Year: 2023

Theresa Lardi Awuni, Member of Parliament for Okaikwei North Constituency

A video of Theresa Lardi Awuni, the Member of Parliament for Okaikwei North Constituency under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has recently gone viral.

In the 31-second video, the MP is heard hitting out at a branch executive believed to be from her party.

The video captures a visibly agitated Lardi Awuni, addressing a gathering of individuals, believed to be NDC sympathizers.

She takes the opportunity to explain the context that led to her outburst, detailing that the branch executive had questioned her over the use of the Common Fund allocated to the constituency on a platform they both belong.

The MP, evidently displeased is heard saying, "A branch executive in this constituency, three days ago went to write on the platform, that what does the MP use the Common Fund for?

“I used it to buy khebabs for your mother and father... is Common Fund personal money given to us? I haven’t even seen some before, they don't give it to me directly."

I used Common Fund to buy khebab for your parents - NDC MP blasts branch executive

What is District Assembly Common Fund (DACF)

The District Assembly Common Fund is established by the District Assembly Common Fund Act 1993, (Act 455) under Article 242.

The purpose of setting this fund is to provide resources to support the developmental activities of the local government. It is a fund created out of the consolidated fund to channel resources from the central government to the local governments for development.

The District Assemblies’ Common Fund (DACF) is a pool of resources created under section 252 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana.

It is a minimum of 5% of the national revenue set aside to be shared among all District Assemblies in Ghana with a formula approved by Parliament. It is a Development Fund which enables the use of the nation’s wealth throughout Ghana to the benefit of all citizens.

Purpose of the DACF

a) The Fund is to ensure equitable distribution of the national resources for the development in every part of Ghana.

b) To Improve Housing Schemes.

c) To support sanitation management

d) It is to strengthen decentralization and to promote Sustainable self-help development communities.

e) To improve upon primary health care delivery in all part of Ghana

f) It is to improve the country’s educational facilities, and to ensure quality education g) The Fund support Community policing.
Sources of money into the fund

The District Assembly Common fund is financed from the following sources:

a) A minimum of 5% of total tax revenue is transferred quarterly into the fund.

b) Income from investment of the fund

c) Donations and Grants

Expenditures Charged on the fund

a) Disbursement to MMDAs/MPs

b) Disbursement to RCCs

c) Direct expenditures on behalf of MMDAs (reserves)

d) Administrative expenses directly related to funding administration (audit fee, bank charges etc.)

Approved areas of spending the share of DACF by the MMDSs:

a) Economic Ventures(Energy, Markets, Agriculture, Services roads etc.

b) Social services(Education, health, Water, Sports and Recreation, Self-help projects, Educational Activities etc.)

c) Administration (capacity building of DA staff and Assembly members, Accommodation, office Equipment etc.

d) Environment(Sanitation, Disaster management)

e) MPs common fund

Administration of the District Assembly Common Fund/ Functions of the Administrator

The fund is administered by the DACF Administrator appointed by the president. The DACF Administrator has the following mandatory functions:

a) Propose formula annually for the allocation and distribution of the common fund to the MMDAs

b) Allocate and distribute the common fund quarterly based on the approved formula to the various MMDAs

c) Report in writing to the MOF on how the fund was distributed and utilized by the various MMDAs; and

d) Perform any other functions required by the President of the Republic

Benefits of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF)

a) The fund aims at creating jobs for all through programmes such as cottage industries.

b) It seeks to get more people to gain access to improved shelter through the housing.

c) Through the fund, health facilities are expanded and improved to make health delivery accessible to many people

d) Through the fund numerous school buildings and structures have been constructed for the increasing needs of the population.

e) The fund encourages and supports communities that make effort to initiate their own development projects (Community Initiated Programme).

Challenges of the Administration of the DACF

a) Delay in the release and disbursement of the fund to the MMDAs

b) Government interference in the allocation and disbursement of the fund

c) Inadequacy of funds

d) Misappropriation and financial malpractices at the MMDAs level

e) Over-reliance on the fund by some district assemblies. Retarding innovative financing.

Financial Report by the DACF Administrator

The Administrator of the common fund is obliged to submit to parliament, an annual report on the activities undertaken during the preceding fiscal year. The report should include information on the manner in which the monies lodged in the common fund has been distributed and the report of the Auditor-General on the accounts

The financial report of the common fund is basically made up of Income and Expenditure Account and then a statement of financial position showing the financial state of the fund.

The law offers some protection to the overdose victim and those who call 911 from prosecution for

• Drugs(possession up to 8oz of narcotics)
• Marijuana(any amount)
• Alcohol(for underage drinkers)
• Paraphernalia offenses
• Sharing of drugs (in NYS sharing constitutes a ''sales'' offences)

Does not provide explicit legal protections for probation or parole violations, violations for open warrants, issues related to immigration ,child welfare.

