Know your ministers

President	John Dramani Mahama	2012 to present
Vice President	Kwesi Amissah-Arthur[1]	2012 to present
Cabinet Ministers
Office(s)	Officeholder	Term
Minister for Foreign Affairs	Hanna Tetteh  (MP)	30 January 2013 – present
Minister for the Interior	Kwesi Ahwoi	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Finance and Economic Planning	Seth Terkper	30 January 2013 – present
Minister for Defence	Mark Owen Woyongo  (MP)	14 February 2013 – present
Attorney General and Minister for Justice	Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Education	Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang	2013 – present
Minister for Food and Agriculture	Clement Kofi Humado  (MP)	30 January 2013 – present
Minister for Trade and Industry	Haruna Iddrisu  (MP)	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Health	Hanny-Sherry Ayitey	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Information and Media Relations	Mahama Ayariga  (MP)	30 January 2013 – present
Minister for Local Government and Rural Development	Akwasi Oppong Fosu  (MP)	2013 – present
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts	Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Energy and Petroleum	Emmanuel Armarh Kofi Buah   (MP)	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Transport	Dzifa Aku Ativor	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Roads and Highways	Aminu Sulemana   (MP)	30 January 2013 – present
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources	Inusah Fuseini  (MP)	30 January 2013 – present
Minister for Communications	Edward Omane Boamah	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Environment, Science and Technology	Oteng Adjei	2013 – present
Minister for Employment and Labour Relations	Nii Armah Ashitey   (MP)	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing	Collins Dauda  (MP)	30 January 2013 – present
Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development	Nayon Bilijo	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Youth and Sports	Elvis Afriyie Ankrah	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection	Nana Oye Lithur	2013 – present
Minister for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs	Henry Seidu Daanaa	14 February 2013 – present
Minister for Government Business in Parliament	Benjamin Kunbuor  (MP)	14 February 2013 – present
Regional Ministers
Region	Officeholder	Term
Ashanti Region	Samuel Sarpong Eric Opoku	14 February 2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013 – present
Brong Ahafo Region	Eric Opoku Paul Evans Aidoo  (MP)	14 February 2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013
Central Region	Ebenezer Kwadwo Teye Addo Samuel Sarpong	2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013 – present
Eastern Region	Julius Debrah Helen Ntoso	2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013 – present
Greater Accra Region	Joshua Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo Julius Debrah	14 February 2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013 – present
Northern Region	Moses Bukari Mabengba (acting)[22] Bede Anwataazumo Ziedeng	7 January 2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013 – present
Upper East Region	Ephraim Avea Nsoh Alhaji Limuna Mohammed Muniru (Acting minister)	2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013 – present
Upper West Region	Bede Anwataazumo Ziedeng Ephraim Avea Nsoh	2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013 – present
Volta Region	Helen Ntoso Joshua Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo	2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013 – present
Western Region	Paul Evans Aidoo  (MP) Ebenezer Kwadwo Teye Addo	14 February 2013 – 11 March 2013 11 March 2013 – present

Source:Wikipedia

Best quotes of all time

1. “Identify your problems but give your power and energy to solutions.” Tony Robbins

2. “You live longer once you realize that any time spent being unhappy is wasted.” Ruth E. Renkl

3. “The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing.” Socrates

4. “Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” John Wooden

5. “Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed.”  Abraham Lincoln

6. ” If you are not willing to risk the usual you will have to settle for the ordinary.” Jim Rohn

7. “Trust because you are willing to accept the risk, not because it’s safe or certain.” Anonymous

8. “When your life flashes before your eyes, make sure you’ve got plenty to watch.” Anonymous

9. “Screw it, Let’s do it!” Richard Branson

10. “Be content to act, and leave the talking to others.” Baltasa

11. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Steve Jobs

12. “The more you loose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.” Norman Vincent Peale

13. “If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to meet it!” Jonathan Winters

14. “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” Zig Ziglar

15. “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” John Wayne

16.“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” Les Brown

17. “The link between my experience as an entrepreneur and that of a politician is all in one word: freedom.” Silvio Berlusconi

18. “The entrepreneur builds an enterprise; the technician builds a job.” Michael Gerber

19. “A real entrepreneur is somebody who has no safety net underneath them.” Henry Kravis

20. “Most new jobs won’t come from our biggest employers. They will come from our smallest. We’ve got to do everything we can to make entrepreneurial dreams a reality.”  Ross Perot

