Increased ‘Talk Tax’, Utility Tariffs Take Effect Today

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October 1, 2019

By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Two major consumer tax and tariffs are set to go up effective today, October 1, 2019 following their upward reviews.

The recently increased Communication Service Tax (CST) from 6 to 9 per cent, and the about 8 per cent total increment in both electricity and water tariffs, would see consumers pay extra more for these services, which are essential to every day life.

According to the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, the CST which was reviewed upwards in the 2019 mid year budget, would be applied to every recharge purchase.

“With Communication Service Tax now increased from 6%, 9% CST will be applied to any recharge purchase.

So for every GH¢1 of recharge purchased, a 9% CST fee of GHS 0.07 will be charged leaving GHS0.93 (not GHS0.91) for purchase of products and services,” the Chamber explained in a Facebook post on how the tax will be charged by the telecom service providers.

This, means the telecom operators would deduct and pay to the Ghana Revenue Authority, 7 pessewas, representing the 9 per cent CST on every GHs1 of airtime bought, leaving consumers with GHs 0.93 to buy products and services such as data and call bundles.

Prior to today’s implementation, three of the telecom operators, MTN, Vodafone and Airtel Tigo have in the past weeks sent SMS communication to their subscribers regarding the coming into effect of the revised CST from October 1, 2019.

Utility Tariffs

Similarly, consumers would from today also pay 5.94 and 2.22 per cents more respectively for electricity and water, following a recent review of tariffs by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC).

This is a second tariff increment in three months, which according to a statement from the utility regular was done using the Automatic Adjustment Formula (AAF), taking into consideration various variables including the exchange and inflation rates.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

New Kpando MCE Takes Office

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Volta Online

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October 1, 2019

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New Kpando MCE — Mr. Quist taking his Oath of office being administered by Her Worship Mawuli-Woname

By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The new Municipal Chief Executive for Kpando, Mr. Ernest Theophilus Quist has assumed office, following his unanimous endorsement by assembly members on Monday.

The nominee garnered all 28 votes of the assembly during his confirmation poll to replace Mr. Elvis Djampoh, whose appointment was revoked by the President through the Local Government minister, Hajia Alima Mahama.

Her Worship Love B. Mawuli-Woname, the Magistrate at the Kpando district Court performed the swearing-in for Mr. Quist.

Dr. Archibald Letsa, the Volta Regional minister prior to the voting, implored the assembly members to unanimously confirm the nominee, in whom the President had confidence to take Kpando Municipal to the next level.

Among those who witnessed the ceremnony were the Deputy Regional Minister, Rev. Johnson Avuletey and a host Municipal/District Chief Executives, including Mr. Thomas Zonyrah of Central Tongu as well as Regional officers of the NPP.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

29-Year Old Entrepreneur Confirmed As New DCE for Afadzato South DCE

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Volta Online

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September 30, 2019

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By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Mr. James Etornam Flolu has been confirmed as the new District Chief Executive for the Afadzato South district.

At an assembly meeting at district capital, Ve Golokuati on Monday, the 29 year old marketing professional cum entrepreneur polled 27 votes, representing 90 percent of the 30-member assembly to replace dismissed DCE, Mr. Wisdom Semanu Seneadza, Esq.

He was consequently sworn into office by His Worship John Sam, a Magistrate Court Judge in charge of the Afadzato South District Court.

The Volta Regional minister, Dr Archibald Letsa who was present with his deputy, Rev. Johnson Avuletey called on the assembly members and other stakeholders to give maximum support to the DCE so as to ensure a smooth running of the assembly and the district.

Regional minister and his deputy at the confirmation meeting

Present at the ceremony were the MCE for Hohoe, Mr. Teddy Ofori, DCEs for Ho West and North Dayi, Mr. Ernest Appau and Mr. Edmund Kudjoe Attah respectively as well as the some current and past Regional officers of the governing New Patriotic Party.

Background

The President through the Minister for Local Government, Hajia Alima Mahama last week revoked the appointment of some four MDCEs in the Volta region.

They were, Ho MCE, Mr. John Nelson Akorli, Agotime-Ziope DCE, Mr. Dickson Dzokpe, Afadzato South DCE, Mr. Wisdom Semanu Seneadza and Kpando MCE, Mr. Elvis Djampoh.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com | Facebook

Ho West MP Honoured In Nigeria

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Volta Online

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September 30, 2019

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By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Member of Parliament for Ho West, Mr. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah has been honoured by Exam Ethics Marshalls International (EEMI) for his outstanding contributions to the promotion of best practices in education in Africa.

The organization at its 23rd International Conference in Abuja, Nigeria last Thursday, presented the MP with the Leadership Impact Award in recognition of his support for best education practices on the continent.

