Tax exemptions: Should the president pay income tax? | JoyNews Today
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Transcript
00:00 Hello, good afternoon. Welcome to Joy News today. We're coming to you live from our studios in Kokom.
00:04 Namely, we're on DTT because we're free to air on DSTV, channel 421 and GO! TV channel 125.
00:11 This is Joy News, your home of independent, fearless and credible journalism.
00:16 Coming up this afternoon, showdown expected in court as former sanitation minister Cecilia
00:22 Dapas says the OSB is lying about her and money transferred from her dead brother's account
00:28 to her and it was for payment of his children's school fees. We have details from the former
00:35 minister's affidavit in opposition to the OSB's second attempt to have the freezing of her
00:41 properties confirmed. Also this afternoon, Joy News investigations uncover a cartel including
00:48 staff of ECG and Energy Commission who forged documents to sell off unapproved meters to
00:55 prospective consumers at exorbitant prices to enable them to enjoy free electricity.
01:01 Last tension brews at Ayubmensa and surrounding communities as concerned
01:12 residents resist construction of a morgue and a commercial cemetery in the
01:17 otherwise residential settlement.
01:24 Elsewhere, Israel's defense minister orders a complete siege of the Gaza Strip. Two days
01:30 after shock attacks in Israel left hundreds of civilians dead,
01:35 we have the latest on the Israel-Gaza war.
01:37 We're business, but showbiz and world news coming up shortly. My name is Ayeshe Brine,
01:47 do stay for details.
01:54 An assistant commissioner of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Dominic Nabb, has ignited a fiery
02:08 debate on the exemption of the president of Ghana from paying income tax, which he argues
02:14 should be subject to a national conversation. He said that during a public forum on improving
02:20 domestic resource mobilization and combating illicit financial flows in Ghana, the role of
02:26 the media and other stakeholders, the gathering organized by the Media Foundation for West
02:31 Africa witnessed a passionate exchange of opinions on this contentious matter.
02:38 I see something we are developing is to help us be able to train our people like us,
02:41 IT, but we are hoping to raise that one.
02:44 Oh, I'm the project manager.
02:47 So I understand what I'm talking about.
02:50 We are trying to see what's going on.
02:53 Why the hope? There must be some level of certainty. That's what I'm talking about.
02:56 Well, if at the end of the day, we realize that look, it is not worth employing people
03:02 to develop, it is better to rely on third parties, because we have to look at cost
03:07 effectiveness.
03:07 So if employing people to develop will not help, but relying on third parties is what
03:14 will help in terms of cost minimization, who will not go for it?
03:17 You see, before we make any arguments, let's look at it broadly, be able to understand
03:23 the nuances.
03:24 Otherwise, sometimes we jump ahead of ourselves and make certain statements when there are
03:29 no alternatives.
03:31 Let's move to the other one, because there are quite a lot of questions.
03:33 Let's move on to the paper site.
03:35 It should pay its taxes.
03:36 I believe this conversation has come up many times.
03:39 They may so rest in peace, our former commissioner, commissioner who became the
03:45 professor.
03:58 Joining me in the studio is head of our research desk, Raymond Akwa, to explore this further.
04:04 Now, we know the president is exempted from paying tax, and now we're hearing that,
04:09 I mean, there must be, there should be a law actually that provides for that, right?
04:14 Now, yes, of course, article 6085 of the constitution states that the salary allowances
04:20 and facilities, including pensions and gratuity of the president shall be exempt from tax.
04:26 Beyond that, though, this grants a constitutional exemption, but from beyond the constitutional
04:31 exemption of the president from paying some taxes, of course, the income tax act also
04:36 exempts the president's salary allowances, facilities, pensions, and gratuity from tax,
04:41 referencing the constitutional provision.
04:43 You understand?
04:44 So has it always been the case since independence?
04:49 No.
04:49 In 1960, the constitution was silent on tax exemptions for the president.
04:54 In 1969, however, the president was exempted categorically with the 1969 constitution.
05:01 Then the next constitution we had was 1979.
05:04 It was also silent on it until the 1992 one restored those exemptions to the president.
05:10 So the last four constitutions we've had since 1960, two of them gave specific exemptions to
05:16 the president on income tax.
05:17 The other two were very silent on it, which meant that the president was supposed to pay tax.
05:23 In 2010, the Constitutional Review Commission did some very good job on our constitution.
05:30 Did this ever come up?
05:31 Yes, it did.
05:32 Actually, it was one of the issues they took views of the people of this country on.
05:36 Now, one of the things it says, specifically says that as the number one citizen, the president
05:41 should set a good example by paying taxes to encourage others to pay tax.
05:45 So tax collection in Ghana has become a very difficult thing to do.
05:49 That's one of the arguments that the Constitutional Review Commission made.
05:51 So it came up with a conclusion that, yes, the president should no longer be exempt from
05:56 paying tax now.
05:57 It should be made to pay tax going into the future.