21. “My son is now an ‘entrepreneur’. That’s what you’re called when you don’t have a job.” Ted Turner

22. “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” Bill Gates

23. “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.” Donald Trump

24. “If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.” Thomas J Watson

25. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Edison

26. “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Vidal Sassoon

27. “Capital isn’t scarce; vision is.” Sam Walton

28. “Failure defeats losers, failure inspires winners.” Robert T. Kiyosaki

29. “Some people dream of great accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them.” Anonymous

30. “I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.” Warren Buffet

31. “Going into business for yourself, becoming an entrepreneur, is the modern-day equivalent of pioneering on the old frontier.” Paula Nelson

32. “Poor people have big TV. Rich people have big library.” Jim Rohn

33. “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Napoleon Hill

34. “Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I’m not there, I go to work.” Vinnie Rege

35. “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.” Zig Ziglar

36. “People are not lazy. They simply have important goals – that is, goals that do not inspire them.” Tony Robbins

37. “Nobody talks of entrepreneurship as survival, but that’s exactly what it is.” Anita Roddick

38. “The best reason to start an organization is to make meaning; to create a product or service to make the world a better place.” Guy Kawasaki

39. “A friendship founded on business is a good deal better than a business founded on friendship.” John D. Rockefeller

40. “I’ve been blessed to find people who are smarter than I am, and they help me to execute the vision I have.” Russell Simmons

41. “I find that when you have a real interest in life and a curious life, that sleep is not the most important thing.” Martha Stewart

42. “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Albert Einstein

43. “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”  Maya Angelou

44. “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill

45. “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” Ralph Nader

46. “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” Benjamin Franklin

47. “Big pay and little responsibility are circumstances seldom found together.” Napoleon Hill

48. Make your product easier to buy than your competition, or you will find your customers buying from them, not you.” Mark Cuban

49. “The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.” Colin R. Davis

50. “If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” Jack Welch

Prince Kofi Amoabeng: The Rising Star Of Africa

By:Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh

Some say that successful entrepreneurs are born and not made. Others disagree, saying good entrepreneurship is a talent that can be learned and nurtured.
The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. The desire to create and grow a business – large or small – requires a combination of character, talent, vision, energy, timing and a bit of luck.
What are some of the leading characteristics of a successful entrepreneur? Take Ghanaian born Prince Kofi Amoabeng as a case in point.
He dropped a military career to pursue a profession in finance, evolving from an introductory service linking friends who had money to invest with those that needed to borrow for their businesses.

Today, Mr. Amoabeng is the Chief Executive Officer of UT Bank and the UT Group. He started UT Bank (formerly UT Financial Services) in a one-room office with a staff of four (4).

Founded in 1997, they aim at providing customers with fast and efficient short-term loans and real returns on investments.
The company succeeded because he served the needs of indigenous traders, exporters and importers, as well as business organizations/people not catered for by the traditional banks.

Their clients are their most prized assets, thus providing them with quality and prompt services is their first priority, according to the business magnate.

From a very humble beginning, UT Group is now ranked high in the Ghana Club 100.

Currently, UT is a Holding company with seven subsidiaries with staff strength of over 900 people and 27 branches scattered over seven, out of the ten regions of Ghana, with an estimated turnover of $30 million.

The company seeks to serve the needs of indigenous traders, exporters and importers as well as business organizations/people not catered for by the traditional banks. Their clients are their most prized assets, thus providing them with quality and prompt services is their first priority.

