 

Addressing the theme: “A Few Good Men: Suppressing and Repressing Corruption and State Capture in Aid of Development.

He argued that the current legal framework, under Section 79 of Act 959 is ambiguous and unnecessarily complex, creating confusion rather than clarity.

“We must transform the constitution by integrating anti-corruption concepts and institutions into its structure,” he added.

He said upon this foundation, the country could build a robust and pragmatic statutory framework to make corruption a high-risk, costly, and unattractive enterprise.

Mr Agyebeng advocated the enactment of a comprehensive Corrupt Practices Act. 

This legislation, he suggested, would clearly define corruption and related offences, providing a structured and direct approach to tackling all forms of corrupt practices while eliminating legal loopholes.

He acknowledged the significant challenges in fighting corruption, emphasising the necessity of public support and collective sacrifice. 

He highlighted deliberate efforts to undermine the work of the OSP, including calls from influential quarters to dissolve the office.

“We frequently hear calls often from the highest levels that the OSP should be scrapped because it serves no useful purpose,” he said.

The Special Prosecutor said there were also continuous attempts to discredit the Office and its principal officers, often from individuals under investigation or their associates.

Despite these challenges, Mr Agyebeng reaffirmed that the OSP remained Ghanas best opportunity to combat corruption, even though it is often perceived as an inconvenience.

The Special Prosecutor acknowledged the complexities of proving corruption, particularly the blurred lines between lawful and unlawful gifting. 

He described a culture where gifts and promises were exchanged in ways that obscure accountability. 

He argued that addressing this issue required not only legal reforms but also a fundamental shift in societal attitudes.

As part of the solution, he called for the introduction of unexplained wealth investigations and lifestyle audits, extending beyond public officials to private individuals with questionable wealth. 

He emphasised the need for greater transparency in political party financing and a crackdown on the monetisation of public elections.

To ensure effective prosecution, Mr Agyebeng proposed the establishment of specialised anti-corruption courts, staffed by judges with specific training in handling corruption cases. 

He underlined the importance of judicial independence and urged the promotion of a culture that rewards integrity and upholds truth within the judiciary.

He suggested the integration of anti-corruption studies into school curricula at both the basic and secondary levels, aiming to instil strong moral principles in future generations. 

He stressed that societal interest must always take precedence over personal gain.

The lecture, open to the public, was organised by the UPSA Law School in collaboration with the One Ghana Movement.

The event was reviewed by Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh, the Executive Director of CDD-Ghana and the newly appointed Chair of the Constitution Review Committee.

Among the attendees was Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader of Parliament, who also reviewed Mr Agyebeng’s submission.

The call for reforms by the Special Prosecutor signals a renewed effort to fortify Ghana’s fight against corruption.

 However, the success of such measures will depend on political will, institutional support, and a collective commitment from the public to uphold transparency and accountability.

Source: GNA

President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned that the Hajj pilgrimage should not be treated as a profit-making venture but rather as a religious and spiritual journey for Muslims.

Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the new Hajj Village on Friday, February 28, the president made it clear that the pilgrimage should not be structured to generate profit.

“I have instructed the taskforce that Hajj is not a business. Hajj is not meant for profit. The Hajj taskforce must not structure things in order to make a profit, we don’t want a profit from Hajj,” President Mahama stated.

He emphasised that any surplus funds generated from the Hajj process should be directed towards projects benefiting Muslim communities.

“After the performance of Hajj, if there is even one cedi left, that money should be donated to the poor or used for a project in Muslim communities,” he stated.

President Mahama also announced a revision to the Public Holidays Act to grant an additional holiday for the Muslim celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr.

“I have instructed the legal counsel at the Presidency, Madam Marietta Brew, to amend the Public Holidays Act to provide an extra holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr. Therefore, beginning this year, there will be two days of holiday at the end of Ramadan,” he added.

President Mahama assured that this year’s Hajj will be well-organised, with a strict limit on the number of pilgrims, where he instructed the taskforce to enforce the 5,000-pilgrim limit strictly.

“The taskforce should cut off at exactly 5,000 and not go beyond. We don’t want the previous situation where people rush with late payments, and we are unable to airlift them, leading to complaints,”

“After we pay off the millions of dollars of debt that have accumulated in Saudi Arabia from previous Hajj operations, we intend to airlift exactly 5,000 pilgrims to the holy land. The taskforce has announced 13th March as the deadline for payment. We have facilitated a pre-finance arrangement with a local bank, and as I speak, all deposits for accommodation, transport, and other facilities have been paid,” he explained.

