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Asogli Traditional Council Reacts to Togbe Afede Bashing
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- Created on Tuesday, 23 June 2009 00:00
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Asogli Traditional Council Reacts to Togbe Afede Bashing
The Asogli Traditional Council on Monday said tribal undertones put on statements made by Togbe Afede XIV, at a durbar in honour of President John Evans Atta Mills on April 18 were in bad-taste and must be rejected.
A statement signed by Togbe Osei Tutu IV, Togbe Kwaku Ayim IV and Togbe Dadzawa III, Paramount Chiefs of the Matse, Ziavi and Shia Traditional areas said the council did not think Togbe Afede said anything untoward to warrant the attacks on his person in the media especially the FM stations.
It said attempts to give tribal connotations to Togbe Afede's cry over long years of neglect of the Volta Region in terms of development were misplaced and meant to create disaffection for him. The Asogli Traditional Council Statement said Volta Region was multi-ethnic and that chiefs representing the Ewes, Guans, Akans, Dangbes, Konkombas among others were there when Togbe Afede spoke and were unanimous that his views were a true reflection of their views.
It said any avid follower of events in the region, and perhaps Ghana could not fail to recognize that Togbe Afede, since his installation had been a vehement critic of ineptitude, injustice and championed the fight against poverty and ignorance in society and was therefore only being himself at the durbar.
The statement alleged that Volta Region as an administrative unit had suffered deprivations in the form of projects being re-assigned out of the region for no sustainable reasons and its chiefs refused protocols made available to chiefs from other areas.
It concluded therefore that Togbe Afede had a point to make, which he made on the day the chiefs hosted President Mills.
Criticisms of Togbe Afede's statement had earlier sparked demonstrations and a flurry of statements from chiefs of the Asogli State, which he reigns over as the Agbogbogbome Fia. Togbe Afede is also the President of the Asogli Traditional Council and President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs.
Credit GNA
No commentsChief Imam To Organise 2009 Hajj
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- Created on Saturday, 30 May 2009 00:00
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Chief Imam To Organise 2009 Hajj
Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, National Chief Imam will organise the 2009 Hajj.
A statement signed by Alhaji Awaisu Bio, Public Relations Officer of the office of the National Chief Imam said the Chief Imam has the mandate to select the country's representative to the Hajj conference.
Since the tenure of office of the Interim Management Hajj Committee 2008 terminated with the dissolution of the Committee, the Chief Imam therefore had to select new representatives for this year's conference which he did within his jurisdictions.
The statement said the membership of a new Hajj Committee will be announced soon to begin preparations for the 2009 Hajj and the Chief Imam expected that all Ghanaians would cooperate for a successful Hajj 2009.
The Chief Imam appealed for peace and stability for the nation and the progress of all citizens.
Credit GNA
Dramani Mahama Leaves For Libya
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- Created on Wednesday, 29 April 2009 00:00
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Dramani Mahama Leaves For Libya
Vice President John Dramani Mahama left Accra on Tuesday 28 April 2009, for Tripoli, Libya, for a three-day official visit.
Government officials at the airport said the visit formed part of Ghana's desire to have cordial relations with her neighbours.
They said issues to be discussed with Libyan officials would include oil exploration. Vice President Mahama will be back on Thursday.
Source: GNA
Clergy Warns NDC Govt
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- Created on Saturday, 23 May 2009 00:00
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Clergy Warns NDC Govt
By Yaaba Yamikeh
{sidebar id=10 align=right}Religious leaders in the Western Region on Tuesday stated that they would start paying taxes on their business entities as requested by the Mills administration,
if and only if government assures and convinces them that these monies would not be misappropriated, but properly utilized to better the lives of the people, particularly the under privileged.
The region, which is the most endowed in terms of natural resources, is ironically bereft of development in terms of good roads, affordable health care and educational facilities, as well as industries to take care of the employment needs of its teeming population.
The mining industry, which was expected to create jobs for the people, has been caught in the politics of galamsey rights and pollution, with farmers, whose means of livelihood had been curtailed by mining operations, continually at war with mining companies over compensation.
Most of the health facilities in the region as well as schools and other social infrastructure, the clergy maintained, were put in pace by the church. The leaders further assured they have no problem complying with the ruling of the National Democratic Congress' government's directive that all religious bodies should pay income taxes on their business entities like printing presses, schools, farms and bakeries, provided these taxes would be judiciously used.
This sentiment was expressed at a day's seminar on Income Tax Laws for Religious Bodies jointly organized by the Internal Revenue and VAT Services for over 150 religious leaders in the Region at the Shippers' Council Hall in Takoradi. It was under the theme: 'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's'.
The Statesman gathered that the seminar was organized to explain reasons for payment of taxes to the participants, their rights and obligations as well as reasons for filing tax returns.
Seasoned Tax Inspectors took the participants through a number of topics such as 'Responsibilities of target group recapitulation and types of returns', 'Rent tax', 'withholding taxes', 'exempt organizations' and 'income of target groups'.
According to the church leaders, infrastructural facilities in the Western Region, particularly the road network, are not in very good conditions. They consequently called on government to channel some of the revenue accrued from taxation in rehabilitating and constructing roads in the region.
Some participants admitted that there was the need to pay taxes to promote development but since the IRS was not demanding it, they have also refrained from paying. This is aside of the fact that churches did not benefit from previously paid taxes.
The participants argued that they did not see the wisdom in paying taxes when roads leading to their various churches and businesses have been in deplorable conditions for years. "If government can now assure and convince us of reaping the benefits of our taxes, then we would also support the new directive wholeheartedly," they added.
The men and women of God said they were also not happy with paying taxes on appreciation gifts from members of their churches and called on government to review this section of the Tax Law.
The Regional Director of IRS, Ebenezer Osabutey, who presided over the seminar, had earlier in a brief remark said it formed part of the tax agencies' yearly programme of sensitizing and reminding Ghanaian workers in both formal and informal sectors on the need to honour their tax obligation, adding that it also formed part of measures put in place by the ruling NDC to generate revenue internally in the face of the global economic crunch, which had virtually dried up the country's external sources of loans and grants.
He, however, stressed that offertories and tithes are exempted from taxation. Mr. Osabutey cautioned the religious leaders that the IRS would not hesitate to drag recalcitrant tax defaulters to the law court.
All over Ghana, the role of the church in creating infrastructure and assisting the poor and underprivileged have been appreciated and widely acknowledged by the public and most Governments.
In attendance were Pastor Kobina Arthur, Church of Pentecost, Takoradi Central and Rev. Benjamin Biney, Rhema Church, Lagos Town, Takoradi, among several dozens of pastors.
Credit The statesmanonline
Attorney-General Celebrates Appointment
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- Created on Wednesday, 15 April 2009 00:00
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Attorney-General Celebrates Appointment
Mrs Minister of Justice and Attorney General on Easter Sunday attended a church service at Ejuratia in the Afigya-Kwabre District of Ashanti, the place where she was brought up, to give thanks to God for her appointment.
According to GNA report, it was, all joy as the congregation, on Easter Sunday, danced and sang praises to God at the Saint Francis Catholic Church at Ejuratia.
The Reverend Father Cosmos Osei Amponsah, Mamponteng Parish Priest asked God to protect and guide the Minister so that her heart would be filled with His words as she administered justice at all levels. He also prayed that God would give her the wisdom and courage to discharge her duties in fairness to enhance peace and harmony Ghana.
She was accompanied by her children and husband- Alhaji Iddrisu Mahama- a National Democratic Congress politician and a Member of the Council of State, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, former first lady, Dr. Joseph Oteng-Adjei, Minister of Energy, Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other party functionaries.
The Minister for Justice and Attorney-General- Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu (a non-practicing Lawyer)) thanked God for the honour done her and expressed the hoped that she would grant her the power, strength and authority to perform her duties as expected of her.
Source: GNA/Ghana