Prof. Abednego E. Ekoko, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of EEMI, who presented the award to Mr. Bedzrah cited the MP’s scholarship and financial support schemes and other educational interventions in the Ho West district, that have “contributed tremendously in improving and promoting best practices in education in the Ho West District of Ghana in particular, and Africa in general”.

He lauded the MP for initiatives such as the Ho West District Basic Schools’ Annual Quiz Competition (BaSAQ-C), Volta Region Students Association (VORSA) Community Service Programme, provision of numerous educational insfrastructure and other logistics including motorbikes to Circuit Supervisors to enhance effective monitoring and supervision in schools.

Mr. Bedzrah, on his part dedicated the award to his constituents and thanked EEMI for the honour done him, as he pledged his continuous support for improved education standards in Africa.

Citing the example of Ashesi University in Ghana where examinations are written without the physical presence of invigilators, the MP urged EEMI to champion similar practices in other educational institutions across the continent, as it would inspire confidence, build integrity and eliminate fear and panic that comes with writing examinations.

Background

Exam Ethics Marshalls International is a Nigerian based non governmental organization founded in 1996 to inspire stakeholders in education to work individually and collectively to promote ethics, integrity and best practices in education and combat examination malpractice, academic dishonesty and corruption in education in Africa.
The organization which is headquartered in Abuja Nigeria operates national, regional, state and institutional chapters in African countries including Ghana.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com | Facebook

#NPPDecides: Full List of Winners In Volta & Oti Regions

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September 29, 2019

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North Dayi DCE, Edmund Kudjoe Attah (R) declared Winner

By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The governing New Patriotic Party over the weekend conducted parliamentary primaries in some 100 ‘orphan’ constituencies nationwide , where the party has no sitting members of Parliament.

In the Volta region, the exercise took place in 14 out 18 constituencies, five of which were popular acclamations. However, the Central Tongu primaries was inconclusive due to the omission of some 45 delegates’ names from the register.

The process was also suspended by the party national leadership in four other constituencies, namely, Hohoe, Anlo, Kpando and Afadzato South.

In exception of Krachi East and West, the primaries was held in the other six constituencies of the Oti region.

Below is the list of Winners

Volta

1. Hon. Richard Collins Arku – North Tongu

2. Wisdom Joseph Ahadjie – South Tongu

3. Hon. Leo Nelson Adzidogah – Akatsi South

4. Dr. Benjamin Dzameshie – Keta

5. David Tiahno – Ketu South

6. Hon. Edmund Kudjoe Attah – North Dayi

7. Hon. Ernest Mallet – South Dayi

8. Dr. David Kodzo Nfodjo – Ho West

9. Central Tongu – inconclusive

Popular acclamation

10. Prosper Pi-Bansah – Ho Central

11. John Kweku Amenyah – Agotime-Ziope

12. Raybon-Evan Nyadi – Adaklu

13. Hon. Kofi Dzamesi – Ketu North

14. Simon Peter Ofosu – Akatsi North

Oti region

1. Hon. Lawrence Kwame Aziale – Buem

2. Hon. Rashid Bawa- Kadjebi/Akan

3. Daniel Korsinah – Biakoye

4. Benjamin Nador- Nkwanta North

5. Innocent Tache Kakatude- Krachi Nchumuru

6. Sherifa Tijani Sekyere – Nkwanta South

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Shocker! Deputy Minister, Two MCEs, Lost NPP Primaries

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Volta Online

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September 28, 2019

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FB_IMG_1569702401601 — Defeated, Keta MCE, Godwin Edudzi Effah

By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The just ended parliamentary primaries of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has produced some major casualties in the Volta and Oti regions.

Key among them were, the Deputy Minister for the Oti region, Mr. Maxwell Blagodzi, Keta MCE, Godwin Edudzi Effah and his Ketu South counterpart, Elliot Agbenorwu who shockingly lost in their bid to lead the party into the 2020 parliamentary elections.

Deputy Oti Regional Minister, Maxwell Blagodzi

Mr. Blagodzi who contested in the Nkwanta South primaries lost with 27 votes to madam Sherifa Tijanni.

He polled 262 as against Tijanni’s 289 votes, with a third contender, Durinya managing some 27 votes.

In the Ketu South contest, the MCE suffered a near annihilation, as he polled less than half of the total votes of the winner, Mr. David Tiahno, who had 689 as against the his (MCE) 332 votes.
A third contender, madam Judith Ayivi also secured just 31 votes.

Defeated, Ketu South MCE, Elliot Agbenorwu

The situation was not different in the Keta constituency, where the MCE, Mr. Edudzi Effah lost to Dr. Benjamin Dzameshie, with 163 and 270 votes respectively.

