As we draw closer to the December 7 general elections, political parties devise measures and strategies to grab power but what we are yet to see is a decisive cut policy to mitigate and in the long term eradicate food insecurity and move the country to a production hub.
NDC Summons their Avengers but Mahamudu Bawumia Still Has No Fighting Partner
In the course of the week, the biggest opposition party in the country named a couple of party giants to lead the charge on their campaign front going into the December 7 General Elections.
Notable names that made the list include but are not limited to – the formidable general, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Communication Director, Sammy Gyamfi, Minority Leader in Parliament, Ato Forson and the campaign manager, former vice chancellor of UPSA, Prof. Joshua Larbi.
While those on the other side of the aisle had assembled their warriors way before, the leader of the army, Bawumia is still battling with the daunting task of choosing who to fight the war alongside.
Stalwart and sympathizer of the NPP, Prof. Kwesi Yankah believes the former deputy governor of the Central Bank is deeply troubled – his quest to find a running mate appears to be under siege.
He believes that for the first time in the history of his party, contestants have been openly announced by self-appointed electoral commissions, that release nominations in a trickle, and a hint of front liners, dark horses and dropouts; these have changed by the day.
Kwesi Yankah Writes: Poor Mahmoud; The sad Plight of a Happy Man
The Cocoa Sector Continues to Dwindle; Unaffordable Homegrown Foods but the Agric Minister is Fixated on his Hotel
Ghana’s cocoa sector experienced a significant downturn, recording a negative growth of 20.2% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2023.
This data, released by the Ghana Statistical Service, highlights a deepening crisis within the sector. Additionally, the sector declined by 6.1% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. It was the worst subsector in the first quarter.
Our agricultural sector seems to be taking a nosedive even with the advent of frugal policies aimed at addressing our food security.
According to data published by the Ghana Statistical Service, there are significant factors contributing to the recent hikes in food prices across the country. Food inflation, for instance, stood at 22.6% in May, a slight reduction from 26.8% in April.
However, a detailed analysis reveals that locally produced food has been the primary driver of this inflation, overshadowing the impact of imported foods.
According to the data, locally produced food contributed 28.6% to national inflation, while imported food accounted for only 9.2%. This disparity highlights that the rising cost of locally produced food is the main cause of food inflation in Ghana.
Rising Costs of Locally Produced Food Drive Ghana’s Food Inflation
However, the man responsible for supervising the sector appears to be daring people over the economic benefit of his private assets rather than making gains for the sector.
The sale of some of SSNIT’s Hotels to Rock City Hotel has garnered a lot of controversies and opposition in the past couple of weeks. The owner and CEO who also doubles as the Minister in Charge of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong was seen daring MP for North Tongu, Okudzeto Ablakwa to release documents the latter claims to have intercepted.
Prove Rock City’s Fincancial Struggle Claims – Bryan Acheampong Dares Okudzeto Ablakwa
Saglemi may Resurrect After all
The Minister of Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah announced recently that the abandoned $200 million Saglemi Housing Project may soon have a facelift with the government’s planned public-private initiative.
The minister indicated some 10 local and international companies have shown interest in completing the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project.
He also promised that the selection process would be transparent and competitive, with the independent evaluation body ensuring that the winning bid meets the necessary criteria.
10 Companies Express Interest in Completing Saglemi Affordable Housing Project – Oppong Nkrumah
Creatives Battle it out in Court but Others Get to Showcase at WAMAFEST
Many were banking their hopes on the apex court of the land to rescind the FDA’s directive on celebrity ban on alcohol advertising.
But in an awful disappointment, the court by a 5-2 majority decision, said on Wednesday that the FDA’s directive does not contravene the constitution, even though the plaintiff’s arguments had been otherwise.
Supreme Court Upholds FDA’s Ban on Celebrities Advertising Alcohol
Still on court premises, Gospel music collective, Team Eternity Ghana, has been urged by the Ghanaian Copyright Office to settle any copyright disputes pertaining to their popular song, “Defe Defe,” in order to prevent any legal consequences.
One will recall that, music producer, Kwame Mickey, claimed that Team Eternity had sampled the “Defe Defe” line from a song he had previously executive produced for Hallelujah Voices of the same title. The producer was seen in a video threatening legal charges against the contemporary gospel music group.
Copyright Office Urges Team Eternity to Opt for Out of Court Settlement After Song Theft Claims
Still in the creative industry, the West Africa Music and Arts Festival (WAMAFEST) was officially been launched in Accra. The festival aims to bring together leading music industry professionals across the continent to celebrate music and African culture.
The four-day festival, which commenced on June 19, 2024, at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and still running, will feature a music industry conference, panel discussions, workshops, art sales, performances by artists, masterclasses with industry icons, and a Juneteenth Parade to promote tourism and economic development.
Accra Launches Inaugural West Africa Music and Arts Festival
