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May Day celebration in pictures
It was a colourful event on Sunday as thousands of workers from various organisations joined millions across the world to mark the May Day Celebration.
This year’s celebration themed ‘Protecting jobs and incomes in the era of COVID- 19 and beyond” was well attended as workers displayed placards to drum home their demands amidst the usual drumming and chanting of slogans at the Independence Square in Accra.
Workers wore in branded T-Shirts and wielded placards some of which read “we need salary increment”, “E-levy is killing us”, “Government should stop increasing fuel prices”, “and commercial drivers are suffering”.
About 55 workers from the various labour unions were honoured at the parade for their outstanding services and hard work. They were presented with citations.
President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his address congratulated workers for their immense contribution to nation.
He stated that the government, organised labour and business community could help sustain the economy and improve the living standards of all Ghanaians.
He explained that efforts were being made to rehabilitate the Tema Oil Refinery, to enable it contribute to stabilisng petroleum prices.
“We are in difficult times and government is working so hard to address the current challenges facing the economy and those that relate to improving the quality of life for all Ghanaians”. he added
Other dignitaries Present include the Vice- President, Dr Mahamadu Bamumia: the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori -Atta; the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatuis Baffour Awuah; a Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wereko-Brobby; the Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, Dr John Oofori-Tenkorang;the president of the Ghana Employers Association (GEA), Daniel Achaempong, and the Chief Executive Officer of the GEA,Mr Alex Frimpong.
Others were the General Secetary of the International Trade Union Congress, Africa, Kwesi Adu- Amankwah, the Secetary General of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity , Arezki Mezhoud; the Cuban Ambassador of Ghana, Anette Chao Garcia, and the Resident Director of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung , Johan Ivanov.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
The Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh Dompreh, has expressed concern over delays in the release of the District Assemblies Common Fund, warning that the situation is stalling development across the country.
On his facebook page, he described as a matter of urgent national importance, the Minority Chief Whip pointed to what he sees as a growing crisis of unpaid contractors, abandoned projects, and halted infrastructure works in many districts.
He noted that several communities are grappling with half completed schools, unfinished health facilities, abandoned markets, deteriorating roads, and stalled sanitation projects.
According to him, many contractors who have executed projects for district assemblies have not been paid, forcing some construction firms to demobilise from sites while workers lose their jobs.
He stressed that the District Assemblies Common Fund is not a discretionary allocation but a constitutional requirement under Article 252 of the 1992 Constitution, intended to support development at the local level.
In his view, years of delayed releases and accumulated arrears have weakened district development financing and disrupted projects meant to improve living conditions in communities.
He further argued that some payments made in recent years were largely the settlement of old debts rather than funding for new or ongoing projects, a situation he believes has affected contractor confidence and local economic activity.
He described the issue as more than a budgetary challenge, characterising it as a development emergency and a governance concern.
He therefore urged the appropriate authorities to pay outstanding DACF arrears, settle contractors who have completed their work, and ensure that transfers to districts are automatic and predictable.
He maintained that decentralisation can only succeed when district assemblies receive adequate and timely funding to carry out development projects.
He emphasised that stalled projects directly affect ordinary citizens, since they rely on such infrastructure for education, healthcare, transportation, sanitation, and economic activities.
He called for renewed attention to grassroots development, insisting that national progress should not be concentrated only in major cities but extended to all communities.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Richard Appiah, the footballer who killed two children and stored part of their bodies in a fridge at Abesim in the Bono Region in 2021 has been handed a lifetime sentence.
This was after a five member panel of judges at the Accra High Court returned a verdict of guilty against the convict.
Appiah, 32, also a draughtsman would spend the rest of his life in prison after he was convicted of murder.
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BY MALIK SULLEMANA