06:00 You know, we didn't conclude with that kind of job anyway.
06:02 And so if, I mean, in the event that we all agree that that must change, the president
06:10 must actually pay taxes.
06:11 I mean, what should be the process?
06:13 Is this an entrenched position in the constitution?
06:16 Yes, the tax exemption is an entrenched clause under Chapter 8 of the
06:21 1992 Constitution.
06:23 To change this requires a high threshold, like a referendum, as we know it to be.
06:27 The exemption could be reconsidered as part of the larger project of constitutional review
06:31 and reforms that we started in 2010, had a white paper issued on it, and we abandoned
06:36 the Constitutional Implementation Committee.
06:38 So maybe if you are considering all of the other things, including whether or not this
06:41 assembly should elect the president on a partisan basis, certainly we can go back to that question
06:47 and add this as the list of referenda that we should be putting to the people of this
06:53 country so that they decide whether that should be removed.
06:56 And if about 75% of the people decide, then that could be changed.
07:00 Well, let me bring in former Finance Minister Sir Tepe.
07:04 Grateful for your time, Sir.
07:05 You are a tax expert.
07:07 Do you also think the calls for change are justified?
07:11 Yeah, thank you very much.
07:14 And I think we should look at the theme, this issue, a bit more comprehensively.
07:20 Let me repeat what Raymond just read.
07:25 It says the salary, allowances, facilities, pension, and gratuity, referred to in three
07:35 and four.
07:37 Now, it seems to be talking about income from employment and pensions that arise.
07:48 And I recall that presidents pay income when they have business interests.
07:53 You know, if they earn profits from, say, a business interest.
07:59 My reading of the Constitution, I believe that's an interpretation that the IRA gives
08:04 to it, and I recall that some former presidents do actually file their returns, which implies
08:13 that they paid the income tax on other related activities.
08:21 So that's the first point I wish to make.
08:25 So it appears that presidents would pay income, sorry, taxes on incomes that are not related
08:32 to the employment of his or her office.
08:36 Now, we should also, I believe this is not so much a tax court, but we should also know
08:43 that when a president is in office, and even when he leaves, there are deprivations, you
08:50 know, there are restrictions.
08:52 And let me read 68-1.
08:56 We were, the focus is always on five.
08:59 Sixty-one, 68-1 says the president, I'm reading from the Constitution, the president shall
09:07 not, while he continues in office as president, hold any other office of profits, you know,
09:18 or in monuments, whether private or public, and whether directly or indirectly, or hold
09:26 the office of chancellor or head of a university in Ghana.
09:32 Okay, the first is the most relevant point I want to make.
09:37 That's a major deprivation.
09:38 Then two, says that the president shall not, on leaving office as president, hold any office
09:47 of profits or in monuments, except with permission of parliament in any establishment, either
09:56 directly or indirectly, other than that of the states.
10:00 Which means that as an accountant, when I, if you're happy to be, or a lawyer, most of
10:06 our presidents have been lawyers, when they leave office, but then to go back and practice,
10:10 you know, they will need a permission, you know, of parliament, parliament will have
10:16 to scrutinize the extent to which, you know, their position in those affairs, you know,
10:23 could favor or not.
10:26 So I'd like to draw attention to these deprivations, so that in saying we should let a president
10:32 pay tax, and in saying that we should amend the Constitution, are we also going to lift
10:36 these restrictions?
10:37 Because there are countries where, even when the president is invited and speaks, they
10:45 charge for that invitation, and very, yeah, most, but the US presidents and the rest.
10:50 So I'd like to have, you know, a balance, draw attention to the balance in the discussion,
10:57 that the Constitution restricts the president, even a president who may, you know, have had
11:02 a business interest, family, you know, interest and income, from engaging in anything which
11:09 is profitable.
11:10 Would you therefore want, you know, to tax, you know, his salary as well?
11:14 Yes, I do agree that it is probably a good, you know, thing to show, you know, to demonstrate.
11:23 But when you look at the country, when you look at these restrictions, then I think we
11:28 need to widen, you know, the discussion, and probably bring in, you know, lawyers and eminent,
11:34 you know, statesmen and others, you know, to bring the discussion to a fuller, you know,
11:41 coverage, so that people know that, you know, being in office is always not one of, is a
11:49 privileged position, but there are serious restrictions.
11:52 I believe some of this applies to our Supreme Court judges as well.
11:55 So in drawing that balance, you think that that should be maintained for now, it must
12:01 not be changed, correct?
12:02 Except for its symbolic importance, in terms of less than 10% of our current institution,
12:11 it would motivate the rest of the population, probably by way of example, but I don't see
12:17 it making any, you know, significant impact on the income that we would have.
12:25 Let me also draw attention to the fact that I believe in the exemptions, you know, I believe
12:31 that, you know, items bought for the president's office, you know, are also exempted from tax,
12:37 not, you know, personal, but when items are bought for the benefit, that I think I would
12:42 agree that is the state office, and it lives with those.
