Gee, better have my money!

GNAT wants their pension in full.

Author

Chale News
September 06, 2024

Your favourite day of the week is here. It’s not exactly ours cos, 48 hours without you makes everything really quiet on this side. But if our special person likes the weekend, then who are we not to like it too?😁😁

But before you go, here’s some news for the road:

  • National: “Gee, better have my money”, GNAT tells Government.

  • National: Looks like cement prices are still vibing on the "expensive" side of life, but hey, the gov’s got a plan—just not the one you thought.

  • Politics: Mahama promises to “top-up” compensation for Techiman South election victims.

  • Politics: Dr. John Kpikpi of the Progressive Alliance for Ghana says we should give him two years with galamsey.

  • Education: NAGRAT’s telling the Education Ministry to fix TVET teacher problems in two weeks!

  • Fact of the Day: There are fears we have now that weren’t there on the day we were born.

  • National: Ghana's tree stump removal project on Volta Lake cost GH₵87.6m, but the Auditor General's got questions.

  • National: Jubilee House is about to get a dose of miner’s protest vibes!

  • Sports: Black Stars lost and fans lost it.

  • Politics: Why did Samia Nkrumah turn down Cheddar’s running mate offer?

QUICK BYTE

  • GNAT is not playing around! They’ve been working day in and day out, shaping the minds of tomorrow, only to find out that their pension fund is emptier than classrooms the day after vacation. The government is sitting on a whopping GH¢1.7 billion in pension contributions, and teachers are not having it. Thomas Musah, GNAT’s General Secretary, is breaking it down, saying the government owes GH¢770 million in principal payments, and with added interest, the total amount comes to GH¢1.7 billion. The teachers are warning that if the cash isn’t in their pension scheme by the end of the month, things might get a little... chaotic. Read more

  • For people building right now, cement prices are concrete proof that things are getting expensive! Everyone’s like, “Why can’t the government just fix this?” Now, KT Hammond, with his cool uncle energy is telling us to calm down. He’s got this new legislation in play that’s supposed to keep things "fair." The sweet idea of capping prices? Nah, that one is not happening. What the new legislation is gonna do is set up a committee, and this committee’s job is to drag cement manufacturers to the table and ask, "Bro, why so expensive?". So if they justify the high price, then that’s that! Read more

  • As you already know, these illegal mining ops are trashing the environment, and even Ghana Water Limited is giving us the side-eye, warning us that if things don’t change, water shortages are gonna be the new normal. So Dr. John Kpikpi of the Progressive Alliance for Ghana (PAG) is coming in hot cos he’s had enough—he’s ready to put galamseyers in time-out. Yup, he’s gonna ban them for two years when he comes into power then train them on how to dig for gold without turning Ghana’s rivers into chocolate milk. And when the dust settles, mining will reopen—but this time, it’ll be locals calling the shots, not foreign companies cashing in on our gold. Read more

  • So, apparently, clearing tree stumps from Volta Lake isn’t just about safety—it’s also super expensive. The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) spent a whopping GH₵87.6 million over five years to get rid of 21,265 tree stumps. Yeah, you read that right. Even AG can’t believe it. The Auditor General is giving side-eye, wondering if the cash was well spent. They’re not convinced that every cedi got the job done. Get the 411 in the Deep Dive section below

  • Turns out, a whole lineup of political big shots and well-connected business folks have been sliding into forest reserves with mining contracts. The Kumasi Mayor, number one. Even Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Region’s loudest voice, has been fingered for getting in on this action. This guy has been linked to not one, but several mining operations — some legal, some... not so much. Here’s where it gets even more wild. There’s a shiny new law, LI 2462, that was supposed to protect these forest reserves. But it seems like some people knew this law was coming and started applying for mining concessions faster than a flash sale at an electronics warehouse. And now? We’ve got a situation where the very forests that were meant to be untouchable are getting dug up like a poorly kept secret. Read more

FACT OF THE DAY

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When we're born, the only fears we come with are falling and loud noises. Everything else—like the fear of spiders or clowns—is picked up later. So if you’re afraid of public speaking or running out of data, it’s totally something you learned!