Victories

There was however a glimpse of joy for some of the local chief executives, as they fend off competition to win their primaries.

One of such was the DCE for North Dayi Edmund Kudjoe Attah who beat his sole contender convincingly with 299 votes against Christian Koku’s 52.

Also, in the North Tongu contest, the DCE, Mr. Collins Arku secured a victory over a former DCE and Deputy Managing director of BOST, Moses Mensah Assem.

They both polled 324 and 275 votes respectively.

Below are other Results

Buem/Jasikan (Oti)
1. Lawrence Kwame Aziale (DCE) – 268
2. Mr. Richard Adjei -190

Kadjebi Akan (Oti)
1. Rashid Bawa – 356
2. Isaac Dzamefe -133
3. Alhaji Tanko – 6

Nkwanta North (Oti)
1. Joseph Nayan -131
2. Batu Kwaku osei – 45
3. Makija John – 8
4. Ben Nador – 259

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

#NPPDecides: Late Arrival of Accreditation Delays Voting At North Dayi

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Volta Online

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September 28, 2019

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By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Voting in the North Dayi constituency primaries of the governing New Patriotic Party began after over 2-hours of delay.

The exercise bill to commence at 9:00am, finally took at about 11:45am at the Vakpo E.P church premises.

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The delay, according to party officials was due to the late arrival of delegates’ accreditation from the party regional secretariat in Ho.

Some 380 delegates are voting in the primaries which has the DCE for the area, Mr. Edmund Kudjoe Attah and Mr. Christian Koku as contenders.

The exercise is being supervised by officials of the Electoral Commission led by the district director, madam Comfort Amoah, with Mr. Selorm Abledu observing on behalf of the NPP regional secretariat.

Other Updates

Voltaonlinegh.com checks reveal exercise is ongoing smoothly in the other constituencies, including Keta and South Tongu, where 478 and 662 delegates are voting respectively.

In Ketu South, the exercise started about an hour and half late with about 1,109 delegates casting their ballot to elect one of three contenders, including the MCE, Mr. Elliot Agbenorwu to represent the governing party in the country’s largest constituency.

Meanwhile, the national executive council of the NPP has placed on hold the primaries in four out the 18 constituencies in the region, while five others are having popular acclamation for their unopposed candidates.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Energy Minister Tours Hydro Power Project at Alavanyo

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Volta Online

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September 28, 2019

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The Minister and his team at the Tsatsadu Generation Station

By: Albert Kuzor| Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Minister for Energy, John Peter Amewu on Friday paid a working visit to Tsatsadu micro hydro power station at Alavanyo Abehenease in the Hohoe muncipality.

The 45 Kilowatts (KW) Hydropower generation station which was constructed on the Tsatsadu river by the Bui Power Authority (BPA), is expected to augment electricity supply in the Alavanyo area.

Accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of BPA, Mr. Fred Oware and the director of Renewable energy at ministry, Mr. Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, the minister inspected generation station which is currently undergoing testing, ahead of commissioning by President Akufo-Addo in October.

The 400,000 dollar project, according to officials, has the turbine, generator and capacity building funded by UNIDO/UNDP through the China-Ghana South-South Co-operation on Renewable Energy Technology Transfer Project.

The Design Manager of the project, Alex Okae-Acheampong briefing the minister and team diclose that, there was an arrangement for additional turbines to add on 60KW more of Generation to the current 45kW.

He explained that, due to the effect of climate change, the plant would only generate power within seven to eight months in a year, and “the rest of the months will be use for maintenance works basically.”

The Minister on his part said, the development of the Tsatsadu Hydro Generation station was part of government’s overall renewable energy agenda geared towards the provision of sufficient power to drive socio-economic development.

The minister and his team being conducted round the micro Hydropower dam

He hinted of the ministry’s plan to replicate the micro Hydropower project across the various water bodies in the country to take pressure off the national grid.

” Our water bodies cannot only attract tourism, but also have potentials in Renewable Energy, which we would want to develop accross the country,” he stated, adding that, “even when Akosombo [generation station] is off, at least we can have some power supply in Alavanyo-Abehenease. So what we are trying to do is that the street lights in the community will be directly powered with electricity from here.”

Mr. Amewu who was excited about the use of indigenous Ghanaians engineers for the project, said the facility would also serve as a Research centre for institutions of higher learning within the West African subregion.

” The unique aspect of it is that the people who have come out with the innovations are people who reside here, they are all engineers, so universities like KNUST and all other Universities can come here and study how a mini hydro project can be developed.”

