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Barker-Vormawor granted GH¢20K bail after three-week detention

Convener of the Democracy Hub protest, Oliver Barker-Vormawor has been granted bail to the tune of GH¢20,000 with two sureties.

Barker-Vormawor was arrested along 52 others on Monday, September 23, 2024 and charged for allegedly causing public disturbances during the Democracy Hub protest

He is expected to report to the police twice a week.

He has been charged with counts of stealing, unlawful assembly, unlawful damage, assault on a public officer and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace.

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He was denied bail by the Accra Circuit Court and further remanded by the High Court when his lawyers appealed the Circuit Court’s ruling.

The High Court judge, who was concerned whether Barker-Vormawor will not commit another offence if granted bail, as he already was on bail for treason felony charges at the time of the alleged offences, warned to grant bail if prosecution fails to commence the trial.

Barker-Vormawor’s lawyers thus repeated the bail application at the High Court, which was granted.

Source: Citinewsroom.com

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Government to spend GH¢13.9 billion on infrastructure in 2025 – Deputy Finance Minister

Government will commit GH¢13.9 billion in 2025 to priority infrastructure projects under its “Big Push” initiative, with the amount projected to rise to GH¢21.2 billion by 2028, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko has announced.

According to him, the funds will be drawn mainly from petroleum revenues under the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) and mineral royalties.

He indicated that the projects will focus on roads, transport, energy, power generation, digital infrastructure, and urban and rural development.

Mr. Ampem described the “Big Push” as an economic reset powered by a US$10 billion programme, stressing that the country’s infrastructure needs remain urgent.

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He explained that Ghana requires US$37 billion every year for the next 30 years to meet development goals across sectors. Maintaining existing infrastructure alone, he added, will cost an extra US$8 billion annually.

The Deputy Minister drew attention to Ghana’s score of 47 out of 100 on the Global Infrastructure Hub index, which is below the average for lower-middle-income countries.

He argued that this was a sign of chronic underinvestment in critical sectors.

“Our cities need better transport. Our industries require dependable energy. Our farmers need modern irrigation. And our youth demand digital highways for the future,” he emphasized.

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Mr. Ampem highlighted the limits of government spending, pointing out that the public purse cannot meet the demands alone. He stressed that Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are therefore indispensable.

He revealed that the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) will set up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to attract private capital, blended finance, and international development funding.

The Deputy Minister urged both local and international investors to explore opportunities in transport, energy, digital infrastructure, and urban development, describing them as “vast and transformative.”

He assured that the framework is in place, the vision is clear, and the government’s commitment under President Mahama’s leadership remains firm.

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Mr. Ampem called for strong collaboration between government and the private sector, noting that sustainable infrastructure transformation will require a united effort.

The announcement was made at the KPMG Infrastructure Roadshow in Accra, held under the theme “Unlocking Ghana’s Public-Private Partnership Potential: Bridging Reform and Results”.

The event brought together policymakers, investors, engineers, and business leaders to explore strategies for accelerating infrastructure development.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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Ghana Tourism Marketplace is good initiative – Alisa Asamoah

The immediate past President of the Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), Chief Executive of Riali Consult, Mrs. Alisa Osei Asamoah, has lauded the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC) for its efforts to improve the viability of the sector through the Ghana Tourism Marketplace (GTM).

The GTM is an innovative platform that aggregates all tourism and hospitality vendors in Ghana, providing a unified platform for the distribution of their products and services.

The GTM is a shared economy model to benefit all stakeholders in the tourism ecosystem.

Speaking to the media after a stakeholder deliberation on GTM, Mrs.Asamoah said, this is what they are looking for. According to her, it is a good initiative by the GTDC.

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“This is what we are all looking for. When you go to South Africa, and other countries, they have initiated the same thing,” he said.

She said this would positively impact the industry because that is where the private sector would exhibit their products, adding that it is going to be competitive.

Mrs.Asamoah concluded that this would increase trust between them and their clients, and from the presentation, the project would be very sustainable.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

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