Palm Kernel oil production, an indigenous activity in traditional Ashanti, has become a lucrative business for many women in Kumasi in recent times even in the face of the constraints that come with the production process.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Tekper, yesterday launched the reconstructed website of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) in Accra to  make the department more transparent to the public.

The two activities that have captured my interest throughout my life have been football (sports in general) and politics. I have never minced my words when it comes to the discussion of issues on these activities, even when I know the consequences may not be in my personal favour, so long as I am convinced that the public good is served.

I am currently reading Lisa See’s moving novel “Shangai Girls.” Her chapter on the “scents” of the Chinese way of life which kept coming back to the two Shangai sisters who had relocated to America reminded me so much of home too.

“I am a 16-year-old girl from Manduonu in the Sissala East District in the Upper West Region. Four years ago, my mother left me for southern Ghana to work as a head porter (Kayayo) and, therefore, I decided to go and stay with my grandmother who unfortunately died later on. One day, while on my way to school, I met a man who proposed to me and promised to take care of my educational needs.”

Government’s consistent failure to pay GH¢700 million it owes bulk distribution companies (BDCs) since 2012 is posing a serious threat to the existence of the BDCs and commercial banks that extended credit facilities to the companies.

The Supreme Court yesterday refused to grant a request from the petitioners in the presidential election challenge which prayed it to refer issues on 1,545 pink sheets to the international audit firm, KPMG, for further consideration.

The government says it is on course to raise US$1 billion through the issuance of Eurobond on the international capital market later this year.

The Inter-Ministerial Task Force constituted by the President to check the activities of small-scale miners in the country has completed the first phase of its work and is currently assessing the results of its activities.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on the government to restore fiscal discipline in all public sector departments, since the current economic management style will lead to economic suicide.

A monitoring committee has been set up by the Ministry of Trade and Industry to ascertain the impact of the ban on the export of steel from the country.

The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Joe Ghartey, last Monday concluded his testimony in the litigation involving the sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone Holdings BV at the Commercial Court and declared that the transaction over the deal was constitutional.

Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet), in collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has started the process of connecting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFA) to the electronic Ministries, Departments and Agencies (eMDA) portal for the issuance of electronic permits and exemptions required for customs clearance.

Muslims in Ghana yesterday commenced one-month fasting, in fulfilment of one of the five pillars of Islam.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, has expressed grave concern over the decline in non-traditional exported in 2012 and charged non-traditional exporters to step up their efforts to meet the target for 2013.

Parliament, yesterday, passed the Communications Service Tax (Amendment) Bill but without some of the provisions which had generated controversy.

The centenary celebration of Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia (July 11, 1913-August 28, 1978), Prime Minister of the Second Republic (1969-1972), will officially commence tomorrow, in Accra.

The planning committee set up by President John Dramani Mahama to commemorate the one year anniversary of the passing on of former President John Evans Atta Mills has announced activities to mark the traditional first anniversary.

The Zakat Foundation of America, a Muslim non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Chicago in the United States of America (USA), has presented school bags filled with educational materials to pupils of the Fetentaa Refugee Camp Primary School, near Berekum, in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The Ghana Institute of Languages (GIL) is to establish branches in various parts of the country in order to enable more people to learn some foreign languages.