Togbe Komla Kunde V, Chief of Alavanyo Abehenease, commended the government for project, which he said should be the beginning of more investments into the area.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

NPP Suspends Primaries in 4 Constituencies, As It Elects Parl. Candidates Today

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Volta Online

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September 28, 2019

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By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has suspended parliamentary primaries in four out of the 18 constituencies in the Volta region.

The exercise scheduled for today, Saturday, September 28, 2019, would see the election of the party’s Parliamentary candidates for the 2020 elections in some 106 ‘orphan’ constituencies nationwide, where the NPP has no sitting MPs.

But a circular from the NPP General Secretary, Mr. John Boadu put the polls on hold in six constituencies across the country, including, Anlo, Kpando, Hohoe and Afadzato South in the Volta region.

The other two were Krachi West and Chereponi, in the Oti and North East regions respectively.

Mr. Evans Nimako, NPP director of elections and research described as ‘strategic’ reasons for the suspension of the primaries in the six constituencies.

He said the action which was sanctioned by the National Executive Committee of party had the buy-in of the grassroot.

Meanwhile, the exercise will go on in the remaining 14 constituencies in the Volta region, with five of them going for popular acclamation of their unopposed candidates.

They are, Mr Prosper Pi-Bansah for Ho Central, Mr Raybon Evans Anyadi for Adaklu and Mr Simon Peter Kofi Owusu, for the Akatsi North Constituency.

The rest are, the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Kofi Dzamesi for Ketu North and Mr. John Kwaku Amenyah for Agotime-Ziope constituency.

However, some MDCEs in the region, including North Dayi DCE, Mr. Edmund Kudjoe Attah, Ketu South MCE, Mr. Elliot Agbenorwu and Keta MCE, Mr. Godwin Edudzi Effah are facing competition in their respective primaries.

The NPP has also set January 2020 to run the primaries in the other constituencies with sitting members of Parliament, including Krachi East in the Oti region.

Below is the full list of Aspirants in the 14 Constituencies.

NORTH TONGU

1. MOSES MENSAH ASSEM
2. RICHARD COLLINS ARKU

CENTRAL TONGU
1. RAYMOND ESCAMBELLAR ABLEDU
2. THOMAS MOORE ZONYRAH

SOUTH TONGU
1. INNOCENT LYNFORD KWESI TETTEH
2. AHADJIE JOSPHE WISDOM
3. LADY ELIZABETH SEGBENU

AKATSI SOUTH
1. MARTIN KOFITSEY NYAHE
2. LEO – NELSON KOJO ADZIDOGHA

AKATSI NORTH
1. OFOSU SIMON PETER KOFI

KETA
1. GODWIN EDUDZI YAO EFFAH
2. BENJAMIN SENE KWAME DZAMESHIE

KETU SOUTH
1. DAVID TIAHNO QUARSHIE
2. ELLIOT EDEM AGBENORWU
3. JUDITH AYIVIE

KETU NORTH
1. SAMUEL KOFI DZAMESI AHIAVE

SOUTH DAYI
1. DAVIS-DAVID LOVELY
2. ERNEST PATRICK KODZO MALLET

NORTH DAYI
1. KUDJOH EDMUND ATTAH
2. CHRISTIAN KOKU

HO WEST
1. MELODY GBENA AKUSIKA
2. DAVID TOGBE KODJO NFODJO
3. GONYVIE ERIC NICK YAO

AGOTIME ZIOPE
1. JOHN KWAKU AMENYAH

ADAKLU
1. RAYBON – EVANS ANYADI

HO CENTRAL
1. PROSPER KOFI PI – BANSA

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Ho West District Empowers 238 Persons with Disability

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Volta Online

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September 27, 2019

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh |

The Ho West District Assembly in the Volta has presented monetary donation and assorted items to 65 persons with disability (PWDs) to empower them improve on their livelihood and be able to make meaningful contribution to society.

The items included assistive devices, industrial sewing machines, deep freezers, pop corn machines, etc as investment for the beneficiaries.

The presentation on Thursday, September 26 was the third of such supports to PWDs in the district bringing the number of beneficiaries to 238 since the disbursement of disability fund nationwide through the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in 2018.

The donation and items were procured by the 3 per cent allocated as disability fund from the District Assemblies Common Fund aimed at making more resources available to PWDs to ensure they enjoy decent livelihood.

District Chief Executive for the area, Ernest Victor Apau in making the presentation to the beneficiaries, disclosed that the district had been training, guiding and engaging persons with disability to ensure efficient use of the resources.

Mr. Apau advised the beneficiaries, care givers and all stakeholders to ensure making judicious use of both the cash and the items to benefit society.

Some beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the government and the assembly and promised to make the best of the assistance given them so as not to beg for alms to make a living.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com