Category: General

Dr Alexander Ampaabeng, the Deputy Finance Minister-Designate, has declared his endorsement of the betting tax being implemented by the Government.

The Nominee made this known in his response to questions during his vetting at the public sitting of the Appointments Committee of Parliament in Accra.

Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Techiman North, had asked the nominee what his position was on the concept and implementation of the betting tax.

Betting tax is a tax on betting transactions by operators with customers.

Dr Ampaabeng, a tax expert, reiterated that the tax was not new, and said it was introduced in 2015 by Ghana’s Parliament as part of Act 891 (Customs Acts, 2015).

It was amended again as Act 907 (Income Tax Amendment Act, 2016), he stated.

He noted that the difference between Act 907 and the current provision (Act 1094) was that in Act 907, there was a GHS2,590.00 exempt amounts, which meant a gambler would not be taxed until he made
it in excess of GHS2,590.00.

‘What this current tax means is that it seeks to take away that exemption minimum. Betting tax is not new across the African continent, especially in East Africa,’ Dr Ampaabeng said.

‘My position on it, as an individual and as a tax person, sitting here looking for revenue opportunities for the country, I think the betting tax presents a revenue potential for the country.’

The Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2023 (Act 1094) introduces a withholding tax of?10 per cent on all winnings.

Winnings from betting, lottery, and games of chance are subject to the withholding tax at the point of payout.

Touching on expanding the tax net to cover online businesses, he aid it was time for Ghanaians to rethink through it and assess the options.

He underscored the need to ensure that the Government did not lose the huge revenue potentials going on online.

Source: Ghana News Agency

BY STEPHEN TADAHA

The National Observatory on Climate Change (NOCC) in its recent weather forecast made public by the department of National Meteorology, announced that the first planting season in the West Region and in some parts of the North West Region should commence on April 2. As from this date according to the Observatory, the atmosphere will be characterized by heavy downpours of at least 30 millimeters, a level highly recommended by experts to plant.

But on the field, the remark is different as many farmers began planting since the start of the first rains at the beginning of the month of March contrary to what experts recommend.

‘The National Observatory says we should start planting on a particular date but we follow the weather and not what they say. The weather tells us when to plant. We have seen for ourselves that the rains are back and cannot wait again’ declared a farmer.

‘I planted since the start of rains and cannot remove my plants that have germinated because they have said so. I saw
rain and planted and don’t think the dry season will be back. The climat this year is different’ says another farmer.

Knowing that there is a slight change in climatic conditions, these farmers say they are not worried of the change because their crops

‘ We planted and we think the crops will do good. How should they say we should wait for almost a month after the rains before planting? I don’t believe that.’ She adds.

According to experts, the first rains are not the best for crops.

‘We recommend that farmers wait for at least three good rains, in a way that the soil will be soft and ready before planting. If not the grains will be burnt in the soil and they will be obliged to plant again.’ says Edwige Soup, Divisional delegate of Agriculture and Rural development for Bamboutos

‘ Concerning recommendations of the National Observatory on Climate change, rains between March 1-10 will be under observation because they will be sporadic and will lead to an increase in temperatures, thus humidity.’ She Adds

The localities called upon to begin planting on April 2 are Bamboutos, Noun, Upper Plateaux, Upper Nkam, Menoua, Koung-Khi and Nde in the West Region, Mezam, Menchum, Bui and Ngo-Ketunjia in North West, Lebialem and Kupe-Manenguba in the South West region.

In other parts of these Regions, The national Observatory recommends that the planting season begins on March 23, 2024.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Odomase-Okanta Kwadwo Fosu, E/R, March 13, GNA, Family leader Asah Bekoe of Asare Kofi Asona Mensah Family of Akuapem Akropong, has appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to support residents of Odomase Okanta near Nsawam, whose farms have been destroyed by some illegal land guards.

The family leader said last weekend some illegal land guards with guns and dangerous weapons invaded the community and destroyed about 15 to 20 acres of foodstuffs including maize, cassava, plantains, cocoyam, and palm nuts.

Mr Bekoe made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after a meeting organized by the community on how to stop land guards from destroying farmlands, saying, the community land of 2,900 acres and over had been registered since 1895.

Abrewatiaa Juliana Akosua Ampemaa said because of the activities of these land guards, the community was currently experiencing a shortage of food. ‘Our women are all afraid to go about their normal farming activity to bring food for their families.’