Professor of Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University, Steve Hanke

Professor of Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University, Steve Hanke, has criticized Bank of Ghana (BoG) Governor Ernest Addison, describing his him as a "masterclass in monetary mismanagement."

Professor Hanke's comments came in the context of the #OccupyBoG protest organized by a minority of parliament members, who are demanding the resignation of the governor and his deputies in addition to the reversal of a controversial Bank of Ghana building project.

In a series of tweets, Professor Hanke expressed his support for the #OccupyBoG protest, which saw thousands of Ghanaians take to the streets of Accra to demand the resignation of Ernest Addison and his deputies.

His tweet read, "#OccupyBoG: Today, thousands of Ghanaians took to the streets of Accra to demand the resignation of Ernest Addison, Ghana's central bank governor. GOV. ADDISON = A MASTERCLASS IN MONETARY MISMANAGEMENT."

Ghana's economy has been a topical issue in recent months following a downturn occasioned by galloping inflation, depreciating currency and general decline in the quality of life coupled with high cost of living.

The government has serially blamed the aftermath of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war before submitting to a US$3 billion IMF loan last year, if which US$600 million as tranche one has been credited to government account.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/EflHpt0gOGo

Residents of the devastated Libyan city of Derna desperately searched for missing relatives as rescue workers appealed for more body bags, after a catastrophic flood that killed thousands of people and swept many out to sea.

Swathes of the Mediterranean city were obliterated by a torrent of water unleashed by a powerful storm that swept down a usually dry riverbed on Sunday night, bursting dams above the city. Multistorey buildings collapsed with sleeping families inside.

Spokesperson of the interior ministry Lieutenant Tarek al-Kharraz on Wednesday told the AFP news agency that 3,840 deaths had been recorded in the Mediterranean city so far, including 3,190 who have already been buried. Among them were at least 400 foreigners, mostly from Sudan and Egypt.

Meanwhile, Hichem Abu Chkiouat, minister of civil aviation in the administration that runs eastern Libya, told the Reuters news agency more than 5,300 dead had been counted so far, and said the number was likely to increase significantly and might even double.

Derna Mayor Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television the estimated number of deaths in the city could reach between 18,000 to 20,000 based on the number of districts destroyed by the flood.

Derna resident Mahmud Abdulkarim told journalist Moutaz Ali in Tripoli that he lost his mother and brother, after failing to evacuate in time from their first floor apartment following the collapse of a dam.

“She refused to leave her place … didn’t imagine the situation would be horrible and told him [Abdulkarim] it was just ordinary rains,” Ali reported, from an event organised for Tripoli’s Derwani community.

According to Abdulkarim, when his mother and brother did decide to finally leave their apartment, they were swept away by the floodwaters once they reached the streets to flee.

Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central

Member of Parliament for Assin Central and New Patriotic Party (NPP), flagbearer hopeful Kennedy Agyapong, has posited that his consistent drawing of the number one spot on ballots is a divine signal that he would lead both the NPP and the nation.

Speaking to the media after balloting on September 13, 2023, he expressed the belief that being drawn number one on the ballot for the second successive time was a clear indication from God that he should be entrusted with the mantle of leadership.

He noted that this divine message is apparent to anyone who subscribes to biblical wisdom.

"It is clear that I am the person God has chosen to lead the NPP. If you believe in the Bible… because everywhere I go, Kennedy Agyapong is number one. It is a clear indication that I should be given a chance to lead this country."

He highlighted that he drew the number one spot in the super delegates' election and has once again drawn number one in the upcoming party congress.

These occurrences, he believes, offer undeniable proof of his presidential destiny.

"The signs are clearly on the wall that if you vote for Kennedy Agyapong, he will definitely lead this country and break the eight."

The reference to "break the eight" alludes to his desire to end the two-term limit in power that parties under the Fourth Republic have stayed in power and secure a third consecutive term for the party.

The Presidential Elections Committee held an interactive session with the four contestants vying for the NPP presidential primaries scheduled for Saturday, November 4, 2023.

The outcome of the session was the agreement on the modalities and procedures that will govern the upcoming election.

Under the supervision of officials from the Electoral Commission of Ghana, the Elections Committee conducted a balloting process to determine the order in which the contestants will appear on the ballot.

Here is the order in which the contestants will appear on the ballot:

1. Ken Ohene Agyapong

2. Mahamudu Bawumia

3. Owusu Afriyie Akoto

4. Francis Addai-Nimoh

statefmonline.com