The President explained that a taskforce, led by Alhaji Collins Dauda, was set up to oversee this year’s Hajj due to the short time between the government taking office and the pilgrimage.

“This year, we set up a taskforce to manage the Hajj because after the government took office, we realised that the period between taking office and the Hajj was too close. So we brought competent people together, headed by Alhaji Collins Dauda,” he stated.

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Wheat is a critical part of Ghana’s food supply, yet it is consistently imported into the country in large quantities.

Data from Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) indicates that, the country imports more than US$230 million worth of wheat annually.

To cut down on the import and save the country from draining its foreign exchange reserves, a leading agricultural company, Arima Farms Ghana, and Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CRI-CSIR) have launched the Ghana Wheat Initiative.

The project is designed to promote domestic wheat production, reduce imports, and create economic opportunities for farmers.

Speaking at the launch, Saalai Manikam, Managing Director of Arima Farms Ghana, highlighted the significance of the initiative.

“The intervention marks a bold step toward ensuring food security in Ghana, thus, it is important for all stakeholders to support the effort to achieve wheat self-sufficiency and empower farmers”.

As part of the initiative, CRI will research and develop wheat varieties that are drought tolerant, high yielding, and biofortification with zinc, iron, and protein.

Other varieties such as Wheat Pride 999, developed by Greenpride (India), will be introduced alongside wheat varieties from CIMMYT. 326 wheat germplasm were unveiled at the launch.

“These varieties have undergone rigorous testing across six regions and agroecological zones of Ghana and have shown promising results”, Saalai hinted.

The Ghana Wheat Initiative aims to kick-start large-scale domestic wheat production while reducing Ghana’s reliance on imports.

With growing concerns over global wheat supply chains, the initiative represents a major step toward self-sufficiency, ensuring that Ghana can meet its own wheat demands while supporting local farmers and industries.

The Ghana Wheat Initiative is the result of a two-year research and development collaboration between Arima Farms and CRI, with support from key partners, including Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Indian High Commission in Ghana, the West and Central Africa Wheat Network (WECAWHEAT), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Ghana, and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

IMO officials pictured with GMA officials during NAP Workshop in Tema

The Ghana Maritime Authority has organised a workshop to fashion out a National Action Plan for Shipping Decarbonization in Ghana under the Imo-Greenvoyage2050 Programme.

GreenVoyage2050 is a global programme supporting developing countries to reduce emissions from ships, in line with the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy.

The aims of this Action Plan would be to among others guide the country towards reducing GHGs emissions and air pollutants in the maritime sector and also tapping into the opportunities presented by the green transition agenda.

Member States are expected to take an active role in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy, including the development of clear roadmaps to advance the maritime green transition within their respective jurisdictions.

As the primary agency responsible for regulating the maritime industry and preventing maritime pollution, the Ghana Maritime Authority has been actively initiating measures to ensure a just transition for Ghana.

To formally initiate the NAP development process, a national kick-off workshop has been organized by the IMO-GreenVoyage2050 Programme, involving key public and private sector stakeholders to oversee the development of the National Action Plan.

Addressing participants, the Acting Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Dr. Kamal Deen entreated all stakeholders to work assiduously and collectively to achieve the GreenVoyage2050 target.

“This is a national action plan so it cannot and it will not be a Ghana Maritime Authority document. It is a document that require our collective input, our collective deliberation and our collective adoption in general let me highlight that we are just not looking at this strategy from the point of view of regulation but it is equally key in terms of future economic opportunities so when you look at the document you realize that it has a number of thematic pillars and whereas some of the pillars are looking at reduction, other pillars are looking at how do we as a country take advantage of the changing situation. We have to quickly then see how we mobilize ourselves to meet that responsibility globally but also to look at the positive side and how we strategize to take advantage of the economic opportunities that will come along with decarbonization,” he said.

The adoption of the 2023 IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships outlines ambitious targets aimed at achieving net-zero emissions in the industry by 2050.

One of the project leads with the IMO, Astrid Dispert gave more insight into the development of the IMO Net-Zero framework.

She said, “I often hear that it doesn’t sound that much substantial that shipping’s contribution is 3% of the whole global emissions but if you look at the projections a lot of countries are developing more and more so there’s an increased trade. The numbers of international trade have been increasing over the last decade and are projected to increase so we cannot just sit around and do nothing.”