Na
na Kwame Donkor Kissiedu II, Chief of Odomase-Okanta Kwadwo Fosu, also appealed to the Government to come to the aid of the community, saying, ‘We will go into severe hunger if this issue is not addressed with immediate effect.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Women at Akorabuokrom, a farming community in the Atwima Mponua District of Ashanti Region, have expressed worry at the rate illegal mining activities (galamsey) are breaking down marriages, causing deaths and making children go wayward.

The women alleged that some school children between ages 12 and 15 years who have resorted to these illegal mining activities were boycotting schools and picking up unhealthy lifestyles.

Many children, according to the women, have fallen into the uncovered pits, which are scattered in many neigbouring communities in the area, and never return home alive.

These came to light after the women engaged in a solidarity march organized by SOKODEVI, as part of activities marking the 2024 International Women’s Day.

It was held on the theme: ‘Towards Women Inclusive Safeguarding for Sustainable Environment and Mineral Governance.’

The women echoed that although illegal mining activities were not being done in Akrobuokrom itself, their husbands and children trekked to the adjoining
communities to engage in the galamsey.

According to them, most of the men after getting small monies, jilted their wives for new girlfriends and thereby, breaking their homes and causing disputes in families.

Nana Atta Pokua, Queen mother of Akorabuokrom advised the women to take strong measures to discourage their kids from engaging in illegal mining activities to help build promising future for themselves.

Dr Rosemary Akolaa, a Senior Lecturer, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, taking the townsfolks through illegal mining threats to the wellbeing of women, called on Ghanaians to rethink about the dangers galamsey posed to the nation.

She said if the menace continued the future would be bleak with multiple environmental effects and a challenge to socio-economic development.

Ms Omolara Aka Oyelakun Tay, Gender Specialist, SOKODEVI, said the organization recognized women’s enormous contributions to society.

When illegal mining occurs in communities, women suffer myriad negative socia
l impacts.

These activities occur in rural communities whose source of drinking water is rivers or streams.

However, due to the destruction of water bodies because of illegal mining, women who are culturally defined to perform domestic chores including fetching water – walk for longer hours in search of water.

Source: Ghana News Agency

By Eratus Ndueh

The Archbishop of the Bamenda Archdiocese, His grace Andrew Nkea has extended his support, offered solace and prayers to affected businessmen and women of the devastating fire incident that engulfed the Bamenda main market last February, during a visit he paid this March 12, 2024.

Archbishop Nkea reportedly met with market leaders and representatives of the traders’ union, where he offered words of comfort and spiritual guidance to those whose livelihoods were impacted by the blaze.

‘This is a time of great hardship, my prayers are with the families and individuals who have lost so much. May God grant them strength and hope during this difficult time,’ said the Archbishop after his visit at the Bamenda main market.

The incident is considered to be one of the worst in the history of Cameroon’s Northwest region, which threatened to reduce hundreds of shops to ashes, with over 20 already completely destroyed.

Investigations are still ongoing to determine the cause of the inferno. However, lo
cal authorities are working to assess the damage and determine the best course of action to support the affected market community.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

An Accra High Court has awarded one million Ghana cedis in damages against Nathaniel Dekyi, alias Nana Nyonwah Panyin IV of Dompim Pepesa in the Western Region, and the Multimedia Group Limited.

This was after the court, presided over by Justice Richard Apietu, found the two guilty of defaming the Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah.

The Minister, in October 2022, dragged the two to court over defamation.

The plaintiff (Okyere Darko-Mensah), said on October 10, 2022, the first defendant (Dekyi) granted an interview on the Joy FM Super Morning Show, owned and operated by the second defendant (Multimedia), in which Dekyi made spurious allegations against him.

The Minister said Dekyi refused to retract and apologise for the defamatory statements when prompted to do so, attracting the writ of summons subsequently filed on October 14 by the Minister’s lawyers, Parkwood and Mossane.

Dekyi alleged that Mr Darko-Mensah and two other government officials were involved in illegal mining, ot
herwise known as ‘galamsey’ in the Dompim Pepesa area of the Western Region.

After the interview, Multimedia published the defamatory material on its website, a portal with massive local and international readership, the Minister said.

‘The wild allegations by the first defendant and published by second defendant are absolutely false, baseless and unwarranted,’ he said.

Dekyi was also noted to have stated that he had incontrovertible evidence of the involvement of the Minister and the two others in illegal mining at Dompim Pepesa but failed to provide the said evidence.

The Western Regional Minister added that he had, over the years, built for himself an enviable reputation in his private, political and professional life, and that the said publication had greatly dented his image.

Source: Ghana News Agency