12:45 There are countries also where even where gifts, presidents receive gifts, above a certain
12:52 level, they have to surrender them, you know, to the state, you know, they cannot take it.
12:58 If it's below that limit threshold, you know, then they can take it, or else has the discretion
13:05 of leaving it to the state.
13:06 Right, I'm grateful for your time.
13:08 Former Finance Minister Sete Kwe, let's stick on revenue mobilisation, because Ghana has
13:13 announced its foremost medium-term revenue strategy for the year 2024 to 2027.
13:20 I mean, what does this mean for us, and what does this even entail?
13:25 Now, the MTRS, the medium-term revenue strategy, it's actually the document to tell us how
13:31 we are going to raise revenue.
13:32 You know, governments have been talking about tax to GDP ratio, that we want to remove it
13:38 and push it up to 20%, and we are not raising enough revenue locally.
13:42 That's why we have sometimes the difficulties in funding our projects, and we have to rely
13:45 on borrowing.
13:46 So this is to reduce borrowing, this is to make sure that there's local revenue done.
13:50 We are looking at 113 policies and administrative actions across various thematic areas to drive
13:57 revenue reform in Ghana.
13:59 There are 60 policy reforms, which are distributed across the various areas, and also 53 administrative
14:06 reforms.
14:07 Now, some of the interesting ones that you should be interested in, Aisha, is that government
14:12 is going to redesign policies such as the electronic transfer levy, the E-Levy.
14:17 That's one of them.
14:18 The other one is that we are going to review outdated tax types, like the stamp duty, income
14:24 tax, and also vehicle income tax.
14:26 We are also looking at simplifying tax returns and reviewing the modification taxation regime.
14:31 We are going to broaden the whole tax regime to cover other types of tax, including tax
14:36 identification, collection, filing, especially for the informal sector.
14:41 There are other interesting parts when it comes to, let's say, VAT.
14:44 Government is seeking to introduce, in the future, within the period we're talking about,
14:48 an automatic adjustment formula for the special petroleum tax, energy sector levies, and excise
14:53 duty.
14:54 Also, we are going to review VAT assumptions to make them more efficient and less distortionary.
14:59 We are going to align assumptions, provisions in the VAT Act, also with the Customs 1.
15:04 And there's one.
15:05 We are going to reduce reliance on wage-based taxes, like high income tax, and shift focus
15:10 to consumption-based taxes.
15:13 So these are the broad framework for what we are taking into the future between 2024
15:19 and 2027.
15:20 - Okay.
15:21 I just hope that this would actually yield the results that we're actually looking for,
15:26 and it will not remain on paper as beautiful as you read it.
15:31 Thank you so much, Head of Research Raymond Akwa, for those details.
15:35 We can now move on to other stories.
15:37 Former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister Cecilia Dapa is fighting the special prosecutor's
15:43 second attempt to confirm the seizure of her properties and freezing of bank accounts.
15:48 Cecilia Dapa says the continuous transfer of monies from her dead brother's account
15:52 were for payment of his children's school fees.
15:56 This is her response to claims by the OSP that the said transfer was suspicious since
16:01 the brother has been dead for some time.
16:04 The office of the special prosecutor is back at the High Court seeking a confirmation of
16:09 its freeze and seizure order.
16:11 Madam Cecilia Dapa is again fighting the latest efforts.
16:15 My colleague Samuel Mbura joins me via Zoom with more from the court filing.
16:20 First, remind us of the key claims in the OSP's court documents.
16:25 - Aisha, well, it would be recalled that the OSP seized about 590,000 US dollars and 2,862,007
16:36 Ghana cedis during the search of Mrs. Dapa's residence.
16:41 Their accounts were also frozen.
16:43 And Accra High Court, however, issued an order allowing a release of the cash and asking
16:50 for the accounts to be unfrozen.
16:52 The OSP complied with this order, but shortly announced it had seized the cash and issued
16:59 a fresh freezing order.
17:02 The OSP in his latest attempt alleged that Cecilia Dapa's dead brother's account was
17:08 still sending money to a former minister, a situation the office described as suspicious.
17:14 The OSP also claimed Cecilia Dapa sold property using alliances as though to conceal something
17:22 and also that the money discovered in Cecilia Dapa's house were craftily obscured in emblems,
17:29 among other places, despite the former minister feigning ignorance of the said amounts of
17:36 money.
17:37 So, so the former minister is fighting the claims of the OSP and wants her properties
17:41 returned to her.
17:43 How does she respond to the OSP?
17:45 Exactly, Aisha.
17:47 The minister has through her lawyers filed court documents asking the courts to once
17:52 again reject this request for confirmation of the OSP's actions and in some part disposes
17:59 the affidavit herself.
18:01 First, the former sanitation and water resources minister, Cecilia Dapa says money transferred
18:06 from her dead brother's accounts were for payment of his children's fees.
18:12 This is a response to claims by the office of the special prosecutor that the said transfer
18:17 was suspicious since the brother has been dead for some time now.