  • NAGRAT is giving the Education Ministry just two weeks to sort out the mess with our TVET teachers. Apparently, there’s been some shady business going down—like moving teachers around without their say-so and not even consulting them about new service plans. It’s like moving someone’s furniture around without asking and then acting surprised when they’re mad. NAGRAT’s President, Angel Carbonu, is like, “Fix this ASAP or we’re coming back with a vengeance.” Get the 411 in the Deep Dive section below

  • Ghana's Mineworkers’ Union is staging a protest extravaganza starting September 16! They’re rolling up to Jubilee House, and trust us, it’s not for a casual visit. They’ve got beef with Future Global Resources over unpaid salaries and missing SSNIT contributions at the Bogoso-Prestea Mine. If you thought your last workplace was dramatic, think again—

    And if you think this is a one-day affair, think again. They’re planning a full-blown protest tour: from the President’s doorstep to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and then to Parliament. If you’re in the area, maybe pack some popcorn (or plantain chips) for the free show. Read more

  • John Mahama is back on the campaign trail, and this time, he’s in Techiman South, addressing the 2020 election violence that left many injured and three families mourning. The court’s compensation? GH¢275,000. But Mahama thinks it’s just not enough. He’s promising a “top-up” if he makes it to the Flagstaff House come December. Mahama’s also calling for a deeper dive into what went down that day. He’s vowing to investigate the role of the security forces and hold them accountable. Guess we’ll see if this chapter remains closed or opens up after December 7. Read more

  • So, Ghana’s Black Stars just got knocked out of their 24-year unbeaten streak at Baba Yara Stadium, and boy, did the fans let their frustration out. After Angola snagged a last-minute goal to win 1-0, things got messy. Fans started throwing plastic bottles, and when the final whistle blew, it was like the stadium became a battlefield, with people trampling over wooden panels and breaking through gates. Ghana’s next game is takes on Monday, September 9 in Morocco. Read more

DEEP DIVE

AG is in disbelief!

The Ghana Maritime Authority thought they’d handle those interruptions that mess with your cruise on the Volta Lake that by clearing out 21,265 of those pesky stumps between 2019 and 2023. It cost a staggering GH₵87.6 million. Now, that’s a lot of dough to clean up some trees, and the Auditor General is raising some serious eyebrows like, "Hey, for this much money, shouldn’t we have done more?"

The project spanned over several water bodies—Yeji-Mankango, Yeji-Awujakope, Dambai-Njare, and a few others. But despite the hefty sum, turns out, the project wasn’t even fully completed—three stumps are still chilling on the Yeji-Mankango waterway because of religious reasons. Meanwhile, the Auditor General’s report points out that many tree stumps still remain on other parts of the lake, making boat rides risky, and accidents still happen.

To the Auditor General, this looks like paying for a five-star meal and getting jollof in a takeaway pack.

Now, the Auditor General has some advice for GMA: “Step it up and finish what started. Clear the remaining tree stumps so we know we got what we paid for.” Read more

Playing musical chairs with teachers

If you’ve ever come home to someone rearranging your stuff without asking you and then asking you to chill when you get frustrated about not finding stuff then you can relate to the anger in this story.

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is calling out the Ministry of Education for making moves with teachers without even checking in. They’re not happy about being shuffled into the TVET sector without a heads-up or a proper consultation. They’re feeling like the extras in a movie who suddenly find themselves in the lead role without any script or direction. It’s giving disrespect and mistreatment.

NAGRAT’s President, Angel Carbonu, has dropped a serious ultimatum: two weeks to fix these issues or face the music. The Ministry agreed to this timeline, but we all know how these things go—promises are one thing, action is another. Read more

NEWS SOURCES

Today’s stories are curated from: