The front page stories of Monday 23rd of December,2013.

The front page stories of Monday 23rd of December,2013.

 

 

 

 

 

Daily Graphic

KIDNAPPING SYNDICATE ROCKS CHURCHES IN ACCRA; POLICE ARREST TWO

The mastermind of the recent child kidnappings from churches in the Accra Metropolis was yesterday arrested by the police, along with his accomplice.

PRESIDENT HOPEFUL OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN 2014

President John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaians that new doors of opportunities will be opened in the country in 2014.

MALIAN, GUIEAN ILLEGAL MINERS INVADE BOLE

More than 100 suspected illegal miners, mainly from Guinea and Mali, have been arrested for prospecting for gold at Tinga, a farming community in the Bole District in the Northern Region.

Business and Financial Times

2013 HAS BEEN CHALLENGING

The general economic condition in 2013 was challenging, with the sentiments of business and consumers mostly dour, B&FT’s review of the year has shown.

‘LOOK INWARD TO BRIDGE HOUSING DEFICIT’

Government must look inward and begin to pool the resources and expertise of professionals in the housing sector to bridge the country’s growing housing deficit, Dr Ken Kwaku, an economist and Board Chairman of McOttley Holdings Limited, a financial services and real-estate group, has said.

Daily Guide

MERCHANT BANK SAGA: MD GRABS ¢3 BILLION EX-GRACIA

The immediate past Managing Director (MD) of troubled Merchant Bank, Joseph Nii Budud Tetteh, was given a whopping GH¢275,4000,000 (approximately ¢2.75 billion) in old currency) as his end of service benefit (ESB), also known as ex-gratia.

2 KIDNAPPERS ARRESTED

Two persons suspected to be behind the recent wave of kidnapping in Accra, have been arrested by the police.

ROSEMOND KILLER FOR COURT

Abraham Kwame Oyotey Baah, the man who is facing trial for allegedly killing a 32-year-old Stanbic Bank staff, Rosemond Nyampong at Baatsona on the Spintex Road in Accra will this morning appear before a Tema District Court.

The Finder

SALE OF MERCHANT TO FORTIZ: ORGANISED LABOUR FOR COURT

Organised Labour will meet tomorrow to decide their next line of action, which will include going to court to stop the sale of Merchant Bank to Fortiz Private Equity Fund, for further investigations into the controversial deal.

FRONT PAGE COMMENT: AFTERMATH OF 2012 ELECTIONS DID WE ESCAPE THE WORST?

Fears that the ruling of the Supreme Court on the election petition filed by Nana Akufo-Addo, Mahamadu Bawumia and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey against the election of Mr John Dramani Mahama as President might lead to national disaster appeared overblown in the light of reality.

Daily Heritage

SSNIT CREATES PROBLEM FOR MAHAMA

Before the dust could settle over the sale of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) shares in Merchant Bank to Fortiz Private Fund, the pensions manager has stirred another brewing controversy for government following another sale of its property to a Russian Company, M/S YOO Mart Limited.

ASSEMBLY MEMBERS TO DRAG MP TO SPEAKER OVER TRUANT BEHAVIOUR

The member of Parliament for Ayensuano constituency in the Eastern Region, Ayeh Paye, has come under intense backlash and criticisms by members of Ayensuano District Assembly for continuously absenting himself from the assembly’s meeting since its creation.

ASSASINS TRAIL CHIEF

The acting chief of Akyem Asafo in the East Akyem municipality of the Eastern Region, Nana Baah Ammanten Addo Aikens says his life is in danger following persistent  threats on his life by unidentified assasins.

Economy Times

BANKS RECORD HIGH NET INTEREST INCOME

The banking industry has recorded significant profit indicating some improvement in the banks’ earnings performance for the period ended September 2013.

THE BULL RETURNS TO CEDI HOUSE

The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) has chalked a bullish performance for the first ten months of the year indicating that the bull has finally returned to cedi house.

PRESIDENT ASSURES MASSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH

President John Dramani Mahama has promised to diversify the Ghanaian  economy to enhance its growth. According to him, “it is time to move the economy from the just being primary produce exporters to advancing secondary and tertiary processing of our raw materials.”

The General Telegraph

SCANDAL ROCKS SCHOLARSHIP SECRETARIAT; ACCUSATIONS FLY OVER FAT CASH FOR SANDWICH STUDENTS

Documents sighted by ‘The General Telegraph’ have unearthed a massive scandal at the Scholarship Secretatriat with regard to bursaries and thesis grants to graduate sandwich students who, by policy, do not deserve such grants.

DISCARD EVIDENCE AGAINST OBINIM – COUNSEL

Counsel for Bishop Daniel Obinim, General Overseer of God’s Way International Ministry, Mr Samual Attah, has prayed an Accra High Court presided over by His Lordship Justice Abdallah Iddrisu to strike out the case of assault against his client for the witness’ constant absenteeism from court.

DON’T PATRONISE RESTAURANTS WITOUT PERMITS – FDA CAUTIONS

The head of Food Safety Management Department of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Nana Lovelace Johnson, has cautioned Ghanaians against patronising restaurants and hotels which have no food hygiene permit during the Christmas season.

PRESIDENTIAL TASKFORCE RETRIEVES GH¢10M FROM COMPANIES

The Presidential task force tasked with the responsibility of retrieving monies from companies said to have defrauded the stat has clawed back in excess of GH¢10 million from defrauding companies.

The Ghanaian Times

PRES: BETTER TIMES AHEAD

President John Dramani Mahama has said there are better times ahead next year and urged the people to remain resolved and maintain their hope in the economy.

POLICE BUST TWO KIDNAPPERS

The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested two people, believed to be members of a chlid kidnapping syndicate, in the Accra metropolis.

K’SI POLICE HUNT FOR TIMBER AGENT

The Police Buffalo Unit in Kumasi has mounted a manhunt for McDon Quarshie Bless Atitsogbe, a timber agent wh allegedly defrauded a Chinese businessman of about GHC285,000 in connection with a timber transaction.

The New Statesman

2012 AUDITOR-GENERAL’S REPORT REVEALS: OVER GHC200M JUDGEMENT DEBT PAID IN ELECTION YEAR; TOTAL OF GHC406.7M UNACCOUNTED FOR

The 2012 Auditor General’s report has revealed that a whopping GHC406.7 million cannot be accounted for by Ministries, Departments and Agencies as a result of “non-preparation and non-reconciliation of accounts”.

ECONOMIST MAGAZINE: NANA AKUFO-ADDO IS A STATESMAN

The Economist magazine is full of praise for the 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for “the prompt acceptance of the Supreme Court’s verdict” in respect of the 2012 Presidential Election petition, describing the action as “Statesmanly.”