18:22 But Ms. Dapa explains that the account was opened with funeral donations collected by
18:27 Carbank at her brother's funeral.
18:30 She says, and I quote, "The truth is that funds were transferred from an account in
18:35 the name.
18:36 The late Nana Akwesi Esan, to which I am a signatory.
18:41 The funds were transferred to me for payment of the school fees of my late brother's
18:46 children."
18:47 Unquote.
18:48 According to court documents cited by Joy Liu.
18:51 Secondly, the OSP had also accused the former minister of engaging in an undeclared real
18:58 estate business.
19:00 It was further alleged that she had sold a property to a third party and the alliances
19:06 Nana Ya Ode.
19:09 Ms. Dapa says she has no real estate business and that investigators have failed to provide
19:16 any evidence to back this claim.
19:18 Cecilia claims that she did not conceal her identity to sell any property, but rather
19:24 sold the said property in a representative capacity.
19:28 Also, Nana Ya Ode, also known as Nana Ode Nyaku, her mother, who is now deceased.
19:34 Samuel Mbura, I'll have you hold because lawyers for IGP Dr. Elkufo Dampari is also
19:41 accusing chairman of parliament's ad hoc committee investigating the leaked tape, allegedly
19:47 plotting his removal of him backing on a sinister agenda against their client.
19:52 According to them, it is their observation that Samuel Atachia, given any opportunity
19:57 in the media, consistently makes prejudicial comments about the proceedings against the
20:03 case.
20:04 The committee is expected to continue the in-camera hearing of the case tomorrow, but
20:08 lead counsel for the IGP Kwame Djan insists the committee has completed its work and will
20:15 resist any attempt by the chairman to bring any extraneous witnesses to come and testify
20:20 while indicating their readiness to face parliament's ad hoc committee and not to deal with subsequent
20:27 proceedings with kids' gloves.
20:29 The chairman is operating as a TSO commissioner and we are going to use all necessary legal
20:36 means at the hearing not to accept this.
20:39 What do you think is the motivation of the chairman, per your allegation?
20:43 He has his own agenda.
20:44 And what is this agenda?
20:45 He will disclose it.
20:46 He has been granting interviews.
20:47 Normally, what was happening was that any time after the proceedings, when we are quiet
20:55 and we go home quietly, he would gather the press and grant interviews.
21:00 To the extent that after one sitting, he went out there and said the extended tape which
21:07 was submitted by Bougrinabu had been doctored, a tape which has not been played for all of
21:13 us to hear.
21:14 He says it has been doctored, doctored, very prejudicial comments all over.
21:20 So I mean, in the past, we thought that because of respect for parliament and the institution
21:26 and the persons on the committee, I dropped my guns in most cases, but I'm going to do
21:32 what lawyers do going forward.
21:35 The chairman is talking, so I also have to talk.
21:37 So what is going to happen tomorrow?
21:39 Are you saying that you would not make your clients available for the continuation of
21:44 the in-camera hearing?
21:45 No, no, no.
21:46 My client will make himself available.
21:47 Why not?
21:48 Because he respects the institutions of state.
21:50 He will make himself available.
21:52 But I'm the lawyer for my client.
21:56 The committee is scheduled to continue the in-camera hearing tomorrow and my colleague
22:00 Samuel Mbura is still on there.
22:03 Mbura, what will be the nature of the probe going forward and is there any timeline?
22:10 Well, it is going to be strictly in-camera.
22:13 What we understand is that there will be interrogations and cross-examination of witnesses that will
22:19 appear before the committee and it is going to be a five-day investigation, continuous
22:26 process.
22:27 So from Tuesday all the way to Saturday and the committee is expected to complete the
22:32 probe into the allegation latest by Saturday.
22:36 So on the part of the accusers of the IGP, I mean, what information have you picked up
22:41 from your sources, Mbura?
22:43 Well, you recall that about two weeks ago, we understand the lawyers for Superintendent
22:50 George Asare and COP Alex Mensah retired wrote to the committee and indicated that they had
22:57 some two witnesses that they were coming to testify against the IGP.
23:02 However, the letter found its way into the media space and then according to the lawyers,
23:10 it created some fear among their witnesses and later they were able to convince them
23:15 to come and testify.
23:16 So they've written to the committee seeking protection for their witnesses that will prepare,
23:22 I mean, reveal themselves before the committee.
23:25 So tomorrow, what we are going to see according to the sources is that they will tender in
23:30 their evidence and then their witnesses will also come and testify on one, the issue about
23:36 how the IGP was appointed and also how reportedly the IGP has 10 certain units in the Ghana
23:45 Police Service operating it in its own way.
23:49 So these are some of the things that we are likely to see play out tomorrow.
23:53 Samuel Mbura with those updates for you.
23:57 Let's get on to other stories.
23:59 Story News investigation has uncovered a cartel including staff of ECG, an energy commission
24:05 who forged documents to sell off unapproved meters to prospective consumers at exorbitant
24:11 prices.