From a very humble beginning, UT Financial Services now UT Bank and UT Group is now a household in Ghana and Africa at large.
As part of their global “Walk with Giants” campaign, Johnnie Walker last year unveiled him as new Ghanaian Giant.
Mr. Amoabeng is the recent recipient of the Johnnie Walker Bank of the Year Award.
His personal journey has taken him from military officer to highly-successful, award-winning entrepreneur. His career, with UT Bank as well as other endeavours such as his role on the Council of Enablis Ghana, has been characterised by a desire to encouraging entrepreneurial spirit in Ghana.
Johnnie Walker is the world’s most awarded Scotch whisky brand and is globally renowned for the Red Label blend- the most popular premium Scotch whisky in the world – and Black label, the best selling 12-year old blend as well as their collection of rare, super-premium, blends.
The Walk With Giants campaign, featuring the brand’s iconic Striding Man, celebrates individuals who can be considered ‘Giants’ in their fields and who share their personal stories to inspire others to take the next step on their personal journey.
Mr Amoabeng is referred to by his plethora of admirers and colleague captains of industry as Ghana’s Steve Jobs.
Mr. Amoabeng guided the way and did it with skill, style and high passion and dexterity. He had the right products and services at the right time – which translated into high demand on a mass market scale.
But all that would have been worthless without Mr. Amoabeng’s own unique brand of commitment, high energy and determination.
Tenacity, perseverance and courage are other characteristics of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs which he and his partner, Joseph Nsonamoah, employed into the business.
They need a high level of tolerance for risk. They believe in themselves, sometimes against great odds. And they have prepared to pick up the pieces and start over again if there were challenges. But God being good, they were able to sail through.
EDUCATION
Prince Kofi Amoabeng is the Chief Executive Officer of UT Bank and the UT Group. He is a retired military officer (Captain) and an investment consultant.
He graduated from the premier Business School in Ghana, University of Ghana Business School, with B.Sc Admin (Accounting).
He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute Management Accountants (CMA-UK) and a member of Chartered Accountants CA (GH).
From 1992-2003, he lectured at the Ghana Stock Exchange. He has extensive experience in managing businesses through excellent customer relations, strategic and tactical business planning as well as strategic partnerships.
Mr. Amoabeng had earlier ventured into various enterprises, working with companies like Opayesco Wood Processing Company Limited, Jamhaus Limited, K.K. Power Company Limited and P. K. Amoabeng Enterprise Limited.
He started UT Bank (formerly UT Financial Services) in a one-room office with a staff of four (4). Today UT is a Holding company with seven subsidiaries, with staff strength of over 900 people and 27 branches scattered over seven out of the ten regions of Ghana.
AWARDS                                                                                                                   Mr. Amoabeng’s sterling leadership and entrepreneurial skills has won him and his company a number of laurels. Among his awards are:

• Most Respected CEO (Pricewaterhousecoopers and B&FT newspaper)2012, 2010, 2008
• Ghana’s Giant for Johnny Walker’s ‘Walk with the Giants’ project (2012)
• Finalist in the Ernst & Young West Africa Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2011)
• Overall Best Entrepreneur in the Maiden Ghana Entrepreneurs Award (2011)
• One of two Ghanaians profiled in Moky Makura’s book on Africa’s Greatest Entrepreneurs which profiles 16 of Africa’s top entrepreneurs.
  • Two times running Ghana’s Most Respected CEO for 2008/2010
  • National Honours for an Order of the Star of the Volta- Officer’s Division presented by the President of Ghana in 2008.
  • Marketing Man of the Year 2006.

BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
Prince Kofi Amoabeng has been on the board since he founded Unique
Trust in 1997.
Mr Amoabeng is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Interbank Payment Settlement System (GHIPSS), member of the Council of Enablis Ghana (Canadian Entrepreneurial NGO) and member of the International Advisory Board of China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), in Ghana.
PRINCE KOFI AMOABENG AS A PHILANTHROPIST
Through the UT Group, the seasoned entrepreneur has supported many civil society organizations with several millions of Ghana cedis.
These include the Ghana Heart Foundation, Ghana Blind Union, Ghana Trust Fund, Light Outreach International, Family Outreach Ghana, Countryside Orphanage, Ghana Education Centre and orphanages across the length and breadth of the country.
Mr. Amoabeng also extended his generosity to a number of individuals, especially students of both secondary and tertiary education.
AS A SPORTMAN
As the maxim goes: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, Mr. Amoabeng moves from the heavy loaded business desk to engage in some sporting activities. He is a prolific golfer. Mr. Amoabeng is an active member of the Tafo Golf Club.

Indeed, entrepreneurs are the future of many economies, especially emerging, developing and the least developed ones. 
It is, therefore, not surprising that great entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs give us hope in the hardest of times.
In Ghana, Prince Kofi Amoabeng is an entrepreneur who makes majority of Ghanaians and Africans in general very proud.
To quote an American author and entrepreneur, Brian Koslow: “If you nurture your mind, body and spirit, your time will expand. You will gain a new perspective that will allow you to accomplish much more.”
This quotation best fits well with the humble and affable Mr. Amoabeng, whose story can be told.
Entrepreneurship is a key driver of our economy. Wealth and a high majority of jobs are created by small businesses started by entrepreneurially-minded individuals like Mr. Amoabeng and his partner.
People exposed to entrepreneurship frequently express that they have more opportunity to exercise creative freedoms, higher self esteem, and an overall greater sense of control over their own lives.
As a result, many experienced business people political leaders, economists, and educators believe that fostering a robust entrepreneurial culture will maximize individual and collective economic and social success on a local, national, and global scale.