24:12 A separate meter that cost a little over 800 Ghana cedis is sold by these individuals as
24:18 high as 2,500 cedis.
24:21 Story News investigative desk reveals how the actions of these individuals enabled the
24:26 APAR consumers to enjoy free electricity without the knowledge of the ECG offices in most parts
24:33 of the country.
24:35 A discussion on the acquisition of meters on primetime radio on any day is one that
24:41 will surely reveal the ordeal many power consumers encounter to get electricity to their homes.
24:48 My issue is if you don't have the meters, why do you collect our money in the first
24:53 place?
24:54 I have a question.
24:55 Last, my meter has been off since August and I went to the ECG in Turkey to ask for a new
25:02 meter back in September and they told me they'll come.
25:05 They gave me a false number to keep calling.
25:10 So when I call, they told me, oh, they'll come, they'll come, they'll come, they'll
25:13 come.
25:14 And it was back and forth all throughout.
25:15 I want to know why, I mean, acquiring a ECG meter is very difficult.
25:22 The result of a cumbersome process and the shortage of meters has given way to the emergence
25:27 of fraudsters and syndicates that are dominated by middlemen.
25:32 Some corrupt staff of ECG, energy commission, contractors hired by the power distributor
25:39 and even some private security guards at ECG offices.
25:43 The result of the activity is the proliferation of fake meters scattered across the country.
25:50 The Ashanti Regional Revenue Protection Manager, Kofi Danso, admits the use of fake meters
25:55 has become an albatross we are working tirelessly to deal with.
25:59 This is affecting us seriously.
26:01 It is all over the place.
26:02 A lot of the customers who owe us, they abandon our meter and they go for these fake meters
26:07 so that they never pay.
26:09 I have a lot of cases, they charge between the thousand and as much as $3,500.
26:14 A recent exercise to map and rope meters onto the ECG database at the Kwabena district revealed
26:21 there were 15,000 users who were using power without paying a dime to the state.
26:28 A reality that the managing director of ECG, Samuel Dubik Mahama, is unhappy about.
26:35 After we finished the Kwabena exercise, we realized we had over 15,000 new customers
26:39 that we didn't know of in our system.
26:42 According to him, ECG loses an estimated 2.8 billion CDs as a result of illegal power connections.
26:50 This thing is a big moral responsibility and values fight.
26:57 There is growing tension in Ayia Mansa and surrounding communities over the siting of
27:09 a commercial morgue and cemetery in the middle of the town.
27:13 Enterprise Group Limited is believed to be behind the construction of the facility.
27:18 Community members say the location of the facility in the residential settlement poses
27:22 grave health and economic risk to their livelihood.
27:26 They will therefore fiercely resist that development.
27:29 My colleague Kwisi Adai Kwating has the details in the following report.
27:34 Ayia Mansa, Kweiman, Otinibi and Danfa are developing residential areas under the Latin
27:40 Continent Municipal Assembly.
27:43 The construction of an alleged morgue and cemetery by the Enterprise Group will, according
27:48 to residents in these communities, be injurious to their health and economic activities.
27:54 The concerned members of these communities say the parcel of land proposed for the said
27:59 facility is in the middle of a community earmarked for residential purposes.
28:05 One of the residents, Prince Achampon, an interview with JONEWS, gave reasons for their
28:10 objection.
28:11 The siting of the mortuary and the cemetery has a lot of health implications.
28:17 The chemicals that are used, the water table that we have here runs from the mountains
28:23 down Ayia Mansa, Otinibi, Danfa, Kweiman, and even it runs to special acts from the
28:30 people that have done the study of the water table.
28:34 That will mean that the water will run straight from where the mountains to where the cemetery
28:39 is, that it distributes to every home and the community water project that we have at
28:44 Kweiman.
28:45 Ghana Water Company do not supply us water, so every home almost has a borehole, and even
28:51 those that do not have boreholes depend on a community water project at Kweiman.
28:56 And all the source of the water is from this place that is going to be zoned as a cemetery.
29:04 Justice Kwekujan is a retired appeals court judge and resident.
29:08 According to him, it would be psychologically inappropriate for such a facility to be sited
29:13 in the middle of a residential enclave.
29:15 There are people who cannot even stand dead bodies.
29:21 If not a land originally zoned for a commercial, for the commercial purpose of harvesting dead
29:34 bodies to come and bury them there for profits, the serenity of our place will be totally
29:47 violated and destroyed.
29:49 But the apprehension of people, the emotional upset of people who suddenly would find themselves
30:00 confronted with this commercial cemetery, with all the attendant hazards.
30:09 Assemblyman for the area, Peter Jay, said checks at the municipal assembly and the EPA
30:15 revealed that the area is demarcated for residential development and hence cannot be used for such
30:21 a purpose.
30:22 The assembly is not aware of anything enterprise group and there has not been any rezoning
30:27 of our community.
30:28 So as it is now, it's still a residential as we know it to be.
30:33 But few activities from these people coming and going out of the community is giving us
30:38 a consent to know that something like this is happening.
30:42 So other checks from EPA also show that yes, there has been an approach, but until there's
30:49 that approval from the assembly, they can't move forward with the application of enterprise
30:54 group.
30:56 Assemblyman for the concerned residents association, Richard Edumafo says the appealing to the
31:01 conscience of the developers to reason with them.
31:05 The health hazards and epidemic that may arise cannot be controlled.
31:11 So we cannot sit down and just watch them to appeal to reasonable minds that this is
31:20 something that is up front to us as a community, as a society, and therefore we need to kick
31:28 against it.
31:29 A report by Kwesi Adai Kwatin for Joy News.
31:34 We're still live on Joy News today.
31:37 We'll take a break.
31:38 When we return, we'll bring you business.
31:40 Hello, good afternoon.
31:42 This is the business segment on Joy News today with me Paios Kujubaka.
31:46 Business in the cybersecurity ecosystem have called for increased awareness in building
31:50 a secured cyberspace for businesses.
31:52 According to them, incorporating digital tools into the business process will need proper
31:56 online protection to safeguard critical information.
31:59 This, we believe, will build a resilient and secured system which can enhance growth.
32:05 Here's a report from the MTN Business Executive Breakfast Series on cybersecurity.
32:10 The MTN Business Executive Breakfast Series focused on Ghana's digital transformation
32:16 landscape and its implications on building safe online practices and cybersecurity systems
32:23 for small and medium businesses.
32:25 Senior Manager of Information Security and Governance at MTN Ghana, Jacqueline Hanson-Kote,
32:32 urged businesses to establish a cybersecurity plan to safeguard critical information to
32:38 weather the storm against adverse effects of the current digital revolution.
32:43 You can't have any digital transformation without cybersecurity.
32:49 So I think one of the panelists gave a good analogy.
32:53 We shouldn't overcomplicate it.
32:55 It's simple.
32:56 We all want to protect our assets.
32:58 These days our assets are information, mainly information technology.
33:02 Let's put a good plan in place to secure them.
33:05 That's really what cybersecurity is doing.
33:06 It's securing you yourself as you interact online and use all these digital tools.
33:11 How are you being protected?
33:12 How are people not impersonating you?
33:14 How are people not getting your information?
33:15 How are people not taking all the things that you need and using it for themselves?
33:21 On assisting small and medium enterprises without the financial muzzle to build cybersecurity
33:27 systems, Chief Executive Officer of Inovari, CK Bruce, admonished businesses to seek licensed
33:34 cybersecurity professional advice to build tailored affordable systems.
33:39 The process and the requirements to secure an organization is dependent on the size of
33:47 the organization.
33:49 So if you're not that big, you know, your management processes, your activities are
33:55 not that big, your costs will not be that big.
33:58 So the cost of securing your company is aligned to the size of your organization.
34:07 So it is always affordable.
34:09 On support services being rolled out for SMEs, Senior Manager at MTN Business, Benedict Bentil,
34:17 had this to say.
34:18 At MTN Business, we want to encourage SMEs to grow.
34:22 But as they grow and as they adopt more technology and more digital solutions, it exposes them
34:27 to the risks of cyber fraud and incidents regarding their infrastructure and their networks.
34:33 So at MTN, we take that into cognizance and we help by providing solutions that are secure
34:37 for them, solutions that enable them to activate their own presence online, like the webways
34:43 that I talked about earlier, for them to be able to build their own presence and not allow
34:47 other people to spoof their presence.
34:49 The MTN Business Executive Series was held on the theme, Cybersecurity and the Digital
34:54 Transformation of SMEs.
35:00 Engineering practitioners have been entreated to be transparent in procurement processes
35:03 in their line of duty.
35:05 This according to the precedent elect for the Ghana Institution of Engineering, Engineer
35:09 Ludwig Hesse, is key to addressing the frustrations or infractions within public sector procurement
35:14 processes.
35:15 He was speaking at the institution's 39th induction ceremony.
35:19 The institution inducted 78 members into the class of professional engineers at its 39th
35:27 induction ceremony.
35:28 Engineer Hesse called on the newly inducted members to ensure they adhere strictly to
35:33 the ethics and requirements of the institution in their various fields of practice.
35:37 I want you to take this vow seriously and to do all in your power to practice engineering
35:42 not only in a technically competent manner, but also ethically, applying strictly the
35:48 following requirements of our code of ethics.
35:51 Report knowledge of any alleged violation of the code of ethics and cooperate with the
35:56 PPEC, that's my committee, or the relevant public authority in investigating the violations.
36:03 Disclose any potential conflict of interest to a potential or current client or employer
36:08 upon discovery of the possible conflict.
36:12 Report transparency, fair competition, and equal opportunities in procurement processes
36:18 and professional appointments and not engage in collusive practices or manipulate procedures
36:27 to gain undue advantage or to unfairly influence outcomes.
36:33 Report any suspected instances of corruption, bribery, or unethical conduct by filling a
36:39 complaint form and cooperate fully with any investigation.
36:45 Chairman, membership committee of the institution, Engineer Dr. Patrick Amwa Bekwene urged the
36:50 newly inducted engineers to produce quality work that can stand the test of time and should
36:55 be sustainable and socially relevant.
36:57 I want to use this opportunity to that this institution we sacrifice.
37:04 So as you are joining, you also sacrifice to ensure that we leave a better legacy for
37:10 the next generation.
37:11 And that is important.
37:12 Well, beyond this, the committee is embarking on the following, the development of an online
37:20 membership manual.
37:21 I'm sure a lot of you had a lot of questions during your application processes.
37:30 And now we want to put everything online.
37:32 So one of the subcommittees they started, they are doing an online frequently asked
37:37 questions and all those things.
37:39 The 78 newly inducted professional engineers consist of 33 civil engineers, 19 electrical,
37:46 electronic engineers, 18 mechanical, agric engineers, and eight chemical and mining engineers.
37:58 And that's it for business for now.
37:59 I am Pius Kojobaka.
38:00 Marketplace is at 1pm.
38:01 Do make a date.
38:02 Let's do sports now.
38:03 I want to join you today with me, Mufti Ablao.
38:12 Over the weekend, Mohammed Kudus scored his first goal in the Premier League for West
38:16 Ham United as they drew 2-2 against Newcastle United.
38:21 His favourite musician, Stoneboy, was on the stands during that match where he scored in
38:27 the 87th minute to grab the equaliser as the game ended 2-2.
38:32 He says Stoneboy came to the stadium with luck.
38:36 Now let's hear from 1963 African Cup of Nations winner, Ula Fosun Fum.
38:42 He says Ghana's failure to win the African Cup of Nations since 1982 is down to poor
38:47 quality.
38:48 According to him, the Black Stars in recent years lack the quality required to be able
38:54 to rule the rest of the continent.
38:56 He was speaking on Prime Take.
38:58 So what are the players that you are going to play for to win the cup?
39:17 Do you think we have players?
39:19 If they don't change the system of selecting players from Europe.
39:31 You know, these players coming from Europe, do you think they come and kill themselves
39:35 for Ghana?
39:39 My brother, they think about their leg.
39:44 They think about their leg.
39:46 When they come here, they don't play hard the way they used to play in Europe.
39:55 When he comes here and play and help himself, where is he going to get money to feed his
40:03 family?
40:16 Time Checkout was making headlines elsewhere.
40:23 The Ghanaian community in Liberia has been cautioned against any act that will breach
40:27 the laws of their host country, especially in this critical moment of the country's history.
40:33 On Tuesday, Liberia will be at the polls for the fourth time after restoration of constitutional
40:39 rule, President of the Association of Ghanaian Professionals in Liberia, Eric Ellington,
40:46 says precautions are being put in place to ensure the safety of Ghanaians.
40:51 And I urge you my friends to join me in welcoming Eric.
40:57 Liberian elections slated for Tuesday.
41:01 It is the first time a party that has tasted power is seeking to stage a comeback.
41:06 Though the political tension is high, the economic community of West African states
41:10 is helping put stringent measures in place to ensure credible election.
41:15 Leadership of the Ghanaian community in showing support to Liberia have asked membership to
41:21 strictly abide by the country's regulations as they have no voting rights.
41:28 We are not eligible voters in Liberia.
41:30 And the only thing we can do is to abide by the laws of Liberia as the election process
41:37 begins towards the election on Tuesday.
41:40 A peaceful election is important to all of us, especially as we just mentioned, we apply
41:44 our trade here and the country needs to be peaceful and stable so that we can apply our
41:50 trade.
41:51 Apart from that, our interactions with local Liberians indicate that everybody else wants
41:57 this election to be peaceful.
41:59 Nobody wants war.
42:00 We have all seen the effect of war on this country.
42:03 So everybody is praying that there will be peace.
42:06 And we as Ghanaians having a stake in this country are also supporting and praying that
42:12 the election will be peaceful.
42:15 Many of Ghanaians living in Liberia are expatriates helping build the country that was once plunged
42:21 into civil war.
42:22 Occasionally, they meet as a community to discuss issues of their welfare.
42:27 In one of such meetings, security measures were adopted in ensuring safety of the community.
42:34 Eric Elentin Ajendana is president of the Association of Ghanaian Professionals in Liberia.
42:41 And we also advise our members as much as possible to stay indoors and avoid crowded
42:47 places.
42:48 And most of us also work with international organizations and we have had some guidance,
42:53 security guidance.
42:55 So we use that to also guide our members in terms of stocking up food for at least two
43:00 weeks, water and other essential commodities.
43:10 Welcome to Showbiz here on Joy News.
43:12 And in the world of Showbiz, Lombardi Beach has done it again by holding a two-day celebration
43:17 of the Beer Festival October 1st, which happens in Germany and every year for the past five
43:22 years.
43:23 We've been organizing the same here in Accra at Lombardi Beach and this year was such an
43:27 exciting experience.
43:29 This is a Newsdesk report.
43:40 October 1st is the Bavarian Festival, which is 213 years old.
43:45 The world's largest Vogue fest held annually and it features a beer festival.
43:50 This year's edition held in Accra at the Lombardi Beach Hotel saw patrons holding their jug of
43:55 beer from various walks of life converge to have an extraordinary fun for two straight
44:01 days.
44:03 We caught up with a few of the patrons at the beer festival and this is what they had
44:08 to say.
44:09 The best of news.
44:10 It was fun yesterday.
44:11 It's a fun day today.
44:12 It was good.
44:13 Amazing.
44:14 Which country are you from?
44:15 Spain.
44:16 Oh, Buenas tardes.
44:17 Buenas tardes.
44:18 Amazing.
44:19 Oh, it's very nice.
44:21 It's a typical German party, so we have to be here this evening, surely.
44:32 And that was a two day celebration at Lombardi Beach Hotel.
44:35 Well, Kofi Angelou, actor, says that he would have been part of the Jollibee protest if
44:40 he were in Accra.
44:42 He wasn't in Accra.
44:43 He was on set filming and he says, yes, issues that have been, or policies that have been
44:48 made by the government has affected him too, so he would have been out there.
44:51 He told me this at the press conference of the AMA awards.
44:58 That day I was in Kumasi shooting.
45:00 If you get to, on the internet, you'll see some pictures of me.
45:04 I came back this morning and from this morning I jumped onto another set.
45:11 So sometimes, some of us, if you don't see us at these kind of functions, it doesn't
45:16 mean that we don't sympathize with them.
45:19 I'm a very good sympathizer.
45:21 Would you have been there?
45:24 Would you have been there if you were in Accra?
45:26 In fact, this time around, if somebody like me, I said, I would say, I don't think I would
45:38 be there, no.
45:39 Now, I have bonds, so.
45:43 I bought treasury bills.
45:45 So the policies are somehow affecting me too.
45:51 So I would have been there.
45:54 I wouldn't lie.
45:55 I wouldn't lie.
45:56 I would have been there.
45:57 Because with the Bank of Ghana, the policies, they are affecting me too.
46:01 Are you disappointed, till date, the government has not come out to address any issue from
46:07 the protest?
46:08 Well, I have not read the news yet and I have not gone into the net to actually find out.
46:14 So I said I travel, I was in the zone, I have gone.
46:16 But if the government has not come out to address on this issue, then I think it's
46:24 appalling.
46:25 It's not good for the ears.
46:28 They should come out and say something about it.
46:33 Ace Nigerian actor Shekuda Renzi, who was also in Ghana for the AMA press launch, says
46:38 that he is never interested in politics because of how politics is done in Nigeria.
46:44 Kill it.
46:46 Dead on arrival.
46:47 DOA.
46:48 Let's not talk about it.
46:49 The way politics play in Nigeria, I'm not interested.
46:53 I'm not.
46:54 I'm not.
46:55 If that's how they play politics, I'm not interested.
46:56 I think politics should be issues based.
46:58 But here in Nigeria, we slander.
47:01 It's this defamation of your character, assassinating your character, all sorts of nonsense.
47:05 I mean, it's all right now.
47:07 Somebody comes and says, I want to lead.
47:08 And you're assassinating his character.
47:09 You're saying all sorts of things.
47:10 It doesn't make any sense for me.
47:11 So I try to avoid that.
47:12 It doesn't make any sense.
47:13 As far as I'm concerned, if somebody can perform, let the person perform.
47:21 Not because you didn't get there, you know.
47:22 No, it doesn't make any sense.
47:24 So I avoid it.
47:25 I don't want to be tainted.
47:26 So I keep away from it.
47:29 Shekuda Renzi doesn't want to be a cobra.
47:33 True.
47:34 And I believe, I think I agree with you.
47:36 You can be a cobra.
47:37 You can be a cobra, indeed.
47:38 Thank you for bringing us your visit.
47:39 You're welcome.
47:40 That will be it for the bulletin.
47:41 But before we go, though, let me bring you the latest cards from the National Science
47:50 and Maths Quiz.
47:52 And it's Wesley Girls High School, 52, St. Peter's SHS, 37, and Lewis Rutan SHS, 19.
48:04 So the girls are on top.
48:07 And then you have Chemo SHS, 50, St. Paul's SHS, 31, and Hope College, 29.
48:17 Then Achimota School, 60.
48:22 And then Notre Dame Girls, 41.
48:24 And then St. Francis Girls, 17.
48:27 All of these from their preliminary contest.
48:30 Log on to mygionline.com for all the news and the rest of all the developing stories.
48:40 Enjoy the rest of our programs.
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48:52 (upbeat music)
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