Stay Positive

How Staying Positive Helps

It's likely our species survived because of our knack for detecting danger. But our worry-filled thoughts can present dangers of their own: Thinking negatively can drag down our moods, our actions and even our health.
Experts say it's worthwhile—and possible—to learn how to think more positively. 
Consider what researchers found about the benefits of staying positive:

• People who were pessimistic had a nearly 20 percent higher risk of dying over a 30-year period than those who were optimistic
• People who kept track of their gratitude once a week were more upbeat and had fewer physical complaints than others
• People who obsessively repeated negative thoughts and behaviors were able to change their unhealthy patterns—and their brain activity actually changed too.

Ways to Stay Positive

Foster Optimism

Trying to be optimistic doesn't mean ignoring the uglier sides of life. It just means focusing on the positive as much as possible-and it gets easier with practice.
If you want to pump up your optimism, you might:

• Write about a positive future. The idea is to envision your goals and dreams come true. Tips include:
  • Write about your great future life. Writing helps you absorb ideas better than just thinking.
  • Set aside time so you can go into detail. Researcher Laura King, PhD, who proved this exercise a great mood booster, assigned 20 minutes on four consecutive days.
  • A variation on this exercise is to imagine positive outcomes in a particularly challenging situation.
    
• Search for the silver lining. Looking for the positive in a negative situation may sound sappy, but it can actually show great strength. To find your silver lining, ask yourself: 
  • How have I grown from this situation?
  • Are my relationships stronger now?
  • Have I developed new skills?
  • What am I proud of about the way I handled this situation?

Practice Gratitude

Noticing and appreciating the positives in our lives offers a great mood boost.
To increase your gratefulness, you can:

• Write a gratitude letter. Researcher Martin Seligman, PhD, asked subjects to write a letter thanking someone who had been particularly kind to them and then deliver it in person. The letter-writers enjoyed impressive positive effects even a month later. 
• Keep a gratitude journal. Write down anything large or small that makes you smile, including terrific achievements, touching moments and great relationships.
• Remind yourself to savor. Yes, stop and smell the roses-and look at them and touch them. Do whatever you can to really soak in the lovelier aspects of your life.
• Share your good news. Studies of people's reactions to positive developments suggest that those who tell a friend about a happy event enjoy it even more.

Avoid Negative Thinking

If you want to feel positive, it pays to decrease the downers in your life. With practice, you can resist worrisome thoughts and perhaps even transform your internal critic into more of a cheering squad.

• Avoid dwelling on downers. Focusing on negatives isn't just unpleasant, it also can make you less effective in tackling tasks you face. In a study of test-takers, those who fixated on worrisome thoughts performed worse than those who were distracted from their worries. To stifle your obsessing:
  
• Ask yourself if the issue is really worth your energy. Will this issue matter in a year, for example?
• Tell yourself you'll worry about it at a specific time later. Chances are you'll feel better by the appointed time.
• Instead of just spinning your worry wheels, try a concrete problem-solving exercise.
• Distract yourself: Go to a movie, pump up some music, find something fun to do.
  
• Change unhealthy self-talk. You may have been running negative messages in your head for a long time. But research shows that you can learn to shift your thoughts and that, over time, you can literally change your brain. Consider trying some techniques from cognitive-behavioral therapy, which works in part by looking at how changing your thoughts can change your life. Some tips include:
• Ask yourself if your negative thought is really true. Are you really a terrible mother if you didn't make it to the class play? You're probably involved in innumerable other ways.  
• Remember any achievements that disprove your insecurity. If you think you'll flop at the office party, remember other social occasions when you were outgoing and confident.
• Imagine what you'd tell a friend if he was worrying in ways that you are. You'd likely convince him to wait a bit before assuming the worst.
• Beware of all-or-nothing thinking. Disappointing your girlfriend once doesn't mean you're doomed to disappoint her all the time. 
• Consider alternative explanations. If your boss hasn't responded to your proposal it could be because he's busy and not because he doesn't like it. 
  Source:liveyourlifewell.com